Direct Marketing with Red Bull Essay

Introduction How should Red Bull market its brand in the future? I think, although Red Bull has been extremely successful in the past, times have changed and the company and products should change with it, otherwise we probably lose market share to the tremendous increased number of competitors in no time.At the height of early mornings and late nights, Red Bull energy drink became the fuel of choice for people from all walks of life. So how is Red Bull marketing its brand to meet the changing needs and budgets of its customers? How will the privately owned Austrian company expand its product line beyond the silver-bullet beverage that â€Å"gives you wings†? My conclusion is that we should focus on direct marketing and use this to bring in a more diverse population of users. History In 1982, Dietrich Mateschitz became aware of products called â€Å"tonic drinks†, which is very popular in Asia. While in Asia he got the idea of marketing those functional drinks outside Asia. In 1984, Mateschitz founded the company Red Bull GmbH. After tuning the drink up, Dietrich Mateschitz, introduced his â€Å"tonic drinks† to the Austrian market in 1987. â€Å"Red Bull got off the ground in no time flat, giving people wings right from the start.† In 1992, Red Bull touched down in its first foreign market, in Hungary. Today, Red Bull is energizing over 100 countries around the globe. More than a billion cans of Red Bull are consumed each year. Responsibility for the unparalleled success of the world’s No. 1 energy drink is shared by the company’s employees. It wasn’t until ten years later; Red Bull charged into the United States, launching a new category of non-soda energy drinks aimed at burned out high school kids, college students, and overworked individuals. Namely, the brand power that this product has created is truly amazing. Many people in the industry may hate Red Bull, but without Red Bull there wouldn’t even be a market for the other 150+ products currently crowding the shelves. Direct Marketing Using Prints Among the many ways of connecting with consumers, direct marketing is unique and personal. While the challenges of the emerging marketplace are disruptive for the energy drink market, direct marketing could be what keeps Red Bull on top. Why? Because the need to reach consumers in a direct and measurable way is growing stronger as a result of new technologies, new consumer expectations, new competitive pressures and new demands for demonstrable marketing return on investment. Since its inception, Red Bull has shunned print advertising in its marketing strategy. Red Bull has also chosen to eliminate billboards, banner ads, taxicab holograms, blimps, and Super Bowl spots as a form of advertising. This could be very beneficial to the company. With advertising in local papers or with large events such as Super Bowl could bring in detailed numbers. Super Bowl advertising has proved to be very beneficial, with more viewers than any TV program. However, Red Bull chooses to use advertising that cost little or nothing. It is found that those affected with direct marketing are more likely to spread the word of mouth about the product. Web-marketing Campaigns and Coupons Red Bull has not also created one web-marketing campaign, nor has it nipped or expanded its product line. This could be another area to expand. Promoting the drink with web-marketing campaigns could add to the many satisfied consumers. To successfully market your Web site you need to run an on-going campaign, just as you would for a product or service. Red Bull’s website is highly technological. The site uses Windows Media player and is extremely advanced in areas, however the website, http://www.redbullusa.com/start.html, does not include an in-depth analysis on ingredients contained in the drink, nor does it expand on any of the history or events which it features. If consumers wanted to learn what was contained in the drink and how they benefit from the product, the information should not only be available, but in abundance. The website is very pleasing to the eye, however lacks the correct information needed by consumers and the correct marketing strategy to properly get the website in  the eyes of consumers. Another addition using the Internet could be banner ads. This would bring consumers to the site. Promote a free sample to not only bring consumers to the site but to also satisfy the consumer by introducing them to the product. Many just do not want to waste their money to try something new. By sending a sample, consumers can get a feel for the Red Bull. Red Bull should also promote with coupons, paper or web-based. With an 8 oz. can of Red Bull pulling $ 2.07, the company should use this to lure new and previous drinkers to the product. Student Representatives Red Bull does take advantage of some forms of direct marketing. However, Red Bull prides itself on the forms of advertising with little cost, or no cost. For example, Red Bull sets its grassroots ethic into motion with a simple, yet masterful marketing force: student brand managers. In Europe, collegiate buzz junkies have been successfully addicting friends and classmates for years thanks to a foolproof branding plan; Red Bull provides the student representatives with free cases of its energy drink and then encourages the kids to throw a party. Red Bull could also use this technique with older individuals in high stress occupations. This will not only spread the word quickly and cheaply, but to more individuals of different ages. This would allow Red Bull to expand its target through direct marketing. But with the current scare of mixing Red Bull with alcohol this could come to a halt very shortly. According to the website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1435409.stm, â€Å"The SNFA advised people to stop mixing Red Bull with alcohol and to stop drinking it after working out at the gym, until an investigation into the drink had been carried out. The warning might have come from Sweden, but it sent ripples around the world.† When there is a scare, many people avoid the product all together. This could mean bad business for Red Bull unless there is an appropriate back up plan ready. Red Bull should focus on more ways to effectively promote their products without the use of teenagers and alcohol. Conclusion With the little advertising Red Bull uses, an extra push in one of these areas could prove very beneficial for the company. Red Bull’s focus on low cost advertising may be what will put the company under. The company must first focus on the consumers and how they should be reached then use the most cost effective forms, instead of putting the cost before the consumer. With technology increasing, forms of direct marketing are becoming highly popular with not only businesses but also consumers. A spokesman for Red Bull said, â€Å"We were the original and there are a lot of people who are trying to copy us, but nobody has successfully achieved that. We still have the market share lead at 86%.† But if Red Bull can not pick up the pace with others in this highly competitive market it could be the end for this company who has been known for its marketing strategy. By adding print advertising, making minor changes to the detail contained within the site, couponing, and includ ing a web-marketing campaign, Red Bull could stay on top for yet another 17 years! Resources 1. Red Bull Energy Drink Review http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/redbull/ [Accessed 24 May 2004] Provides reviews on several drinks, including Red Bull. Reviews include taste, look and user votes. 2. Red Bull GmbH Company Profile http://biz.yahoo.com ic/101/101316.html / [Accessed 24 May 2004] Contains contact information, financial highlights, key people, industry information and top competitors for the Red Bull Company. The site does not charge compared to others. 3. Red Bull Homepage http://www.redbullusa.com/start.html [Accessed 25 May 2004] Red Bull homepage has a brief company history, contains information regarding the ingredients of the product and has information regarding sports and culture. 4. Dark Dog Energy Drink Homepage http://www.darkdog.com/ [Accessed 25 May 2004] This site contains latest news and information regarding products, the company, distributors, and partners of the company Dark Dog, one of Red Bulls competitors. 5. Red Bull in suspected link to Death http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1435409.stm [Accessed 27 May 2004] This site contains information regarding the Swedish National Food Administration issuing a public warning and investigating Red Bull in the deaths of three.

