Intel Corporation: 1968-1997 Essay

Question: Apply the tetra threat framework in analyzing Intel’s strategy to sustain competitive advantage in microprocessors Threat of Imitation: * Intel used economies of scale to counter imitation. Project Crush helped it to gain IBM’s contract for the 8088 microprocessor. * By entering into a long term relationship with Microsoft, which was its complementor. * R&D also resulted in Intel coming up with upgrades and new generation of chips at a rapid rate. * Intel like many other microprocessors didn’t believe in patents and copyrights as the life cycle of the microprocessor was very low and the patents would become obsolete In the late 1980s Intel moved towards IPR protection for its technology and products. * Relationships with suppliers were also strong as its procurement strategy was best in breed technology. It also allowed dual-sourcing of critical pieces of production equipment. * Intel always overcame threats of retaliation by producing the next generation microprocessor of equivalent or better quality. This also comes true when it has entered the RISC market also. * Decision not to license the 386 to any manufacturer other than IBM helped Intel to position itself as the leading horizontal niche player in the computer chip segment. Threat of Substitution: * When companies and technologies evolved with CISC technology, Intel after little of straddling decide to stick over RISC technology and not respond to its competitors. * Intel has produced x386 processor before Microsoft came out with MS Dos 5.0 version, thus Intel always leapfrogged before the competitors could and making it difficult for the competitors to achieve similar high degrees of compatibility features. * Intel defended itself through Project Checkmate to win contracts. * The ‘Intel inside’ campaign, created a brand for the previously unknown and ambiguous interior of a PC. This created a first mover advantage for Intel as they were the first to brand it. Branding thus proved a recombining technique as everything was getting branded in the consumer market. * It also competed rigorously with Motorola in RISC keeping its CISC microprocessors. * It has also made itself compatible for better usage for Internet also thus building its competitive advantage continuously. * Intel also lessened its substitution problem by reducing the licensing companies to produce its chips and thus its revenue increased from 30% to 75%. Threat of hold-up: * Intel outsourced its 8086 chip manufacturing to 12 other companies in order to meet the high demands * Intel during its x386 launch had a major problem as IBM disagreed to buy the new microprocessors. Intel entered into a relationship with Compaq launched it in Deskpro 386 which became a huge hit. This built mutually dependence. The introduction of x386 transformed the industry which became more horizontal in nature which was more cost effective. * Intel also forward integrated and developed its own products through its systems business. It had been in the business of designing, manufacturing and selling electronic subsystems and even complete system products. * Also Intel tried to maintain a trust and build a relationship with all complementors and suppliers. * Intel increased its bargaining power by developing complementary products e.g. Microsoft OS is only compatible with Intel processors.

Example of Six-Step Decision Plan

Rainier Joseph S. Viacrucis. MBA-1 Managerial Decision Making Using the six-step Decision-Making process: 1. Identifying the Problem and its details: a. A teenager is asking his/her parents to buy a high-end gadget that is the trend/must-have of his/her generation (ex. I-phone or I-pad) as a present for his/her birthday b. The teenager is given an allowance of 200 pesos per school day. c. The family is living on a budget, and is cutting its cost – the parents do not want to spend beyond the allowance of the teenager. d. There are possible part-time jobs available though there are no known detailed facts on them. TASK: Help the parents decide on the best solution to the situation/ what to do in the situation. 2. Developing Possible Alternatives: a. Buy Gadget – Buy the gadget immediately; since it is the birthday of their child; he/she will only be a child once in a lifetime, this will show that you really care about him/her. b. Reward System – Negotiation of a reward system for better grades or exam results. The exams results or better grades must be worth the reward. . Buy Gadget Substitute – Parents can by a substitute of the high-end gadget; which may look like the real thing or have the same functionality with the popular one but with a much lower price. d. Garage sale proceeds – The parent and teenager can agree to sell old items of the teenager via â€Å"Garage Sale† and the proceeds of the endeavor will be used to buy the gadget the teenager wants. e. Part-T ime Job – The teenager can opt to do a part-time job. It may take time to gather up the money needed to buy the gadget. f. Installment Payment of the Gadget – The parents can buy the gadget via â€Å"installment basis† and will cut-off the allowance for a significant amount which will be used to pay/help pay the monthly installment. g. Matching Savings (50/50 savings) – The parent will match the amount of savings per day of the teenager and will deposit the amount to the bank for safekeeping, while the teenager can have the passbook and have a joint signatory with his/her parent. h. Payment by Service – in-house part-time job of the teenager. . Don’t Buy The Gadget – Let the teenager understand that you are living on a budget, and he/she must do his/her part. Make him/her see that the gadget he/she wants to buy is unnecessary. 3. Evaluating the Possible Alternatives: a. Buy Gadget – â€Å"We’ll buy it! Happy birthday†¦ we love you! † i. Positive: The parents can make the teenager know that they care for him/her. ii. Negative: The gesture will just spoil the teenager; he/she will not know the value of money/the gadget bought. iii. Negative: The Family is on a budget; expenses should only be on very necessary items – the gadget is more of a luxury the family can’t afford in this day and age. b. Reward System – â€Å"Good Job! Here’s your Reward! † i. Positive: The teenager will give additional effort in his/her studies and other activities. ii. Positive: The teenager will value more the gadget, since he/she worked hard in studying or do well in other activities to get it. iii. Positive: The System will encourage good behavior and more productive activities. iv. Negative: What if there is no reward? The reward will be the motivation of the teenager and this will complicate relationships, especially when the parent can’t deliver the assumed reward. v. Negative: could foster an unhealthy reliance on adult opinion instead of forming their own because they are constantly looking for reaffirmation or approval via an adult mandated award system. c. Buy Gadget Substitute – â€Å"Here†¦ It has the same features, but it’s more practical†¦Ã¢â‚¬  i. Positive: If the Teenager can well understand the situation of the family-being on budget; he/she will appreciate that he/she was still bought a gadget of the similar functions. i. Positive: The teenager will know the value of money. iii. Positive: the teenager will learn to be content on simpler things. iv. Negative: since the teenager knows that the gadget is cheaper, he/she will not value/take care the gadget. v. Negative: the teenager may become disappointed that he/she is only given a substitute of the one he/she wants. d. Garage Sale Proceeds – â€Å"To buy what you want, you must sell what you don’t need. † i. Positive: The teenager will value the object, since he lost something he had in order to get it. i. Positive: The teenager’s skill in selling items will be exercised – he is practicing to be a new entrepreneur. iii. Positive: The teenager’s room will be more in order. iv. Negative: What if the teenager’s want is not moral/not good? – He/she will sell what he/she has just to get it. Even worse, he/she may sell all the items in your house. v. Negative: Sense of Sentimental value for things will not be recognized by the teenager. e. Part-time job – â€Å"If you really want it, you must work for it. † i. Positive: It gives the sense of independence to the teenager. ii. Positive: The teenager will learn the skills of Time Management. iii. Positive: The teenager will have his/her own source of income. iv. Positive: He/she will learn the value of money – he/she will learn that it is not easy to obtain/earn it. v. Negative: It will be hard for the teenager to focus on his/her studies. vi. Negative: he/she will be tempted to drop out of school, since he/she has already started to earn money. vii. Negative: He/she will be stressed in handling both schools and work. . Installment payment of Gadget – â€Å"You’ll pay for it over a period of time with part of your allowance. † i. Positive: You can put it in your budget. Instead of paying the full amount, you can pay for it over the period of time. ii. Positive: Some networks/Company offers bundles including their service (Post Paid plans of Networks) iii. Positive: The teenager will learn how to budget his finances . iv. Negative: The interest is high when you pay for an item in an installment basis. v. Negative: The teenager may learn of other ways to earn money (which may not be good) – to compensate for the cut in allowance. g. Matching savings – â€Å"I’ll match what you save, so we can buy it. † i. Positive: It gives a sense of partnership between the teenager and the parents. ii. Positive: It teaches the teenager the value of savings. iii. Negative: He/she will be more eager to save; he/she may sacrifice his/her basic needs just to buy the item. iv. Negative: He/she may not exert more effort to extra-curricular activities which could enhance his skills and knowledge. . Negative: Since the teenager is saving, He/she may not mingle more with friends who could hurt the development of his/her social skills. h. Payment by service – â€Å"I’ll buy it, but you’ll have to do this†¦. † i. Positive: The teenager will learn that you need to do something before you can have something. ii. Positive: The teenager will learn how to be patient. iii. Positive: Teenager will learn the basic household skills which are very important in the future. iv. Negative: The teenager will not do anything inside the house if not paid/rewarded of some kind. . Negative: There will be no sense of responsibility for the child – since he/she will do the household chores for a price. i. Don’t Buy The Gadget – â€Å"We don’t need it, we must buy only necessary things† i. Positive: If the teenager will understand that they are in a budget – he/she will learn the value of thriftiness and buying only the necessary things. ii. Positive: The Money will be used to buy more necessary items. iii. Negative: If the teenager will not understand – the teenager may be disappointed and could ruin their relationship 4. Recommendation of An alternative (or Make the Decision) My recommendation is more of a combination of different Alternatives stated above. First is having a conversation with the teenager, it is very necessary to make him understand the situation – the family is on a budget. Second, it is also essential that the teenager has a part in buying the gadget – he/she must have a contribution, preferably money he/she earned. Third, the deal must be designed in a way that establishes more trust between the parents and the teenager, as well as prepare for his/her future. My recommendation is the Matching Savings Alternative combined with Part-time alternative – this motivates the teenager, as well as teaches him to save and to budget his finances. Having the Matching savings alternative minimizes the pressure to the teenager in his work, while the Part-time alternative minimizes the pressure of saving and sacrificing the school day allowance. This combination establishes a partnership between them, as well as teaching the teenager the important mindset and skills he will need in the future. Also this kind of joint venture could work for any other project and/or for his future needs. . What is required for the Alternative (Implementation of the Decision) To implement the combination, you must help the teenager find a part-time job, one that does not conflict with his studies – weekends. You will also want to open an account with the bank; some banks have these kinds of accounts (ex. WISE account of RCBC)- Joint account, while giving the custody of the passbook to the teenager – as a sign of trust. 6. How to Monitor Solution/What are the possible effects of the Alternative (Monitor you solution): It is very important to monitor/tract the progress of the solution, especially for this combination. The monitoring control could either be the weekly or monthly deposit of the Matching savings alternative – check to see whether the money is already enough; this recurring activity could also serve as a bonding moment between the parents and the teenager which could deepen the relationship. It is also very essential that the parent will motivate the teenager from time to time especially with him/her having a part-time job – on the road to his/her independence.

