Risk Essay Example Competitive Environment and Risk Assessment

Competitive Environment and Risk Assessment Barclays Bank is one of the leading banks in the world with operations in 60 international countries. The current financial crisis has caused serious problems for financial institutions, and Barclays is no exception. The recent fiasco has thus strengthened the argument that there must be a more comprehensive corporate governance code for the financial institutions. (Kalbers, 2009). Barclays therefore has to prepare itself for the relatively new and more radical changes that may take place in future in terms of new corporate governance challenges. Competitive Pressures Historically, it has been observed that the Britain’s Corporate Governance movement has been hijacked by top accountancy firms in order to maximize value for shareholders; other stakeholders, such as employees, customers and the community, have been relatively neglected.(Cassidy, 2003).   Today’s environment is relatively more volatile than beforehand due to perceived threats to the global financial system specially in the aftermath of the current financial crisis. It is critical to note that in such an environment, the overall competitive pressures are mounting on many financial institutions including Barclays to maintain their positions within the market. Of great significance is that the current financial crisis has resulted in the decline of loanable funds to the consumers; this will likely result in a drastic decrease in revenue as well as profitability for Barclays Bank. The recent results however, indicate that the firm has been able to withstand pressures and the results of the first half of 2009 has shown considerable improvement by the bank. Strategic Challenges One of the most important challenges faced by the Barclays Bank is to keep its dominance over its traditional markets. Though the bank has been able to meet the current global financial crises however, its ability to service the market has reduced due to overall external economic conditions. Firm therefore needs to revise its internal control mechanism in such a manner that it successful withstands external challenges. The new capital requirements under BASEL II are another significant challenge because it will require Barclays to manage and maintain a certain level of capital against its assets. Similarly, the collective malpractices in financial system as a whole is another significant challenge because banks have indulged themselves into activities which   Customer services is another significant challenge in such scenario where profits are declining and expectations are rising for more efficient customer services. In order to cope with the increased pressures of the financial c rises, Bank of England has significantly lowered the interest rates whereas the overall cost structure of the banks have remained the same which therefore resulted into lose profitability for the banks. This also indicates the UK’s financial institutions are still finding it hard to achieve a balance between risk and reward and subsequent development of corporate governance mechanisms which can help achieve organizations this aim.(Gentle, 2009). Recommendations In order to overcome these strategic challenges, Barclays has to strengthen its internal controls and procedures. The non-existence of checks and balances on the activities of the managers provide incentives to the managers to engage into such activities which are potentially not in favor of all stakeholders. The overall focus shall therefore be on ensuring complete and more transparent reporting of the all issues of the bank while at the same time implementing an effective corporate governance code by strengthening the role of various other stakeholders. References Cassidy, D (2003) Maximizing shareholder value: the risks to employees, customers and the community. Corporate Governance. 3 (2) 32 – 37 Gentle, (2009) Work in progress?: How the credit crunch has its roots in the lack of integrated governance and control systems. The Journal of Risk Finance. 9 (2) 206 210 Kalbers, L (2009) fraudulent financial reporting, corporate governance and ethics: 1987-2007. Review of Accounting and Finance. 8 (2) 187-209 So Shall We Write Your Assignment Too? We’ve done it for thousands of students, and they are thankful and satisfied. Since you’ve been reading all this, you most probably want to pay someone to do your assignment. Trust us; that someone is our company! Open your account and place order now.

