Stages of Life Cycle Development free essay sample

Stages of Life Cycle Development Raytheon I believe that Raytheon is in the elaboration stage of life cycle development. The elaboration stage is described as mature stage of the life cycle in which red tape crisis is resolved through the development of a new sense of teamwork and collaboration. Raytheon employs a process of Integrated Product Teams. IPTs are focused on improving communication amongst team members. This structure creates an atmosphere where each employee is within close proximity and everyone knows what is being discussed at every stage in their area of responsibility. IPTs are broken down into four tiers that are integrated but independent with a customer support leader, production program leader, design engineering leader, and value stream leader that keep things flowing smoothly. Through the use of IPT production teams managers develop the skills necessary for confronting problems and working together. This in turn reduces the need for addition formal controls. We will write a custom essay sample on Stages of Life Cycle Development or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Raytheon has achieved collaboration throughout the organization by employing IPT teams. Raytheons leadership employs a Six Sigma business model and is routed within the acets of Raytheon management. This philosophy is embedded within the fabric of Raytheons business plan. It is used as a method for increasing productivity, growing the business, and building a new culture. Raytheon Six Sigma is the continuous process improvement effort designed to reduce overall costs. Structure and Control Raytheon is one of the largest military defense contractors in the world. The Raytheon Company designs develops manufactures integrates and supports technological products services and solutions for governmental and commercial ustomers in the United States and internationally. It is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts and employs about 73,000 people. Raytheons leadership employs a business model know as Raytheon Six Sigma is the philosophy of Raytheon management, embedded within the fabric of our business organizations as the vehicle for increasing productivity, growing the business, and building a new culture. Raytheon Six Sigma is the continuous process improvement effort designed to reduce costs. (Raytheon 2008) Six Sigma was developed by a rocess of benchmarking other companies and leveraging internal best practices. The philosophy of Raytheon Six Sigma is to bring a goal of making customer success a strategic focus for the company increase productivity transform the culture and grow the business. Raytheons employs a business model known as OpenAir which enables all ot its partners to contribute and capture value. It succeeds in bringing together innovators in a range of fields including academia large and small businesses and Raytheon customers. Raytheons OpenAir fosters collaboration. One key aspect of the OpenAir oncept is competition because the opportunity exists for suppliers of all levels to get involved in the overall design and production effort collaboration and creativity increase. This in turn drives costs down and accelerates time to market. As a result Raytheons customers receive best of breed and affordable solutions in a shorter span of time. The OpenAir business model will be a key enabler in Raytheon meeting or exceeding customer expectations. The concept will be used on all new captures which will allow Raytheon to deliver the most innovative products and affordable rices to different markets. The model can also be applied to existing programs driving Raytheon to higher levels of efficiency than ever before. (Raytheon 2007) The OpenAir concept unites diverse partners and encourages complementary efforts. For example a smaller supplier with an innovative technology may lack the infrastructure to bring the product to market. Under the guidelines set by the OpenAir model this same company can partner with a larger business that has the ability to integrate the new innovation and then market and sell the solution. Raytheon 2007) Raytheon also transformed its operating system from a traditional purchasing and supply chain organizations to an integrated supply chain. We intend to link our engineering groups and our performance excellence groups with our supplier base as early as we can in the process when building relationships with our suppliers. We need our suppliers to be an extension of ourselves. When dealing with our suppliers was focused on costs quality and schedule. (Bernstein 2005) Raytheon employs a process of Integrated Product Teams. IPTs are focused on mproving communication amongst team members and keeping them up to speed on their area of concern while also fostering a sense of responsibility for a given function or step.

Cocaine essays

Cocaine essays The topic for my research is the production and distribution of cocaine in South America. South America and especially in the areas of Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia are dominated by cartels that rule the drug trade, and are responsible for over 80% of the production and distribution of cocaine in the world. I choose this topic because I felt it was appropriate to talk about because cocaine dominates the South American economy and The international illicit drug business generates as much as $400 billion in trade annually in according to the United Nations International Drug Control Program. That amounts to 8% of all international trade,(according to United Nations Office for Drug Abuse and Social Consequences of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking). The question that I am going to focus on is, Is it possible to stop the production of cocaine and the trafficking of this illicit drug out of South America and into United States? For someone who is not familiar with what cocaine is, it is simple the most potent natural stimulant which stems from the Andes Mountain area. There are three stages for the production of cocaine. The first stage for production is extracting coca paste from the plant; these areas for extracting the paste normally are located close to where the coca plant is grown. The second stage is Refining that coca paste into cocaine hydrochloride a lethal concentrate that is diluted with substances such as sugar, or flour before being sold on the street,(Geography Realms, Regions, and concepts,) according to our text book. The final stage is simply trying to get a way for the cocaine to enter areas for distribution and trafficking it onto the streets, wherever that may be. Usually this is a multi step process of delivering the cocaine in large quantities to areas closer to its destination and then broken down into smaller amounts to make easier for it entering the areas for distrib...