The Decisions for Miller Lite Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 20

The Decisions for Miller Lite Brand - Essay Example It is observed that with the return of Miller Lite’s original white can design, the sales in the American market immediately increased. That compelled the MillerCoors to make the white cans permanent. The second reason behind the change to the original package is that MillersCoor’s share of the North American beer market has been declining. For instance, in 2005 it reduced from 7.9 percent to 6.2 percent (Wong, 2014). Third, the blue can design makes people think or feel that they are not buying the same old Miller Lite. For instance, it is depicted that diverse people insinuate that the beer tastes better because of the white can. A significant challenge is that light beers are often blue such as Bud Light, which is America’s best-selling beer. Therefore, it would portray wrong publicity that it does not have hence it was proper for the MillerCoor’s marketers to return to the original white can to set a distinction. The decision to back the white can design is justified. It is an economically wise decision to return the Miller’s original packaging. The main reason is to market the product. It is evident that the change of the beer cans from blue to white promoted the sales in America, as there were no more beers remaining on the shelves. The decision to change the packaging has enormously boosted the brand positively. The brand has gained momentum in the market as consumers now view it as taking quality and original beer. The white packaging makes it unique from other drinks hence making the brand to be popular. Besides, the brand has gained recognition and improved sales. In addition, the change of packaging to white design cans has made the brand marketable in tests with a panel of men of ages between 21 and 29. The decision to change the packaging was actually expected as a measure to boost the sales. It is evident that Miller Lite’s blue can design has been in the beer aisles from 2001 with low sales. Therefore, there was a need for a solution to boost the market hence the decision to change the packaging was expected.

Global Business in Emerging Regions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Global Business in Emerging Regions - Coursework Example China’s economy is worth $17.6 billion which is slightly higher than America’s economy that is worth $17.4 billion. The USA held the top position in world economy for more than 140 years since 1872 when it overtook Europe to become the largest economy. However china has recently overtaken the US economy (Carter, 2014). Although there are doubts about this no, there is no denial of the fact that China has experienced the fastest growth in economy and is likely to remain at very good economic condition for several years to follow. There was a time when China’s goods meant to be associated with cheaply made goods and of poor quality. Things have however started to change with the passage of time. As times have changed, there has been strengthening of the economic base and companies from around the world have started opening their manufacturing base in the country. One of the reasons for so many companies globally to manufacture their goods and products in china is b ecause of the availability of cheap labour and a large consumer base. Through its international trade China has accumulated $1.9 trillion in foreign currencies. The nine key industries are autos, steel making, electrolytic aluminium, rare earth, IT, cement and ship building (Jianfeng, 2013). The issue with China’s heavy industries is that it is plagued by over capacity. The business environment in China is shaped and shrouded in mystery. However consumers behave pretty much the same everywhere and the competition is also similar from one country to another. To understand the Chinese market one needs to understand the big trends that are shaping the Chinese market. These trends are like the big tectonic plates under the earth’s surface. If one begins to understand and appreciate these trends then the within the chaotic scenario that exists on the top actual picture can be deciphered. These trends play a major role as

Shia Political Islam and Its Sunni Counterpart Essay

Shia Political Islam and Its Sunni Counterpart - Essay Example On the one hand, throughout the history writers of Shia and Sunni revealed different approaches to reading Quran and understanding what exactly a good society is. Even though both sects agree on three fundamental Islamic principles (monotheism, Day of Judgement, and parenthood), they use these prerequisites differently in explaining ordinary events that appeared after Mohammed’s life (Ameli and Malaei 32). As Ja’fari explains the term ‘Shi’a’, the essence of it refers to â€Å"followers, party, group, associates, partisans, or in rather looser sense, ‘supporters’† (6). In this situation, the word ‘mawla’ the Shia understand as leader and patron. Hence, the Shia believe that Imam Ali is a successor of Muhammed they should worship as an authority (Ameli and Malaei 23). On the contrary, the definition of ‘Sunna’ refers to nobility and high moral qualities (Ja’fari 9). For them, ‘mawla’ is a friend, or the nearest kin (Ja’fari 23). Thus, they think Muslims had selected the leader after Muhammed, Abu-Bakr, among themselves, which underlines his equal status with other Muslims. This preposition leads to higher level of tolerance and acknowledgement. For example, Sunni commentators of religious texts tend to include the wives of Prophet while referring to his relatives. In fact, this different attention to the details signalizes of different degree of patriarchy within families.In this situation, such generally unequal understanding of the balance of power should lead to contradiction between two branches.

Introduction to Chinese Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to Chinese Culture - Research Paper Example Guthrie attributes China’s economic development to three key policies that have been monumental in ensuring China engages in the global economy through both internal and external operations as explained in the exposition of the policies in the proceeding sections of the paper. According to Guthrie, the export-oriented coastal development strategy enabled China became the third largest trading economy in 2004 with trade totals of $ 1.16 trillion (Guthrie, 2009). The policy also has been monumental in allowing for increased foreign direct investment (FDI) and liberalization of the internal markets allowing for access to new technology and understanding of management practices from developed countries. The creation of an export strategy was done by making the construction of new national and international institutions The Chinese government created special economic zones including Pudong, Zhongguancun, and Shenzhen allowing both international and domestic firms to access tax incentives among other benefits for specific types of investment in China. The special economic zones were established in 1980 in Fujian, and Guangdong provinces allowing for augmented FDI and expand foreign trade under the leadership of Zhao Ziyang (Guthrie, 2009). The coastal development strategy allowed for autonomy in the export trade by the coastal regions areas including Fujian, Guangdong, Guanxi, Hainan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shandong, Beijing, and Shanghai. The policy also allowed China to solve unemployment of rural surplus labor and provided income for industrial enterprises. The success of the coastal development strategy is evidenced by the growth of China’s export economy by 27% between 1988 and 2005 with 26% growth in imported goods.  

Analysis of Beyonce's music video Run the World Essay

Analysis of Beyonce's music video Run the World - Essay Example From the structural lines that comprises the song, it is true that most of the women according to Beyonce are infringed and are not empowered hence the purpose of the song- to empower the woman in the society such that they are not regarded as second class citizens in the society setting. Formalist Analyses of the Song Beyonce song can be subjected to formalist analyses where there are critical approaches that are used for the purposes of analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of the features inherent to the song. Several features are thus considered in the formalist analyses of the song, which not only includes grammar and syntax but also extends to encompass the use of literal devices as tropes and meter. In the ‘Run the World’ song by Beyonce, there has been little attention given to the grammar part of English presumably because some of the words and language used are a cliche with acquired meaning from English that will make it possible for the audience to constru e that meaning of the song without making them lose connectivity with the song. There are also uses of syntaxes where there are unique language arrangements (Altman 9). The composers of the song must have based the message delivery on how the words are arranged. The song has also used quite a number of literal devices to enhance message delivery and to bring the aesthetic value into the song. In this regard, several of such literal devices such as tropes, meter, symbolism, and simile have been used in the song to enhance the development of the song’s plot. Given the title of the song, it had to use those several literal devices in order to deliver the message most appropriately given that it is about appealing and agitating for... This "Analysis of Beyonce's music video "Run the World"" essay outlines this music video from different points of view. This song can be subjected to formalist analyses where there are critical approaches that are used for the purposes of analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of the features inherent to the song. Several features are thus considered in the formalist analyses of the song, which not only includes grammar and syntax but also extends to encompass the use of literal devices as tropes and meter. In the ‘Run the World’ song by Beyonce, there has been little attention given to the grammar part of English presumably because some of the words and language used are a clichà © with acquired meaning from English that will make it possible for the audience to construe that meaning of the song without making them lose connectivity with the song. There are also uses of syntaxes where there are unique language arrangements (Altman 9). The composers of the song must h ave based the message delivery on how the words are arranged. The song has aused quite a number of literal devices to enhance message delivery and to bring the aesthetic value into the song. Several of such literal devices such as tropes, meter, symbolism, and simile have been used in the song to enhance the development of the song’s plot. Given the title of the song, it had to use those several literal devices in order to deliver the message most appropriately given that it is about appealing and agitating for empowerment of the women in the society (Zoonen 2).

