Cisco Erp

Cisco Systems Inc. : Implementing ERP come ride with us your cowboys: bill atkinson denisa kubricka edmond lui georg wittenburg iman sharif Company Background †¢ Founded in 1984 by two Stanford computer scientists †¢ Became publicly traded in 1990 †¢ Primary product is â€Å"router† †¢ By 1997, Cisco was ranked top five companies in return on revenues and ROA in Fortune 500 †¢ In 1998, market capitalization was over $100 billion Markets Cisco was a key infrastructure supplier for the â€Å"New Economy† in the mid-90s. †¢ That market went through a period of amazing growth since Cisco formed. †¢ This fast growth rate was directly reflected in Cisco’s sales figures. †¢ The future was looking bright. Company Structure †¢ Three functional divisions: – Order Entry – Finance – Manufacturing †¢ Initial IT Strategy: – Let division take care of themselves. – Overall architecture is shared , enabling sharing of data. History of IT at Cisco UNIX-based software package to support its core transaction processing: – Functional areas supported: financial, manufacturing and order entry systems – Used common architecture and common databases †¢ Growth of Cisco resulted in scalability problems. †¢ Cisco was the largest single costumer of that vendor, resulting in a strategic weakness. Point Blank †¢ Would the software developed for a $300 million company fit the use of a $1 billion company? Point Blank †¢ Why would a multi-million dollar company want to avoid ERP?A Big Need †¢ Recognized the need for change, but left actions to each functional division: †¢ Thus: – Little progress was made in the year – Each functional area was reluctant to replace the legacy system because of high risk involved – Systems outages became routine – Unauthorized method for accessing the core application database malfunctioned , corrupting Cisco’s central database †¢ Company was shut down for two days Selecting an ERP product †¢ The planning was driven only by timing constraints and panic. There was no business case †¢ Cisco emphasized the need for: – – – – Strong team Strong partners Speedy decision making Getting Executive & Board approval Project Team & Partners †¢ Team: – Know that very best people are needed – Pulled best business & IT people out of their current jobs at Cisco †¢ Partners: – Important that partner could work on the selection as well as implementation of project – KPMG as integration partner – KPMG team of 20 (highly experienced; not â€Å"greenies†)Teams selection strategy †¢ Teams strategy – use experiences of other companies and best practices to accumulate knowledge †¢ Selected five packages within 2 days †¢ After a week of high level evaluation – two packages selected: ORACLE and another major player in the ERP market †¢ 10 days on request for proposals Point Blank †¢ Is it wise to make a decision so quickly? Are there things that should be done to mitigate the risk? Did they do due diligence? Team Selection Strategy Cont’d Oracle & other vendor given two weeks to respond to RFP †¢ Current vendor customers were visited by the team during these two weeks †¢ After response, received a 3-day software demonstration by each vendor (used Cisco’s sample data) †¢ Goal is to show how software meets or does not meet Cisco’s requirements Final Vendor Selection Criteria †¢ Three main criteria used: – Manufacturing capability – Long-term development of functionality of package – Flexibility of Oracle’s being close by (location wise) Other motivations – Oracle’s first release of new ERP product – if Cisco project goes well, favorable product la unch of Oracle ERP package †¢ Oracle chosen – team decision, no management approval at this point Time †¢ After 75 days from start of project, major TODOs are: – Negotiations between Oracle & Cisco – Write up a Proposal to Board of Directors †¢ Time and non-interference with annual accounting as main considerations. †¢ Famous last words: – â€Å"†¦ there’s no way we’re going to take 15 months to get this done. That’s ridiculous. † – â€Å"Well, can we do it in five months?That just didn’t seem right. † – Let’s try nine. Point Blank †¢ Was nine months realistic? Should other criteria have been used to estimate the time, rather than quarters as primarily criteria? Costs †¢ No formal business case for project †¢ Concentrating on system failure as motivation to project start †¢ $15 million budget estimated †¢ Not approached from the justification p rospective (no cost/benefit analysis) †¢ Costs:  »  »  »  » Software 16% Hardware 32% Headcount 14% System integration 38% Point Blank †¢ How do you think should project costs be estimated for Cisco’s project?Getting Approval From Board †¢ Met with CEO – comment about ‘jobs lost over much lesser amounts of money’ †¢ Got CEO’s support †¢ Met with Board of Directors – chairman says ‘show me the money’ as first thing †¢ Board approves project †¢ Single largest project ever undertaken by company †¢ CEO makes project priority for Cisco Building implementation team †¢ As not enough time & KPMG performed well during planning phase †¢ KPMG relationship extended for implementation †¢ Extra 80 team members added on from the Cisco’s business community †¢ Five tracks (process area teams) used: Order Entry Track  » Manufacturing Track  » Finance Track  » Sales/Re porting Track  » Technology Track Point Blank †¢ Was it worth removing important people from the regular business positions to work on the IT project? How can an IT department in another company convince upper management that this is worthwhile? Steering Committee †¢ High level execs from Cisco, Oracle, and KPMG †¢ Shows commitment and importance of project Point Blank †¢ How important is it to have support of upper management to ensure success?Implementing Oracle †¢ A development technique known as â€Å"rapid iterative prototyping† †¢ Implementation broken into a series of phases called â€Å"Conference Room Pilots† (CRPs): – CRP 0 / 1: Build on previous work to develop a deeper understanding of the software and how it functioned – CRP 2 / 3: Implement the ERP system. CRP0 †¢ Training the implementation team and setting up the technical environment †¢ Two parallel efforts: – Training the team in the Oracl e applications Normal 5 day training pushed to two 16-hour days! Getting the application up and running by a small â€Å"tiger team† CPR0 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Configuring the Oracle package Hundreds of parameters in the applications Team members â€Å"locked† together for two days 1 % effort with 80 percent accuracy Completed one week after the meeting, leading to the realization that changes to the software were needed to support the company effectively Point Blank †¢ Do you think that having 80% accuracy with only 1% effort was just a matter of luck?Taking into account that typical ERP system configuration takes up to 6 months, not 2 days!! Any risks involved with this approach? CPR1 †¢ Goal of this phase each track makes the system work within its specific area †¢ Details and procedures for completing a process were created †¢ Realized that a lot of business processes were not supported by the software needed modifications â₠¬ ¢ Modifications were classified into: †¢ Green †¢ Yellow †¢ Red, needed to go to the steering committee for approval there were few reds CRP1 30 developers needed for 3 months to modify Oracle †¢ Modifications led to unplanned changes in the project plan and budget †¢ Realized that Oracle could not support the after-sales support needs †¢ Chose a service support package and planned to lunch both packages together Point Blank †¢ Would it have been possible to avoid most of these major changes and the need for a new service package had they spent more time in their initial design and decision making? †¢ Does it help to prioritize the required changes and control scope? CRP2 Continued scope change †¢ Major technical issues †¢ Creation of data warehouse for centralized data communication CRP2 †¢ 100-person IT department started decommitting from other projects †¢ Bore most of the responsibility for the project additions †¢ â€Å"IT did nothing else that year† Point Blank †¢ Is it wise to commit all of your resources to a new project, when your existing systems are barely scraping by? CRP3 †¢ Focus on testing the full system †¢ Assess readiness to ‘go live’ †¢ Captured one day’s worth of actual business data and ‘re-running’ it on a SaturdayPoint Blank †¢ Would you consider one day of testing adequate (with a subset of data), if you were planning a clean cutover of your entire IT infrastructure? The Aftermath †¢ The new ERP system went live on January 30, 1995, but it took two months before it was operating at a reasonable level of quality. †¢ Problematic areas were hardware architecture and sizing. – Test hat only been run sequentially and with a subset of the real database. †¢ Side-note: How is it possible that no one in the team noticed this before? Cisco Systems (1995) Cisco Systems creates five distinct busin ess units that reflect its major networking product groups — Workgroup, ATM High End, Access, Core and IBM Internetworking. †¢ â€Å"While leveraging economies of scale in areas like manufacturing, sales and support, the business units can move quickly in product development and expedite time to market. † †¢ Cisco Systems is the first major supplier of internetworking products to be awarded global ISO 9001 certification. Cisco Systems (2004) †¢ John Chambers, president and CEO: â€Å"Our strong position in the core switching and routing business continues to be complemented by positive momentum in our Advanced Technologies, especially this quarter in storage, security, wireless and IP telephony. † †¢ Positive Q2 2004 figures: – Q2 Net Sales: $5. 4 Billion (14. 5% increase year over year; 5. 8% increase quarter over quarter) – Q2 Operating Cash Flows: $1. 7 Billion Oracle Corp. (2004) †¢ Third quarter revenues were up 9% to $2. 5 billion while net income grew 11% to $635 million as compared to the third quarter last year. Chairman and CFO Jeff Henley: – â€Å"Oracle's fiscal third quarter was another solid quarter, with new software license revenue growth of 12%, which is identical to last quarter. † †¢ Oracle CEO Larry Ellison: – â€Å"This was a very strong quarter for our database business. † groupthink Point Blank †¢ Would they be able to do it again? – Which were to key factors to the success of the project? – At which points could it have failed? – Are these one-time events or can we generalize them? Pete Solvik CIO of Cisco Systems †¢ Heads the Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) †¢ One of the top 25 unsung heroes of the Net by [email  protected] Week Pete’s Tips for CIOs †¢ Make sure that the company's â€Å"business owners† make and fund IT spending decissions. †¢ Use infrastructure as a strateg ic enabler. †¢ Tie IT's objectives and rewards to the goals of the company business units. †¢ â€Å"Pete Solvik's Three Tips for CIOs† http://www. voicendata. com/content/top_stories/101010311. asp Thank you for your time!

