Marketing shape consumer needs and wants free essay sample

Get Access to StudyMode. com Complete Your Registration Now. StudyMode Premium and Free Essays, Term Papers Book Notes Essays Book Notes AP Notes Citation Generator More Home  » Business Economy  » Marketing Advertising Marketing shapes consumers needs and wants By akuafrimpomaa, may 2011 | 2 Pages (446 Words) | 6 Views | 4. 5 1 2 3 4 5 (1) | Report | This is a Premium essay for upgraded members Upgrade to access full essay YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO Send MARKETING DEBATE: Marketing shapes consumer needs and wants versus marketing merely reflects the needs and wants of consumers POSITION: MARKETING SHAPES CONSUMERS NEEDS AND WANTS Marketing is the management process of identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumer needs and wants profitably. CONSUMER * Consumers are the users of any product or service. They are also considered as the starting point of any business and also the survival of every business depends on how well consumers and clients are treated. CONSUMER NEEDS AND WANTS A consumer feels physiologically deprived of basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter which are his needs and his wants are based on personal knowledge, culture and personality. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing shape consumer needs and wants or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page   Needs and wants pre-existed marketing and therefore marketing identifies these needs and wants, shapes and satisfies them. * Marketers uses the following to shape consumer needs and wants: * ADVERTISEMENT This is a powerful marketing tool which a firm uses to inform the consumers about the existence of its product. It is done through radio, Internet, newspapers, television commercials, etc. Some ads come with interesting and catchy phrases and words like buy one get one free, free trial, free installation, free packaging etc. These catchy phrases normally attract consumers to buy the product. * MARKETING RESEARCH Marketers conduct research to identify the right product to satisfy a particular existing need of a consumer by employing the marketing tools (interviews). It is through these procedures that consumer needs and wants are shaped. After the introduction, there is constant interaction with publics in studying the responsiveness of consumers to the product to be at par with their changing needs MARKET SEGMENTATION Market segmentation deals with dividing the market into groups based on gender, age, income, life [continues] Read full essay Cite This Essay APA (2011, 05). Marketing shapes consumers needs and wants. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 05, 2011, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Marketing-Shapes-Consumers-Needs-And-Wants-705666. html MLA MLA 7 CHICAGO Welcome StudyMode. com is the webs leading learning tool. We inspire millions of students every day with over 1,600,000 model essays and papers, AP notes and book notes. Related Essays Does marketing sharp the needs and wants of customers or reflect the needs and wants of customers Since as we knew marketing came to people’s life in the 1950s and 1960s. With the rapid 5 Pages May 2011 Marketing reflects the needs and wants of customers Ever since man started trading goods, marketing was created. Marketing has evolved and there were 3 Pages September 2010 Marketing relects the needs My position is that marketing shapes the needs and wants of customers because a truer 3 Pages August 2011 Marketing determining needs and wants and satisfying them, not creating needs and wants Raymundo Crystal Date Submitted: March 24, 2011 Professor Frank Roa, Markma Topic 1 4 Pages April 2011 Needs and wants analysis 1 PREFACE This marketing assignment pertains to the needs and wants of consumers in the 3 Pages March 2011 Ready to get started? Upgrade Products Essays AP Notes Book Notes Citation Generator Android App Company About StudyMode Help Jobs Contact Follow Facebook Twitter Google+ RSS  ©2014 StudyMode. com Legal (Updated 1/17/14) Site Map Advertise Mobile Site

The theme of Beowulf

The theme of Beowulf The epic poem Beowulf was written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon author in the 8th century. The theme of the epic poem, Beowulf, was the conflict between good and evil. This is conflict is demonstrated in three ways, through the expression of the fear of the dark, the nature and purpose of heroism, and the statement of the Anglo-Saxon outlook and imagination.A fear of the dark, or things that are un-Godly, is very present in the poem Beowulf. When things get frightening, there is a tendency to over exaggerate them in order to maintain a sense of dignity. The spawn of Cain conceived Grendel. This reference showed that the Anglo-Saxon's were God worshiping people who were well educated about the Bible. The story of Beowulf was not written down until it had been passed down for many generations. It is possible that out of fear people over exaggerated Grendel's countenance.English: An illustration of Beowulf fighting the d...Grendel was immune to all sorts of weapons and could only be killed with strength. The Anglo-Saxon people we afraid of Grendel and the story made Grendel sound more hideous every time it was told.Beowulf was a predestined hero. This nature and purpose of heroism is shown throughout the poem. A hero to the Anglo-Saxon people was one who did something unselfishly and for the good of others. Beowulf was a traveling "good guy". He traveled around the country fighting for the good of the people. Beowulf was the only one strong enough to overpower the grasp of Grendel. Beowulf was not fearful of Grendel. This gave Beowulf an advantage over all the rest who tried to conquer Grendel.The Anglo-Saxon's were very imaginative people. The idea of creating a story where good conquers evil is not so imaginative but creating...

Caledonia Products

The marginal value from the project would be in the incremental cash flow. The earnings would be much less if they were looking at it through the accounting profits. It would be less because of the depreciation would be considered an expense causing a larger expense for Caledonia. Describe factors Caledonia must consider if it were to lease versus buy First Caledonia must figure out if they will have enough cash flow to pay the bill each month. Leasing would give Caledonia the benefit of decreasing costs. The down side of leasing would mean that Caledonia will not be out of the lease until it has been paid off and the company who leased the property will be the owners until that is completed. Buying property means that the item is usually in better condition, better value, and they will own it. Prices are often better when buying than with leasing. Tax expenses may be a downside of owning the property. 2. Incremental Cash Flow Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Operating Cash Flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200 Each year results in positive incremental cash flow and the new project appears to be a profitable business option. Accounting profits represent the total cost of doing business. The difference would be that this company requires additional net working capital every year which is not reflected in the incremental costs. 3. Initial Outlay Year 0 New Product Cost of new plant and equipment$(7,900,000) Shipping and installation costs (100,000) Total costs$(8,000,000) Initial working capital $(100,000) Initial cash flow (8,100,000) 4. Free Cash Flow Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year 5 Project Revenues $21,000,000 $36,000,000 $42,000,000 $24,000,000 $15,600,000 Unit Costs (12,600,000) (21,600,000) (25,200,000) (14,400,000) (10,800,000) Gross Profit 8,400,000 14,400,000 16,800,000 9,600,000 4,800,000 Annual fixed costs (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) Depreciation (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) Net operating income 6,620,000 12,620,000 15,020,000 7,820,000 3,320,000 Taxes (34%) (2,250,800) (4,290,800) (5,106,800) (2,658,800) (1,128,800) NOPAT 4,369,200 8,329,200 9,913,200 5,161,200 2,191,200 Depreciation 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 Operating cash flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200 Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Net Capital $(100,00) (2,100,000) (3,600,000) (4,200,000) (2,400,000) (1,560,000) CAPEX $(8,000,000) — —- —- — — Free Cash Flow $(8,100,000) 3,849,200 6,309,200 7,293,200 4,341,200 2,211,200 5. 6. 7. Should the project be accepted? Why or why not? Yes. This project should be accepted because the NPV ? 0. and the IRR ? required rate of return. Or No. This project should not be accepted because the NPV and the IRR required rate of return. Caledonia Products The marginal value from the project would be in the incremental cash flow. The earnings would be much less if they were looking at it through the accounting profits. It would be less because of the depreciation would be considered an expense causing a larger expense for Caledonia. Describe factors Caledonia must consider if it were to lease versus buy First Caledonia must figure out if they will have enough cash flow to pay the bill each month. Leasing would give Caledonia the benefit of decreasing costs. The down side of leasing would mean that Caledonia will not be out of the lease until it has been paid off and the company who leased the property will be the owners until that is completed. Buying property means that the item is usually in better condition, better value, and they will own it. Prices are often better when buying than with leasing. Tax expenses may be a downside of owning the property. 2. Incremental Cash Flow Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Operating Cash Flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200 Each year results in positive incremental cash flow and the new project appears to be a profitable business option. Accounting profits represent the total cost of doing business. The difference would be that this company requires additional net working capital every year which is not reflected in the incremental costs. 3. Initial Outlay Year 0 New Product Cost of new plant and equipment$(7,900,000) Shipping and installation costs (100,000) Total costs$(8,000,000) Initial working capital $(100,000) Initial cash flow (8,100,000) 4. Free Cash Flow Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year 5 Project Revenues $21,000,000 $36,000,000 $42,000,000 $24,000,000 $15,600,000 Unit Costs (12,600,000) (21,600,000) (25,200,000) (14,400,000) (10,800,000) Gross Profit 8,400,000 14,400,000 16,800,000 9,600,000 4,800,000 Annual fixed costs (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) Depreciation (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) Net operating income 6,620,000 12,620,000 15,020,000 7,820,000 3,320,000 Taxes (34%) (2,250,800) (4,290,800) (5,106,800) (2,658,800) (1,128,800) NOPAT 4,369,200 8,329,200 9,913,200 5,161,200 2,191,200 Depreciation 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 Operating cash flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200 Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Net Capital $(100,00) (2,100,000) (3,600,000) (4,200,000) (2,400,000) (1,560,000) CAPEX $(8,000,000) — —- —- — — Free Cash Flow $(8,100,000) 3,849,200 6,309,200 7,293,200 4,341,200 2,211,200 5. 6. 7. Should the project be accepted? Why or why not? Yes. This project should be accepted because the NPV ? 0. and the IRR ? required rate of return. Or No. This project should not be accepted because the NPV and the IRR required rate of return.

