Personal Cultural Diversity Essay

The concept of globalization, which is the increasing integration and interdependence of different countries from one another in terms of economic, communication, and technological aspects, leads one to address the concept of cultural diversity or multiculturalism. Cultural diversity in the health-care system touches lives of many Americans in one way or another. No matter what our own cultural background is, when we go receive medical care, we may encounter a care giver who comes from a different cultural background than ours(Naylor 1997,291).. In the concept of cultural diversity, it can be recognized that two terms are equally important. The first concept is culture, which refers to the total way of life of individuals, and the unique characteristic that separates the human from the rest of the world of living things. It is said to be the primary means of human adaptation and the basis for the majority of human thought and behavior. As such, human beings create, learn, and use culture to respond to the problems of their natural and social-cultural environments, to control them, and even to change them (Naylor 1997, 3). The other important term in the concept of cultural diversity is the concept of diversity, which refers to variety. Putting the two concepts together, cultural diversity refers to the presence of a variety of cultures in a particular group or area. In this sense, the difference of one’s culture with another is being recognized, thus, emphasizing one’s individual unique characteristics in relation to one’s ethnic or racial origin. However, the concept of cultural diversity does not only refer to one’s difference and uniqueness in terms of cultural difference. This is because this concept also refers to personal cultural diversity, which refers to individual differences in terms of family background, values, personal experiences, prejudices and judgments, and socioeconomic class. In addressing personal cultural diversity, the cultural or family background of an individual must be evaluated and examined. In terms of cultural or family background, personal cultural diversity can be seen in terms of differences in the place of birth of an individual, the culture and values of his or her town or city, the unique values that one has been able to acquire, and the negative and positive experiences that one was able to have. In this sense, personal cultural diversity can be seen through the influences of personal xperiences that have been acquired and accumulated by the individual through his or her lifetime. Another factor to consider is the individual’s religious background or influences, as this would determine the values and practice of morality of the individual. This would also define one’s behavior and personality in comparison to other individuals. In addition, the religious influence of an individual, along with his or her personal experiences determines his or her judgments and prejudices regarding a certain issue. Another important factor is one’s social-economic class background, which refers to one’s income levels and lifestyle backgrounds. One’s level of income and lifestyle entitles one to develop different views and perceptions regarding different issues or topics. To sum up the points, it can be perceived that in order to understand the concept of personal cultural diversity, the different aspects of one’s lifestyle must be examined and determined in order to point out individual differences in a particular group or society. This is because each individual has different genetic make-up, thus, making one unique in terms of developing approaches in addressing the different problems in the environment. Work Cited: Naylor, Larry L. Cultural Diversity in the United States. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 1997. Naylor, Larry L. Cultural Diversity in the United States. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 1997

Illustrate from ‘The Pardoner’s Tale and Prologue’ the Pardoner’s skill as a preacher

People sought salvation with devotion as The Black Death swept across Europe. The pre-science era when Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales meant priests faced an increasing workload, introducing monetary payments in exchange for remission of sin or penances (punishment). The responsibility of the collection of this money went to quaestores. These quaestores1 did not always have a firm connection with the Church, and definitely not with the artes praedicandi, the collected thought embodied in the theory and art of preaching. However, the new direction the Church took became a rampant breeding ground for forgers and confidence tricksters such as the Pardoner, preying upon the fears of the diminishing population for personal gain. The artes praedicandi was divided into two areas, the moral and the technical. With the moral, the preacher, genuinely inspired, was to be the mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit. There is no question that Chaucer's Pardoner is a completely immoral creature, his motives selfish and his interests in human art more important than guidance from God. However, in the technical aspect of preaching he excels. Medieval practice and sermon called upon the preacher to provide religious teaching as well as entertainment.2 Gardiner writes of elements of convention in the traditional Medieval religious lesson and the Pardoner covers all of them. The first, statement of theme, is a biblical text and in the Pardoner's case it is, ‘Radix Malorum Est Cupiditas', the love of money is the root of all evil.3 ‘The Exemplum', a story to illustrate the text, is taken care of in the tale of the riotours' search for death. The discourse of the sins of drunkenness, gluttony, gambling, blasphemy and swearing could be considered the dilatatio, detailed explaining of the text, and set after the story's close, the peroration, a discussion and application of the text. The Pardoner's Prologue sets up a universally held view, that the Pardoner is full of the very sins he preaches against, he seeks to become sin itself and is master of his own damnation. The Pardoner has with him firm establishment of authority and credibility, ‘bulles of popes and cardinales' that grant him powers of absolution. â€Å"And I assoille him by the auctoritee Which that by bulle ygraunted was to me† By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, An hundred mark sith I was pardoner† (103-6) The Pardoner also has a piece of the sail of the ship St. Peter had sailed upon the Sea of Galilee, the Virgin Mary's veil and a relic that cures jealousy and helps livestock and their farmers and the magic mitten! As part of the audience of pilgrims and readers, we are aware that these holy relics are pure counterfeit, but to the frightened believer in an age of magic surrounded by death, the Pardoner's offer of help seemed sensible rather than silly. Chaucer gives us here a visual image laid so over the top of ‘heer as yelow as wex', that it allows room for him to describe the physical movements of the fake. The Pardoner evangelises with energy- â€Å"Thanne payne I me to strecche forth the nekke And est and west upon the peple I bekke, As dooth a dowve sittinge on a berne Minde handes an my tonge goon so yerne† (108-11) And authority- â€Å"I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet† (107) His storytelling is full of naturalistic dialogue and personification, the ‘riotoures thre' representing the condemned sins of drunkenness, gambling and blasphemy. The latter of these also helps to pull his congregation or customers in with the tactic of shock. He incorporates everyday experience in to the sermon. Cookery and wines are mentioned in verse of political consumer advice. There is even a laugh to be had when he describes a drunk man snoring: â€Å"And thurgh thy dronke nose semeth the soun As though thou soydest ay ‘Sampsoun! Sampsoun!' And yet, God woot, Sampsoun drank nevere no wyn† (267-9) If that doesn't seal the deal, the one about the adulterous wife with two to three priests should! It is clear the Pardoner values entertainment highly, and this is in place to draw in those who have no interest in God. An important component of fourteenth century ministering was the recommendation of the use of ensamples, specific incidents used to prove or push a general assertion. To the â€Å"lewed† the Pardoner may appear as a learned man,, drawing on works from the stoic philosopher Seneca and philosopher and scientist Avicenna (Ibn Sina). He makes reference to De Contemptu Mundi by Pope Innocent III, the theologian St. Jerome's Adversus Jovinianum and St. John of Salisbury. His knowledge of the Bible is as impressive as his secular incorporatings. He quotes or hints at the contents of Genesis, Proverbs, Ecclesiasticus, the Gospels and the epistles of St.Paul. He refers to a wide variety of texts, and if they were obscure the more likely they would be associated solely with the Pardoner, perhaps of his own invention. His tongue of â€Å"hauteyn† tone uses a number of stylistic devices, common among legitimate preachers. Repetition is the most common; overuse of the biblical passage and over-stressing of the same five sins is practised, making sure words are stuck firmly in the memory or minds of the listeners through its amplification and emphasis. Onomatopeia, as mentioned is used to imitate the heavy breathing of a drunk, and the glutton, â€Å"That may go thurgh the golet softe and swoote, Of spicerie of leef and bark and roote† (257-8) He also uses apostrophe, â€Å"O wombe! O bely! O stinking cod!† (248) His narration is packed with exclamation, as he uses heavy punctuation to increase emotional impact. His tale and sermon manipulate suspense, his voice, playing each of the parts, shifts in tone and volume. From complexity to simplicity and back, the lesson is rich in climax and anti-climax. He is a natural performer and a cunning predator, â€Å"For though myself be a ful vicious man, A moral tale yet I yow telle kan, Which I am wont to preche for to winne† (173-5) c. Andrew Luke 2002

The Other Washington Monument: Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s Contentious Career