Getting Started on Your Essay Essay

1 Write a thesis statement. Your thesis should state the main point you are arguing in your essay and the main supporting arguments in the order you are going to make them. It should be from one to three sentences long. 2 Write your body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should discuss one argument you made in your thesis statement in detail. You should provide evidence such as quotations from the text or the opinions of scholars and experts. You may also want to address common counter-arguments and explain why they are incorrect. 3 Write transitions between your body paragraphs. A transition between two paragraphs takes place either in the last sentence of the first paragraph or the first sentence of the second. It should make the paper flow smoothly, showing how the different points you make are connected. 4 Write a conclusion. Your conclusion should succinctly summarize the arguments you made in your essay, and relate them to broader issues. For example, if you are analyzing themes in a particular piece of fiction, you can relate those themes to the author, his contemporaries, his time period, or even modern times. This makes the essay feel more significant, since it shows how your topic fits within a wider context. 5 Write the introduction. The introduction starts off broad and narrows down to the thesis statement, which forms the end of the intro. For example, if you were talking about the Illiad, you might start talking about Classical Greek literature, then talk about Greek epics, then discuss Homer and finally discuss the Illiad. The intro sets the tone of the essay, because it gives the reader context. 6 Edit the essay for language. A formal essay should use English that is formal, but not stiff. Eliminate slang, conversational tone and idiomatic sayings. Eliminate†you† phrases like â€Å"if you think about it.† Also, eliminate I expressions like â€Å"I will show you,† or â€Å"I believe that.† If you have any doubts about whether or not your language is formal, ask your teacher. 7 Edit the essay for mechanics. Make sure that your sentences are grammatically correct and correctly punctuated. Make sure that any titles of books you refer to are underlined and that you have written citations for any references. You should have a style sheet which tells you how the teacher wants you to cite your sources. 8 If you are allowed to, have a friend or relative read your essay. Ask them to look for technical problems, illogical statements and awkward sentences. Sometimes, an outside reader will be able to catch things that the author misses. Tips & Warnings It is possible to write the introduction first, but usually it’s not the best way to go. It’s difficult to write an introduction when you haven’t completely worked out what you are introducing (i.e. what the essay is arguing). Don’t stress about the language the first time through. Get your points down and make your arguments in a style that feels right to you. Then, come back and rewrite it in more formal language. Read more: How to Write a Formal Essay | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5104375_write-formal-essay.html#ixzz2LJ5B60PX

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Book Review - Essay Example This paper describes the book, that focuses on how the parents should handle things that are needed for them to attend the needs of these children. The book also stresses that the parents above anyone else should be the first one to attend the needs of their children. They should also be the first one to know what is happening to their children. In this way, it would be assured that the children would be taken cared of and the children would have a bright future despite having problems concerning their healt. The book also teaches how to deal with this kind of scenario based on the findings of diagnosis. This thing would help them in terms of determining the rightful move in terms of accepting this kind of fate. It also teaches the parents to â€Å"grow with their children† in which by doing so they would develop a parent-child relationship like normal children in which the parents would know the needs of their children and the children with disorders would feel a sense of sec urity in everything they do because they can be assured of themselves. This book focuses more on how to deal with the disorder and a little touch with the definition of disorder. The remaining points of the book comprising developmental disability and what the future holds also points out important details regarding how mental disability has developed and how to treat this negative disorder in a positive way. In such cases, this thing would also help the people in terms of analyzing the extremes of the disorder.

Anti-Social Personality Disorder Research Paper

Anti-Social Personality Disorder - Research Paper Example Its treatment includes cognitive behavioral therapy, risperidone, home visiting programs, and skill based programs. In applying the religious and spiritual applications of this disorder, it is possible to apply a more holistic assessment of the disorder, especially for those who consider spiritual and religious beliefs as essential elements to their full recovery. Anti-Social Personality Disorder I. Introduction Antisocial personality disorder is one of the disorders diagnosed by the DSM-IV or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders as personality disorders. This disorder is largely based on manifestations of personality – personalities which deviate from the normal physiological and mental functions of individuals. The DSM-IV discusses the following criteria for qualifying antisocial personality disorder: evidence of conduct disorder before the age of 15; pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of rights of others since the age of 15, manifesting with atle ast three of the following behavior: failure to conform to social norms in relation to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, indicated by repeated acts meriting arrest; deceitfulness, marked by repeated lying, use of aliases, tricking others to gain profit or pleasure; impulsiveness; irritability and aggressiveness, with repeated physical fights; reckless disregard for safety of others and of self; consistent irresponsibility, marked by repeated failure to sustain work behavior or honor financial responsibilities; lack of remorse marked by indifference, rationalizing being hurt or mistreated by another (Ogloff, 2006). They are also likely to use aggression and deception to promote their personal interests and to basically get what they want (Porter and Woodworth, 2007). This paper shall discuss the disease in its historical context, as well as current research on its causes. It shall discuss the treatment approaches for this disorder, including the benefits of such treatmen t. It shall also consider research as to the prevention of this illness as well as cross cultural issues pertaining to the topic. Finally, it shall discuss the topic from a Christian worldview perspective, including the disorder’s cause, treatment, and prevention. This topic is being considered with the hope of establishing a clear and comprehensive assessment of the subject matter. II. Historical context In a discussion by Million, et.al., (as cited by Ogloff, 2006), the author set forth that psychopathy is one of the first personality disorders to be recognized in the field of psychiatry. Psychopathy originally referred to personality disorders seen as extreme forms of normal personalities. Practitioners have debated conditions characterized by antisocial behavior with the term manie sans delire coined in the 1700s to specify behavior from humans whose affective faculties have been discredited; critics point out however that it is a term which was useful only in court (Oglo ff, 2006). Throughout the years, various labels have been considered for the condition which has now been known simply as psychopathy. These labels included moral insanity, moral imbecility, degenerative constitution, and psychopathic taint. In the current context, antisocial personality disorder is applied in a much broader context than psychopathy;

