IT Planning at Modmeters Essay

Introduction This paper discusses the various aspects of IT planning at Modmeters Company which has two strategies of expanding globally and providing direct-to-customer sales. The role of IT is important in the expansion initiatives of Modmeters. The executives of various departments held a meeting to identify the budget requirements for the expansion. The plan is to establish new plants in Asia and Eastern Europe where the infrastructure facilities are not sufficient required for the operations at Modemeters. Brian Smith, CIO of Modmeters is worried about these two initiatives as the IT funding was very poor. The company has never invested in reengineering the existing systems, instead, they always introduced new systems on top of the other. John Johnson, CEO wanted to change the name of the company as MM for this updated strategy. The current budget levels at the company are not going support the expansion initiatives. Surprisingly, only 2% of the revenue was allocated to IT. According to Brian, 80% of the IT budget was fixed for running the existing systems and fixing errors. The remaining 20% was allotted based on ROI, where majority of the budget was used by manufacturing department, Human resources and marketing departments having minor share. Brian believed that this kind of budgeting is not effective for their new business strategies (McKeen & Smith, 2012). Brian explains the need to implement flexible systems to support the updated strategies. He stresses on the budget requirements to buy new infrastructure and problems with the existing systems. The systems are not integrated and use different terminologies in different divisions. IT needs investment for infrastructure, underlying processes and to manage the information. However, the outcomes of the budget meeting after having a long discussion were to prioritize the IT projects depending up on their contribution to the key objectives of the company and also how each of them is adding value to the Modmeters. To develop the direct-to-customer sales, the marketing department needs more investment to get the resources. Hence, to implement the new strategic  initiatives at Modemeters, the budget allocated to IT and marketing plays a key role. Recommendations An IT planning process needs to be developed to meet the demands of the new projects. First of all, the IT architecture has to be changed such that the systems are flexible to use. All the divisions should use similar terminology to manage the information and communicate with other divisions. A data dictionary need to be developed to address the terminology issues. IT should be involved in decision making at Modmeters. An enterprise architecture need to be developed to get the best out of IT. Though, I accept that IT projects should be measured in terms of ROI, the current situation at Modmeters is different. The systems are never reengineered and the communication between the systems look like a spaghetti, where failure of each system may lead to a complete failure. There is a need to invest on improving the architecture considering long term advantages of the investment. The IT and business should have a common goals and objectives in developing the existing business. The needs of the manufacturing, marketing, R&D and HR need to be understood and allocate the budget accordingly. Identify the core competencies of IT and a cost-benefit analysis should be made for the projects. The business employees’ opinions should be taken in using technologies. The key business staff needs to be identified and made account managers. They should present their findings to the top management so that, the governance body can look for interoperability of the systems. In the IT vision, guiding principles should be developed which links the business strategies. Meanwhile, existing business requirements and operations should be addressed as a continuous process. A departmental approach should be taken while prioritizing the projects. This approach focuses on improving the business by expanding globally, enabling direct-to-customer sales, satisfying Stan’s auditing needs, making use of existing projects and improving the infrastructure. Account managers should analyze how the proposed project would benefit their respective departments. The IT and business people should work closely while developing strategies. A SWOT analysis should be made while developing the plan. IT should be given enough budget and team work is essential to implement new strategies. The people need to be trained by allocating budget required to HR department.  The resources should be used effectively for the global expansion. A centralized IT structure is essential for Modmeters to share the information between the divisions. Fred, VP of manufacturing should understand the value of IT. At Modmeters, business needs should be understood by IT to deliver the best technology meanwhile, business people should provide necessary funding to IT. Apart from the ROI, Customer satisfaction, greater efficiency, product quality, cash savings and other intangible benefits need to be considered while assessing the business value of a project (Ferris, 2012). The marketing department funding needs to be increased. It is important to enable smooth transition while expanding and change should be managed carefully to be successful. Also, the policies and procedures in the IT plan should comply with the regulations. To conclude, IT and business collaboration is important in strategic IT planning. IT value should be understood by business and business needs should be understood by IT. At Modmeters, reengineering the existing systems, taking a departmental approach, satisfying the departmental needs and funding sufficiently will help to implement the two strategic initiatives. References Mckeen, J. D., & Smith, H. (2012). Delivering Value with IT (2nd ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Ferris, B. (2012, June 12). How to Measure the Business Value of a Project. Retrieved February 17, 2015, from http://cobaltpm.com/measuring-business-value-of-a-project/

Relationship with Parents as Presented in Foer’s Book Essay

A child’s relationship with his or her parents is a sensitive and moving concept as well as an interesting one to be presented in a contemporary book. This is especially if such idea is being discussed in a point of view of a nine-year-old main character. Jonathan Safran Foer’s 2005 book titled â€Å"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close† is an example of how a very young yet notably intelligent boy named Oskar Schell was able to effectively tell or portray his relationships with his parents, as well as his grandparents. The relationships between Oskar and his parents, as well as with that of his paternal grandparents, are compared with something which can only be imagined and invented. This is because with the extra-ordinary personality of Oskar, his character actually just played up on a lot of scenarios and possibilities that enabled him to establish his relationships with his immediate family and create a connection that only he was able to recognize. It was actually through the uniqueness of Oskar’s persona that allowed Foer to depict the implications of several serious issues such as the World War II firebombing of Dresden and 9/11 terrorist attack. In effect, Oskar’s relationships with his parents and paternal grandparents has proven Foer’s ability to effectively depict that war, terrorism, the future and love are concepts which are loud and close. However, it was likewise Oskar’s family links which determined that there are also things in the book or even realities of life that are seem to be silent and far away such as human relationship. The main character of the Foer’s novel is a nine-year-old boy named Oskar Schell. He is characterized in the books as a discoverer, jewelry designer, a young entomologist, protagonist, music enthusiast, good writer, archaeologist, artist, explorer, actor in a Hamlet production, sometimes a vegetarian, and collector of rare items, but definitely an unreliable narrator. Through these attributes, Oskar manifests the loudness and closeness of life realities such as war, coercion, and love. Eventually, he realizes how quiet and distant his relationship with his parents and grandparents is. Foer unveiled the story of Oskar with the death of Oskar’s father who was among the many Americans who died when the twin towers were attacked in the morning of September 11, 2001. This is the point where Oskar exerts efforts to trace the sense of his father’s death. Instead, however, his journey leads him to recognize and eventually accept what kind of relationship he has with his parents and paternal grandparents. Notwithstanding the efforts made by Oskar in order to establish his relationship with his parents and grandparents, he ends up understanding his sincere fondness towards his family as the mystery behind their relationships is uncovered, and ultimately searching for their love or affection (Foer, 2005). Foer’s utilization of magical realism, the book’s literary genre, as presented in a form of photographs in the book, exposed that Oskar was apparently too late in realizing how he long for the love or affection of his father who was taken away from him so early and made their relationship short-lived. Moreover, Oskar’s incomparable personality has also paved the way for an unassuming and clear presentation of how he relates with his mother whom he criticized for not mourning the death of her husband because of her new-found love. Foer, through the perspective of a nine-year-old boy, was also able to connect past event such as the Dresden bombing with Oskar’s longing of his grandparents whom he was not able to see; he was only able to get to know them through their letters which were written way before he was born. Such literary styles of Foer and ironic scenarios involving Oskar’s life provided the readers with a glimpse of how a father values his son. As portrayed in the three generations of the Schell family, Foer disclosed the long-desired but belated connection among the three men—a relationship that is coincidentally loud, yet silent and close, yet far away (Foer, 2005). Such contradicting metaphors are also evident with how the author presented the relationships between Oskar and the women in his life—his mother and grandmother. The child in Oskar was apparently obvious in times when he displayed some sort of jealousy with the new man in his mother’s life as well as bitterness with his grandmother’s absence. In particular, the book showed that Oskar endured the emotions of hatred and mental confusion apparently due to his mother’s new-found man. He expresses such feelings by hurting himself until he got bruises. This indication, however, only exposed more the kind of relationship that Oskar had with his mother and grandmother. It turned out to be a relationship similar to his father and grandfather; it was characterized with the boy’s intense desire of their affections and centered on his profound longing for their love. Foer emphasized how Oskar, despite his hardships, valued life and his relationships with his family as he echoed the boy’s feelings and said that â€Å"†¦ life made sense. Even the bad things made sense. They were necessary to make you possible. Alas. Your songs. My parents’ lives made sense† (Foer, 2005, p. 232). It was unfortunate to note, however, that the realization of an equally utmost relationship, which Oskar’s parents and grandparents actually wanted, was not achieved. Hence, the boy was left with his unique antics and loneliness (Foer, 2005). Meanwhile, the novel did not only result in giving praise to Foer. Rather, the story unlocks the mysteries in Oskar’s journey as well through which a clearer representation of the impacts of life realities is provided. The book suggests that there a lot of substances as there are emotions in this world. However, the realization and benefit of enjoying life instead of succumbing to absurdity is actually not impossible if only one would open his or her heart to the eventualities of love which will eventually challenge one’s worries and loss. The book makes Oskar as an adorable yet intriguing character because he exudes both naivete and sophistication and one can be truly affected by his fate. Although the novel discusses real issues like war and terrorism, it embraces other life’s dramas which are led by the portrayal of Oskar as a tough character trapped inside the body of a boy. Furthermore, it is worthy to note that amidst darkness in Oskar’s life, he was able to see light. This, in effect, can lead the readers to recover humanity which is human’s link with one another especially during times when human quality is apparently abandoned. In the end, Foer’s book shows the balance between wit and disaster, devastation and innovation, living and dying, and, most definitely, between showing the loudness and closeness of life realities.