Articles on the Environmental Issues Essay

The earth is in dire need of solutions to combat environmental problems. We have two great weapons that could fight environmental enemies. These are technological innovations and humans’ personal capacity and discipline. Which among these would be more effective and efficient when it comes to the battle of saving the only known living planet in the universe? It has been said that technological advances were largely responsible for the continuous destruction of nature, and so these are also the very things that can provide solutions for its restoration. One technological development being considered and being anticipated is the use of electronic paper. This would make a real paper made from tress a thing of the past. With an electronic paper, people can read newspapers, magazines, and books in the same sheet of paper. The possibility of water-powered and solar-powered cars is increasing. This would not only let people save on gas, and thus save money. It can also save the environment by reducing pollution caused by modern cars that use gas to operate. Solar energy is not only possible with cars. In fact, there are already a number of households and offices that enjoy the benefits of sun’s energy, which does not only produce heat, but also electricity. These are only a few of the top ten emerging environmental technologies from Live Science. All of these sounds good, but this kind of technology may not be practical because of production cost. Another problem would be the distribution and availability of a particular technology to people around the world. Solar-powered cars may not be used in places that do not have enough sunlight. There may be people who could not afford technological advancements such as electronic papers, and solar power collectors, because of their cost. Nevertheless, even if we are not scientists who can invent technologies aiming to save the environment, and/or we do not have the purchasing power to avail some of them, we can still opt for technology-free means of solving environmental issues. All we have to do is to take responsibility, and use our ingenuity to breathe life again to Mother Nature. One good example is to start planting trees, flowers, and other plants. These reduce carbon dioxide, which is a component of greenhouse gases, because they naturally need this gas for their food production. We could also use what nature provides. Use biodegradable products. Use paper bags, than plastic ones. Choose clothes, bed sheets and towels made of cotton. We could also choose those made from hemp. The good thing about this plant is that it can be recycled many times. Even if we do not have solar cells and solar thermal collectors, we can still enjoy solar power by using its light during the day. Besides these means, we also need to be responsible and disciplined in using and maximizing natural resources. Good examples would be conservation of water, electricity and other forms of energy. These technology-free means are hard work, and to achieve long-term and good results, these have to become established habits. Changing our ways is difficult, and takes much time. It seems that to alter technology is much faster and easier compared to changing flaws in a person’s character that has affected not only himself, but everything around him. Advancement in technology, and human ingenuity and discipline has their own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to environmental concerns. However, when they are combined, we can produce maximum results. We do not need to depend on technology solely for solutions regarding environmental issues. Since this is everybody’s responsibility, every one should also participate and be responsible in taking care of nature. It is not what you choose to do that counts. The most important thing is you choose to take a step away from apathy and do something to achieve results. Global Warning on Global Warming: Action Needed Now No matter how scientists and environmentalists do to warn people about the dangers brought about by global warming, people could not seem to care enough. Even terms used in this environmental concern do not sound alarming at all. Have you handed a reading material to someone with the title: GLOBAL WARMING AND GREENHOUSE GASES? Have you noticed their reaction? They would probably ask, â€Å"What is global warming, and what is wrong with a mere increase in temperature? † They may also add, â€Å"By the way, greenhouse gases, is it not good for plants? † Apparently, people do not seem to be bothered about global warming as much as they are worried about global financial crisis. Global warming is indeed a change in temperature caused by greenhouse gases, which have heat-trapping capacity. As long as it reach normal temperature, this is good. In fact, without global warming and greenhouse gases it would be too cold on earth that life would be impossible. However, the increase uses of cars and increase number of factories have contributed greatly to too much greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Thus, the earth’s temperature increased evidently, enough to melt the ice sheets in the Arctic. This would cause increased sea level, thus low lands would disappear to the sea. Also, heat waves would be frequent. These are just some of the dangers of global warming. Some scientists think that there is not much time to solve the problem. Immediate action could mean the difference between life and death. Here are a few ways on how people can move into action: Be interested. Have a commitment to make matters of the environment your own. Although money makes the world go round, there would no place money would be used for if we neglect what the earth needs. Be informed. No matter how global warming and greenhouse gases sound, they can be dangerous to the only planet we live in. Get information to right places. Do not assume what they are be just referring to their names. Read books, newspapers and other sources about the environment and what you can do to help. Be updated. We are so engrossed by what happens to other people –celebrities, public figures, etc. Thus, we are updated by everything that happens to them. In the same way, we have to be totally concern about the everyday changes in our environment. We have to be updated in terms of information, and in terms of ways on how we can be useful on solving this worldwide problem. If we are interested, we begin to gather information. As we gather information, we have to be updated. After all, we live in a fast-paced world. This is how one is moved to action. If a person is interested, well-informed and updated, he begins to take action. Action speaks louder than words, and this is what our dying nature needs. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, â€Å"When a man says to me, â€Å"I have the intensest love of nature,† at once I know that he has none. † Moreover, David Orr asserted, â€Å"When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves. † This is true because the earth is our only habitat, the only planet that can sustain life. If we leave it alone in its ailments, it is as if we leave ourselves to die in illness. We cannot give this responsibility to other living creatures. Our existence lies on our planet, and our planet’s existence lies in us. Global warming should really be a global warning. Now that we can still act to resolve the matter, everyone must do what he could to heed the call, because actions are needed now.