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 64

Assignment - Essay Example These rights normally depend on the reason for which this debt came about as well as the terms that have been agreed upon between the two parties to the debt (Twomey & Jennings, 2010). Their rights tend to also deal with the rights of creditors against other creditors. These legislations determine which of several creditors have the right to a particular debtor’s property in cases whereby more than one creditor lays a claim on a given debtor’s property. These creditors may be divided those who perfected their own interest by establishing a suitable public record of the said debt and any other property that is claimed as collateral for this debt and also by if the given debt came to be as a purchase money security interest (Twomey & Jennings, 2010). Creditors may request a court of law to set aside a fraudulent conveyance that is designed to put the property owned by the debtors out of the creditors’ reach. In Nebraska, property or money of a limited liability company cannot be seized by creditors in order to pay off the personal liabilities or debts of the owners of the limited liability company (Gless, 2008). If Adam opts to change his company to a limited liability company, Benhur as well as other creditors to the business will have to be aware of these rights and limitations in case the business acquires this legal status. However, there are other means through which creditors may use to go after the company while trying to recover the debts personally owed by the owner of the business (Gless, 2008). The state of Nebraska allows personal creditors of a LLC owner to get a charging order that is drawn against the membership interest of the owner. This is an order that is given by a court of law directing the business manager to authorize payment to the business owner’s personal creditor any profits or income that would otherwise have been distributed to the debtor-member. It should however be remembered that creditors

Forum 5 criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forum 5 criminology - Essay Example definition:- there is lack of a central repository for data on the actual number of corporate crimes in the state and all the federal courts of the United states. Secondly, the only source of data in the United States sentencing commission, this does not accurately reflect the problem as it only collects data on corporations that have been convicted of federal offenses ("White-Collar and Corporate Crime." Criminology & Public Policy 1.1 (2008). It leaves out the other firms who may be the actual offenders or committers of corporate crime. The other problem comes when it comes to the definition, this term is not a concisely defined term, and this leads to additional difficulty when it comes to the determination as to what types of behaviors would fall under the category of corporate criminal offenses. The problem of defining corporate law has happened over the years. This is because of the dynamic evolution that this form of crime takes. Corporate criminal laws take five forms ranging from the consideration of separate legality, followed by review of criminal cases by courts. Thirdly, we have the growth of the regulatory agencies and law to influence them, the next is the joining of forces is the corporations and the government to fight it and lastly a call for reform because of the rampancy of these crimes (HASNAS 2005). To curb these problems start by the clear identification of the problems. This is because a problem normally arise with the sanctions of the corporate crimes where if the guidelines significantly increase the sanctions, the substantial reductions in fines is allowed in the case with the evidence of an organizational due diligence. Another solution for corporate crimes is derived from the â€Å"Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002† which is characterized by mandated auditor independence and increased penalties for securities fraud and this makes corporate heads refrain from fraud of any form of their companies (Keane 1993). The acts has helped but with a

LEADERSHIP CRITIQUE PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LEADERSHIP CRITIQUE PAPER - Essay Example However, some critics feel that he too, like all other good leaders, suffered from some subtle weaknesses in his style of leadership. He is often charged with the accusation of being too much authoritative while making decisions, sometimes to the extent of imposing his autonomy on his fellow officials. We may take for instance his stop-and-frisk policy which unreasonably targets the Muslim and the black communities. But despite all these criticisms, the public believes that he possessed a kind of innovation and ingenuity never seen before in the NYPD. He resorted to the use of latest technology to strengthen the department’s hold on the crime rates. In 2012, he joined hands with Microsoft to launch a law enforcement technology for the real-time analysis of public safety data to predict latent threats and criminal activities. In 2013, he implemented the use of license plate readers in the traffic lanes which were linked to the domain awareness system to monitor the exit and ent ry points to the city. Some of the articles by his contemporary authors provide a deeper insight into Kelly’s leadership style and his effectiveness as a leader of the NYPD. An article that talks about the recent changes that have seeped into the law enforcement system of the US is â€Å"Policing by Numbers: Big Data and the Fourth Amendment† by Elizabeth E. Joh. The article, as the title suggests, focuses mainly on the use of data and figures in policing against domestic terrorism. For instance, police in Chicago employ a risk analysis of the criminals to ascertain their chances of getting involved in future crimes. In North Carolina, the police have prepared a map of high-risk regions that are more prone to be attacked by criminals. Similarly, in New York, the NYPD has tied up with Microsoft to launch a â€Å"Domain Awareness System that collects and links information from sources like CCTVs, license plate readers, radiation sensors, and