Modern stories of daughters of the American Presidents and their clutched lives have been exemplified by teenybopper movies such as Chasing Liberty and The First Daughter. These films typically tell of the heroine’s quest for individuality, freedom and love and usually end with their realization that their position as the President’s daughter holds as much responsibility as the President himself. The life story of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, first daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, would have catapulted into a bigger hit, if it gets to capture the drama, glamour and the controversies that highlight her long life of ninety six years.Amidst Turmoil and Catastrophe: A Picture of Determination and Character In February 12, 1884, Alice Lee Roosevelt was born in Manhattan to eighteen year old Alice Hathaway Lee and twenty four-year old, Republican member of the New York state legislature, Theodore. Her tragic birth seemed a sign of the turbulent life this American socialite would lead later on. A few days after Alice’s birth, both Theodore’s wife and mother passed away. The former died of a kidney disease and the latter of typhoid fever.Perhaps as a result of this, or of Theodore’s political ambitions to become mayor of New York City, Alice has never seen much of her father while she was growing up, so she was raised by Theodore’s sister Anna, whom she called Aunty Bye. Anna was unmarried but sociable and would fill in stories of her real mother to Alice, as a compensation for her apathetic father. Alice would also later comment that Aunty Bye was a significant and optimistic influence in her life (Beres, 1995).After three years under Aunty Bye’s care, Alice moved in (because of her stepmother’s bidding) with Theodore and her new wife, Edith Kermit Carow in Sagamore Hill, Long Island. She later became the eldest in a brood of six, but was believed to have a distant relationship with her family. Even though Alice gre w up without the care of a mother, she obtained the elegance and beauty which was widely adored by the public (Bingham, 1969). This occurred despite her contraction of polio in 1887, an infection which almost crippled her.In fact, she would later be praised for a flawless posture, which resulted from her stepmother’s recourse to stretch her legs every night as a cure for her viral disease (Beres, 1995) or, according to Cordery (1995), from wearing leg braces until she was aged thirteen. Teen Life at the White House Despite losing in the mayoralty race in New York in 1886, Theodore Roosevelt’s political career became one of the most unparalleled in the history of the United States. He battled corruption as he held positions in the US Civil Service Commission and the New York City Board of Police Commissioners.He became one of the youngest Presidents at forty two after having been sworn into office because of the assassination of then President William Mc Kinley in Septe mber 1901. Alice was seventeen years old then and seemed to struggle with her popularity to the media, as she thwarted when given the nickname â€Å"Princess Alice† by the journalists. She was also lucky (or unlucky, as she would later comment, that her celebration was a â€Å"dowdy† arrangement of her stepmother) to be the first Presidential daughter to have debuted under the Executive Manor, which incidentally, was renamed the White House by Theodore Roosevelt.During these times, Alice’s attitude was characteristic of today’s rich, famous and reckless teenage celebrities. Alice also had her share of the â€Å"Paparazzi moments†, rebellious attitude and controversies. She was a regular at the weekly publication â€Å"Town Topics† at Washington, DC, the predecessor of E-buzz in the 1900’s. Her favorite shade of blue, so called â€Å"Alice blue†, became a fashion fad and she inspired and popularized songs like â€Å"Where art t hou Alice† and â€Å"Alice Blue Gown†.She was widely imitated and her image represented the wrong kind of cool, as she was, as Beres (1995) states, â€Å"blunt, opinionated, scandalous, and highly unpredictable †¦ the smoking, drinking, racing around in cars and betting on horses†. This behavior brought negative publicity to her family. Perhaps to derail this trend, Alice was sent as an emissary of her father to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and to Japan, China, Korea and the Philippines during the 1905 Russo-Japanese war settlement (Cordery, 1995).But it was her marriage to Nicholas Longworth in February 17, 1906 that spoiled her rampage, much to her father’s contentment. They traveled after their famed honeymoon in Cuba and were accompanied by the royalty of Germany, France and England in their visit to Europe. Her Political Ascent and Demise Her fame as a politician, or somewhat, as a handmaid of the politicians, became eminent after her marriage, as she s upported her Father’s and Nicholas’ campaigns and became the center and promulgator of social events.However, during the 1912 elections, Theodore, who was then running for his third term at the Presidency, lost along with Nicholas who was also failed to win as Senator. With her help and support, his husband regained position in 1914, while she invested her time with issues concerning World War I, the League of Nations and the Ohio Republican Committee. With the loss of her father in January 6, 1919, she continued to strengthen her territory in the political arena. She championed the controversial issue on women suffrage in 1920, as Beres (1995) thought, not because she found it important, but because it was contentious.Two days after her 41st birthday, she gave birth to her only daughter, Paulina, who was rumored to be her child to Senator William E. Borah. Nonetheless, Nicholas, who died in 1931 while he was Speaker of the House, was a devoted father to their only chi ld. She declined when offered to run for her husband’s position but constantly graced the political field with presence. During the time of Hitler’s violent reign, contrary to her father’s legendary involvement on many international political concerns which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, she pioneered isolationism for the US.Her witty but frank and intrepid, mostly mean (Bingham, 1969) comments, aptly referred to as swordplay by Skow (1988), have earned her the reputation of being a major influential political and historical character in her time. In fact, according to Keegan (2006), she would have made an atrocious American Idol judge. She authored Crowded Hours in 1933 when she was 49 and continued to goad both politicians and the public in her ephemeral column My Day. She was also a constant critic of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge and many other US presidents.Paulina, on the other hand, who had a constant appeal for her mother’s lo ve, committed what was thought to be suicide at her young age of thirty two. Alice took care of her granddaughter Joanna who had unrelenting loyalty for her until Alice’s death (Cordery, 1995). On the contrary, Skow (1998) mentioned that Alice lived alone for the remainder of her life. She was buried beside Paulina, when she died on February 20, 1980. References Beres, C. B. (1995). â€Å"Alice Roosevelt Longworth. † DISCovering U. S. History. Gale Research: [Electronic copy]. Retrieved September 6. 2007. In â€Å"Alice Roosevelt Longworth.† Great Lives from History, Frank N. Magill. (Ed. ) American Women Series, v. 3. Salem Press. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. http://galenet. galegroup. com/servlet/HistRC/ Bingham, J. (1969). Before the colors fade: Alice Roosevelt Longworth. [Electronic copy]. Retrieved September 6, 2007. American Heritage Magazine, 20:2. http://www. americanheritage. com/articles/magazine/ah/1969/2/1 969_2_42. shtml. Cordery, S. A. (1995). Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth. Dictionary of American Biography, Supplement 10: 1976-1980. Charles Scribner's Sons. Keegan, R. W. (2006).An American princess. Time Magazine. [Electronic copy]. Retrieved September 6, 2007. www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1207827,00. html Longworth, Alice Roosevelt. (1933). Crowded Hours: Reminiscences of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Charles Scribner's Sons. Longworth, Alice Roosevelt. (2007). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved September 6, 2007, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9048900 Skow, J. (1988). Swordplay Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Time Magazine. [Electronic copy]. Retrieved September 6, 2007. www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967243,00. html

Case Study Example

There are many product categories that could use the Scion marketing approach to apply to their businesses. Music industries market certain bands and artists to appeal more towards a younger age group, computer businesses market upcoming technology to younger audiences, as do phone company ices, websites, and home dcord. Choosing a target market is imperative for businesses in order to focus their advertising to whom they believe they would sell more product to.On the other hand, the tourism industry is marketing more towards people who are in the retirement age, and cars like vans and Subs focus more on middle age people who probably have children. Different products should be marketed towards who would be most interested, and in a lot of cases, this means businesses must gear their different products towards varying age groups. L]Decoupage buyers might view companies that their parents and grandparents are interested in as â€Å"not cool† or too mainstream for their own liki ng.Companies can overcome this, however, by changing their consisting in order to appeal to a newer generation. By creating new advertising campaigns and changing what kind of message they want their image to convey, companies have the ability to change the views of younger people. Myself, for example, always thought Subs were for married people with children, but Scion and other comma nines like Toyota have geared commercials to appeal to people my age. Toyota had myself fooled for a long time when they were marketing the Scion, and also thought it was a new brand.People from the newer generation look for products that are going to allow them to show their personality, and not just be another face among the crowd. Scion was smart to use the whole customization aspect of the Scion, especially because people my age and younger are always changing their cars to be what they want them to be, and not be what comes off the lot. If Scion doesn't find a way to still stay new, I do believe that the allure of having a Scion will eventually wear off.Businesses should always be ware that their target audiences are always changing, and must be on top of what it happening in the world in order to keep their businesses alive and growing. By promoting customer communications and knowing what the younger generations want in a product, Scion could possibly still keep their appeal. It is going to be hard, though. Every time I see a Scion I already think that their idea is kind of old.

Group Development Application Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Group Development Application Paper - Assignment Example This paper is mainly meant to establish a workable leadership plan that a director can employ in performing his or her duties. The paper puts into consideration works done by other scholars and how some of their ideas can help build the plan in question. The plan will have a structure that will contain the background factors to be considered in making the plan; the leadership style that the plan will capitalize on; the stages of development of the plan and the factors to consider such as the limitations of the plan and the possible critics of the same. As a director of school, one ought to follow some sort of framework or ideologies in order to perform his or her duties satisfactory. It is important that one understand the duties he is expected to perform at his or her position so that he can achieve the goal of the organization that he or she is directing as well as his personal goals. In order to fulfill the duties of school director, a director must be present at the school during most of its operating hours and shall have designated someone with sufficient authority to function as director in his/her absence. This is to say that the director should be able to delegate duties responsibly even when he or she is not in a position to make an appearance at the school (Lawson 3-4). It is therefore important for students interested in venturing into this career setting to come up with an intellectual plan to guide them in leadership and performance of their duties as directors of schools. As a director one ought to come up with a leadership style that suits his or her situation and organization. For instance, the leadership plan in this paper will be structured in a way that it will suit the duties of a director in a school. In order to supervise a school effectively, a direct should take into consideration the following: Be available during the normal operational hours of the school and have

Peasant Life in Elizabethan England Research Paper

Peasant Life in Elizabethan England - Research Paper Example The neediness hit individuals made due with constrained assets and were drained by the rich in each and every condition receptive. Religion was a key part of life in the lives of the individuals in the Elizabethan period with Roman Catholic as the prevailing religion. This paper focuses on the lives of the peasants inside the Elizabethan time of time. Religion was a key part of the Elizabethan life. The Church was the wellspring of both assistance and treachery for poor people. The Justice of Peace (Jps) were assessment authorities profited in every ward that gathered a duty from the individuals who claimed land in the area. It was known as the Poor Rate and was utilized to help poor people (Mcginnis 203). The Poor Rate had two functions in the social order. First and foremost, it made the poor feel that something was being ruined them and made them feel less furious about the neediness. Besides, some great work could be carried out by the poor inside the area to help that ward. Along these lines, the Justice of Peace went about as administrators of the poor throughout the Elizabethan period. The poor were sorted into three aggregations by the administration. To start with, there were the defenseless poor (Mortimer 26). This assembly incorporated the old, the debilitated, the disabled and the stranded youngsters. Seniors and the crippled had been given a differing measure of cash and sustenance proportions on week after week foundation. At whatever point they were unable to gather their endowments, they could be transported to their living arrangement. Poor youngsters got an extraordinary apprenticeship secured due to the ward. In this way, the ward profited from the free work until the youngster became a mature person and deduce new dexterity. The powerless poor were not viewed as a trouble to the legislature. Ordinarily, the wards offered them the permit to ask (Claments). The second classes were distinguished as the capable poor. These people were