Planets And Solar System Essays - Planetary Science, Planet

Planets And Solar System Essays - Planetary Science, Planet Planets And Solar System Planets and Solar System The Planets and the Solar System Planets 2 A planet is a celestial body that revolves around a central star and does not shine by its own light (Grolier, 1992). The only planetary system that is known to man is our solar system. It is made up of nine planets which range in size and make-up. The nine major planets in our solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. There are also many other minor planets which are also in our solar system, but they are unimportant compared to the nine major planets. In this paper I will discuss the planets and how they are each unique. Mercury which is the planet that is closest to the sun is the first planet I will discuss. Mercury is the smallest of the inner planets. It is speculated that the heat from the sun made it impossible for the gases present to become part of the planetary formation. The surface of Mercury is extremely hot. It is approximately 470 degrees celsius on the surface and is thought to be even hotter at the two hot spots. These hot spots are on opposite ends of the equator. It is the heat of the surface that makes it impossible for Mercury to have any type of atmosphere. Mercury orbits the sun once every 88 days and has a true rotation period of 58.6 days. It is the closest planet to the sun and therefore orbits faster than any other planet (Thompson/Turk, 542, 1993). It is said that Mercury rotates three times for every two trips around the sun, so that during Planets 3 every alternate perihelon passage the same face points directly at the sun. Geologically, the most remarkable features of Mercury are compressional cliffs or faults, just the sort of wrinkles that might form in the crust if the interior of the planet shrank slightly (Morrison, 74, 1993). It is speculated that it was the solidification of Mercury's metallic core that caused this global shrinkage. Mercury is also . . . enriched in metal or depleted of rock (Morrison, 74, 1993). It is also believed that some of the inner core of Mercury is still in a fluid state. Scientists also believe that Mercury's surface is made partially of silicate rock. The best way to describe Mercury is, . . . small, heavily cratered and airless (Morrison, 71, 1993). Venus is the second closest planet to the sun and is said to . . . most closely resemble Earth in size, density, and distance from the sun (Thompson/Turk, 542, 1993). Venus is known to most scientists as the sister planet to the Earth. It is called this because it closely resembles the Earth's mass, density and diameter. The only thing different is that Venus is shrouded in thick clouds that completely hide the surface of the planet (Grolier, 1992). The surface temperature is also much warmer than that of Earth. Venus completes one revolution around the sun in 224.7 days. This makes the Venusian day equal to 117 earth days. It is thought that this slow rotation may be the reason why Venus has no magnetic field. Planets 4 The atmosphere of Venus made up of 98% carbon dioxide and 2% Nitrogen. This atmosphere also has the presence of helium, neon and argon. This is yet another thing which makes Venus different from Earth. The surface of Venus is quite a bit like that of the Earth. The surface has volcanoes and smooth plains. Much of the volcanic activity on Venus takes the form of Basaltic eruptions that inundate large ares, much as the mare volcanism flooded the impacted basins on the near side of the moon (Morrison, 93, 1993). One thing that differs from Earth is that there is no water liquid on the Venusian surface. Some of the scientific data that follows was taken out of Cattermole's book. The mean distance from the sun is 108.20 Km. The equatorial diameter is 12,012 Km and the equatorial rotation is 243 days. Finally the mass of Venus is 4.87*10^24 (Cattermole, 63, 1993). Venus, although different than Earth, is still our sister planet. Mars is the fourth furthest away from the sun and is recognized by its reddish color. Mars is also very much like the Earth. More than any other planet in the solar system, Mars has characteristics that make it an Earth-like world (Grolier, 1992). One thing that is very similar to Earth is the rotation period. Mars rotation period is only thirty seven minutes longer than the Earth's. This

Generic Drug Profile : Salbutamol Generic Drug Profile - Salbutamol

New Zealand trade names: Ventolin, Respigen, Salamol, Asthalin, Salapin and Broncolin. Drug Class: Therapeutic class: bronchodilator. Pharmacologic class: sympathomimetic (stimulates the sympathetic nervous system). It is also classified as a SABA (short acting ÃŽ ²2-agonist). Formulations: The most common administration is by inhalation of a pressurised metered dose aerosol. Inhalation of Salbutamol directly reaches the lungs and acts rapidly with fewer side effects, but only 10-25% is actively absorbed as the remainder is swallowed (Orion Phama, 2015). Oral administrations by tablet and syrup forms are used by patients who can’t manage the inhaled route. Salbutamol has a lower onset of action via the oral route and 50% of the dosage is absorbed from the intestinal tract (Salbutamol, 2014). Salbutamol can also be given intravenously for severe or life threatening asthma. It may also be given by intramuscular injection. Patients are best treated with single-ingredient ÃŽ ²2-agonist preparations so dose adjustment is simple (NZ Formularya, 2015). Indications: Salbutamol is a ÃŽ ²2-agonist which causes bronchodilation by relaxing smooth muscles on the bronchiole. It is a reliever of bronchospasms in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and emphysema. It provides short acting but instant bronchodilation to reverse airways obstruction. Inhalation of Salbutamol has an onset period of 5-15 minutes and lasts for 2-5 hours. Salbutamol isIs the Illegalization of Marijuana Valid? Is The Illegalization of Marijuana Valid? The debate over the legalization of Cannabis sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, has been one of the most heated controversies ever to occur in the United States. Its use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many countries world wide and is documented as far back as 2700 BC in ancient Chinese writings. When someone says ganja, cannabis, bung, dope, grass, rasta, or weed, they are talking about the same subject: marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized because the government could earn money from taxes on its sale, its value to the medical world outweighs its abuse potential, and because of its importance to the paper and clothing industries. This action should be taken The first step in Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent campaign is collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive, which is what Antigone does when hearing about the death of both of her brothers. What! Has not Creon to the tomb preferred One of our brothers, and with contumely Withheld it from the other? Eteocles Duly, they say, even as by law was due, He hid beneath the earth, rendering him honour Among the dead below; but the dead body Of Polynices, miserably slain, They say it has been given out publicly None may bewail, none bury, all must leave Unwept, unsepulchred, a dainty prize For fowl that watch, gloating upon their prey! This is the matter he has proclaimed – Excellent Creon! (Sophocles 2). Antigone is talking to Ismene and telling her all she has heard about the injustice that she has heard that Creon has created. She is very frustrated and wants only to bury her brother so he may have a peaceful afterlife and not go to the underworld or be stuck in purgatory. Creon’s edict stating Polynices cannot be buried under any circumstances is harsh because Creon most likely would have revolted against his brother if he was banish from Thebes just so he wouldn’t have to share the throne. After Antigone gathers upThe Country Of Brazil : Brazil Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and the largest in Latin America. Its limits are: To the north, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana; to the south, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay; To the east, the Atlantic Ocean; And to the west, Peru and Bolivia. The capital of Brazil is Brasilia. Brazil occupies almost half of the South American territory. Brazil has borders with all South American co untries except Chile and Ecuador. The most important cities in Brazil are Sà £o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. (theapricity.com) Landforms of Brazil Brazil is divided into five primary geographic areas: The Southern Highlands, the Norther Guiana, Brazilian Highlands central and east, the massive Amazon River Basin, Pantanal wetland areas of the southwest. Guiana Highlands The Guiana Highlands composed mainly of flat-topped mountains extending in a roughly east-to-west direction across the north of the country. Guiana has approximately a territorial extension of 214,970 square kilometers. They are home to Brazil 's highest point. The Guiana Highlands feature plunging waterfalls and deep waterfalls. Amazon Basin To the south of the Guiana Highlands lie the lowlands of the Amazon Basin. The Amazon Basin covers an area of 6,122,726 km ², and covers lands in several countries of South America: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Bolivia. Brazil is the one that has more extension in the Amazon Basin. The largest tropical rainforest