Frankenstein or the monster? Essay

The film over exaggerates the apprence of the creature making him look terrifying. The film also consetrate more on the action rather than the feelings of the creature. The film had more compassion for victor as he was getting chased by this gigantic frightening monster At the beginning of the story the creature is seen as a monster but when the monster tells his story to Frankenstein he seems the victim. As the story goes on the sympathy for Frankenstein increases the reader then realises that the creature is just getting even with the world for the things the world did to the creature, like rejecting him. The creature’s story makes the reader realise that he isn’t a monster just a neglected baby who grows up full of hatred because of oppression and mistreatment. The novel’s genre is a romance, horror, thriller, science fiction, and action. This might be the reason why it is so popular. It is a romantic novel because of the fact that the creature desires love and because of Frankenstein’s love for his family. It is a horror novel from Frankenstein’s point of view because the creature seems like a monster that is intent on killing and hurting people. It is also a thriller novel because it leaves you in suspense about the murder of the young boy, William, and also a science fiction story for the cloning and bringing to life of a human being. It is an action novel as well because of the fighting and chasing. When the book was first published, it was not popular at all since it was considered a dark and devilish novel. Readers were extremely superstitious at the time. It became more popular as people became less superstitious and understood the subtext of promoting parenting skills. Mary Shelley’s original name was a Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, and on the 30th of August Mary Shelley’s mother died giving birth to her. Her mother and father were also Famous in the publishing world. When she was 17, she eloped to France with her lover. Her lover was the infamous Percy Shelley; Mary was pregnant with his baby. After that, her father did not talk to her for 2 years. Mary Shelley gave birth to her daughter Clara two weeks premature. Clara died a couple of weeks later. She had nightmares about her baby’s death, that and her father not talking to her, probably inspired her to write such a dark novel. The reader sympathises with the monster because he is not supported or loved (as Shelley felt unsupported). Frankenstein’s role in the novel changes it goes from victim to villain. At first victor is being chased by the monster that he created because victor neglected and abuse the creature turning it into a monster but later on, the reader realises that Frankenstein rejects the creature just because of what he looks like. The creature just wants to ask him to make another being like him so he will have some one to loves who loved him, back. Frankenstein seems to the reader to be the villain. Although he doesn’t actually commit murder, victor Frankenstein indirectly causes the problems. If he had considered the implications of creating another being. Many of the tragedies in the text would have been avoided. Frankenstein thinks he is the victim of the monster but he really is the victim of knowledge and curiosity. Find out what imagery Frankenstein uses. A good father is a man who is there for a child when ever life gets rough. He helps them grow up strong and loved, which also lets the child know he is appreciated. The creature is rejected by other people as well as his father/ creator and grows up full of hatred. He is forced to grow up very quickly and very alone. Frankenstein abuses his child by neglecting him at first then denying him happiness later. The creature is just a child. The creature had no knowledge of the world and has no father to explain it to him. The creature is born an innocent child and all of the hatred that he is subjected to is passed on to him through the way he was treated by others. Even when he saved a girl from drowning her lover shots at him like he is the one who is threatening her life. The creature turns all of his hatred and swears to get even with the world. He turns his back on humanity. The creature is not born evil he simply turns evil to get vengeance. This links in to Shelley’s reading of Jean Jacques Rousseau and the ideas such as nature versus nurture. The creature becomes evil from his observation of the human race, he desperately wants to experience companionship and to be loved instead of being driven away and treated as a monster. His naivety gradually changes to cunning and hatred through his encounters and once he has murdered, the overwhelming sense of power feeds and nourishes him. Frankenstein is not portrayed as evil in the same way, his experiments are sinister and he is cowardly when the final result is too hideous for him to