Read the dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Read the dis - Essay Example Usually Starbucks like firms have both long term and short term strategies to sustain its business in the market. It is difficult for a firm to rely entirely either on short term or long term policies to compete effectively in the market. Judicious implementation of short term and long term policies will help the firm to achieve its objectives and targets. Short term objectives should be specific, time bounded and accountable in order to become effective. Starbucks concentrated heavily on short term strategies to achieve success. Between 1987 through 1990 Starbucks entered new markets, and continued to grow. At the end of 1987, there were 17 Starbucks locations, and by 1990 there were 84. During this four year growth phase Starbucks entered the markets of Chicago, Vancouver, and Portland. In 1988 the company started a mail order catalog for it's fine dark roasted coffee beans and high quality coffee equipment (Kembell) Starbucks never tried to undertake a comprehensive expansion stra tegy. They focused on establishing few more outlets every year rather than establishing numerous outlets at different countries at the same time. This strategy helped them to give more attention to all the newly opened outlets till such outlets became profitable. The above short term strategy of establishing only few outlets every year helped Starbucks to achieve its long term objective of establishing outlets at different parts of the world and manage all of them with success. In other words, the short term strategies of Starbucks are linked to the long term objectives of the firm. They have given priorities to their short term strategy of establishing few outlets at a time and manage them well in order to achieve their long term strategy of establishing as many units in different countries and manage all of them well. Business strategies and functional tactics of a firm have direct relationships. In fact business strategies are usually implemented using different functional tactic s. For example, coffee lovers always like variety while taking a coffee. They don’t like the same taste every time when they take a coffee. Starbucks know this consumer psychology very well and they have introduced many flavors in their coffee products. Starbucks introduced ‘walnut flavor of Colombia Narino Supremo, the creamy sweet Caf Verona and the smooth, buttery Sulawesi† (Kembell) etc as a result of their realization of the above consumer psychology. Some of the other functional tactics employed by Starbucks are the selling of coffee-related products, Expresso machines, stainless steel coffee filters etc. Through the selling of coffee-related products such as brewing equipment and accessories, many consumers can enjoy high quality coffee at home rather than traveling out of their way. The equipment available includes Expresso machines, stainless steel coffee filters, and Starbucks cleaner and canisters. This is another example of how Starbucks is meeting the needs of current customers as well as increasing its attractiveness to potential customers (Kembell) The above functional tactics helped Starbucks to spread the popularity of Starbucks coffee from its outlets to home. Moreover, these strategies helped Starbucks to polish its face more and to popularize its products more in the market. The name Starbucks is currently fixed firmly in the hearts of the coffee lovers because

Describing the Warfront Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Describing the Warfront - Essay Example Describing the Warfront The passage comes from the work of Walter Benjamin, One-Way Street, and Other Writings. It considers the narratives of a soldier in the war front. The narrator shows awareness of the concerns shared by the troops while on the fighting front. This includes the concern on death and fatal enemy assaults. It pointed out that narrator lives in fear over his life due to the depth of the risks. The narrator shows the ease upon which loss of life is achieved in his station. This stimulates concern in his entire session. At some point, he finds himself dreaming about the losses he might suffer upon his death. This is captured by use of a reflection of his childhood friend, whom he has not shared information for a long time. Understanding the depth from where the author gets his inspiration allow for the meeting of the interests aspired by his work. Such an interest is achieved through reflection of tone, wording and language used in the work. The caption allows for the reflection of the lives of the victims through their own words and flow of thoughts. A tone of anguish, fear and pain remain well relished in the entire caption. The author is portrays the entire concerns that remain attributed to the respective reflection through the aid of these virtues. This narrative holds the themes embraced by Walter Benjamin in his work. The narration is on a sad theme that involves reflection on fear and death in a single piece. The whole novel, One-Way Street, and Other Writings, has similar themes of sadness.

Financial Results of Google Inc., Apple, and Yahoo Essay

Financial Results of Google Inc., Apple, and Yahoo - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Google Inc. revealed that in the third quarter of 2014 it generated revenues amounting to $16.5 billion. The site’s revenues were $11.2 billion, representing 68% of all the revenues. The company’s partner sites made $3.4 billion. Other revenues amounted to $1.84 billion in the last quarter of 2014. Google shares are currently valued at $528.34/ share (Google, 2014). Yahoo had a good third quarter of the year despite analysts’ projections. Revenues generated by the company amounted to $1.094 billion ex-TAC while the GAAP revenues were $1.14 billion in the same period. Mobile revenues alone were more than $200 million. Earning for each undiluted share was $0.52 per share. Currently, the market price of Yahoo shares is $49.94. The researcher’s predictions of the stock prices for the three companies may have been farfetched in the short run, however, in the long run, the prices seem plausible as the share prices are slightly below o r above the actual prices. The researcher’s projected value of Apple shares was $110; this was an inflated value compared to $103.30/share that the company closed the quarter with. This is also the case with the other two companies. The researcher’s projections for Yahoo and Google were $51 and $590 respectively. However, the two companies fell short of these projected values and instead posted $39.27 and $577.33 respectively, as of September 2014. If the author’s predictions were to be projected to two or three quarters, then they would be spot on for at least two companies. Take for example the share prices of Apple and Yahoo in this quarter ending December. Apple shares are retailing at $111.62/share while Yahoo shares are valued at $49.94. It is evident that Apple shares eclipsed my predictions by $1.62 dollars. Yahoo shares, on the other hand, did not meet the bar the author set and fell short by less than $2. However, this is not the case with Google Inc. The company’s market share value has unexpectedly dipped far below the author’s expectations.

Marketing Plan for It's popcorn time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Plan for It's popcorn time - Essay Example To materialize the marketing vision, IPT needs to evolve strategic marketing plans which are crucial part of promoting products and services of an organization. The market plans are focused around Porter’s 4Ps (product, prices, place and promotion) and a good market strategy always takes these points on a priority basis. It is equally important that while planning appropriate market strategy, proper use of SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis is taken up. Awareness of strengths and weaknesses in the company’s resources facilitate and match the opportunities and threats so as to provide a competitive edge to their rivals. SWOT analysis is an important tool to up grade internal strengths of the company to meet the external opportunities and exploit them in a manner that would provide the companies with cutting edge advantage over their rivals. Franchising has become a very important tool of expanding business globally and helps maintain an edge over their competitors. In the recent times, internet has redefined the communication with its far reaching implications and has become one of the most important parts of any business strategy. With so much choice in the open market, the updated and informed website gives the unique advantages of the products and their usefulness to draw in new customers while keeping the old. The customer is always interested in the end result of his purchase so he needs to be shown the extra benefits that he would be getting on the purchase! The feedbacks give the company opportunity to keep up with the constantly changing requirements of the consumers. The fundamental principle of marketing is to promote a committed clientele through quality goods and services. It is for this purpose that market strategies of big business houses and corporate bodies try to promote their goods and

Human Resource 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource 2 - Coursework Example Therefore, an organizational structure is aimed at coordinating, regulating, and reducing uncertainty in the employee’s behavior (Ratna 5-9). Nevertheless, the organization structure can be classified in to two; the first is the centralized organization structure whereby authority reigns in the top management and orders given have to be obeyed. This structure mainly applies in the military. The second one is the decentralized organization structure, which gives room for decisions to be made at lower hierarchy levels like in the case of a fast food franchise whereby each restaurant in the chain makes its own decisions, thus responsible for its actions. Fast food companies can be analyzed as Quick Service Restaurant where food is prepared and served very quickly. According to the independent news, Britain’s appetite for fast food was increasing, hence, there is need to introduce more fast food restaurants. The Eagles’ Fast Food Company seeks to operate in the Unite d Kingdom in some years in the future. Due to high competition in fast food business in the United Kingdom, the company should be in a position to achieve a competitive advantage. Therefore, the decentralized organizational structure is the most suitable one mainly because a fast food company yields too many restaurants in different parts of a country for efficiency sakes. Hence, each restaurant must have a subunit manager, such that the authority granted to these managers acts as a way of training them for incase of senior positions in the future. The other advantage is that employees feel empowered, hence yielding satisfaction in their work and eventually, they are motivated to even work harder. In addition, the senior management can have time to focus on the pressing and demanding issues at hand, since the unit mangers are taking care of subunits’ issues. Unlike the centralized organizational structure, which may hinder operational efficiency, the decentralized authority i nvolves employees in decision making thus enhances efficiency in the company. 5.2 Task 2 Identify an organization in the Public Sector. Through your own research, present an analysis of the organization’s approach to employee relations. An employee relation consists of the task involved in maintaining employer-employee relationship, which yields satisfaction, motivation, and morale. Hence, employee relations aims at preventing and solving issues that arise at the place of work involving employees, and could affect their jobs. British council is a public sector organization that enhances awareness of the United Kingdom’s democratic values and processes via working together with other countries to enhance good governance and human rights. However, according to the British council policy, the organization insists that employment relationships must be governed by equality and opportunity. Their policy encourages communication between the employees and management, and furth er states that it is only through communication that the management is aware of the employee’s needs, expectations, and grievances. Hence, the policy acknowledges that spirit in which the managers and employees interact with each other determines the relations of both parties in the place of work. In addition, the company encourages the training of