Distillation- Gas Chromatography Investigations Lab Report

Distillation- Gas Chromatography Investigations - Lab Report Example In the case where there are two compounds with a vast different vapor and pressures, then the two compounds can be separating through the technique referred to as simple distillation. In this case, simple distillation involves warming a mixture so that the liquid with higher volatility vaporizes first. The vapor of this liquid substance is then collected in a separate flask for purposes of being condensed back into liquid. However, for mixtures of compounds having same boiling points, a simple distillation would be performed multiple times or a fractional distillation would be applied over its length. In essence, fractional distillation is often used in separating mixtures of liquids that have a boiling point that are quite close to each other. Fractional distillation constitutes a long glass tube often packed with either ceramic or glass material allowing the vapor to vaporize and condense a number of times in the course of traveling up the column. Moreover, the condenser (fractiona ting column) is packed with these materials purposely to help increase its surface area. This is based on the principle that whenever a solution gets distilled in fractions, it goes through various re-distillations that help increase the purity of the product at the end of the tunnel. As liquid gets heated, vapor starts rising. These vapors condense when they come into contact with the fractioning column cooler surfaces. Continued heating of the distillation liquid leads to the increase in the rise of the vapors. The condensed vapors within the fractioning column re-vaporize hence moving up the column. Repeating this process several times causes components with the lowest boiling point to reach the top of the fractionating column first, which is the collected in the collection vial. Other components are collected following their ascending order of their boiling points. This process is applicable in the fractional separation of mixtures having multiple liquids. For instance, crude oi l is often separated in towers which are one hundred and fifty feet high. In this respect, more than 100 different components get separated from two thousand barrels of crude oil each day. Equipment or Materials In this experiment, the set of apparatus included 3 glass vials, Crystallizing Dish, Ice Steel wool, Microscale kit, Boiling chips, Hot plate, 100-mL beaker, Mixture of organic liquids, and Digital thermometer. Procedure In this experimental the set up was carried out in a hood. To start with the distillation, apparatus for this experiment was set up. Using scintillation vials or a 10 mL graduated cylinder, the distillates were collected. 10ml of ethyl acetate, and 10mL isoamyl acetate were obtained and transferred to the 50 mL round-bottom flask. Then the stirring bar was added to the flask with the stirring function being activated during the process of distillation. The stirring bar acted as a boiling stone and was added to help prevent bumping. The warming of the flask w as done making sure the distillate starts being collected in the graduated cylinder. At this instance, the temperature of the vapor when the first drop of the distillate started being collected in the cylinder was recorded. This was done making sure the thermometer was well positioned. The plate was adjusted in making sure the collection rate of the distillate was approximately 1 drop per second. The temperature was recorded after each mL of the distillate

HRM Module Examination Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HRM Module Examination Questions - Essay Example It should be noted that without work-life balance, employees tend to feel guilty and deprived of not being able to attend to activities involving their family as their career life robs them of these. Thus, they compensate these through several absences in order to make time for non-work activities. Absences also occurs when employees are physical exhausted and are suffering from sickness from overworking. In order to improve attendance, companies should strive to make the workplace worth going to. The workplace should not be a venue of stressful and tiring tasks by designing leisure activities every now and then. Also, rapport among colleagues should be established. Rewarding employees who are always present can also be pursued. Instead of adopting the total renumeration approach, the CIPD is pushing through the total reward system which is comprised of flexible benefits, opportunity for personal growth, recognition of achievements, flexible working hours, and others that are indeed favorable for employees. The CIPD argues that the total reward system will yield benefits such as â€Å"easier recruitment of better quality staff, reduced wastage from staff turnover, better business performance, and enhanced reputation of the organisation as an employer of choice.† The first and last advantages from CIPD are seen to be obvious benefits from a total reward system. As employees are favored, adoption of this scheme will surely boost company image thereby allowing it to recruit prospective applicants more efficiently. However, for the reduced wastage from staff turnover, this is quite questionable because adopting total reward system might not necessarily decrease turnover. Also, since employees have different personalities a more relaxed management approach might not work for some and might even promote a carefree attitude among employees. There are five stages in the process of performance management namely strategy definition,

