An Apple for the Teacher

An Apple for the Teacher The tradition of putting an apple on teacher’s desk was allegedly started by a grade-school student who polished a red apple and placed it on teacher’s desk just before the class start. The â€Å"apple polisher’s† intention was to ask for a better grade or bribe the teacher with a bright and shiny red apple. REMEMBERING OUR FIRST STAGE OF EDUCATION Apple as a Symbol of Teaching in Different Countries The apple has been the symbol of teaching for many years but used differently some parts of the world. For instance, seems so different from the original apple polisher’s intention, students in Europe who cannot afford school fees traditionally bring an apple for the teacher as acceptable payment in kind. In Nashville, Tennessee, U.S, a crystal apple award is given to a teacher â€Å"who made a difference†. Moreover, the apple according to literature represents the happy relationship between teachers, students, and their families and from a teacher’s perspective, an apple on their desk is an appreciation of their hard work and a gift from people who like and see them as noble professionals. Teaching is the most demanding of all profession but according to a teacher with more than thirty years in service, teaching is the most rewarding and noble profession of all. For one thing, teachers help younger generation survive the challenges of present and future by transferring their knowledge and skills. The reward on the other hand such as simple a bear hug from students, an apple on the desk, a birthday card with a note, and so on is far greater than the demands. Teaching Is the Noblest Profession of All Teaching is a profession that is conceptually and ideally noble. Compared to another profession, teaching has a multitude of dimensions and it is considered to be the only profession that requires becoming a qualified practitioner.  For instance, teachers must undertake sound professional training before they can teach, undergo induction training at work and update their knowledge and skills through continuous education. Moreover, teachers are mostly engaged in human development activities. Qualified teachers normally mastered the knowledge of the subject, the pedagogy, teaching techniques, dedicated to students’ learning and betterment of our society. The professional and cultural dimensions of teaching made it an even  more difficult profession. However, the most inspiring justification for being an exceptional and noblest profession is the reality that monetary consideration in teaching is often secondary. One of its primary principles is selflessness and required by the code of ethics to maintain dignity and avoid controversies in and out of school. In fact, aside from maintaining a high standard of personal appearance, a teacher’s own life should reflect dignity in education, act as people with superior educational skills, blameless, obedient, and neutral to any social, economic, and political issues. Despite enormous demands and pressure, teaching is a poorly paid profession, teachers do not usually have similar public respect that other professionals enjoy, considered professional but not autonomous at the workplace, they normally need to work in the evenings and on weekends, perform enormous clerical activities, and in most occasion dealing with poor working condition. JUNK FOOD IN SCHOOL

Verbal Noun - Definition and Examples

Verbal Noun s A noun that is derived from a verb (usually by adding the suffix -ing) and that exhibits the ordinary properties of a noun. For example, in the sentence His firing of William was a mistake, the word firing functions as a verbal noun (A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, 1985). As Sidney Greenbaum notes in The Oxford Companion to the English Language (1992), Verbal nouns contrast with deverbal nouns, that is, other kinds of nouns derived from verbs, such as attempt, destruction, and including nouns ending in -ing that do not have verbal force: building in The building was empty. They also contrast with the gerund, which also ends in -ing, but is syntactically a verb.In traditional grammar, the expression verbal noun has often been treated as a synonym for gerund, but both terms are out of favour among some modern grammarians (Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, 2014). Examples and Observations: The atmosphere at home had become difficult as we approached our opening of the Shrew.(Sian Phillips, Public Places. Faber Faber, 2003)His acting  the part of Othello was distinguished by a breadth and grandeur that placed it far beyond the efforts of other actors.Even in fiction, the Joads misery is best captured in vignettes: Mas colloquies with Rose of Sharon, the rollicking dance at the government camp, Uncle Johns sending the dead baby down the river, images easily translated into film.  (Susan Shillinglaw, Introduction to A Russian Journal by John Steinbeck. Penguin, 1999)Margureitte Radcliffes afternoon testimony was taken up with her typing of the confession, the choice of paper, the crossed-out portions, the manner in which she had inserted the paper into the typewriterall questions from Andy Weathers.  (Ann Rule, Everything She Ever Wanted. Simon Schuster, 1992)The building of the British Empire may be said to have begun with the ascent of Queen Elizabeth to the thr one.   The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young.  (Willa Cather, One of Ours, 1922) Nominal Qualities of Verbal Nouns Though derived from a verb, a verbal noun is strictly a noun, and it exhibits nominal properties: it takes determiners like the and this, it permits adjectives (but not adverbs), it permits following prepositional phrases (but not objects), and it can even be pluralized if the sense permits. Example: In football, the deliberate tripping of an opponent is a foul. Here the verbal noun tripping takes the determiner the, the adjective deliberate and the prepositional phrase of an opponent, but it exhibits no verbal properties at all. In other words, tripping, in this case, is a perfectly ordinary noun, behaving just like any other noun, with no verbal properties in sight. Compare the last example with one involving the unremarkable noun attack: In football, a deliberate attack on an opponent is a foul.  (R.L. Trask, Mind the Gaffe! Harper, 2006) -ing Forms English . . . has a verb plus -ing form, rare in the multiplicity of its functions and in its complexity. No two grammars appear to agree on the appropriate terms for these forms: gerund, verb noun, verbal noun, participial clause, participial adjective, present participle, deverbal adjective, deverbal noun. Moreover, often one or another of its uses is omitted.  (Peter Newmark, Looking at English Words in Translation. Words, Words, Words: The Translator and the Language Learner, ed. by Gunilla M. Anderman and Margaret Rogers. Multilingual Matters, 1996) Gerunds and Verbal Nouns Gerunds are defined by two properties, the first making them verb-like, the second noun-like: (a) A gerund contains (at least) a verb stem and the suffix -ing.(b) A gerund has one of the functions that are characteristic of nounsor rather, . . . a gerund heads a phrase with one of the functions that are characteristic of NPs . . .. The combination of verb-like and noun-like properties given in (a) and (b) underlies the traditional characterisation of gerunds as verbal nouns. Note, however, that this latter term, verbal noun, implies that greater weight is attached to (b) than to (a): a verbal noun is primarily a kind of noun, not a kind of verb.  (Rodney D. Huddleston, Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press, 1984) Possession and Verbal Nouns You are familiar with gerund clauses as in this sentence: 30a We watched Mark winning the race. Compare this sentence: 30b We applauded Marks winning of the race. 30b contains a verbal noun, formed like the gerund by adding -ing to the verb but differing from the gerund in the kind of construction it appears in: the subject of the verbal noun is typically possessive and the object of the verbal noun is preceded by of, as in the example. All verbs form a gerund by adding -ing. . . .The next group of sentences contains verbal noun clauses in subject and object positions. As the examples show, when the verb requires a preposition before an object, the verbal noun keeps that preposition but if the verb does not have a preposition, the verbal noun inserts of. 31 I enjoyed our conversation. (We conversed.)32 Your response to that question was brilliant. (You responded to that question.)33 The companys employment of many people has added to our local economy. (The company employs many people.)34 The president will soon announce her selection of a new cabinet officer. (The president selects a new cabinet officer.) If the verb has an overt subject, that subject becomes a possessive form before a verbal noun, as shown. If there is no overt subject, the verbal noun is preceded by the.​  (Charles W. Kreidler, Introducing English Semantics, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2014) Also Known As: -ing noun