Career Competence Factors Essay

The essential skills and abilities associated with students’ personal learning styles are many of the capabilities hiring managers look for when reviewing applications. University of Phoenix learning goals represent another set of core competencies that can help you become recognized as an exceptional candidate or employee. Part A Complete the Personality Spectrum on pp. 66–67 in Ch. 3 of Keys to Success. Based on the results, respond to the following: What is your primary strength? My primary strengths are that I am a THINKER and an ORGANZER. How does this strength make you a strong candidate or employee? I am good at solving problems and I am responsible and reliable. What is one area of improvement?Being a giver is an area that I need improvement in. How can you improve in this area to become a stronger candidate or employee?I can improve by being more sensitive to others feelings and needs. Part B Read the University of Phoenix Material: University of Phoenix Learning Goals, included in the materials for this assignment. Fill in the following matrix with summaries of how each university learning goal can help you with career preparedness. University Learning Goal How can each goal prepare you for success in the workplace? Professional Competence and Values Having values and ethics can help you in makin important and critical decision in the workplace. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Diversification of Albertas Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversification of Albertas Economy - Essay Example Diversification as a concept has a special effect on Alberta’s economy, which is reliant on non renewable resources as its economic bedrock. It is vital that Alberta’s government develop policies that will aim to diversify the province’s economy, and make it wealthier. By relying on non renewable resource-based industries, Alberta’s economy becomes vulnerable to economic cycles of boom and depression This paper will aim to provide ideas on policies that the government can implement for its economy to minimize the probability of failure and maximize the probability of success.Policies Active and proactive government intervention through policy formulation, it is possible to diversify Alberta’s economy. Government can intervene in such aspects as labor, trade, capital, and financial markets to create a diversified economy base for the province. The government’s involvement in the economy is also vital to diversify the economy. Increased governm ent involvement and investment in the Alberta economy is vital for diversification to occur. Increased government involvement ensures that infrastructure gets created to prepare the economy for diversification Alberta is a landlocked province, and it is vital that infrastructure such as transport get created to facilitate business creation. Infrastructure such as communication, health services, and electronics are crucial towards encouraging economic activity. Engagement of the government in the economy allows for massive generation of revenues that facilitate infrastructure construction. Government becomes involved through investments in private businesses and leading corporations in the province. Government should aim to offer venture capital for business start ups within the province both directly and indirectly. Government assistance should also get directed at the existing sectors, which have shown strength in the Alberta economy. The government should create an enabling climat e for investment through tax policy formulations. For there to be diversified economy in the province, the government should apply grants, subsidies, and tax incentives to generate varied economic activity (Mathias, 1971). The government can direct these financial tools towards economic sectors, which are under invested. These tools are crucial to develop the emerging industries within the province. This will invite on board investors who are motivated to take advantage of such government incentives. These tools also ensure that the cost of production for the investors lowers down encouraging them even more to partake in economic activity within the province. To develop a diversified economy, the government should also revise its education policy to gear it towards labor specialization. The governments should enable a shift from the province’s general education curriculum to a job-directed education curriculum. The creation of specialized labor or skills within the Alberta ec onomy would help generate economic activity (Mathias, 1971). A diversified labor market promises labor to investors. It assures investors to proceed with their investment plans within the province as their labor requirement is available. The government in Alberta should offer this policy formulation to the universities and technical institutes in its region to encourage the specialization of labor skills. The Alberta government should also reduce over reliance on the economic importance of the unprocessed raw resources sector (Mathias, 1971). The government should encourage

Argumentative ethical essay - Marijuana should be legal in the United

Argumentative ethical - Marijuana should be legal in the United States - Essay Example The stance taken in this paper is that marijuana must not be regarded as illegal since cigarettes and alcohol are considered legal at the same time. This is a very wrong phenomenon that has taken center stage and must either be diverted in one direction or the other to make it look balanced. Marijuana’s intake is a very legal right of every American and the laws which are made against the intake of marijuana are not only unethical but also in direct contrast of the rights of the common Americans. These laws and regulations must have a solid base before they could be obeyed in the most basic sense. There needs to be an understanding on the part of the lawmakers to realize the pitfalls and rights of the people before promulgating any laws that embody the banishment of marijuana within the boundaries of United States of America. Crude marijuana, as researchers have been able to extract possesses more than 400 chemicals as a combination. This however occurs during smoking when all of these 400 chemicals split up into thousands of other chemicals themselves. Notwithstanding the nearly 12,000 studies done on the medical utility of marijuana, a staggering common consent does exist in the scientific community of late which suggests that the smoked form of marijuana cannot be termed as a medicine. One should thus make laws that go against putting the users or sellers of marijuana in jails as they have a right to exercise their lives in the best manner that they deem fit. (Hough, 2003) Then again, cigarettes and alcohol comprise of tobacco and a host of other items within them but no one raises voice against their use. Marijuana is singled out as the only item that receives all the criticism and this is a very depressing situation. There must be criticism for other products as well and singling out marijuana is no t only wrong but also unethical from the people’s perspective when it comes to their rights. Similar bans

9 paragraph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

9 paragraph - Essay Example is was pronounced by Shelley in Frankenstein saying â€Å"Nothing could exceed the love and respect which the younger cottagers exhibited towards their venerable companion. They performed towards him every little office of affection and duty with gentleness, and he rewarded them by his benevolent smiles† (Shelley 82). Opposite to love is also the feeling of desolation due to Frankenstein monstrous appearance as he was a mere creation of man. This was evident with these line â€Å"cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. . . when night came I quitted my retreat and wandered in the wood; and now, no longer restrained by the fear of discovery, I gave vent to my anguish in fearful howlings† (Shelley 103). Probably, Frankenstein was Shelley’s attempt put face on man’s ugliest character. Victor’s creation Frankenstein embodied all things that are ugly, wretched, vindictive, hateful and murderous which is the ugly nature of man. All this pain was not of the monster’s doing but the sin of its father which is Victor who has brought him â€Å"pain that nothing could alleviate† (57). Frankenstein also explored the bitter aspect of loving and losing someone. This happened to Victor when the monster killed his brother that he too became a figurative monster because he was consumed by vengeance and shared the monster’s desolation. In the monster’s confession, he told how desolate he felt by being alienated from society; that he â€Å"killed the boy out of revenge† (Shelley 41). The monster further confessed how miserable it feels to be alone and miserable because of his monster physique that even the family of cottagers who sheltered him that gave him hopes for compassion even drove him away. Corollary to this, the novel also explored the folly in man’s life.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966) and Dickeson v. U.S. (2000) Term Paper

Miranda v. Arizona (1966) and Dickeson v. U.S. (2000) - Term Paper Example It takes time and consumes a lot of it in this case to ensure equity and transparency in their awarding of their judgments. This is because justice must be seen as served to the parties in the most professional way possible based on the facts in a given case. A case study of the Miranda v. Arizona case in 1966 and Dickerson v. U.S. case in 2000 reveals that the Supreme Court did not reverse their ruling or rather their decision. Judges ideologies helped a big deal in reaching the ruling, because judges had to explore different options for them to stay the ruling or reverse it altogether. When rights of suspects and how police do their prosecutions comes into discussion, it changes the approach to the whole story. Judges have to look deeper in the case to understand every single detailed based on their ideologies and possible scenarios should they determine the case in a certain way. Quoting the Miranda’s conviction which was overturned, the court made it clear about what should happen if the suspect chooses to exercise or practice their rights. The judges upheld that how an individual practices their rights, provided they do not infringe on the rights of others, should not be a case of a court scrutiny. The Martin Quinn scores indicate that the Supreme Court’s decision on Miranda Vs Arizona was a liberal judgment as it is marked with a negative. The approach which was brought during the court proceeding by his Court appointed Attorney was that Miranda was not given the chance of requesting for an attorney which the Supreme Court indicated that it should have been an option from the Police Department. This ruling from the Supreme Court of Arizona has therefore set precedence for other cases. It was a difficult case for the judges to make a determination, based on the public interest the case had attracted, but they had to observe their professional ethics and make a determination. It is clear from the above case that judges play a

Meso-system influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Meso-system influences - Essay Example For example, a school that provides its students movies on various countries is providing the children great exposure to the outside world, thus enhancing mental development. Similarly, the role of family in the socialization of children has been acknowledged by social scientists. In fact, socialization of children starts in the family, and what schools provide is the continuation of this. Supporting this point, studies have shown that when schools and families work collectively, students perform much better in their studies and in future life. In addition, it has become evident from studies that the school achievement of a child is determined, to a great extent, by a family environment that encourages and values learning, and the involvement of family in the education. In addition, it has become evident that children from ethnic groups and low economic status fair poorly in studies and socialization. In other words, as Paquette and Ryan opine, the effectiveness of socialization at s chool is, to a great extent, dependent on the family background too. The connection between school and media cannot be neglected. For example, almost all schools utilize media either in their classrooms or outside classroom.