Business Intelligence Solutions for Organisational Goals

Business Intelligence Solutions for Organisational Goals Information System is becoming an important framework that can assist organizations to manage, develop and communicate their intangible assets such as information and knowledge. Therefore it can be considered as a necessary framework in the current knowledge-based economy arena. In this paper, I will also explain the role of Business Intelligence in providing organizations with a way to plan and obtain their strategic managements objectives. Than others. Theres almost always a prominent firm. In the automotive industry, Toyota is considered an exceptional performer. In pure online retailing, Amazon.com is the leader. In off-line retailing Wal-Mart, the largest retailer on earth, is the also leader. In online music, Apples iTunes is considered the superior with more than 75 percent of the downloaded music markets, and in the related industry of digital music players, the iPod is the best. In Web searching, Google is considered the leader. Firms that do better than others are said to have a competitive advantage over the others: They either have access to specific resources that others do not, or they are able to use generally available resources more efficiently-usually because of superior knowledge and information assets. In any event, they do better in terms of revenue growth, profitability growth, or productivity growth (efficiency), all of which eventually in the long run translate into higher stock market valuations than their competitors. But Why do some firms do better than the others and how do they obtain competitive advantage? How can we analyze a business and recognize its strategic advantages? How can we build a strategic advantage for our own business? How do information systems cause to strategic advantages? One answer to questions above is Michael Porters competitive forces model. Arguably, the most famously used model for understanding competitive advantage is Michael Porters competitive forces model (See Figure 1).This model provides a common view of the firm, its competitors, and the firms environments. Porters model is all about the firms common business environment. In this model, five competitive forces form the fate of the firm. Figure 1- Porters competitive forces model Customers A profitable company depends in large criterion on its ability to attract and hold customers (while denying them to competitors), and charge more expensive prices. The power of customers becomes larger if they can easily switch to a competitors products and services, or if they can force a business and its competitors to compete on price alone in a clear marketplace where there is slightly product differentiation, and all prices are known immediately (such as on the Internet). For example, in the used college textbook market on the Internet, students (customers) can find various suppliers of just about any current college textbook. In this case, online customers have high power over used-book firms. Suppliers The market power of suppliers can have a important impact on firm profits, particularly, when the firm cannot increase prices as fast as can suppliers. The more different suppliers a firm has, the greater control it can practice over suppliers in terms of price, quality, and delivery timetables. For example, manufacturers of laptop PCs almost always have various competing suppliers of key components, such as keyboards, hard drives, and monitors. Competitors All firms share market space with other competitors who are continuously making new, more efficient ways to produce by introducing new products and services, and attempting to attract customers by developing their brands and compelling switching costs on their customers. New Market Entrants In a free economy with moveable labor and financial resources, new companies are always entering the marketplace. In some industries, there are very low barriers to entry, whereas in other industries, entry is very troublesome. For instance, it is easy to start a pizza business or just about any small retailing business, but it is much more costly and difficult to enter the computer chip business, which has very high capital costs and requires a considerable amount of expertise and knowledge that is hard to achieve. New companies have several possible advantages: They are not locked into former plants and equipment, they often employ younger workers who are less expensive and maybe more innovative, they are not burdened by old, worn-out brand names, and they are more hungry (highly motivated) than traditional occupants of an industry. These benefits are also their weakness: They depend on external financing for new plants and equipment, which can be costly; they have a less experienced manpower; and they have little brand identification. Substitute Products and Services In just about every industry, there are substitutes that the customers might use if our prices become excessively high. New technologies make new substitutes all the time. Even oil has substitutes: Ethanol can substitute for gasoline in automobiles; plant oil for diesel fuel in trucks; and wind, solar, coal, and hydro power for industrial electricity production. Likewise, Internet telephone service can substitute for customary telephone service, and fiber-optic telephone lines to the house can substitute for cable TV lines. And, of course, an Internet music service that permits us to download music tracks to an iPod is a substitute for CDbased Music shops. The more substitute products and services in industry, the less we can control pricing and the lower our net profits. Information System Strategies for Facing up to Competitive Forces How can firms use information systems to neutralize some of the forces outlined in Porters competitive forces model? Four general strategies are outlined in Table-1 Strategy Descriptions Example Low-cost Leadership Use information systems to produce products and services at a lower price than competitors while enhancing quality and level of service. Wall-Mart, Dell Computer Product Differentiation Use information systems to differentiate products, and enable new services and products. Google, eBay, Apple, Lands End Focus on market niche Use information systems to enable a focused strategy on a single market niche; specialize. Hilton Hotels Harrahs Customer and supplier intimacy Use information systems to develop strong ties and loyalty with customers and suppliers. Chrysler Corporation, Amazon.com Table 1-Four basic competitive strategies Low-Cost Leadership Use information systems to obtain the lowest operational costs and the lowest prices. Firms such as Wal-Mart have utilized IT to make an efficient customer response system that directly links customer behavior back to production, distribution and supply chains. Product Differentiation Use information systems to allow new products and services, or greatly change the customer convenience in using our existent products and services. Through mass customization, organizations are capable of to offer individually tailored products or services by using mass production resources. Focus on Market Niche Use information systems to enable a particular market focus, and serve this narrow target market better than competitors. Information systems support this strategy by producing and analyzing data for extremely well tuned sales and marketing techniques. Information systems enable companies to analyze buyer buying patterns, tastes, and preferences closely so that they efficiently establish advertising and marketing campaigns to smaller and smaller target markets. Strengthen Customer and Supplier Intimacy Use information systems to make tight linkages with suppliers and develop intimacy with customers. Amazon