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Research Paper

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design - Research Paper Example They have not been as effective as they should have been. According to Lawrence Fennelly and Timothy Crowe (2013), arguably, for the past 180 years criminology has failed to deal effectively with crimes because of its limitedness. The main focus of conventional criminology is on the criminal event, the criminal and the victim, it doesn’t incorporate other factors. All other factors like psychological, legal, social, biological and political theories revolve around the criminal/offender. The other myth surrounding the whole crime investigation is that human beings by nature are criminals, it is something inherent, only an opportunity is required (Fennelly & Crowe, 2013). CPTED stands out from conventional crime prevention measures because it emphasizes more on human activity than on actions. Law enforcement agencies, security and crime prevention organizations find CPTED to be more helpful than other processes as they help more in preventing crimes as well as improve the quality of life and achieve the objectives of human activity (Fennelly & Crowe, 2013). Oscar Newman and Jeffery C. Ray are considered somewhat of an authority when it comes to discussing crime prevention. Newman published his first book, Defensible Space, in 1966 and gave unorthodox methods for crime prevention by making the environment safer. He focused mainly on residential areas. Ray published his book in 1971, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, and agreed with Newman’s work in its core theory. There is a unison found in both the works of Oscar Newman and Jeffery C. Ray. Ray’s (1971) published work on Crime Prevention through Environmental Design introduced to the world a new way of looking at the world of crime. Jeffery took a step further than Newman as he shifted the focus and spread it on nonresidential areas too such as schools. By incorporating behavioral learning theory, Jeffery argued that removing crime

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Ethics - Essay Example As a future executive leader, I found the results of these assessments to be both enlightening and offered as proverbial food for thought on how this researcher can best reach his goal of professional success. The concept of psychometric testing is a field of study which measures skills, personality traits, and abilities of an individual in order to determine the theoretical behaviors that a test subject reveals in areas of career and personal lifestyle. Based on the results of this psychometric data, the Personal Career Development Profile (PCDP) offers insights into how an individual copes with stressful situations, interacts with others during career and personal situations, and sets a potential career direction in which a person may excel. The PCDP results consist of a narrative, again based on the results of personality testing mechanisms, which offer insight toward a trend of behaviors that a person might exhibit; so as to offer personal understanding of where an individuals strengths and weaknesses lie in terms of career and professional development. In similar respect, the 16 PF testing instrument is designed to assess a set of personality characteristics within the individual being tested in an attempt to pinpoint the degree to which a person exhibits a pattern of behaviors – such as relaxed versus tense or concrete thinker versus abstract/conceptual thinker. The 16 PF offers a scale of 1 (being lowest) to 10 (being highest) to measure the degree in which a person might lean when determining potential career direction; or to offer insight into areas that the individual might need to improve upon. For instance, the test subjects goal may be to secure an executive-level position within a major corporation. This goal, undoubtedly, will require substantial leadership skills in terms of maintaining an authoritarian personality. The results of the 16 PF study measures, as one example, the

Master of Arts in Quantitative Analysis for Business Personal Statement

Master of Arts in Quantitative Analysis for Business - Personal Statement Example I have a desire to make educational and professional progress in the field of business management because of my huge interest in this field. I also want to take part in the economic progress and development and of my country. I have a belief that a country can progress only if its citizens get high quality education from the most prestigious universities of the world. Through the research, I have come to know that the name of university would be the most suitable university, which can help me fulfill my aim to get a high quality master’s degree in the field of business. I am seeking a career in some field related to statistical business analysis, and that can be possible if I get the opportunity to study under the supervision of highly qualified faculty of this university. I believe that my relevant educational background and interest in business management make me a suitable candidate for getting admission in the name of university. I am sending this statement of purpose to get admission in the Master’s of Arts in Quantitative Analysis for Business program. I would be grateful if the authorities accept my application and let me pursue my academic goals from this great university. I am looking forward to hear from you

Role NATO in the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role NATO in the world - Essay Example A "North Atlantic" area which includes both Point Barrow, far above the Arctic Circle, and Mount Ararat, deep in the Turkish Caucasus, is, indeed, an anomaly. The term "North Atlantic area" appears several times in the text of the treaty but is nowhere defined explicitly. However, the treaty does contain a definition of the area within which an armed attack from without will bring its guarantees into operation.( James Kurth, 36) These guarantees extend to the territories of all member states in Europe and North America, to the Mediterranean and North Sea, and to the Atlantic Ocean north of the Tropic of Cancer. They also cover the Algerian Departments of France as well as all of Turkey's territories in Asia, plus two segments of Africa and Asia, and all of North America north of the Rio Grande, together with the seas and ocean lying between them.The success of the NATO Alliance over the past four decades has been extraordinary. The mere survival of the Alliance for forty years is not eworthy; that those forty years have been unbroken by war among the major powers is unprecedented in the modern era. To be sure, factors other than NATO have contributed to the absence of war in Europe-the most important being the advent of the "nuclear revolution" in warfare. Nonetheless, NATO has made an important contribution to the maintenance of peace among the major powers. ... nt on the nature of the threats to the fundamental interests of the Alliance members; the evolution of a collective response to those threats that meets the political, economic, and military requirements of the allies; and the absence of any politically acceptable alternatives to the current structure of the Alliance. The central question facing NATO forty years after its creation, however, is whether the Alliance, as currently structured, equipped, and funded, will continue to play an effective role in meeting the vital security needs of its members. Despite the attention given to disputes among Alliance members, it is unlikely that NATO will collapse with a bang sparked by internal friction, but it could fade with a whimper of irrelevance in the face of shifting economic, political, technological, and military realities. NATO will almost certainly be alive on the eve of the twenty-first century to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. However, unless the Alliance has the resilience t o respond to emerging challenges, by the turn of the century it may be less relevant to the central security concerns of its members. Our Alliance has come far on its way to transformation. Its relevance today does not derive from its original and immediate purpose but from what it has become over time. It has evolved into a community of values and destiny, and a forum of political consultation on vital issues of foreign policy and security. It has evolved into an agent of change. It will become the core security organization of a future Euro-Atlantic architecture in which all states, irrespective of their size or geographical location, must enjoy the same freedom, cooperation and security. We must not be satisfied with having won the Cold War. We have to win the future. - NATO Secretary

International human resourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International human resourcing - Essay Example it is a decision meant to foster efficiency. Merger occurs when two or more companies undertaking business activities of similar nature come together and combine their operational activities, management and every service delivery tasks (Dorrenbacher, & Geppert, 2011, p.56). This is usually aimed at improving service delivery and creating competitive advantage. By merging with other companies, resources become more available hence production capacity can go higher. Acquisition is yet another strategy which means a larger company purchasing another one, either fully or partially, as a way of increasing its investment. Joint venture is closely related to merger. However, in joint venture companies mobilize resources together to undertake a common venture. This strategy is regarded necessary if the companies are like minded and the nature of business venture will considerably involve large capital investment. For instance, we have the case of EBG which acquired Pancevo and other brewerie s in Moldova, Chisinau, and Ufa in 2003. We also learn that Pancevo underwent nationalization over the era of Tito, which transferred its ownership interest to a given family. Again, this organization which now operated like a company was privatized following poor operating conditions prior to 1991. All these strategies have legal, social and economic implications to the society and the state at large. In our case study, we undertake to look at the legal and social aspects that arise with respect to the above strategies, considering multinationals like Pancevo, Eden Group of Companies, EBG and others that operate in Asian market and other countries (Richmond, & Turton, 2000, p.25). Discussion Generally immaturity of the political body has led to stifling of the institutional pluralism development. While in the area of higher education, appointments of senior academic are still being conducted by the state, a picture similar to that arises in the agency of Serbian privatization where senior employees as well as their policies are seen as the subject of great transmutation. It is without doubt that the major reason behind widespread feeling of anxiety and fear has been the pauperization of the community of Serbia which is faced with a challenge of around 30% unemployment with average wages being marginally higher than subsistence levels. The interference of the system of social benefits that were well established by the administration of Tito, which meant non material and material needs were all granted by the government, has contributed to feelings of isolation and insecurity among the citizens. Living standards deteriorated immensely because under Milosevic business enterprises were maintained open, usually with passive workforces, meant to create means of supporting the regime and keeping social peace (Richmond, & Turton, 2000, pp.34-6). The significant challenge threatening the programs of workers in Serbia is the privatization enactments that were made in a series of laws from the start of 1980s. From 2001, radical ownership restructuring has taken place. This has shocked many nationalities especially the workforce, whose livelihood is pegged into those enterprises. These laws have seen into it that social and state owned business enterprises are transferred into the hands of private sector. These enterprises employed 150000 workers, and their social security future was now at risk. Such is the case