acknowledge. Frankenstein did not intend to create an evil creature many of its qualities were very fine, from intelligence to sensitivity and . a capacity for intense love. When Frankenstein was a young boy he described his own character saying ‘My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehementi which suggests to the reader that they were very similar. Unfortunately the hideous body never allowed any human to experience the other side of its character. All in all they both were just as evil in their own way and both ended up unhappy. The creature was not a great deal different they were both smart and craved knowledge. If Frankenstein was treated as bad as the creature was then he would have certainly turned his back on all of humanity. The creature’s life would have been very different if he had a father who did not abandon him and loved him, because the creature would have someone to lean on. I feel more sympathy for the creature than for victor Frankenstein mainly due to the fact that the creature wasn’t even given the right to live or be loved. The creature was put through many ordeals and was hated by all that see/ meet him with an exception of one, the blind man. The blind man didn’t reject the creature because he couldn’t see his abnormal body. I hardly felt any empathy toward victor since he abandoned his son the person he gave life to then not allow him to live. I believe that I feel sorry for the monster more because I could imagine the difficulty of not having any parents to bring me up. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Leadership about Martin Luther King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership about Martin Luther King - Essay Example At that period of time, there was significant discrimination in terms of the rights enjoyed by Americans and Africans in the US. The Africans were not allowed to read in the same school or eat in the same place. However, this could not deter Martin Luther King, Jr from going to segregated schools and getting the desired degrees. He also studied religion in a desegregated school. In that school, Martin Luther King, Jr learnt about many religious leaders. He respected Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi of India for his work in changing the unfair laws and liberating India from the British rule. Martin Luther King, Jr was aware of the terror and domination that the black were facing in their daily life. He was very much determined to find a way to stop racial discrimination and violence. He believed that among good and evil good will ultimately emerge victorious. In 1947, more than 150,000 black Americans were registered to vote in Georgia. The Reverend King, Sr was certain that voting might as sure Black Americans absolute freedom (Nazel 29-67). On 25th February, 1948 Martin Luther King, Jr got ordained and officially became Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Subsequently, he studied Bachelor of Arts A in religion. Through scholarship he earned the Doctorate from the Boston University. Martin Luther King, Jr got married to Coretta Scott with whom he met in the Boston University. ... By 1956, the Montgomery bus issue converted into a national concentration and King got actively involved in it. He spent most of his time away from the city to raise financial and moral support. By then, he had shown strong leadership qualities that enabled to provide a distinctive authoritarian perspective towards his views. In December 1956, court ordered integration of city buses in Montgomery. After coming out victorious in relation to the bus boycott incident, the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr was confirmed (Goethals, Burns and Sorenson 798-800). After that Martin Luther King, Jr moved to Atlanta. Six years after Montgomery Bus Boycott, King still didn’t find his way. The story of Montgomery largely contributed to the emergence of King as a leader of civil rights. However, King acted carefully. Rather than instantly seeking to stimulate mass desegregation protest in the South, King Stressed on accomplishing voting rights for Black Americans when he addressed a grou p of spectators in 1957. King got the fame he had, not without personal cost. He was a sufferer in many cases. His house was bombed in numerous occasions throughout the Montgomery boycott. One key feature of King’s leadership was his capability to gather support from numerous organizations that include labor unions, reform organizations, peace organizations and religious groups. In addition, his broad tie-up with Baptist church enabled him to get support from different churches all over the country. The appreciation King received from the people in relation to segregation and colonialism concluded in association with groups fighting outside America particularly in Africa. In March 1957, King Luther went to Ghana to attend their independence ceremony.