Effective Privatization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effective Privatization - Essay Example (Yarrow 1999, 157-168) Transfer f ownership makes credible the fact that the firm does not have limitless government backing (although governments do bail out even private companies from time to time) for example it bailed out the rail companies and rail track because transport is vital to the economy. (Vickers 1991) Selling assets at a fair price leaves government wealth unaltered. If prospects f tougher treatment in the future lead to productivity improvements in state firms the government becomes better off when the productivity improves not when (or if) the firm is sold. (Chang 1992, 31-32) Many privatised firms now face intense competition often from abroad. However, natural monopolies have aquired a new framework f regulation. This has favoured price capping, administered by independent regularity agencies (quangoes) and subject to periodic review. (Shirley 1999, 115-136) Increasingly, the UK has been driven to regulate not merely conduct but structure. This presupposes that some parts f a natural monopoly can be hived off and become suitable for competition. In practice, this has usually been down stream activities in a vertically related industry i.e. union f firms at different production stages in the same industry. (Vickers 1991) To as Recent privatisations include 1British Rail (now taken back into public ownership as a not for profit organisation) 2 British Air Ways 3 Air Traffic Control 4 British Steel 5 British Gas 6 British Telecom 7 The Water Companies 8 And most Power Companies To assess the effects f the present governments nationalisation policy we would have to take in to consideration the fact that we have a socialist government, one f whose key beliefs is that public ownership is the better way to run the country, although this government does not appear to be as hard line in that respect as previous Labour Governments. (Stiglitz 1994, 307-323) Arguments for Privatisation 1 Opening up production and consumption to market forces, increase competition, economic efficiency and consumer choice 2 Breaking down monopolies into more competitive industries and introduces competition into the goods market 3 Enables the privatised firms to compete for finance on the private capital markets both home and abroad 4 Ensures that firms become accountable to their shareholders and their desire for profit 5 Ensures that businesses are run on commercial rather than political grounds 6 Reduces the burden on the governments finances to support nationalised industries Arguments against Privatisation 1 Privatisation may simply create private sector monopolies with high barriers to new firms entering the industry. There are a number f reasons why these might exist; (a)The existing firm has significant economies f scale that new firms cannot compete as in the case f natural monopolies (b) The start up costs for new firms are prohibitive 2 Privatised firms make decisions based on commercial profit maximising grounds. Nationalised firms make decisions in the public interest. If the government want to focus on poverty reduction and development then

Analyzing the History of the Human Form through Art Research Paper

Analyzing the History of the Human Form through Art - Research Paper Example Through this analysis, this purpose of this paper will show how the focus of the human figure shifted from a reproductive sense in the prehistoric era to a stronger character representation in the Byzantine era. In order to work through this process, each era will be designated with two works of art in each section. Prehistoric Art: Conceptualism and Realism Ranging from 75,000 BP to 1500 BP, prehistoric art includes multiple eras and methods. Essentially, prehistoric art is defined as art that was completed by a culture that did not have a spoken language. Without the ability to speak or write to document their legends, history and particular aspects of their culture, ancient civilizations turned to art as a way to capture their legacy (Art History Guide, n.d.). For example, the following picture of the â€Å"Venus† of Willendorf demonstrates how prehistoric art conceptualized the ultimate role of women as the vehicles for reproduction of the human race. With the exaggerated breasts and genitals, this representation of the human form in prehistoric art shows that the concepts of ancient civilizations regarding the human form centered around the notion of procreation. While this explanation demonstrates the idea behind conceptualism, the reality of prehistoric art in regard to the human form will be explored when looking at art that represents the realism that was portrayed in prehistoric times. Although topics of reproduction often resulted in embellished pieces to demonstrate fertility, art that portrayed a civilizations way of life often fell into the realism category. For example, the Lascaux Cave Paintings demonstrate how the human form was put into scale in comparison to animals that were hunted to provide food for the civilization. With the more lifelike replicas of human beings, it is clear that when being perceived as hunters, artists of the prehistoric era wanted to demonstrate these people as they were as they faced the beasts of the day in or der to secure food for themselves and their families. For art of this nature, the realism of what was taking place trumped any possible conceptual ideas, as is the opposite when concerning human reproduction. Aegean Art: Abstraction According to Ogborn in 2003’s Prehistoric Art, this section is comprised of the cultures of Greece, the Cyclades Islands and Crete. Aegean art is heavily influenced by an abstract feel in the sense that nearly all of the pottery, statues and paintings completed during this era portrayed in the human form in a non-obvious manner. In order to demonstrate the abstract nature of this artwork, this section will analyze both a male and female form in art to discuss how humans were represented in art during the Aegean period. Beginning with the statue of the Snake Goddess of the Palace at Knossos in Crete, this ancient art work shows a mystical woman in such a way that she is nearly unrecognizable as a person, aside from the clear inclusion of breasts to her figure. The key characteristics to highlight about this statue include the fact that this woman has no legs, no obvious reproductive organs as is common with prehistoric renditions of females and no hands. While her status as a snake goddess seems to explain the fact of her having

Decision-Making Tools For Health Care Professionals Research Paper

Decision-Making Tools For Health Care Professionals - Research Paper Example The main obstacle in correctly diagnosing the prognosis of various cancer patients is the difference in patient responses to various treatment modalities. The use of computer technology takes a lot out of the guesswork by making diagnosis a more accurate endeavor. The medical world is not using computer technology as much as it should and it is high time it considers using this important resource in the fight against one of mans most intractable illnesses. This report covers the continuing fight against cancer despite the large amounts that are expended in terms of efforts and finances. In particular, the diagnosis of cancer is still largely a subjective process that is dependent on the experience and knowledge of the clinicians. The use of the TNM staging system is still considered the best tool available to the patients and the medical community alike in determining the probable outcome and progression of the disease. However, although fairly accurate in terms of describing the stage of the tumors by size and shape, it has obvious limitations because it is largely tending to the historical development of the disease rather than being forward-looking. By this, I mean a new system that considers the likely outcome in terms of treatment and prognosis is of more value to clinicians and patients. One very promising direction in the fight against cancer is the use of more powerful & precise computer technologies that provide far greater accuracy than is presently available. It is an accepted fact in medical circles that the TNM staging system based on some anatomical and morphological features of the tumors is of limited benefit in terms of prognosis. There is clearly a need for a better way of predicting the likely outcome and treatment response in the fight against all types of cancer.

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 18

Ethics - Essay Example Syria’s situation was different because it was complex. It would take much monetary help through the use of militia. â€Å"Rwanda involved the use of small arms.† (The Gurdian) According to Gilligan, care ethics is a normative theory. This means it is a theory about what makes right or wrong of ones actions. It is known as moral theory. The contrast between ethics of care and ethics of justice is clear when one seems to incorporate moral reasoning to professional discipline substances. The Western morality concept is dominant of rights and justice in its basing. Other principles are formal rationality, impartiality, and impersonality which are universal. They form the basis of moral development and are the bedrock of the dormant Western morality conception. â€Å"Gilligan’s concept contrast with ethic of justice based of relationship and care.† (Virginia) Walzer’s version of dirty hand theory is based on ethics of war in the political sphere’s quest for power. â€Å"He argues that if distributive justice is based on the standards of complex equality then manager selection is the entity of the employees.† (Baarda A and M) This is contrary to the experience of the vast majority in today’s economy that justifies an actor that causes some suffering for the greater good. Mill’s principles bring a different perspective because it gives the idea that happiness is promoted by any action that does not produce pain. Both pain producing and non-pain producing actions contribute to the overall level of society’s happiness. Mills principles do not engage in evil practices to attain happiness. Identical victims are known to be survivors of a scene who possess injuries in their bodies. These injuries are used to separate them from the rest who are in the scene. Therefore the injuries are signs for identity that is clear and easy to detect. Statistical victims are known to be the collective identity

A History of the World Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A History of the World Economy - Essay Example However, it remarkably focuses on the gains and resilience of the free world economy. It systematically traces the origins and ultimate arrival of a global order now ubiquitously termed as globalization. The industrial revolution in the early 18th century ushered in an era from when there has been no looking back. Be it political, social or economical developments, changes had started happening, and happening fast. Too fast for philosophers and researchers to apply the prevalent principles and pinpoint which way the world was headed and how best to keep matters under control to avoid situations running out of hand. Unknown then, the world was inexorably headed towards two world wars when the globe caught in the destabilizing politics of world domination by different European countries and exultant with the benefits of the new inventions like the "Morse Code" telegraph and the steam engine, did not think what could happen to a globe as a result of selfish motives. And when the wars did take place in two quick successions it was too late to put in place a proper political and economical order. It also led to a debilitating depression when the political framework and economic structures had lost their moorings and had to be restructured from a scratch. None would challenge the view that the concept of globalization existed well before its actual ascendance. The very term 'globalization' has seen a widespread and rapid usage and acceptance since the last two decades. Economists like Martin Albrow defined globalization in terms of a single world society and system of processes which incorporates the world into one homogenous order. Or like Anthony Giddens who described globalization as a "new form of world interdependence." However, none would have guessed the enormity of scale in which globalization has seen changes in world economy in which economy that was not based on democratic principles was bound to collapse. The book has little to offer on the pre-globalisation era except during the pre and post war periods. It only dwells at length on the different situations and practices of economy in different parts of Europe, especially central and east Europe in comparison with the well developed economy of the north and northwestern Europe. Communication and Transport The upsurge in economy resulting from rapid advances in communication and transport saw the emergence of a new world order. Corrupt, obsolete socialist, bigotry, and archaic systems could do little to withstand the speed with which they had to introduce reforms they would have rejected had they the choice. True, globalization to any countries was synonymous with western culture. Because western countries like the USA, UK, Germany, and France were anyway in the forefront of the new economic system. The speed and ease with which communication and traveling became possible with the internet and airways and bullet trains were quickly adapted by these nations and countries like China, India, Korea, and the Eastern. European nations like Poland followed suit with their large skilled workforce. The book systematically closes in, following the events of the 18th century onwards, on the inevitability of globalization even in the face of stiff