Plutarch - Fall of the Roman Republic Research Paper

Plutarch - Fall of the Roman Republic - Research Paper Example Despite the person based accounts, which to an extent seem like a mere collection of biographies, Plutarch provides a detail discussion on the underlying forces and factors that undermined and eventually ended the Roman Republic. Plutarch discusses historical figures not as mere personages of history but as prime movers of events. Plutarch’s style in which discussions of historical events are pegged on the lives of individuals has influenced historical references up to today. An example is the analysis of the Agricultural Crisis in Rome where â€Å"Hannibal’s invasion had destroyed farms and farmland.†3 At the center of the Agricultural Crisis were the Gracchus4 Brothers, â€Å"Tiberius Gracchus elected tribune in 133 B. C. promised to help the farmers. He called for taking of public land and distributing it among the landless farmers.†5 This clearly contains Plutarch’s style wherein individual persons are at the center of major events most especially events that precipitated to the decline and eventual end of the Roman Republic. Moreover, analysis of the period of decline up to the end of the Roman Republic centers on the personas of the individuals that were identified to being so influential and powerful that their personality, life and ideas forged the destiny of Rome. â€Å"The disintegration of the Roman Republic is the first example in European history of the collapse of a constitutional system. One school of thought contends that individual generals and would be dictators like Julius Caesar and Pompey destroyed the traditional political system of Rome through ruthless ambition. According to this view, the Commanders of the Roman army, acting like feuding Mafia dons, turned their armies inward upon the Constitutional system.† 6 From another source, â€Å"Julius Caesar's adoptive son, Octavian, became, like Augustus, the first  emperor of Rome. According to modern ways of looking at things, this or the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March 44 B.C. marked the official end of the Republic of Rome.

African Americans health disparities Essay Example for Free

African Americans health disparities Essay In 2011, the diagnosis rate for HIV cases in the United States was 15. 8 per 100,000 population and 60. 4 among Blacks. Of 197,090 diagnoses of HIV-infection from 2008- 2011, Blacks/African Americans accounted for: ?47% OF THE TOTAL ?64% OF WOMEN ?66% OF INFECTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO HETEROSEXUAL CONTACT ?67% OF CHILDREN, AGES 13 In 2010, the death rate for blacks was higher (25. 0 per 100,000) compared with any other racial ethnicity group (3. 0 whites). Blacks represented 49% of all deaths with HIV in 2010. A recent study showed that blacks diagnosed with HIV are less likely than other groups to be linked to care, retained in care, receive antiretroviral treatment and achieve adequate viral suppression. African American Males African American men accounted for 42% of HIV cases diagnosed among men in 2011. A majority (72%) of African American men with HIV contracted the disease by male to male contact while 19% contracted HIV through heterosexual exposure. African American Females Among African American women, high risk heterosexual contact was the most frequently cited mode of transmission, accounting for 89% of cases diagnosed in 2011. More Information: ?HIV/AIDS TOPIC SITE ?HIV/AIDS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS ?HIV/AIDS STATISTICS AND SURVEILLANCE Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Gonorrhea In 2010, 69% of all reported cases of gonorrhea occurred among blacks. The rate of gonorrhea among blacks in 2010 was 432. 5 cases per 100,000 population, which was 18. 7 times the rate among whites (23. 1). This disparity has changed little in recent years. This disparity was larger for black men (22.2 times) than for black women (16. 2 times). Chlamydia In 2010, the overall rate among blacks in the United States was 1,167. 5 cases per 100,000, a 4. 0% increase from the 2009 rate of 1,122. 2 cases per 100,000. The rate of chlamydia among black women was over seven times the rate among white women (1,536. 5 and 205. 1 per 100,000 women, respectively). The chlamydia rate among black men was almost 11 times the rate among white men (761. 8 and 69. 9 cases per 100,000 men, respectively). Syphilis.