and Chrysler Corporation are both excellent instances that are quoted in the text of how these firms used information systems to fortify their customer and supplier relationships. Strong linkages to customers and suppliers raise switching costs (expense a customer or company incurs in lost time and expenditure of resources when changing from one supplier to a competing supplier). The Business Value Chain Model Although the Porter model is very useful for identifying competitive forces and suggesting general strategies, it is not very specific about what accurately to do, and it does not provide a methodology to follow for obtaining competitive advantages. If our aim is to achieve operational excellence, where do we start? Heres where the business value chain model is really helpful. The value chain model highlights specific activities in the business where competitive strategies can best be applied (Porter, 1985) and where information systems are most likely to have a strategic effect. This model recognizes specific, critical-leverage points where a firm can use information technology most effectively to improve its competitive position. The value chain model shows the firm as a series or chain of basic activities that add a margin of value to a firms goods or services. These activities can be classified as either primary activities or support activities (see Figure 2). Figure 2-Business Value Chain Model Now, How can we use information systems to enhance operational efficiency, and improve supplier and customer intimacy? This will encourage us to critically examine how we perform value-adding activities at each phase and how the business processes might be enhanced. We can also begin to ask how information systems can be used to improve the relationship suppliers with customers who locate outside the firm value chain but belong to the firms extended value chain where they are absolutely crucial to our success. Here, supply chain management (SCM) systems that arrange the flow of resources into our firm in proper order, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems that coordinate our sales and support employees with customers are two of the most common system applications that derive from a business value chain analysis. Using the business value chain model will also bring about us to consider benchmarking our business operation versus our competitors or others in related industries, and recognizing industry best practices. Benchmarking involves comparing the effectiveness of business processes against severe standards and then measuring performan ce versus those standards. Industry best practices are usually recognized by consulting companies, government agencies, industry associations and research organizations as the most successful solutions for consistently and effectively achieving a business goal. Once we have analyzed the several stages in the value chain at our business, we can come up with proper applications of information systems. Then, once we have a list of proper applications, we can decide which to build first. By making enhancements in our own business value chain that our competitors might miss, we can obtain competitive advantage by attaining lowering costs, operational excellence, enhancing profit margins, and forging a closer relationship with suppliers and customers. If our competitors are making similar enhancements, then we will not be at a competitive disadvantage-the worst of all cases Synergies and Core Competencies A large firm is typically a collection of businesses. Often, the firm is managed financially as a collection of strategic business units, and the returns to the corporation are directly tied to the performance of all the strategic business units. Information systems can enhance the overall performance of these business units by promoting core competencies and synergies. Synergies The aim of synergies is that when the output of some units can be used as inputs to other units, or two organizations pool markets and expertise, these relationships reduce costs and make profits. Recent bank and financial firm mergers, such as the mergers of JPMorgan Chase and Bank One Corporation, FleetBoston Financial Corporation and Bank of America, and Deutsche Bank and Bankers Trust, occurred exactly for this intention, One use of information technology in these synergy situations is to fasten together the operations of dissimilar business units so that they can work as a whole. For instance, merging with Bank One provided JPMorgan Chase with a enormous network of retail branches in the Southwest and Midwest. Information systems assist the merged banks lower retailing costs and increase cross marketing of financial goods. Enhancing Core Competencies Another way to use information systems for competitive advantages is to think about ways that systems can improve core competencies. The argument is that the performance of all business units will rise insofar as these business units improve, or make, a central core of competencies. Core competencies may include being the, the best packaged delivery service, worlds best miniature parts designer or the best thin-film manufacturer. In general, a core competency leans on knowledge that is gained over many years of experience and a first-class research organization or simply key people who pursue the literature and stay side by side of new external knowledge. Any information system that supports the sharing of knowledge across business units enhances competency. Such systems might encourage or improve existing competencies and help employees become conscious, of new external knowledge; such systems might also facilitate a business leverage existing competencies to related markets. The Impact of Business Intelligence on Competitive Advantage Business Intelligence is becoming crucial for many organizations, particularly those have extremely large amount of data. Decision makers depend on detailed and exact information when they have to make decisions. Business Intelligence can provide decision makers with such precise information, and with the suitable tools for data analysis. Business Intelligence is an umbrella term that combines tools, architectures, applications, data bases, practices, and methodologies [20, 6]. Gartner Group (1996) (the first company used Business Intelligence in marker in the mid-1990) defined Business Intelligence as information and applications available broadly to employees, consultants, customers, suppliers, and the public. The key to thriving in a competitive marketplace is staying ahead of the competition. Making sound business decisions based on accurate and current information takes more than intuition. Data analysis, reporting, and query tools can help business users dig in the mine of data to extract and/or synthesize valuable information from it today these tools collectively fall into category called Business Intelligence [9]. Many organizations who built successful Business Intelligence solutions, such as Continental Airlines, have seen investment in Business Intelligence create increases in revenue and cost saving corr esponding to 1000% return on investment (ROI) [22]. A critical question that was raised by many researchers [16, 18] as to what were the main reason pushing companies to seek for business intelligence solutions, and what distinguishes Business Intelligence from Decision Support System (DSS) systems? Actually, over the last decades, organizations built a lot of Operational Information Systems (OIS), resulting in an enormous amount of dissimilar data that are located in different geographic locations, on different storage platforms, with not the same forms. This situation impedes organization from building a general, correlated, integrated, and instantaneous access to information