Paraphrasing an Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paraphrasing an Introduction - Essay Example Before printing technology was invented, authors used to write their manuscripts manually. It is straightforward that it involved a lot of time and money to handwrite books and other materials. As such, the role of printing technology is obvious: spread of knowledge and literature to the whole world. This is as a result number of books increased number of books and other educational materials. Apart from advancing the field of knowledge and information, printing has also lead to conveyance of religious thoughts, magazines, and other domain areas. In Qatar, for example, there is a large numerous leading printing companies that are established primarily to provide high quality goods and services to the customer. In addition, these companies are instrumental in manufacturing high quality goods and offering good terms of sale that include prices and expeditious delivery. These companies have developed a culture of healthy competition and hence growth. As it has been aforementioned, printing technology has provided a comparative backbone to communication. It is estimated that apart from spoken word, written communication tops the list of the most used mode of communication. As such, Industrial and System Engineering require to lay a lot of emphasis in ensuring that written communication has its rightful place in the society. Apart from many positive impacts that the printing has caused to our societies, there are a few shortcoming of printing that require to be addressed. Most important is that Printing press setups generate waste. In this case, they pollute our environment and as such, they infringe the economics and safety principles in our society. In addition, the printing industry has been accused of violating the principles of work method and process flow management as processes are taking place with several non-value adding activities and without ensuring that the welfare workers is taken care of. To correct the above-mentioned shortcomings, the

Comments and response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Comments and response - Essay Example The art of apologizing solves a number of conflicts that can arise from an unintended statement and portrays your respect to other people, which helps things get back to normal. I agree with how challenging it is asking an individual who is always late to keep time. However, apart from taking precaution you take when you are asking the individual to be in time, what makes you that it is challenging in the situation regardless whether the victim violates the schedule or not? Rose I appreciate your priority in other people feelings that have led you to an easy perception of the apologizing scenario. On the other hand, you find it very hard to say no to an individual offering to assist in a project, which I also have, a similar insight. Consequently, how would you reject an offer from someone offering help to your project? That is a very commendable question. The most innocuous way I would ask someone to keep time is by putting myself in his shoes, and then I remark the issue from the positive side of being in time. For example, I would ask you, â€Å"Hi Alicia, yesterday I was also late, and I actually missed a number of important ideas. Tomorrow I will make sure I arrive early and hope you can also try and be on time so that we can gain the best from the beginning†. You are right that the scenario of asking someone to be on time can result to aggressiveness from the victim. Effective Consultations with administration and the victim will definitely be an appropriate strategy to handle the

Marijuana as a Social Problem Essay Example for Free

Marijuana as a Social Problem Essay Introduction Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuanas effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. The potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. Marijuana inherits its name from Mexico, although it has a past steeped with global tradition. Long before its U.S. debut, marijuana was widely used, and popular among, some of the world’s earliest civilizations. History documents show that the fiber-rich cannabis plant was used to produce rope and woven fabrics around 7000 B.C. in Central and South Asia. Additionally, it was referenced in Chinese manuscripts dating back to 2700 B.C. and ancient Indian scriptures have attributed medicinal properties to it. After being used by half of the world for nearly 8,000 years, marijuana traditionally reached North America with Christopher Columbus in 1492 A.D. Initially, cannabis was only used to make industrial goods; its recreational use in America didn’t become popular until the early 20th century. It wasn’t until then that the misunderstandings about cannabis truly began to popup. The recreational use of marijuana soon became considered as harmful as cocaine or heroin. However, it has never led to a single case of human death from overdose in its entire history. This is a sharp contrast to the heavy mortality rate of its supposed counterparts. Nonetheless, the use and cultivation of the cannabis plant was made illegal at the hands of many capable antidrug advocates. Domestic production of the marijuana plant was encouraged in various parts of America during the 17th century. The cannabis sativa plant, whose dried flower extracts can form potent recreational marijuana, was in great demand because of its long fibers which could be used for the production of clothing, ropes, and sails. In fact, The Assembly of Jamestown Colony, Virginia, passed legislation in 1619 making it compulsory for every farmer to grow the Indian hempseed – ironically America’s first marijuana law. Other colonial states like Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania allowed hemp to be exchanged as legal tender and could even be used to pay taxes. The plant was an essential requirement during war times and farmers would be jailed if they were not able to produce enough hemp. Men who Americans hold in great reverence grew and encouraged the growth of hemp. George Washington grew hemp as his primary crop in the late 18th century for fiber production at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson grew the plant as a secondary crop at Monticello and urged farmers to grow hemp in place of tobacco due to its many useful qualities. Even Benjamin Franklin used cannabis as the raw material to start one of America’s pioneering paper mills. By the mid-19th century, marijuana’s medicinal properties were recognized in North America and it was used as a popular ingredient in many medicinal products. The United States Pharmacopeia had marijuana on its list of pharmaceuticals from 1850 until 1942, and many companies like Brothers Smith, Eli Lilly, Parke-Davis, and Tildens produced a cannabis extract, which Sir William Osler, â€Å"the father of modern medicine,† pronounced as the best treatment for migraines. Marijuana was prescribed for various pain-relieving and mood-altering conditions such as nausea, labor pains, and rheumatism. A score of medical papers were published in this era flaunting the curing abilities of cannabis, and even the personal physician of Queen Victoria, Sir John Russell Reynolds, announced cannabis as having amazing powers to treat painful maladies. It was sold openly and was easily available in public pharmacies. However, during this time, marijuana was also starting to be used more often as an intoxicant. The recreational use of marijuana started on a small scale in the late 19th century in the northeastern United States with the opening of many Turkish smoking parlors. It was also during this time that about two to five percent of America’s population had unknowingly become addicted to morphine as most over-the-counter medicines contained levels of the substance. Among the addicts were soldiers, businessmen, housewives, and children. In response, the American government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 and formed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in part to help counter and control the addiction situation. The law, though not targeting marijuana specifically, also required cannabis -based medications to have its contents mentioned on the label. TThe Spanish-American War, and the subsequent Mexican revolution of 1910, also influenced the marijuana scene in America. During the post-revolution years there was a great influx of Mexican-Americans who mostly found work on large farms in American fields. These immigrants cultivated marijuana, which they brought with them from Mexico, and indulged in its smoking for recreational purposes. Strong prejudice against the immigrants caused many to view the plant as an addictive and violence-inducing drug that created criminals, murderers, and delinquents. Not until the 1930’s, when the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and its director, Harry J. Anslinger, began drafting a bill to tax marijuana did an all out smear campaign begin, which eventually led to its national ban. State regulation of cannabis started in Massachusetts in 1911 and in New York and Maine by 1914. California passed the first state marijuana prohibition law in 1913, outlawing the preparations of hemp or â€Å"locoweed,† which was more a prejudiced controlling measure over the Mexican immigrant population than a controlling measure over the marijuana itself. More states came up with laws that banned marijuana, including Wyoming in 1915, Texas in 1919, and Nebraska in 1927. The states of Iowa, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Arkansas took this step in 1923. Marijuana was prohibited by 29 states by 1931 due largely to the poor socio-economic conditions during The Great Depression. With unemployment at its peak, many American’s found they competing against Mexican immigrants for jobs in the fields. Consequently, Mexican workers and their associated drug marijuana became easy targets for attack. By this time, marijuana’s misleading reputation began to overshadow its historic medicinal and industrial applications.