Legal & Ethical Environment of Business Essay Example for Free

Legal Ethical Environment of Business Essay In this individual project I will be analyzing and explaining the state of our legal system in terms of ethics as a personal and business standpoint. Secondly I will be figuring out if our legal system promotes bad ethics and what they are doing in trying to make it into god ethics. Then lastly I will be going over the role of judges in promoting good legal ethical practices in our society as of today. Sate of Our Legal System in Terms of Ethics  Ethical assessment making begins with the reaction that there is a good versus a bad moral decision to be made con ­cerning a particular condition a â€Å"correct† choice established on interests benefiting mortality in some way as different to a â€Å"incorrect† choice established on some corrupt or self-serving concern. It also involves characters to appraise the morality of their own, and often others’, actions (Board, 2012). Ethics are the resources by which we choose what movements are allowable and what activities are not. What is less identified is the fact that every ethic involves of two quantities: an importance that explains what it is that we need more of in our lives, or what we wish to exploit, and a belief, or system of views, that defines what activities we are to take to acquire more of the worth that we pursue. Still less frequently known is the fact that an ethic may be effective or unacceptable. Effective ethics create the preferred outcomes an escalation in the standards wanted. Void ethics create the opposite result a decreasing of that which is pursued or wanted. As an example, contemplate the ethic implemented by our country’s forefathers. The assessment they wished to exploit was freedom for the country’s societies (excluding maybe women and slaves). The belief system was founded on the values of a democratic republic memorial popular regulation. Each year but two (1865 and 1920) we have had less freedom than the year before (Singer, n. d. ). Today, through the propagation of ever more preventive laws, almost every part of our lives is structured or controlled by our county, state, federal, or public governments. Without government authorization we cannot drive a car, own property, board a plane, modify our home, open a bank account, control a business, consume prescribed medication, carry a gun, or do any of a thousand other things that our forefathers and foremothers would have reflected to be our unchallengeable rights. In short, the creators of our country chose to implement an ethic that is unacceptable because its acceptance fashioned the conflicting effect of that anticipated. While we are on the focus of ethics, let’s consider two other precise ethics that are particularly appropriate to an considerate of the problem that mortality presently faces. The first I shall mention to as the Power Ethic. This ethic pursues to exploit power over others in the influences of those who accept it. The confidence system that supports this ethic can be summarized by the declaration, â€Å"Might makes right†. In other words, those who can afford to buy artillery and to pay or intimidate young men and women to use those arms in combat have the right to exercise power over others for whatever reasons they wish. This is the ethic accepted by those who conceived government as-we-know-it in Sumer eight thousand years ago. This ethic is still the principle of those who run the governments of the world nowadays. At first it might seem that the Power Ethic is effective because, undeniably, those who have accepted it have prospered in accruing more and more power over their associated men and women. But there are secondary penalties. Incorporated among these are drug addiction, international strife, poverty, hunger, slavery, terrorism, wars, interpersonal violence, bureaucracy, oligarchy, environmental degradation, and all manner of crime. If the macroscopic development continues it is more than likely that the end outcome will be the total extermination of all human life on our planet thus decreasing the earth to a radioactive residue. Like a universal pest, those who have espoused the Power Ethic will abolish their host and themselves with it. So in the end the ethic is not usable. By contrast, reflect an ethic that picks originality and its logical counterparts as the standards to be exploited. Such means as love, consciousness, objective truth, and development may be measured as reasonable equivalents of imagination, because whenever one of these assets is amplified they are all improved, and vice versa. John David Garcia, the brilliant author of Creative Transformation, called this ethic the Evolutionary Ethic, so I will do likewise (AIU Online, 2013). We might note at this point that all affluence, and eventually all cheerfulness, originates from someone’s creativeness. The belief system that authorizes this ethic instigates with the concept that an act is good if it intensifications originality or any of its logical counterparts for at least one person without limiting or fading creativity for anyone. From this meaning a broad variety of values can be resulting by simple judgment. This ethic, it turns out, is effective. Inquisitively, the acceptance of this ethic normally exploits affluence and happiness, even though these are not logical equivalents of creativeness. In fact, ethics based on the expansion of affluence and happiness are not lawful creating poverty and unhappiness in its place. From this point on I shall use the terms ethical and unethical in place to this ethic precisely. There are numerous other legal ethics which I choose not to discuss in this paper excluding to note that each of them shows, upon close inspection, to be logical counterparts of the Evolutionary Ethic in that they call for the same interactive choices when determining between alternative sequences of action. From the preceding we can see that mortality’s big  problem  is the fact that the world’s governments, without omission, have selected the Power Ethic as their factor basis reasonably than the Evolutionary Ethic or one of its logical counterparts. The big  question  that humankind faces today is whether this choice is permanent and if not, what we must do to dodge the disaster that the Power Ethic is leading us toward (AIU Online, 2013). In our legal system in terms of ethics as being a big part of our nation’s survival and in terms of businesses keeping up a good production of products and jobs for eople to live on be able to pay bills and what not. Legal System Promote Bad Ethics In an ethical society freedom is restricted by ethical law. Those who wish to perform in a dependent or destructive manner are prohibited to do so. The inaccuracy of our establishment fathers was to exploit freedom in such a way that the most predacious, parasitic, and normally unethical persons were allowable to command the law, thereby creating the commands that allowed the ultra-wealthy to control the rest of us. We must reverse this trend if humanity is to survive, let alone thrive. To accomplish this end we must understand the nature of ethical law and disprove the authority of unethical law. To aid in descriptive this peculiarity, I shall mention to unethical laws as government announcements, or simply as pronouncements. If so, might makes right, and anyone who can afford to buy weapons and persuade others to use them to enforce their will has a right to so. This is the premise upon which all of today’s governments are founded. This has been the true basis of law throughout the world for at least eight thousand years, since government was invented in Sumer. To answer this question properly, we note first that all law presumes the use of force or power over others. But it takes only a simple exercise of logic to see that the exercise of power over others is only ethical in self-protection against someone who has initiated or defenseless the use of force for their own purposes. Therefore, ethical laws are only those that provide defense against such unethical acts. Since everyone has the right to defend themselves against the use of violence, it follows that everyone has the right to delegate to others their specialist to defend themselves. From this we conclude that all ethical laws embody this principle: All ethical laws, all legitimate laws, represent a contract under which a group of individuals, each having the right of self-defense, agrees to enforce a mutual defense pact. Ethical law can exist for this purpose alone. Additionally, we note that all existing laws, and laws, forbid some act or permit the act only when a tax is paid to the government (AIU Online, 2013). Role of Judges in Promoting Good Legal Ethical Practices The makings of a good judge are the abilities of a good man. There are supplementary demands on a judge, to be sure information of the law, a will to append judgment until all the indication is in. But at least it must be the complexity and consistency of his mortality that succeed and define the judge (Newton, n. d. ). Those who come before a judge do not really know before whom they stand. The person who manages over the courtroom, covered in the earnest black robes of his or her office, is in that moment less an individual than a sign of democratic standards and an tool of state power. In appreciation of that power and ability, all rise as the judge enters the courtroom and takes the seat, eminent above everyone else in the room, from which impartiality will be noticeable. It is the hope of all, and the principle of most, that this individual will do his or her job well, administration what is possibly our most valuable social good justice. Yet, in most compliments, judges remain unidentified to those who conduct their business before the court. What no one knows, what no one is even allowed to ask, is the character of the person wearing that robe and the ways in which that individual’s particular aptitudes will affect the presentation of his or her responsibilities (Newton, n. d. ). The judges I interviewed all acknowledged both that doing their job involved elements of discretion and that exercising discretion was in some measure a reflection of one’s own moral values. Yet, each responded to these challenges differently. Judge Meyer appeared most concerned about the subjectivity inherent in judging. In response to my proposition that judging elaborate evaluating the ethical character of people in certain ways and that this involved a good deal of indecision (Newton, n. d. ). Conclusion In conclusion, this individual project has really shown me some great ethics, morality and legalities in how to focus on the analysis of each portion of legal systems and role of judges in trying to promote good ethical practices. It just goes to show that in the different analysis in explaining the stat of our legal system in terms of ethics is a big portion in our societies now days. Although, in going into the legal system in promoting bad ethics is that you never really know what to expect in trying to promote bad ethics with some companies in furthering their demographic. However, in the role of judges in promoting good legal ethical practices is that judges have to stick with a strict process of being good in supporting these laws in the legal system in terms of ethics. So overall I found this assignment to have taught me some great information in trying to come up with the best research to best complement in delivering the additional material in providing the focus on this topic.

