Introducing NOW - Live Semantic Showcase by Ontotext

Introducing NOW Live Semantic Showcase by Ontotext Jarred McGinnisWhat is NOWAfter years of helping some of the most recognizable names in news publishing, we have come to understand there is a need across the industry for more intelligent and dynamic publishing workflows. NOW by Ontotext is a showcase for a number of powerful semantic-driven technologies that helps publisher realize their vision of dynamic digital news publishing.More importantly, we understand news organizations that are more accustomed to the world of print face challenges in adapting to these new publishing approaches. Behind NOW  is the Ontotext Platform a suite of configurable front and back-end applications that can be configured for a broad spectrum of publishing needs. Why is NOW UsefulStudy after study has shown that for publishers, customers are increasingly digital-native consumers of content. This creates difficulties for publishers whose workflows have been built, for decades (if not centuries), around a print-first world. Our dynamic publishing platform uses semantics and metadata to more easily reach those digital native customers.Discover new and interesting news, aggregated from various sources with the Ontotext news service. Enjoy their enriched content with key annotations such as people, organizations, locations, relationships between them.What Can You Do With NOWImprove Authoring workflow by:Finding relevant assets as you typeShowing key and related entities, topics, categories and conceptsDelivering important go-and-get facts of key people, organizations and places a story mentionsCreating higher value content at the same costImprove Editorial Processes by:Enabling the (semi)-automated curation and enrichment of conceptsProviding comp lex query driven publishing templates to simplify search and discoveryDynamic re-purposing and reuseNew  publishing products with the same contentImprove Publication and Products by:Dynamic and intelligent metadata-driven productsAdaptive content streamsSemantics-driven trend analyticsBehavior-driven personal asset streamsTry NOW for yourself or learn more about Semantic Publishing!

Physical Fitness Essays - Physical Exercise, Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness Essays - Physical Exercise, Physical Fitness Physical Fitness My report is on what it takes to become physically fit. Physical fitness is the ability of the human body to function with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to engage in leisure activities, and to meet physical stresses. Muscular strength and endurance, cardiorespiratory integrity, and general alertness are the overt signs of physical fitness. Physical fitness is usually measured in relation to functional expectations-that is, typically, by periodic tests measuring strength, endurance, agility, coordination, and flexibility. In addition, stress testing, which ascertains the body's accommodation to powerful, sustained physical stimuli, is used to analyze fitness. If individuals are able to accommodate to the stressors, they are assumed to be fit. The level of physical fitness can be influenced by regular, systematic exercise. Moderate activity will maintain the individual at a level that is usually adequate to handle ordinary stress. If the fitness level is to be improved, however, it is necessary to participate in more intensive exercise that overloads the physiological systems and thus promotes change. Exercises that demand total body involvement improve and maintain fitness most effectively-for example, jogging, running, swimming, vigorous dancing, cycling, and brisk walking. Organized games and sports that have long rest periods within the play design have only minimal influence on fitness. Programs especially planned to help individuals attain fitness are offered in numerous places: schools and gymnasiums, private clubs and studios, and special, professionally organized clinics that are attentive to problems of cardiac and pulmonary function. The individual must be careful in choosing an exercise program and should ensure it is staffed by experts in physical education or medicine. Normal, healthy individuals may plan their own exercise programs. The general rule is to exercise only until discomfort is experienced-that is, until breathing becomes labored, circulation seems inadequate, or fatigue influences performance. People with health problems caused by heart attacks, strokes, and illness should see a physician before devising an exercise program. Proper nutrition is important to physical fitness, because energy expenditure depends on nutrition. If diet is inadequate, the fitness level will drop. Overweight, underweight, and weak individuals will have below average fitness levels. In the United States, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, established in 1956, is the national fitness advocate. In addition, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance sponsors programs, publications, and tests to help people better understand their fitness needs. Generally, longer periods of exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease for the individual. Yet many individuals and organizations promote fitness through extreme means. Such programs should be approached with skepticism and caution. The attainment and maintenance of physical fitness, coupled with nutritious diet and reasonable rest patterns, require dedication to a long-term, systematic investment in an active life. Bibliography N/A

Integrated marketing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Integrated marketing strategy - Essay Example ecognize the proper media option in relation to communication objectives in order to facilitate customers with the actual information regarding the products and services (Percy, 2008) Contextually, the competitive market of automobile industry reveals that companies are currently facing various problems while launching new products in the market. In relation to this aspect Zamada Motor Company from Japan should consider certain strategies prior to the final launch of its products in Eastern region of Canada in relation to IMC. It is in this context that adequate significance towards the IMC approach shall enable Zamada in obtaining greater competitive advantages when introducing its â€Å"2.2† model car in Eastern Canada over its major rivals including Mini, Fiat, Ford and Toyota among others. With the intention to gain competitive advantages and better return from its diversity planning, i.e. the launch of â€Å"2.2† model car, Zamada has been targeting customers aged between 22 years to 34 years, irrespective of their gender based classification. However, for female customers, the age bar has been relaxed upto 45 years. Hence, it can be affirmed that Zamada has been primarily targeting towards the female group of customers belonging to the age group of 22 years to 45 years in order to gain competitive advantages over the available substitutes. Hereby, the sole intention of this particular marketing approach should be augmenting customer awareness regarding the brand and subsequently, increase their preferences towards Zamada through effective IMC strategies. It is worth mentioning in this context that IMC is a multidimensional approach which functions on the basis of various channels, such as direct selling, audio-visual communication channels, personal selling, and public relations among others. However, concerning the objectives of Zamada in launching a new car model as well as its targeted market segment, the channels that can be beneficial f or its IMC program are advertizing, public relation and interactive marketing (RD Marketing, 2011). With the help of the selected communication channels, Zamada shall be able to develop adequate awareness among the potential customers. Stating precisely, advertising through print, audio and audio-visual media is considered to reward better accessibility to the potential customers in the modern day context which certainly increases the chances of generating increasing sales through effective brand awareness. Similarly, effective concern towards public relation has often been regarded to be virtuous in yielding satisfactory customer loyalty towards the brand developing effective customer relationship. Nevertheless, interactive marketing assists in obtaining an in-depth understanding of the requirements and perceptions of the customers which further assists in

Information for Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Information for Marketing - Assignment Example Their investments are across Middle East and North America (Clare, 2006). This they do by providing hybrid capital investments, finances and equity to a range of clients, whether large or small corporations, entrepreneurial guided or even businesses. By the 31st f December 2011, the bank had financial services, investment management and banking as its major divisions. Activities in the banking sector include finance provision, receiving of deposits, services related with treasury, structured products and securities trading. On the other hand, the segment of investment management involves quoted equities, the real estate and private equity. Finally, the financing services include the corporate finance, business advisory services as well as brokerage services. The bank delivers services and products to the wholesale, high net worth individuals and institutions across asset classes (Esposito, 2004). The bank’s mission is to be commitment to excellence in the delivery of Sharia compliant investment banking products and services. With the international rapid growth of Islamic finance, the EIIB’s categorical business model aims to fill the gap between western financial markets and those belonging to the Islamic world. They are particularly showing their determination in this pursuit because of the confidence they boast due to their unique position to benefit from London as the head financial center globally. In their annual report of 2006, they stated that their capabilities were then in place largely, and that in the subsequent year, they would demonstrate their teams full capabilities in the structuring and distribution of innovative and more developed products. This bank was formed and incorporated in 2005 January 11,th with the key objective of attaining a license as the very first independent FSA authorized Sharia compliant Islamic Investment Bank in the United

Comparison of Venus of Willendorf and the Lady of Auxerre Term Paper

Comparison of Venus of Willendorf and the Lady of Auxerre - Term Paper Example Artwork traces its origin back from the ancient days. The use of symbols by man has been in existence since time immemorial. Signs and symbols were used as a form of communication as they represented different objects, ideas, and even events. For example, the dove was used as a symbol of peace while the anchor represented hope. Symbols have also been used for confidentiality purposes; there are cases where some communities used symbols to preserve their secrets so that only members of the particular community would understand the message being conveyed and have any outsiders excluded from understanding. It has been argued that these symbols are not just mere fantasies and imaginations by man but contain some fragments of truth in them. The use of symbols has also received appreciation among Christians. This is evident from the writings of a Catholic scholar one Father Martin C. Darcy. From one of his books â€Å"The meaning and matter of history,† he appreciates the existence of poetic insight and myth and insists that they should not be written off. He goes ahead to note that myths and symbols created a link between the old age dry facts and the present day civilization. This, therefore, indicates that the signs and symbols that have always existed from time immemorial are of great significance to mankind and need to be studied in the depth to get to understand what they actually stand for. These sign and symbols convey important messages and lessons from the ancient times and should therefore not be ignored.   The Venus of Willendorf is artwork in the form of sculpture. This artwork is a statuette of an obese female figure approximately 11 cm high that is about 4.3 inches. Conspicuously, the feet supporting the obese figure are quite small and the ankles are not easily visible. The artwork behind the sculpture portrays vast knowledge in the field of anatomy.  