Examining Property Management Information Systems Information Technology Essay

Examining Property Management Information Systems Information Technology Essay To investigation how a Hotel or Property Management Information System will help the Palma Rima hotel on their day to day running of the hotel. To identify the impacts of a Hotel/Property Management Information System. To identify how convenient it would be for the customers of the Palma Rima hotel if a Hotel/Property Management Information System is introduced. 1.3 Rational As we are in the 21st century, the researcher has been inspired to carry a research on the effectiveness of a Hotel/Property Management Information System, if introduced at the Palma Rima hotel The Gambia which does not have one, but still using the traditional way of taking reservation, checking in and out of guest, taking payment, marketing of the hotel etc. 1.4 Structure of Report The report will first introduce the Palm Rima hotels, methodology used to carry out the research, a literature review on Hotel/Property Management Information System (MIS) and will then analyse the data using relevant methods and interpret the findings presenting the report using methods and style appropriate to the audience. 2.1 Research Approach In designing a research case study, there is the need to determine the research approach to be adopted. Theories are part of a research process and the ability to develop such theories and their testing will only be possible after a research approach is determined. In an inductive research approach, theory will follow data. In this case study, the research will use an inductive approach so as to gain an understanding of Introducing a Hotel or Property Management Information System (MIS) at the Palma Rima Hotel in The Gambia. Inductive research approach as noted by Saunders et al (2007) is more than just making a cause-effect link between particular variables but also enables the understanding of the way in which humans interpret their social world. Since the research using inductive approach is likely to be particularly concerned with the context in which events occur (Saunders et al, 2007), this research will therefore look at the effectiveness of a hotel or property management info rmation system for the Palma Rima Hotel. The five points below summaries inductive research emphasis as noted in Saunders et al (2007): a close understanding of the research context collection of qualitative and quantitative data a more flexible structure to permit changes of research emphasis as the research progress a realization that the researcher was part of the research process Concern with the need to generalize This research case study will use the above mentioned stages to arrive at a conclusion of how effective it will be to introducing a Hotel or Property Management Information System (MIS) at the Palma Rima Hotel in The Gambia. The fact that concepts in this research case study are operationalised made it easier to use an inductive approach 2.2 Data Collection Methods Data collection is a time consuming process and also require enormous amount of tolerance. However, in this research case study, one method is employed to collect data and that was telephone interviews and was the only methods to be used to gather primary data. The researcher bought two international cards costing Five Pounds each to interview the front office manager at the Palma Rima hotel. 2.3 Research Methodologies Each methodology represents a different approach to evaluation. The fact that there are so many approaches in common no single methodology is the best. Which one will be most appropriate depends on the type of questions framed. Seale, J. K. (2003) 2.4 Primary Research Primary research is any type of research that you go out and collect first hand data. The researcher collected primary data through participant, observation, interviews and surveys. Driscoll, L.D. (2006) 2.5 Secondary Research Secondary research occurs when a project requires a summary or collection of existing data. As opposed to data collected directly from respondents or research subjects for the express purposes of a project, (often called primary research), secondary sources already exists i.e. The researchers will used previous research reports from tourism academic books and journals. 2.6 Qualitative Method   It is a research that consists of interviews, observations and questionnaires. The researcher found this method flexible to perform data collection subsequent analysis and interpretation of collected information. 2.7 Method of analysis The researcher will use interviews to have knowledge of how useful it will be to PalmaRima hotel to introduce a Hotel/property Management System (MIS) 2.8 Reliability and Validity The physical telephone interview has significantly increased the response to this research. The front office manager was asked to give his candid opinion about a Hotel or Property Management Information System (MIS). However, the questions asked were guided as such to avoid falsification and exaggeration of the fact that the Palma Rima hotel does not have a Hotel or Property Management Information System hence the methodology has clearly achieved a degree of reliability and validity. 3 Introductions The use of information technology in the hospitality industry has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. This journey has not always been smooth, but it has become clear that information technology is now a critical competitive weapon in the industry. Brotherton B (2003:110). Information technology was first used in the hospitality industry in the 1950s, when multinational hotel chains began experimenting with the developing field of computer science. As in most other industries, the majority of initials applications focused on accounting and automating repetitive and time consuming tasks. Software was borrowed from other industries on the assumption that it could be easily adapted for use of hospitality companies. However, such conversions were usually only partially successful and a large number of changes to business processes and procedures were often needed to accommodate the requirements of the computerized system. Moreover, the expense and technicality involved in both dev eloping and running systems made the use of computerization economical only for the largest companies. (OConnor, 1999). Tourism is a very information intensive activity. In few other areas of activity are the generation, gathering, processing, application and communication of information as important for day-today operations as they are for travel and tourism industry (Poon, 1993). Unlike durable goods, intangible and variable tourism services cannot be physically displayed or inspected at the point of sale before purchasing, as tourism services are normally bought before the time of their use and away from the place of consumption. Tourism products are therefore almost exclusive dependent upon representations and descriptions, i.e. information in print or audio-visual formats. Often these representations are made by friends and relatives, as well as the travel trade, rather than tourism principals or destinations authorities. Communications and information transmission tools are th erefore indispensable to the global marketing of the tourism industry. (Sheldon, 1997). 3.1 Brief Background of PalmaRima Hotel in The Gambia Palma Rima hotel is a 3 star hotel in The Gambia and was opened to guest in 1989 on an undeveloped part of the coastline, between the Senegambia and kotu resorts, and 340 metres to kololi beach. The initial accommodation of larger than average sized bungalows of 23 which were dotted among the palms and trees, each of 4 double/triple rooms with shower and bath, colonnaded veranda and fan or a/c unit (supplemented). These units are now accompanied by a bathing area tenement block comprises of 3 floors. Of its 60 rooms half overlook the sandy through road used cattle and locals alike and the other half overlook the lopsided cloverleaf shaped swimming pool. The pool itself is among the largest in the country and is surely among the most beautiful and equipped there are spacious sundecks with parasols, giant chess, a banana shaped childrens swimming pool area; a blue and mustard Andalucà ­a Bar; a late rite fountain; a raised bar; an entertainment section and wooden African statues. From the moon light night club, stone sided watercourses crossed 3 min-bridges enter the bird garden. 4 Literature Review 4.1 Management Information System (MIS) The principle aim of this system was to increase management effectiveness and efficiency by satisfying organisational information requirements. It commence in the 1970s and it used local data processing linked to information resources to support decision making, information system were used primarily to address the needs of internal management and co-ordination. Emphasis was also given to administration and clerical functions, as purely accounting or inventory management, while delivering added value to customers was a lower priority (Strassman, 1995; Gamble, 1994a). The strategic information system (SIS) used by hotels was to improve competitiveness by changing the nature or conduct of business; integrated ICT networks were used to achieve organisational strategic objectives, to enhance performance, and to co-ordinate activities across functional and business units line as well as to support interaction with external entities, in pursuit of competitive advantage. Personal computers enable managers to manipulate data and create their own managerial reports, statistics and follow up mechanisms by using standard and fairly user friendly spreadsheets and statistical packages. It also helps them to forecast, budget and plan, using past data and simulate models, enhancing their ability to undertake strategic decisions. (Robson, 1997; Peppard, 1993; Mc Gee and Thomas, 1988; Earl, 1988, Jackson, 1989; Wiseman; 1985) The introductions of the internet, intranet and the extranet have revolutionarized communication in the global hotel industry and enable multilevel integration and effective collaboration. It also supported both centralized and distributed computing to maximize the performances of available resources. However, this system is gradually altering the competitiveness of the hotels in the global market place and reducing the significance of location and size in the product delivery process. ICTs are used as indispensable tools for almost all business functions from production to market as it facilitate: Quick communication, Reliable and timely information transfer and retrieval, Integration of the different divisions within the organisation, Flexibility of product specifications, Sharing of information; and Achieving of common objectives. ICT offers the opportunity to target the market segment of one, i.e. each individual customer. This is only possible because ICTs support flexible and responsive value-added chains and allow consumers to repackage products through endless combinations. On the hand, ICT becomes instrumental for cost management in the industry and particularly for distribution and promotion costs. Organizations around the world have reduced their costs by reducing commission to intermediaries, by trading directly from their web page, or by paying lower distribution fees to electronic intermediaries, or by cutting commission levels and fees. In addition, redesigning processes and eliminating repetitive tasks reduced costs and increase efficiency. (Buhalis, 1998). Perhaps more importantly for tourism, ICTs support the newly important element in generating competitive advantage, i.e. time. The later not only assists organizations to share information internally and with partners, and thus maximizes their efficiency, but also allows consumers to interact constantly with tourism suppliers. Consumers can undertake entire transactions from their office or home suing the internet, on a 24- hour, 365-days a year basis. Instant confirmation and purchasing means that consumers can also maximize their own efficiency and as a result appreciate the competitive advantage of organizations based on time. Increasingly, consumers will be able to interact through mobile devices and interactive digital television, developing their capabilities further as they will be able to be connected instantly through simpler equipment and interface without having to log on to their computer. (Puhretmair et al, 2001; Zipf and Malaka, 2001) 4.2 Fidelios OPERA Hotel Property Management System Fidelio was found in 1987 in Munich and emerged as one of the leading and most innovative international system integrator for the hospitality industries. Changing the way hotels computerize and operate its software is adaptable to changing business requirements and integrates both the ongoing technological developments of industry standard computer and software systems and the organizational change experienced. Fidelio allows hotels and chains of any size and type, restaurants, cruise ships and catering and conference operators to computerize their operations and to integrate major industry software products through analysing individual requirements and appreciating their uniqueness. The latest Fidelio product is the OPERA Enterprise solution. The OPERA Enterprise solution is fully integrated suite of products consisting of modules that can be easily added or expanded allowing effective and easy deployment from smaller operators to global, multi-brand hotel chain environments. OPERA can be deployed in any size environment from a single property with just Front Office to a large, full service hotel with Sales Marketing, Catering, Revenue Management, Quality Management, BackOffice, and Material Management. In addition, OPERA Enterprise Solution offers products for a hotel chains corporate office that includes a central reservations system (CRM) for both centralized guestroom and function space sales, and an enterprise information system, the customer relationship management (CRM) specially designed for the hotel industry. The system is also design for the use of hotel bedroom key cards replacing the traditional keys for the guest bed rooms. The system is programmed to instantly cut a key for a guest on arrival and can be cancelled if lost as soon as possible. The key cards are designed in way that some hotels are using the same card to insert on the lift to operate, which an additional security for the hotels, because without a key card one cannot go up in the r ooms. The additional security is who ever last open the room can be traced if there is any problem. However it has its own problems, because it is so light in weight that guests always lost it. The OPERA Property Management System (PMU) is designed to scale according to the requirement of any size hotel or hotel chain. The OPERA Back Office is a powerful financial software suit that provides hotels with a fully integrated, flexible financial and eBusiness solution. The OPERA Reservation System (ORS) manages the hotel inventory efficiently as it is integrated with the OPERA Property Management System and OPERA Sales and Catering system. The system emulates traditional CRS functionality. While at the same time integrating the bold new technologies shared in the OPERA Enterprise Solution. Including system access via web client or any Java enabled browser. With the power of the internet, ORS is easily deployable and globally accessible. The OPERA Revenue Management provides both property based and centralized yield management and is interfaced with the OPERA Sales and catering System to analyse the value of particular group business and maximize revenue. This system registers a ny consumptions made by guest from