Apple Function and Form Essay Example for Free

Apple Function and Form Essay Apple’s product line extends from iPhone to iPod, from softwares to customer aid programs, and all are directed to seek the maximum customer value for maximum competitive advantage. This report focuses on the case study of Apple Inc. evaluating the importance of competitive advantage, the means of achieving them, the generic strategy used by Apple and the implementation, advantages and limitations of these strategies. In the end, we have also elaborated the recommendations to these limitations. Introduction: Background: Apple Inc.   is the name of a multinational company, that makes personal computers, consumer electronics, computer software, servers and is a vast distributor of media content. Apple has gone far from being just a company. It has become a company that specializes in almost all computer products all the way from 1976 (Dpnick330. wikidot. com, 2008). Apple found its existence in the year 1976 when Steve Jobs and Steve Woznaik released the Apple I in California (Nostoptechnology. com, 2014). Since then apple has been flourishing and providing its market with the products of innovation. The creation of the iPhone gave a competitive edge to the company, released in 2001. The very first computer with GUI (Graphical User Interface) was Apple Lisa which was launched by Apple in 1984 (Bellis, 2013). The company with the help of its founder Steve Jobs realized the key to success was to excel in softwares and provide innovation by all means. Jobs, with the help of Wozniak, wanted to create a friendly desktop which would enable the users to use computers not as a hobby, at its very start (Lu? sted, 2012). Apple has been extending its chain of products and now offers longer, broader and bigger Book of Apple Hacks with tactics and tricks to get the most out of iPod, iPhone and Apple Tv (Seibold, 2008). As Jobs took care of the finances, Wozniak was taking care of improving the functionality of the company’s products from the very start. (Linzmayer and Linzmayer, 2004) Objectives: Objectives are the expected outcomes, the report will accomplish. They should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely), corporate, functional, systematic, operational, hierarchical, quantitative, realistic and consistent. The report will encompass the following objectives: †¢The competitive strategy used by Apple Inc. †¢The measures taken to implement this strategy. †¢Examples of using these strategies for giving a competitive edge. †¢Advantages of this strategy by evaluation. †¢Limitations of this strategy by evaluation. †¢Recommendations to improve and enhance the competitive position of Apple Inc. Main Findings: Competitive Advantage: Competitive advantage is the means by which a company can perform better than its competitors and gain higher profits. The ability to create more economic  value than competitors is a company’s competitive advantage. Competitive advantage for any company is accomplished when the company creates superior value for its customers in comparison to its customers (Porter, 1998). One of the hottest trends in the business today is analyzing the best methods of companies to enhance their performance (Boxwell, 1994). When enhancing the company’s performance, innovation must be a main feature and the company should introduce new means of attracting the customers. When the customers are attracted, profit is gained which attracts customers and limits competitors. Competitive advantage is always temporary because the competitors often offer something new/better or imitate the offering. When the firm’s offering is average, customers don’t prefer it. This limits the cost advantage of the company. Sometimes the competitive advantage doesn’t come in handy especially when the offerings made by the firms are not preferable, are outdated, costly or have a negative image in the market. There are two measures to evaluate competitive advantage: the first is accounting measures which include advantage, parity and disadvantage ; the other is economic measures including above normal, normal and below normal. In order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage the firm should make offerings which cannot be imitated, should be focusing on customer benefits, and should be sustainable against time, competition and environmental changes. Business Level Strategy: The ability of a company to evaluate systematic environmental changes and its competitors impact of change for enhancing the performance of a company is known as the business or corporate level strategy of that company (Furrer, 2011). Business Level options focus on firms operating as individuals. Corporate Level options concentrate on options available where a firm diversification and different markets, each with its own strategy, business team and profit centre. A corporate level adds up the corporate more and is more than the sum of its parts (Business Community, 2012). Strategic Clock: Business level strategy uses a strategic clock which aims at gaining the maximum competitive advantage on the basis of perception of money from prices. The clock represents different positions referring to the different customer requirements. It helps companies understand the changing trends of the market and competitors strategies to enhance the performance. There are four strategies under this subject and they are: 1. No Frills Strategy: low priced offering low benefits includingcommodity markets, Price-sensitive customers, High power, low switching costs among buyers and Opportunity to avoid major competitors. 2. Low-Price Strategy: offering lower prices than competitors. This includes, Margin reductions and Inability to reinvest. 3. Hybrid Strategy: seeks at achieving differentiation and low price strategies together. Differentiation Strategy: Seeks at providing the maximum quality with no cost considerations and maximum focus on the value. Apple Inc. uses this strategy to gain the maximum competitive advantage. Other strategies are failures, strategies that include increasing price without the product benefits, reduction in product benefits either by increasing prices or maintaining price-loss market share. Generic Strategies: What exactly is a strategy? Strategy is the direction implemented by the company in order to achieve its long term objectives and gain competitive advantage. There is a direct relationship with strategy is with objectives and tactics. Objectives are the points a company needs to achieve and tactics are the methods of how they will be achieved with the aid of strategies. Strategic choices depend on basis of strategies, strategic directions and finally methods of implementing them. A competitive strategy is the systematic search of competitive advantage of the company through its strategic means (Eldring, 2009). Thinking critically, a competitor is the only action a company has as a way to success (Kossowski, 2007). In the 1980s, Professor Michael Porter argued that there were only four fundamental strategic options the companies usually use and are called as Porter’s Generic Strategy Options. He identified four primary principles as: †¢Cost leadership. †¢Differentiation. †¢Focus cost leadership. †¢Focus differentiation. Apple’s Mission statement: A mission statement of a firm is the goals and objectives confined in a statement which a firm expects to accomplish in a long period of time and thus a broader way. Apple’s mission statement, according to the year 2013, is focused on making