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 1. Introduction Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure that requires developers to follow in order to be granted permission for a development and was first introduced in European Union (EU) in 1985 (Glasson, 1999). The guidelines and requirements of EIA come from a European Directive (85/33/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC). In this process, developer requires to compile an Environmental Statement (ES) where significant impacts and its effects on the environment as a result of a development are described including mitigation measures (Lee, 1995). However, there are weaknesses in EIA process. As a result of EIA weaknesses, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was introduced. SEA process was first introduced by EU Directive 2001/42/EC which environmental protection and sustainable development may be considered. It ensures that potential impact of proposed plans, policies and programmes on the environment are taking into consideration so that mitigation and communication between public and decision-makers are provided (Benson, 2003). Therefore, SEA is undertaken in the decision-making process of a development much earlier than EIA. In this section, the differences between EIA and SEA as well as the weaknesses of EIA that led the development of SEA in EU Directive in 2001 are being discussed. 2. Differences between EIA and SEA 2.1. Differences in provisions between SEA and EIA Directives Table 1: Summary of differences in action for EIA and SEA processes (Partidà ¡rio, 2000). SEA EIA Nature of action It is more strategic and contains visions and concepts in its action Actions towards the construction and operation level Assessment Involved evaluation Involved only assessment Focus More critical decision moments (decision windows) along with decision processes Only in project level Level of decision It involves policy and planning Only project level Relation to decision Facilitator Involved evaluator which often taking into consideration of administrative requirement Alternatives Broader and spatial balance of location, social and physical strategies, technologies and economics. More specific alternative in construction, operation, locations and design Scale of impacts Macroscopic involved local, regional, national and global Microscopic mainly involved local Scope of impacts Sustainability issues, economic and social issues may be more tangible than physical or ecological issues Environmental with a sustainability focus, physical or ecological issues, and also social and economic Time scale and review Long to medium term (after 5 years and then 7 years interval) Medium to short-term (after 5 years then silent continuing review). Key data sources State of the Environment Reports, Local Agenda 21, statistical data, policy and planning instruments Field work, sample analysis, statistical data Data Mainly descriptive and mixture with quantifiable More quantifiable Rigor of analysis (uncertainty) More uncertainty and less rigor Less uncertainty and more rigor Assessment benchmarks Sustainability benchmarks (criteria and objectives) Best practice and legal restrictions Public perception Vague/ distant More reactive Post-evaluation Other strategic actions and project planning Objective evidence in relation with construction and operation 2.2 Differences in procedural requirements of the EIA and SEA Directives. Table 2: Summary of the main differences between EIA and SEA Directives in procedural requirements ( Sources from : Sheate et al., 2005). STAGE SEA EIA Screening It requires consultation from the environmental authorities. Publicity: SEA does not need determination and reasons. It requires no consultation. Publicity: EIA requires determination and reasons. Environmental information/report Member States (MSs) have to ensure that sufficient quality and stronger emphasis on alternatives are provided in environmental reports (ERs). No quality control requires in EIA and only minimun information shoud be provided Consultation Involved relevant parties other than MSs such as public and autorities. Involved relevant parties other than MSs such as public and autorities and also consultation provision from Public Participation Directive. Decision-making All consultation comments and ER are to be taken into account. Consultation comments and environmental informations are included in decision-making. Info on decision More specific and detailed requirements. Information provision from Public Participation Directive are mademore specific in the requirement. Monitoring Long term monitoring required Not require monitoring 3. Weaknesses of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 3.1. Lack of consideration of cumulative impacts EIA process is often facing difficulty in addressing cumulative impacts of a development. The significant impacts of a development especially issues on biodiversity, human health and cultural heritage are no included in their assessment (McDonald Brown 1995). For example in Scotland, several developments of wind farms proposed in close proximity have led to a very complicated EIA process (Glasson, 1999). Each developer required assessing the cumulative impact of landscape and visual application with those of neighboring projects (Benson, 2003). The planning process could face a delay due to this issue. 3.2. Insufficient public participation Public involvement has shown to be insufficient in EIA process (Gailus, 1995). In a recent research suggested that this is due to the attitude of the developer that discourages the participation of public in EIA process in the European Community. Due to lack of legislation and extensive for public involvement in Europe in the early 90s to influence the decision of a development, the general public is not aware of their rights and causes them not interested in the development involvement (Caddy, 1996). 3.3. Little monitoring and auditing process Previous study has showed that monitoring and auditing issues are still weak in EIA. Follow-up process is only performed by developers in a minority of cases (Arts and Nootebloom 1999). Monitoring process enables practioners to have better understanding for future extension, design and restoration projects (Frost, 1997). However, the river restoration process in United Kingdom (UK) was hampered by lack of monitoring process in EIA. 3.4. Inadequate consideration of alternatives The compilation of alternatives appears to be very limited in EIA report (Tesli, 2002). For example in Hungary for radioactive disposal, the report did not provide in details or rather limited in reducing the impacts of the project to the human health (Benson, 2003). It is important to include various alternatives to allow solutions being taken in a development. 3.5. The poor quality of environmental impact statements and reports The reports produced in EIA are often too complex in term of length and technical which is not easily understood by the public and decision makers (Lee, 1995). It is important for ES to be simple as it has to be made available to the public. 3.6. The timing of decisions The decision-making process in EIA project enters too late where the effects of policy and planning critical decisions are not being considered (Lee, 1995). This is due to the absence of systematic impact assessment process where the outcome of it could subsequently influence the project planning and design (Harrop Nixon 1999). 4. Conclusion There were various weaknesses have been identified in EIA process. Due to these weaknesses, SEA was developed in 2001 under EU Directive to strengthen the environmental assessment process. 5. References Arts, J. and Nootebloom, S. (1999) ‘Environmental Impact Assessment Monitoring and Auditing in: Petts, J. (ed.) Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment Volume 1, Blackwell, Oxford: 229-251 Benson, J.F. (2003) ‘What is the alternative? Impact assessment tools and sustainable planning, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 21 (4): 261-266 Caddy, J. (1996). Working Group on Environmental Studies, European University Institute, Florence. [Online] http://www.iue.it/WGES/Iss16/caddy.htm [Accessed: 29/01/2010]. Frost, R. (1997) Planning and Environmental Impact Assessment in Practice. Chapter 7 EIA monitoring and audit in Weston, J (ed). Longman, Harlow. pp 141 175. Gailus, J. (1995). Regional Environmental Centre: Hungary. [Online] http://www.rec.org/REC/Bulletin/Bull52/PublPart.html [Accessed: 29/01/2010] Glasson, J. (1999) ‘The First 10 Years of the UK EIA System: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, Planning Practice and Research, 14 (3): 363-375 Glasson, J. Therivel, R. and Chadwick, A. (1999) Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, Spon Press, London Harrop, O. and Nixon, A. (1999) Environmental Impact Assessment in Practice, Routledge, London Lee, N. (1995) ‘Environmental Assessment in the European Union: a tenth anniversary, Project Appraisal, 10 (2): 77-90 McDonald, G.T. and Brown, A.L. (1995) ‘Going Beyond Environmental Impact Assessment: environmental input to planning and design, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 15: 483-495 Partidà ¡rio, M.R., 2000, Elements of an SEA framework improving the added-value of SEA, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 20: 647-663. Sheate, W. Byron, H. Dagg, S. Cooper, L (2005), The Relationship between SEA and EIA Directives: Final Report to the European Commission. Imperial College London Tesli, A. (2002). The use of EIA and SEA relative to the objective of sustainable development, Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR). 1. Content of an SEA report as required by EU Directive The implementation of plans and programmes (PPs) in which likely significant effects produce by the project on the environment is the key requirement in preparation of an SEA report (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2001). Figure 1 shows the summary of the contents required by EU Directive (2001/42/EC) in producing SEA reports. Not all projects need to perform SEA process (Barth Fuder, 2002). The diagram in Figure 2 shows a set of set of criteria for application to PPs under the EU Directive (2001/42/EC). It specifies whether SEA is required or not according to the Directive. For simplicity, the developments of the PPs and reasonable alternative options of SEA are summarized in five key stages according to the government guidance in England (URL 1). 1.1. The key five stages Stage A: Context, Baseline and Scoping (SEA Directive Annex 1) Authority needs to include indicators, objectives and background information for SEA in the plan. The decisions of the scope can be decide by the authority including consultation on the statutory environmental bodies (URL 1). Stage B:Alternatives and Assessment (SEA Directive Article 5.1) Authority need to identify reasonable alternatives and assess the effects of the project on the environment. Ways of reducing, preventing and offsets the effects have to be provided as well (URL 1). Stage C: Preparing the Environmental Report Draft plan/programme which includes the information of the effects has to be presented as a key output of SEA process (URL 1). Stage D: Consultation (SEA Directive Article 6.2 and Annex 1) The draft plan and environmental report should be ready together for consultation where a statement are made from the consultation responses in order to produce an evolving plan (URL 1). Stage E: Monitoring (SEA Directive Article 10.1) The implementation of the plan where environment effects are produced needs monitoring process. It helps to provide more baseline information for future plans (URL 1). 2. Difficulties and limitations in fulfilling these requirements Table 1: Summary of the difficulties and limitations of SEA reports as required in EU Directive. Requirements issues Difficulties and limitations Availability and access to data Environmental data is often limited and not relevant because it is not collected and stored systematically. The process of data collection requires extensive resources and using these data are difficult because different departments tend to collect different set of data. The quality of good data is lacking and this issue has been reported by Member States such as Germany and Poland (European Commission, 2009). Best example of this issue is Poland. They are facing difficulties of generating and collecting data of affected area because of the implementation of a plan/programme. The current picture of the environment has to be identified especially in large areas but they indicate that it is very problematic (European Commission, 2009). Sometimes, the coverage areas of SEA are large (including few countries and produces large amount of alternatives (URL 1). This will increase the complexity of data collection and analysis (URL 1). Public Participation The availability of the data for the public is limited. In the UK, documents and information of the plan are not required to be published on their website until ER is finalized according to the draft Regulations (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). As a result, public participation is limited as not many public will travel to the plan-makers office to view the documents at a minimum time period for consultation. It is important to set up a website to facilitate the consultation process for the public to participate (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Else, public is unaware that inspection of these documents are available to them and no feedback can be made (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). EA at higher levels of decision making As SEA involves higher levels of decision making, the implementation policy of PPs are subject to various departments decisions (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). For example, a Local Transport Plan requires policy from Regional Spatial Strategies, Aviation and Transport White Papers and Sustainable Communities