at its global level. DSS developed during the 1970s, with the objective of providing organizations decision makers with the demanded data to sustain decision-making process. In the 1980s, Executive Information System (EIS) developed to supply executive officers with the information needed to support strategic decision-making process. Business Intelligence developed during the 1990s as data-driven DSS, sharing some of the tools and objectives of DSS and EIS systems. Business Intelligence architectures comprise: business analytics, data warehousing, business performance management, and data mining. Most of Business Intelligence solutions are facing up to structured data [1]. However, many application domains need the use of unstructured data or at lowest semi-structured data e.g. customer e-mails, web pages, sales reports, competitor information research paper repositories, and so on [4, 21]. Any Business Intelligence solution can be divided into the following three layers [1]: data layer, which is accountable for storing structured and unstructured data for decision support objectives. Structured data is usually collected in Data Warehouses (DW), Operational Data Stores (ODS), and Data Marts (DM). Unstructured data are managed by using Content and Document Management Systems. Data are extracted from operational data sources, e.g. SCM, CRM, and ERP or from exterior data sources, e.g. market research data. Data are taken out from data sources that are transformed and loaded into DW by ETL (Extract, Transfer, and Load) tools. Logic layer prepares functionality to examine data and provid e knowledge. This obtains OLAP, data mining. And finally access layer, realized by some type of software portals (Business Intelligence portal). My main focus in this paper is to explain the function of Business Intelligence solution that facilitates organizations in formulating, implementing, and obtaining their strategies. Many researchers [5, 17, 10, 12] were emphasizing the IT alignment in general, with businesses, without clearly describing what are the technologies, and tools that can assist organizations in achieving their strategy. The next section will describe the role of Business Intelligence is taking as an IT-enabler to obtain organizations strategy; such role will be emphasized by using strategic alignment model proposed by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993), explaining how this alignment can assist organizations in becoming flexible organizations, concluding how could Business Intelligence solution prepare organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. Business Intelligence as an IT-Enabler to Achieve Organizations Strategy Nowadays, Information System in general, and Business Intelligence as a strategic framework, is becoming increasingly significant in strategic management, supporting business strategies. IT-enabled strategic management addresses the IT role in strategy formulation and implementation processes [19]. Drucker, the pioneer of management by objectives, was one of the first who recognized the surprising changes IT presented to management. Strategic management theories were widely geared towards gaining competitive advantages. Porter (1979) proposed a number of very influential strategic analysis models, such as the five-force model of competition, the value chain and generic competitive strategies that I mentioned above. Porter (1979) said The essence of strategy formulation is coping with competition [14]. Many researchers have indicated the importance of IT alignment with business strategy in order to enhance corporate strategy [5, 17], (Figure3). Figure 3-IT alignment with Business Strategy [5]. Strategic Alignment Model was developed by Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) was one of the first models that explained in a clear way the interrelationships between business strategies and IT strategies [10]. This model is based on two principal concepts (Figure 4): strategic fit that identifies the necessity to position the firm in an external marketplace where growth can take place, and functional integration which addresses how to best structure internal systems to carry out the business strategy of the firm [12]. IT alignment is not only formulating IT strategy to fit business strategy. It has to consider exterior forces and the environment uncertainty. Such alignment facilitates organizations becoming flexible organizations. Due to accelerations in the rates of innovation and technological changes, markets develop rapidly, products life cycles get shorter and innovation becomes the principle source of competitive advantage. And so, organizations look for flexibility to meet market demands. Drnevich and other; (2006) illustrated that flexibility-based perspectives evolved from Schumpeters concept of creative destruction [8]. Operationalization of these perspectives in strategic management is done by way of dynamic capabilities and real options views. Dynamic capabilities view refers to the firms abilities to maintain and fit its internal resources to environment changes to maintain sustainability of competitive advantages. It applies to the capability of obtaining new ways of competitive advantage. It causes to be concerned with continuous search, innovation and adaptation of firm resources and capabilities to reveal and tape new sources of competitive advantages. Real options outlook is effective in dealing with issues of uncertainty. It allows the firm to postpone investment decisions until uncertainties are resolved. New IT organizational adoption expedites the transition into flexible organizations. Business Intelligence is one of these new IT frameworks that can assist such transition. Business Intelligence technologies become a source of competitive advantages and differentiation [13, 11]. Tang and Walters (2006) hint that competitive advantage became a hot strategic management topic [19]. They also view that making new knowledge in a continued way is the single way to achieve competitive advantage. There are many reasons for organization to adopt business intelligence systems in order that achieve organizations strategy: Business Intelligence is considered as an expansion to corporate strategy activities. Herring (1988) considered that Strategy can be no better than the information from which it is derived [11]. Data analytics can be used efficiently to create future business strategy. Data analytics and data mining could disclose hidden reasons for some deficiencies as well as possible high-yielding new investments. Corporations require to be sure that they are receiving the right information related to their long-term strategy. Herring (1988) considered that business intelligence can facilitate organizations in [11]: Supporting the strategic decision making process of the firm. Supporting SWOT analysis Supporting strategic planning and processes. All the mentioned advantage should provide organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. Conclusion In this paper, I explained the use of one aspect of Information System (Business Intelligence) in formulating, implementing, and achieving organizations strategy. I also demonstrated how Business Intelligence solution could provide organizations with sustainable competitive advantages. This survey can be extended by integrating knowledge management (KM) with Business Intelligence (IB) solutions, as it can assist deriving more value (knowledge) from the explosion of textual information(tacit to implicit), which can add more inputs for strategic decision makers. Another important factor is the take advantage of agile methodologies in order to manage the high-change high-speed current environment. Such complicated and dynamic environments highly affect organizations strategies.