the mini bars in the rooms and will automatically add to the guest bill. The same goes for the restaurant as well, the restaurant staff will make put all bills through the system and a charge will be made to the guest main bill. The Customer information system collects and manages guest, travel agents, source group and company profile information from designated hotel properties in a centralized database. Guest stays with detailed revenue information are also collected. The system includes a whole range of interrelated modules, including, Opera Property Management System Opera Sales Catering Opera Back Office Opera Revenue Management System Opera Central Reservations System Central Reservation System (plus web engine) Opera Quality Management System Opera Materials Management System Opera Palm Customer Information system Enterprise Information System All of these are interrelated and interconnected, enabling hotels to use the system internally, (Intranet), externally with partners (extranet) and as a window on the world (internet). Buhalis D, (2002: 19). However, these few points are to be remembered when a hotel is operating using the OPERA system as system can fail at any time. Local backups need to be made by local staff and stored offsite. Web based and local based inventory need to synchronize regularly Local hardware to be maintained including UPS and air conditioning 4.3 Distribution of Information The industrys use of technology has moved beyond one of merely controlling operations towards a more strategic role. However, a variety of challenges still remain if the industry is to maximize the benefits it can potentially gain. The greatest lies in the effective use of the data collected during the day to day operations. Customer relations management (CRM), is a strategic orientation of offering individual services to guests based on their relationship with the hotel, is widely regarded as the managerial tool to achieve this kind of differentiation. Almost since the beginnings of the industry, luxury hotels have maintained comprehensive records of the preference and spending habits of their of their most frequent guests, known as history systems, such information systems were originally maintained on manually updated paper index cards and use to provide the exceptional personalized service for which such hotels were famous. (OConnor, 1999). The growth in the use of hotel computerized systems means that most of the guests transactions are now being recorded in electronic format. Developments in communications means that such data can be collected and consolidated, allowing a central database to be updated automatically as guest transaction occur. As a result, instead of just storing the guests name, c ontact details and basic information on their aggregate spending to date, there is an increasing trend towards full-folio storage, where details of each individual transaction are added to the central data warehouse for subsequent analysis. This potentially allows an accurate, in-depth picture to be built up of each guests likes and dislikes, which could subsequently be used to provide a more personalized service. This could be done across multiple units, increasing the consistency of service and the value of the brand. The database can also be analysed for patterns, both at the individual guest and aggregate levels- a process often referred to as data mining (IBM, 2001). For the individual guests. This should result in more closely customized offers than perhaps actually interest them instead of the usual mass market junk mail. Taking such a one to one marketing approach is acknowledge bringing benefits in term of lower costs and increasing customer loyalty. Hotel companies such as Starwood, Bass and Hilton are leading examples of the successful use of such database marketing techniques. Each uses analysis of their corporate database to improve the targeting of marketing and sales efforts, resulting in increased response rates and reduction in the costs of direct marketing (OConnor, 2001b). 4.4 Supply Chain Management A review of various trade journals suggests that electronic commerce (e-commerce) required a new business model that allows lodging companies to proactively gather the necessary intelligence for understanding customers expectations in real time. By combining these two objectives, a hotel company can gain a powerful position and differentiate its lodging service from those offered by market competitors. Such an approach can be accomplished by implementing technologies to the supply chain by integrating front end applications such as customer relationship management with back office activities such as e-procurement (Turban et al, 2002, p.656). A complete e-commerce model for SCM combines both the front end and the back end systems as shown in Fig. 1. E-commerce offer enormous business opportunities to increase revenue while reducing operating costs. The complimentary between e-commerce and SCM also has been supported by many scholars (Corsi and Boyson, 2003; Frohlich and Westbrooke, 20 01; Gurau et al., 2001; Lancioni et al., 2003; Skjott-larsen et al, 2003). However, studies in the tourism and hospitality industry have primarily focus on customer perspective (Heung, 2003). Front-end applications of e-commerce have been widely used in the lodging industry but not much has been explored on the back-end system or the operation side. SCM has been defined by (Cooper, 2000 Lambert et al., 1998) as the integration of key business processes from the end user through original suppliers that provides products, services and information that add value for customers and stakeholders. (Lambert and Cooper, 2000, p.66). For the lodging industry, the SCM concept or philosophy has been practiced to certain extend. The Aberdeen group (2000) characterized the US hotel sector as a highly fragmented industry, representing more than 50,000 hotel properties that purchased from more than 10,000 suppliers. With such fragmentized network vulnerable to the inefficient control of purchasing procedures, the lodging industry is facing significant challenges for managing procurement practices. To take on these challenges, the first step is to understand the core of SCM in the context of the lodging business. 4.5 The Procurement Process Another that has attracted much attention, due to its potential for creating efficiency gains, is that of procurement. Here focus on IT that enables external integration with partners in the value chain, rather than narrowly focusing on automated internal operations. Traditionally the hospitality sector has had an inefficient purchasing process. Multiple units, fragmented supply chains and inefficient business processes all adversely affected the purchasing process by creating inefficiencies and increasing costs. In general, unit level staff managed procurement, and there was a high frequency of low value orders to multiple suppliers, which resulted in high administrative costs. Even where contracts existed for specific products, the unpredictability of hospitality operations meant that Maverick purchases from unapproved vendors were, and still are, common, further increasing costs. Using technology to facilitate the purchasing process over-comes many of this problems while potential ly creating some others. By digitalizing the processes involved in purchasing, great efficiencies can be achieved when sourcing, specifying, ordering, tracking deliveries of and paying for, purchases. In effect e-procurement involves electronically managing the entire purchasing process from product identification through requisition to payment. The process requires extensive and accurate performance data. Not only will an e-procurement solution help to capture aggregate purchases by purchased product codes, but will also help to chronicle the derails in a suppliers performance record including delivery and quality level performance. 4.6 Communicating Information All telecommunications (telephone, telex and fax) have been used extensively throughout the tourism industry worldwide. Although telephone conversation is a personal and direct way of communication, linguistic problems, time zone differences and its prohibitive cost limit its international usage. Telex for years the most prominent communication method and has contributed greatly to communications in the tourism industry. As transmits text reliable and inexpensively without requiring the simultaneous availability of sender and receiver, it has been extensively used especially in regions with inadequate telephone networks. However as computer communications and faxes prevail, the telex is limited to communication with developing world countries with unreliable telecommunications infrastructures and it is gradually being transformed into a computer based system using a different communication network. The commercial introduction of the telefax in the 1980s allowed the transmission of im ages over phone lines and enhances the efficiency of tourism operations significantly. Although its operational is the same as transmission of readily available documents and graphics. Fax technology does not require technical skills or the simultaneous presents of sender and receiver, and therefore has penetrated the tourism market place very efficiently (Beckman, 2001). In the pre-internet era, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) used computer net-work to enable computer file interchange of standard transaction documents such as invoices bills or purchase orders between organizations. EDI transmits structured transactions with distinct fields, such as transaction data, amount, sender and recipients name. These assist organizations in exchanging information, order and invoices without human involvement. In tourism, for example, this can be used for travel agencies to transfer bookings to a tour operators suppliers. Invoices can be directed backwards and payment receipts can be generated automatically by the system. EDI therefore enhances communication efficiently and reduces labour transaction costs and encourages firms to continue doing business with their partners. Although EDI is still used for large amount of transactions mainly between large organizations, transactions and interchanges on the internet have replaced EDI with extranets and have also enable smaller players to take advantage of the efficiency that networking provides. (Laudon and Laudon, 2002; Reynolds, 1992) 5 Findings and Analyses This chapter will give the synopsis of the data collected from the interviews and later give discussions in relation to the research questions 5.1 Management Information System (MIS) Because the PalmaRima hotel does not have the Property Management System the hotel lacks a local data processing linked to information resources to support decision making, information systems are used primarily to address the needs of internal management and co-ordination. As there is no computer at the reception it makes it difficult for the front office manager to manipulate data and create his own managerial reports, statistics and follow up mechanisms by using standard and fairly user friendly spreadsheets and statistical packages. 5.2 Fidelios OPERA Hotel Property Management System In response to this point, it is noted from the data collected that all reservations, checking in and out guest, Marketing, Catering, Revenue Management, Quality Management, BackOffice, Material Management are all done manually. 5.3 Distribution of Information The growth in the use of hotel computerized systems means that most of the guests transactions are now being recorded in electronic format. Developments in communications means that such data can be collected and consolidated, allowing a central database to be updated automatically as guest transaction occur. This is not happening in the case of the PalmaRima hotel, which makes it very difficult for the front office to get their repeat guest profiles. 5.4 Supply Chain Management Based on the research the PalmaRima hotel cannot implement technologies to the supply chain by integrating front end applications such as customer relationship management with back office activities such as e-procurement. The Aberdeen group (2000) characterized the US hotel sector as a highly fragmented industry, representing more than 50,000 hotel properties that purchased from more than 10,000 suppliers. With such fragmentized network vulnerable to the inefficient control of purchasing procedures, the PalmaRima hotel is facing significant challenges for managing procurement practices. To take on these challenges, the hotel first step is to understand the core of SCM in the context of the lodging business. 5.6 The Procurement Process Using technology to facilitate the purchasing process over-comes many of this problems while potentially creating some others. By digitalizing the processes involved in purchasing, great efficiencies can be achieved when sourcing, specifying, ordering, tracking deliveries of and paying for, purchases. Not only will an e-procurement solution help to capture aggregate purchases by purchased product codes, but will also help to chronicle the derails in a suppliers performance record including delivery and quality level performance for the Palma Rima hotel 5.7 Communicating Information Computer communications and faxes prevail, the telex is limited to communication with developing world countries with unreliable telecommunications infrastructures and it is gradually being transformed into a computer based system using a different communication network. (Beckman, 2001). Based on research the PalmaRima hotel communicates internally by forms only but by introducing the MIS they will benefit by using the intranet to communicate internally and would be a great help to communicate externally by extranet especially to suppliers. 6 Conclusions In other for the hotels to strengthen the organisations business initiatives and maximise profit, they need to overcome the obstacles presented its legacy technology system. In the case of PalmaRima hotel they realised that their manual reservation system becoming more and more ineffective, primarily resulting in loss of financial controls and staff productivity. As a result, the way we live and work in most societies around the globe has been significantly altered. Automated industrial production has enabled a greater total output as well as better planning and quality control. Over the last few decades, the progress in information technology has revolutionalized both the global economy and enterprises. The development and application of computerised systems has accelerated rapidly and enabled their use in a wider range of functions and activities. Technological developments have also introduced a wide range of new tools for the strategic and operational management of organisations. Increasingly technological convergence integrates software, hardware and net ware and supports inter-operability and interconnectivity. In addition, the integration of the internet, extranet and intranets enables organisations to interact dynamically with different actors and stakeholder. The PalmaRima hotel can enhance their performance by empowering their strategic marketing and management efforts through supporting their functions with advanced ICTs. This will enable them to improve their networking and ultimately to improve their virtuality. Technological change alters jobs, creates new skills, makes occupations obsolete, and revises what employees need to learn and be trained to do. Sometimes, new technologies require new job designs. Technology can also be used for recruiting, training and maintaining database for employees. E-recruitment is b eing used by a lot more companies now, sinc