Importance of context

Importance of context Importance of Context For me context is the key from that comes the understanding of everything (K. Noland) Word context, taking its roots back from Latin contextus, is defined as the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event or situation. Context is an essential part of our everyday lives, it plays a key role in creating the right meaning in every form of communication between the source and its recipient. These include everything ranging from a simple newspaper article to most unusual examples of high art. Film is also an art, even though, a very young one, but the complexity of cinema makes it directly related to knowledge of different types of context. In this essay I will engage with these types of context, film theory context and socio-historical context in particular, to try to prove how vital it is to understand the importance of context in the art of cinema. To achieve this, I chose to built the arguments upon the work of one of the most unusual and difficult filmmakers of the past generation, Andrei Tarkovsky. Inscription on his gravestone reads: â€Å"To the man who saw the angel†. Andrei Tarkovsky was considered a classic, who brought so much to the culture of cinema, that his visions and way of thinking became part of human mind. Ingmar Bergman, in one of his interviews, said: â€Å"Tarkovsky is for me the greatest, the one who invented a new language, true to the nature of film, as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream†. And personally, this is absolutely true. His films are much above any other film of his time, they are rich with content, detail and hidden meaning much like Beethovens music or Da Vincis paintings, but from our century. He raised the art of cinema to a level which was only achieved in art like music or literature. Perhaps the most noticeable films Tarkovsky has ever worked on are Solaris (1972) and Stalker (1979). Although two films were seen as an improvement of one another, due to similarity of the problem, they both are incredibly different in terms of context. While Stalker is linked with unique film theory, as well as socio-historical events in Soviet Union, Solaris engages with almost every single film theory existent in that particular decade. Contextualising these two films will help the viewer to see them from different perspective and to understand beyond narrative meaning. Generally speaking, most common type of context used in Tarkovskys films is autobiographical.   In every his picture he managed to include small part of his personal life, part of his childhood. However Solaris seems to have inherited the least amount of Tarkovskys autobiography, probably because it was outshone by one astounding historical event whole world was talking about first man in space. Man who did it (Yuri Gagarin) was Russian, what soon had become a huge pride for then strong and growing Soviet Union, it also highly influenced the thematic element of Solaris, however, it didnt become the main focus of the motion picture. Tarkovskys vision was unique, he never tried to show all the scientific facts behind the journey to space, he focused on human spirit, which was present in different forms, elements, memories of Earth throughout the spaceship. He also didnt try to portray the people of future, it was enough for him, that they are still very same humans. Deep space journey was just a symbol for the same journey to the very soul of a man for him. Despite his arguments with the author of the book film was based on, Stanislaw Lem, Tarkovsky changed the original script by adding a small melancholic sequence of main character spending some time on Earth, wandering around his fathers â€Å"dacha†, himself, and the camera, in the very beginning of the film. This is where knowledge of film theory context steps in. Only semiotics and psychoanalytical theories can explain those tiny little details director showed in this episode, which, if stood on its own, wouldnt make much sense. Those who did not realise the importance of theories involved were saying that nothing was happening in this Earth scene, but no, it is life, in its brightest colors and purest form, that happened there. With this small and innocent episode Tarkovsky managed to show some sort of physical completeness of Earths being: sound of rain, morning voice of birds, living flame, his fathers house, full of memories and family photographs. Everything that is lef t unnoticed when it is present, and becomes painfully important when it is gone. He managed to show how beautiful and comfortable Earth really is, compared to huge cold cosmos. Long takes and mis-en-scenes are also pushing the picture in the direction of realism theory, while surrealistic problem of contact with a giant developing mind, which happens to be the Ocean, creates a juxtaposed contextualisation. Memories, dreams, symbols, signs, oppositions and metaphors they all form semiotics and psychoanalytical theories, and they are all dominant in Tarkovskys pictures. His heroes were artists or seekers, as well as fatherless children, abandoned houses, which, in Russian folklore, are opposed to the forest (where devils reign), were often shown as central images, combination of elements (water, fire, wind and nature) were always present, treatment of light, face reflections, nature sounds, juxtaposed images and of course art are all Tarkovskian â€Å"signatures†. All these theories are also present in Stalker, however this film is more famous of having a wider range of socio-biographical and socio-historical influences. By the end of the decade picture was made in, age of advanced Soviet socialism saw its end, and so called stagnation period of Soviet Union had begun. Remains of Stalinism were also present, followed by Siberian imprisonment for artists who showed their artistic freedom too much. Freedom of speech was also absent. To make it clearer, society was afraid and had problems with belief and hope; these have also become problems of Stalker. But for Tarkovsky, the relationship of the individual to history is central. Not just in Stalker, but in most of his pictures, Tarkovsky tends to address our feelings, rather than provoke need to verify the logic and credibility of the events behind the screen. â€Å"Highly visceral responses in the viewer, instead of triggering ideas meant to support a particular attitude toward society and hist ory† is what moved Tarkovsky in creating Stalker. Three protagonists: writer, professor and stalker all are subject to pervasive individual sense of Soviet history. One of them seeks inspiration, another looks for a discovery, and the last one is in search of hope. All three are lead into some mysterious room, located in the heart of so called â€Å"Zone†. The Zone is heavily guarded, and perhaps was named after a nuclear leak which happened in that decade of Soviet Unions history. Tarkovsky in his book â€Å"Sculpting In Time† wrote: †People have often asked me what The Zone is, and what it symbolises The Zone doesnt symbolize anything, any more than anything else does in my films: the zone is a zone, its life†. This mysterious place is used to represent hope and belief for those who seek for it. Without belief, the this room does not exist, and the phenomenon they are looking for is also nothing but an empty space. Because of this Tarkovsky wisely avoids any physical contact with this phenomenon. None of the three protagonists have actually seen the mysterious room, so they come back from their journey with nothing. This allows all kinds of different meanings and understandings to be assigned for The Zone individually in the complexity of the directors vision. Perhaps it wasnt so important for Tarkovsky to show how writer could find an inspiration or professor would find a discovery, most probably he wanted to show the audience how to stand for something you believe in with all your heart. Even when every single shot of his picture represented bitterness of soviet authority and lack of both creative and artistic freedom, Tarkovsky tried to revive the hope, hope and expectations people had of Soviet government, which let them down. Although to achieve this the director used elements of not so common oneiric film theory. In its context, all dreams and dreamlike impacts in Stalker become engaging for the viewer. Encouraged to look for the hidden meaning, beneath the narrative, audience understands the events in its own reflection. This oneirism is created by using lengthy tracking shots and chromatic rendition, opposed to Eisensteins montage, what is described in Tarkovskys book: â€Å"the film image comes into being during shooting and exists within the frame, while editing brings together shots which are already filled with time†. In addition, decelerated and dedramatized still shots also contribute to such dreamlike mood. That is noticeable in a scene, where all three protagonists sit in one of the Zones chambers, disappointed by realizing that the place they were searching for is not â€Å"the room where everybodys most heartfelt desire will be granted†. By using dreams Tarkovsky attempts to â⠂¬Å"reach into our innermost feelings, to remind us, stirring our souls like a revelation that is impossible to interpret in any particular way†. Dreamlike shots create their own narrative stalkers changing desire to escape from something dictatorial, brutal into something else, where there is place for freedom. Andrei Tarkovsky wasnt the man of science or logic, he always tried to make contact through his films with the audiences innermost feelings, emotions and soul. Perhaps this isnt exactly the way understanding of certain context works, because it is more related to logic and structure, but try to imagine how different would both of these pictures look like if there was no historical background behind them, or no film theory support to their complex nature. Solaris and Stalker, both are exceptional and unique films which have secured themselves a strong place in film history and will be discussed for ages. It would have been impossible for them to achieve this, without acknowledging the importance of context. Why else would Solaris be based in space? What could have been the reason for Stalkers repulsive landscapes? How else would dreams be interpreted without oneiric theory? Or why would there be so many   sign and symbols if there was no semiotic or psychoanalytical theory? Fro m acknowledging this comes the understanding of how important context really is. Especially nowadays, where every form of art and even media is based around the events happening around the world, understanding different types of context has become vital, not just for magnificent directors like Tarkovsky, but for every single human being.

Catherine Earnshaw Essays -- essays research papers

Catherine Earnshaw   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Catherine Earnshaw is the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw and his wife; Catherine falls powerfully in love with Heathcliff, the orphan Mr. Earnshaw brings home from Liverpool. She was born at Wuthering Heights and was raised with her brother Hindley. Catherine loves Heathcliff so intensely that she claims they are the same person but does not marry him because Hindley has degraded him after their father's death so her desire for social advancement motivates her to marry Edgar Linton instead, a neighbour from Thrushcross Grange and he is handsome and rich, another reason for Catherine marrying him. She is quite passionate about Heathcliff though, and does not want to give him up. She becomes ill when Heathcliff and Edgar fight, and dies in childbirth. Catherine is free-spirited, wild, impetuous, and arrogant as a child, she grows up getting everything she wants as Nelly describes in chapter 5, ‘A wild, wicked slip she was’. She is given to fits of temper, and she is torn between her wild passion for Heathcliff and her social ambition. She brings misery to both of the men who love her, ultimately; Catherine’s selfishness ends up hurting everyone she loves, including herself. As a child Cathy was wild and headstrong and her determination enables her to get everything that she wants. Although she only loves Heathcliff, she has a choice between him and Edgar Linton, as he too loves her. She chooses Edgar because of his status, but ends u...

Software Piracy Essay -- Computer Software Copyright Violation

Software Piracy Software piracy is the copying and selling of copyrighted software. There are many types of software that can be pirated including operating systems, application programs, internet downloads, including music, software, or movies. Many people do this knowing that they are partaking in something illegal; however some people have no clue that they are breaking the law. In some cases a person may have inadvertently purchased pirated software. The consequences of having or distributing pirated software can be serious in some cases. Software piracy is a common practice that can be easily avoided. Software piracy is an equal offense to downloading of music, movies, books, magazines, or any other copyrighted material. It is as simple as downloading a program from the internet, or using a friend’s copy of Office. Software piracy can also be as complex as a computer store re-selling software with a fake or counterfeit product key or registration code. To avoid this look out for software that seems less expensive than it should be or software that comes with a key generator. If you suspect software piracy you can contact, The Software & Information Industry Association, on their website http://www.siia.net/piracy. On their website they are actually offering rewards of up to $50,000 to any person that reports a company that is using pirated software. People partake in software piracy because it as an easy way out of purchasing software. Some software programs can cost over a thousand dollars, whereas some only cost twenty or thirty dollars. Software piracy has said to have begun around the 1960’s. Over time it has grown and it accounts for â€Å"25% - 50%† of software curr... ... 83% Tunisia 82% Kenya 80% Thailand 80% Nicaragua 79% El Salvador 79% Bolivia 78% Guatemala 77% Lebanon 74% Romania 73% Morocco 73% Honduras 73% India 73% Philippines 72% Venezuela 70% Works Cited "Learn About Piracy." Prevent Software Piracy. 2005. Intuit. 8 November 2005. . "What is Piracy?" Anti Piracy. 2005. The Software & Information Industry Association. 8 November 2005. . "Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in New Hampshire Software Piracy Conspiracy." Software Piracy. 2005. U.S. Department of Justice. 8 November 2005. .