Critically explore the term postfeminism in relation to any aspect of Essay

Critically explore the term postfeminism in relation to any aspect of contemporary culture in a national context of your choice - Essay Example Others such as Lotz argue that post-feminism is a part of third wave feminism (2001). According to Lotz, post-feminism includes poststructuralism and women-of-colour feminism influenced by poststructuralist, postmodern and postcolonial ideologies. In another representation of post-feminism, Rachel Moseley, a media critic sees post-feminism as a â€Å"re-evaluation of the tension which was often thought to exist between feminism and femininity† (Richardson 2006, p. 163). By this, she implies that post-feminism puts feminity (such as glamour and sexual objectification of women) back into feminist politics that originally are against feminity. 6 Some critics such as Tania Modleski take an opposite stance and argue that post-feminism is in fact discarding the achievements of second wave feminists by â€Å"delivering us back to a prefeminist world† (Richardson 2006, p. 164). Thus, there are paradoxical and opposing representations of the term ‘post-feminism’ and this contradiction is also reflected in the characters played in contemporary media. 6 The first use of the term ‘post-feminism’ was in 1920s press when it stated that feminist activism was not needed any longer and that a post-feminist era had dawned (Lotz 2001). The term’s critical academic use was in the post-second-wave era when it was defined as an emerging ideology and culture which incorporated, depoliticized and revised a large number of fundamental issues put forth by second-wave feminism (Lotz 2001). Faludi later on used the term to state that women no longer cared about feminism (McRobbie 2004). 6 Authors have debated post-feminism in terms of gender politics in popular magazines such as Time and People. However, there is no shared understanding of this term and its theoretical explorations are very expansive and unclear. Earlier representations of women in media, such as Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show during the 1980s and 90s

Are Drug Courts a Solution to the Drug Problem Research Paper

Are Drug Courts a Solution to the Drug Problem - Research Paper Example This paper proves that drug courts help to reduce recidivism rates in various states and help to save taxpayers money by reducing costs. However, some researches show that there are negative effects such as increasing more crime and additional court monitoring costs. This paper bases its argument on the notion that is difficult to determine whether the positive effects of drug courts outweigh the negative effects. One of the most vital issues in drug courts is to know whether these courts have any effects and whether the effects are long-term effects on offenders who pass through the court processes. It is not easy to access the long-term effects of these courts because of the impeding issues that relate to the results attained after offenders pass through the processes of drug courts. For instance, it is quite challenging to find whether the observed pattern of encouraging results reflects a suppression effects on drug related crimes (Mitchell, 2011). During the processes involved i n drug court participation, the examination of numerous outcomes mainly focuses on recidivism. It is vital to note that there is a probability that drug courts can suppress drug related behaviors and crimes while the offender is active in the court program. Likewise, an actively involved offender in the treatment program can change his discharge from a drug treatment program after the removal of behavioral contingencies (Mitchell, 2011). ... Since most drug courts fail to monitor the abstinence of drug related offenders from drug usage after undergoing treatment programs, it could be difficult to determine the long-term effects of drug court participation than determining the short-term effects. For instance, it could be difficult to determine whether drug court programs help to reduce substance abuse, criminal victimization recidivism, and other factors associated with drug abuse. In addition, it is hard to estimate the effectiveness of drug courts because these courts are varied depending on their countries and constitutions of these countries (Mitchell, 2011). Effects of Three Strikes legislation on Criminal Behavior In spite of the impeding challenges to the effectiveness of drug courts, most people consider drug courts as the most effective strategy for reducing criminal activities and recidivism among offenders. There is a significant increase in the number of drug courts since the initiation of the first drug cour t in Florida, 1989 (King & Pasquarella, 2009). This is a clear indication of the importance of such courts in the society, hence their spread throughout the whole country and other states. The participation of drug courts helps to reduce criminal behaviors according to a research conducted by (Mitchell, 2011). Drug courts reduce the probability of an offender to repeat the same offense leading to a reduction in the overall number of criminal undertakings. Drug courts play a significant role in reducing drug related crimes such as illegal possession of drugs and sales offenses. One remarkable effect of the participation of drug courts is the significant reduction of the number of drivers driving under the

Food Cart Businesses Management Practices Essay Example for Free

Food Cart Businesses Management Practices Essay A. Environment * Linis Ofis Program Translated as â€Å"clean office†, this internal program is an integrated approach to solid waste management in support of the Philippine Government’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003). It deals with waste segregation by instilling in SMC employees the 4R discipline – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover. It aims to educate its workers to value their environment by practicing segregation, collection, reuse and recycling of disposable waste in the workplace. SMC’s Head Office Complex located in the Ortigas Center hub provided three waste receptacles placed in strategic spots for food scraps or compostable waste, recyclable items (such as plastic bottles and aluminum cans), and nonrecyclable items or disposable waste (such as plastic and tetra-pak containers). This is also being implemented in SMC’s other facilities nationwide. A separate chest of drawers is provided in each department for solid waste with market value, such as used bond paper, magazines, newspapers and empty ink cartridges. The program generated P26,000 from the sale of recyclable materials on its first month, and an average of P12,000 per month. It has also helped in reducing the amount of solid waste, which normally finds its way to landfills and dumpsites, and easing up on manpower in the collection of waste. * Task Force Hangin Task Force Hangin is responsible for helping plants comply with the Clean Air Act. The word â€Å"hangin† means â€Å"air†. The Task Force is composed of representatives from CTS-EMG, CTS-Engineering, Corporate Planning and Development, and Corporate Purchasing Unit. It is tasked to pinpoint the best available fuel and control technology for the plants’ fuel burning equipment. It conducted numerous studies and came up with recommendations to utilize low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) and scrubbers as the most effi cient options for solving the problem, and maintain the level of sulfur content in its fuel to about 0.7%S. It also studied the range of fuel cost that determines when LSFO fuel is advantageous to use versus scrubbers, and when a plant needs to shift from LSFO to scrubbers. The study enabled the Task Force to guide the plants in their compliance efforts. All SMC-owned plants are expected to institute the necessary actions congruent with the Clean Air Act. The u se of electric heaters at the Mandaue Glass Plant’s furnace reduced the consumption of bunker fuel oil and the generation of combustion flue gas. B. Human Resources * Benefits Program Employee Protection – Employees are entitled to sick leave benefi ts that will provide fi nancial security even if they have lost the ability to earn in times of sickness or injury. Time Off With Pay – Employees are also entitled to leave benefi ts that will allow for the continuity of their wage earnings even if they are on vacation or have to attend to emergency matters requiring their presence. Health Care – The Corporation provides a comprehensive medical program for employees and their dependents to protect them against the financial burden that comes with illness or injury. Flexible Loan Facilities – The Corporation offers an interestfree loan facility that is tailored to address the various fi nancial needs of the employees. Its fl exibility lies in the loan purpose, amount, and guidelines. Educational Program – This helps meet the fi nancial requirements of employees who desire to pursue further studies. It includes loan facilities for the educational needs of employees’ dependents. Rice and Clothing Allowances – The Corporation provides a monthly sack of rice to each rank-and-fi le employee. Employees also receive a clothing allowance for their proper work attire. Insurance and Death Benefits – Financial assistance is extended to the bereaved family to help defray expenses incurred as a result of the demise of the employee or an immediate family member of an employee. * Employee Relations Sports and Recreation – The program aims to nurture camaraderie and unity among the employees through various sports activities, such as basketball, bowling, aerobics, street dancing, gym workout sessions, volleyball, etc. The Corporation tries to meet the employees’ varied sports preferences. There are also interest clubs being formed for enthusiasts of golf, running, taekwondo, etc. Summer Outing – The Corporation provides a yearly venue for employees and management of each division to interact with one another’s families in an informal environment marked by fun and games. Songfest – This is an annual nationwide search for employees who have exceptional talent for singing, a common trait among Filipinos. Employee Service Awards – The annual recognition program honors employees for their years of service to the Corporation. Baratillo – The monthly event allows employees to purchase various San Miguel products at discounted prices. The venue is the Head Office Complex, and employees from other SMC units and offices come to take advantage of the reasonable offers. Christmas Tiangge – Employees are given the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial spirit by selling various products during the two-day event. It is held regularly at the Head Office Complex in November before the onset of the Christmas season to allow employees and their families and friends to purchase their Christmas presents early. C. Customer Relations, Productivity and Quality * Customer Care Center By setting up this Center, SMC re-affirms its responsibility to its customers. Advancements in information technology make it possible for the Corporation to establish a more personal communication link with its customers. The integrated SMC Customer Care Center provides alternative channels for easy access and fast response to varying types of customer needs and requests. The Center supports SMC’s businesses in strengthening customer relations, and indirectly market share as well. It is manned by a professional staff using superior technology and employing innovative solutions to ensure customer satisfaction and capture product loyalty. Walk-in customers who may prefer face-to-face interaction feel welcome amidst the Center’s warm atmosphere. The Center’s call handling services take care of both inbound and outbound calls, providing information on the quality, pricing, distribution and availability of a product or service, while operating as a call center. It also handles order taking, telemarketing, sales campaign, promotion of new products, and customer satisfaction surveys. Electronic customer linkages come through e-mail, faxes and SMS (short message services). The Center’s integrated setup makes it easy for SMC’s operating divisions to link up with it for their customer and product concerns. D. Corporate Governance * Compliance System In adherence to corporate principles and best practices, the Chairman of the Board designated a Compliance Officer reporting directly to him. As the position denotes, he is responsible for seeing to it that the organization complies with the provisions in the manual. The Board of Directors is responsible for the long-term success of the Corporation and its sustained competitiveness, consistent with its trusted role exercised in the best interest of the Corporation, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Forming working committees within the Board fosters open discussion, keeping Board members informed, and allowing them to become more sensitive to shareholders’ interests. * Disclosure System All material information are publicly disclosed. These include earning results, Board changes, and shareholdings of directors. The Corporation established an Investor Relations Unit to disseminate timely information to shareholders. SMC practices consistency, accuracy and timeliness in the delivery and communication of information and data. The Unit coordinates with the Compliance Officer and other SMC divisions in effectively communicating with stakeholders. * Monitoring and Assessment Each committee reports to the Board of Directors. The Compliance Officer established an evaluation system to determine and measure compliance against the manual’s guidelines.