Sustainable Development Can Reduce Global Warming Essay -- Climate Cha

"Global warming is too serious for the world any longer to ignore its danger or split into opposing factions on it." -- Tony Blair, speech, Sept. 27, 2005 According to the latest scientific data there is a direct human influence on the climate system. An upward trend in global temperatures can be clearly seen over the last three decades. The effects of this human induced climate destabilization can be seen in the present and are projected to worsen over time, regardless of the level of carbon emitted into the future. This does not mean that global and regional systems should not be overhauled to reduce carbon emissions. A rapid decrease in emissions is necessary to avert further warming of the planet and changes in the climate system. As the various effects of the shifting climate are being seen now, it can be clear that a level of dangerous climate change has been reached, although not threatening on a global scale. In order to ensure the perpetuity of our species in conditions that are not life threatening, a new development pattern must be adopted. The old way, some may say the â€Å"dirty way,† is no longer feasible. No long er may we dig up energy reserves that were sequestered over millions of years and burn them in a matter of hours. This is not as sustainable as once was thought. The planet is telling us that we must radically shift the way we build, develop, live, connect, move, eat, recreate, etc. Sustainable development is a young notion, but a powerful one. Around it, is a conversation that attempts to unite every person on the planet in the hopes that we all might work together to further our species. Climate change fits into this conversation very well. Results of unsustainable development, the effects of climate ... ...† UN News Center. Web. 2 Nov. 2014. â€Å"Can Renewable Electricity Reduce Poverty? – Institute of Development Studies.† 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 2 Nov. 2014. â€Å"Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report, Longer Report.† Intergovernmental Panel on Cliamte Change. November 1, 2014. Gerland, Patrick, Adrian E. Raftery, Hana Sevcikova, Nan Li, Danan Gu, Thomas Spoorenberg, and John Wilmoth, et al. 2014. â€Å"World population stabilization unlikely this century.† Science no. 6206: 234. Resutek, Audrey. â€Å"Study: Cutting Emissions Pays for Itself.† MIT News. 24 Aug. 2014. Web. 2 Nov. [1]http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/cutting-carbon-health-care-savings-0824 [2]http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/index.shtml [3]http://www.ids.ac.uk/news/can-renewable-electricity-reduce-poverty Tony Blair Quote http://www.notable-quotes.com/g/global_warming_quotes.html#sdpRyJzEeS5ObBYq.99

The Divine Comedy and the Human Experience :: Divine Comedy Inferno Essays

The Divine Comedy: The Depth of Human Experience Religious, structured, and orderly. Although this book is religious through and through, it is also very earthly. You seem to never leave the earth. In fact, there seems to be no difference between earth and the heavenly sphere. It is a solid world, no distinction between mind and matter, everything is touchable. The physical expresses the spiritual, the spirit of God is physical and pervades the physical universe--it's all one place. There is no heaven and hell, it is just all here. For this reason, this book answers all of those questions you had as a kid in Sunday school and nobody could give you a satisfying answer, for instance, where do people go when they die, what does hell look like, what does heaven look like, what is purgatory, and how does one get from purgatory to heaven. Sunday school teachers should just read Dante to the kids--it is the end-all encyclopedia of heaven, hell, and purgatory. The symbolism of the beginning is nice, that he is in a forest being chased by various animals. I can imagine that each of the animals represents some kind of vice and that the part in the woods symbolizes the sinful, confused life full of temptations. It was interesting that Virgil was his guide. I was expecting a more religious character, for instance, Moses--but it later turned out that he was sitting in hell himself! That was an eye-opener. It makes you realize the difference between the old and the new testaments. Even Noah was in hell.(!) But at least they weren't very deep in hell. "All hope abandon ye who enter here." I liked how Hell is an interactive place for Dante. He isn't afraid to "touch the merchandise." Then seizing on his hinder scalp, I cried: "Name thee, or not a hair shall tarry here." He is human, he takes part and overreacts. And he keeps fainting. It's not a Universal Studios ride through hell, but you can actually grab ahold of the props, talk to old friends and acquaintences, and the guide will patiently wait for you when you faint. Another aspect of hell that surprised me was that the devil was standing on a frozen lake. This isn't the picture of Larson's Far Side hell scenes, nor is the devil the cool, rebellious bad boy of Milton's Paradise Lost.

Roger Williams, William Penn, the Maryland Assembly and Liberty Conscie

Roger Williams, William Penn, the Maryland Assembly and Liberty Conscience The New England colonies of Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Maryland [Pa. and Md.are not in New England] were founded with the express purpose of dispensing of with a statechurch [not exactly. Rhode Island was â€Å"put together.† Maryland did not have a single statechurch, but the Calverts did not intend to dispense with state support of a church]. In this theydeviated not only from the other British coloes in the New World but also from their Motherlandand indeed all the civilizations of western Christendom to date. Before the founding of RhodeIsland, Pennsylvania, and Maryland these three colonies, a state without an official state churchwas inconceivable. As the Church of England evolved in Britain, the other British colonies inNorth America adopted either Congregationalism, Anglicanism, or Presbyterianism [never a statechurch in the colonies] as their own â€Å"state church.† The idea of a state without a state church wasunprecedented (Cohen 9/30).In place of the u sual state church, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Maryland adopted anew concept: â€Å"liberty of conscience.† Here, â€Å"liberty† is synonymous with â€Å"freedom.† Byâ€Å"conscience† our forefathers meant one's personal religious persuasion and its duties, as RogerWilliams explained to Governor John Endicott: â€Å"... I speake of Conscience, a perswasion fixed inthe minde and heart of a man, which inforceth him to judge (as Paul said of himself apersecutour) and to doe so and so, with respect to God, his worship, etc.† (Williams 340) To thefirst citizens of Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, civil â€Å"freedom of conscience† wasthe ability to live freely as a member of one's religion-that is, to perform such reli... ...es and theology as a Quaker came to influence state organization. And in Maryland, aCatholic Assembly maintained minimal [?] Christianity in order to please its Protestantconstituents. Whether three hundred years ago, two hundred years ago, or today, â€Å"freedom ofreligion† can easily become used in the interests of those in power. Works Cited Cohen, Charles L. Lectures for History 451: Early American Religious History. Fall 1999. Frost, J. William. â€Å"Chapter 1: The Creation of Religious Liberty in Early Pennsylvania,† from A PerfectFreedom. Hall, Timothy L. Separating Church and State: Roger Williams and Religious Liberty. University of IllinoisPress, Chicago: 1998,Maryland Assembly. â€Å"Act Concerning Religion† [ 1649]. Penn, William. â€Å"The Great Case of Liberty of Conscience† [1670]. Williams, Roger. â€Å"To Governor John Endicott, ca. August-September 1651

Financial Schemes Essay

When the question of developing a new project at Puerto Penasco, Mexico has arrived, we would suggest that rather than going for traditional time share or new mixed use hotels, we should generate the energies towards developing a Condominium. The most important fact for advocating a Condominium is because this concept is already very popular in beach areas of Mexico. Tourists from across the world come here to take the experience of beach village which is rather not possible in mixed use hotels. Financial Advantages of a Condominium over other forms: Limited capital investment initially: First of all, the amount of capital invested in a Condominium is lesser than that of other traditional hotel forms. Hotels usually are occupied by the tourists at peak months only. Apart from that time, they always face lack of tourists which ultimately result in loss of revenue. Renting the property at non peak months: The Condominium could be rented to students and other people apart from the tourists during the non peak months and hence it in a sense gives guarantee to the owners for a uniform cash flow across the year. Disadvantages to the other schemes: It could be very well noted here that at times Condominium could lose the advantages to classic hotels in terms of hospitality and luxury. The tourists often feel that the Condominium could not provide the room service and the luxury that the time share hotels could provide. This is true to an extent that the Condominium does not beat the traditional hotels in terms of luxury. The reason why we have chosen a Condominium over other forms of hotels is because least risk involved in this project. As the amount of capital invested is least, the chances of losing money are less. Apart from that, we are also ensuring smooth and uniform revenues across the year. References: Puerto Penasco: Retrieved on 4th August, 2010 from website: http://www. puerto-penasco. com/