Plan and Planning Policy Statements (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). Due to these requirements, a complex screening process has to be performed and decisions for PPS are even more very difficult in the assessment (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). Deciding on the level of detail of the environmental report The details of require information in SEA reports are vary due to lack of adaptation in assessment for the level of abstraction in PPs (European Commission, 2009). According to Member States (Latvia and Germany), the possible impacts of PPs are difficult to be included in SEA reports because of less information of the right scale and level required (European Commission, 2009). Therefore, important information for long term PPs is difficult as no appropriate spatial scale of information need to be included in the report (European Commission, 2009). Development of assessment methods As there are no specific guidelines, strong methodological background and lack of exchange for best practices, developing an effective assessment is very challenging (Brown Thà ©rivel, 2000). For example in Operational Programmes objectives, high level plans in a viable assessment do not necessary show the actual physical ground effects although strategic policies are implemented European Commission, 2009). Assessment of impacts Although SEA addressing the importance of cumulative impacts, there is no standard and effective assessment methodologies are being developed (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). The significant environmental impacts of PPs are difficult to assess and the identification of these aspects are limited (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Monitoring and enforcement (Including issues of indicators) The assessment of plans is limited because there is no sustainability and environmental criteria developed in the monitoring programme (European Commission, 2009). Therefore, monitoring indicators (local agenda 21 for instance) is being used however it is difficult for monitoring process as mentioned by Member States like France. Environmental authorities have no proper enforcement tool to ensure that monitoring programme is being performed (European Commission, 2009). For example in the UK, no quality control body is being set up by the government to monitor the efficiency of monitoring process which is a limitation for SEA (Verheem, R. Tonk, J. 2000). Institutional and legal issues The supports for SEA process are still insufficient politically (European Commission, 2009). The bureaucratic prerogatives may hinder the effectiveness of SEA performance. As SEA process is relatively new, lack of human resources especially knowledgeable authorities is a major limitation for SEA (European Commission, 2009). 3. Comparison between requirement of SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA). In the United Kingdom (UK), SA and SEA are required in planning system and law for Government Plans and Programmes (Smith Sheate 2001). For most Development Plan Documents (DPD) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD), both SA and SEA process have to be carried out and include in the Local Development Framework (LDF) in the UK (Smith Sheate 2001). SA was developed to assess the likely economic, social and environmental impacts so proposed PPs can be implemented that leads to sustainable development unlike SEA which was previously described (Lee Kirkpatrick, 2000). The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) and European Directive EC/2001/42 require both SA and SEA processes to be performed in any planning (Smith Sheate 2001). It is also requires by the Environmental Assessment Regulations for Plans and Programmes in UK (Smith Sheate 2001). In table 2, comparison of SA and SEA in terms of UK planning system for Government PPs are being summarized. Table 2: Comparison between SA and SEA requirements within the UK planning system Requirements Strategic Environmental Assessment Sustainability Appraisals Overall aims The aim of SEA is to raise the profile of environmental considerations as part of an advocative approach during decision-making process (Kà ¸rnà ¸v Thissen, 2000). In contrast to SEA, it is use as a support process in decision-making and representing an integrated approach that working towards in all aspects of sustainable development. Therefore, the interests at stake are remained neutral during this process (Minas, 2002). Focus Environmental effects (Lee Kirkpatrick, 2000) A full range of environmental, social and economic issues (Minas, 2002). Environmental/ Sustainability aspects It involves 15 components which is suggested in the 1993 guidance with additional social and economic factors to be considered in 1999 guidance (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Aspects of biodiversity, human health, cultural factors, water, landscape, population and material assets are considered primarily (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Report requirements There are no formal requirements for SA. In good practice guidance, identification of scoping and impacts stages is recommended (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). The 1999 guidance also recommends that planners should provide and evaluates alternatives. Environmental baseline conditions should be considered as well. It involved extensive requirements of Annex 1 which have previously discussed (Barth Fuder, 2002). Methodology According to DETR Guide, the appraisal should emphasize on strategic options, alternatives, and policy impact matrices in achieving sustainable development. Therefore, the methodological statement is very brief if compare to SEA (Minas, 2002). In contrast to SA, heavy emphasis is in place on actually baseline data which set as a benchmark to assess the alternatives performance. It is also requires authorities to consult the final environmental report from the public on the scope of the assessment (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Timing The process is being carried out very early where every stage of the development plan process is considered as an important element (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). In contrast to SA, it is usually being carried out during the preparation of a plan before the submission to the legislative procedure (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). Involvement The appraisals are subjected to consultation with outside groups such as public consultation during the plan preparation. The appraisal usually made available on the internet where it is being carried out sporadically (Thà ©rivel, Minas, 2002). It is not required to make available on the internet. The consultation can be done during scoping stage by specified environmental authorities. Opportunity has to be given to the public to comment the draft plan (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). Documentation required No formal requirements according to the guidance A statement need to be produced by an authority to summarize all the considerations of the plan have been integrated. They need to provide a report of consultees opinion which taken during the consultation process and valid reasons on why the alternatives are being chosen (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). 4. Success of SEA report in delivering sustainable development objectives A wide range of processes has been integrated with SEA report. It has shown to be a systematic process where accountable decision making can be achieve due to the earlier evaluating process being taken with strong alternative visions (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). All these have incorporated in SEA policy, planning and program initiatives (PPPs) to ensure sustainable development with full integration of economic, social and political considerations (Partidà ¡rio Clarke, 2000). Although SEA shows to be a great tool in project level but the process of SEA is not easily accepted or consider as an effective solution due to its complexity (Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio, 2000). Recent research has shown that SEA produces both great opportunities as well as failures in sustainable development (Sadler, 1998). 4.1. Sustainability objectives are included in the integrated process of policy making and planning During the design stage of SEA, objectives of sustainability are being considered which provides a greater plan and policy in decision making (Thompson et al., 1995). It gradually delivers its objectives of sustainable development because the use of SEA articulates sustainability goals by enhancing the political action where substantive action can be taken (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). As the expectation of internal and external public of its delivery increasing, it offers the possibility of bringing better policy towards sustainable development into success. The transition of SEA involved two main steps: Information gathering and analysis work The core of strategic decision making Sustainable development consideration is being covered in a broader range where strategic level matters are separated from advisory conventionally-focused (Pezzoli, 1997). Sustainability criteria are used as the key bases to help in strategic decision making on the selection among best options available (Pezzoli, 1997). With these steps being taken, larger context of core policies and programmes in strategic assessment are identified in pursuing the objectives of national sustainability. Therefore, SEA report may be an important instrument in promoting sustainable development when it is fully integrated (Partidà ¡rio, 1996). 4.2. Operationalises sustainability principles In practical application, the concept of sustainability is very difficult because it faces high complexity and uncertain reality (Pezzoli, 1997). Interconnected generational boundaries and disciplinary of sustainability may further complicates the concept (Marsden, 1998). Therefore, the application of specific context of sustainability and commonly recognized principles are being clarified by SEA. SEA identified three key principle of sustainability: Integrated pursuit of ecological and socio-economic improvements Uncertainty imposes precautionary obligations Public choices involved SEA is a visible confirmation of commitment to sustainability as it offers broader exposure to notions such as natural capital and the precautionary principle (Pezzoli, 1997). Therefore, it can be translated into the language of politics of sustainability and functions as a heuristic device (Thà ©rivel et al., 1992). 4.3. Improves analysis of broad public purposes and alternatives With alternative technologies, lifestyle choices and better resources, SEA offers better possibility in achieving sustainable development because it has the capability to contemplating these factors that cannot be address at lower levels (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). Therefore, SEA report is the most effective and efficient point in finding alternatives and addressing the needs in pursuing the objectives of sustainability development (Thà ©rivel et al., 1992). 4.4. Facilitates proper attention to cumulative effects Strategic level proves to be the best way to deal with increasing number of cumulative impacts. The scope of SEA helps to identifying these impacts because of its space scales (Ortolano Shepherd, 1995; Scott, 1992). As SEA is performed in an early stage, this assessment allows assessors to provide more attention in a wider range of actions in a larger area. It allows them to provide a broader context of cumulative impacts in addressing each of the impacts (Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio 1996). According to Thà ©rivel Partidà ¡rio, undesirable activities as a results of a project can be removed before the project stage begins because these cumulative impacts have influence the project decision where SEA has incorporated environmental issues intrinsically during the planning stage. Earlier detection of these impacts helps to promote sustainable development. 4.5. Facilitates greater transparency and more effective public participation at the strategic level With the extensive involvement of public participation in SEA, it has improved the credibility and accountability of SEA in sustainability where they facilitating external scrutiny of decision (Wood Dejeddour, 1992). It creates increasing pressures in strategic decision making process to overcome bureaucratic fragmentation because in many jurisdictions, bureaucratic disorganisation and wastefulness in citizen has been declining. The expanding role of public provided in SEA allows an intrinsic connection between environmental sustainability and equity (George, 1999) to promote basic sustainability goals. 5. Conclusion There are many challenges ahead for SEA report. There are many difficulties in producing a good SEA report. Nevertheless, SEA report requirements did show success in achieving sustainable development goals. In order to ensure SEA report success, weaknesses and limitation needs to be considered and solution needed in order to overcome it. 6. References Barth, R. Fuder, A. (2002) Implementing Article 10 of the SEA Directive 2001/42/EC. Final Report : Freiburg, Darmstadt, Berlin. Brown, A L, and Thà ©rivel, R. (2000), â€Å"Principles to guide the development of strategic environmental assessment methodology†, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal , 18(3), September, pages 183-189. Environment Agency (2004) SEA Good Practice Guidelines www.environment-agency.gov.uk/seaguidelines. Accessed on 27/01/10. European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2001) Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment Commission of the European Communities, Brussels. www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2001/l_197/l_19720010721en00300037.pdf European Commission (2009) Study concerning the report on the application and