Hanes Brand Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hanes Brand Analysis - Case Study Example This text shall examine Hanes brand and strategies to make it effective and completive it is in its market. Several instruments and brand analysis such as the SWOT analysis (Fine, 2009) and the Porters five forces analysis shall be used to give guidelines and possible suggestions on possible strategies to be employed a. Description of industry and market segment The clothes and apparel industry in which the company deals with has good growth prospects both in the United States and in international markets (Textile international outlook). It is critical to examine the greater industry trends in general and then narrow down to the market segment of the company’s focus. The company is in the clothing and fashion industry which is a very sensitive industry and fast changing. Branding is also a key critical success factor for any company or individual in that particular industry. The company’s focus is in a small fraction of the fashion industry dealing mainly with innerwear and a bit of outerwear. The innerwear and hosiery markets have grown substantially with increase in brand names from the traditional big names. There has also been an increase in designs and innovations in this industry. The leading trends are the use of new and innovative fabrics and designs with major firms investing heavily in developing new materials and designs. The markets are dominated by large wholesale producers and distributors and very few small scale industry players. There has been growth in this market by middleclass and upper-class individuals who have more spending power with the relative stabilization of the global economic outlook. Globally the underwear markets for the year 2010 grew by 11% in the US according to the global underwear report of 2010 (Global Underwear Market Report 2010, 2010) b. Market Dynamics Important elements of this market that need to be noted that it has been established by the global underwear market report that the market in the United Ki ngdom was worth a massive 2.57 billion British pound. The apparel market segment like the larger fashion industry is very volatile and changes very rapidly. However it could be noted that there is a predominant brand loyalty by many of the customers of this markets. Since this is an industry in which large volumes have to be distributed it require proper distribution channels and companies such as Hanes brands need to seek more local marketing strategies to achieve substantial sales increase. The apparel industry is quite easy to start and thus provide quite a challenge of completion and is a real threat. For Hanes brands competitors comes mainly from other established brands. Completion may also arise from mergers of several competitors to create larger firms that can extent more massive branding campaigns. The future of the industry seems bright according to surveys due to the increase in economic stability as predicted in world economic outlook by the IMF (international monetary fund) and this in turn increases the spending power of individual and hence more demand for luxury items such as branded apparels and underwear. The increase in brand awareness and development of more designs in the industry has greatly increased the prospects for the industry. Many areas and opportunities have been developed in the recent past in terms of specialization. However with globalization and entry of the

Personal Point of View on Commanding Wife, Downfall Assignment

Personal Point of View on Commanding Wife, Downfall - Assignment Example As the author declares "every man wants a beautiful wife. I got one. Every man wants a brilliant and tough woman. I got one. Every man wants a woman that can stand up for herself. I got one. What else do I need? Twenty years later, she controls my thinking, she has modernized me, changed me from the cowboy man I used to be. I no longer wear my hats and boots like before. I am used to being in suits and matching ties. I am a different person. I am more responsible, and I have to consult her before making any decision. Do I fulfil the requirements of the men being masculine and domineering in the patriarchal society? What has become of me? Everyone keeps saying that I am being controlled like a small child? Is that so? [Pause] Has my life become well with my commanding wife or not? On a contrary thought, my commanding wife has helped me a lot. I was a wreck before, a drunkard, a useless bastard. I did very little to make my life better. All I did was sit†¦sit in the ranch and drink. Waste the whole day with friends in the motel†¦drinking and partying was the way of life. Look at me now, I have a job, I even built a house. I did not know I had so much potential. What was I waiting for? For my parents to push me around? No way†¦ they got tired of me a long time ago. See what my commanding wife, she took me as I am. I was a no one. I am now a living testimony of change. Why are people condemning her? I just do not understand how people think and behave. If I live a bachelor, they complain, if I marry, they say I am not man enough. I am tired. So tired [pause]. The good thing is that I love my wife. Whether commanding or not, she is my life, she is my support system. I admit that without her my life is useless. Actually, I do not know what I would d o if she left my world if she said she would live. I would surely die. My commanding wife, you are me, you are my life, and you are who that I dream of†¦ [Singing]. "

Global Communications Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Global Communications - Case Study Example Information provided by Wall Street shows that there are issues in the telecommunications industry. This industry is becoming more competitive as newer companies such as cable companies enter into the market. This has brought a challenge to the existing industry leaders to find new ways to keep one step ahead of the new competition coming in. Global Communications is one company that is feeling the heat. Their stock has dropped more than 50% in the last three years, from 28% to 11%. Because of this decline the company is now looking at different ways to cut their costs, advance their technology and their expansion opportunities. The company's leadership team has created a strategic plan they feel will bring Global Communications back to the front line of the industry. They have ideas of some new products for their customers and some services that would put them on the global telecommunication map. Their plan also has cost saving opportunities to permit these ideas without impacting the company's bottom line and they will also improve the company's profitability. The plan has been presented to the Board of Directors and they approved the plan. Now the leadership team has to put the plan into action quickly to prevent the company from losing any more profits. There are several issues that Global Communications need to review before they begin to impl... Second, job and salary issues that will affect the employees when strategic plan goes into place. Another issue will be language barriers due to outsourcing to India and Ireland. The complete explanations of the company's issues are outlined on Table 1. There are also opportunities that Global Communications should focus on when implementing their strategic plan. The first opportunity is to look at the communication gaps that they have between themselves, the employees and the union. The second opportunity they need to focus on is exploring different employee retention programs as well as compensation programs. Lastly, they need to analysis their unit cost savings and expected profits by outsourcing their technical call center. The complete explanations of the company's opportunities are outlined on Table 1. Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas The definition of a stakeholder is one who has a share or interest in an enterprise. Stakeholders in a company may include shareholders, directors, management, suppliers, government, employees and the community (free dictionary, 2006). Using this definition any individuals that have any type of connection with Global Communication whether they are employees, stockholders, customers, suppliers are stakeholders. These individuals could play a part of the role in implementing the company's strategic plan. The ethical dilemmas that Global Communication could face are listed on Table 2. Frame the "Right" Problem The problem statement for Global Communications so far is: Global Communication will become the world's most respected leader in the telecommunications industry by providing extraordinary customer service globally and the best