Theoretical Approaches to Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Theoretical Approaches to Leadership - Essay Example Fred Fiedler developed the first contingency model for leadership, known as The Fiedler contingency model. It is suggested the model is "the most comprehensive program of research ever conducted on leadership" (Fiedler, 1967, as cited in Elkin and Inkson, 2000, p. 212). Fiedler developed this theory by studying hundreds of groups and teams', ranging from basketball teams to military unit, to examine leadership style and its effectiveness in different situations (Forsyth, 1999, p.355; Elkin and Inkson, 2000, p. 212). The theory suggested "That successful group performance relies upon the appropriate match between the leader's approach to interacting with his or her followers as well as the extent to which the circumstances gives control and authority to the leader (Robbins, 1993, 372). In other words, leadership effectiveness is contingent or dependant upon the suitability of the leader's style and the favourability of the situation (Forsyth, 1999, p. 355). In Fiedler's model, he utilized a measure called the LPC (least preferred co-worker scale) to measure between task-orientated and people- orientated leadership. People who scored high on LPC were considered 'people- orientated' whereas people who scored low on the LPC was considered 'task-orientated'. Individuals' LPC scores would determine the type of situation for which they were best suited. Furthermore, the situation was defined and measured through 3 important variables, 1. Leader-member relations 2. Task- structure 3. Leader position power

Principal barrier to nurseconsumer partnerships Essay

Principal barrier to nurseconsumer partnerships - Essay Example The elderly patients on the whole require more compassion, concentration and patience from the nursing staff to get their message across. There are many factors that increase the difficulty in communication between the nurses and the elderly. Patients perceive good communication as critical to the delivery of health care. (Adiar, 1994, Young, 1995) The common patient barriers to communication involve impaired hearing and vision, difference in the way of acting and verbal expression from the younger generation, cognitive and memory problems, physical problems, and environmental factors such as noise or poor lightening. (Park and Song, 2004) Whereas the common nurse related barriers have been assessed to be stereotyping, poor articulation, and excessive use of medical terminologies. (Lubinski and Wellan, 1997) Many strategies have been described by nurses as being helpful in communication with patients who have verbal difficulties. The cases like of May usually require non verbal communication techniques along with verbal communication. Non verbal communication comprise mainly of seven indices. These are facial movements, gaze, touch, gesticulation, interpersonal spacing, posture and odor. (Barker, 1963, McBride, 1964, Scheflen, 1973, Henley, 1977, Argyle, 1994) Nurses report looking at the patient and picking up clues such as facial expressions, eye gaze, and body language are extremely helpful. Another system is the yes and no system, where by the patient answers to the questions via head nods, eye blinks and foot taps etc. (Hemsley et al, 2001) Watching for expressions on the face of patients such as relief expressions, repeating the questions to ascertain the yes or no response, rephrasing questions, adding animation or signs, and using pen and paper and pictures to communicate ideas have also been regarded as very helpful in achieving communication. (Hemsley et al, 2001) Communication between the nurses and the patients can be improved significantly if nurses were trained to pick them in their surroundings. Nurses should develop an interest in caring for the elderly, since this will improve the overall attitude of the nurse towards providing care. Nurses should provide confidence to the patients so as to allow "disclosure" of patient's weaknesses. (Park and Song, 2005) The removal of physical environmental barriers will also help in better communication development. Many of the older patients do not respond well to the hospital environment. This problem can be alleviated if the nurses introduce and explain the hospital environment, so as to increase familiarity. (Park and Song, 2005) The problem of generation gap can be minimized by educating the nurses of the perceptions of the patients and giving individual nurse care to the patients. (Park and Song, 2005) References Adair L. (1994) The patient's agenda. Nursing Standard 9, 2023. Argyle M,1994 Bodily Communication,2nd Edition, Methuen, London. Barker, RG,1963.The Stream of Behavior, Appleton-Century-Croft, New York Hemsley, Sigafoos, Balandin, Forbes, Taylor, Green, Parmenter, 2001 Nursing the patient with severe communication impairment Journal of Advanced Nursing 35(6), 827835 Henley NM, 1977 Body Politics, Power, Sex and Non verbal Communication. Prenctice Hall,

Candidate Conundrum Summary Essay Example for Free

Candidate Conundrum Summary Essay The company personnel Robert (Manager) and Paul (Project leader) are interviewing two potential candidates Sonya and Jacqueline for a new position at the company. After interviewing both candidates Paul feels Sonya is the one they should hire while Robert believes they should hire Jacqueline. Paul’s reasoning is that he feels he’d work better with Sonya both being Caucasian while Robert thinks Paul may have personal feelings for his choice. Robert believes having Jacqueline hired will provide more diversity to the company, but Paul feels he is hiring her solely because of her race since it is stated that both candidates have the same qualifications. The issue is that both have valid reasons for wanting his choice for the job position. What did/didn’t the manager do well: Robert handled the situation relatively well. He listened to Paul’s reasoning for his choice, but was quite set with his decision to choose Jacqueline already. Due to his opinion he didn’t appear to consider Paul’s point of view. Robert shouldn’t have made up his mind on his decision prior to meeting with Paul at the end. This prevented him from having an open mind about Paul’s choice. What would you have done differently: If we were in Robert’s situation we would have tried to keep our minds open to consider Sonya as an option and take Paul’s reasoning into consideration. We probably would have still picked Jacqueline as well because we thought Robert’s reasons were completely valid. In the end Robert had a good case to not hire Sonya and choose Jacqueline for the position.

Oliver Twist - Name Etymology Essay -- essays research papers

Oliver Twist - Name Etymology Summary: Oliver Twist is a poor orphan boy cruelly treated in the public workhouse. Pennyless and hungry, he runs away to London, only to fall into the clutches of a gang of thieves and pickpockets led by the master criminal, Fagin. Befriended by a man robbed by the gang, Oliver ultimately learns his true identity and gains a new home, a fortune and a brand new family! Name Analogies: Oliver: Norman French form of a Germanic name, possibly the name Alfihar meaning "elf army". The spelling was altered by association with Latin oliva "olive tree". The olive tree also symbolises longevity and hope, and the olive tree is renowned eternal. It is also a symbol of peace and reconciliation, the branch of the olive tree is chosen by God to mean to Noà © (Noah) that the Flood is finished and that the diminution begins, symbol of the forgiveness. Also symbolising of victory, the olive tree is a present loaded with a gratifying meaning during the Olympic Games in Athens. Crown of olive tree and jars of olive oil are so offered to the winners. A symbol of force, the olive tree is renowned for its very compact, very heavy and very hard wood. It is wooden of olive tree that are made Hercules’s bludgeons and it is with the wooden picket of olive tree that Ulysses brings down Cyclops in the Odyssey. I think this name suits Oliver very well as his name, derived from the olive tree. It symbolizes peace and reconciliation as Oliver duly shows...