Outline and comment on the two schools Essay Example for Free

Outline and comment on the two schools Essay Outline and comment on the two schools of thought involved in the study of the nature-nurture debate in development. Explain, using examples, why this debate gives rise to so much controversy.  The debate concerning the two schools of thought involved in the study of the nature versus nurture is one of the most controversial and long-lasting debates in psychology. Psychologists disagree whether a particular part of behaviour had taken place through genetic and heredity factors or through experience in their environment and learning. Psychologists are trying to answer, What makes us who we are? and consider two main influences. Firstly nature which is involved in genes and heredity, and their influences on our development, and secondly nurture which is involved in external influences on our development such as the environment and nurturing. Psychologists were divided into two schools of thought, firstly the nativists, who are concerned with the nature side of the debate. In 1943 Gesell argued that genes and chromosomes that are inherited are the main influence in child development (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 2). For example: Gesell found that the development of physical coordination in a baby seemed to follow an orderly sequence, beginning with its head, and gradually moved down the body. Gesell regarded these sequences of development as being fixed and genetically determined (Hayes N 1993, pg 31). See more: what is essay format Genes are lengths of DNA, which carry instructions that control everything that happens inside a cell. They are passed onto the next generation in order to avoid extinction. Each body cell contains two sets of 23 chromosomes and each chromosome contains up to 4000 genes. (Barber M et al 2000, pg 480). Every newborn baby has around 60,000 genes; they have two copies of each gene and inherit one set from the mother and one set from the father. (Barber M et al 2000,pg 504). We portray some of these genes in our similarities in appearance to our parents or other members of our immediate family, or when generations have been skipped. For example our eye and hair colour is similar or our height, build and weight is similar to our parents. Genes can be recessive or dominant. For example: The gene that gives the colour in brown eyes is a dominant gene and the blue gene that results in blue eyes is a recessive gene. A child will have brown eyes if one of its parents had brown eyes even if the other parent had blue eyes. That child will still have the blue-eyed gene and may pass it on to the next generation (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 5). Some diseases are inherited mainly because of faulty genes. For example: Huntingdon disease is caused by a faulty gene and causes premature degeneration of the brain (Barber M et al 2000,pg 504). Downs syndrome is another example of a genetic disorder, which has resulted from the presence of an extra chromosome and causes physical and mental handicaps to different degrees of severity (Hayes and Orrell 1996, pg 4).  As well as inherited characteristics and features there is also evidence of inherited behaviour. This was shown in 1938 in Lorenz and Tinbergens 4 characteristics in animal behaviour: Stereotyped this behaviour happens the same way every time.  Species specific this behaviour is specific to a certain type of animal.  Isolation this behaviour is the same as others of their species, even if they have been isolated.  No practice this behaviour appears as a complete unit even if the animal has had no chance to practice it. (Hayes and Orrell 1996 pg 9 Class notes)  Imprinting is a type of behaviour that can form rapid attachments and is also believed to be genetically influenced. For example: Ducklings had become imprinted on a human being. Lorenz found that ducklings would adopt him if he were the first moving thing they saw. He believed this would only take place in the critical period, up to 25 hours after hatching. This was questioned by, (W Slucking in 1964.) After his own study of the same experiment, he found the period was extended if the ducklings were isolated from one another, and hadnt been able to imprint on each other (Hayes N 1993, pg 39). Behaviours we inherit dont show up all at once. Certain forms of behaviour emerge when the individual is mature enough. This is known as maturation, for example, the physiological changes that take place in puberty (Hayes Orrell 1996 pg 7). There are disagreements between the nativists and behaviourists about whether or not maturation is purely genetic. (Hayes N 1993, pg 32).  This brings the debate to the other side of the disagreement and behaviourists also known, as empiricists, believe nurture is the main influence in development. In 1913, J.B. Watson attempted to make psychology `Scientific`. Previously psychology had concentrated on the study of the mind, Watson argued that the mind was not suitable for valid scientific research, so instead he studied behaviour (Hayes N 1995, pg 3). Watson was a total empiricist believing the environment was the only important factor in an individuals development. He considered that a child was born as tabula rasa a blank slate, which experience would write upon to produce the person (Hayes Orrell 1996, pg 2.