the best computers in the world along with their other products which included MAC, OS X, iLife, iWork and professional softwares (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). Apple leads the digital revolution for giving a new innovative idea to the phones of today along with the music industry through iTunes and iPods. Apple’s Strategy: Apple uses differentiation strategy rather than cost leadership strategy because for apple, it is not about making the most out of its products, but it’s about making the best out of its products (Riley, 2013). Apple’s differentiation strategy is a part of Porter’s generic strategy. This kind of strategy offers something that is innovative and new in the market and can be both service and the product itself. Innovations from competitors are striving to defect Apple’s ecosystem, but Apple is giving them a tough competition (Canada, 2012). It is differentiated when it makes and offers more benefits than the core products as an augmented product in a form of customer service, customer support, etc. This strategy offers premium money and focuses on increasing the quality of the product or a service. Generic differentiation occurs when the quality of the products offered by the company are above the expectations of the customers. Such strategies imply to focus on increasing the price of the products compared to the competitors thereby increasing the competitive advantage. Apple uses its differentiation strategy through the following ways. †¢Service: Service must become an efficient means of achieving as a competitive weapon and should not become a damage control function in order to enhance performance with customers (Frei and Morriss, 2012). Apple exceeds the quality of its services by providing customer support through their outlets and on the web. Employees at Apple are told not to sell, but to help customers solve their problems. That is the reason the number of visits to apple sites and outlets are more than that of Walt Disney (Hanselman, 2011). It made a new benchmark for providing ‘unmatched services’ which has made its own customers. The Apple company has scored the highest in PC makers’ customer service survey (Secrets of Apple’s customer success, 2014). †¢Brand: Brand is a type of a product manufactured under a product name (Ibsen, 2007). Apple finds itself at the peaks of the most valuable brands as its competition in the world (Cole, 2013). The brand has extensively increased the bar by introducing innovation again and again in the extension of its product line over the decades (Badenhausen, 2013). As stated in Apples Most Important Branding Lesson For Marketers (Mourdoukoutas, 2013) Out of all the lessons marketers can learn from apple one has an ultimate significance that is branding begins on the demand side. Apple has made its brand image by delivering quality products and receiving customer loyalty in exchange. Apple has raised the bar for its brand, using innovation as a key. For examples the use of Walkmans and music players were terminated when a small and confined iPod was introduced in the market by Apple. Similarly the use of computers was more comforting when technologies like laptops, Macbooks, notebooks etc. replaced desktops. Apple also provided its customers with great technologies in phones and softwares like Microsoft. In short, Apple provides more than the needs and demands of the customers by giving them value and satisfaction and always raising their own standards. †¢Marketing techniques: As stated in Apple’s iPhone Marketing Strategy Exposed, (Mckormack, 2013), Apple has no marketing budget and doesn’t advertise its products anywhere, but uses exclusivity technique. Apple used this technique by not only offering special offers on its products, but also made the whole product line exclusive. For example, iPhone product range is made exclusively. Limiting the availability of the products attracts most of the apple customers. This conformed to the unique nature of the products of Apple, which made its accessibility and demand more. Apple marketing strategy comes under the famous tag line ‘Sell on value, not price’ as the company aims at seeking the customer value as a priority. Apple turns something ordinary into innovative, justify its prices, ignores its critics, extends the experience, easy understanding with the customers, builds the tribe and makes a name. In January 1997 Apple incorporated a three point marketing philosophy which was based upon customer loyalty (Moorman, 2012). Apple has been following this philosophy since thirty five years and this is the reason because it was voted overall winner of the 2012 of CMO Survey Award for Marketing Excellence (Cmosurvey. org, 2014). †¢Online Business: Apple also deals in making e business with its customers. It sells, assists and aware its customers through online websites. Customers from different locations and areas can access the sites for any related problems or information on the products and services of apple. It makes free shipping orders using FOB methods. The App store did $10 billion sales and $1 billion sales in December out of which 65% came from the online business yet alone (Yarow, 2013). Advantages of differentiation strategy: Following are the benefits of the strategy. †¢Customer Loyalty: Apple has the most customer loyalty compared to its competitors. An iPhone customer is hard to debate with an android customer. Apple customers forever stay with its brand and never turn to its customers because of the value it provides to its customers. The extensive customer loyalty of Apple lies in its simplicity to use and reliability concerns (Rogowsky, 2013). †¢An increasing competitive advantage: Being unique and giving extraordinary services makes Apple a leading brand with an increasing competitive advantage. The prices of Apple products are always high, but the quality and the value justify them all. Apple focuses on the value not the price or revenue. Putting every factor together Apple has a differential advantage that is challenging to put forth for any of its competitors (Magee, 2011). Limitations of the differentiation Strategy: Following are the limitations of Apple’s strategy: †¢Difficulty in managing the strategy: It is comparatively hard and difficult to maintain the differentiation strategy as many factors need to be considered in evaluating the value. †¢Higher costs: Apple’s products are always of high costs due to which many of its customers are drifting away. Some of the loyal Apple shareholders believe that Apple is making a huge mistake by blindly focusing on short term profits in the mobile industry and denying the current realities (Blodget, 2013a). Apple is being defeated by Samsung, because of its high prices, which is the leading smart phone company in the market (Kovach, 2014). Recommendations: Following are the recommendations for apple. †¢Introduce reasonable costs and focus b and c type markets. †¢Introduce more innovation in the differentiation strategy. †¢Maintain its strong brand by also providing the advertisements. †¢Keep awareness about its competitors and other external factors. Conclusion: The report envisaged the ways and the importance of competitive advantage prevailing in Apple Inc. It also elaborated and evaluated the generic strategy used by the company that is Differentiation strategy. This report elaborated the means and the implemented of the strategy under focus along with its advantages and limitations. Furthermore, it contributed in explaining the recommendations.