The Daily Life of a Union Soldier

The nation was split in two over the concept of slavery. The Northern abolitionists felt strongly against slavery while the Southern plantation owners were set on maintaining slave labor. South Carolina paved the way for Southern states to secede from the United States of America. Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas soon followed in early 1861 (Roark, 455). Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina followed in the secession of fellow southern states following the attack on Fort Sumter (Roark, 464).From this point on, the Union and the Confederacy were set in stone. This was the root of the bloody Civil War. Millions of Americans enlisted in the army to support their beliefs and half of the nation. Soldiers faced harsh conditions not only on the battlefield, but also in their camps. The daily life of a Union soldier consisted of hours of drills, minimal food rations, and harsh conditions while fighting to end slavery. The Union soldiers shared many sim ilarities. To enlist as a soldier the boy had to be at least 18 years old.Most were in their late teens and early twenties though boys as young as 15 reportedly enlisted and lied about their age (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Bell Wiley described the solders as â€Å"white, native-born, farmer, protestant, single, and between the age of 18 and 29. † The average soldier was 5’8† tall and weighed 143 pounds (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). These men came from a variety of places since the North featured an industrial economy. Most of the soldiers were farmers, but hundreds of previous careers were recorded. Some men were accountants, locksmiths, masons, painters, etc.  (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).The youth and variety of occupations of the enlisted featured inexperienced soldiers. According to â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† out of the 2. 75 million soldiers that fought in the Civil War, 2 million of them were from th e North. Of these 2 million,  ¼ were immigrants. 200,000 came from Germany, 150,000 were Irish, 45,000 were English, and 15,000 came from Canada (1). By the end of the war in 1865, 10% of Union troops were African Americans (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). These men were not only fighting to support the Union but also for their freedom.Since white soldiers were fighting to support the Union the majority of the time, some financial compensation was provided to bring in more troops. The average wage for a Union soldier was $11 per month (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). These payments were irregular, though. Sometimes a soldier would wait six months before receiving even a single month’s earning (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). In 1864, the Confederacy raised their payments to $18 a month, and not long after the Union raised theirs to $16 (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).While soldiers were brin ging in little money, a three star general could have earned as much as $700 per month (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). The earnings of each type of soldier demonstrate the diversity in their roles in the war. While some men only fought to make money for their family, some men fought to preserve the Union and to abolish slavery (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). This quote demonstrates the pride soldiers had in what they were fighting for and showed some men would go to extreme lengths for what they believe in. â€Å"It has rained for a week and the roads are muddy.After marching for 20 miles it is not pleasant to lie down at night in the wet without any cover. I am tired- in fact I never was so tired in my life. But Hurrah! It is all for the Union! †-Elisha Rhodes The soldier’s pride was also shown through their standardized uniforms. The Union uniforms were more standardized than the Confederacy’s though some wore European style c lothing or no uniform at all (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). The dark blue uniforms were made from a heavy wool and worn with leather billed caps and stiff shoes (Winthrop, 1).The soldiers may not have been comfortable but they were easily recognized through their regulation uniforms. Along with the uniforms, the soldiers also carried many necessities with them. According to (Winthrop, 1), they had knapsacks with extra clothes, rolled up wool, and rubber blankets. They carried haversacks with foods such as sat pork, coffee, sugar, dried peas, or pressed sheets of desiccated vegetables. A small canteen was carried over each man’s shoulder (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). A Union soldier’s uniform can be seen in Figure 1.Another item required for all soldiers was guns. Arms were in short supply, though, and they would sometimes have to wait months before a new shipment would arrive (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). This lack o f arms led to soldiers having to be conscious about what they do with and how they use their weapons. Knowledge of how to use weapons was taught during a camp’s daily routine. Soldiers would wake at the crack of dawn for roll call to ensure no one had tried to run during the night (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). After role call, daily duties were assigned.Some men would be assigned to kitchen duty while others may have been in charge of arms for the day (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). Breakfast came next which was followed by drills. Soldiers would spend hours in the hot sun wearing their wool uniforms practicing battle formations or combat skills. The men would return to camp drenched in sweat and extremely tired (Alstyne, 1). After a hard day’s work it was not uncommon to find groups of people surrounding fires cooking and singing songs along with talking about the latest camp news (â€Å"Co mparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†).Union soldiers favored songs like the â€Å"Battle Cry of Freedom,† â€Å"Red, White, and Blue,† and the â€Å"Star Spangled Banner† (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). At 10:30 P. M. on the dot it was lights out so everyone could get some rest for the next day or exhaustion (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). Although soldiers hoped to get a good night’s rest, the sleeping conditions were not the best. Most camps had a single blanket on the ground with another as a cover (Alstyne, 1). Some lucky men got to sleep on straw mattresses (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†).The soldiers were exposed to nature at night due to the lack of cover provided by the tents. Muslin was drawn over a pole 3 feet from the ground and open at both ends (Alstyne, 1). This was considered â€Å"home† to the typical Union soldier. If it was raini ng, they had to sleep on the wet ground. Bugs and rodents were also common nighttime visitors at camp (Alstyne, 1). Most men did not get the rest they required from hours of strenuous drills during the day, leading to extreme exhaustion throughout the army. Not only were sleeping conditions undesirable, but the food the soldiers ate was not the best, either.The most common meal was salted meats, â€Å"hardtrack,† and coffee (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1). Hardtrack was a term coined for the tasteless, hard crackers men became accustomed to eating. The feeling of being full was a sensation that was practically unheard of in the Union army. Food rations were small and far between so sometimes the soldiers would resort to foraging for fruits, berries, and game animals to satisfy their hunger (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). Although food on the camps had little to no taste,everyone scraped their tin plates clean (Alstyne, 1). The starving soldiers would have eaten anything if it meant their stomach pains would temporarily subside. When the men were not doing drills or eating meals, they often found themselves bored. Some men would do chores like cook or clean (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Games or dominoes, poker, or baseball often broke out in camps (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). With the increasing literacy rates, many men could write home during free time (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1).Along with writing, more and more men would read newspapers and journals. Although the soldiers had some time to themselves, they still had to be ready at a moment’s notice. Cycles of marching and intense fighting were included in the lives of soldiers in the North (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1). Periods of fighting led to mass injuries in the Union army. 360,000 men died during the Civil War from the North- about 110,000 in battle and 225,000 o f disease (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). The massive spread of disease through the army was linked to unsanitary conditions (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).Water sources were fouled so not only were the soldiers affected but also the environment and the residents in that area (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). The injured did not fare much better than the ill. Doctors could do little for torso wounds, so these men were often doomed to die. Injuries to the extremities were often amputated (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Life as a Union soldier was not easy. It involved hours of strenuous training on a daily basis paired with poor sleeping conditions.These men gave their lives to fight for what they believed in and supported: the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery. A soldier never knew what the following day would hold. Would they be playing a friendly game of baseball at camp, marching to their next battle site, or be g reeted with a day of intense fighting? 360,000 of the 2 million soldiers were killed during the war (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). Fear did not stop soldiers from enlisting, though. Thousands of men signed up and left the lives they knew for small tents and tasteless hardtrack. The Daily Life of a Union Soldier The nation was split in two over the concept of slavery. The Northern abolitionists felt strongly against slavery while the Southern plantation owners were set on maintaining slave labor. South Carolina paved the way for Southern states to secede from the United States of America. Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas soon followed in early 1861 (Roark, 455). Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina followed in the secession of fellow southern states following the attack on Fort Sumter (Roark, 464).From this point on, the Union and the Confederacy were set in stone. This was the root of the bloody Civil War. Millions of Americans enlisted in the army to support their beliefs and half of the nation. Soldiers faced harsh conditions not only on the battlefield, but also in their camps. The daily life of a Union soldier consisted of hours of drills, minimal food rations, and harsh conditions while fighting to end slavery. The Union soldiers shared many sim ilarities. To enlist as a soldier the boy had to be at least 18 years old.Most were in their late teens and early twenties though boys as young as 15 reportedly enlisted and lied about their age (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Bell Wiley described the solders as â€Å"white, native-born, farmer, protestant, single, and between the age of 18 and 29. † The average soldier was 5’8† tall and weighed 143 pounds (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). These men came from a variety of places since the North featured an industrial economy. Most of the soldiers were farmers, but hundreds of previous careers were recorded. Some men were accountants, locksmiths, masons, painters, etc.  (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).The youth and variety of occupations of the enlisted featured inexperienced soldiers. According to â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† out of the 2. 75 million soldiers that fought in the Civil War, 2 million of them were from th e North. Of these 2 million, ? were immigrants. 200,000 came from Germany, 150,000 were Irish, 45,000 were English, and 15,000 came from Canada (1). By the end of the war in 1865, 10% of Union troops were African Americans (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). These men were not only fighting to support the Union but also for their freedom.Since white soldiers were fighting to support the Union the majority of the time, some financial compensation was provided to bring in more troops. The average wage for a Union soldier was $11 per month (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). These payments were irregular, though. Sometimes a soldier would wait six months before receiving even a single month’s earning (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). In 1864, the Confederacy raised their payments to $18 a month, and not long after the Union raised theirs to $16 (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).While soldiers were bringin g in little money, a three star general could have earned as much as $700 per month (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). The earnings of each type of soldier demonstrate the diversity in their roles in the war. While some men only fought to make money for their family, some men fought to preserve the Union and to abolish slavery (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). This quote demonstrates the pride soldiers had in what they were fighting for and showed some men would go to extreme lengths for what they believe in. â€Å"It has rained for a week and the roads are muddy.After marching for 20 miles it is not pleasant to lie down at night in the wet without any cover. I am tired- in fact I never was so tired in my life. But Hurrah! It is all for the Union! †-Elisha Rhodes The soldier’s pride was also shown through their standardized uniforms. The Union uniforms were more standardized than the Confederacy’s though some wore European style clot hing or no uniform at all (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). The dark blue uniforms were made from a heavy wool and worn with leather billed caps and stiff shoes (Winthrop, 1).The soldiers may not have been comfortable but they were easily recognized through their regulation uniforms. Along with the uniforms, the soldiers also carried many necessities with them. According to (Winthrop, 1), they had knapsacks with extra clothes, rolled up wool, and rubber blankets. They carried haversacks with foods such as sat pork, coffee, sugar, dried peas, or pressed sheets of desiccated vegetables. A small canteen was carried over each man’s shoulder (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). A Union soldier’s uniform can be seen in Figure 1.Another item required for all soldiers was guns. Arms were in short supply, though, and they would sometimes have to wait months before a new shipment would arrive (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier†, 1). This lack of a rms led to soldiers having to be conscious about what they do with and how they use their weapons. Knowledge of how to use weapons was taught during a camp’s daily routine. Soldiers would wake at the crack of dawn for roll call to ensure no one had tried to run during the night (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). After role call, daily duties were assigned.Some men would be assigned to kitchen duty while others may have been in charge of arms for the day (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). Breakfast came next which was followed by drills. Soldiers would spend hours in the hot sun wearing their wool uniforms practicing battle formations or combat skills. The men would return to camp drenched in sweat and extremely tired (Alstyne, 1). After a hard day’s work it was not uncommon to find groups of people surrounding fires cooking and singing songs along with talking about the latest camp news (â€Å"Compa ring Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†).Union soldiers favored songs like the â€Å"Battle Cry of Freedom,† â€Å"Red, White, and Blue,† and the â€Å"Star Spangled Banner† (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). At 10:30 P. M. on the dot it was lights out so everyone could get some rest for the next day or exhaustion (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†). Although soldiers hoped to get a good night’s rest, the sleeping conditions were not the best. Most camps had a single blanket on the ground with another as a cover (Alstyne, 1). Some lucky men got to sleep on straw mattresses (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†).The soldiers were exposed to nature at night due to the lack of cover provided by the tents. Muslin was drawn over a pole 3 feet from the ground and open at both ends (Alstyne, 1). This was considered â€Å"home† to the typical Union soldier. If it was raining, they had to sleep on the wet ground. Bugs and rodents were also common nighttime visitors at camp (Alstyne, 1). Most men did not get the rest they required from hours of strenuous drills during the day, leading to extreme exhaustion throughout the army. Not only were sleeping conditions undesirable, but the food the soldiers ate was not the best, either.The most common meal was salted meats, â€Å"hardtrack,† and coffee (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1). Hardtrack was a term coined for the tasteless, hard crackers men became accustomed to eating. The feeling of being full was a sensation that was practically unheard of in the Union army. Food rations were small and far between so sometimes the soldiers would resort to foraging for fruits, berries, and game animals to satisfy their hunger (â€Å"Comparing Confederate Soldiers and Union Soldiers, 1†).Although food on the camps had little to no taste,  everyone scraped their tin plates clean (Alstyne, 1). The starving soldiers would have eaten anything if it meant their stomach pains would temporarily subside. When the men were not doing drills or eating meals, they often found themselves bored. Some men would do chores like cook or clean (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Games or dominoes, poker, or baseball often broke out in camps (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). With the increasing literacy rates, many men could write home during free time (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1).Along with writing, more and more men would read newspapers and journals. Although the soldiers had some time to themselves, they still had to be ready at a moment’s notice. Cycles of marching and intense fighting were included in the lives of soldiers in the North (â€Å"The Life of a Union Soldier,† 1). Periods of fighting led to mass injuries in the Union army. 360,000 men died during the Civil War from the North- about 110,000 in battle and 225,000 o f disease (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). The massive spread of disease through the army was linked to unsanitary conditions (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1).Water sources were fouled so not only were the soldiers affected but also the environment and the residents in that area (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). The injured did not fare much better than the ill. Doctors could do little for torso wounds, so these men were often doomed to die. Injuries to the extremities were often amputated (â€Å"Life as a Soldier During the Civil War,† 1). Life as a Union soldier was not easy. It involved hours of strenuous training on a daily basis paired with poor sleeping conditions.These men gave their lives to fight for what they believed in and supported: the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery. A soldier never knew what the following day would hold. Would they be playing a friendly game of baseball at camp, marching to their next battle site, or be g reeted with a day of intense fighting? 360,000 of the 2 million soldiers were killed during the war (â€Å"Civil War Soldiers,† 1). Fear did not stop soldiers from enlisting, though. Thousands of men signed up and left the lives they knew for small tents and tasteless hardtrack.