Strategic Development Study of Caterpillar Inc

Strategic Development Study of Caterpillar Inc INTRODUCTION This report presents the Strategic Development Study of Caterpillar Inc. Caterpillar Inc. founded on 15th April, 1925 in California, United Stated. Caterpillar is involved in designing, manufacturing, marketing and selling heavy equipments, machinery and engines and it is also involved in selling financial services to the customers all over the world. Caterpillar is the worlds largest manufacturer of manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The organization is serving worldwide and is providing employment to around 104,490 employees. Its products includes Bulldozer, Excavator, Wheel Loader, Haul Truck, Diesel Engine etc. and its services includes Financing, Insurance, Maintenance and Training. The developmental strategies used in the past, present strategies and the strategic planning for the future development of the Caterpillar, are discussed further in this report. Strategic Planning is about the finding the best solution for future problems to be faced by the organizations that not only solves the problems but should also proves to be beneficial to the organization. Caterpillar value statement is We have the people, processes, tools and investments to deliver the quality, reliability and durability customers expect from Caterpillar in each new product introduction. This strategic planning report focuses on three major tasks: Describe the strategies deployed by the organization in the past and their resulting outcomes i.e. the strategic development history of the company. Undertake the evaluation and appraisal of the companys current strategic situation with reference to the companys strategic macro industry and competitive environment and companys endowment of its resources and capabilities. Explore, evaluate and access the strategic choices available and recommend the best strategic plan available for the organization. STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF CATERPILLAR It has been more than 85 years that Caterpillar is serving its customers and hence ranked worlds number one in its own industry. The company has been developing every year and has maintained its position into the market. In 1980s, Caterpillar came very close to bankruptcy but still it manages to come back as a high tech globally competitive growth company. The company has now proved itself as the worlds largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. Companys Establishment In April 1925, the financially strong C. L. Best merged with the market leader Holt Caterpillar to form Caterpillar Tractor Co. Caterpillar is involved in manufacturing of heavy equipments used in construction and mining that are recognizable with CAT logo. Because of the intensive competition over the market share, in 1963, Caterpillar forms the joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. which is ranked 2nd in Japan for manufacturing construction and mining equipments. Caterpillar agreement with Shanghai Diesel in China was helpful in improving the market share of Caterpillar as it was a technology sharing alliance. Come back of Caterpillar from Recession In the year 1981, Caterpillar faced huge economy downtown and was very close to bankruptcy. For 3 consecutive years, the recession costs around $1 million a day to the company which further forces the company to reduce the employment. There were three reasons for this crisis i.e. global recession, strikes and unfavorable currency exchange rates. Company faced many competitors that time including Komatsu Ltd. as the prime competitor. To overcome this recession, the company CEOs introduced various strategic measures like cutting costs, employee reduction, out sourcing of machinery, parts and their components, introduction of modernization, diversification of product line and reorganization of companys structure. These measures were very important that time to save the organization to become bankrupt. Later on the organization worked really well and managed to generate the highest revenues. George Schaefers encouraged the executives to respond to recession. Caterpillar outsources 80% of its parts and components and further they used their brand names for selling the outsourced products keeping the quality control of the products. They doubled their product line in just 4 years from 150 to 300 equipments with an introduction of small and light weighted products along with the customer diversification as well. Caterpillar also focused on repairing its relationship with the labour as they experienced many strikes because of the cost cutting the company successfully achieved the target of an healthy employee and employer relationship. Also employee involvement program was launched by Schaefer in 1986 that involves employee satisfaction, quality improvement and increasing efficiency level. This program was termed as Employee satisfaction Progress i.e. EPS. EPS helps in reducing the rate of absenteeism, decline in labour grievances, saving in costs of upto $10 million and increases employees loyalty. Plant with the future (PWTF) is launched a s a modernization program. Shift from batch production to flexible work cells proved to be good for the organization. The technological improvements and PWTF program resulted in high quality of products, increased efficiency level and high productivity. As a result of all these efforts put by the organization, the Caterpillars 30 worldwide plants managed to cut the inventory level by 50% and manufacturing space by 21% in just 3 years. Also Caterpillars world market share goes up to 50% and its revenues increased by 66% from the year 1985 to 1990. Caterpillar beat the Komatsu by having total sales of over $11 billion in the year 1989, which were nearly twice the sales of Komatsu. The company takes the advantage of the growth in global demand for heavy construction industry at a steady rate of 4.5% in the 1990s and was successful in making its way towards the top most position. Schaefer proves to be the best manager of any manufacturing company of heavy construction equipments. After five year tenure of Schaefer as CEO, Donald Fites becomes the next CEO of Caterpillar Inc. Donald brought leadership style to the organization. He further focuses on reorganization plan that involves the customer needs on priority basis. Research and Development In 1904, Benjamin Holt solved the problem of driving tractors smoothly in moist soil faced by farmers in California by manufacturing a tractor with gasoline engine instead of steam engines that are much lighter in weight and that tractor was nicknamed as Caterpillar. By 1915, the Holt tractors were sold in around 20 countries. Further they formed a company named Caterpillar by merging with best company in tractors. Caterpillar was the first company that introduces diesel engines on a moving vehicle. In 1931, the company created separate engine sales group for the marketing of diesel engines to other equipment manufacturers and they further replaced it with sales and marketing division for serving better range of customers. The company was highly involved in manufacturing replacement parts as well because it generates over a quarter of the total revenue because of two main reasons i.e. sale of replacement parts is more profitable than the whole machines and the replacement parts marke t was less cyclical than that of original equipment. After World War 2, the demand for Caterpillar products increased to reconstruct the disaster happened in Europe because of the 2nd world war. Finally in 1960s, Caterpillar becomes the leader of the heavy construction equipment industry. Further in 1965, Caterpillar expanded its operations to Britain, Canada, France, Brazil, Australia, India and Japan. In 1983, the company starts providing financial services as well. There has been huge diversification in the product line to overcome the recession in the year 1985 to more than 300 products. As the company was developing and diversifying in its operations, it changes its name to Caterpillar Inc. In 2001, Caterpillar was the first company that launches 6 Sigma that helps the organization in improving its quality to the best level. Caterpillar starts sustainable development in the year 2005 as it responded to the Asian tsunami disaster and earthquakes in South Asia. CURRENT STRATEGIES OF CATERPILLAR Caterpillar Inc. is the worlds number one manufacturer of construction and mining equipments, diesel and gas engines and natural gas turbines. The organization is developing day by day and continuously expanding their business. Its market is not only limited to Europe but Caterpillar is selling its products all over the world like China, India, America, Russia etc. Caterpillar serves its customers with the highest quality product at a very reasonable price and also involved in good customer relations. Caterpillar is manufacturing its products at 110 plants worldwide and is selling its products in nearly 200 countries. Caterpillar made its sales through independent dealers that contribute around 66% of the total sales. Caterpillar uses many business strategies for its development and to compete effectively with its competitors. For the evaluation and appraisal of companys current strategies, various strategic tools are used like PESTEL Analysis for analyzing the macro environment, SWOT Analysis for analyzing the capabilities efficiency of resources as well and Porters Five Force Analysis is used to analyze the market, customers, competitors, suppliers etc. PESTEL Analysis For evaluating and analyzing the macro environment of the organization, the PESTEL Analysis tool is used. There are various macro environmental factors that affect the workings of an organization like Political factors, Economical factors, Social factors, Technological factors, Environmental factors and Legal factors. Let us now discuss in detail that how these factors affect the working of Caterpillar Inc. Political Factors Political factors are one of the main factors that affect the operations of the organization. Every country has its own governments with different laws and legislations, rules and regulations, import and export policies etc. As Caterpillar is operating and serving the customers worldwide, it should be aware of the political factors. Economical Factors The economic factors includes the recession, inflation, growth in GDP, growth in population etc. In 1980s, the recession hits Caterpillar badly as it was very close to bankruptcy but somehow it manages to overcome that economic downtown. The rise in the prices of raw