CRJ311 Week 3 assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRJ311 Week 3 assignment - Essay Example Camarena’s body was found on 5 march near a small town of La Angostura while decaying and decomposed in a shallow grave (Conroy, 2013). On the fateful day of his abduction, Camarena left office to meet his wife for lunch. Recordings from a witness indicated that he saw a man being forced to the rare seat of a light colored car, and provided the description of some of the assailants. However, following the launch of the investigation, Raphael Quintero and Ernesto Fonseca were determined as the prime suspect in the case; as a result to their involvement in drug cartel activities. With the involvement of the Mexican federal judicial police (MFJP) in the investigation process, it was determined that Raphael Quintero and his men were fleeing from Mexico through the airport. The investigative team prevented the departure but later allowed after a bride was given to the chief investigator (Pavon Reyes). Acceptance of a bribe was the initial error that led to the obscuring of the whole investigation process. The investigation would thus take a twist of lack of commitment by the investigators. Pressure from America increased for the need to speed up the investigation process. As a result of this, several criminal investigators both from united states and Mexico were directly involved in the investigation process. Due to a large number of investigators involved in the process, it led to occurrences of confusion and miss information in the process. Out of the connection, the Mexican drug traffickers had with the law enforcement agencies both from Mexico and united states; they took the advantage of the confusion and hatched a plan that mislead the investigation team. In the plan, Camarena was held in Bravo drug gang ranch (Valdez, 2013). In as much as involvement of a multi-disciplinary and units in the investigation process is essential for speeding up investigation, it may be detrimental in the investigation of nature where there is a high

Relationship between literature, ehnicity and immigration Essay

Relationship between literature, ehnicity and immigration - Essay Example It is an observation that since ancient times, immigration remained a major activity of humans around the globe who used to travel from one region to another in search of food, shelter, employment, and several other facilities. In the result, this activity has enjoyed significant importance in every aspect of human life, and that is observable in huge amount of literature that indicates significance of immigration and its effects on different aspects of societies globally. This briefly allows the researcher to identify the relationship between immigration and literature, as the later one has always played the role of providing commentary regarding different cultural and social aspects related to the process of immigration during different eras. In addition, it is an understanding that literature has also been responsible for promoting or discouraging immigration in certain regions, and thus, both enjoy a strong relationship with each other. On the other hand, ethnicity is another imperative notion of human society that refers to the social concept that enables individuals or a group of people to identify each other based on language, culture, or ideology. In particular, analysis (Suls, pp. 33-38) has indicated that literature has been an important factor when it comes to ethnicity, as ethnic groups consider literature as one of their fundamental evidences to prove their ethnicity, and thus, literature and ethnicity exist in an interconnecting relationship with each other. Moreover, if one looks at the relationship of ethnicity and immigration, scrutiny of different sources has pointed out that immigration plays a crucial role in determining ethnicity of different group of people. For instance, when a group of people migrates from one country to another reason for any particular reason, the future generations of same group identify themselves in midst of two ethnicities, one existing in literature connecting them with th eir forefathers, and on the other hand, one existing in their society where they opened their eyes and grew up. In this regard, both literature and immigration are significant factors to contribute in alteration of ethnicity in a society, whereas, both immigration and ethnicity causes changes in literature, and similarly, literature and ethnicity has always become a reason of immigration in different parts of the globe. Therefore, it will be appropriate to state that all three notions of literature, ethnicity, and immigration enjoy a triangular relationship, where they interrelate with each other in different aspects. Examination of different sources (Suls, pp. 59-64) has indicated that literature related to immigration has always referred to historical and cultural models and techniques to understand its different features. In addition, literature and studies related to ethnicity have indicated dominance of similar models that indicates the relationship of the two with the literatu re. Another factor of their similar relationship with literature is their similar propensity towards ignoring social and cultural structures on micro or individual level. However, there have been instances where experts have suggested for a psychological scrutiny of different aspects of ethnicity and immigration and their impact on micro level; however, results have pointed out that both exist on macro level, and thus, majority of literature has indicated their construction as a macro component of human society. In order to understand the relationship of literature, ethnicity, and immigration further, the paper will now include analysis of the relationship based on theory of social identity by Tajfel (pp. 23-25) that will be effective in

ICT - The Way I do Things at Home and at School Essay Example for Free

ICT The Way I do Things at Home and at School Essay I use ICT a lot at home and at school and in this report I will show how, where, when and why I use these appliances. At home there are many appliances which use ICT, for example; Microwaves, Mobile Phones etc. But there are also some appliances which I also use at school for example; PCs. And I will also show how I use these things in different ways. I use my mobile phone a lot at home, it is just one of the few ways I keep in touch with people who I dont often see and live quite a way away. There are only two ways people can contact me on my mobile phone The phone I own is a Samsung A300e which also has WAP. WAP is Wireless Application Protocol which is a standard way to connect to the internet using wireless devices; it also allows you to access information like text and images. I can use my mobile phone anywhere in the home except where I cant get a signal; the only place in the home is usually the basement. With different networks you can different signals for example I am on Virgin which does not have many satellites in space and therefore does not have as much coverage as Vodafone who have many more satellites and can cover a larger amount of land. The good things about having a mobile phone is that if there is no other way to contact friends in an emergency then it is very easy to contact them using a mobile, although there are some downsides to having a mobile phone and there are that people may contact you and you may not want them to, or you could be somewhere important like a meeting and someone could contact you either by ringing you or sending a SMS, I use digital television quite often and it is transmitted through a satellite dish which is placed on the side of the house and transmits in signals which allow more channels to be viewed than normal, the channels range from 101 to 999 but obviously there are not channels on every number some channels are skipped e.g. 666 there is just a message that says channel unavailable. With digital TV you can shop and even play games. There is also lots of information that can be found out like, cinema listings or even the latest live shows. There is always a TV guide available sorted into sections like, comedy, music or sport which is easier if you are looking for something in particular. I use a microwave at home to heat food or defrost something frozen. I use it to heat things because it is a lot more efficient than the stove. It also knocks down the time of defrosting because I can just set it to defrost and put it on for several minutes rather than leaving it out over night. I play a lot of the time on computer consoles because it is a form of entertainment for me. I play many games like football manager games and platform games such as CROC which are more like adventure games. I have a playstation 2 which can also play playstation 1 games and use the same joypads. I have many other games like Mind hunters which take hours to complete and when I usually finish them I have usually being playing for about 100 hours all together. I also use an X-BOX which is one of the best consoles of all time in my opinion, although it is slightly expensive therefore I have few games, the pads can range from small to large which I think are a bit big for my liking. I use a PC a lot at school because I do Applied ICT and I also use them to type up course work in many of my lessons e.g. English. I also use them for entertainment I go on the internet quite a lot, after I finished my work. I use sites like, mousebreaker.com and uwizone.com which is my email. When Im on email I come into contact with people from all around the world like India and the USA. This is an advantage because if there were no PCs I would be required to do all work by hand and probably wouldnt be doing ICT GCSE. When using the computer I have to abide by several laws like the computer misuse act and the copyright act. The software I use is: Word- to word process Excel- to create spreadsheets Access- to create databases Power Point- to create presentations

E-Library System Essay Example for Free

E-Library System Essay This chapter presents the software development methodology used by the researchers in the design and development of the proposed Online Library system of UCNHS, the scope and delimitation, the date gathering techniques, and the sources of data. Software Development Methodology The Modified Waterfall Model in software engineering came into existence because of the defects of the traditional Waterfall Model. The phases of the Modified Waterfall Model are similar to the traditional Model. The main change is that phases in the Modified Waterfall Model life Cycle are permitted to overlap. A lot of flexibility has been introduced in the Modified Waterfall Model in software engineering due to overlapping phases. At the same time, a number of tasks can function, concurrently, which ensures that the defects in the software are removed in the development stage itself and the over head cost of making changes to the software before implementation is saved. The Modified Waterfall Model is more relaxed approach to formal procedures, documents and reviews. It also reduces the huge bundle of documents. Due to the development team, the devote to work on the code has more time and does not have to bother about the procedures. The researchers used Modified Waterfall Model because documentation is produced at every stage of the software development. This makes understanding the product designing procedure, simpler and will closely work with the school and users to understand their needs. The figure below describes the structure and activities in the Modified Waterfall Model (Bhakti Satalkar, 2010). Requirement gathering and analysis System Design. Implementation Testing Maintenance Figure 2. Modified waterfall Model Requirement gathering and analysis. All possible requirements of the system to be developed are captured in this phase. Requirements are a set of functions and constraints that the end user (who will be using the system) expects from the system. The requirements are gathered from the end user at the start of the software development phase. These requirements are analyzed for their validity, and the possibility of incorporating the requirements in the system to be developed is also studied. Finally, a requirement specification document is created which serves the purpose of guideline for the next phase of the model. In this phase, the researchers gathered data that might be used in the proposed system and also through an interview with the library staff, performed observation to the transaction and conducted survey with students of Urdaneta City National High School. System Design. Before starting the actual coding phase, it is highly important to understand the requirements of the end user and also have an idea of how should the end product looks like. The requirement specifications from the first phase are studied in this phase and a system design is prepared. System design helps in specifying hardware and system requirements and also helps in defining the overall system architecture. The system design specifications serve as an input for the next phase of the model. In this phase, the researchers will use USE CASE, DFD, ERD to evaluate and design the system in accordance to the requirements needed. Implementation. On receiving system design documents, the work is divided in modules/units and actual coding is started. The system is first developed in small programs called units, which are integrated in the next phase. Each unit is developed and tested for its functionality; this is referred to as unit testing. Unit testing mainly verifies if the modules/units meet their specifications. The researchers will use visual basic 2010 as programming language to create and develop the system. Likewise, MS SQL as database is used as the back end to store, maintain and manage the database integrated to the system. Upon implementation, several testing will also be done to ensure that each module is working properly. Testing. As specified above, the system is first divided in units which are developed and tested for their functionalities. These units are integrated into a complete system during Integration phase and tested to check if all modules/units coordinate between each other and the system as a whole behaves as per the specifications. After successfully testing the software, it is delivered to the customer. In this phase, the researchers will test the system to ensure that the developed system functions are according to its requirements and to avoid errors. Maintenance. Inevitably the system will need maintenance. Software will definitely undergo change once it is delivered to the school library. There are many reasons for the change. Change could happen because of some unexpected input values into the system and it could directly affect the software operation. The software should be developed to accommodate changes that could happen during post implementation period. In case there are changes necessary it has to be fixed to make the system usable or to make it comply with the library staff wishes. In this phase, the researcher will instruct the librarian on how to operate and maintain the system. Meanwhile other features that will be implementing in this phase are beyond the limitation of the researchers. Scope and Delimitations This project covers the development of Digital Library System of Urdaneta City National High School. Specifically, it will cater all the processes done in inventory, borrowing, returning, and reservation of books. The Digital Library System of Urdaneta City National High School can access by the admin which is the Librarian, students in UCNHS, teachers of UCNHS and guest which is the alumni and students from different schools. Guest can only inquire for books availability and reserve it personally. However, the proposed system limits on the contents of book that can be viewed digitally, only the title page, table of contents and its overview are applied. Only the students and teachers are allowed to reserve and borrow book through online. The guest is not allowed to reserve books through online. Teachers and students referral is not included in the system. Data Gathering Techniques The researchers gathered information of the system through structured interview, questionnaire and document analysis to the UCNHS library staff and students. The use of references allowed additional information about software and system Requirements as well as how some organizations use the Internet in making achieves for records that later becomes a collective library on the internet. Structured Interview. Means of collecting data for a statistical survey. In this case, the data is collected by an interviewer rather than through a self-administered questionnaire. Interviewers read the questions exactly as they appear on the survey questionnaire. The choice of answers to the questions is often fixed (close-ended) in advance, though open-ended questions can also be included within a structured interview. In a series of interviews, researchers knew exactly what information are needed and prepared a list of pre-determined question that will be asking to the respondents. The researchers gather some viewpoints of the people around the system that could make more efficient particularly to library and employees. Document Analysis. Technique used to gather requirements during the requirements elicitation phase of a project. It describes the act of reviewing the existing documentation of comparable business processes or systems in order to extract pieces of information that are relevant to the current project, and therefore should be consider projects requirements. In support to the structured interview, the researchers gathered and examined thoroughly the existing documents like catalogue, logbook, and book card. Questionnaire. Research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. Questionnaires will be distributed to the students as input to the design of the proposed system. Likewise, with their feedbacks, features can be determined. Sources of data The Librarian, Library staff and students were interviewed as primary respondents. Also books and thesis manuscript were used to determine other requirements of the propose system. The researchers used websites, online libraries and other similar studies as references in this study. In addition to this, the researchers will distribute questionnaires to the Urdaneta National High School students to get information that will help in the progress of the development of the project study. Table 1: List of Respondents RESPONDENTS| NUMBER OF RESPONDENT| Librarian| 1| Library Staff| 2| Students| 100| Teachers| 50| Total| 153|.