Pakistan Cement Industry

Compiled by: Mirza Rohail B http://economicpakistan. wordpress. com/2008/02/12/cement-industry/ History & Introduction Growth of cement industry is rightly considered a barometer for economic activity. In 1947, Pakistan had inherited 4 cement plants with a total capacity of 0. 5 million tons. Some expansion took place in 1956-66 but could not keep pace with the economic development and the country had to resort to imports of cement in 1976-77 and continued to do so till 1994-95. The industry was privatized in 1990 which led to setting up of new plants. Although an oligopoly market, there exists fierce competition between members of the cartel today. The industry comprises of 29 firms (19 units in the north and 10 units in the south), with the installed production capacity of 44. 09 million tons. The north with installed production capacity of 35. 18 million tons (80 percent) while the south with installed production capacity of 8. 89 million tons (20 percent), compete for the domestic market of over 19 million tons. There are four foreign companies, three armed forces companies and 16 private companies listed in the stock exchanges. The industry is divided into two broad regions, the northern region and the southern region. The northern region has around 80 percent share in total cement dispatches while the units based in the southern region contributes 20 percent to the annual cement sales. Cement industry is indeed a highly important segment of industrial sector that plays a pivotal role in the socio-economic development. Since cement is a specialized product, requiring sophisticated infrastructure and production location. Mostly of the cement industries in Pakistan are located near/within mountainous regions that are rich in clay, iron and mineral capacity. Cement industries in Pakistan are currently operating at their maximum capacity due to the boom in commercial and industrial construction within Pakistan. The cement sector is contributing above Rs 30 billion to the national exchequer in the form of taxes. Cement industry is also serving the nation by providing job opportunities and presently more than 150,000 persons are employed directly or indirectly by the industry. The industry had exported 7. 716 million tons cement during the year 2007-08 and had earned $450 million, while is expected to export 11. 0 million tons of cement during 2008-09 and earn approximately $700 million. Fiscal Performance 2008-09 Business Recorder reported that Pakistan’s cement exports witnessed a healthy growth of 65%, to over 6 million tons during 7 months of the current fiscal year mainly due to rise in international demand. The exports may reach to 11 million tonnes and earn approx $ 700 million during 2008-09. The statistics of All Pakistan Ce ment Manufacturers Association also showed that cement exports had mounted to over 6 million tons in 7 months as compared to 3. 2 million tons of same period of last fiscal year, depicting an increase of 2. 38 million tons. Cement exports during January 2009 went up by 30% to 0. 81 million tons as compared to 0. 623 million tons in January 2008. However, slow construction activities in the country during the period badly upset domestic sale of cement, which depicted decline of 15%, to 10. 77 million tons as compared to 12. 59 million tons of last fiscal year. On MoM basis, local dispatches of cement during January 2009 showed a decline of 8%, to 1. 51 million tons from 1. 65 million tons of January 2008. Overall dispatches, including export and local sales, reached 16. 77 million tons during July to January of 2008-09 as against 16. 20 million tons of last fiscal year, depicting an increase of 3%. By September 2009, after witnessing substantial growth in all three quarters of fiscal year (FY) 2008-09, cement sector concluded the fourth quarter with a handsome growth of 1,492 percent on yearly basis, All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association’s report revealed on 29th September 2009. Higher retention prices (up 59 percent) and high rupee based export sales amid rupee depreciation (20 percent) drove profits up north. However, this growth is magnified, as FY2007-08 was an abnormally low profit period for the sector. Moreover, the performance is skewed towards large players with export potential as profitable companies in both years posted increase of just 109 percent, said analyst at JS Research Atif Zafar. He said that cumulative profitability of companies in FY09 stood at Rs 6. 2 billion or $78. 2 million as compared to Rs 386 million or $6. 2 million depicting a massive growth of 1,492 percent. Companies with profits in both the years posted 109 percent earnings improvement. Though total dispatches were down 2 percent, net sales grew by 55 percent to Rs 101. 4 billion or $1. 3 billion on the back of higher net retention prices (up 59 percent) and improved export based revenues. Cost of sales/tonne also rose by 33 percent on yearly basis amid higher realised coal prices and inflationary pressures, the analyst maintained. Production Capacity In Pakistan, there are 29 cement manufacturers that are playing a vital role in the building up the country’s economy and contribution towards growth and prosperity. After 2002-3, most of the cement manufacturers expanded their operations, and increased production. This sector has invested about $1. 5 billion in capacity expansion over the last six years. The operating capacity of cement in 1991 was 7 million tons, which increased to become 18 million tons by 2005-06 and by end of 2007 rose to above 37 million tones, and currently the production cpapacity is 44. 07 million tonnes. Cement production capacity in the north is 35. 18 million tons (80 percent) while in the south it is only 8. 89 million tons (20 percent). The cement manufacturers in 2007-08 added above eight million tons to the capacity and the total production was expected to exceed 45 million tons by the end of 2010. It may result in a supply glut of seven million tons in 2009 and 2010. Actual Cement Production (in million tons) According to Government Board of Investment, 2001-02 – 9. 83 2002-03 – 10. 85 2003-04 – 12. 86 2004-05 – 16. 09 2005-06 – 18. 48 2006-07 – 22. 73 2007-08 – 26. 75 2008-09 – 20. 28 Exports & International Markets The cement industry of Pakistan entered the export markets a few years back, and has established its reputation as a good quality product. Deregulation after accession of Pakistan to WTO is expected to open the window of competition from cheaper markets. The recent acquisition of Chakwal Cement by an Egyptian giant, Orascom may be a beginning of such an entry in Pakistan by multinationals. New avenues for export of cement are opening up for the indigenous industry as Sri Lanka has recently shown interest to import 30,000 tons cement from Pakistan every month. If the industry is able to avail the opportunity offered, it may secure a significant share of Sri Lanka market by supplying 360,000 tons of cement annually. In 2007, 130,000 tons cement was exported to India. In 2007, the exports to Afghanistan, UAE and Iraq touched 2. 13 million tons. At present, the economies of major countries are facing recession, but Pakistan’s cement sector is still maintaining a healthy growth. Cement export to India has already slowed after imposition of duty by Indian authorities. Pricing Another problem faced earlier by the Industry was the high taxation. The general sales tax (GST) was 186% higher than India. The impact of this tax and duty structure resulted in almost 40% increase in the cost of a cement bag (50 Kg). A bag in India earlier cost Rs. 160 as compared to Rs. 220 in Pakistan. In the budget of 2003-04, a duty cut of 25% was permitted to the cement sector with assurance from the cartel to pass on this benefit to the consumers. In 2006, the price of a bag went up to Rs. 430 however in 2007 it has stabilized at Rs. 315 per bag. In mid 2008, cement prices stabilized further at Rs. 220 per bag. The Government has reduced central excise duty (CED) on cement in the budget for 2007-08 in order to boost construction activity. Average industry cost of cement bag/50Kg = Rs. 193 Average industry price of cement bag/50Kg = Rs. 235 Domestic Demand Local demand in the country for the year 2008-09 is expected to be around 20 million tons. Domestic demand is expected to grow at 13% Capacity growth rate (CAGR) during next five years. Certain factors will also affect the growth of cement industry as well. These are as follows: Strong GDP growth O Higher GDP growth has positive impact on cement demand. O Cement demand growth rate was double the GDP growth rate in last three years. Housing sector growth O Housing projects consume roughly 40% of cement demand. O Low interest rates, post 9/11 remittances’ inflow, and real estate boom have helped housing sector growth. Government Development Expenditures O Government development expenditures count for one third of total cement consumption. O Increase in PSDP – from Rs. 80 bn in 1999 to Rs. 520 bn in 2007. O Infrastructure development in a region triggers private development projects having even positive impact on cement demand. Earthquake Rehabilitation O Earthquake losses of October 8th are estimated at $ 5. 2bn O Reconstruction work will boost construction material demand O Reconstruction work is expected to generate cement demand of 4mn tons over next 3-4 years Announcement of large Dams O Construction of four large dams will generate demand of 3. 7mn tons. Bhasha Daimer Dam, Munda Dam, Akhori Dam and Neelum Jhelum. Per Capita Cement Consumption Pakistan currently has a per capita consumption of 131kg of cement, which is comparable to that for India at 135kg per capita but substantially below the World Average 270kg and the regional average of over 400kg for peers in Asia and over 600kg in the Middle East. Cement demand remained stagnated during 90’s owing to lack of development activities. In 1997, per capita consumption was 73 kg in both Pakistan and India. By 2005-06, consumption in India rose to become 115 kg/capita whereas ours rose to 117 kg/capita. A comparison of few countries in 2005: Bangladesh 50 kg/capita Pakistan 117 kg/capita India 115 kg/capita USA 375 kg/capita Iran 470 kg/capita Malaysia 530 kg/capita EU 560 kg/capita China 625 kg/capita UAE 1095 kg/capita Challenges to Cement Industry The cost and exports may be affected due to weakness of the US dollar causing coal, electricity charges and freight prices, comprising 65 to 70 percent of the cost. The PSDP allocation for 2009 has been cut by Rs 75 billion and feared further cuts would curtail cement demand. Major capacities of countries like India and Iran are expected to come online by FY10 and onwards which are likely to convert these countries from dependent importers to potential exporters. Moreover, this current rising trend is expected to be short-lived due to higher interest rates and inflationary concerns are likely to make it disadvantageous for investors to enter the construction industry. In addition to this, to control real estate prices the government is considering imposing a tax on it. Major General Rehmat Khan, Chairman of All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), told Business Recorder, â€Å"cement industry is getting Rs 24 per ton as day dutydrawback for export of cement which needs to be revised. In view of today’s calculation for duty drawback, which works out to Rs 130 per ton, he proposed that duty drawback be increased to Rs 130 per ton ,instead of Rs 24 per ton. † Referring to taxation on cement, he said that cement dispatches are subject to payment of federal excise duty @ Rs 900 per ton, general sales tax @ 16 percent, special excise duty @ 1 percent, marking fee @ 0. 1 percent of ex-factory price, besides provincial duties and taxes. These taxes come to around Rs 96 per bag which is the highest in the world. Cement, it appears, is being treated as a luxury item for the purpose of taxes and duties. He proposed that the government should reduce excise duty by Rs 450 per ton in the forthcoming budget while the remaining half should be eliminated altogether along with the special excise duty. Besides this, sales tax should not be charged on excise duty paid value. He also proposed withdrawal of customs duty on Pet Coke and remove it from negative list for import from India because cement industry imports Coal and Pet Coke as fuel for production and customs duty on imported coal is zero while on Pet Coke it is charged @ 5 percent. (c) ECONOMIC PAKISTAN

An exploration of the reason organisations adopt information systems strategy The WritePass Journal