The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Essay

The Key Elements of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man provides an introspective exploration of an Irish Catholic upbringing. To provide the reader with a proper interpretation, Joyce permeates the story with vivid imagery and a variety of linguistic devices. This paper will provide an in-depth of analysis of the work by examining its key elements. The central theme of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is Stephen Dedalus' alienation and separation from his trinity of family, country and religion. Stephen's separation from his family is evident when he literally flees from his father by "walking rapidly lest his father's shrill whistle might call him back." Stephen's separation from his clique is demonstrated by his adoration of the poet Byron, who his schoolmates (Boland & Heron) deem as a "heretic and immoral." Boland and Heron then proceed to attack Stephen with "a fury of plunges" that leaves Stephen "half blinded with tears." Other violent disagreements with his peers can be found when while attending Clongowes Wood College he is pushed into a ditch by Wells (a class bully) and catches a fever. The illness results in Stephen's desire to "go home" The theme of Stephen Dedalus' alienation with his religion is evident in his connection with the church. The Dedalus family live a resolute Catholic life and expect Stephen t o share their beliefs. Stephen directly questions the authority of the church when he asks.    "Is baptism with a mineral water valid? How comes it that while the first beatitude promises the kingdom of heaven to the poor of heart the second beatitude also promises to the meek that they shall possess the land? Why was the sacram... ...foreshadowing's importance, can be found in the fact that the story begins with a flashback to when Stephen was a very young child. As the narrative of his life continues, flashbacks are implanted.    A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce is a well written exhibition of the Irish Catholic life of an artist. Stephen Dedalus, infamously connected to the mythical Deadalus, becomes independent of his family, religion, and nation. To adequately illustrate his life, actual Irish dialect is used and intense images are presented. Thereby creating an introspective analysis of an artist. Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations: James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York:Chelsea House Publishers, 1988. Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: New American Library, 1991

Potential Hazards Essay

Relating to the physical environment; If you were in a care setting e.g. Residential home, and the ventilation stopped working, or was not working as it should do. For example if some of the residents had an illness that could be passed on through air, then the probability is that all the residents and also staff would end up with the illness this is an acquired infection. Equipment; If you were in a care home for elderly people and they couldn’t use their legs or get up from sitting down you would have to use a hoist to help them up which is more time consuming, but it is against the law to drag lift them onto their feet. Therefore that is why staff have to use hoists, if a member of staff wanted to use the hoist to help someone up and it was broken this would be poor maintained and this could result in injury. Infections; If you were in a hospital and people were given certain needles, and they was not getting disposed of properly needles and all sharps are meant to be disposed of correctly in a yellow sealed box, if the needles wasn’t disposed of properly this would be an expose to danger and also hazardous waste. If they were not disposed of properly and were left lying about and someone accidently got injected with one of the used needles then this could cause an infection. Substances; In a care setting everything should always be clean for health and safety reasons, if a cleaner had been in and was bleaching the toilets and forgot to put the bleach back after cleaning them and one of the patients or residents went to use the toilet and seen the bleach they might have drunk the bleach which this chemical could cause chemical burns to the throat which is expose to danger. Working conditions; In a residential home sometimes they can be short staffed, which could lead staff to be overtired from the extra shifts, it could also make the staff rush and not be following all the procedures properly, not working to their best ability and also rushing their notes  throughout the day this could cause psychological distress to members of staff. Working practices; If you we were in a residential care home the would have to keep the doors and windows locked downstairs so they know who is going in and out of the building for security purposes, this security systems is really effective, but on the negative side this could result in loss of time. For example if the home caught fire and the fire fighters needed to get into the building and quickly as possible to get people out of the building having the doors and windows locked is going to waste time, this also could cause injury. Security Systems; In a residential home there would have to be CCTV around the outside of all doors and so you can see all windows, so you can keep an eye out for anyone trying to get in or out of the establishment. This is important because in a residential home you wouldn’t want people waltzing in and out. If there was an incident we would need to know who was in the building and who wasn’t this is why visitors have to sign in and out. If someone got in and possessions went missing we could narrow it down with the cameras but if we didn’t have cameras it would be hard to find out who did it, this could lead to loss or damage to the premises or personal belongings. Part 2 In this section I am going to give examples of the hazards that can arise in different settings. Residential Home; Elderly If a fire occurred in a residential home they would need to make sure that everyone inside the building got out safe so there would need to be fire exits, safety precautions and when they got everybody out safe they do a count of how many people were inside the building and how many are outside now. In a residential home it is important that the staff take health and safety procedures correctly and appropriately, within the care setting they need to be able to escape from the building in case of a fire, also to make  sure they don’t put each other in danger. So if a fire exit was blocked this could cause a hazard. Child minding; Young Children In a nursery a child minder is only allowed a certain amount of children at a time with them, due to having too many and not abiding to the ratio, if the child minder got distracted with one of the other children and another child had accidently swallowed an object this could cause the child to choke on the object they would have to try and get the object out of the young child’s mouth if this fails to work they would have to ring a ambulance , if the child minder had all the children in sight where she could see all of them this incident would have occurred. This could link to expose to danger. Public environment; Beach younger children If a children’s care home had organized a day at the beach for the children, the care workers would have to make sure that they had put sun cream on all of the children because if they just left them and some of the children got burnt this would be abuse towards the children. If the children wanted to go into the sea, a member of staff would have to go in with them to supervise them to make sure they wasn’t in danger or drowning or the current taking them out to sea. So if they had planned to take them out they would have to make sure there is enough staff to watch the children. Third Receiving Care For those that receive care a hazard for an elderly person could be that they cannot see very well so, loss of vision and slower reactions could be a problem if they was trying to find their way down to the dining area this would be a problem because they wouldn’t be able to see where there was going, so if things were left like this they could fall over and this would be an injury. If there was a younger person going down to the dining area there could be a sign saying ‘caution wet floor’ they might just ignore it and walk over it anyway and fall and really hurt themselves. This would be  lack of equipment. Workers in a setting Workers in a setting could have to deal with all sorts of patients timid, violent, shy e.c.t. if a resident was violent towards a staff member and hit them there would have to follow certain precautions because this is abuse, for example was the resident provoked to hit the member of staff? Was the resident in distress? Was the member of staff not listening or listening to their needs? There would need to be an investigation throughout the home and everyone will have to create a statement both about the staff and the resident. This would be some working conditions for some employees. Support staff Support staff in a health and social care setting should be given protective clothing because if one of the residents or care staff spills something on them or something gets on their skin that harmful in anyway this would be harmful substances because they were not giving the appropriate protective clothing. Visitors If there is a visitor that wants to come into the resident then there should be a buzzer that they have to press for the staff to identify, also a camera so they can see who it is. If there was not these safety precautions anyone could waltz in and out of the building which is not very professional, if someone did get in or someone got out of the building this would be because of poor security systems. This could result in injury.