Threat Of Substitutes And Bargaining Power Of Customers Marketing Essay

Threat Of Substitutes And Bargaining Power Of Customers Marketing Essay As mentioned earlier in part 1.3, I will be using Porters Five Forces to analyse the external environment to obtain a comprehensive understanding of a given industry. My focus here will be the fast food industry. BK is my chosen company to evaluate the effect of globalisation has upon fast food industry. The analysis will be done in four areas as below and there may be some overlapping of points as they can be interrelated. There are six major sources identified as barriers to a market entry which include economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirement, switching cost, access to channels of distribution and government policy (Porter, 1980). All these have had impact on BK especially as from the point of view of globalisation. In my observation, it is very possible to open one or two outlets but to globally have a chain of outlets with the same branding requires tremendous capital requirements. Thus globalisation has directly impacted BK in the way it structured its business model through franchising. BK could afford to do so as with agreements such as US- Canada Free Trade Agreement and North American Free Trade Agreement (Reference for Business, 2010). BK took advantage of the relative free flow of resources under globalisation to expand globally. Franchising is a relative low cost and low risk business model. Most of the US franchisors often use this method to enter a new market with diverse economical, cultural and political environment (Alon, 2006). For instance, 88% of BKs restaurants worldwide are franchised in fiscal 2009, contributing to $412.5 millions of total revenue globally (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). Franchising enables the business to develop in an unfamiliar market relatively quickly on a larger scale, allows the use of local partners who are familiar with local environment and also to create a standardised, global brand image, generating marketing economies of scale (McDonald et al., 2002). Charts below will provide further information on BKs franchise restaurants. Chart 1: Percentage of BKs Franchise Restaurants and Company Restaurants Worldwide ( Burger King Holdings Inc.,2009; SEC Info, 2007) Chart 2: Revenue Breakdown From BKs Total Revenue Worldwide (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009) However with globalisation, competition is globalised and relentless. McDonalds is actually BKs largest competitor as it provides better menu variety with more valuable and affordable prices (CNN.com, 2009), biting into BKs revenue by securing a larger market share. McDonalds is also more a pioneer compared to BK because it opened its first restaurant in 1940 (Spiritus-temporis.com, 2005) compared to BK with its first restaurant in 1954 (WikiAnswers, 2010). Being a pioneer, McDonalds has many advantages which includes entrenchment of position in consumers minds, creating higher thresholds for later entrants in terms of quality, advertising and distribution support, enjoys long-term market share advantages and reputation benefits (Gass et al.,2003). It is the effect of globalisation where McDonalds has built around 32,000 outlets in more than 117 countries (McDonalds Corporation, 2010). With its expansion into international markets, the company is famous throughout the world and is the leader in this industry followed by BK only at second place. The difference in number of outlets worldwide which also translates into sales volume differences between these two fast food chain can be seen clearly in the diagrams below. Chart 3: The total number of restaurants worldwide for BK and McDonalds. ( Burger King Holdings Inc.,2009; McDonalds Corporation, 2009) Chart 4: Comparison of Sales Revenues Between BK and McDonalds (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009, McDonalds Corporation 2007; 2009, SEC Info, 2007) Based on the charts, McDonalds is approximately 3 times larger than BK in terms of outlet and 10 times larger in terms of sales revenues. Substantial capital is also needed in terms of advertising to build up BKs brand. The advertising cost of McDonalds is approximately 8 times higher than BK thus creating a higher barrier entry when BKs brand name is lacking compared to McDonalds. To compete with McDonalds, BK needs more capital to increase its advertising as it is very much needed in globalisation to introduce BK in new markets and building up its image that they may otherwise not known about (Coulter, 2001). To ease comparison of the advertising cost, it is illustrated in chart below. Chart 5: Advertising cost of BK compared to McDonalds (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009; SEC Info, 2007; McDonalds Corporation, 2007;2009) With these type of cost outlays, for other competitors to come into the same scale as these two companies is extremely daunting indeed, thus the threat of entrants is low, though for smaller players is possible to find niches that are under or not exploited as yet. Luckily the advertising costs have resulted in branding, which builds a better image globally and flows ultimately into higher sales and profitabililty. Table below provides Best Global Brand Ranking 2009 highlighting few of BKs major competitors and where BK succeeded in positioning its brand among top 100 in year 2009. 2009 rank 2008 rank brand country of origin sector 2009 brand value ($m) 6 8 united states restaurant 32275 61 64 united states restaurant 5722 79 81 united states restaurant 3876 90 85 united states restaurant 3263 93 new united states restaurant 3233 Table 1: Best Global Brand Ranking 2009 (Interbrand, 2009) It is clear that BK lags behind McDonalds though in many ways this is to be expected given its much lower advertising cost outlays, which besides outlet costs, form a significant barrier of entry as mentioned earlier. 3.1.2 Product Differentiation With globalisation, BK differentiates itself from other fast food giants by acknowledging culture and country specific needs. For instances, Pork-based Bulgogi Burgers are offered in korea and the ultra-spicy Rendang Double in Singapore (Wikipedia, 2010). Picture 1: Pork based Bulgogi Burger Picture 2: Rendang Double (flickr.com, 2008 ) (therealnurulle.blogspot.com, 2010) BK also keeps its promise of Have it your way with customers having 221184 possible ways of ordering a Whopper meal (Swabey, 2007). This will help to ease its penetration into new market with different local conditions. BKs response to globalisation is obviously to cater to local tastes, as the pictures above testify. Another response to globalisation has been the move towards becoming more healthy by offering healthier menu with less salt and also with its product innovation to provide food with higher nutrition contents. At all times, BK is trying to differentiate itself to meet customers demands. Further details regarding food offerings will be mentioned in later part. 3.2 Threat of Substitutes and Bargaining Power of Customers Various global fast food chains have successfully make inroads in diverse market settings around the world (Watson, 2006). These restaurants stand the most conspicuous symbol of globalisation and modernity in countries worldwide (Wilk, 2006). Hence, they are often viewed as the cutting edge of emerging global consumer culture which have caused societies worldwide to become increasingly homogeneous and deterritorialised (Friedman, 2000). Although the expansion of Western quick-service eateries outside America and Europe has done much to transform established notions of service, taste and lifestyle (Schlosser et al., 2001), their spread has also given rise to rival domestic chains whose extensive knowledge of local preferences offers real advantages in attracting and retaining customers (Matejowsky, 2008). It is the strong bargaining power of customers which intensify the competition among various food chains with more substitutes available. To deal with these forces on a global basis, BK resorted to differentiate itself through innovative marketing and menu items. 3.2.1 Innovative Marketing BK has adopted a strategy which helps to differentiate them from their competitors. The company appointed TMP Worldwide Advertising Communications to create an exclusive company-wide employer branding campaign based on the concept Fun with a Future which concentrates on brand recognition, employee engagement and delivering on brand promise. BK decided to differentiate itself through its product and people with its employee as brand ambassador where all employees at all levels are linked to the company brand featuring in BKs advertisements and posters (Business and Finance Week, 2008). This is in line with the concept of globalisation where people of different races, culture and family background will have a common global identification as BKs brand ambassador. Pictures below feature BK employees who are of different races and cultures. Picture 3: Employees of BK in Tokyo Picture 4: Employees of BK in U.S. (associatedcontent.com, 2010) (farsons.com, 2010) BK also uses a creative marketing strategy by building an edgy, hip image with young men, who are targeted consumers (Jargon, 2006). For instance, in November 2006, BK began offering BK Xbox and Xbox 360 games with their value meals. After one month, 20 million of BK Xbox games had been sold. The games could only be bought with a value meal which means that BK attracted a lot of customers with this promotion, earning a nice profit from it. Comparing with BK, McDonalds on the other hand only places Nintendo mascot toys in their Happy Meals (Mattie, 2007). A picture of both BK Xbox and McDonalds Nintendo toys can be seen below. Picture 5: Burger King Xbox Picture 6: McDonalds Nintendo Toy ( blogs.ft.com, 2006) (toadcastle.net, 2006) The successfulness of BKs innovative marketing was already proven in 1999 in a TV campaign where Whopper was proclaimed as Americas Favourite Burger. That claim was based on the result of a research where 700 consumers were asked to name their favourite burger. 33% of them picked Whopper and only 12% chose McDonalds Big Mac (Cebrzynski, 1999). Having innovative marketing is a response to the threat of substitutes and bargaining power of customers as BK tries to embed itself on consumer consciousness globally. 3.2.2 Menu Options and Changes BK tries to reach out more customers through its menu to reduce threat of substitutes, which of course with globalisation is a full time and relentless force. As mentioned in part 3.1, health consciousness was rising among people with the obesity crisis hitting globally. It was found that United States tops the hierarchy for obesity with 30.6%, followed by Mexico and United Kingdom with 24.2% and 23% (NationMaster.com, 2010). Even though BK tries to blunt customers bargaining power and the threat of substitutes through aggressive marketing as seen above, in truth they are obviously much stronger with no switching cost. New Products Thus a response from BK is to try to be almost all things to customers. For instance, provide healthier food options. The company in its social responsibility statement promises to work with its trained chefs and nutritionist to develop new menu options that meet customers nutritional needs globally (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2010a). BKs efforts could be seen when it unveiled a healthy eating adaptation of its Have It Your Way strategy where posters in restaurants tell customers how to order a low carbohydrate, low fat and low calorie meal (Walker, 2004). The famous Whopper can also be served without the bun, mayonnaise and ketchup (MacArthur, 2004). BK also launched a new salad line offering shrimp and sirloin steak with grilled peppers and onions on it (Walker, 2004). Besides, health drive was initiated by BK by reducing salt and fat content in burgers and fries. Even children are targeted where childrens menu also comes with a choice of apples or grapes, milk or fruit juice (Forte, 2006). In 2008, BKs kids meal underwent makeover with the introduction of apple fries as part of the meal (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2010b). A list of BKs healthier options with their calorie contents are provided in Appendix 3. Pictures below show two healthy options from BK. Picture 7: Kids meal with Apple Fries Picture 8: Bunless Whopper (fastfood.ocregister.com, 2009) (hungry-girl.com, 2010) In addition, BK also later launched its Joe Coffee. This made-to-order coffee processed from 100% Arabica coffee beans (The Franchise Mall, 2005). This is actually a response to global economic crisis where it was found that consumers were trading down from more expensive coffee such as starbucks into lower ranking choices, providing a perfect option for BK. Thus even though globally the economic situation was dire, for instance it was found that 2009s world economic growth rate was only half percent (International Monetary Fund, 2009). BK found a new market segment to exploit to further reduce the threat of substitutes and bargaining power of customers. Latest initiatives include where in February year 2010, BK decided to replace its own coffee brand BK Joe with Seattles Best Coffee, a brand owned by Starbucks to increase falling sales by improving its product offerings (Tice, 2010). Pictures below show BKs Joe Coffee and its replacement, Seattles Best Coffee. Picture 9: BK Joe Coffee (ebay.com, 2010) Picture 10: Seattles Best Coffee (myalohavibe.com, 2010) BK also imitated a McDonalds breakfast item. BKs Breakfast Muffin Sandwich was promoted through an advertisement where a cleverly disguised BK breaks into McDonalds Headquarters to steal the Top Secret Blueprints for the Sausage McMuffin With Egg (Dave, 2010). Picture below shows the contrast between the two breakfast offering from McDonalds and BK. Picture 11: McDonalds Sausage McMuffin with Egg Vs BKs breakfast Muffin (davescupboard.blogspot.com, 2010) New Pricing It is not just menu changes were offered but also menu pricing as well. To meet the changing economic conditions as an impact of global recession, BK also announced that it will offer $1 double cheeseburger in order to gain market share back from McDonalds (Johnson, 2007). This has cause BKs franchisees to file a law suit challenging BKs right to dictate maximum prices as the products costs is at least $1.10 per sandwich (Glover, 2009). Thus even though BK tries to satisfy customers other stakeholders may not be happy, showing the complexities in managing relationships in the era of globalisation. Further in many ways, as seen in breakfast, and even in pricing, since the RM $1 cheeseburger, BK is imitating McDonalds. 