An exploration of the reason organisations adopt information systems strategy INTRODUCTION An exploration of the reason organisations adopt information systems strategy INTRODUCTIONINFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGYREASONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY1. Operational excellence2. New products and services3. Customer and supplier Intimacy4. Competitive Advantage4.1) Porter’s Competitive Forces Model1. Rivalry among existing firm2. New Entrants in market3. Substitute Products and Services4. Customer’s power5. Supplier’s Powers4.2) Porter’s Generic theory 1. Cost Leadership2. Product Differentiation3. FocusMultiple Methodology FrameworksTop-downBottom-upInside-OutFlaws in Earl’s MethodologiesExternal Drivers that Influence IS Strategy1. Competition1.1)   YANSHA Leans on IS to Stay Competitive2. Deregulation2.1) 7-Eleven Japan Company3. Changing nature of Customer3.1) KROGER COMPANY3.2) BARNEYS NEW YORK4. Emerging technologies4.1)   Sainsbury5. Transformation of Business Enterprise5.1)   World BankBibliographyRelated INTRODUCTION The information systems play a critical role in managing market logistics, especially computer, point-of-sale terminals, uniform product bar codes, satellite tracking, electronic data interchange EDI, and electronic funds transfer EFT, these developments have shortened the order-cycle time, reduced clerical labour, reduced the error rate in documents, and provided improved control of operations. They have enabled companies to make a promise such as â€Å"the product will be at dock 25 at 10:00 am tomorrow,† and control that promise through information. Keeping in view of above significance of information system, the report has been designed to explore and outlined the reason of organization adopting information system strategy and what is information system strategy. Also using multiple methodology frameworks that assist in devising IS strategy. At the end of this report the six external drivers are listed in connection with real world example to understand how they influenced on IS strategies. INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY The definition of IS strategy is formulation of approaches and planning needed to deploy information systems resources to support organizational strategy. The definition of development of information systems strategy is usually encompasses the areas of how information systems will be used to support an organization’s strategy. Support means creation of strategic of IS with organization strategy. Impact implies a role for IS in generating opportunities for an organization to gain competitive advantage. A strategy which covers both these facets is that of Dohertty et 999), who describe IS strategy development as The IS strategy is a process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based to be implemented, which is both highly aligned with corporate strategy and create an advantage over competitors. An information systems strategy brings together the business aims and understanding of the information needed to support those aims, and the of computer systems to provide that information. Irrespective, of any definition the main theme of information system is to establish strategy to provide best and timely service to their consumers in order to increase the wealth of shareholders. The emphasis of information systems strategy is on delivering a portfolio of appropriate software tools and systems that support the future direction of an organization and achieve advantage for the organization (Strategic objectives). Furthermore, the IS strategy also determines the quality of services delivered end-users. (BODDY, BOONSTRA, KENNEDY, 2002) REASONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM STRATEGY The reasons organization heavily invest to generate its information system is to achieve six important business objectives. These objectives can be outlined as Operational excellence New products/services Business model Customer and supplier intimacy Improved decision making Competitive advantage And survival 1. Operational excellence The ultimate objective of every organization is to maximize the wealth of shareholders. The information system provide efficient mean to optimize the production and operations capability for the business. Also some time it needs to change the way organization conducting its business and management attitude. There are many success stories of those who plan strategically to implement information system and bring fundamental results due to this implementation. For example, Wal-Mart being as a largest retailer gains sales more than $348 billion in sales during 2007, which was 1/10 of total retail sales in US. The Wal-Mart achieved that hallmark by linking digitally its retail store system with the suppliers, so when the customer purchased items, the bar code link identified the suppliers about outflow and demand of certain product and suppliers timely replenish the stock. 2. New products and services The information system enables organization about the trend of new product or services. The demand can be evaluated of competitors product and then it is matched with the market to assess there is any need of copy cat product. Such as the music industry is no longer like it was in 2000. The exuberant demand permits the Apple Company to innovate new products with different styles. 3. Customer and supplier Intimacy The customers intimacy can be gauged by their frequency of repurchase, the often they come to buy the goods or receive the services the more they generate revenue for the organization. The suppliers relationship can be evaluated in the same way, if there are few suppliers and all are given confirm order or tie them with contract, the more they will deliver quality raw materials. Take the example of hotels business, they are using computers to keep track of guests preferences, such as their preferred room temperature, check in time, frequently dialled telephone numbers, and television programs, and store these data in a giant data repository, individual rooms in the hotels are networked to a central network server computer so that they can be remotely monitored or controlled. When these guests arrived to the hotel, the system automatically changes the room conditions, such as dimming the lights, setting the room temperature, or selecting appropriate music, based on the customer’s digital profile. Through, extensive use of IT, hotel can carry out their customer profitability analysis and can adequately determine those customers that are providing high revenue. 4. Competitive Advantage When organization outperform its competitors in terms of operation, new product development, services, and establishing business model, customer intimacy and last but not least in decision making process, then they are well ahead from their competitors. Through establishing IS strategy many organization prominently Toyota successfully eliminate waste, adopt continuous improvement, and optimizing customer value. The IS help to build effective supply and lean management system. Let discuss in detail that crucial aspect of IS strategy, The models which will help us to how to determine and evaluate of competitive advantage in terms of IS strategy’s are Porter’s Competitive Forces and Generic theory. 4.1) Porter’s Competitive Forces Model The most widely used mode for understanding competitive advantage is Michael Porter’s Competitive forces model. This model provides a general view of the firm, its competitors, and the firm environment. These are Rivalry among existing firm New Entrants in market Substitute product in market Supplier’s Power Buyer’s Power 1. Rivalry among existing firm All firms share market space with other competitors who are continuously devising new, more efficient ways to produce by introducing new products and services, and attempting to attract customers by developing their brands and imposing switching costs on their customers. 2. New Entrants in market The new arrival in market often gets kick start its business using several of IT and IS help. In mature market, when there is already fierce competition going on the tool that new entrants can use to get itself introduce to the customers are gaining economy of scale by spreading its fixed cost to the number of units or/and adopting learning curve. The state of the art designed IS can monitor the movement of learning curve that will help management in their decision making process. 3. Substitute Products and Services In a competitive market, there are several substitutes product each addressing different customers market need. New technologies create new substitutes all the time. To make the product more distinct and attractable organization need often to change its features and packaging to keep the product up to date. 4. Customer’s power The theory’s regarding customers retention has been getting enhanced day by day. The new theory related to customers are customer relationship management, which emphasis on keep the existing customers rather than deploying resources to attract the new one. In that sense, the power of the customer grows if they can easily switch to a competitor’s products and services, or if they can force a business and its competitors to compete on price alone in a transparent marketplace where there is little product differentiation, and all prices are known instantly through internet. 5. Supplier’s Powers The supplier’s power has huge impact on organization profitability. If there are few suppliers operating in the market the power of suppliers might be high and they would be in the position to convince the organization with their terms and condition. However, if there are many or diversified suppliers in the market, the greater control organization would have to exercise over suppliers in terms of price, quality, and delivery schedules. For instance, manufacturers of laptop PCs almost always have multiple competing suppliers of key components, such as keyboards, hard drives, and display screens. 