Black Men and Public Space in America Essays -- Jim Crow Segregation

Black Men and Public Space: An Agent of Change African-American men and white men are born and raised within the continental U.S.; each of their own faculty empowered to change the social injustice of a society. The innate qualities of the African American do not compare to those of the white man, yet - â€Å"empowered† they are with character. The foundation for the concept –â€Å"character† is best defined as â€Å"holistic,† meaning of physical, mental and social qualities – A. Adler’s school of thought, as well as A. Maslow and C. Rogers’ thoughts –â€Å"[a]n equal human being†¦ cognitive, emotional, and volitional† (Ambrus, 33 -34) Jennifer Ritterhouse, author of Growing Up Jim Crow: How Black and White Southern Children Learned Race, explains that childrearing practices by caregivers resulted in the facilitation of race discrimination and it included â€Å"[r]acial self-consciousness and the ‘etiquette’ of racial interactions.† These two facets, Ritterhouse says, gave â€Å"[u]nderstand[ing to] their own position and identity within a white supremacist society†; through exchanges among peers, they were reinforced. (para 7) Furthermore, they are not â€Å"[i]nstinctive†; she ascertains socialization as â€Å"[u]nwritten rules governing all instances of interracial interaction.† This setting dates from the 1980’s. Having clarity on a realm of discrimination, we can then imagine the migration of racism stretching from the South to vast regions of the U.S. In the United States, opportunities for the cultural growth of African American men have been absent, because so cial discrimination continues to exist. In 2005, the phrase â€Å"[N]o Child Left Behind† (NCLB), coined by Kathy Emery, reverberated throughout the United States. It was a vision for the education system ... ... Nelson, Claire Nee. â€Å"Growing Up Jim Grow: How Black and White Southern Children Learned Race.† Georgia Historical Quarterly. 2007. University of Maryland University College. America: History & Life. 4 Jul 2008. Simons, Jeffrey. Expository Writing. Course home page. Jun. 2008-August 2008. Dept. of English, University of Maryland University College 15 Jul 2008. http://tychousa7.umuc.edu/WRTG291/0806/8906/class.nsf/Menu?OpenFrameSet&Login. Staples, Brent. â€Å"Black Men and Public Space.† The Norton Reader. Ed. Linda H. Peterson and John C. Brereton. Shorter 11th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 231-32. Wallace, Maurice O. â€Å"Constructing the Black Masculine: Identity and Ideality in African American Men’s Literature and Culture, 1775-1995.† Academic Journal. 2003:90.America: History & Life. University of Maryland University College Library. 4 Jul 2008.