How do the interests of corporations conflict with the public's Essay

How do the interests of corporations conflict with the public's interest - Essay Example (Lydenberg 9) The main aim of my paper is to address the question that while global corporations have become the foundation of world economy, do they act in the interest of the general population. I have made use of the highly resourceful and entertaining book by Joel Bakan, The Corporations, among other sources, where the author examines the ‘pathological pursuit of profit and power’ with a deep insight into dominant problems of the current market paradigm. He compares private corporate industry, amusingly as well as disturbingly, to a clinical psychopath whose obsessive self-indulgence does not admit human considerations of common public welfare. Aided by government-sanctioned laws, functioning to further business interests, these great corporations act with absolute impunity, pursuing the single object of meeting their own financial targets. While much of the prevailing argument is negative, one must admit the capacity of public good that Corporate Welfare truly holds and can contribute to society. Market productivity can propagate, even ensure, general innovations in terms of technology and finance. However, whether that immense power is actually employed for its real purpose is another question altogether. Several current discourses and studies are now addressing these areas. Many works seek to confirm the validity of a number of activities falling under the broad category of Corporate Social Responsibility and aims at the behavioral analysis of the related philanthropic aspects of the said initiations. (Keim 1) Other researchers openly criticize the entire concept of corporate social welfare, deeming it an empty facade that merely masks the ugly face of self-interested private enterprises, driven only by and towards profit and power, as superbly exemplified in Bakan’s excellent book. The recent atmosphere of public distrust and doubt towards the corporations are quite evident given the frightening economic crashes in the past few years . The on-going debates over public vs. corporate interests have intensified following the emergence of the market trend of privatizing and industrialization of social services. (Lydenberg 10) In The Corporations, Bakan gives a comprehensive outline of the process of corporate growth from the 17th to the early 20th century, citing the first major incidents of economic disasters, almost as cautionary tales of corporate greed. He goes on to present a non-ambivalent and direct criticism of the US jurisprudence for supporting the ultimately counter-productive business claims of large companies for the temporary gain of profits. The de-regularization of legalities concerning corporate functions have handed over too much freedom to these industries, causing a capitalist power center that controls much of the socio-political scenario. However, I must highlight, that efforts have been made in the recent past to correct this oversight and gain back some government control over the companies. Contemporary readings, I believe, must involve an examination of both ‘the market and the public sphere models’ (Crocteau and Hoynes 38). The past three decades show the development of several strategies to counter corporate exploitation of public