4.2) Porter’s Generic theory There are four generic strategise, each of which often is enabled by using information technology and system: low-cost leadership, product differentiation, focus on market niche, and strengthening customer and supplier intimacy. These are Cost leadership Product leadership Focus 1. Cost Leadership The use of information system to achieve the lowest operational cost and lowest prices is goal of almost every organization. The classic example is Wal-Mart. By keeping prices low and shelves well stocked using a legendary inventory replenishment system, Wal-Mart became the leading retail business in the United States. Wal-Mart’s continuous replenishment system sends orders for new merchandise directly to suppliers as soon as consumers pay for their purchases at the cash register. Point-of-sale terminals record the bar code of each item passing the checkout counter and send a purchase transaction directly to a central computer at Wal-Mart headquarters. The computer collects the orders from all Wal-Mart stores and transmits them to suppliers. Suppliers can also access Wal-Mart’s sales and inventory data using web technology. Due to efficient use of IS by Wal-Mart they do not need to maintain large inventories of goods in its own warehouse, which cause greater cost of order and holding the inventories, because the system replenishes inventory with lightning speed. 2. Product Differentiation Those organizations that are charging high prices for their product need always modify their product to keep the product in the eyes of customers. For instance, Google continuously introduces new and unique search services on its web site, such as Google Maps. By purchasing PayPal, an elector nice payment system in 2003, eBay made it much easier for customers to pay sellers and expanded use of its auction marketplace. Apple created iPod, a unique portable digital music player, plus a unique online Web music service where songs can be purchased for 99 cents. Continuing to innovate, Apple recently introduced a portable iPod video player and music-playing cell phone. Manufacturers and retailers are starting to use information systems to create products and services that are customized and personalized to fit the precise specification of individual customers. Dell Inc. sells directly to customers using assemble-to-order manufacturing. Individuals, businesses, and government agencies can buy computers directly from Dell’s production control receives an order, it directs an assembly plant to assemble the computer using components from an on-site warehouse based on the configuration specified by the customer. 3. Focus Using information systems to enable a specific market focus, and serve this narrow target market better than competitors. Information systems support this strategy by producing and analyzing data for finely tuned sales and marketing techniques. Information system enable companies to analyze customer buying patterns, tastes and preferences closely so that they efficiently pitch advertising and marketing campaigns to smaller and smaller target markets. The data come from a range of sources-credit card transaction, demographic data purchase data from checkout counter scanners at supermarkets and retail stores, and data collected when people access and interact with Web sites. Sophisticated software tools find patterns in these large pools of data and infer rules from them that can be used to guide decision making. Analysis of such data drives one-to-one marketing where personal messages can be created based on individualized preference. For example, Hilton Hotels OnQ system analyzes detailed data collected on active guests in all of its properties determine the preferences of each guest and each guest’s profitability. (LAUDON, LAUDON, 2009) Multiple Methodology Frameworks Earl methodology has been regarded as most influential methodologies for developing information systems strategies. According to this work, IT offers major new business opportunities by improving productivity and performance, developing new businesses and enabling companies to gain competitive advantage. The key ideological stance taken by Earl is based not on internal but external or outward looking activities so that business objectives can be met fully. Earl pioneered a multiple methodology with three approaches (top-down, bottom-up and inside-out) Top-down Top down is concerned with identifying and agreeing business objectives and the drivers of business value through interviews, debates, existing business strategy and policies. Critical success factors (CSFs) are then developed for areas where success is necessary for survival, and subsequently information systems that support/enable/deliver these CSFs need to found. Bottom-up Bottom-up is about exploring what currently exist in terms of hardware, software, IT and IS applications and determining their functions, and how they work and add value. This activity concerns itself with understanding what systems currently exist and in establishing what needs to exist in the light of company strategic needs. This activity also requires and understanding of any capacity limits or constraints of current systems, which might act as a barrier to future needs. Inside-Out Inside-out is about being innovative and finding novel ways of giving the business an advantage. Usually, this needs strategic thinking into state of the art knowledge of other sectors/companies and spotting potential technologies or application of technologies, which will be ground-breaking in the near future. Benchmarking techniques are sometimes useful to highlight where an organization is falling short or has the opportunity to outperform its competitors. Earl suggests that both top-down and bottom-up methods should be used for IT/IS strategic planning and alignment since this gives a comprehensive overview of the situation from all angles. Accordingly, the top-down methods should be used to clarify business strategies and needs as well as the potential contribution of IT application. This should result in the alignment of IT and IS investment with business needs. Bottom-up methods should be used to discover gaps and map where an enterprise is in IS terms of its IT applications and where it needs to develop to meet the business strategy. The result should be improved specialist-user relationships and knowledge of where IT is important for competitive functioning. The third part of the methodology is termed ‘inside-out’ and implies designing an organizational and technological environment, which enables innovations to happen, thus making it possible to gain competitive advantages from IT/IS. Flaws in Earl’s Methodologies While Earl’s model is still relevant it does have a number of flaws: There is an assumption that because senior management are thinking about the strategic use of IT and IS and their alignment that this view and stance is good for everyone (throughout the enterprise), which may or may not be the case. The model lacks the ability to chart or predict future technologies and their potential impact on the business. The model is based on a rational and economic-based manager (Whittington, 1993),   who traditionally make decisions by analysing all the facts rather than taking into account more social, cultural, politically charged agendas, which can be entitled ‘social’ reasons and ‘gut feeling’ to decisions-making. Finally, Earl’s model does not take into account group and individual interactions and how this social networking is important is determining how things happen in business life. Since the development of Earl’s methodology other frameworks have evolved. A number of them have integrated principles and issues highlighted by Earl but have been modified to address some of the weakness of the Earl’s model. (GRANT, HACKNEY, EDGAR, 2010) External Drivers that Influence IS Strategy The following are the external drivers that have potential impact while formulating Information strategy and need to be adequately take into accounts. Transformation of the business enterprise Emergence of the global economy Transformation of industrial economies Competition De-regulation Emerging technologies Changing nature of the customer Environmental and conservation issues The value of intellectual assets 1. Competition Adopting Information System brings fundamental improvement inside and outside operation of organization. The organization added value in its activities by involving the IS across its department. The IS allow firms to understand and make better their supply chain, lean management, and value chain and eliminate all those wastes that do not give any margin to the company. Some of example of adopting Information system is given below. 