Human Competition According Adam Smith and Karl Marx

â€Å"Human competition† according to â€Å"Adam Smith† is brought about by â€Å"selfish interests† (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495).â€Å"Adam Smith† made this extremely clear when he said that â€Å"the free decentralized action of economic agents in a system of competition and private property brings advantages for each of them†¦each one moved by his selfish interest† (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495). Interestingly, this is an unconscious thought of an individual according to â€Å"Adam Smith† (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495).Causes of Human Competition According to Adam Smith â€Å"Adam Smith† said that competition was actually brought about by individual’s pursuit of a better life (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495). People constantly find ways to reach their objectives not only to satisfy their own selfish interests but to enhance ones personal condition as well (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495).Consequences of Human Competition According to Adam Smith What’s good about the unconscious desire of man to achieve self-interest is that, eventually, he or she will not only achieve a better life but that of others in the society as well (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 2000, pp. 494 – 495).Human Competition According to Karl Marx â€Å"Human competition† according to â€Å"Karl Marx† is determined by his or her material conditions (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.). â€Å"Karl Marx† stated that â€Å"human competition† is highly related to the satisfaction of simple economic needs (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).Causes of Human Competition According to Karl Marx Meanwhile, the following are some of the causes of â€Å"human competition† according to â€Å"Karl Marx†:First of all, â€Å"human competition† according to â€Å"Karl Marx† sprouted from â€Å"man’s existence† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.). It means that the existence of man requires satisfaction of human economic needs and so the aforementioned cause â€Å"human competition† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).Furthermore, the historical act technically referred to as â€Å"the act of producing the means to satisfy human economic needs† also brought about â€Å"human competition† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).Last but not least, survival is another cause of â€Å"human competition† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.). â€Å"Karl Marx† explained that since man â€Å"enters into a conscio us relation with nature for survival†, then he or she obliges himself or herself to â€Å"produce his or her means of subsistence† which eventually leads to human competition (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).Consequences of Human Competition According to Karl Marx The following are some of the consequences of â€Å"human competition†:First of all is that it leads to the â€Å"division of society into economic classes† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.). For instance, in the â€Å"means of production†, â€Å"human competition† already exists because there are two types that exist, namely: â€Å"1) owners or the capitalists; and 2) non-owners of the means of production or the workers† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).These two types compete for ownership with regards to anything that may be utilized to â€Å"produce material needs and maintain existence† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).In addition to that, since â€Å"human competition† is highly related to the â€Å"mode of production†, it has also led to the â€Å"determination of the totality of the social superstructure† (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.). Simply put, â€Å"human competition† then also determines the composition of the State as well as political institutions (Marx’s Theory of Human Nature: Alienation, n.d., n.p.).