Brave New World Speech

In 1932, a prophetic young novelist warned with cautioning irony, of a genetically engineered dystopian society. He warned of a world where man had conquered nature, where individualism had fallen to conformity and where political power had achieved total social control. He warned of an age where God, poetry, passion and most of all freedom had disappeared from right under humanity's nose. And finally, he warned of a time when civilization had seemingly turned into robotic life forms, lacking any clear understanding of morals or ethics – it had become essentially soulless. Read this  Respiratory Activity In this make-believe universe, mankind had succeeded in eliminating disease, aggression, war and suffering. This Brave New World had achieved community, identity, stability and a near universal contentment only to be inhabited by creatures of human shape but stunted humanity. Esteemed colleagues of the scientific world, I am here to inform you that this once distant future has now arrived right at our very doorstep. The question I propose is: What do we do about it? The Pill. Invitro Fertilisation. Bottled embryos. Surrogate wombs. Organ harvesting. Brain implants. Ritalin for the young, Viagra for the old and Prozac for everyone in between. But, out of all these scientific innovations, I proclaim that genetic engineering poses the greatest threat to our way of life. Genetic engineering is what I see as an unbridled journey down an incredibly slippery slope. I warn you today, that human procreation is steadily being replaced by the idea of ‘manufacturing' our progeny. Unless this concept is reversed, mankind's movement toward Aldous Huxley's Hatcheries and Michael Bay's Island must surely prove irrevocable. Given the intricacies of the human mind, we doubtless possess the potential for reproducing, someday, to the exact specifications, a human person. But should we? Should we really take the first step? Should we really abandon the old-fashioned genetic roulette of sexual reproduction and replace the variegated human race with identical replicas of carefully chosen, ideal human genotypes? So far the scientific world has said no. Moreover, we have witnessed an enthralling revolution in history, in which the rapid advancement of technology has allowed us to push back the constraints of human existence. I am of course, talking about the birth of Dolly the sheep. Now Dolly is no ordinary sheep. Yes, she may look like one and act no different to her fellows in the flock, but Dolly was cloned – cloned only nine short years ago. They said for centuries that it could never be done; that it was just not possible, and tampering with DNA would only lead to expected failure. But we did it barely seven decades after the publication of Huxley's frightening foresight. After Dolly's conception, the whole world was thrown into a raging whirlpool of fear and anxiety, enquiring just how long it would be before humans were subjected to the same fate. For now, ethicists have taken the reigns in this debate and have stood firm against any form of human genetic engineering support. But the colossal wheel of science is forever turning and this breakthrough scientific sensation has reminded us that it cannot simply be stopped. Thus, the importance of ethical boundaries must be continually stressed and highlighted. As a man of science, I am not here to dissuade you from pursuing scientific grandeur. I am only here to alert you of the abhorrent effects that will no doubt present themselves to humanity should the unrestrained research of cloning continue. Now, what is at issue is nothing less than whether procreation is going to remain human, whether children are going to be made rather than begotten, and whether it is the right choice, humanly speaking, to say yes to the road which leads, at best, to the dehumanized rationality of Brave New World. What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is not business as usual, to be fretted about for a while and then given our seal of approval; not the least because it appears to be different. Instead, the future of humanity may hang in the balance. I am talking to you about a decision whose consequences will undoubtedly affect your children and your children's children. The debate regarding genetic engineering is much more than just an argument about one more step in assisted reproduction. This is in actuality one of those critical moments where the human race gets a chance to think about the bigger picture – the much bigger picture. I'm not just speaking of genetics and what is the meaning of mother and father or kinship, but also the whole relationship between science and society and our future attitude towards technology. Cloning provides an occasion as well as the urgent necessity of deciding whether we shall be slaves of an unregulated process and ultimately its artefacts or whether we shall remain free individuals to guide our techniques towards the enhancement of human dignity. After all it was Huxley himself who quoted: ‘Every discovery in science is potentially subversive; even science must sometimes be treated as a possible enemy'. You may disregard this speech as nothing more than mere scare-tactics, but am I really that foolish to question a world built on the foundations of totalitarianism and complete control. Ladies and gentlemen, have you forgotten the rise and fall of Communism, the movements of both Nazism and Stalinism as well the ‘one-child policy' enforced by the Chinese government? In this age of entertainment, when philosophical and theological questions are pushed aside as too difficult or too deep, cloning brings us face to face with our perception of what it means to be human and makes us confront both the privileges and limitations of life itself. We live in a consumerist society where the relentless pursuit of youth has already enslaved the minds of the Western world. We want to live longer, be happier, appear more ‘beautiful' and own as much materialistic ‘junk' as we possibly can. The idea of ‘ageing gracefully' is thrown out the window and replaced by the new and improved concept of cosmetic surgery and designer babies. Truly, we do seem to have accepted the Brave New World belief that â€Å"ending is better than mending†. What we have is never enough. We say that globalisation within the last fifty years has become the pinnacle agent of socialisation, but at what cost to our future? It looks as though the Big-Brother style binding of the mass media has only aided in making us feel lonelier and more dissatisfied with our very existence. This dog-eat-dog world has wrongly underpinned the notion that each man is in control of his own universe. As people of science, it is essential we realise who has the authority to control who. A most memorable Huxley quote is: â€Å"The greater a man's talent, the greater is his power to lead astray†. I strongly urge you to look at these past examples of repression and tyranny as valuable lessons on what eventuates when substantial power is given to only a select few. Finally it must be said, that at the end of the day, I find cloning morally and aesthetically completely unacceptable. Perhaps at the heart of my repugnance is a curious paradox, asking why it is that although it would be fun to have a Beethoven, Marilyn Monroe or Einstein living on my block, the idea of having hundreds or thousands of their replicas in town is an absolute nightmare? The reason, I propose, is the generally shared belief in the uniqueness of our human soul. Even though the soul is incorporeal and in truth has little relevance to the laboratory, its value to the majority of humankind, is still of utmost importance. By perfecting the technique of genetic engineering you are unfairly playing the role of God. Who are you to decide which genetic sins are capital offences against the Holy Ghost of Health? And yet, those in favour of cloning claim that it is nothing more than an extension of what breeders of plants and animals had been doing for thousands of years and, indeed, what nature itself did through evolution. They argue that to oppose human genetic engineering, is to betray the western dream of the City of God. All utopian visionaries, from Thomas More to Karl Marx, think of their perfect societies as being populated not by men but by angels that embody all of the best and none of the worst human attributes – comparable to that of an Alpha Plus. So I shall leave you to think of this: Today we are quick to notice dangers to life, risks of discrimination or exploitation of the poor and the interferences with anyone's pursuit of pleasure, but we are obliviously ignorant to recognize threats to our own human dignity and to ways in which the very sanctity of life is placed in danger. The future possibilities in the world of science are incredible; however the need for caution in the field of genetic engineering research is essential if we want to continue owning personal freedom. It was established by Aldous Huxley that â€Å"it is only by means of the sciences of life, that the quality of life can be radically changed†. Even though our Prozac is not yet the Brave New World's ‘soma', our dividing of human embryos is not exactly ‘Bokanovskification' and our MTV is not quite the ‘feelies', the similarity between Huxley's fictional world and ours is disquieting, especially since I believe that our technology has not yet reached its bio-technological peak. Just remember, the admirable actions that men perform can be made complete only by the actions they refuse to pursue.