1.1)   YANSHA Leans on IS to Stay Competitive YANSHA is one of China’s biggest retailers. It sells upscale designer clothes from around the world along with other line merchandise. One of its largest retail stores occupies 215,000 square feet in Beijing’s famous YOUYI Shopping City. YANSHA has long experienced market leadership in china, but in recent years has felt increasing completion from international companies. YANSHA’S management team was aware that its methods of communication with suppliers-the placing and receiving of orders-were less than efficient. It was also aware of other inefficiencies in communication throughout the organization. For YANSHA TO maintain its leadership role in the market, it would need to cut the waste and become lean and mean in its application of information systems technology. YANSHA turned to IBM China Research Lab to evaluate its information systems and recommend the latest technologies to bring it up to date. IBM implemented a massive system upgrade across the entire enterprise: an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The ERP allows YANSHA executives and managers to view real-time performance date, such as sales across all location, in certain regions, or in one particular store. Using this system, managers could, for example, determine the success of a particular marketing approach. The new ERP interfaces with a new supply chain management (SCM) system that provides close communication between YANSHA and its suppliers. These two systems working together, the ERP system and SCM system, allow organization. The new systems required a substantial investment of time and money for YANSHA, but the benefits have vastly overshadowed the costs. The new systems reduced the time it takes for suppliers to ship merchandise to YANSHA (order lead time) from 2.5 days to 4.5 hours. The order acknowledgment rate has increased from 80 percent to 99 percent. Order errors have been reduced from 9 percent to 1 percent. The money saved by YANSHA receiving the right merchandise at the right time has saved the company enough money to pay for its expensive new information systems within nine months of rolling them out. Achieving a return on investment (ROI) in such a short time is something any chief information officer (CIO) would be proud of. 2. Deregulation Deregulation can be defined as when Government cease to act as a controller over the industries and permit maximum liberty of the operation in market is called Deregulation. The use of IS in case of deregulation become vital because the connection with suppliers crossing the boundaries and new frontier develop which bring competitive edge to the firms. One of example in such situation is 2.1) 7-Eleven Japan Company In 1996 the Japanese Industries witnessed major deregulation in sales of stamps, postcards and revenue stamps and it is become possible at convenience stores. 7-Eleven Japan recorded sales figures equivalent to 9 billion yen in this area in 1996. Stamps and other products that customers frequently request contribute to increased store loyalty from customers even through the products themselves have low profit margins. In 1997 deregulation occurred in the travel industry. In 1998, the medical supplies and finance industries were deregulated and many other areas will also be affected. 7-Eleven Japan invested approximately 4 billion yen in the construction of large-sized refrigeration boxes for ice cream in 1994 and installed them in all of its chain stores. It is quite natural that ice cream sells well in summer time. However, 7-Eleven Japan recorded more than a two-fold increase in ice cream sales in comparison with the previous year. The refrigeration box was placed in the centre of the store where five gondolas used to be stationed. This was a drastic and innovative use of space as convenience stores have a limited space. Morinaga Milk industry Co. Ltd, Morinaga and Company Ltd, Snow Brand Milk Products Co, Ltd AKAGI NYUGYO, and HAGEN DAAS were the main suppliers. Until then, ice cream was mainly produced in the winter season and prepared for the concentration of sales in summer. However, manufacturers were unable to respond quickly to the change in the market. It was not possible to increase the production of popular ice cream because it would only build up inventory volume. Therefore, 7-Eleven Japan established a system to sell ice cream within 10 days after placing orders. The features of the system are as follows; On-line transmission of order information and inventory volume of the store directly to producers Manufacturers produce based on this information and store them in a storage facility especially prepared for 7-Eleven Japan The exact quantity required is delivered to the joint delivery centre for frozen products Form this centre, products are delivered to the stores In this way, 7-Eleven Japan has constructed a consistent production, distribution, and sales system for ice cream products. Thus, it became possible for the store to sell very fresh ice cream throughout the year. In addition, 7-Eleven Japan tied up with Morinaga Milk industry Co. Ltd Morinaga Company, ltd and AKAGI NYUGYOU for the development of new products and has developed new types of ice cream that satisfied customers’ needs. This is an excellent reflection of 7-Eleven Japan’s attitude towards â€Å"taste† and â€Å"freshness†, 7-Eleven Japan Attaches importance to the â€Å"un-learning effect†, something that breaks away from the existing concept. This is why it could carry out a very drastic innovation in order to sell â€Å"summer products during the winter season†. (ISHIKAWA, NEJO, 1998) 3. Changing nature of Customer The information system has been rigorously used to understand need and demand of customers in order to build stable relationship with them. A satisfied customer tends to remain a customer, and it is less costly to retain existing customers than to attract new ones. Therefore, the Information System helps to track down profiles of profitable customers to exceed revenue by continuously temping them. The process include compile the data of customers like Where the customers are located? What items are in demand? What is the revenue by customer and item in terms of an ABC ANALYSIS? What are the sales patterns and the sizes of orders? A sound database will enable organizations to manage costs, increase profits and make informed decisions about what to put on shelves. No manager ever has all the information needed to make a perfect decision, but having an adequate source of accurate information will improve the quality of decision. 3.1) KROGER COMPANY 3.2) BARNEYS NEW YORK Barneys New York, the upscale clothing store chain, reports a 10 percent increase in online revenue by using data mining software that finds links between online behaviour and greater propensity to buy. Barneys uses a system from proclivity systems to analyze data about when a customer visits its site and other demographic information to determine on whom it should focus its e-mail messages. For example, an email message announcing a sale might be send to those who had purchased certain products in the past but only when the items were on sale. This has not only increased sales but has increased customer goodwill by showing that Barneys understands its clientele’s interest. (GELINAS, DULL, 2010) 4. Emerging technologies The large supermarkets are extensively using information system to reduce their cost. They are acquiring sophisticated and state of the art technologies to evaluate the customer demand. The sensor machine on doors protect the shop to be stolen the goods. Also bar code or tag on the cloth helps organization to evaluate the demand of the product and link that technology with the Information system, which later send information to the supplier to replenish the particular stock in store. 4.1)   Sainsbury Since 1989, Sainsbury has implemented a high-tech information system that has halved the average time it takes to get a product from the supplier to the consumer. The impact has not only been on the Sainsbury organization, but also on other organizations within the retail food supply chain. According to Angus Clark, the Sainsbury director responsible for systems and distribution, bar-code scanning at the checkout counters has changed the whole supply-chain operation from a â€Å"push† system to a â€Å"pull† system. Historically, forecasts dictated what was pushed down the supply chain to each retail outlet. But scanning has allowed Sainsbury to capture demand data the instant a sale in made. Now, production and distribution can be calibrated to levels of real demand. (STAHL, GRIGSBY, 1997) 5. Transformation of Business Enterprise Organization structure refers to organizational subunits and the way they relate to the overall organization. An organization’s structure depends on its goals and approach to management, and can affect how it views and uses information systems. The types of organizational structures typically include traditional, project, team and virtual. Organizational structure can have a direct impact on the organization’s information system. 5.1)   World Bank World Bank is two financial institutions owned by 185 member countries. In recent years, the World Bank has suffered from front page scandal’s regarding suspected improprieties with its senior-level officials. In 2007, World Bank president Paul WOLLOWITZ was pressured to resign, and in 2005, vice president and CIO Mohammad Muhsin retired under a cloud of suspicion. However, while the press and the world were focused on corruption in the World Bank, some very positive developments were taking place with World Bank infrastructure and information systems that went relatively unnoticed. The World Bank has traditionally been run as a top-down hierarchy, which is a traditional organizational structure. In recent years, through the use of global information systems, the World Bank has transformed into a decentralized, front-line, matrix organization,† observes a recent article in Baseline magazine. Rather than controlling information systems from the top, the World Bank has been investing to empower its clients with the information systems they need locally to participate in the global economy. (STAIR, REYNOLDS, REYNOLDS, 2010) Bibliography Book References DAVID BODDY, ALBERT BOONSTRA, GRAHAM KENNEDY (2002), â€Å"MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEM: STRATEGY AND ORGANIZATION†, 4TH ED PG 312-314: PEARSON EDUCATION LTD KENNETH C. LAUDON, JANE P. LAUDON (2009), â€Å"ESSENTIALS OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS†, 8TH ED PG 6-22: PEARSON EDUCATION LTD KEVIN GRANT, RAY HACKNEY, DAVID EDGAR (2010), â€Å"STRATEGIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT† 1ST ED PG 119: CENGAGE LEARNING EMEA AKIRA ISHIKAWA, TAI NEJO (1998), â€Å"THE SUCCESS OF 7-ELEVEN JAPAN: DISCOVERING THE SECRETS OF THE WORLD’S BEST CONVENIENCE CHAIN STORES† 1ST ED. PG 46-48: SEBEN-IREBUN DAKEGA NAZETSUYOI ULRIC J. GELINAS, RICHARD B. DULL (2010), â€Å"ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS 8e†: 1ST ED, PG 345-346, SOUTH-WESTERN CENGAGE LEARNING MICHAEL J. STAHL, DAVID W. GRIGSBY (1997), â€Å"STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: TOTAL QUALITY AND GLOBAL COMPETITION† 1ST ED, PG 243, BLACKWELL PUBLISHERS LTD RALPH M. STAIR, GEORGE REYNOLDS, GEORGE W. REYNOLDS (2010), â€Å"PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS†, 1ST ED, PG 48: CENGAGE LEARNING