3.3 Bargaining power of suppliers With globalisation, BK is required to maintain the quality of services in its restaurants worldwide. As a measure of quality control, BK will evaluate before approving the existing or potential manufacturers and distributors of food, packaging and equipment products used in the restaurants. Evaluation is done based on their delivery, timeliness and financial conditions. To ensure consistency, franchises are required to purchase their products from approved suppliers. (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). 3.3.1 Purchasing Power of BK Restaurant Services Inc. (RSI), a not-for-profit independent purchasing cooperative leverages purchasing power of the BK system in United States by negotiating the purchase terms for most equipments, food, beverages, toys and paper products used in the restaurants (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). RSI currently involves in the negotiation of purchase with BK for more than $3 billion a year in goods and services, managing supply agreements with over 300 suppliers and 27 distributors (Sterlingcommerce, 2009). For company restaurants and franchise restaurants in Canada, a subsidiary of RSI is responsible to purchase the products. However, there is currently no appointed purchasing agent that represents franchisees in other international regions. BK will work closely with their franchisees to implement programs that leverage their global purchasing power and to obtain lower product costs outside the United States and Canada. (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). Globalisation has increased the purchasing power of BK and therefore reducing bargaining power of suppliers with the ease of selection of suppliers who meet the company criteria 3.3.2 Suppliers of BK Food As a global fast food chain, it is important for BK to maintain its brand name worldwide. The image of the global brand could be destroyed in a day due to globalisation where news travels billion times faster than it used to be in the past. BK was labelled Murder King by animal activists forcing the company to implement new policies that are more closely monitor its suppliers. Thus by 2001, there were guidelines that require the egg suppliers battery cages to contain two water bottles, allowing the birds to stand upright and be at least 75 square inches (Detweiler, 2001). BK further discourages its suppliers from trimming chickens beak and breaking their wings to save packing space when transporting (Detweiler, 2001). Reports in media of one or more cases of food-borne diseases in one of BKs restaurant also negatively affect its sales worldwide when being highly publicised (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). During an earlier case in year 1997, BK cut off its ties with one of its biggest beef supplier, Hudson Foods Inc. as its beef supplies were contaminated with E.coli..Hudson voluntarily recalled the beef after the severity of E.coli contamination was discovered at its plant in Columbus, leaving some BK restaurants without sufficient beef supply for 24 hours to 48 hours (Papernik et al., 1997). Soft Drinks In fiscal 2000, BK decided to enter into a long term contracts with The Coca-Cola Company and Dr Pepper/Seven-Up Inc to supply all restaurants of BK in United States with their product (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). BK prolonged its long term liaison with The Coca-Cola Company as an approved soft drink supplier for its international region covering Greater Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific (PRNewswire, 2003). With the effect of globalisation, consumers in around 200 countries enjoy Coca-Cola products of more than 1 billions servings per day (The Coca-Cola Company, 2010). BK International President believes that with this renewed alliances, Coca-Cola Company, recognised as the worlds best known brand (The Coca-Cola Company, 2010) will help to grow the BK brand rapidly by providing the best burger experience to their consumers in all restaurants globally (PRNewswire, 2003). Getting into alliances with suppliers is a good way to also set up higher barriers of entry. From my analysis, bargaining power of food suppliers are strong but over soft drinks especially in terms of dealing with companies with strong brand name is weaker. Obviously, the extent to which the other party uses branding and distribution network as leverage globally as well. Employees Other than external suppliers, internal supplier is also an important piece of puzzle which without, BKs supplier network would not be complete. Hence, the bargaining power of its employees should not be shoved aside. BK had approximately 41320 employees in its company restaurants, field management offices and global headquarters as at 30th June 2009 (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). As mentioned in part 3.2.1, there are diversity of employees with different backgrounds, race, religion and cultures. It is clear that like globalisation, the factors in Porters Five Forces are interlinked and do not stand alone. The success of BK is highly dependent on its ability to attract general managers with necessary competences to be part of the management team to motivate the employees to sustain high service levels and maintain sales growth. The competition for the right employee candidates causes higher payment of wages featuring the high bargaining power of employees (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009). However, where boundaries between countries became narrower and communication made easier with globalisation, the search for the right employee is more efficient and effective through online application, which could perhaps reduce their bargaining power. The selection of employees is important as a wrong choice would lead to negative publicity. In one of the cases, a BK employee in Jacksonville had tried to poison a customer as he was pissed due to his suspension for misconduct (Morbid, 2010). In another case, a Washington State Deputy, Edward Bylsma after discovering a spit on his Whopper ordered fr om a BK employee decided to sue BK seeking $75,000 of compensation (Ryan, 2010). No doubt with globalisation, these news would definitely spread fast and adversely impact the companys brand. Further, since a large portion of outlets are franchised as a result of BKs decision on this bus model to move globally, employees become even more important as front link assets to keep sales and profits up. With payroll expenses on the increase as seen in the chart below, it is clear that for employees, their bargaining power is, in my opinion, rated medium to high. Chart 6: Payroll and Employee Benefits for BK ( Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009) 3.4 Rivalry among Existing Competitors Globalisation has increased the competition among the fast food chain. With various quick service restaurants mushrooming worldwide, other than competing on a national or regional basis, they are competing with each other globally. As an effect of globalisation causing increases in degree of awareness among consumers, there has been intense competition among the competitors globally to gain market share. Increasing prices of raw material, agitation by social organisations, slow down of U.S economy and also increasing fuel prices has prompt many fast food chain to divert their attention to eastern part of the world especially China ( Naim, 2008). Although globalisation has ease the expansion of fast food chain worldwide with the ease of information transfer and seeking global suppliers, entry into China and other Asian countries still pose logistical and political challenges. As quoted from Martin (1994) in Nation Restaurants news Among the most frustrating obstacles are the scarcity and inordinately high cost of prime locations in most markets as well as the steep tariffs and patchwork of inconsistent regulations that impede imports of commodities and equipment. 3.4.1 New Geographical Regions and New Ventures Taking a closer look, even though globalisation has blurred boundaries, there are still differences in cultural issues between United States and other countries resulting in different eating habits of consumers ( Glazer, 2007). From consumer point of view, globalisation has resulted from development of sophisticated media contributing to the creation of a borderless market but it does not mean it is without internal differences or local tastes (Ziedman, 2003). When a company goes global, they are bound to satisfy the demands of local customers. For example in India, cows are sacred and worshipped by the Indians, beef could not be served and the muslims, they could not consume pork (Kulkarni et al., 2009). Hence, it is a must to substitute the beef and pork in the product offerings. To further compete globally, BK invested in Whopper Bars. BK opened their first Whopper Bar in Orlando during spring 2009, and the first in Asia in Singapore during September 2009 (International Wire, 2009). It offers a specialised burger menu with more than 20 toppings (Ruggles, 2010). On 8th February 2010, BK further announced that beer sales will be added at a new unit opening in South Miami. ( Ruggles, 2010). BK changes may not be rapid enough to obtain further market share from McDonalds but the company has been spending more effort in improving its sales in this global competition ( Anderlini et al., 2010). Competing on a global scale gives rise to global income streams. This would help BK to sustain the worldwide competition where the profit from a restaurant would balance the loss in another. The pie charts below show the distribution of revenue from different geographical region. Chart 6: BKs Geographical Sales from Year 2007-Year 2009 (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009) In a way, the company is more dependent on its home market, as showed in the pie chart above where most portion of global stream income is generated. In a recent case in 2009, BKs advertisement for Texican Whopper burger in Europe had angered the Mexicans where a small wrestler featured in the advertisement was dressed in a cape resembling a Mexican flag. Mexicans have high respect for their flag and therefore could not tolerate such an insult from BK ( The Assiociated Press, 2009). This adverse publicity could have adversely impact its profits. Still, the company had not done unduly badly as seen in the charts below. Chart 7: Revenue, Gross Profit and Net Profit of BK from Year 2005 2009 (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009, SEC Info, 2007) It is clear that BK has done well as seen in increasing absolute figures of all sales, gross profit and net profit. A look at gross profit and net profit margin also shows that on a relative basis the company is handling itself well in the world of globalisation. Chart 8: Gross Profit Margin and Net Profit Margin of BK from Year 2005- 2009 (Burger King Holdings Inc., 2009, SEC Info, 2007) Even though Gross Profit Margin has been decreasing slightly, its net profit margin has been increasing with a drastic improvement from year 2006 to 2007. This is definitely a good sign. 3.5 Conclusion and Recommendation Globalisation can be a threat to the company and also it may help its expansion. Being a global brand, BK has a lot benefits which include cost-efficiencies, sharing of resources and ability to attract partners, employees and customers on entering new market. It all depends how the company took opportunities and work towards their goals. Management of globalisation is the key to success and most importantly, BK need to balance between global and local control (Samli, 2008). The company has retreated back to the US market, which is why the share prices have been sliding back down in recent times as seen below. Chart 9 : BKs Share Price Ups and Downs from 2001 till 2010 ( Yahoo Finance, 2010) Recommendations made to companys performance are as follows: Moving In Developing countries, Especially India and China Aggressively: India and China both has a steady high economic growth rates of 8.8% and 10% in 2010 (India Brand Equity Foundation, 2010) and will probably be the major players in the world economy. It is definitely a wise option to expand BKs growth in these two countries by using local partners, local employees and local ingredients. Furthermore, BK could also offer limited promotions during festive seasons or special events, for instance during Chinese New Year or Deepavali as this will help to attract more customers during that period. Broader Menu Selection: As mentioned earlier in the project, BK should continuously provide more choices of menu which allow customers to pick from wider choices. This step should be taken to also reduce threat of substitutes from new entries and existing competitors. Its product offerings must also be ensured to meet the local taste. As mentioned by the officials of market research firm of the NPD Group, quick service operators who are expanding their brands outside the United States must customise each unit to meet the specific needs of consumers in the country and region they seek to enter (Glazer, 2007). Promotions and Advertising: As observed so far, BKs advertising has been giving positive impact on its sales. Hence, BK should continuously invest in its promotions and advertisement to gain market share. BK could perhaps invite its employees to give their opinion as they are also the brand ambassadors. This would allow a fresher and a more creative in flow of idea and to boost the motivation of the employees as they are invited to participate in the companys program. However, BK should avoid price wars with its competitors ie. McDonalds as this would pull down the profits of all burger chains. BK should choose to differentiate from its competitors. There is only one winner in cost strategy but there may be more than one winner in differentiation strategy. Relationships with Franchisees: There has been cases where the franchisees are not happy with the decisions of BK Inc..The most obvious example is the sale of doublecheese burger at $1. BK should strengthen its ties with the franchisees by encouraging them to provide ideas and feedbacks on how to improve sales. When there is a disagreement between them, BK should understand the reason behind and to solve it on a win-win situation. If this could be practised, law suit against BK Inc. could be avoided. In conclusion, Porters Five Forces Analysis that was used to analyse BKs stand in the industry gives a birds eye view of the company and industry globally. Globalisation plays a major role in pushing and shaping the company. The survival of BK is dependent on its ability to adapt to constant changes in business environment due to globalisation. With BKs effort in improving its performance, it will definitely survive in this field and could perhaps be the number one fast food chain worldwide in the future.