Finding Musicality in Your Writing

Finding Musicality in Your Writing Every time you put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, you are delivering an image to the world. Its an image of who you are and, more importantly, how you communicate. If you want to stand out in written communication, you need to take another important step. You need to add musicality to your writing.What is musicality in writing anyway? Is it special words or phrasing? Is it rhythm or a particular beat? Is it a special combination of sentences? Is it the varied patterns of your words? Its all of these and more. Musicality is your communication brand- who you are as a writer. Musicality is your unique image, but its an image that appears in print instead of as a picture or an item you buy. So, how do you find it?Producing musicality in writing is similar in many ways to what a composer, a painter, a software programmer, or a designer does. It is seeking out and recognizing the unique sound patterns that you alone can produce on paper. That pattern is based on the words you cho ose and how you combine them to create your personal writing melody.Every piece of writing has a rhythm and its own particular beat. If youve ever read a passage in a letter or a research paper, a proposal or brochure, or a novel that you found really stayed with you, youve probably experienced musicality. To explain what happens a bit more precisely, think of attitude. Everything we write has its own special attitude. That attitude is the soul of the writing. A writer wants to communicate some part of himself or herself to an audience. Most writers spend a lot of time seeking the right attitude for a piece of writing. There are different attitudes of course for different audiences and different genres of writing, but the goal is always to express that one best attitude in every piece you write, Musicality must have attitude.To understand attitude better, think of the following scenario. Think of yourself as being in a crowded room and wanting to be heard over the noise. You want pe ople to hear what you will say because what you have to say is important. You climb on a chair and start to speak, but you dont yell. You whisper. Everyone looks at you high on that chair and becomes silent. You have them. If as a writer, you create an attitude that works, the readers in the back of your creative room will hear you just as clearly. You will drop a pin in that crowded room, and your readers will be suddenly silent because your pin is a huge diamond. Thats the kind of silence you want in writing. Attitude comes from musicality.To use another analogy, think about the theme of your favorite movie, and then think what that movie would be like if the movie theme were missing and there was only silence as the action scenes raced across the screen. Can you imagine Superman, Star Wars, or Jurassic Park without their musical scores, without their repeating themes? Musicality in writing produces a similar background for your writing. Musicality offers the same flow of scene, emotionality, and direct focus that great movies themes give to great films. Musicality is the rhythm of syllables becoming words, the flow of phrasing that becomes fascinating, and memorable repetitive patterns, or even jolting change that stops you cold. Its that unique sound that comes from hearing just the right word combined in just the right turn of phrase to communicate just the right idea at the right moment.Musicality in writing is a bit like a lyrical song or the repetitive beat in great jazz. It is a pattern you create to communicate an idea. It grabs your attention, holds you in its grasp, and replays in your memory long after the song is ended or the music stops. All of us can remember a special line from a song we loved or a bar of music we hummed. It replays in our heads over and over for hours as we go on with our daily lives. Musicality in writing is the same special combination of sound. Word juxtaposition, phrasing rhythm, and tonal sounds all produce a totality t hat becomes magical. If you can find such magic in your writing, whatever the goal for your piece, youll have in hand a unique communication that creates an unbroken bond with your reader. That bond can be to a sales letter, a brochure, a statement of purpose, a recommendation letter, a technical explanation, or a scientific abstract – it doesnt matter the purpose or the genre or the length. The concept is the same. Once you place your personal style of musicality on a piece of writing, that piece will engage your reader, excite the senses, and be remembered. It will also influence, and its ideas will be handed on to others.Rhythm is a pattern like those you hear in jazz as in Dave Brubecks famous Take Five. That piece has a wonderful precise theme that keeps repeating and reappearing in different arrangements. You remember it. Ive always wanted to write as well as George Gershwin wrote music. Listen to Rhapsody in Blue or An American in Paris sometime, and youll understand m usicality. Gershwin delivered an emotion in those pieces that we still can feel today, and he did it with tone and rhythm and musical themes.Musicality is a chosen pattern of words you consciously place in your writing. It lets words move in concert across the page. It can be syllables, or alliteration or use of metaphor or a simile, or a pattern of sounds that you determine is a crazy pattern for your piece. It is a pattern that continues on and joins with itself and is only interrupted when you want it to do so for a specific purpose. When you read aloud a piece that has musicality, it moves easily with highs and lows, and the sounds of the syllables blending naturally to communicate a precise sound you can physically hear, a sound that hopefully matches the theme.As you write, listen carefully to the words and phrases, and sentences you create. Listen for the unique meter or rhythm of your words as your ideas develop and become sentences and then paragraphs. Listen for natural so und breaks too. They will tell you where the idea breaks occur. Listen to your introductory words and notice where you placed them and how the musicality and meaning changed when you changed the placement of certain words. Notice where the rhythm and the flow changes, and ask yourself, Is this what I want right now?You might call musicality the heartbeat of a piece of writing. The heart has its own beat that we all can hear when were quiet – ba- dum, ba-dum, ba-dum. Poems have their own heartbeat too. Its called meter. It can be iambic pentameter or singsong, or one of many combinations with different weights for different syllables. Everyday speech has its own rhythm and sound. Listen to people talk when youre at the mall or in a restaurant. That is musicality. Different languages have their own musicality, and all cultures have their own.If you listen to your thoughts as you write them and then listen to the actual sound they make as you edit and revise, youll develop your own brand of musicality. You will conduct an orchestra of ideas. Eventually, youll learn to recognize when your writing is off-key and learn how to rearrange the sounds and rhythms and louds and softs to bring your writing back in tune again. Youll really hear your writing. If you listen well, you will write well and better.