Starbucks Financial Analysis

Starbucks is a strong competitor in the service sector and a leader in the gourmet coffee industry. With a continued growth rate in store openings and maintaining successful profitability of its operations, Starbucks has demonstrated its ability to sustain a reliable and steady growth. Starbucks’ ability to contend with the vulnerability to current financial threats such as economic recession, higher interest rates, and global competition, is constantly proven by its incomparable brand image, its continual product innovations, and its exceptional customer service. This also proves to be its strongest investment strategy.One strategic way to evaluate the vulnerability of Starbucks to current financial threats is to execute a SWOT Analysis. A SWOT analysis is a situation analysis in which the strengths and weaknesses of an organization, and external opportunities and threats it faces are examined to chart a strategy (Business Dictionary, 2012).SWOT is the acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The purpose of the SWOT analysis is to assess what an organization can and cannot do in addition to evaluating the potential opportunities and any financial and economical threats it may face.Over the years, Starbucks have developed much successful strengths. Here are a few of the most recognizable strengths: The quality of their coffee is considered the highest in the world. They engage with customers and the communities to provide better business.Starbucks has over 17,000 stores globally in convenient locations to attract more customers. Starbucks have expanded their product line to sandwiches, pastries, and natural tea-blend drinks. Starbucks have loyal employees who are valued, motivated, and hard-working and are provided a pleasant working environment.They have exceptional relationships with all suppliers which helps them exceed as industry market leaders. Over the past several years, Starbucks has received several award and recognitions such as â€Å"No. 1 Best Coffee† and â€Å"No. 1 Most Popular Quick Refreshment Chain† by Zagat’s Survey of National Chain Restaurants, one of â€Å"The Best 100 Companies to Work For† by Fortune Magazine, one of the â€Å"World’s Most Ethical Compamies† by Ethisphere, and one of the â€Å"World’s 50 most Innovative Companies† by Fast Company. With all companies, where there are strengths there are weaknesses.Starbucks have noted and viable strengths, but they have weaknesses that could overshadow the success of these strengths placing them a step or two behind their competitors. Here are some of their weaknesses: The size of the company is larger than most of their competitors, lack of internal focus because much focus is on expansion and not on the diversification of other sectors, product pricing is overstated because of their premium brand coffee, which demands premium pricing, and excessive dependency on coffee-alone produ cts.Starbucks have willed many opportunities to become the most valuable gourmet coffee leader in the world. They have already succeeded in expanding their product line by introducing the world to cold coffee beverages, flavored herbal drinks, and hot sandwiches and salads for lunch.So, now they have the opportunity to continue to expand in their development overseas, continue their innovation and commitment to product development, and possibly co-brand with other manufacturers of food and drinks to help expand their product line.The competition in gourmet coffee in general has proved to be more advanced than one would imagine. So, it’s no surprise that the competition would be one the most highly doable threats. With coffee sellers ranging from coffee houses to restaurants and fast-food carry-outs such as McDonald’s, Starbucks has to contend with ensuring that they maintain their perfection in coffee and customer service to avoid such threats. Another major threat is the economy. The state of the economy today, particularly in the future depends especially on consumer spending.This would play a key role in Starbucks’ sales growth and profits. Factors such as increased debt service levels resulting from interest rate changes, downturn in the housing market, and the increase in oil and gas prices would affect optional spending.Now that the assessment of the SWOT analysis has been completed, it’s time to determine the financial performance of Starbucks over the past three years and predict how it will perform in the future by using financial ratio analysis. This will be determined by examining the Income Statement and Balance Sheet as of FY 2011.Consolidated Statements Of Earnings (USD $)12 Months EndedIn Millions, except Per Share data Oct. 02, 2011 Oct. 03, 2010 Sep. 27, 2009 Net revenues: Company-operated stores $ 9,632.4 $ 8,963.5 $ 8,180.1 Licensed stores 1,007.50875.2795 CPG, foodservice and other 1,060.50868.7799.5 Total net re venues 11,700.4010,707.409,774.60 Cost of sales including occupancy costs 4,949.304,458.604,324.90 Store operating expenses 3,665.103,551.403,425.10 Other operating expenses 402293.2264.4 Depreciation and amortization expenses 523.3510.4534.7 General and administrative expenses 636.1569.5453 Restructuring charges 053332.4 Total operating expenses 10,175.809,436.109,334.50 Gain on sale of properties 30.200 Income from equity investees 173.7148.1121.9 Operating income 1,728.501,419.40562 Interest income and other, net 115.950.337 Interest expense 33.3-32.7-39.1 Earnings before income taxes 1,811.101,437559.9 Income taxes 563.1488.7168.4 Net earnings including noncontrolling interests 1,248948.3391.5 Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests 2.32.70.7 Net earnings attributable to Starbucks $ 1,245.7 $ 945.6 $ 390.8 Earnings per share – basic $ 1.66 $ 1.27 $ 0.53 Earnings per share – diluted $ 1.62 $ 1.24 $ 0.52 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 748.3744.4738.7 Diluted 769.7764.2745.9 Cash dividends declared per share $ 0.56 $ 0.36 $ 0In reviewing the Income Statement for Starbucks from 2009 to 2011, it is evident that the company has successfully increased its profitability through performance each year by almost 10%. Its income from operation has almost tripled from 2009. Based on Starbucks’ continued plan of expansion, this financial progression depicts a continuous trend.As noted in the financial statement above and pictured in the chart below, Starbucks obtains the majority of its revenue from its company-operated stores. This proves that if Starbucks continues its expansion of retail stores, the revenue from these sales will continue to rise as it has in the past 10 years. The company’s share earnings have also spiked in the last three years by almost doubling between 2009 and 2010 and up 31% in 2011.The financial ratio analysis will provide an assessment of the stability and profitability of Starbucks and allow investors and shareholders to determine the probability of a profitable future. Below is a chart of different financial ratios used to describe the different criteria for Starbucks and to evaluate the past three years. Profitability – Revenue201120102009Gross Profit 57.7%   58.4%   55.8% EBIT Ratio 15.5%   13.4%   5.7%The first set of ratios measures the profitability of Starbucks. These ratios measure the effectiveness of Starbucks capital. A high profitability could be attributed to effective competency. This chart shows that Starbucks have maintained an elevated profit margin, which indicates its ability to manage its largest assets costs.The other ratio, EBIT measures the overall operating efficiency. The next chart shows the liquidity ratios of the firm which indicates how efficient Starbucks handles its short-term obligations. Short-term liquidity includes items that are to be received or paid in cash within a year.A ratio of 2 is the ideal rate for a good standing company using the current ratio. This indicates that the company can pay its creditors and that it has more current assets than current liabilities. A current ratio below 1 signifies trouble for the company and that they may have problems meeting their creditor obligations. The difference between the current ratio and quick ratio is the use of inventory.Financial Condition 2011-2010Debt/Equity Ratio 20%   25% Current Ratio 1.831.55 Quick Ratio 0.190.17The below chart illustrates what kind of return Starbucks receives on its investments. These ratios give investors a clear mind of how well the investments are performing. The ROE ratio illustrates the returns that stockholders are earning on their investments in Starbucks. In prior years, Starbucks have consistently increased this ratio percentage and continues to rise. The ROA ratio tells investors how much profit Starbucks generated for every dollar in assets.Investment Returns % 2011-2010Return on Equity 28.4% 25.7% Return on Assets 18.1% 13.8%Based on the ratios above, it appears that Starbucks is continuing to progress successfully in profits and its ability to increase leverage and maintain a reasonably stable trend in the future. Starbucks can increase leverage by repurchasing outstanding stock and increasing debt financing. Based on the recent benchmarks over a 12 month period, Starbucks is still in line with the industry. â€Å">