Technology in Greg Bears Blood Music Essay -- Blood Music Essays

Technology in Greg Bear's Blood Music      Ã‚   Different genres of literature are particular responses to society; therefore, cyberpunk, as a genre, is a response to our contemporary society, known as the information age. One of the attributes given the genre is that it has an apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic tone, warning the reader of the perils of technology, while at the same time celebrating the possibilities of technology, usually through a strong character in the novel. In Greg Bear's Blood Music, technology is seen as having a destructive and creative forces as it reshapes the world biologically, and incorporates every living thing, including a slow girl named Suzy, into the system. Blood Music demonstrates the perils and benefits in a world full of diverse technology, typical of the cyberpunk genre, responding to frightening and powerful possibilities in the secrets of technology which are just on the brink of discovery.    First, a demonstration of the kind of technology available today would lend to a better understanding of some of the biological possibilities. Already we can clone and manipulate individual genes. We can replicate DNA patterns and build proteins. Information is available at the touch of a button on the newest technology, so that it can be ingested by the younger generations just by browsing the Net. Also, the beginnings of nanotechnology, manipulating individual atoms to create new structures, is beginning to develop. James Graves wrote in a paper focused on the technological advances in our time, that nanotechnology, not too unlike the theories behind Vergil's experiments in Blood Music, would allow us to create tiny "organisms" that could show us more about ourselves, r... ...ction is a particular response to society, and our society is in the information age, then it is incredibly appropriate to include Blood Music to the genre when we are making biological leaps and bounds today. Bear uses his characters to show that the effects may not be so bad for the individual, although technology will probably change the entire face of society as a whole. Perhaps someday cosmetic things will matter less, and we will be able to include a slow child into the ranks and make her feel whole, just like a part of each personal wants to feel at least normal, hopefully exceptional.    Works Cited Bear, Greg. Blood Music. New York: Ace Books, 1996. Graves, James C. "Technology and Its Effect on Society." Online. Purdue Lib. Internet. 9 October   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1997.(http://nonotech.rutgers.edu/nanotech/papers/graves.hist).      

Creating an Immersive Video Game Environment

People play video games for a wide variety of reasons today. They are fun, exciting, and challenging. They are also extremely popular among the generation of digital natives. Digital natives today rely heavily on electronics and computer devices to keep them entertained and interactive. So as a game developer, how do you create an immersive video game environment that is invigorating, interactive, and unique? There are tons of different types of video games out there, which appeal to different age groups, genders, hobbies and interests.Games designed today should feature a number of effects that would rank the particular game high on the recommendations and most played lists. Video games today should feature transformations on 3D models, striking visual effects, and should incorporate all of the newest technologies in order to create some of the best and most unique effects that appeal to all, regardless of the kind of video game, or the target age audience. Many would argue that vid eo games are considered works of art.One would agree that there are various interpretations of what is considered â€Å"art†. However, despite popular belief, an extensive amount of technical knowledge and graphic design experience and knowledge goes on behind video game development. If this wasn’t true, video games wouldn’t become the industry that we all know it as today. As a result, the knowledge of color schemes and visual effects is extremely necessary and essential.In fact, many screenshots of video games today can appear as individual works of art. Of course there is also a great deal of technical knowledge involved, particular in the programming area – such as HTML or JavaScript, and even coding in some cases – but all in all, graphic design and art are underlying areas of video game creation and development. All in all, video games should be exciting experiences that are both stimulating and interactive and with the right amount of advent ure and challenge tied into them.Video games should enhance the adventures and capabilities that one wish he or she could experience in real life. Sometimes when we are stuck in traffic or stuck at a traffic light, we sometimes envision ourselves monster trucking the other cars, or in any scenario where we wish we had the powers of a super hero, or that we could fight our enemies in battles and almost always win. Therefore, creating an immersive video game environment truly is a spectacular feat.This is the opportunity for video game designers – whether you are advanced or a beginner – to truly create the ultimate universe where anything and anything is possible. It takes an artistic and creative mind to be able to really create the desired immersive video game environment. However, diving into the world of video games gives us the power to be a part of a world that isn’t reality but perhaps is our dream worlds, where we become a version of our character that we wish we could be. That is the true art, and the true immersive experience.