material, diesel, petrol, import and export costs etc. is big problems for the organizations. A rise in raw material prices increases the manufacturing costs in Caterpillar and to maintain a balance, the organization has to increase its prices. Social Factors Caterpillar is operating in many diversified countries. Hence it becomes essential to consider the social factors while framing the business strategies. Each and every country has different societies with different values, culture, religions, attitudes etc. the company has to maintain a balance to avoid any kind of discrimination into the organization. Technological Factors A manufacturing organization like Caterpillar needs ongoing technological advancements. It should be updated with all the latest technologies to compete in a better way and maintain its position into the market. Caterpillar is always using the best technologies for manufacturing its construction equipments. Moreover it has invented many new products with the best quality and price range among the whole market. Environmental factors The Caterpillar has moved towards the sustainable development i.e. they are focusing on new technologies and innovations to increase the efficiency and productivity of the organization by not impacting the environment and also providing guidelines to the customers for doing the same. Their mission is to enable economic growth through infrastructure and energy development, and to provide solutions that protect people and preserve the planet. Legal Factors The various laws and legislations of the country in which the company is operating cannot be ignored. The laws related to import and export, employment laws, labour laws, should be taken care of. A lawful and legal organization can effectively survives in long run. SWOT Analysis The SWOT Analysis shows the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats available with the organization and provides an opportunity to the organization to use its Strengths and Opportunities for the betterment of the organization and keep the organization safe from its weaknesses and outside threats. Let us discuss the SWOT Analysis of Caterpillar. Strengths The main strength of Caterpillar is that it is a global leader in its own industry as it is worlds largest manufacturer the construction and mining equipment, diesel and gas engines and natural gas turbines. It is ranked as number 44 among all the organization in 2009 by Fortune 500. It has the highest revenue generation and highest share value in the market as well. It has a strong financial condition as it can grab the worldwide opportunities available. Caterpillar has 110 plants worldwide and is serving around 200 countries which show its huge customer diversification. It has a strong dealers worldwide network which contains over 200 full line dealers that helps the organization in capturing about 60% of the market. Weaknesses In recent years the company has faced many downtowns. The sales volume of the company is decreasing since 2003 which results in less revenue. Also the long term debts of the company have been increasing. The company does most of its sales through its independent dealers. Dealers show a very less confidence towards the Caterpillars new forecasting system. Opportunities Caterpillar has good opportunities of growth in developing countries like India and China. These countries demand lot of construction equipments and engines as well. Again the growth in the population demands more construction. Entering into joint ventures and acquisitions provides good opportunities for the companys development. In 2004, the company formed Caterpillar Power Generation Systems in association with Solar Turbines Incorporates to market the products of both the companies which further reduces the manufacturing costs of the firm and makes the organization more competitive. Threats The outside threats cannot be ignored as they affect the organization adversely. The recent threats faced by Caterpillar include the rise in the prices of raw material especially metal prices. This increases the manufacturing cost and further decrease the organizations profits. The demand of the mining equipments depends on the population growth and Gross Domestic Product growth which is very uncertain. The deal between Caterpillar and United Auto Workers finishes in 2004 which enable strikes and disruptions in work. Hence such contract expuration are great threat to the organizations. Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces is a business strategy that is formed by Michael E. Porter. He points out the five forces available in the macro environment that affects the abilities and capabilities of an organization. These five forces are threat of new entrants, intensity of competitive rivalry, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of customers and finally bargaining power of suppliers. This helps an organization to be aware of the outside environment and make their business strategies accordingly. The further discussion on Caterpillars Porters Five Forces is as follows: Threat of New Entrants The threat of the new entrants in very low for Caterpillar. Caterpillar is into manufacturing the construction equipments which requires a huge capital and resources. It is difficult for any new entrant to invest that much into this industry when it knows that there are already highly competitive firms available. Caterpillar should compete continuously with its competitors to maintain its position into the market. Intensity of Competitive Rivalry Caterpillar faces a high competition into the market and the other competitors can overcome Caterpillar anytime if they lose focus or using bad business strategy. Caterpillar has around 50 competitors worldwide that controls around 80% of the market. Threat of Substitutes There is nearly no threat of substitutes for Caterpillar as it is involved into the manufacturing of such unique construction and mining equipments. Bargaining Power of Customers The customers have a moderate bargaining power as most of the sales are done through independent dealers and pricing is done according to the markets. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Again the suppliers also have a moderate bargaining power. For manufacturing construction equipments, there is a need of steel or other heavy raw materials which are difficult to transport and also costs very high. Hence an increase in the prices of raw material is a big issue for the organization. FUTURE STRATEGIC PLANNING OF CATERPILLAR Caterpillar has set various targets for future and is seriously involved into the achievement of those targets. The organization has set its strategy as Vision 2020. This strategy sets the stage for the next phase of the companys leadership and growth in the global industries it serves. The visions and missions set by Caterpillar are very practical and will provide further development to the organization. In the past 80 years, Caterpillar has proved itself to be a well established business with effective management and business strategies that helps the organization to maintain its profits and position into the market even at the time of recession. The organization knows the ways of beating the recession and wins back its position into the market. Caterpillars future strategic visions are like becoming a recognized leader in its own industry everywhere, the products, services and solutions provided will helps the customers to succeed, making use of the organizations distributions system as their competitive advantage, maintaining good labour relations and acquiring highly talented people. The organization has set various targets for its next five years i.e. providing the best return to its shareholders, hiring and maintaining the best talented people into the organization and becoming a global leader everywhere they do business. These targets are already achieved by Caterpillar to great extent. The 100% achievement of these targets needs more efforts. Caterpillar is now focusing towards more sustainable development i.e. making the efficient and effective use of the resources available without impacting the environment and also works for the society as a whole. Caterpillar has named as one of the top 10 industrial supply chains in 2010 on Gartners Inc. top 10 list. Also the Caterpillars Chairman and CEO, Doug Oberhelman named into the top 50 people in business according to Fortunes 2010. Hence Caterpillar is actively involved in the development of its business and competing at its best into the environment. Future Recommendations Caterpillar should be opening new markets all over the world as an expansion of its business mostly into the developing countries as around 80% of the population lives there and they demand for such construction equipments on high basis. Also the diversification into the product line and customers is important for further growth. Lack of diversification reduces the sale which has already suffered by the organization. The diversification of the products done by the organization in the past proved to be very profitable. Marketing has become an essential part of any organization. Successful marketing plays an important role in gaining competitive advantage. A wide spread distribution service network is important is essential in competing with heavy construction equipment industry. Joint ventures are important to expand the new markets and diversify into new products. This is important for the growth and development of the organization and to cover a large number of customers. Recently the global economy downturn decreases 25% of the Caterpillar sales. The ability to rebound the economy plays a significant role in the profitability maintenance of the organization. The other critical issues for the organization like changes in the prices of raw material, changes in the government monetary and fiscal policies, the credit risk involves into the financial services provided by Caterpillar etc. should be given special attention as their affect on the organization can proven to be the worst. Continuous growth and development initiatives are important for the maintenance of the topmost position into the market. Like entering into the new markets, diversification of products and services, customer diversification, sustainable development, new distribution channels etc. The full usage of its Strengths like companys strong reputation, dominating among the industry, good financial condition for upto date technology and beating any competition and diversified business competencies, will provide a competitive advantage to the organization.