Arbitration of Investment Disputes - A Turkish Perspective Essay

Arbitration of Investment Disputes - A Turkish Perspective - Essay Example The arbitrator can  be a third reliable party between the two opponents. They make a decision outside the court of law and predominantly decisions made by the arbitrator are final and binding. So, arbitration is an â€Å"Alternative Dispute Resolution† technique used by two conflicting parties to resolve their dispute without getting into legal (court) formalities. In big investments where the government, big corporate and financial institutions deals within country or internationally, dispute arises because of company policies, changing e theonomy, conditions of countries, policies of both parties countries dealing with, political environment, etc. ‘Investment Arbitration’ is a policy for economic development and prosperity supported and backed by economic policies by setting up independent disciplines for the development and civilization of institution by enforcing good governance with effective, efficient and disciplined economic reforms which ultimately results in better investment conditions and environment and development of policies for investors protection. 1 So, arbitration of investment dispute is a perfect path of resolving an international dispute among two opponent parties with the help of an arbitrator for the quick decision, it may be between two individuals or individual with the government, financial institutions, corporate or any two parties. The primary source for information for investment arbitration is regional and bilateral investment treaties which are according to United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Till now there are 2,500 treaties and it is increasing by 50 to 100 in numbers every year. This is primarily because of the growing number of law firms. IISD is an authorized institution for reviewing and revising the main rules of arbitration.

Pathology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pathology - Case Study Example known kind of primary bone cancer that affects children and young persons{"status":"TOOLBAR_READY","toolbarId":211628906} and the second most rampant overall after chondrosarcoma. Osteosarcoma begins when a single bone cell gets abnormal and grows out of control to create a lump of cancerous tissues referred to as a tumor. The cells within the tumor still act as a bone and tries to make new bone as they grow and divide. In case a pathologist can see a bone in a tumor sample through the use of a microscope, this assists in confirming the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. From historical information and data, ‘Osteo comes from the Greek word that means bone and a ‘sarcoma is the name that is given to cancers that begin in supporting or connective tissues, like fat, bone, blood vessels, cartilage, and muscle. Most of the Osteosarcoma cases come from a single area within the region of a long bone referred to as the (meta-FEE-sis) metaphysis. The meta-FEE-sis contains the area of the bone where cells are developing and dividing, this is referred to as the epi-FEE-see-al (epiphyseal) plate. The lengthy bones of the carcass are the bones that are considered being very much longer than they are wide. For instance the bones of the limbs, (femur) thigh bone of the (humerus) upper arm bone. Rarely can Osteosarcoma start in more than a single bone at the same time; but if it happens, it is typically referred to as multifocal osteosarcoma. The tumor behaves in an aggressive way, which means it can spread quickly to the bloodstream through or from the bone into additional regions within the body. The most usual area of the body that it spreads to is the lungs. Osteosarcoma can additionally spread to other areas of the body quickly, patients require treatment for the whole body; this is usually referred to as a systematic treatment. X-ray: X-ray is done to the various organs of the body system. Bones are also reviewed under X-ray. The X-ray is an energy beam type that can