The Hamilton Health Inc Marketing Research

The Hamilton Health Inc Marketing Research Introduction Marketing research is a strategy that businesses use to amass information regarding their operations from production to supply. In order to do this, the marketing research uses a systematic process of collecting, recording and assessing information dealing with marketing of the companies productions. The objective of the process is to identify and analyze how variation of the factors of marketing mix can influence the behavior of customers.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Hamilton Health Inc Marketing Research specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Why hire Marketing Research Suppliers The Hamilton Health, Inc – HHI needs to find out its actual market size so that to determine its potential of growth. This will entail determining the buying behavior of its clients, its distribution channels and the type of competition that the organization is facing. This is necessary in order for it to get professional advice of what the results of this would translate to when marketing the personal treadmills that are used for managing health and exercises. Since the founder of the business, Eric Hamilton is devoted to see that the business expands; he needs to get professional understanding of how that growth will be achieved. This is what will form the basis for a strategic plan that the firm will adapt for its expansion which will be based on accurate information, reasoned and timely decisions. HHI can make use of the marketing research suppliers to grab the competitors’ market share and also be enlightened on how to improve its products. Choosing a partner There are several companies that offer marketing research services to companies. However, for Eric’s HHI, the best company for partnering with is the one that will position it better to compete well with its competitors (Wiid Diggines, 2010, p. 134). The criteria of selecting such a partner will include choosing a company that has specialized in doing targeted market research for medical and sports equipment. Such a company will be very considering that the owner may know very little in terms of marketing. This will also give HHI an upper edge over its competitors. This is because the trained consultants are informed of the buying trends, marketing dynamics, ebbs and flows of customers among other facts (Wiid Diggines, 2010, p. 137). This type of knowledge is worth spending on especially when there is observable difference in the performance of the business. It’s important also to understand that the marketing research suppliers will not have all the answers to the company’s position at the moment. To begin with, there are several types of supplies.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The limited-service suppliers are those firms that focus their servi ces provision of one aspect of marketing research of few stages of the entire research process (Burns Ronald 2010, p. 178). These services are in most cases referred to as field services and may include data analyses, branding strategies and interviewing and coding of information among others. Full marketing research suppliers on the other hand are those businesses that will offer a full range of services that deal with the process of marketing. This means that they are able to collect information by developing research questions, conduct the research, analyze the data and come up with finding which they can use to draw conclusions and make recommendations (Burns Ronald 2010, p. 178). They utilize both the qualitative and quantitative methods of research and assessments of data. Expectations from the Supplier HHI should expect that the marketing research suppliers will free the company from the hustle of seeking customers and collecting information for analysis and so on. Therefor e Eric Hamilton will have ample time to focus on other issues of the company which include marketing, selling and studying the business trend. This means that other business aspects that would have gone unattended will be dealt with by the owner during this time (Crouch Housden, 2003, p. 145). By hiring the marketing research supplier, HHI anticipates that it will be eventually a worthy investment. Basically, Eric will be at peace knowing that the investment has a good success track record and therefore expect better and reliable results. The suppliers can always send reports on weekly, monthly or quarterly basis so that HHI can begin making strategies to move forward as the marketing research continues. The reports are likely to be more detailed than those that could have been generated by HHI. Do – It Yourself? In reality, the cost of company doing a research on its own is not just about the huge money that will be spent on the project, but it’s a matter of time th at will be invested and the quality of work done that will be realized. There are many instances where various firms opt to carry their research on their own, but later realize that they did not have adequate skill or time for the job. Many day pass-by, they turn into months and then years of a failed project because the owner may not find sufficient time for the job (Malhotra Birks, 2007, p. 256). Doing it by yourself can be cheap in terms of money, but costly in terms of failed project or lack of results. Therefore it is not advisable for anyone to pursue such a project without hiring assistance from professionals (Malhotra Birks, 2007, p. 256). This can only occur only; When one can realistically find time for the project in his own company When one has the skills and tool to analyze the data and draw conclusions When one has skill for making a report that will be credible to other users When one can be able to sustain an blind research or be able to find a sample qualified en ough to take part in the study Conclusion Marketing research will play a critical role in the growth of HHI as it fights to establish a strong market share. The information from the marketing research will enable the company develop strategies that will help it boost its operations and market share, hence making it to grow and expand steadily.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Hamilton Health Inc Marketing Research specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Burns, A.C. Ronald F.B. (2010) â€Å"Marketing Research,† 6th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson-Prentice Hall. Crouch, S. Housden, M. (2003) â€Å"Marketing Research for Managers,† 3rd Ed, Oxford, ButterworthHeinemann Malhotra, N. Birks, D. (2007) â€Å"Marketing Research: An Applied Approach: 3rd European Ed,† Harlow, UK, Pearson Education Wiid, J Diggines, C. (2010). â€Å"Marketing Research,† 3rd Ed. New York, John Wiley Sons