Business Plan for Concentric Network Corporation :: Business Management Web Hosting Essays

Business Plan for Concentric Network Corporation Concentric Network Corporation provides complete, easy-to-use Internet business solutions for small to medium-sized companies and customized Virtual Private Network and data center services for larger organizations. Concentric's portfolio of services for small to medium-sized companies includes high-speed DSL access, Web hosting and e-commerce. For larger organizations, the company offers dedicated Web hosting services and VPN solutions that enable an organization to securely and reliably communicate with its offices, mobile sales force, business partners, vendors and customers. Concentric offers a comprehensive portfolio of Web hosting and e-services for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as high capacity data center solutions for larger enterprises or Internet-centric companies. Concentric Web Solutions make it easy to do business on the Web and are engineered to grow with customers businesses as they expand. The ConcentricHostâ„ ¢ portfolio includes highly reliable Web hosting, e-commerce, domain parking and e-mail services for individuals and small to medium-sized businesses with services based on shared or dedicated NT and UNIX servers. The ConcentricHost line includes EasySite, the first template-driven Web site builder that comes complete with content, graphics and colors and enables customers to build a site with no HTML or Web design experience. Sites built with EasySite can also be easily upgraded to a full e-commerce store. Concentric for Small Business Server is a complete suite of Internet access and hosting services for Microsoft ® BackOffice ® Small Business Server customers. ConcentricCenterâ„ ¢ includes reliable and high-performance dedicated hosting, distributed server hosting, e-commerce and data center services for larger enterprises and Internet-centric companies. Concentric's Peak Protection service is ideal for companies that do not want to rely on a single hosting provider, Internet Service Provider, or an internal data center for hosting and data center services. The service intelligently balances traffic between Concentric hosting centers and other server locations while providing fail-over insurance. Concentric also offers complete programs for resellers from small Web developers to large telecommunication companies looking to resell co-branded or completely private labeled hosting and e-commerce services. Access Services: Concentric offers a full-range of high-speed dedicated access services to connect multiple, dispersed network sites, providing Internet, intranet and LAN access across a VPN. Most of these services have latency and throughput guarantees and are priced based on average usage. Options include FullChannel T1â„ ¢ and T3, FlexChannel T1â„ ¢ and T3, LECFrame Relay, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), and wireless services.