Ericsson Mobile Platforms Using Value Chain Model Information Technology Essay

Ericsson Mobile Platforms Using Value Chain Model Information Technology Essay The value grid approach allows firms to identify opportunities and threats in a more explicit way than the traditional value chain. This research aims to test the Value Grid in a multinational company: Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP). How does the value grid model help to define the organizations Key Success Factors (KSF)? For this case study, the value grid concept proved to be an interesting heuristic tool to locate opportunities that are not evident from a traditional value chain perspective. EMP can identify indirect ways of influencing demand by playing a coordinative role with network operators. Key Success Factors for Ericsson Mobile Platforms using Porters Value Chain model The value chain model, first depicted and popularized by Michael Porter in 1985, has proved to be an effective approach to analyze and capture the value generated along a chain of activities. But, with the increasing complexity of production and service delivery, critique has arisen from both academics and professionals in terms of value chain model applicability. The value grid approach allows firms to move beyond their industry lines and to identify opportunities and threats in a more explicit way. This research aims to test the Value Grid in a multinational company: Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP). How does the value grid model help to find novel opportunities and define the organizations Key Success Factors (KSF)? For this case study, the value grid concept proved to be an interesting heuristic tool to locate opportunities that are not evident from a traditional value chain perspective. EMP can identify indirect ways of influencing demand by playing a coordinative role with netwo rk operators. 1. Models of Value The purpose of this part is to analyze the evolution of value models from the value chain to the value grid through the value system, the value network and the added value chain. The intent is to clarify the relevance of the value grid choice for studying the case of Ericson Mobile Platform. The Value chain The value chain includes all the activities involved in product making. It is a useful tool to measure the value created for each activity in the process of product creation. It is a part of a firms strategic planning to arrange these activities in a way that the total value, the value that buyers are willing to pay, exceeds the total cost. According to Porter (1985), a company can create value through a cost advantage or product differentiation. Porter (1985) identifies two types of activities in the value chain: Primary activities and Support activities. Primary activities are those that create customer value. The goal of the primary activities is to produce value that exceeds the cost, thereby resulting in a profit margin. Support activities concern procurement, human resource management, technological development and infrastructure such as accounting, legal, finance, planning, public affairs, government relations, quality assurance and general management. The activities in the value chain are not independent. Linkages may exist between activities. In fact, one process may affect the cost and performance of the others. Linkage can exist between primary activities, as well as, between primary and support activities. Therefore, competitive advantages can also be derived from the linkages between activities. This is a highly relevant situation for EMP. The Value System Porter (1985) extends the concept of the value chain; a firms value chain is a part of the Value System, which is a network of interconnected value chains between suppliers and buyers. The value system includes the value chains of the upstream suppliers and downstream channels and customers. The available total margin is spread across suppliers, distributors and customers (Recklies, 2001) in the value system. The amount of how much part of this margin is received by each member depends on its market position and negotiation power (Recklies, 2001). A firm who has higher degree of vertical integration has a better position in coordinating its upstream and downstream activities and therefore get a higher margin, however a company with low level of vertical integration can also get high margins if it can achieve better coordination with suppliers and partners. The Value Network Porter (1980, 1985) measures value chain and the five forces model extracted from the organizations activities, in terms of financial value (margin) but ignore the fact that intangible assets such as competencies, internal structures and relationship with the environment are the driving factors behind the financial results (Sveiby, 1997). New methods appear to take into consideration the intangible assets. Value Network Analysis (Allee, 2003) is a method that combines tools that analyze strategy with insight into complexity of interactions among people (Middendorp, 2005). According to this analysis, the intangible assets should be considered as negotiable and exchangeable. Peppar and Rylander (2006) introduce the Network Value Analysis (NVA) method as a way to analyze competitive ecosystems. Combinations of players co-create the value in the network and the method focus not only on the company or the industry, but the value creating system itself (Peppar and Rylander, 2006). Firms cultivate an ecosystem a set of firms that can co-create value by building relationships among the different players in the industry: suppliers, partners, allies and customers (Peppar and Rylander, 2006). Firms that understand the sources of value in the network and are able to exploit them will be the winners in tomorrows more complex industries (Peppar and Rylander, 2006). The Added-value Chain According to McPhee and Wheeler (2006), focusing on the firms internal core activities is not sufficient to generate value in todays firms. The authors propose an added-value chain model that includes a set of expanded business activities from different business models and a redefinition of value that incorporates brand, reputation, and relationship-based value drivers of the firm. In the added-value chain model, the definition of value incorporates profit margin and intangible assets like leadership quality, innovate capability, brand equity and competences in strategic-alliance development. This new value definition gives to the firms the ability to evaluate how their strategies affect both hard and soft assets of the firms (McPhee and Wheeler, 2006). This model is incomplete for example in finding and exploring non-linear value opportunities. The Value Grid New research conducted by Pil and Holweg (2006) argues that this approach can also put a stranglehold on innovation at a time when the greatest opportunities for value creation (and the most significant threats to long-term survival) often originate outside the traditional, linear view. Based on this critic, Pil and Holweg (2006) develop an evolved concept of Value Chain called Value Grid, which has a variety of new paths to enhanced performance, resulting in a three dimensional grid: the vertical, the horizontal and the integrative diagonal dimensions. Regarding the vertical dimension, firms are seeking for competitive advantages in the value chain by reducing cost, reducing lead time between activities and improving coordination between supplier and customers. However, how the benefits are distributed across the value chain depends on the balanced power between suppliers and manufactures. Therefore companies need to focus on three areas: Opportunities to influence customer demand both upstream and downstream, opportunities to modify information access in either direction, and finally opportunities to explore penetration points in multiple tiers that are not immediately adjacent (Pil and Holweg, 2006). The horizontal dimension provides opportunities for companies to move across value chains, in order to leverage economies of scale across multiple sources of demand (Pil and Holweg, 2006). The potential of this dimension is to enable companies to manage risk, seize existing value (special products with advanced technology), integrate sources of existing value and explore new ways to create value. The horizontal thinking allows parallel value chains to be viewed from different industries, in this way companies can integrate these parallel value chains to offer package or price combinations, which cannot be achieved by the single value chain approach. Finally, in the diagonal dimension, firms explore the grid in an integrative fashion, in order to increase the control over inputs and customers. Firms looks at the upstream and downstream of other value chains for controlling the critical components of the supply chain and uncovering new ways of boosting customer demands (Pil and Holweg, 2006). Pil and Holweg describe the two strategies that take advantages from this dimension: The first is pursuing Pinch-Point mapping when companies shall monitor key component supplies and negotiate alternative source of components. The second is defining demand enablers when companies that have a particular expertise in a given value chain, can examine other value chains in other industries that can leads to new opportunities to leverage key competitive advantages (Pil and Holweg, 2006). Industry Background The telecommunications industry is undergoing radical transformations through liberalization, lowering of technological barriers to entry and the diversity of players (Li and Whalley, 2002). Originally, the process of manufacturing a complete mobile phone was finished within one company. However, as with the PC industry, the value chain for making a mobile phone has become more fragmented according to a more stratified approach (Anderson and JÃ ¶nsson, 2006). Companies like Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP) and Qualcomm are examples of this change in the industry. They provide technology solutions for mobile manufactures that enable them to make a new phone model much faster without having the core knowledge like radio access. New actors and new services enlarge the mobile communications value chain in both ways, functionally and institutionally (Buellingen and Woerter , 2004; Ballon, de Munck, Poel and de Pas, 2001; Fertig, Prince and Walrod,1999). The traditional concept of value chain may not be sufficient for todays firms (Buellingen and Woerter, 2004). Barnes (2002) tries to adapt the value chain analysis for m-commerce and analyses the players, technologies and activities involved. Full-size image (36K) The basic model consists of six core processes in two main areas: First infrastructure and services, and second the area of content. Pagani and Fine (2008) consider five principal actors in the supply chain: the content providers, application providers, infrastructure providers, network providers the device providers. They assume that the end consumers create demand, set the rules of engagement and then pull the supply chain system (Pagani and Fine, 2008). In the last decade with the entry of powerful new players, rapid technological developments and increasing market turbulences (Li and Whalley, 2002), the mobile handset industry has changed from a vertical specialization to a more horizontally stratified structure. A complex and rapidly evolving value network is developing (Li and Whalley, 2002). There are more parties involved in the process of making a mobile phone. Each party focuses on areas of the value chain where they have core competences such as new technology, customer relationships management, or infrastructure management. The market is then highly complex and competitive given the fact that companies compete also with companies from other industries operating under different value propositions and economics (Li and Whalley, 2002). Methodology: Research design and data collection There are several techniques for identifying Key Success Factors, Leidecker and Bruno (1984) propose the following: environmental scanning, industry structure analysis, industrial experts opinions, competitors analysis, best practice analysis, assessment of the companys internal feeling or judgment, intuitive factors and gathered data of profit impact and market strategy. This study mixes between internal assessment of a firm and industrial experts opinions. This internal assessment technique explores the firms forces and weaknesses. The KSFs are thus concluded from the interviews with experts in the industry. - Figure 1 about here - As designed in the research model, first a value chain analysis focuses on the firms core competences from an inside perspective. In parallel, the firms value chain is positioned into the value system of the industry, to identify adjacent players and external linkages and determine firms ecosystem. An analysis of the Value Chain aims to identify competitive advantages. From the Value System and the ecosystem, the Value Grid framework identifies competitive advantages from its three dimensions. The outcomes from Value chain and Value Grid are analyzed to test the Value Grid and to extract the KSF for EMP. An ideal analysis of the KSF for EMP would be to do benchmarking with other companies from the same Industry. Then it will be possible to define EMPs real strategic advantages. However, due to availability of information this research focuses on an inside-out perspective and tests the concept of the Value Grid using one source of empirical data (a single case study). Semi-structured interviews are conducted with a specific list of topics to be covered (Bryman and Bell, 2003). The advantage of this method is that the interviewer is free to reformulate the questions or simply ask new questions that may appear as a result of the answer of the interviewee (Bryman and Bell, 2003). According to Grunert and Ellegaard (1992), this type of interview with business decision makers can measure perceived KSF. Five key persons are chosen for an interview from EMP: Robert Puskaric, head of EMP, Martin JÃ ¶nsson, from Product Portfolio Management, Fredrik Dalhgren Deputy Director of System Management, PÃ ¤r Stigmer from Sourcing and Supply and Linda Wenerman from Product Management. Empirical Findings for Ericsson Mobile Platforms Ericsson Mobile Platforms is a business unit within the Ericsson Group. It was founded in 2001 as a result of a split from the Ericsson mobile handset division, Ericsson Mobile Communications. This split ended up in Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP) and the joint-venture Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. Before that time, Ericsson produced mobile platforms for in-house use only. Through EMP, Ericsson started to license open-standard 2.5G and 3G technology platforms to other mobile phone manufacturers and other mobile communication devices. EMP offers stable platform deliveries that include ASICs and development boards (hardware), platform software, reference design, development and testing tools, training, support and documentation. The EMP platforms contain integrated circuits and softwares needed to build a GPRS, EDGE and/or WCDMA phone. It provides all the system functions such as Network Signaling, Data communications and Multimedia services. The system architecture of EMP is a modular design that is built on a use case analysis (Kornby, 2005). Examples of use cases are: imagining, video telephony, voice call, multimedia streaming, call handling, audio and video. The following criteria have been taken into account to develop this system architecture (Kornby, 2005): complete platform software (not only protocols), stability, flexibility, scalability