All the Kings Men: Historys Importance :: All the Kings Men Essays

All the King's Men: History's Importance Throughout All the King's Men, history plays an important role in the motivations and lives of all the characters. History's importance is most noticeable, not surprisingly, in the story main characters - Willie Stark and Jack Burden - whose lives focus on and, in some cases, depend upon history and how they relate themselves to it. While Willie Stark views history as a tool with which to manipulate people for his own ends, an attitude resulting in his own destruction, Jack Burden's view of history changes over time and eventually allows him to accept his relationship to the past and, therefore, present. Since each man has such a differing view it is no wonder that history becomes important to each in different ways. Willie Stark must support his entire empire in a world of enemies and corruption, to do this he relies on the past to provide him with the foundation. "Dirt's a funny thing," the Boss said. "Come to think of it, there ain't a thing but dirt on this God's green globe except what's under water, and that's dirt too. It's dirt makes the grass grow. A diamond ain't a thing in the world but a piece of dirt that got awful hot. God-a-Mighty picked up a handful of dirt and blew on it and made you and me and George Washington and mankind blessed in faculty and apprehension. It all depends on what you do with the dirt."1 In this case, Stark is referring to the past as dirt - something to be used in many ways. The way he chooses to use it of course is as blackmail; "Then he would lean suddenly forward, at the man, and say, not slow and easy now, `God damn you, do you know what I can do to you?' And he could too. For he had the goods."2 Thus history is important to Stark as the device by which he maintains power. Both Stark and Burden use history differently according to the way it figures into their lives. To Stark, ultimate power being paramount, history is a thing to be used in the manipulation of others to

World War II Inventions :: essays research papers

Between 1939 and 1945, WWII brought many innovations and inventions to the world. New countries, organizations, weapons, and technological advances were produced. The three that had the maximum impact on the war were the invention of the radar, aircraft, and the atomic bomb because of their effective uses. The first practical radar system was invented in 1935 by the Scottish physicist Robert Alexander Watson, but it was later developed by the English during WWII. The radar was used to determine where a distant object was, how big it was, what shape it had, how fast it was moving and in which direction it was going. When Germany sent 2,000 planes every night for two solid months to try to gain control of the skies by destroying Britain’s nuclear air force, British pilots accurately plotted the flight paths of German planes , even in the darkness, due to the radar. The radar is important because it prevents planes to crash into each other and it is used today to manage traffic control, to detect missiles, and to detect weather conditions. Aircraft impacted WWII in a major way, it was the main weapon. Fighter aircraft of the second world war featured all the innovations of the 1930s. Piston-engined fighters continued to be refined and developed with increasing performance and capabilities. Planes were used in WWII because they were fast and because they could attack on land and sea. Planes impacted the history of the world because they were used to attack Britain by the Germans, they were used on the attack of pearl harbor and they were used to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Planes played a significant role because they were the major attacking utensil used in this war. Unlike aircraft, the atomic bomb wasn’t used so much but it created more damage than planes and it ended war. The atomic bomb’s explosive power originates when the nucleus of a heavy atom is split. The uranium in an atomic bomb can release one million times as much energy as TNT. The Fission bomb impacted the world because it exterminated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing about 140.000 thousand people and injuring thousands. These bombs created Thermal radiation, which results from the extremely high temperatures created by an atomic explosion, causes serious burns on exposed parts of the body and may ignite fires over a wide radius.