Evaluation of Two New Assessment Methods for Selecting Telephone Case Study - 1

Evaluation of Two New Assessment Methods for Selecting Telephone Customer Service Representatives - Case Study Example Other statistics were also close except r-value with work sample (C), and this could be treated as an outlier. A significant level of consistency is also evident in statistics for results for work sample (T) and results for work sample (C). In all the three results, consistency exists in significant r-values and the use of quantitative approach in analyzing the data further establishes reliability because of freedom from barriers such as effects of emotions. The study’s sample size is also large enough to establish internal consistency and its value that is greater than 30, suitable for normal approximations and relatively large for the population size, explains this. Data collection also included a second rater throughout the process, a factor that eliminated bias. In addition, the replication was done within a short period and therefore eliminated maturation confound. The use of predetermined evaluation criteria for the work sample tests also eliminated possible examiner bia s or uninformed and arbitrary evaluations. These features therefore establishes internal reliability of the evaluations and means that the analysis results are suitable for informing decisions on the organization’s recruitment and staffing decisions (Grinnell & Unrau 124). Similarly, key measures of validity inform its evaluation. Measurement validity is the degree to which a measure meets its intended objectives and analysis of used measures identifies validity. Speed, accuracy, and interpersonal skills are accurate measure of customer-service-relation competence because of identifiable relationship with deliverables. Speed indicates ability to meet demand for phone bookings that is growing, accuracy indicates the ability to satisfy customer my making correct deliveries at the right times, while interpersonal skills identifies ability to develop relationships between customers and the organization for

Business simulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business simulation - Essay Example As such, it is important to involve them in fun activities and make them introduce themselves to one another so that they can break the ice (Dyer & Dyer, 2013). Secondly, I would ensure that each team member develops a common understanding of the various job roles within the new team (Bendaly & Bendaly, 2012). Each team member should be aware of what another member of the team is responsible for (Franz, 2012). Therefore, as everyone thrives to work to their highest standard possible, they should also help their team mates in the same, strengthening the ream spirit of working together (Kayes, 2004). A final strategy of improving the efficiency of the newly formed team would be to set the team goals and create a plan of how to achieve them. I would also conduct regular progress reviews to identify the achieved goals and clarify the responsibilities of each team member towards achieving the set goals (Ditullio, 2010). Having carried out the business simulation, I have gained a lot of experience in the business fields of marketing, strategy, team effectiveness and finance. As such, I believe I can highly contribute to a business team and work effectively towards achieving the set goals and objectives (Lussier & Achuna, 2010). The understanding of the factors that make a business successful makes me a potential team player in your business, and I can add value to it (Cox, 1997). Through the tough work and harsh conditions involved in the business simulation, it is evident that being decisive is a key element towards the success of business (Tracy, 2002). There are times when one is faced with situations in which they have to make prompt decisions that affect the business. These decisions can lead to either success or failure, but they have to be made. It is better to have a wrong decision than a delayed one (Skrabec & Benedict, 2003). The decisiveness of an individual in a business, especially in the