The True Villian in Ethan Frome essays

The True Villian in Ethan Frome essays Edith Whartons Ethan Frome was a novel marred by tragic irony. Its main characters, Ethan, Mattie, and Zeena, are each consigned to a lifetime of misery and despair. They have no one else to blame but the evil villain of the story, which is a character that has drained the will of all who encounter it. This character is none other than the vile town of Starkfield itself. Starkfield is a fictitious town located in the state of Massachusetts. In the introductory chapter Harmon Gow, a village stalwart, remarks to the narrator: All the smart ones got away. Each year it is host to harsh winters and below average summers. Settings like these have been known to drive people to the brink. That is how it effects the main characters with Zenna in particular. After inhabiting Starkfield for a number of years she became a haggard woman whom Ethan disgusted. Ethan himself is affected by the morose scenery( although his despair stems mostly from Zeenas constant bickering ). Mattie, a young and vibrant character, isnt too much worse for wear when Zeena sends her away. She simply hadnt stayed long enough to experience the mental erosion caused by Starkfield. The solitary confinement is another aspect of Starkfield that has a withering affect upon the minds of our characters. The duration of a trip from the Frome household to town is many hours. The people you interact with are the ones you will see your whole life. On the rare occasion you happen to come across a newcomer, the reaction will usually be that of curious delight. That is the reaction Ethan has when he is forced to live with Mattie. Due to the extreme isolation he becomes afflicted with an obsession for Mattie. Zeena instantly becomes an inescapable object of revulsion for Ethan. The most critical toll Starkfeild exhumes from the main characters is one of imprisonment. In the final pages of the book is ousted by an enraged Zeena. Ethan, now...

E-Commerce Insider Threats Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-Commerce Insider Threats - Research Paper Example In addition, a major element of the problem appears from poor systems engineering of networks and software. However, to effectively deal with these imprecision and ambiguities in the business information system there is need to minimize the system loop holes and problems regarding the effective management and operational handling. Furthermore, the management of the business information security and operations has turned out to be a main task in business. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the current state of insider threats to computer systems and infrastructure in terms of numbers, costs and potential problems. The main intention of this research is offer a comprehensive overview of the different insider threats to computer systems for E-Commerce. Shaw, Ruby, & M. (1998) outlined that the ideal business information systems protection besides all outer and inner threats is not possible. The main difficulty of monitoring against the business information security threats has been an important aspect of the literature, and business information system development (Shaw, Ruby, & M., 1998). However, the main problem is the inherent complexity of the business systems. Thus, here are problems in terms of some recognized techniques offering business impressions that are not practical solutions. In this case more and more challenges are coming out in form of virus and worms (Graham, 2005). Cho, Chang, Kim, & Choi (2003) stated that in this new age of information corporations are completely dependent upon the complex information systems. In addition, these systems are in a greater danger in terms of vulnerability of systems to computer information security and crime attacks. Thus, the high-tech environment and technological experts are n eeded to develop, manage, and maintain these business information systems (Cho, Chang, Kim, & Choi, 2003). According to (Shaw,

HRM1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HRM1 - Essay Example The human resources comprising the firm, has in recent years become strategic to decision-making in a strong way. Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) researchers have devoted considerable effort toward demonstrating that the ways that people are managed, particularly through HR practices, have strong empirical relationships with organizational performance.(Huselid, 2005) The theory of close relationship between HRM and economic success has grown significantly in the last fifteen years. This theoretical progress can be seen in two different arenas: meta-theories describing broad rationales for why HRM and economic success should be linked, and middle level process theories describing how this linkage takes place. The firm's strategy determines the design of the HR system. The HR system impacts the employee skills and motivation, which in turn results in creativity, productivity and discretionary behavior. And, employees' behavior influences the firms operating performance, which leads to profitability, growth and market value. (Wright & Haggerty ) The development of the meta-theory which emphasizes the new process theory of the relationship between HRM and economic success reveals the current trend to identify some of the key variables which are indicators of this relationship. This includes the consideration of three important concepts: time, cause and individuals in the determination of the relationship of HRM with the economic success in the functioning and the operation of the SME's in this era pf globalization. The experience of working in advanced and growing economy of Australia, and the developing economy of Vietnam can be good background for initiating a developmental and strategic plan for the focus of the expansion in China which is the fastest growing developing economy in Asia. Meta theories such as the resource based view indirectly consider time, usually suggesting that competitive advantages stemming from HRM evolve over long periods of time. In which time comes into play with regard to "sustainable" competitive advantages as suggested by Barney (1990) suggesting that the concept requires an advantage that is held over time, it is important to specify both the amount of time and the process through which this evolution occurs to really understand the impact of these practices on the economic success. Another very significant consequence is the relationship between which explores the causal relationship between HRM and the economic success as the temporal precedence serves as a precondition to inferring cause. They propose three criteria for the inferring cause: co variation between the resumed cause and effect, the temporal precedence of the cause, and the ability to control or rule out alternative explanations for a possible cause and effect connection. The final area of the future theoretical attention emerges from the role played by the individuals adding complexity to the phenomena within models of the relationship between HRM and economic success. This considers the emphasis on the different levels of analysis tension inherent in research on people in organization. At the organization and the unit level, theories seek to explain how variation in one level variable relates to variation in