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard 1. Introduction Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard 1. Introduction1.1.(i)   PESTEL Analysis1.1 (ii)   Porter’s Five Forces Analysis1.2.   Opportunities And Threats1.2. (i)   Opportunities1.2. (ii)   Threats2.1. Internal AnalysisValue Chain Analysis:Inbound LogisticsOperationsOutbound LogisticsMarketing and SalesServices2.1 (i) Strengths2.1 (ii) Weaknesses3. Key Strategic Issues3. (i)   2002 deal to acquire Compaq3. (ii) No Defined Smartphone Strategy4. Relevant Frameworks4. (i) With reference to Ansoff’s growth strategies, HP used â€Å"product development† strategy in acquiring Palm.4. (ii) Alternative Option5. (a) Key HP stakeholders5. (b) Implementation of HP’s acquisition strategyRelated 1. Introduction Hewlett Packard (HP) is a multinational information technology corporation headquarterd in Palo Alto, California, USA. This report examines the external and internal factors that have influenced   HP defining their strategic and competitive position. Evaluation of the company’s strategic choices is presented. The models of Porter’s five forces, Ansoff Matrix, SWOT and PESTEL are used in the analysis. 1.1.(i)   PESTEL Analysis Political:   The political analysis of HP pertaining to government controls and rules in the effort of HP to keep up with the Environmental and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Codes and in terms of decency, quality and environmental concerns. Economical:   HP mainly relies on revenue from its printing hardware, financial investments, investments in small and medium enterprises and internet solutions for its maintenance. Social:   HP has the local US consumer base well captured but it seems that there is very little to be done here in terms of attracting the upcoming young generation of IT zealot and unless there is a stress upon updating the models of its hardware for printing and PC’s to catch up with the hype created by HP and Intel who unveil new models almost every other month. Technological:   HP went â€Å"cyber† almost a decade ago, which is fairly recent in comparison to its 70 year long market presence (HP, 2009). In fact the turning point of HP’s luck came in 1998 when HP’s corporate software and support division and corporate systems division was amalgamated and Ann Livermore took over to run this new Enterprise Computing Solutions Organisation (ECSO), with an investment of $15 billion and an employee base of 44,000 employees (Moore and Snyder, 2000). Environmental:   HP’s operations are subject to regulations under federal, state, local and foreign laws concerning the environment, including laws addressing the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, and the cleanup of contaminated sites. Legal: Patent Reform Legislation – As one of the largest patent holders in U.S, HP is on average granted four patents every day. HP is a constant target of frivolous patent lawsuits. These lawsuits force HP to divert resources away from innovation and product development, leading to reduced economic benefits from invention (HP, 2009).    1.1 (ii)   Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Threat of Entry:   Threats of entry in this case is moderate. There is low brand loyalty of existing firms. Consumers usually compare the prices with different brands when they decide to purchase PCs. They think that every PC has the same price and has the same function no matter what brand it is, which means low product differentiation. There is medium capital requirements, no government regulations and low economies of scale in manufacturing. There is low investment for independent stores. Decreasing profitability indicates that there is a threat of new entrants Threat of Substitutes:   Threat of substitute products is low. HP believes in standards-based technology, which represents the opportunity to decide in the item of much preferance. HP tries to eliminate barriers by continuous updating processes and presenting new products to remain in the top of the industry. The Power of Buyers: Bargaining power of buyers is high. Consumers are very price sensitive because they like to buy cheap and high quality products. If they see a hardware or software or PC with similar functions but different brands and price, they will tend to buy a cheaper one. The buyer power for HP can be low since product demand is high, this means that the company has power to control the amount of production and also its products price. On the other hand, customers have lots of substitutes. Moreover there is not a huge difference between products which are produced in the market. The Power of Suppliers:   HP bargaining power of suppliers is high. There are large number of suppliers for every component parts of the PC, for example, one can make a PC by using component parts from different suppliers, including hard disk, DVD drive, monitor, etc. Microsoft and Intel have tremendous bargaining power against the PC manufacturers. There are high switching costs. Competitive Rivalry:   Rivalry is high. For instance, price, when one company acts to protect its position by lowering the price of PCs, it will affect other companies. This means all other firms may want to lower their price in order to attract the customers. There is also decreasing profitability. Since the firms sell their PCs in a low price, they will make less profit. 1.2.   Opportunities And Threats 1.2. (i)   Opportunities Expanding presence in cloud computing market – In July 2008, HP along with Intel Corporation and Yahoo, created a global multi-data centre,   open source test bed for cloud computing research and education. The goal of the project was to promote collaboration among industry, academy and governments by removing the financial and logistical barriers. In 2009, HP announced HP Cloud Assure, a new SaaS offering designed to assist businesses to safely and effectively adopt cloud-based services. The increasing demand for cloud computing is likely to create demand for HP’s solutions in coming years. The global spending on cloud computing is forecast to cross a value of over $40 billion by 2012. Expanding portfolio of imaging and printing solutions – HP has made several strategic acquisitions and introduced new products in the imaging solutions segment in recent times. Its imaging solutions strategy entails the commercial markets, from print services solutions to new growth opportunities in commercial printing. HP has launched several retail photo printing solutions and services that provide consumers the tools to personalise their photos and publish customised creative output. 1.2. (ii)   Threats Projected decreases in the IT markets – Forecasters predict a decrease in the worldwide demand for various IT products offered by HP. The economic slowdown has negatively affected many market segments, including information technology. HP has experienced this decline not only in the U.S. but also in its global markets. Hyper-competitive Environment – Although HP recently overtook Dell in sales, the latter remains a formidable competitor, as are other companies such as Toshiba, Lenova Group and Aver. It competes in terms of price, quality, brand, technology, reputation, distribution and range of products, among other factors. In some regions, the company faces competition from local companies and from generally-branded or white box manufacturers. 2.1. Internal Analysis Comparative Analysis – The three dominant producers (competitors) in the PC industry are HP, Dell and IBM. HP has always been a leader in this industry and in all aspects of technology. Through its merger with Compaq, HP has created an even bigger market share to compete with Dell’s PC division. As far as research and development, HP is always at the head of the game. HP has created and patented some of the leading products in technology development, such as touch screen monitors. HP still receives royalties today, from that invention. All three companies agree that employee learning is a very important aspect of their organisations. Each of the companies spends a substantial amount of money on educating and rewarding employees. HP and IBM have similar strategies for learning. When it comes to sales, Dell is at the top of the market. With regards to IT services, IBM is a far more profitable company than either HP or Dell. Organisations willing to spend money on research and development, like HP and IBM, will likely be here in years to come because they are not just relying on PCs to make a profit. Dell will likely have to get involved in producing other products in order to stay on top of the market. Resources: HP has 324,600 employees worldwide while servicing more than one billion customers in 170 countries on six continents (HP annual report, 2010). It has three main business divisions namely: HP Enterprise Business – is the largest business segment of HP accounting for 36% of HP’s 2007 revenue, providing servers, storage, software and information technology services that enable enterprise and midmarket business customers to manage their current IT environments and transform them into a business enabler. HP Enterprise Business has three sub-divisions namely HP Personal Systems Group, HP Imaging and Printing Group and HP Financial Services. HP Labs – is the exploratory and advanced research group for HP with some 600 researchers in seven locations throughout the world HP Software Division – is the Enterprise software division of information technology company. From September 2005 through 2010, HP purchased a total of 15 software companies as part of a publicized, deliberate strategy to augment its software offerings for large business customers (HP, 2010). HP also has subsidiaries namely, 3Com, 3PAR, Compaq, Palm, Inc, ProCurve, Snapfish and VoodooPC. Finance: HP’s posted net revenue in 2010 was $126.3 billion, in 2009, net revenue was $115 billion, with approximately $40 billion coming from services. In 2006, the intense competition between HP and IBM tipped in HP’s favour, with HP posting revenue of $91.7 billion, compared to $91.4 billion for IBM, the gap between the companies widened to $21 billion in 2009. In 2007, HP’s revenue was $104 billion, making HP the first IT company in history to report revenues exceeding $100 billion. In 2008, HP retained its global leadership position in inkjet, laser, large format and multi-function printers market and its leadership position in the hardware industry. The financial position of HP as of October 2010 is as follows: (HP,2010) US$ billion Operating Income    11.479 Net Income   Ã‚  Ã‚   8.761 Total Assets 124.503 Total Equity    40.781 Value Chain Analysis: Inbound Logistics Building products to order, maximise manufacturing effeciencies by producing high volume of basic product configurations Configuring products to order – for customer customization JIT to minimise inventory Purchase supplies from multiple vendors Operations Utilizes its own manufacturing capacity as well as origional design manufacturers and contract manufacturers for cost efficiencies HP is the largest customer for most of their suppliers – best terms and prices Outbound Logistics HP uses external partners for its outbound logistical needs Marketing and Sales HP has a number various types of partners including retailers, VARs, distribution partners, OEMs, system intergrators and independent software vendors Services HP Services competes in IT support services, consulting, intergration and outsourcing services. Products : HP has successful lines of printers, scanners, digital cameras, calculators, PDAs, servers, workstation computers and computers for home and small business use. HP not only supplies hardware and software but also a full range of services to design, implement and support IT infrastructure (HP, 2010). Culture: HP founders, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard developed a unique management style that came to be known as â€Å"The HP Way†. The HP Way focuses on employee satisfaction as the source of company success. Some of the by-products of the HP Way include flex time and open communication between managers and employees.    2.1 (i) Strengths Prominent Brand Name Recognition: HP has launched a branding initiative called, â€Å"One Voice,† in order to better intergrate its line of consumer electronics and computer hardware products. The project resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost savings by automating package design creation. In 2009 the company moved up from the 12th to the 11th most recognisable brand (Interbrand.com). Successful Strategic Acquisitions: HP’s major mergers and acquisitions in recent past include Compaq Computer Corporation in 2002, Mercury Interactive in 2006 and Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) in 2008. In Nov 2009, HP announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire 3Com, a provider of computer network equipment for $2.7 billion. Strong Market Position: HP can boast of a 30% global server market. Its domination of the global printer market is evidenced by its 40% market share. In 2008 HP took a major step in strengthening its position in the IT services market by acquiring EDS. 2.1 (ii) Weaknesses Weak Market Segment Intergration: HP’s portfolio of offerings lack significant software product or manage consulting services when compared to major competitors, for instance, IBM and Accenture are establishing management consulting divisions so as to provide more comprehensive and intergrated range of services. 3. Key Strategic Issues 3. (i)   2002 deal to acquire Compaq While the merger went smoothly, it didn’t solve too many of HP’s strategic challenges. The Compaq merger helped HP vault to no. 1 in storage and no. 2 in servers while becoming stronger in technology services. In the fourth quarter, the corporate unit’s sales rose a surprising 10%. Still HP was struggling with profitability at the same time IBM and other competitors were reaping strong profits. Even with HP’s top line gains, the margins and profits declined. Also, combining the market shares of HP and Compaq was designed to create a market leader that could slow Dell’s advance, but Dell had blown past HP in market share and had widened its lead to 18.3% of the market, versus HP’s 15.7%. HP had also fallen short of its 3% operating margin goal, reporting margins of less than 1% for 2004. This merger meant a lot of people lost their jobs. 3. (ii) No Defined Smartphone Strategy While the HP company directors had confirmed their interest in smartphones, nothing had been communicated about its strategy, even, if previously, projects existed which were looking to combine hardware and mobile services in a harmonious fashion. Always enterprise oriented, HP completely missed the uptake of smartphones by general public, allowing market leadership to be taken by a smaller player. In the first quarter of 2010, latest financial results indicated that this business unit was losing money at a fast rate, generating only $25million compared to $57million, the same period in 2009 (NYT, Feb 2010). There was a dilemma whether to continue with the smartphone market. 4. Relevant Frameworks 4. (i) With reference to Ansoff’s growth strategies, HP used â€Å"product development† strategy in acquiring Palm. Suitability: HP had already acquired the iPaq line of smartphones in 2001 when it bought Compaq Computer although there had been a decline in profits. Before the acquisition, HP had no legitimate play in the vital smartphone space, so this strategy is suitable. The deal would give HP access to Palm’s homegrown software that could run phones, as well as other types of devices like computer-tablets. It was an opportunity not to be missed. Feasibility: HP has all it takes in terms of finance, technology and skills, to make the acquisition profitable. This came at the right time as both companies were struggling and therefore needed a big fix. Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices. Product development is therefore a feasible strategy. Acceptability: The strategy is acceptable but with some risks of â€Å"new strategic capabilities† and â€Å"project management risk†. Both companies were failing in the smartphone industry therefore there was no guarantee that when the two companies come together, there will be any improvement, especially since Palm chief executive was to stay on. Product development also involves heavy investments which could be a risk in case the project fails. 4. (ii) Alternative Option In order to deal with its key strategic issues HP could possibly have adopted â€Å"market penetration† strategy. Suitability: This was going to be a suitable strategy, as in the case of compaq, market penetration would have meant hq would gain compaq’s customers. It would have worked well also for the smartphone industry. All that HP was going to do is attracting non-users of HP products and convincing current clients to use more of their products through promotions and advertising. Feasibility: Market penetration is the least risky way for any company to grow, also, penetration pricing involves the setting of lower rather than higher prices in order to achieve a large, if not dominant market share so this makes it a feasible strategy. Acceptability: It is however not such an acceptable option as there might be a likelihood of competing suppliers following suit by reducing their prices also, thus nullifying any advantage of reduced prices. The other potential disadvantage is the impact of reduced price on the image of offering, particularly where buyers associate price with quality. 5. (a) Key HP stakeholders Stakeholders have different interests in supporting or opposing a particular strategy (Johnson et al., 2008) and this is best illustrated below:                                                                                  Stakeholder power vs level of interest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Adopted from Johnson et al., 2008) Key players are those where their reaction towards the organisation’s projects and initiatives must be given primary consideration. Shareholders exercise their ultimate control over HP and how it is managed, for example, having a say on how the management is paid. Recently, (March, 2011), investors expressed how unhappy they were on pay packages for top managers , saying they are paid a lot of money and claiming it’s a waste. By voting against these pay packages, the board approved the change (Inquirer, March 2011). Managers are key players in the sense that for any company to succeed, it needs management that is driven and ambitious. In 2007, HP produced a report called â€Å"The Seven Habits of Ambitious Companies†, briefly laying down that its managers have big ideas, stay focused, build momentum, put people first, encourage communication, manage innovation and listen to their conscience (HP, 2007). With all these habits, the company is bound to thrive for the best and stay at the top. Employees are equally important as they are integral to the success of the business. The talent, expertise and skills of employees drives everything from how HP innovates its products and manage its supply chain to how they connect with customers and collaborate with partners (HP, 2010). Consumers may, for example, exert pressure on sales managers to represent their interests within the company, so in a way they can also be regarded as key. 5. (b) Implementation of HP’s acquisition strategy A stream of acquisitions have strengthened HP position in the software business (alcrastore.com). Key stakeholders have the power to influence HP’s implementation of its acquisition strategy. This can be done in different ways: Involvement in strategic implementation: This is through exercising discretion. Shareholders have to vote for or against any acquisition meaning the power is in shareholders hands as they are the ones who ultimately decide if any acquisition is to succeed or not. Control of strategic resources: Management is responsible for the allocation of resources to implement the policies and plans, projects and programs. For instance when HP acquired Compaq, there were job losses so its vital for management to take this into consideration. There has to be a balance between the longer term needs of the future and the short term imperatives of the present.. Hierachy (formal power): This is management’s role through decision making. They have to make sure that the acquisition is suitable, feasible or acceptable. If after such considerations, the strategy does not meet the interests of HP then management have the power not to implement such strategy. Control of human environment: The board of directors play a vital role in negotiating HP acquisitions. They are the ones who eventually seal the deal financially so it is vital that the share price is right. Possession of knowledge and skills (competitive advantage): Expert knowledge that forms the organisation’s core competencies is equally influential. It is the core competencies of an organisation that differentiates it from its peers and competitors. For instance, in the case of HP acquisition of Palm, there were other companies who had shown interest. Potential buyouts from companies like HTC and Lenovo ultimately fell through but HP had an advantage over its competitors – the global strengths. Since HP is such a global company, it has gained significant skills and knowledge hence making it more attractive.