Ghost Story of the Haunted Abandoned Factory :: Ghost Stories Urban Legends

Ghost stories and urban legends have a power over people that other types of stories lack. These stories can deeply scare people and lead them to question certain things in life. The fashion in which the story teller delivers the story can greatly affect how haunting the story is and how long it lingers in the listeners’ heads. Urban legends pertaining to a certain region have even more of an effect on people’s beliefs. That scary house on the corner may never be the same to somebody after they are told about the gruesome murder that supposedly happened there many years ago. The ghost story chosen for this paper was told by a 19 year-old Caucasian male college student. The story involves a supposedly haunted building in the nearby town. He heard the story from a friend but does not recall when or where he first heard the story. He recounted the story in the afternoon while sitting in his room with a few other students watching television. According to his story, the haunted building was once used as a factory. One day there was a fire which burned down a good portion of the building and killed all the workers inside. The ruins can still be seen and are alleged to be haunted by ghosts of the deceased factory workers. The teller once tried to locate the factory ruins at night with a few friends but had trouble doing so. He said they found people looking for the same place and joined them to find it. They found an old building in an isolated area but were not sure if it was the correct place. The story teller recalls having an eerie feeling when a rriving at the isolated building. He and his friends soon left without exploring further because the uneasiness about the area began to scare them. The teller told the story in a rushed manner, quickly telling the details. Upon recalling his eerie feelings while searching for the building, he broke into nervous laughter, and one could tell he was somewhat unnerved by the experience. This conclusion led the listeners to believe that searching for the old factory would be a scary experience. From research, it is apparent that Ellicott City has numerous areas believed to be haunted, along with legends behind these areas.

Aerospace Outsourcing

Title of Assignment: Outsourcing and the AeroSpace Industry Table of Contents The origin of outsourcing in the Aerospace Industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦.. . Page 3 Barriers to entry in the Monopoly and Oligopoly Industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. .Page 4 Types of Outsourcing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. . Page 4 The Demand for Outsourcing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. . Page 6 S. W. O. T. Analysis of Outsourcing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. . Page 7 Gross Domestic Product †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.. . Page 9 The future of Outsourcing†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 10 Is it Outsourcing or Offshoring†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. . Page 12 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . Page 13 PowerPoint Presentation Slides The origin of Outsourcing in the Aerospace Manufacturing The term outsourcing is frequently used to describe a movement away from vertical integration – moving an activity outside the firm that formally was done within the firm. The term outsourcing also is used to describe an ongoing arrangement where a firm obtains a part or service from an external firm {text:bibliograp hy-mark} . Outsourcing is not a new concept, for hundreds of years businesses have outsourced their needs; however, during the industrial evolution the US economy begun to acquire a greater need for outsourcing as costs of manufacturing became a concern, this move begun in the 1950’s and continued aggressively to the 1980’s and 1990’s as global competition placed a greater strain on the economic growth {text:bibliography-mark} . Outsourcing was not formally identified as a business strategy until 1989 (Mullin, 1996). In the beginning of this acclaimed activity, firms outsourced what was deemed essential; however, as the evolution of outsourcing occured – fueled by the need to ‘cut-cost’ continued, other functions which were important but not relative to the core competencies of the firm begun to be outsource as well. From an economic perspective outsourcing is an industry in itself which can be viewed from a micro-economic and macro-economic perspective, this indicates its demand and supply curve moves in respective directions as the need for it grows or diminishes just as any other markets within an economy. In saying this it can be a very broad subject and can carry large discussions; this paper will deviate towards outsourcing’s role in the commercial aerospace manufacturing industry which begun in 1954 with Boeing and remained dominated by Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier since 1986. Barriers to entry Barriers to entry are one of the key incentives of the monopoly and oligopoly industry. The Aerospace industry, which is dominated by three main players, Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier is considered to be an oligopoly industry, because of the â€Å"Market Power† that is held by these firms. The industry has high fixed cost and is excessively capital intensive and time consuming, which serves as the key restriction not to be attractive for competition. In order to create value and share risk, the industry has fostered the idea of outsourcing. Outsourcing is using the facilities and services of a third party to supply good that would otherwise be created by the organization. Figure 1 details the major difference between a market with perfect competition and one that does not: {draw:frame} Types of Outsourcing The outsourcing framework begins with the decision to ‘make or buy,’ this would lead to ‘_insourcing__’_ (make) or outsourcing (buy). Outsourcing has two major components, ‘_inshoring_’ (in-land) or ‘_offshoring_’ (distant land). Offshoring has three major component, ‘_nearshore__’_ which indicates the work is outsourced to a nearby country to the parent company as opposed to farshoring; whereas, ‘_captive centers__’_ are overseas subsidiaries set-up to serve the parent company {text:bibliography-mark} . The framework of outsourcing can be very complex and arriving at the decisions can cause a material change in the supply curve of a manufacturing firm as the process of outsourcing is very costly and burdensome, if done improperly it can have a an unfavorable ROI. {draw:frame} Jobs outsourced Job functions outsourced fall in two major categories, Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Under BPO, essential components or parts are being outsourced where it once was manufactured in-house. In the Commercial Aerospace manufacturing industry, it became more prevalent that manufacturing all parts of a commercial airplane was time consuming and costly, this brought about the demand for outsourcing. The demand of outsourcing Outsourcing is an exponential concept in business that has an impact on both the provider and consumer. When this aspect is viewed through the business lenses, the focus is on value creation. The intrinsic benefit of outsourcing is twofold, in that, the consumer gets to reap the benefit of economies of scale, where-as the provider get’s to charge for the product supplied. The exchange of these transactions create value for the parties involved as well as contribute to the participants gross domestic product (GDP). O_ffshoring_ of the general maintenance as well as parts for assembling new airplanes has heightened, which seems to have a negating effect of the domestic manufacturing industry. As airlines have rushed to slash costs, aircraft maintenance outsourcing has increased significantly from 37% of maintenance expenditures for major U. S. airlines in 1996 to 64% in 2007 ( At-A-Glance. 2008 December). The law of demand states that consumer will increase their consumption once there is a benefit to be gained. The increase in demand for outsourcing will result in a downward sloping demand curve, as outsourcing of maintenance continues to decimate the highly skilled aircraft labor force which will eventually have adverse economic effect – reduction in the wetware of the industry. The law of demand – Quantity demanded increases as price reduced {draw:frame} Technical knowledge is being shared with the players of the industry, thereby leading to increase competition in the near future. Boeing's partners in Japan and Italy will be building composite structures that include sophisticated sub-systems that are already certified, tested and ready for final assembly. (Manufacturing and Technology News, Feb 2007). There are benefits to be gained from the new phenomenon, â€Å"Outsourcing†. In the business arena benefits are offset by weaknesses, which need to be evaluated and planned for accordingly. S. W. O. T analysis of outsourcing has economic and financial benefits for the end user. S. W. O. T Analysis of outsourcing – The consumer perspective Financial Benefits No major capital outflow Contractual cost are treated as sunk cost – assist in decision making Less wear and tear on assets – longer life and high ROI Risk is shared with suppliers Lower unit cost Concentrate on creating value to customer No expense is incurred with equipment maintenance Pricing technique is enhanced, Marginal cost is known Variable costs are known which help to allocate resource Plan, coordinate and manage corporate resources An outward shift signifies an increase in demand The financial gains of outsourcing will force firms to build this aspect into their strategy; this will create a shift in demand for the commodity, thereby shifting the curve to the right. An increase in demand will cause shift in demands as oppose to a movement along the curve which is the result of a reduction in price. {draw:frame} Gross Domestic Product of domestic and foreign economy India’s economy is the twelfth largest in the world by nominal value, and ranks fourth in purchasing power parity. In 2008, India had established itself as the world’s second fastest growing major economy. The service industry in India accounts for 62. 6 percent of the country’s GDP followed by the industrial and agricultural sectors which contribute 20 percent and 17. 5 percent. India’s GDP in 2008 was 3. 344 compared to the US GDP which was 1461 in 2008. GDP graph of India and the United States {draw:frame} Outsourcing is the practice of using a service from an outside supplier. There are many pros and cons when it comes to outsourcing; however, many big name airline companies based in the US weigh their opportunities. India has become the leader in outsourcing, gathering interest of companies looking to save money. India is well known for their IT, science, and technology, giving companies like those in the airplane industry a reason to consider outsourcing. Those who wish to outsource reap the benefits of paying lower wages: however, it can come at a cost of language barriers and cultural differences. In some circles the language barrier is considered a pro not a con because many Indian vendors invest money in cross cultural training. There is also the uncertainty of the outsourcing company being able to stay in business. In today’s economy many airlines are using outsourcing by purchasing goods at a lower rate than they would if they were to buy them domestic. Many of the major players in the airline industry are finding it more beneficial to purchase the materials that they are using for their business via outsourcing. The airplane manufacturing industry as a whole is expected to grow between 150 billion and 225 billion by the year 2020 in total offshore engineering. India provides aerospace firms both aircraft design and on board electronics systems such as flight control and engine control. The Future of Outsourcing The future of outsourcing appears to be unswerving as processes will remain available to any firm that needs to utilize the activity. However, there are benefits and challenges to major component of selecting the correct provider. These are _appropriate offshore locations, selections of ideal outsourcing partner, dynamic Challenges and outsourcing in-house problems_, are key factors which will determine the future of outsourcing for both supplier and consumer. The future of outsourcing is contingent on the ability to outsource a need effectively, this is empirical to the future of the economy in which outsourcing is a major contributor, for example Boeing and many other firms outsourced to China for years and China’s economy grew due to the decisions that were made. Outsourcing is economically smart on a micro-economic perspective; however, it can be devastating on a macro-economic perspective if the goal is purely capitalistic. {text:bibliography-mark} Priorities for selecting an outsource partner _ _On a scale of 1 to 5 (where 1 = extraneous and 5 = vital) {draw:frame} Selection of appropriate offshore location {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Selection of ideal outsourcing partner {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Dynamic challenges text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Outsourcing in-house problems {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Kate Vitasek speaks of the decision to outsourcing and the approach to successfully outsourcing. In her views that is the goal of Vested Outsourcing, and this is accomplished by implementing five basi c rules explained in her book. Focus on outcomes, not transactions. Focus on the WHAT, not the HOW. 3. Agree on clearly defined and measurable outcomes. Optimize pricing model incentives for cost/service trade-offs. 5. Governance structure provides insight, not merely oversight. Is it Outsourcing or Offshoring? There are some anti-outsourcing trend booming in the US, but the US Chamber of Commerce (USCC), has evidently come out sturdily in favor of outsourcing as it considers it good for the US economy and it has reportedly decided to fight legislative moves against outsourcing of jobs to countries where jobs are being outsourced. text:bibliography-mark} . With the large amount of lay-offs which have occurred and the many more which may come about, outsourcing is on the hot-plate of a political split, many agree and many disagree with outsourcing; however, is it outsourcing that is the problem or ‘offshoring,’ there are many who agree on a macro-economic perspective that ‘offshroring’ is unhealthy for the economy and have argued their point. The Aerospace industry has ‘offshored’ since the 1960’s and have not collapse the US economy in doing so; however, it has placed itself in dear competition with China who now makes their own planes and gained experience from having been Boeing’s major outsourcing partners. References