CVS Structure Essay

Module 6: Question 1: Draw a chart of your organizations domain. List the organization’s products and customers and the forces in the specific and general environments that have an effect on it. Which are the most important forces that the organization has to deal with? Part A: Draw a chart of your organizations domain. CVS Pharmacy Specific Environment General Environment An organizations domain is the goods and services, and customers of the organization. Every organizational domain consists of a specific and general environment. In CVS Pharmacy’s specific environment are its suppliers and customers. In CVS Pharmacy’s general environment are governmental regulations, advancements in technology, and economic forces. Part B: List the organizations products and customers and the forces in the specific and general environments that have an effect on it. What are the most important forces that the organization has to deal with? CVS Pharmacy offers products in the front store and the pharmacy. Products in the front store range from health and beauty products, over the counter medications, cleaning supplies, school supplies, seasonal items such as Halloween or Christmas decorations, and food and beverages. Some services offered in the front store is the photo station where customers can print photos and make albums for themselves or loved ones. Great customer service is to be given to all customers from the time they enter the store until the time they leave the store. Products offered in the pharmacy are prescription only medications and ordering medications online that cannot be found in the  front store. Some services offered in the pharmacy are immunizations such as flu shots, pneumonia, and shingles shot, MinuteClinics, patient consultations, and directing customers into a good Medicare Part D plan. CVS Pharmacy is directed towards many different customer bases. Some customers come into CVS to keep up their good health by getting their medications and becoming informed on what they are used for and how to take them. Other customers just come into CVS to do a little bit of general needs shopping. In CVS Pharmacy’s specific environment falls its customer and suppliers. These forces have a huge effect on how successful the company is or becomes. Customers play a huge role in keeping CVS alive. In 2012, CVS Pharmacy’s net revenues increased by 15 percent to a record $123.1 billion and its operating profit increased by 14.2 percent to a record $7.2 billion. Without our customers, CVS would not be able to operate. Suppliers are another huge part of CVS’s specific env ironment. In the pharmacy, our main supplier is McKesson. If we are not able get the products that we need for our customers, we will end up losing these customers to different pharmacies. Every day we place an order with McKesson to get in the medications need to fill customer’s prescriptions. Without our suppliers, we would not have any products to offer our customers. In CVS Pharmacy’s general environment are technological advancements which play a big role in keeping CVS alive. Technology is always changing and in order to keep up with the fast-paced environment, CVS needs to keep implementing the best technologies they can to keep customers interested. One huge technological advancement is ordering and managing your medications online. This lets customer easily order their medications from home and be alerted when their prescriptions are ready for pickup. Governmental regulations also play a role in CVS’s general environment. There are many rules and regulations that need to be followed in the pharmacy. One specific regulation that we must follow are HIPAA laws. This helps protect the customer from outsiders viewing any of their personal information. I think the most important forces that CVS has to deal with are keeping customers happy and getting the supplies they need from their suppliers. Question 2: Analyze the effect of the forces on the complexity, dynamism, and richness of the environment. From this analysis, how would you characterize  the level of uncertainty in your organizations environment? Part A: Analyze the effect of the forces on the complexity, dynamism, and richness of the environment. Environmental complexity is a function of strength, number, and interconnectedness of specific and general forces. CVS has many stakeholders including employees, non-governmental organizations, suppliers, clients, investors, shareholders, analysts, consumers, local communities, civic organizations, trade organizations, government and regulatory authorities, and the media. With all these stakeholders within the organizations specific and general environment makes communication and collaboration very difficult. There are a lot of voices to be heard and getting everyone interconnected and on the same page is not an easy task. CVS would fall under a complex environment. Environmental dynamism is a function of speed of change and how much change is occurring between specific and general forces. CVS is constantly changing and growing in today’s world. CVS knows they need to stay innovative and keep up with new technologies in order to stay the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider. One example of CSV growing and changing is adding a new feature to their mobile app. CVS adder a new drug interaction checker as part of its top-rated CVS Mobile app. This is an industry first. This feature allows customers to quickly and easily check for potential drug interactions by comparing over-the-counter (OTC) products with their prescriptions and other OTCs on their smartphones. CVS would fall under a dynamic environment. Environmental richness is a function of quantity of resources in the organizations domain. Richness refers to the quantity of resources readily available in the organizations domain. CVS has readily available resources at all times. We are able to order from our outside vendor, McKesson, Sunday through Thursday to receive the medications we need Monday through Friday. We have a contract with them and they supply all our medications on a daily basis. CVS would fall under a rich environment. Part B: From this analysis, how would you characterize the level of uncertainty in your organizations environment? As stated above, CVS has a complex, dynamic, rich environment. While having a rich environment would lead you to believe that there was little uncertainty within the organization, having a complex and dynamic environment leads you to believe that there was much uncertainty within the organization. Overall, from my analysis above, I believe that CVS Pharmacy operated with an uncertain environment. Question 3: Review your analysis of organizational structure. How has your organization designed its structure to match the environment in which it operates? For example, how do its degree of differentiation and its use of integrating mechanisms reflect the uncertainty of its environment? I defined CVS Pharmacy’s organizational structure to be organic. CVS has decentralization within the organization. Decentralization happens when top management’s decision making has been delegated to lower managers. The pharmacist has the discretion to offer gift cards to unhappy customers. This in turn makes the customer happy and hopefully they will return to CVS in the future. The pharmacist also has the discretion to price match with other pharmacies. If Walgreens has a lower cash price for a certain medication then we can offer that price to the customer if they ask for that to be done. CVS, for the most part, is highly formalized. This is an attribute of the mechanistic model of organizational structure but as I said earlier, we are predominately organic. The technicians and employees do not have a lot of discretion to deviate from their job duties. There are rules and regulations that they need to follow otherwise they could be terminated. CVS has a very complex structure. There is great special dispersion; it has high vertical differentiation, and high horizontal differentiation. CVS has designed its structure to match its environment. I said earlier that CVS operates under a dynamic environment and in turn has designed its structure to be organic. CVS’s use of integrating mechanisms reflects the uncertainty of the environment. CVS Pharmacy is highly differentiated. CVS has various levels of management that the operative core need look up to. CVS also has over 7000 stores nation-wide creating great spatial dispersion. Some integrating mechanisms used by CVS Pharmacy are specific jobs, policies, and  standards that employees must follow. Employees at CVS are not allowed to make their own rules/tasks. Employees are given specific jobs that they are to get done and if they are not completed, there are consequences. As the lead pharmacy technician, I am in charge of inventory. Our warehouse order needs to be completed on Wednesday by 3pm. I need to use my time wisely to make sure that this gets completed otherwise there will be a lot of supplies and medications that we do not receive. This is not good for the customer or the organization. Employees also have certain policies and standards that they must adhere to otherwise they will most likely be terminated. Employees need to act with honor and integrity and they need this to follow through to the customer even if they customer seems to be out of line. CVS is differentiated and in turn, they follow an organic structure. Question 4: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, long-term contracts, strategic alliances, mergers) that your organization uses to manage its symbolic resource interdependencies. Using resource dependence theory and transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization selected the most appropriate linkage mechanisms? Why or why not? Part A: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, long-term contracts, strategic alliances, mergers) that your organization uses to manage its symbolic resource interdependencies. Symbiotic resource interdependencies include reputation, cooptation, strategic alliances (long-term contracts, networks, minority ownership, and joint ventures) and mergers and acquisitions. CVS has taken the strategic alliance, long-term contract interdependency. CVS has been in a long-term contract with McKesson for a long time. CVS is McKesson’s single biggest customer. In 2012, CVS accounted for an estimated 18.5% of the company’s U.S. core drug distribution revenues. Part B: Using resource dependence theory and transaction cost theory, discuss  why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization selected the most appropriate linkage mechanisms? Why or why not? Resource dependency theory is the ability to exercise more control over resources and distribution channels which means establishing interdependencies with other organizations. Transaction cost theory helps you choose which interdependency to choose when your bureaucratic costs equal your transaction costs. Both of these theories help organizations choose which interdependency is right for them. CVS chose to hold a long-term contract with McKesson. I think this was an appropriate and beneficial way to manage their interdependency. These long-term contracts help build relationships between the parent company and the supplier. When announced that CVS was going to renew its contract with McKesson, McKesson’s statement said that it was â€Å"extremely pleased to continue the relationship†. Question 5: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, collusion, third-party linkages mechanisms, strategic alliances) that your organization uses to manage is competitive resource interdependencies. Using resource dependence theory or transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization has selected the most appropriate linage mechanisms? Why or why not? Part A: Draw a chart of the main inter-organizational linkage mechanisms (for example, collusion, third-party linkages mechanisms, strategic alliances) that your organization uses to manage is competitive resource interdependencies. Competitive resource interdependencies include collusion and cartels, third party linkages, strategic alliances (long-term contracts, networks, minority ownership, and joint ventures) and mergers and acquisitions. CVS has followed the mergers and acquisitions interdependency. In March of 2007, CVS Corporation and Caremark Rx, Inc. merged together creating the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider. The combined company, renamed  CVS/Caremark Corporation, unifies the nation’s largest pharmacy chain with a leading pharmaceutical services company, creating the opportunity to deliver unique products and services that will help manage costs for employers and improve access and choice for consumers. Part B: Using resource dependence theory or transaction cost theory, discuss why the organization chose to manage its interdependencies in this way. Do you think the organization has selected the most appropriate linage mechanisms? Why or why not? Resource dependency theory is the ability to exercise more control over resources and distribution channels which means establishing interdependencies with other organizations. Transaction cost theory helps you choose which interdependency to choose when your bureaucratic costs equal your transaction costs. Both of these theories help organizations choose which interdependency is right for them. CVS chose to go with the merger interdependency. I think this was an appropriate and beneficial way to manage its interdependency. This merger allowed CVS to begin delivering substantial benefits to shareholders, customers and employees. CVS was able to offer end-to-end services, from plan design to prescription fulfillment, as well as the opportunity to improve clinical outcomes, which results in better control over healthcare costs for employers and plan providers. The merge improved the delivery of pharmacy services and healthcare decision making, enabling consumers to benefit from unparalleled access, greater convenience and more choice.

March Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays

March Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays Discover what famous event happened on the March calendar concerning patents, trademarks or copyrights, and see which famous inventor has the same March birthday as you or what invention was created on that March calendar day. March Calendar of Inventions, Trademarks, and Patents March 1 1921- Magician and showman Harry Houdini was granted patent #1,370,316 for a divers suit. March 2 1861- The Patent Act of 1861 increased the term of a patent grant from 14 to 17 years; now it is 20 years. March 3 1821- Thomas Jennings received a patent for dry scouring of clothes. He was the first African-American inventor to receive a US patent. March 4 1955- The first radio facsimile, or fax transmission, was sent across the continent.1997- Leonard Kasday received a patent for a way to handle telephone prize opportunities. March 5 1872- George Westinghouse  Jr. patented the steam-air brake.1963- Arthur K. Melin received U.S. Patent Number 3,079,728 on March 5, 1963, for a Hoop Toy, aka the Hula-Hoop. March 6 1899- Felix Hoffmann patented aspirin. He discovered that the compound called salicin found in willow plants provided pain relief.1990- Mel Evenson received a design patent for the ornamental design for a paperclip holder. March 7 1876- Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the telephone. March 8 1994- Don Ku was granted a patent for a wheeled suitcase with a collapsible towing handle. March 9 1954- Gladys Geissman was granted a patent for a babys garment. March 10 1862- The first U.S. paper money was issued. The denominations were $5, $10 and $20. The paper bills became legal tender by an act of government on March 17, 1862.1891- Almon Strowger was issued a patent for the automatic telephone exchange. March 11 1791- Samuel Mullikin became the first inventor to hold multiple patents. March 12 1935- England established the first 30 mph speed limit for town and village roads.1996- Michael Vost patented a mailbox signaling device. March 13 1877- Chester Greenwood received a patent for earmuffs.1944- Abbott and Costellos baseball routine Whos On First was copyrighted. March 14 1794- Eli Whitney was granted a patent for the cotton gin. March 15 1950- New York City hired Dr. Wallace E. Howell as the citys official rainmaker.1994- William Hartman was issued a patent for a method and apparatus for painting highway markings (stripes, etc.). March 16 1963- The movie  To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lees novel of the same name, was copyrighted. March 17 1845- The first rubber band was patented by Stephen Perry of London.1885- The Blast Furnace Charger was patented by Fayette Brown. March 18 1910- Rose ONeills Kewpie doll was copyrighted. March 19 1850- Phineas Quimby was issued a patent for a steering mechanism.1994- The largest omelet (1,383 ² ft) in the world was made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama, Japan. March 20 1883- Jan Matzeliger was issued patent #274,207 for a lasting device for shoes. Matzeligers invention made the mass production of inexpensive shoes possible. March 21 1861- The Constitution of the Confederate States of America established a Patent Office. March 22 1841- Orlando Jones patented cornstarch.1960- Arthur L. Schawlow and Charles H. Townes were issued a patent for the laser. March 23 1836- The coin press was invented by Franklin Beale.1956- West Side Story, a musical play by Leonard Bernstein, was copyrighted. March 24 1959- Charles Townes was granted a patent for the maser, the precursor to the laser. The maser was a big hit, being used to amplify radio signals and as an ultrasensitive detector for space research. March 25 1902- Irving W. Colburn patented the sheet glass drawing machine, making the mass production of glass for windows possible.1975- Cayetano Aguas was issued patent #3,873,284 for a smoke stack washer. March 26 1895- Charles Jenkins patented a motion picture machine.1895- Louis Lumiere patented a motion picture machine. What Lumiere invented was a portable motion-picture camera, a film-processing unit and a projector called the cinematographe - three functions covered in one invention. March 27 1790- The first shoelaces were invented.1990- Harold Osrow and Zvi Bleier received a patent for a portable ice cream machine. March 28 1899- William Fleming received a patent for a player piano using electricity. March 29 1933- 42nd Street, the movie, was copyrighted.2000- The Patent and Trademark Office became the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and began operations as a performance-based organization. March 30 1956- Woody Guthries song This Land Is Your Land was copyrighted. March 31 1981- Ananda Chakrabarty patented a new single-cell life form. March Birthdays March 1 1864- Rebecca Lee was the first black woman to get a medical degree. March 2 1876- Gosta Forsell was a noted Swedish radiologist.1902- Nuclear physicist and atomic scientist  Edward Uhler Condon  worked on the Manhattan Project. March 3 1831- George Pullman  invented the railway sleeping car.1838- American astronomer George W. Hill plotted the moons orbit.1841- Canadian oceanographer John Murray discovered the depths of the ocean.1845- German mathematician Georg Cantor discovered transfinite numbers.1847- Alexander Graham Bell  invented the first working telephone.1877- African-American inventor  Garrett Morgan  invented an improved  traffic light  and improved  gas mask.1895- Economist Ragnar Frisch of Norway won the  first Nobel Memorial Prize  in Economics  in 1969.1909- Jay Morris Arena was a noted inventor and pediatrician.1918- American biochemist Arthur Kornberg won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1959. March 4 1754- Physician Benjamin Waterhouse invented a smallpox vaccine.1835- Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli discovered the canals of Mars.1909- American builder Harry B. Helmsley designed the  Empire State Building.1934- Ethologist Jane van Lawick-Goodall was a chimp expert who won the 1974 Walker Prize.1939- James Aubrey Turner was a noted scientist. March 5 1574- English mathematician  William Oughtred  invented the slide rule.1637- Dutch painter John van der Heyden invented the fire extinguisher.1794- French physicist Jacques Babinet was  a noted mathematician and astronomer.1824- American physician Elisha Harris founded the American Public Health Association.1825- German photographer Joseph Albert invented the Albertotype.1893- Emmett J. Culligan founded a water treatment organization.1932- Scientist Walter Charles Marshall was a leading theoretician in the atomic properties of matter. March 6 1812- Aaron Lufkin Dennison was considered the father of American watchmaking.1939- Computer  inventor  Adam Osborne is the founder of the Osborne Computer Corporation. March 7 1765- French inventor  Joseph Niepce  made the first photographic image with a camera obscura.1837- Henry Draper was an  astro-spectro photographer who photographed the moon and Jupiter.1938- American scientist David Baltimore made key contributions in cancer research and is a 1975 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. March 8 1787- Karl Ferdinand von Grafe was the father of modern plastic surgery.1862- Joseph Lee developed playgrounds.1879- German physicist and chemist Otto Hahn won the Nobel Prize in 1944 for his discovery of radiothorium and actinium.1886- Chemist  Edward Kendall  isolated cortisone and won the Nobel Prize in 1950. March 9 1791- American surgeon George Hayward was the first to use ether anesthesia.  1900- American scientist  Howard Aiken  invented the Mark I computer.1923- French fashion designer Andre Courreges invented the miniskirt.1943- American Jef Raskin was a pioneering computer scientist. March 10 1940- Psychologist Wayne Dyer wrote The Universe Within You. March 11 1811- Urbain Jean Joseph  Le  Verrier codiscovered Neptune.1832- German  physicist Franz Melde invented the Melde test.1879- Danish chemist Niels Bjerrum invented pH tests.1890- American scientist  Vannevar Bush  first proposed the basics of hypertext in 1945 that laid the foundation for the internet. March 12 1824- Prussian physicist Gustav R. Kirchoff invented spectral analysis.1831- Clement Studebaker invented the Studebaker car.1838- William Perkin invented the first artificial dye.1862- Jane Delano founded the  Red Cross. March 13 1733- English clergyman and scientist  Joseph Priestley  discovered oxygen and invented a method of making carbonated water.1911- L. Ron Hubbard was a noted sci-fi writer and the first  Scientologist  who invented  Dianetics. March 14 1692- Physicist  Pieter van Musschenbroek  invented the Leyden Jar - the first electrical capacitor.1800- American builder James Bogardus invented ways of making cast-iron buildings.1833- Lucy Hobbs Taylor was the first woman to become a dentist in the United States in 1866.1837- American librarian Charles Ammi Cutter invented expansive classification.1854- German bacteriologist Paul Ehrlich, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908.1879- German physicist  Albert Einstein  won the Nobel Prize in 1921 for his  theory of relativity. March 15 1801- Coenraad J. van Houten was a Dutch chemist and chocolate maker.1858- American botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey is considered the father of  plant-breeding.1938- English composer Dick Higgins invented the term intermedia and founded Something Else Press. March 16 1806- Norbert Rillieux  invented the sugar refiner.1836- Andrew Smith Hallidie  patented the first cable car.1910- Andrew Miller-Jones was a British television pioneer.1918- American physicist Frederick Reines was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics.1951- Scientist Richard Stallman is an American software freedom activist and programmer. March 17 1787- Physicist  George Simon Ohm  discovered Ohms Law.1834- German car manufacturer  Gottlieb Daimler  invented the first motorcycle.1925- G.M. Hughes was a renowned British zoologist.1925- Physiologist Jerome Lejeune was a geneticist best-known for discovering links of diseases to chromosome abnormalities. March 18 1690- German mathematician Christian Goldbach wrote the Goldbach position.1858- German engineer  Rudolf Diesel  invented the diesel motor.1886- German psychologist Kurt Koffka invented Gestalt therapy. March 19 1892- Neurobiologist Siegfried T. Bok wrote Cybernetica.1900- French physicist Frederic Joliot-Curie  won  the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935. March 20 1856- American inventor and engineer Frederick W. Taylor is best-known as the father of scientific management.1904- American psychologist B.F. Skinner was an author, inventor, behaviorist and social philosopher.1920- Douglas G. Chapman was a biomathematical statistician. March 21 1869- Architect Albert Kahn invented modern factory design.1884- American mathematician George D. Birkhoff discovered aesthetic measure.1932- American scientist Walter Gilbert was a molecular biology pioneer and Nobel laureate. March 22 1868- American physicist Robert A. Millikan discovered the  photoelectric effect  and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1923.1907- American scientist James M. Gavin was a military theorist.1924- Al Neuharth founded the newspaper USA Today.1926- American Julius Marmur was a noted biochemist and geneticist.1931- American scientist Burton Richter was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.1946- American mathematician and computer scientist Rudy Rucker is a popular author in science fiction and science. March 23 1881- German chemist  Hermann Staudinger  was a noted plastics researcher who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1953.1907- Swiss pharmacologist Daniel Bovet won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1957.1912- German  rocket  scientist  Wernher von Braun  was a space architect and aerospace engineer. March 24 1809- French math whiz Joseph Liouville discovered transcendental numbers.1814- American naturalist Galen Clark discovered Mariposa Grove.1835- Austrian physicist Josef Stefan wrote the Stefan-Boltzmann law.1871- British nuclear physicist Ernest Rutherford is considered the father of nuclear physics and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908.1874- Hungarian magician and escape artist  Harry Houdini  invented a divers suit.1884- Dutch physical chemist Peter Debye won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1936.1903- German  biochemist Adolph F.J. Butenandt won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1939.1911- Joseph Barbera was  a noted  animator and  one-half  of Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc.1936- Canadian scientist David Suzuki is a noted television host and narrator.1947- English computer manufacturer Alan Sugar founded Amstrad Computers. March 25 1786- Giovanni B. Amia was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and botanist.1867- Gutzon Borglum was the  Mount Rushmore  sculptor.1914- Italian humanitarian and agronomist Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for inventing methods to increase food  supply and was also awarded the  Presidential Medal of Freedom. March 26 1773- Mathematician and astronomer Nathaniel Bowditch invented the marine sextant.1821- Ernst Engel was a German economist.1821- German statistician Earnest Angel wrote the Law of Angel.1885- Robert Blackburn was a pioneer in British aviation.1893- Scientist James Bryant Conant was known for his lasting influence on American science.1908- Robert William Paine was a noted architect.1908- Zoologist Kenneth Mellanby of England was a noted entomologist and ecologist.1911- German-born Bernard Katz was a noted biophysicist noted for his work on nerve physiology.1913- Paul Erdos was a noted Hungarian mathematician known for his work in number theory.1916- American chemist Christian B. Anfinsen researched cell physiology and won the Nobel Prize in 1972.1930- Sandra Day OConnor was the first woman to become a U.S. Supreme Court justice in 1981.1941- English scientist Richard Dawkins is a noted evolutionary biologist. March 27 1780- German inventor and mathematician August L. Crelle built the first Prussian Railway.1844- Adolphus Washington Greely was an American Arctic explorer.1845- Physicist  Wilhelm Conrad von Rontgen  discovered X-rays and won the  Nobel Prize  in Physics in 1901.1847- German chemist Otto Wallach won the Nobel Prize in 1910.1863- Henry Royce invented the Rolls-Royce.1905- Hungarian mathematician Laszlo Kalmar discovered  mathematical  logic and was the founder of theoretical computer science in Hungary.1922- Margaret Stacey was a noted sociologist. March 28 1942- American philosopher Daniel Dennett is a researcher of cognitive science and evolutionary biology. March 29 1883- American chemist Van Slyke invented  micromanometric  analysis. March 30 1842- Dr. Crawford Long was the first physician to use ether as an anesthetic.1865- German physicist Heinrich Rubens was  known for his measurements of the energy of black-body radiation, which led Max Planck to the discovery of his radiation law.  Ã‚  1876- Clifford Whittingham Beers was a mental hygiene pioneer.1892- Polish mathematician Stefan Banach is considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century mathematicians.1894- Sergei Ilyushin was a noted builder of Russian airplanes.1912- Andrew Rodger Waterson was a noted naturalist. March 31 1811- German chemist Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen invented the  Bunsen  burner.1854- Dugald Clerk invented a 2-stroke motorcycle engine.1878- Jack Johnson  was the first black heavyweight boxing champ (1908-1915) and invented a wrench.1950- Pathologist Alison McCartney is a noted breast cancer campaigner.