to different market segments, adaptability to customer software applications, one single architecture for different mobile systems (GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA), maximum reuse of components and customer applications; and backward compatibility in software over the time. Customers build their applications on top of EMP platform software stack. Examples of customers applications are: multimedia players, phone call applications, web browsers, etc. EMP also supplies a suite of core applications where customers can use as a starting point for building their applications. EMP provides a complete application suite to support customers who do not build their own applications. This is especially for customers who want to focus in the low-end market. The goal of the EMPs Application Suite is to reduce time-to-market for customers in launching their phones. EMPs business model The EMPs business model consists of two parts: to license its core technology and to sell engineering support services to the customers. EMP charges a one-time up-front fixed payment for a Platform license and a royalty per unit that represent the major source of revenue (Kornby, 2005). EMP has built an ecosystem in order to ensure the maximum value creation for EMP. The five players in the EMPs ecosystem are depicted in figure 2. - Figure 2 about here - The first set of players relates to Network Providers; these companies offer the telecom infrastructure such as wireless communications systems. The main partner with EMP is LM Ericssons network group. They work hand-by-hand to provide end-to-end solutions, align roadmaps and ensure that EMP platforms can support the new network functionality offered by Ericsson (Kornby, 2005). Second, EMP has a closer relationship with the customers to ensure that new customer requirements are collected promptly in order to implement new functionality as early as possible. The third set of players in EMP ecosystem relates to Network Operators. These companies provide the services to the end-users (subscribers). They also purchase phones from mobile manufactures that are sold to the operators subscribers. Very often operators request mobile manufactures to use a specific mobile platform (Kornby, 2005). Thus EMP has built an important relationship in order to understand future operators requirements to secure that new functionality is available in the EMPs platform. Fourth, EMP and LM Ericsson are active at work with the standardization bodies such as 3GPP, OMA, JCP and OMPT. This is done in order to ensure interoperability of EMPs mobile platforms worldwide. And finally EMP works actively with ASIC, peripheral, IP and software suppliers in order to get fair prices for building EMP products. 4.2 The EMPs Value Chain and Value System The direct activities of EMPs value chain are: supply chain Management, hardware design activity, Software development and integration activity, a system reference design activity, a System Test and Interoperability Test (IOT), Product Use, External Networks and finally a customization activity. EMP has also a prototype unit that builds prototype phones for testing early functionality. The EMPs value chain and value system are depicted in figure 3. - Figure 3 about here - 4.2.1 Supply Chain Management EMP basically does not have any regular material flow, but outsource software and hardware through licenses. The task of the sourcing and supply department is to act as an internal consultant at EMP for deciding whether to buy an IP or develop hardware/software in-house. The sourcing department works tightly with the product definition and the RD organization; they work proactively to ensure fair prices. The decisions are based on three aspects: comparing the prices of buying from others and developing by itself, assessing the risk of buying and finally evaluating the total value by an in-house development. For example, to get a new IP in the platform, the sourcing department evaluates the total cost composed of the getting IP cost from supplier and the using IP cost (license) per ASIC. In this case customers pay the license directly, the cost of integrating an IP into the suppliers ASIC (a supplier may have already the knowledge of adding this IP, thus it becomes cheaper) and the co st of the final integration into the platform (how difficult is to make drivers and APIs to control the IP). The sourcing and supply department acts differently depending of what wants to outsource. For IPs, the negotiations are based on case, for ARM and DSP cores it builds long term relationship with the suppliers, and for a specific component such as Image Signal Processor (ISP) it chooses the best price in the market. Since ASICs are costly, EMP co-develops the design with suppliers and builds long term relationship. 4.2.2 Hardware design (HW) Regarding the Hardware, EMP only designs and specifies requirements for the different hardware components in the platform. As is shown in the Error: Reference source not foundASIC suppliers (or fabs) test and manufacture the hardware. EMP verifies the hardware components only when it builds the reference design. The design of the HW is divided into two main parts, Front-End and Back End design. For the Radio Frequency (RF) hardware EMP designs the Front-End and Back-End. For the Digital Base Band (DBB) EMP only does the front-end design. Finally, the analog base band (ABB) ASIC, EMP only specifies the hardware requirements and leaves the rest to the ASICs suppliers 4.2.3 Software development and Integration Software development and Integration refers to developing software solutions for the different stacks in the software platform architecture. This activity also involves developing EMP (in-house) software stacks such as Network Signaling protocols for WCDMA, GSM/GPRS and EDGE; data communication protocols such as, TCP/IP, RTP, and IMS; multimedia protocols for streaming music and video; developing a set of application platform interfaces to control the software platform and hardware. DBB, ABB, RF, and peripheral are to implement low level drivers to control hardware components inside the mobile platform. This activity also involves integration of third party proprietary software components such as, music codecs (like MP3 and Windows media player), and operating systems. This activity also involves testing the software at different levels: module tests, regression tests and integration tests. 4.2.4 Reference design EMP builds reference boards and real-size reference phones. These non-commercial phones are produced in small quantities that are internally used for software development and hardware verification, interoperability test and early-stage test of hardware for customers. 4.2.5 System Test and Interoperability test The system test consists of the verification of the complete reference design. The tests are conducted in lab, with network vendors and interoperability test with major live networks operators in the world. This is a very costly task and it is done to uncover ambiguities in the basic standards and specification. It also covers informal type approval test for the phone (Kornby, 2005). Value Chain Analysis According to the theoretical framework a company can generate competitive advantages by analyzing the different activities in the value chain. EMPs value chain basically works only in the service domain. EMP licenses its platform solutions and let the customers manage the manufacturing process with EMPs suppliers, thus the EMPs core activities are design (both in hardware and software), integration and testing of the platform (of the whole system). EMPs advantage appears in the fact that the firm has designed a holistic system architecture which makes easy to develop and test the functionality independently. This saves considerable a considerable time amount at the integration phase. Moreover, the system is designed to be flexible and scalable, so it is easy to re-use and add new functionality. Therefore, EMPs main strength is that the firm successfully manages to develop, integrate and test very complex new technologies to deliver a stable cost-effective platform solution when techn ology development is not in a mature phase. The main EMPs competitive advantage is to be the leader in providing cost-effective solutions for the mass market when the new technologies are emerging. Another interesting strength found is that the brand image of Ericsson plays an important role when meeting with new suppliers. The reputation of the Ericsson corporation is transferred to EMP and it facilitates the starting of new agreements and business opportunities. Potential Risks The value chain is an analytical tool that helps to find value in each activity; this can also be used for finding weakness and improvement areas. From the value chain we can identify two main weaknesses. First, the base band ASICs are the most costly part in the platform, despite that EMP says that it has managed to get fair licenses prices for the ASICs. The power of the suppliers is relatively high, thus EMP cannot have full control of the hardware prices. It seems that high margins still go to ASIC manufactures. Second, at this moment, EMP does not have the competence and the resources to integrate vertically in the upstream value chain. According to the interviewees, the most valuable strategic resource at EMP resides in personnels competence in the area of radio access technology and in the skills for designing a flexible and low cost system. These two competences are the driving forces for providing a cost-optimized mobile platform. The main risk in the value chain comes from the suppliers side. When technology reached a mature market, there is a risk that the technology becomes a commodity product and thus, suppliers can acquire knowledge on how to implement these technologies in their own ASICs. This implies that ASIC manufactures can produce ultra low cost platforms, due to the fact that they can control the price of the hardware. Another identified potential risk relate to how much EMP should outsource (Varadarajan, 2009). As is shown in the value chain (figure 3), EMP outsources a number of software components. An indiscriminate software outsourcing policy may lead to the loss of competences inside the EMP value chain (such as signal processing knowledge) thus reduce the value of the platform offering. 5.2 Benchmark What are the EMPs keys factors that are considered important for success? EMP is constantly evaluating and comparing with competitors in terms of cost, size, performance and power consumption of the product offering. From an end-users perspective, EMP is interested in delivering high quality multimedia functions for providing good speech and audio quality. Other benchmark measures are purely financial measures. All the interviewees agree that there are areas of improvement for EMP from a value chain perspective. 5.2.1 Horizontal integration In most of the interviews, a potential improvement for EMP consists in the integration of the value chain from a horizontal perspective by adding others technologies for example to offer an integrated solution with WLAN, BT or FM radio. The platform today provides the flexibility to add these peripherals, but this is a work that the customer must do when he done the product design (and it doesnt add a real value for EMP). This extended platform function offering in EMP platforms has the following impacts: 1) As customers will have less control over the price for these peripherals, they will not be able to bargain the prices 2) the cost of the EMP platform for customers will increase, 3) the total PCB area will go down due to integration of the peripheral in the ASICs and 4) the final product from a customer perspective (i.e. phone ready to launch with everything in place) will result in a total cost reduction. Thus, EMP would add value into the platform and customers will benefit fro m cheaper phones. In order to integrate these peripherals, EMP should create alliances with these suppliers in a cost effective manner (HÃ ¥kansson and Ford, 2002). It is not enough to just integrate any peripheral; it should be a peripheral that can be used by almost all customers in the different platforms, in a way that provide a common platform offering. Otherwise it will end up in a customized platform and the total value added from a portfolio perspective may not be that clear. An example of a peripheral that may fit with this approach is BT devices. The goal of EMP will probably be the re-use of the same platform as much as possible; however this is not defined yet. EMP has managed to have more than one ASIC supplier. This has increased the possibilities of getting fair prices. EMP is still looking to increase the number of suppliers to gain bargaining power. 5.2.2 Vertical integration Almost all the interviews discuss the fact, if the vertically integration must be in the upstream or not. As was described, the most costly part in the platforms is the ASICs and in order to offer competitive price, alliances must be created with ASICs suppliers. However, what if EMP chooses a fabless model? EMP would need then to focus more on the design of the hardware devices (today, it leaves it to some suppliers to design the hardware). EMP should start to do more IP designs, to focus on the back-end design of all the hardware components (ASICs) and create cell libraries for them. This vertical integration implies that EMP would leave ASIC manufacturing to a silicon foundry (for example, companies like TSMC, UMC, Chartered, etc). The advantage is that EMP would be able to choose suppliers, to get better prices and thus to get higher margins. For instance the EMPs competitor Qualcomm has this approach and uses TSMC as ASIC manufacturing. Nevertheless, complete back-end design requires EMP to build specific competence and skills for the complete hardware design. Moreover, EMP would need to take care of production issues like yield management, quality and logistics. This could lead to an expensive learning experience. Since EMP is a rather small company in global terms which focuses mostly in software design and system integration, a solution would probably be to invest in a company who has already the skills and experience. But in the near future this option will be not considered. Test of Value Grid Value Grid offers a variety of new paths to enhance performance, resulting in a three dimensional grid: the vertical, the horizontal and the integrative diagonal dimensions (Pil and Holweg, 2006). 6.1 Vertical Dimension From the theory of Value Grid and the analysis of the value chain in the previous section, there is a match between the External Networks from the value-added chain concept and how to influence customer demand in the downstream. In this case the relationship between EMP and network operators plays an important coordinative role (Andersen and Christensen, 2005). EMP cannot influence demand directly since this activity is mainly driven by EMPs customers who manufacture, distribute and sell the phones to operators and end-users by other distribution channels. Indeed, network operators distribute a great part of the mobiles phones to the end-users due to their infrastructure. In order to increase traffic in their networks, they finance partly the cost of the phone by tying it with contracts (fixed subscriptions periods normally for one or two years) or offering a phone at lower cost with the restriction that the phone can only be used exclusively with prepaid SIM cards. Therefore, to inc rease sales and market share, EMP can build a strong relationship with operators and persuade them to buy mobiles phones from EMPs customers. 6.2 Horizontal Dimension In this dimension similarities were detected betwee