Marketing strategy of amazon

Marketing scheme is necessary in e real stemma. No matter how m one(a)yed a certain melodic phrase is, its resources ar always restricted. and because merchandise scheme provides a certain business to allocate his resources properly in vow for his business to be more than productive. Marketing aggregate is alike essential in the trade field, and it is basically the understanding why the trade mix (4 Ps) is tackled under marketing outline. The four essential Ps be the product, the determine, the place, and the forward motion. Without con fountring these four essential Ps ones business is doomed to fail. A marketing manager call for to commence enough noesis in order to reveal determine how to properly tog out this marketing mix.This paper aims to focus on whether the amazon.com is doing a not bad(p) marketing schema. It is a easily-k right get rid ofn fact that many businesses aims on promoting their products in order to receive let out responses from their customers. The necessity of promoting their products argon included in the marketing mix and thus a business that knows how to uph senescent his product well would succeed close likely than those who do not carry any knowledge in product promotions. Going tolerate to the dodge of amazon.com many wonders why they promote their impudent products side by side with use and old products.There ar people who question the rationality substructure this because people think that most consumers would hightail it to buy things which are cheaper compared to the innovativeer and more dear(predicate) items grumpy(prenominal)ly go fors. Thus, this paper aim to learn what was the reason behind this particular strategy of amazon.com, whether their strategy is effective or not and the like. amazon.com is one of the most famous e-commerce companies. amazon.com snitchs their products via profit thus making it more well-provided for people who do not have enough time to do their obtain outside their homes. Jeff Bezos started amazon.com in 1994 and up to now amazon.com is still continuing with their business. Amazon.com started by mete outing books online but as of today they are no longer limited on selling books via the internet. Amazon.coms products ranges from cds, videodisks, books, clothes, cars, etc. The Amazon.com is a little off the track with their marketing strategy.For one, they are volition to ship products ranging from $25 or more for free. Such shipments could be very dearly-won even from an established business as Amazon. nonetheless, in spite of the losses of Amazon.com they are still well-liked by their customers due to their easilyly services and customer satisfaction is very important in every business. Thus, in this regard Amazon.com shows good marketing strategy in terms of pleasing their customers. However this particular aspect where amazon.com is good at is very short-lived.The strategy Amazon prime to reconstruct their selve s is by contacting retailers and collecting them to sell most of their products at Amazon. Thus, companies such as Gaps, Circuit City Stores Inc and the like sell some of their products at Amazon as well as on their ingest websites. This particular strategy raised Amazons profit to 22%. However, business experts saw that Amazons bargain could still grow by the yr of 2008 if they would improve some aspects on their websites.By doing this Amazon could draw more retail companies to join forces with them. Their website had also gotten so safe to the point that obtain online on Amazon is no longer as commodious and as easy as it used to especially since so many universal resource locators links customers from one website to another. Thus, if moreover Amazon.com would try to lessen the mess their website is in then the better their business would be.In terms of using the 4 Ps Amazon.com is doing fine in the outlay part since their prices are very just added to the fact that they gives free shipment for some products. Amazon.com could also be found across the country because they have opened stores on diametric countries such as Japan, Germany, etc. This particular strategy is good because it allows them to cover customers in a wide-range basis.However, Amazon.com shows difficulty in promoting most of their products because their website is not very organized. Searching for your swear product could be very grueling for many insignificant links appears one after another. In terms of products they whitethorn be doing alright for they sell products with qualities however, their promotion of their product is not authentically good and thus they should focus on their marketing promotion to in order to tempt customers and other retailers more. (Behr).Amazon.com has certain advantages though as mentioned earlier especially on their hypothesis to merging with other retailers. They are also one of the most well-known on the e-commerce aside from the fact tha t they are managing to postulate head on with other well-known businesses such as IBM, Microsoft, etc.In terms of selling old books side-by-side with recent ones, Amazon has a good reason for that one too. Amazon.com aims to cater to the needs of diverse kinds of consumers. There are those who want sore things no matter how expensive those things may be. However, there are those who does not really care on whether they are purchase something old or parvenu as long as they could afford the price. Thus in this regard Amazon.com is doing a great strategy by catering to the needs and wants of different kinds of consumers.By demonstrate old books side by side with new ones they are also making it easier for their customers to better analyze which one they would pick. For example if obligate A costs $15 if it is new and $13 if it is old and used then I would better analyze the pros and cons of purchasing a new book to that of acquire the old one especially if the price differen ce is but $2. Overall this particular strategy of Amazon could be looked at in different light. However, this particular strategy may be serving Amazons purposes well and thus in this regard I think that showing your customer new products as compared to new ones is a good strategy.In a way it is the same as sleuthping in a certain shop wherein you ask for a particular book whose price is $25 and your money is only $20. Part of a business strategy is to provide an alternative thus it would be of no surprise if the saleslady would ask how much money you have with you and when you recite $20 she would tend to show you a copy of the same book although the spot one is used but in a lower price as compared to the new book. I am surely that Amazon is using this particular tactical maneuver in the same light as the hypothetical saleslady did.ReferenceBehr, bloody shame E. Case Study Amazon.Com. 2003.