Explain why sea level histories, coastal sector by coastal sector, Essay

Explain why sea level histories, coastal sector by coastal sector, will vary. How are the histories assembled What is the best substitute for a welldated loca - Essay Example In terms of conservation measures it is noted that the Earth's crust has varied terrain and topography that each require exclusively special techniques for sustainable consumption. The paper specifically inquires into one such terrain - coastal zones - in one specific country - Australia. It is not only present consumption levels that must be sustainable but also future ones that accrue through present and future development. The coastal zone, anywhere, is a combination of different types of terrain and topographies and techniques used to conserve it under separate forms of human exploitation are all housed under one countrywise policy - integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). In the context of the paper ICZM shall be reviewed in the context of sea-level histories in special relevance to the Commonwealth of Australia. "Everybody wants access to the coast. The.coast is where people want to live, do business, create development and where people want to recreate (Holliday, 1998) (Derived: Ed. Lazarow et al, 2006). This simple quote puts in a nutshell the types of human exploitation that coastal zones may be subjected to. Australia has a coastal zone that extends almost 36,000 km, excluding external territories, and is considered one of that country's greatest assets (National Cooperative Approach, Australia, 2006). The 'National Cooperative Approach to Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Framework and Implementation Plan' is a report produced under the 'Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council', Commonwealth of Australia. The wide biodiversity thriving within this extensive zone exists in an interaction among the interesting mix of terrestrial, marine and estuarine ecosystems that are generated by the wide-ranging array of climatic, geographical and oceanographic variants (National Cooperative Approach, Australia, 2006). The variants within the habitats and life-forms require as wide a range of conservation measures and these measures are further complicated by the wide-ranging varieties of human activities this broad band of Australian territory attracts. Taking into consideration this wide r ange of factors that have to be assimilated in conjunction to enable positive conservation under projected levels of future consumption, partly derived from development, a result-oriented ICZM plan for the extensive Australian coastal zone is highly complex. This is borne out by the fact that the 'State of the Environment Report (2001)' that notes that, despite efforts at efficient CZM (coastal zone management), zonal quality, as per diverse predetermined criteria, continued to deteriorate and the rate of consumption of coastal resources continued to increase at a rate that would be unable to provide sufficient time for already jeopardized resources to recover (National Cooperative Approach, Australia, 2006). This last noted fact emphasizes the importance of this paper that strives to ascertain how sea-level histories can assist in ICZM. This is how the next part of the paper is

VPN Virtual Private Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

VPN Virtual Private Network - Essay Example iddle, replay attacks, brute force, password guessers and dictionary attacks, and social attacks (Fortenberry, 2001).† Thus, more effective ways of combating the threats especially in terms of access to the network are extremely important in order to determine that those who access an information systems infrastructure are authorized and recognized by the system. One of the technologies available in protecting the information systems environment is via the deployment of a virtual private network or VPN. â€Å"A virtual private network (VPN) is a private communications network often used by companies or organizations, to communicate confidentially over a public network. VPN traffic can be carried over a public networking infrastructure (e.g. the Internet) on top of standard protocols, or over a service providers private network with a defined Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the VPN customer and the VPN service provider. A VPN can send data e.g. voice, data or video, or a combination of these media, across secured and encrypted private channels between two points. (Wikipedia, 2007)† The encryption methodology in VPN is an end-to-end system whereby â€Å"the process of taking all the data that one computer is sending to another and encoding it into a form that only the other computer will be able to decode. Most computer encryption systems belong in one of two categories: Symmetric-key encryption and Public-key encryption. A well-designed VPN can greatly benefit a compan y by: Aside from a well-designed VPN, the advantages of implementing and deploying a VPN in an enterprise means â€Å"cost savings because organizations no longer have to use expensive leased or frame relay lines and are able to connect remote users to their corporate networks via a local ISP instead of via expensive 800-number or long distance calls to resource-consuming modem banks. The security provided by VPNs is the highest level of security using advanced encryption and authentication