1984 Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices

'1984' Themes, Symbols, and Literary Devices Written at a time when dictatorships and totalitarian regimes were establishing a hold over much of the world despite the defeat of Hitler’s Nazis in World War II, in 1984 Orwell described what he saw as the inevitable outcome of any political movement that embraced authoritarianism and the cult of personality. Orwell was extremely frightened of political power being concentrated in a small number of individuals, correctly seeing it as a pathway to the loss of personal freedoms, and foresaw the technology that would make the erasure of those freedoms a simple task. Totalitarianism The most obvious and powerful theme of the novel is, of course, totalitarianism itself. A totalitarian state is one where there is only one political force legally permitted- all opposition to the state’s policies and actions is illegal, usually categorized as treason and met with violent retribution. This naturally stifles freedom of expression and makes change within the system impossible. In democratic societies, opposition groups can form political parties, express their ideas freely, and force the state to address concerns or be replaced. In a totalitarian society, this is impossible. Orwell’s Oceania goes further than even most existing totalitarian states. Where real-world authoritarian leaders seek to restrict information and control their populations in terms of their physical movements and spoken or written communication, Orwell’s government of the future seeks to inhibit thought itself and alter information at the source. Newspeak is a language invented by the state specifically to make independent thought literally impossible, and even Winston’s physical surroundings are designed to inhibit his freedoms, like the way his small apartment is dominated by the enormous two-way television screen, crowding him into a corner he incorrectly believes offers him some degree of privacy. That illusion is crucial to Orwell’s theme, as he strives to demonstrate that in a truly totalitarian society all freedom is in fact an illusion. Winston believes he finds ways to resist and meaningfully fight back against repression, all of which turn out to be gambits controlled by the state. Orwell argues that people who imagine they would heroically resist such a repressive regime are kidding themselves. Control of Information A crucial aspect of Oceania’s control over the citizenry is its manipulation of information. Workers at the Ministry of Truth actively adjust newspapers and books on a daily basis to match the ever-changing version of history that suits the purposes of the state. Without any kind of reliable source of facts, Winston and anyone who, like him, is dissatisfied or concerned about the state of the world, has only their vague feelings on which to base their resistance. More than simply a reference to Joseph Stalin’s practice of literally airbrushing people out of historical records, this is a chilling demonstration of how a lack of information and accurate data renders people powerless. Winston daydreams of a past that never actually existed and sees it as the goal of his rebellion, but since he lacks any real information, his rebellion is meaningless. Consider how he is tricked into overtly betraying the state by O’Brien. All the information Winston has about the Brotherhood and Emmanuel Goldstein is fed to him by the state itself. He has no idea if any of it is true- if the Brotherhood even exists, if there is even a man named Emmanuel Goldstein. Destruction of the Self Winston’s torture at the end of the novel is not simply punishment for his Thoughtcrimes and incompetent attempts to rebel; the purpose of the torture is to eradicate his sense of self. This is the ultimate goal of totalitarian regimes according to Orwell: A complete subservience to the goals, needs, and ideas of the state. The torture Winston undergoes is designed to destroy his individuality. In fact, every aspect of life in Oceania is designed to achieve this goal. Newspeak is designed to prevent negative thoughts or any thought that is not approved or generated by the state. The Two-Minutes Hate and the presence of Big Brother posters promote a sense of homogeneous community, and the presence of Thought Police- especially the children, who have been raised in the poisoned environment of the totalitarian state and who function as credulous and uncritical servants of its philosophy- prevents any sort of trust or true kinship. In fact, the Thought Police do not have to actually exist to achieve this goal. Simply the belief that they do is sufficient to inhibit any individual expression, with the ultimate result that the self is subsumed into Groupthink. Symbols Big Brother. The most powerful and recognizable symbol from the book- recognized even by people who have not read it- is the looming image of Big Brother on posters everywhere. The posters obviously symbolize the power and omniscience of the party, but they are only ominous to those who retain any kind of individual thought. For those fully assimilated into the party line, Big Brother is not an ironic term- he is seen as a protector, a kindly older sibling keeping them from harm, whether it be the threat of outside forces, or the threat of unmutual thoughts. Proles. Winston is obsessed with the lives of the proles, and fetishizes the red-armed prole woman as his main hope for the future, because she represents the potentially overwhelming power of numbers as well as a mother who will bear future generations of free children. It is notable that Winston’s best hope for the future takes the responsibility from his hands- he is not the one counted on to deliver this ill-defined future, it is up to the proles to rise up. And if they do not, the implication is that it is because they are dull and lazy. Telescreens. Another obvious symbol are the wall-sized televisions in every private space. This literal intrusion by the state is not a commentary on modern television, which did not exist in any meaningful way in 1948, but rather a symbol of the destructive and repressive power of technology. Orwell distrusted technology, and saw it as a grave danger to freedom. Literary Devices Limited Point of View. Orwell chooses to restrict our access to information by tying the narrative solely to Winston’s point of view. This is done specifically to keep the reader reliant on the information they are given, just as Winston is. This underscores the betrayal and shock that both feel when, for example, the Brotherhood is revealed to be fictional. Plain Language. 1984 is written in a very plain style, with few flourishes or unnecessary words. While many students take this to mean Orwell was a humorless man, or who simply lacked the ability to write in an exciting way, the fact is the opposite: Orwell had such control over his art he was able to match his writing style precisely to the mood and setting. The novel is written in a sparse, grim style that perfectly matches and evokes the grim, unhappy, and hopeless setting. The reader experiences the same dull, plodding sense of mere existence that Winston does.

Impact of the Internet on Thinking by Alan Greenblatt Essay

Impact of the Internet on Thinking by Alan Greenblatt - Essay Example This paper illustrates that researchers have studied and expressed views on social, psychological, intellectual and physiological perspectives that are summarised and quoted in this report. Greenblatt begins his survey giving examples of instances of the impact of Internet use as a pervasive and addictive influence on people’s lives. Although the compulsive use of electronic media is quite unlike an addiction to chemical substances, China and South Korea already recognize it as a public health concern. Greenblatt quotes Nicholas Carr as expressing concern that the Internet can have ‘bad effects on our brains’. Jonah Lehrer argues that such ‘concerns are overstated.’ Research by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found the majority of technology experts disagreeing with Carr, who held varied opinions on the merits of the Internet. One interesting finding was that some believed that it helped create a â€Å"hive brain† enabling ‘peopl e to share thoughts and come to collective solutions to complex problems’. Robert Thompson is concerned that the ‘flood of information’ leaves people no ‘time for contemplation’ and ‘deeper reflection’. Paul Saffo says that video games ‘stimulates and strengthens parts of the brain’, but worries that such technology ‘causes ... people to... concentrate on the immediate at the expense of the long-term’... Elias Aboujaoude cites an increase in attention deficit disorder, though this may not be directly related to Internet use. However, he is certain that ‘those who spend a lot of time online have shorter attention spans’. The conclusion to this section is that with increasing availability of electronic media, the responsibility is on the individual to choose wisely as to how much time to spend on the Internet. Greenblatt points to historical resistance to new inventions leading to improved communicati on from the time of Socrates. The 15th-century invention of printing, and more recently the telegraph, the telephone and the postal service, all raised concerns, but the world has embraced and accommodated to such changes. Greenblatt explores the current situation and says that the Internet has ‘not finished evolving yet’, and forecasts that in the future people would learn to ‘disconnect’ from the Web. He concludes by quoting Aboujaoude as pessimistic about our capacity to understand the effects of the Internet ‘on our brains’, while Levy postulates two possible scenarios for the future. Either ‘we slow down and better modulate all this’ or ‘we adapt to these changes’ adding that we may not be ‘at the limit’ yet. The three basic questions that intellectuals and social critics have posed are: 1) Is the Internet making us smarter or stupid? 2) Is it addictive? 3) Does it affect our attention span? These que stions are dealt with above. 1) Carr (for) vs. Lehrer (against); 2) Aboujaoude (for) vs. Rainie (Pew Internet & American Life Project) (against); 3) Gentile (for) vs. O’Reilly (against).

IKEA Analysis Report (Operations management)1 Assignment

IKEA Analysis Report (Operations management)1 - Assignment Example For example, in last 60 years the company has penetrated in almost 35 countries by establishing more than 300 retail outlets with the help of joint ventures, foreign direct investment, merger-acquisition, franchising etc. Euromonitor International (2009) has reported that, IKEA has the capacity to earn more than â‚ ¬20 billion annually from its retail operation. When it comes to value delivery, the company delivers value to customers in the form of readymade furniture, functional home furnishing items and tailor made home furnishing solutions. Low price and Scandinavian stylish design can be treated as unique selling proposition (USP) for IKEA (IKEA PS, 2012). Value proposition of IKEA is not limited to its ability differentiate its product offering through innovation but also includes its ability to position itself as a unique brand among its target segment. For example, IKEA targets customers who are ready to engage with the brand and participate in the selling process. These cu stomers are ready to self transport and self assemble the furniture parts in order to get quality furniture products at affordable price. IKEA designs its product for customers after conducting detailed market research for understanding the needs and wants of customers. In some cases, the company establishes strategic partnership with local players in order to understand desired value proposition for local customers. For example, IKEA has established partnership with Ikano Group in order to penetrate in Malaysian and Singaporean furniture market (Ikano Group, 2008). The strategic partnership has helped the Swedish furniture retailer to deliver value to Malaysian and Singaporean which can satisfy their needs and wants. Value Chain Von Krogh & Cusumano (2001) and Nickerson & Zenger (2005) have stated that IKEA uses different sources in order to deliver value to customers. For example, the company has established more than 45 purchasing centers and trading offices in order to collect r esources from suppliers (Tarnovskaya, Ghauri & Elg, 2006). Suppliers of different parts of furniture has to sign a contract with IKEA which is states that, all suppliers are expect to adhere all the legal norms, environment act, ethical norms of their respective country while sourcing the supplies. For example, in Russia, supply managers of the IKEA check all the shops of potential entrepreneurs or suppliers in order to find the right suppliers (Tarnovskaya, Ghauri & Elg, 2006). Throughout the supply chain the Swedish furniture retailing giant tries to ensure that their suppliers behave in socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner. For example, in Poland, IKEA has opened its purchasing offices and supplier base that are capable of sourcing supplies in 20% cheaper rates in comparison to their European counterparts while the IKEA has also forced its supplier base in Scandinavian region to reduce carbon emission in the supplying process. Overall, it can be surmised tha t IKEA is successful in maintaining the three verticals of value delivery process, 1- delivering affordable products to customers (economic), 2- delivering product which can satisfy the social and cultural dimension of customers and 3- decreasing carbon footprint throughout the value chain in order to offer environment friendly products to customers. Intangible Products Core values of IKEA can be classified as biggest intangible