Manchester Products Essay

Manchester Home expanded household furniture division by adding market leader PLFD – Addition of 990 million in PLFD revenues – Addition of established sales force, talented design teams – PLFD’s Signature Style line very popular with consumers †¢ Ability to combine PL design skills with MH engineering and manufacturing – Manufacturing expertise and ergonomic designs †¢ Concerns – How to tie-in PL’s bold designs with MH’s conservative style – Customer confusion over new brand name 5C’S OF THE ACQUISITION Company †¢ Companies’ strengths and weaknesses complement each other 5C’S OF THE ACQUISITION Customers †¢ Target consumers ages 34-55; Income over $50K – MH consumers are categorized as conservative elegance – PLFD consumers are more fashion-conscious, trend setters – Will need a way to reach both customer segments †¢ Results from target consumer surveys – Low brand loyalty – 60% would change brands – High information search – Style, design, quality, comfort most important qualities – all covered by MH/PL – PL has high brand awareness, almost double that of MH, will help to co-brand them to raise awareness for MH 5C’S OF THE ACQUISITION Collaborators †¢ Manchester already has network of office distribution channels, now they gain access to household distribution channels through Paul Logan. – PL sales force has strong ties to leading distributions channels – PL strength in upscale furniture stores, specialty stores, department stores †¢ Strong relationship with buyers – Concern over brand going away, necessary to create a smooth brand transition so consumers make the switch †¢ Push strategies important to build strong relationships with distribution network – 90% of PL shipments include Purchase Allowances 5C’S OF THE ACQUISITION Competitors †¢ Paul Logan was market leader †¢ Household Furniture Industry $36.64 billion in 2004; positive % growth projections A mature industry Large number of corporate consolidations Low-cost imports from Asia/Mexico moving into higher price levels Domestic companies ready to attack the vulnerability of the new brand and position †¢ We need strong advertising and marketing mix †¢ Many competitors have company owned stores – Crucial to leverage our distribution channels to gain market access 5C’S OF THE ACQUISITION Context †¢ Office furniture sales growth tied to employment growth and new business formation. – Burst of dot.com bubble and recession have decreased demand for office furniture †¢ Rise in ‘teleworking’ could increase demand for home office †¢ Demand for home furniture is tied to new home construction and home sales. †¢ Innovative and stylish products to bolster demand MOVING FORWARD ANALYSIS OF FUTURE BRANDING: OPTIONS †¢ Drop the Paul Logan name right away – Losing their current brand awareness – Need to educate customers – Strong distribution channel relationships could be damaged †¢ Keep using the Paul Logan name for the entire allotted three years – Ad agency advises against this option, as they don’t want to allocate advertising dollars to a brand with a three year shelf life †¢ Transition mid-point – Leverage the Paul Logan name to build strong brand awareness for Manchester – Continue to use the PL name in subtext for 1.5 yrs.; conduct consumer research to reevaluate after this time. – Business recommendation to convert the name 100% to Manchester Home after 1.5 yrs. ANALYSIS OF FUTURE BRANDING: OPTIONS †¢ Brand name transition: – First 6 months: Manchester Home: The New Home for Paul Logan Furniture – Following year: Manchester Home: The Home for Paul Logan Furniture – After 1.5 yrs.: Conduct consumer research to reevaluate transition †¢ Business recommendation is to drop the Paul Logan name †¢ Want to ensure the Manchester Home brand has achieved a sufficient awareness before removing PL OUR FUTURE ADVERTISING STRATEGIES †¢ Strong campaign is critical to the success of the new brand name – $184 million allotted for 2005 – Includes national and cooperative advertising for both PLFD and MH products †¢ Push vs. Pull – MH to allocate more $ towards Push advertising – Heavy Push & Pull the first 1.5 yrs. – Marketing & Communications mix to form long-term company image †¢ Promotional Programs – Purchase allowances – Recommend amending the planned 2005 marketing expenditures to allow for purchase allowances. †¢ Currently based on % of sales – Due to brand transition, allocate a fixed amount to advertising to ensure the levels do not drop RECOMMENDATIONS †¢ Continue to use the Paul Logan name to leverage brand awareness and channel partnerships †¢ Focus strongly on both Push and Pull strategies the first 1.5 yrs. to communicate the acquisition – Amend proposed 2005 advertising plan to incorporate more Push strategies, specifically Purchase Allowances that contributed to the success of the PL distribution network †¢ After 1.5 yrs., the business goal is to transition brand officially to Manchester Home QUESTIONS?

Internet Working Essay

In this paper the functions and the Structure of the Internet is discussed in detail along with the help of figures and diagram in order to make understand that what the internet really is and how it works . The paper discusses in detail the main functions and parts of Internet and how they work according to their functions and features . the Internet has opened the vistas of knowledge for the world so The world has become a global village where the people live their life on the Internet . It has no boundaries or barriers, It is open to all who have access to Internet using computer . The e-commerce and online business has really facilitated the people now days . They can draw money , deposit money , transfer money and shop nay thing on internet in seconds . furthermore people can also share the information with the people living in various countries in research work the internet has really brought a revolution in the world of Information Technology . Introduction: The internet has been a useful source of information for the public and made things possible which were impossible in the past . Such as emailing has accelerated the process of Mailing and it hardly takes seconds to reach in any part of the world as the Client are connected to Server and the Server connects the clients to world wide web . it is like cob web which keeps connected to all users at the same time . The Internet’s growth has become explosive and it seems impossible to escape the bombardment of www. com’s seen constantly on television, heard on radio, and seen in magazines. Because the Internet has become such a large part of our lives, a good understanding is needed to use this new tool most effectively. This whitepaper explains the underlying infrastructure and technologies that make the Internet work. It does not go into great depth, but covers enough of each area to give a basic understanding of the concepts involved. For any unanswered questions, a list of resources is provided at the end of the paper. Any comments, suggestions, questions, etc. are encouraged and may be directed to the author at the email address given above. The Internet Frame Work: As the Internet is a global network of computers each computer connected to the Internet must have a unique address. Internet addresses are in the form nnn. nnn. nnn. nnn where nun must be a number from 0 – 255. This address is known as an IP address. (IP stands for Internet Protocol; more on this later. ) The picture below illustrates two computers connected to the Internet; your computer with IP address 1. 2. 3. 4 and another computer with IP address 5. 6. 7. 8. The Internet is represented as an abstract object in-between. (As this paper progresses, the Internet portion of Diagram 1 will be explained and redrawn several times as the details of the Internet are exposed. )

Creative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creative - Essay Example The python represents the rich, the sheep represents the poor while the herder symbolizes the society in general. The artwork, which is widely symbolic, shows that the current society is dominated by the rich who use all means to oppress and control the poor. This is proven by the modern capitalism that supports the wealthy to become richer but fails to offer a solution to the poor whose standards of living keeps on deteriorating. The inaction by the society towards the ever increasing atrocities against the poor is represented by the herder who watches the python swallowing the sheep, but he fails to take any action although it is a his responsibility to save the sheep. For many years, the society has been silent about the increasing levels of poverty which has resulted in social, economic and political problems facing the modern world. The aim of this work, which is highly symbolic, is to stir critical thinking in the society about the need to have an equitable society. The audience is the general society who plays an active role in policy making by electing responsible representatives to articulate their interests and the policy makers who are responsible for making laws and developing policies that affect the lives of

Eyewitness error Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eyewitness error - Assignment Example Since, the attained information is either inadequate or poorly collected whereby those who facilitate the entire process before litigation commences present questions to the interviewee towards a certain direction when interrogating eyewitnesses (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). This prompts eyewitnesses to err while delivering the essential information meant to help judges and those arbitrating the case impose unnecessary charges on the defendant (Tillman v. State, 2011). Therefore, information collection as well as representation during ligation process ought to consider proper legislative process, which this study seeks to present based on certain given cases (Kenneth Adams v. State, 1993). Mainly, this legislative action entails eliminating eyewitness errors coupled with considering essential issues that characterize criminal cases, for instance, crime control and due process (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). To eliminate eyewitness errors, legal system ought to adopt the most ef fective method meant to extract the required information. This will ensure the convicted serve just sentences. In addition, it will ensure the entire process observes the involved parties’ rights, which the law dictates despite their role pertaining to the case. Therefore, this entails utilizing proficient officers to interrogate eyewitness and not excluding the service of eyewitness experts, for instance, psychologists (Tillman v. State, 2011). However, psychologists ought to be proficient in their field to the extent of being able to proffer the required information based on reliable scientific background and pertinent to the case supposed to undergo litigation process (Tillman v. State, 2011). In my opinion, the best solution or approach in eliminating numerous eyewitness errors that characterize litigation process is by employing Tripartite solution (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). In this solution, the initial step entails considering eyewitness’ testimony during the litigation process, which is also supported in the Tillman v. State case (Tillman v. State, 2011). Since, this enables the jury and those arbitrating cases to understand essential facts that may be difficult especially in the field judges are not conversant with, for instance, psychology (Martire & Kemp, 2009). Therefore, the eyewitness expert ought to be capable of proffering adequate information coupled with being proficient in the field, which will help him or her deliver reliable and pertinent informatio, hence deliver information or essential facts regarding the eyewitness from psychological perspective which may pose a task especially to the law enforcement officers. This is evident in Tillman v. State’s case though Dr. Malpass failed to present clear and convincing facts intended to prove the testimony he claimed to have a strong scientific base and be pertinent to the case (Tillman v. State, 2011). Therefore, to ensure reliability of any information by eyewitness expert, the proponent ought to prove his or her (1) expertise employed is legitimate, (2) testimony lies within the required scope, and (3) uses the field’s principles (Tillman v. State, 2011). The second step entails adopting effective procedures when extracting the required information to act as eyewitness evidence (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). This is via employing scientifically proven procedures that will not only encourage the eyewitness to deliver the

Concider the global impact of a waterborne infectious disease (which Essay

Concider the global impact of a waterborne infectious disease (which may be caused by a bacterium or parasite) and discuss current methods for detection, treatment and prevention - Essay Example They can help in promoting good health, some digestion and some serve medicinal purposes. Lactobacillis is a family of bacteria found in the human digestive tract. Acidophilus is a member of lactobacillis and it is the best known bacteria of this family aiding in the breakdown of lactose to lactic acid and also the breakdown of other sugars. The production of lactic acid in the body provides acidic environment in the body which can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. Acidophilus is also used in certain drugs. Bifidobacteria is also a beneficial group of bacteria and is present in the human digestive tract and helps in digestion as well as ; it has also shown some anti-tumor qualities. Some bacteria are beneficial in other ways like they are used in agriculture for plant growth and some are used for cleansing of water. (Jeremy & Simon 2004). Many of the emerging pathogens nowadays are waterborne i.e. they take birth in water. Cholera has been a known disease in the world and two emerging waterborne pathogens are Vibrio cholerae O139 and Escherichia Coli (E.coli O157:H7). E.coli has not only become a problem for the underdeveloped nations but has also become a problem for the developed ones. This bacterium would be discussed subsequently. Vibrio Cholerae O139 is a pathogen which first infected many of the people living in Asia. It started in Bengal and then spread to India in 1992 from where it entered the vicinities of Thailand. It is through different methods that these emerging pathogens are spreading all over the world giving a difficult time to the authorities who have not handled such cases previously (Sharma et al 2003; Smolinski et al 2003). Enterohemorrhagic Escerichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is the full name of the bacterium E. coli O157 which is a food and waterborne pathogenic strain of bacterium E. coli. The bacteria E. coli O157 was first known as a result of gastrointestinal illness in the early 1980s.