Government 1 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Government 1 - Dissertation Example Due to these reasons, there would be an influx of immigrants into the country as they know that the immigration policies that grant citizenship to illegal immigrants would make their lives better in the US as they would also have the same opportunity with the other citizens of the US. Thus, immigration would significantly increase if the US government is less strict on their immigration policies. It is actually not appropriate for one country to judge the cultural practice of another country. Countries should be free to practice any culture that is sovereign to them. Thus, the cultural practice of a country should not in any way be judged as long as these cultural practices are not done for the oppression of their own people. Though, there are cases that the cultural practices of some particular countries are against basic moral laws and a threat to peaceful human existence, this is not to say that it is appropriate for one country to judge the cultural practice of these countries. I n cases like that, there should be a central body that seeks to modify the cultural practice of countries that have been accused of running foul to the morality laws and these should be ably represented by nationals of all countries of the world. Thus, it is not appropriate for one country to judge the cultural practice of another.

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Health Administarion - Essay Example The rate of hiring or firing employees is also another indicator of the performance of the organization. Positive and encouraging feedback from both the clients and the stakeholders of the organization is an indicator of good performance in the organization. However, if the feedback is constantly marked by threats and disappointing remarks, it indicates something is not ok in the organization’s performance. Productivity outcome is mainly indicated through the profits and losses in an organization in a financial year. If the profits outride the losses, then it is an indicator that the organization is performing well. When the losses are more than the profits, then the company is not performing well. The productivity outcome should however not be based on only one financial year but several continuous ones. Finally, if no new clients are being recruited in the organization frequently or they keep on leaving the organization and seeking services and products of other organizations, then this is an indicator that something is wrong with the performance of that organization. If however new clients keep coming and the old ones are retained, then performance of the organization is