The Eastern Red Cedar and Other Popular Christmas Trees

The Eastern Red Cedar and Other Popular Christmas Trees Americans buy about 20 million real Christmas trees  each holiday season, most at retail lots and Christmas tree farms. Depending on where you live, the kind of evergreen youll find will vary. In fact, there are dozens of evergreens native to the U.S. Cant decide which one you like best? The trees below are some of the most popular Christmas varieties. Fraser Fir The  Fraser fir  is perhaps the most popular variety of Christmas tree because it is hardy enough to survive being cut and shipped across long distances. The Fraser is a native southern fir and grows at elevations above 5,000 feet. The tree has excellent needle retention along with a pleasing piney scent. The Fraser fir was named for Scottish botanist John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700s. Douglas Fir The  Douglas fir  is another common variety of Christmas tree found throughout the central and northern U.S. It is not a true fir and has its own unique species classification. Unlike those of true firs, the cones of the Douglas fir hang downward. They have a sweet scent when crushed. The tree was named after David Douglas, who studied the tree in the 1800s. Balsam Fir The Balsam fir is a beautiful pyramidal tree with short, flat, long-lasting aromatic needles. The Balsam fir and the Fraser fir have many similar characteristics and some botanists consider them extensions of the same species. However, balsams prefer cool climates and are native to the northeastern U.S. and Canada. They have a nice, dark green color and are very fragrant. The Balsam fir was named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on its bark, which was used to treat wounds during the Civil War. Colorado Blue Spruce The  Colorado blue spruce  is most familiar to people as an ornamental landscape tree. It has dark green to powdery blue needles and a pyramidal form when young. The Colorado blue spruce is very often sold as a living Christmas tree,  which includes an entire root ball and can be planted after the holidays. Its also popular because it rarely sheds its needles indoors. The spruce was chosen in 1978 and planted as the official living White House Christmas tree and is the state tree of both Utah and Colorado. Scotch Pine The  Scotch pine  is one of the most popular Christmas tree species because it rarely sheds its needles and has excellent water retention when cut. The Scotch pine is not native to America; its origins are European. It was first used in reforestation efforts in the New World. The Scotch pine tree has stiff branches and dark green needles that are retained for four weeks. Its aroma is long-lasting and lingers through the entire holiday season. Eastern Red Cedar The  Eastern red cedar  is a popular Christmas tree in the southern U.S., where it is a native species. This evergreen isnt a true cedar; its a member of the juniper family. Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape, the Eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally. The trees ease of maintenance makes it a favorite at cut-your-own tree farms. Its needles are a dark, shiny green color and sharp and prickly to the touch. White Spruce The white spruce is native to the northeastern U.S. and Canada, and one of the most common varieties sold as Christmas trees in that region. Like the Eastern red cedar, the white spruce has a natural conical shape that makes it easy for tree farmers to maintain. Its a common  choice for cut-your-own farms. However, some people dont like white spruce trees because they tend to shed their needles, which have an unpleasant odor. On the plus side, the trees thick branches make it ideal for heavy ornaments. Eastern White Pine The  Eastern white pine  has been valued as a timber tree for centuries, and it is commonly sold in the mid-Atlantic states as a Christmas tree. Because this variety of evergreen has very little scent, it is popular with people who suffer from tree-related allergies. Eastern white pines have excellent needle retention and stout branches to support heavy decorations. White or Concolor Fir The White fir, sometimes called the concolor fir, is known for its long, blue-green needles, excellent needle retention, and pleasing pine scent. Its commonly sold as a Christmas tree in California, where it is a native species. Virginia Pine The Virginia pine is a newcomer to many Christmas tree lots, particularly in the South. This variety was developed as a heat-tolerant alternative to the Scotch pine and has only recently been used as a Christmas tree. The Virginia pine has wide tufts of soft needles ranging from dark green to gray in color. Its limbs are stout with woody branches.

Beauty and Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Beauty and Art - Essay Example The thing may not necessarily be beautiful, but the individual’s point of view is indeed, beautiful! On the other hand, culture is the general way of living of a nation which signifies its trends, traditions, norms, values, moral standards, ethics and common practices. Culture of a nation is essentially its identity. Different nations are identified by their individualistic cultures. Like the difference of their meanings, beauty and culture both have their own individualistic uses. It is hard to identify particular uses of beauty since it is required in everything. It is used everywhere. Crockery is made beautiful to increase its market value. Makeup is worn to look beautiful and presentable so that a woman can work. The fundamental use of culture is that it lends identity to the people who belong to that culture. Culture is used to benchmark ethical standards which can be used to compare an individual’s performance against. Owing to their common identity ingrained in t heir culture, people of one nation become united and a strong force.

Critical Appraisal of a Piece of Research Essay - 1

Critical Appraisal of a Piece of Research - Essay Example frequently not implemented in health care systems because of doctors being unwilling to take the initiative to discuss alcohol problems with their patients. With decrease in state controls on the availablility of alcohol, effective interventions are required, which can be administered to many people with the purpose of reducing the demand for alcohol. Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) is an approach which systematically identifies people with hazardous drinking, and provides concise advice on reducing this behaviour (Kypri et al 2004). Yes, a double-blind randomized controlled trial, the study used a random method of selecting an experimental group and a control group, at the university student health service. Participants scoring 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and consuming more than 4 to 6 standard drinks, both males and females, on one or more occasions in the previous 4 weeks were assigned randomly by computer to either the control group or the intervention. The computer carried out the randomization in blocks of 10 consisting of 5 control and 5 intervention, so that equal numbers of participants could be recruited in a short period in both groups. Equal numbers of men and women were ensured through separate recruitment by sex (Kypri et al 2004). Yes, a total of 167 students in the age group of 17 to 26 years were recruited. They were required to complete a three-minute web-based screening test â€Å"including the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire† (Kypri et al 2004, p.1410). Of the 167 students, 112 tested positive; from among them a total number of 104 students including 52 women who had agreed to receive the follow-up intervention participated in the trial. The participants were randomized to two groups: the intervention group of 51 students who received 10 to 15 minutes of web-based assessment and personalized feedback on their drinking, and the control group of 53 students who received