African Creation Stories :: African Culture Creation Tales Essays

African Creation Stories Since the beginning of humankind, there has been one common thread that ties together all cultures and religions of the world: an attempt to explain their origins. this holds true for the numerous religious groups existing on the African continent. In the absence of science, they resorted to creating stories to account for what they did not and could not understand. While similar in their basic design and theory, these stories varies greatly in their content and meaning. By studying them, much can be learned about the African people of the present and past. The Shilluks of the Nile region, for example, tell a story in which humankind is fashioned out of clay. In each region of the world in which the creator traveled, he created humans from the materials available, making some white, others red or brown, and the Shilluk black. He then took a piece of earth and gave them arms, eyes, etc. This story says much about their values and culture. In distributing the characteristics to man, he chose first to give them the ability to do work through the use of their arms and legs. They were then given the ability to see and taste their food. Finally, they were given speech and hearing with which to entertain oneself ("An African Story"). This shows the value system at work among the Shilluk, that work comes above all else. It also attempts to explain the differences between men of various races by telling of how they came about. A West African creation tale explains how two spirit people were accidentally sent down to earth by the sky god. Lonely, the people decided to create children from clay, but feel they must hide them when the sky god comes down. Because they are hidden in fire, the children soon turn to various shades based on how long they had been exposed to the heat. Over time, these clay children grow up and move to various regions of the earth, ultimately populating it (Fader). Much like that of the Shillu k people, this story serves a two-fold purpose: it explains both the creation of man as well as accounts for the differences among him. This tale shows the West Africans value these differences because they feel that all men are created equal and should be treated as such. The Boshongo, a central Bantu tribe of the Lunda Cluster, tell a different story.

Business and the Economic Environment Essay

Identify the impact of government spending on a selected businessP4 Explain how both fiscal and monetary policy decisions have affected a selected businessP5 Describe the impact of international factors on a selected business M1 Analyse the implications of government policies for a selected businessM2 Analyse the effects of fiscal and monetary policies for a selected business in terms of the market it operates inM3 Assess the impact of changes in the global and European business environment on a selected businessD1 Evaluate the impact of changes in the economic environment on a selected businessD2 Suggest and justify elements of fiscal and monetary policies that would help a selected business achieve its objectives Learner declaration I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own and research sources are fully acknowledged. Learner signature Date LEARNING OUTCOMES On completion of this unit you should 1. Understand the impact on businesses of changes in the economic environment 2. Know how government spending impacts on businesses 3. Understand fiscal and monetary policies and the effects on spending 4. Know how the international economy affects UK businesses and competition. Assignment 1 Date issued27/01/14Deadline Date 10/02/14 Scenario This assignment requires you to consider the effects of a changing economy on a selected business. You will base your answer around a particular UK company which operates in the Service sector. The Davis Service Group provides textile maintenance services in the UK and Europe. This includes linen hire, work-wear rental, dust control mat, laundry and washroom services. The Group consists of two main operating companies each with its own directors and executive team. These two operating companies delegate responsibility and authority to profit centers throughout the Group. Providing essential services enables the company to grow when economic activity is expanding in its various markets. For example, it has recently been growing quickly in  Poland. At the same time because the services it provides are so essential to other businesses it manages to maintain sales in times of falling demand. With the given case study you will need to produce a report which examines how Davis service Group has managed the recent change in the Business Cycle. Task 1 Produce a report describing the business cycle, including explanations of the nature of each stage of the cycle and its impact on the Davis Service Group. Explain what effect an increase of GDP, Balance of Payments and the Ripple effect would have on Davis Service Group. This provides evidence for P1 Explain the effects, of changes in the economic environment on a selected business. Task 2 Using UKs current Inflation rates, Unemployment rates and GDP figure, state how changes affect Davis Service Group. Predict future changes and explain and justify how Davis Service Group can respond to these changes. This provides evidence for D1 analyse the implications of government policies for a selected business. Sources of information The Times 100 Online HYPERLINK http//www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-study–managing-firms-throughout- the-business-cycle–111-360-1.php http//www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-study–managing-firms-throughout-the-business-cycle–111-360-1.php HYPERLINK http//www.bbc.co.uk/news/10613201 http//www.bbc.co.uk/news/10613201 Assignment 2 Date issued24/02/14Deadline Date 28/04/14 Scenario As a manufacturing company, Jaguar Land Rover has borne the brunt of sustainability regulations and the growing costs of compliance. The carmaker, which employs 15,000 people, including 3,500 engineers at two product development centres in the Midlands, is part of the EU ETS scheme and has signed up to a Climate Change Agreement. Head of sustainability Frances Leedham says One of my objectives is to make environment and sustainability part of doing business. It was unheard of a few years ago, but there is a clear incentive to decarbonise our economy and focus on renewable energy. Across our UK facilities we have set ambitious targets, and by 2012 we aim to reduce operating carbon emissions by 25 per cent, waste to landfill by 25 per cent and water consumption by 10 per cent. So crucial is the companys sustainability agenda to long-term business growth that a 9m fund has been set aside for investment in efficiency measures across the business, targeting areas where the biggest savings can be made. Jaguar Land Rovers paint shops, for example, have been identified  as the largest consumer of energy in the whole man ufacturing process. By sharing best practice between production sites, the company has implemented more than 50 initiatives-from optimising use of air compressors to closing parts of the paint shops when they are not being used. These measures have saved 13,200 tonnes of carbon emissions and more than 1.5m in energy costs over the past two years. But Leedham insists smaller schemes have a significant effect, too Things such as lighting, heating and PC shutdown policies are as important as the bigger manufacturing issues. Engaging employees in our environmental strategy is fundamental to achieving sustainability targets. Task 1 The government sets out policies that influence the UK economy. You need to explain what the following policies are and how each policy impacts Jaguar Land Rover in a positive and negative way. Economic Policy Industrial Policy Competition Policy Fiscal Policy Social Policy Education and Training Policy Transport Policy Environmental Policy HINT- Use the Jaguar Land Rover website to gain more information on how Jaguar Land Rover is part of these policies. This provides evidence for P2 Identify how government polices impact on a selected business Task 2 The UK Government has proposed th e following changes Spending on education to increase. Government introduces a programme to cut carbon emissions by 20 Government introduces a lower inflation target of 1.5 The government outlined key changes in the industrial policy the government will NOT support business to introduce new technology. Your task is to analyse the impact of the above changes on your business. You need to examine the information and draw justified conclusions on how the business may react. This provides evidence for M1 Analyse the implications of government policies for a selected business Task 3 Produce an article for The Halesowen College Education magazine, you should include the following headings- Define government spending and how it takes place at different levels. Identify and describe the key areas on which government spending takes place (You should support your description with figures which show the percentage of total government spending allocated to the major areas) Describe how government spending affects your selected business Explain the M ultiplier Mechanism in the context of the knock on effects it has on your selected business. This provides evidence for P3 identify the impact of government spending on a selected business Task 4 Outline how Fiscal, (Direct and  indirect tax, capital allowances, public finances and the budget), and Monetary, (Interest rates, employment levels and inflation) affect Jaguar Land Rover. Explain how changes in the above will affect investment levels for Jaguar Land Rover. This provides evidence for P4 explain how both fiscal and monetary policy decisions have affected a selected business. Task 5 Describe how changes in inflation and interest rates affect Jaguar land Rover in a positive and negative way. Use a UK graph to illustrate your answer. Predict future changes in inflation and interest rates and justify what effects it will have on Jaguar Land Rover. This provides evidence for M2 analyse the effects of fiscal and monetary policies for a selected business in terms of the market they operate in Task 6 Suggest and justify elements of fiscal and monetary policies that government could use that would help Jaguar Land Rover achieve its objectives. This provides evidence for D2 Suggest and evaluate elements of fiscal and monetary polices that would help a business achieve its objectives.

Schemes of work and lesson planning

Lesson plans are a key part of a teacher’s development. They enable teachers to plan their lessons drawing on skills such as; recording, monitoring, demonstration, adaption, discussion and extensive planning. Effective lesson plans enable a teacher to prioritise and organise the learning and provide a manageable learning environment to adhere to the diverse and complex needs of those in the lesson. Lesson plans set the format for what students are to achieve and how they will do this. Schemes of work essentially form the basis for lesson planning , although schemes of work can be adapted, they are informed by the requirements of the National Curriculum which sets the foundation of what is to be taught. Schemes of Work draw upon the expertise of staff, resource implications and timescales. The scheme of work is an extensive plan that shows subject by subject, key stage by key stage, the outline of what is being taught and how it interlinks with the context of learning, taking into account students prior learning Not only this, Schemes of Work provides parents, teachers, governors and other individuals with a broad outlook on what is to be/being taught. Long Term planning This takes into consideration the learning and planning for the year. It is based upon the curriculum framework as well as the schools aims, policies and statuary requirements. It outlines what will be covered for each year group/key stage. Albeit, long term planning is constituted as a team (school) rather than individual, long term lesson plans are the teachers’ plans for implementing the curriculum within the classroom. They should outline the aims to be covered in each subject area, in accordance with the National Curriculum, drawing on teacher’s judgement and knowledge of the needs and ability of the class. Long term planning offers a broad framework for the following: †¢ * units of work for each subject area learning objectives to be addressed * national curriculum * cross-curricular links * sequence in which the work will be delivered (progression) * activities that the children will engage in * assessment to be undertaken Long term planning forms the basis of medium term planning. Medium term planning This type of planning is typically the responsibility of the individual. Like long term plans they generally outline; units of work for each subject area, learning objectives to be addressed, cross curricular links etc. Medium Term Planning outlines the content of what is to be taught in some detail during a term or half a term, and should be used to support the exploration of content as outlined by the National Curriculum. Medium term planning will inform short term planning to enable a teacher to map out their activities on a weekly basis or daily basis. Short term planning These plans involve the individual teachers and outline what is going to be taught on a daily and lesson by lesson basis. These lesson plans are more specific to what the students will learn and how this will be achieved, i. e. the aims and objectives. Short term lesson plans are formulated from the outcome of previous lessons for that subject and build on progression based upon previous learning, evaluation and assessment process. Short term lesson plans also details how the work will be differentiated, meeting the needs and abilities of all in the group whilst taking into consideration different learning styles and behaviours, this will inform how the work will be achieved i. . group work, pairs or individual. Short term lesson plans will highlight how to keep all children included and motivated whilst achieving learning. These plans will identify which children are struggling, what resources will be needed and where best to allocate resources i. e. teaching assistants. A teacher will also identify how learning will be achieved, choosing suitable activities, space and time. Short term plans will have assessment opportunities to monitor students learning and plan for future lessons, depending on the activity will depend which method of assessment will be used, however a short term lesson plan should identify this. Lesson plans are a key developmental tool of a teacher’s evaluation and planning. Appropriate plans provide a framework for revisiting and evaluating the success of the lesson in meeting its objectives. Lesson plans enable progression. Fundamentally progression cannot be met without planning, evaluating and assessment.

Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab Formal Write Up

Purpose : This lab was conducted in order to show and analyze the way DNA is extracted.Hypothesis: If the lab is conducted properly then we should be able to view a visible amount of DNA from the strawberry and detergent mixture.Variables: The independent variable in this experiment is the strawberry mixture while the dependent variable is the amount of DNA extracted.Procedure-summary: Place a strawberry in a plastic baggy filled with the detergent mix and crush the strawberry, mixing the pulp with the detergent mix thoroughly, pour the detergent mixture into the funnel. Let the liquid from the mixture drain into the beaker then add the ethanol to the mixture.Data:Observations- The ethanol sat on top of the detergent due to its lighter density. Bubbles started rising as soon as the ethanol was added durn turning the liquid cloudy. The DNA grouped rapidly, taking no longer than two to three minuets total before slowing down and seeming to stop grouping. The DNA itself looked like sput um or phlegm, and was easily extracted from the mixture and sticky to the touch. When the DNA was extracted from the test tube and the mixture was stirred, more DNA started to collect at the top.Analysis:-As the strawberry is physically mashed into the detergent the cells are broken down and opened. The ethanol is else dense than the mixture and draws the now accessible DNA to the surface where it is viewable.-In comparing the extraction of strawberry DNA compared to human DNA, given a sample of the same amount of cells, there would be more DNA extracted from the strawberry for it has eight sets of chromosomes while humans just have two sets.-In real world situations DNA extraction would be used in something as complex as a murder investigation, in which DNA would have to be extracted to match a perpetrator to the evidence, or as simple as a pregnancy test.-A single cotton thread can not be seen from 100 feet away, but thousands of cotton threads together in a rope would be visible. The same applies to DNA in this experiment. A single double helix is hard to view even with the most complex of microscope, but when thousands of sticky little DNA strands bind together in the ethanol solution they become visible to the human eye.-Based on prior knowledge I know that the extraction of human DNA from mussel tissue is quite similar to the extraction of DNA from a strawberry and also ethanol based. That fact is to be expected for really there is no major cellular difference between strawberries and humans minus the fact that one is plant and the other is animal. Both are eukaryotic.Conclusion:In the experiment, DNA was successfully extracted from a strawberry, demonstrating the process a real life scientists would possibly extract DNA from cells. The lab was intact successful for the group and I were able to extract a visible amount of DNA from the mixture.There was really no source of error in this lab due to its simplicity. I feel in order to improve this lab, we sh ould compare the amount of strawberry DNA to another fruit like a banana or kiwi. I personally learned the physical process of DNA extraction as well as what DNA looks like.

The Characteristics of Language Acquisition and Development

Language ability starts even before birth and happens in every area of the child’s life. A child absorbs the language that is spoken in their environment with characteristics such as the tonal quality, the syntax, and the usages of that language. A child can learn languages which are spoken by their parents. The child absorbs the language that is most prevalent in the environment they live. It is a unique phenomenon in human life and occurs in a significant time span. Language absorption is provided by nature from birth, up until around the ages of four to five. Early Childhood Language development in the first five years of life is the key for a child’s development of communication and language. In the first five years of life, the language development begins at birth when infants communicate through their cries and the many looks they give. In the next period, infant’s attempts at communication with adults become more deliberate. This period is usually around xix to eighteen months. Infants in this period can coordinate their visual attention with another person regarding objects and events. Their ability to remember comes into play. Their remembering will consist of recognizing and recall methods. Their quest to further their knowledge will help to facilitate their oral language competencies. Oral language Competencies are directly related to the acquisition of literacy. Children learn new words from hearing them in similar positions as they are used in sentences. They learn their words through direct teaching, parent vocalizations, and other points of interest. They also learn words by associating a word they hear with some concrete reference they can see. Their receptive mode in oral language is listening and their expressive mode in that area is peaking. Their written language receptive mode is reading and their expressive mode is writing. â€Å"Children who are fluent in oral language are more successful learners. † â€Å"Being successful learners in this regard leads to better communication skills, better listeners, and the ability to talk with peers and teachers more effectively. † (Otto, 2006) In the third period, from 18 months onward, language becomes children’s primary means of learning and communication. Preschoolers can engage in conversations, can use language for self-control and have the capacity to participate verbally. An infant’s oral competencies are a part of a larger scenario. What children acquire and learn often relates to what they are exposed to in the womb. My grandmother and mother were always big on making sure that they encouraged my sisters and /or their female friends to speak to their unborn children. â€Å"Talk to the little one and let him or her know that you are there. † I firmly believe that my love for music comes from the fact that mother used to tell me that she played music for me the entire time she was pregnant with me. I seriously fell in love with music at around age 2 (by all accounts and photos). The text tells us that â€Å"infants can perceive sounds beginning with the 25t week of gestation. † (Otto, 2006) This makes it extremely important for expecting parents to talk, sing, read, and provide as many sounds and words as possible. Once babies are born, the text also tells us that â€Å"beginning at birth, children are a part of a social environment. It is within this social environment that language development begins. † (Otto, 2010) â€Å"They are also born with predispositions to pay attention to language and people in their environment. † (Otto, 2006) Children will learn words between 18 months and 6 years of age. They begin to distinguish specific phonemes as early as 1 month of age. † (Otto, 2006) They however are still not able to verbally express those distinctions as of yet. An infant will first need to decipher speech sounds that occur within their environment. That’s why it is crucial for parents and/or caregivers to speak, listen, and then respond to whatever their baby is uttering. This will be a kind of reinforcement of developing language patterns. I think this makes me realize the importance of the bonding process that all parents should undertake after birth. The role of a caregiver should follow later after this process is complete. I think this will play a beneficial role in how an infant will acquire his or her oral competencies. Some of our literature offers us a time table as to when some of these accomplishments will occur. The text tells us that â€Å"at six months a child will respond to his or her name. † â€Å"At twelve months, a child uses their words with meaning and intention. † â€Å"The vocabulary increases from that of five to 20 words at 18 months to 150-200 words at two years of age. â€Å"By the age of 4, a child can use at least four prepositions, know names of familiar animals and has mastered one or more colors. † (Atherton, 2008) This leads us to discuss the various ways in which it could be possible for children to acquire language. There are several perspectives that describe the ways in which children can acquire language skills. â€Å"The Learning perspective argues that children imitate what they see and hear; and that children learn from punishment and reinforcement. †(Shaffer,Wood, & Willoughby, 2002). The first is the Nativist Perspective. This perspective focuses on the inborn and/or the innate human capabilities as it relates to the acquisition of syntactic language. â€Å"Applications provide the opportunity to use and explore language to encourage â€Å"hypothesis testing† and activate LAD. † (Otto, 2006)This would be useful in helping young students develop confidence in questioning the information they acquire. This perspective was researched by Noam Chomsky, who is known for his contributions to the study of linguistics and his influence on the teaching of computer languages and mathematics. The next perspective is called the Cognitive Development Perspective. The idea of language acquisition; as it described by theorist Jean Piaget, is â€Å"acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop. † (Otto, 2006) Implications would dictate that in order to be successful in language acquisition, â€Å"learning activities should be developed to match a child's stage of cognitive development. † (Otto, 2006) In a classroom setting, this might be a challenging, tedious, but still rewarding endeavor for a teacher. This idea might find more credence in the arena of special education. The Behaviorist Perspective consists of language being learned through repetitive and supported speech. This is also facilitated by â€Å"associations between stimuli, responses, and events following the response. † (Otto, 2006). Students would benefit greatly from the direct correlation and association of everyday objects, activities, and situations. The implications as researched by B. F. Skinner, â€Å"focus on the stimuli and reinforcements that children experience which involve language use. (Otto, 2006) Children's communication efforts are also supported as well as language exercises that involve a repetitive nature. The Interactionist Perspective; focused on by theorist Vygotsky, has a direct connection on sociocultural interaction. Its implications provide a positive emotional basis for social interactions. It also offers a â€Å"wide range of social interactions in which oral and written language are used in developmentally appropriate activities. † (Otto, 2006) For those students learning on many levels this would be a significant opportunity to apply those oral and written language skills with everyday interactions. Out of all the theoretical perspectives listed, I am more impressed with the Interactionist Theoretical Perspective. In my opinion it offers a greater opportunity to apply language acquisition with social interaction opportunities. It also give the child an avenue to be expressive in ways that will benefit them later in their development. these areas might include eye contact with greater confidence, mediation for future conflict resolution, child-directed speech for positive peer relations; and support for questioning. I am always a fan of social interacting building. References http://languagedevelopment.tripod.com/id15.html