Sports and Leisure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sports and Leisure - Essay Example There can be concerns among customers or local people over issues of, crime, violence, disorderliness, and general safety in and around leisure or leisure sports sites. Due to the combined efforts of organizations like, Institute of Sport and Leisure Management, The Fitness Industry Association, Sport England and The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management leisure and sports is considered to be a professional industry with highly trained, educated and conscientious individuals. With increase in the quality of professional standard employment in the sports and leisure industry is considered competitive, prestigious as well as fun oriented. This perception has contributed towards drawing in a lot of young people, and towards integration of sports and leisure as part of higher education. It has also lead to the creation of greater employment opportunity, with greater investment in the public sector by both local governmental and private players. Sports England has implemented various schemes for various project objectives successfully. PRIDE is concerned with establishing professionalism in the leisure industry, providing equal employment opportunity to blacks and ethnic minorities. Community Network Alliance is driven towards supporting new organizations within the "community sports network. Social Issues like equality and integration through sports; issues of racism in sport's scenario; social responsibility of Sports (by employing the youth's productively and reducing the rates of drug abuse, juvenile delinquents etc); unequal representation of gender in sports; leisure as a sort of splurge by a consumption driven society and it's environmental implication are some other contemporary and future issues in sports and leisure that have gained momentum. With growing competitiveness and professionalism as well as popularity there have been concerns over the issues of sports governance. An example of this can be found in the campaingn spear headed by an association of football supporters the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) as well as its sister concern, shareholders United (SU),protesting against the projected takeover of Manchester United by BSkyB satellite television company. With increasing consciousness among the people about health and the benefits of exercise, individuals are displaying a proclivity towards fitness and health clubs. Regular exercise like running, leisure and hobby sports has increased. Fitness Industry Association (FIA) is one among the many group of lobbyist who are campaigning for the incorporation of USA type benefits for people joining health clubs. They base their logic on the fact that healthier people mean less spending by the national Health Services. Leisure includes a gamut of activities including sports, leisure trips and tours. Within the frame work of leisure, the direction of issues is multifarious including the analysis of the social and environmental impact of tourism. While conceding that tourism offers great employment avenues and is revenue generating industry there is increasing concerns about its effect on the eco-system and environment. Hence the move is towards sustainable development and eco-tourism. Many individuals and organization have

Leadership Evaluation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Evaluation - Research Paper Example It can also be an increase in the number of new clients to the firm (Dive 2008). The next stage looks at the role of a leader in stirring a company in the right direction in the right industry. It looks at the CEO’s ability to translate the vision of the establishment to all stakeholders and to be able to communicate strategies to his team for implementation (Hughes, Ginnett and Curphy 2012). This category looks at the ability of the CEO to keep all interested parties in the know of the path the company is taking to achievement of goals and objectives (Hughes, Ginnett and Curphy 2012). Understanding the financial position of the firm is important for a leader and hence is checked on in the performance appraisal form. Such an understanding can only happen if the leader is in good terms with the board of governors of the organization (Marques 2007). Understanding the finances helps to reduce chances of misappropriation of funds. Sometimes an external audit helps to shed light on financial matters. It is important that the leader achieves financial goals set by the company annually (Marques 2007). A good relationship with other market players and the Human Resource at the work place is important for a leader to ensure a healthy working environment (Marques 2007). Understanding the products and services a firm produces is something every leader should have knowledge of. Without this knowledge then the whole vision of the company will be lost (Marques 2007). Lastly, there is a check on the personal traits of a leader. This includes moral values of decency, integrity and hard work. Tests on the ability of a leader to solve the conflict between different groups of people in the organization is important and to handle the employees with sensitivity where necessary (Storey 2004). A leader is supposed to mentor his juniors towards achieving their potentials and to groom his protà ©gà © to take over when he leaves. The form has

Much Ad About Nothing Essay Example for Free

Much Ad About Nothing Essay Write about the ways in which Shakespeare presents the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing and compare it with the ways in which relationships are presented in ‘Sonnet 130’, ‘Sonnet 43’ and ‘Salome’. In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare presents an interesting relationship between the characters of Beatrice and Benedick. We can compare their relationships with the poems ‘Sonnet 130’, ‘Sonnet 43’ and ‘Salome’ and the relationships presented in them. Although Shakespeare includes a conventional relationship between Hero and Claudio, he also decides to involve a different affair between Beatrice and Benedick. One of these moments where we can begin to understand their relationship is during the First Meeting. In Act 1 Scene 1, Benedick uses imagery of a bird to mock Beatrice. On line 126, Benedick says to Beatrice â€Å"Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher†. Benedick could be mocking Beatrice by suggesting that she can’t say anything original and only copies what others say, therefore relating to the imagery of a parrot. However, the word ‘rare’ shows that Benedick recognises the unique characteristics of Beatrice and that she is standing out from the crowd, consequently hinting his disguised love for her. Additionally, this quotation also relates to the context of time as women, in those days, could be punished for talking too much. Benedick could be taking advantage of the conventions of time to put Beatrice in her place in their relationship with each other. The parrot imagery can also relate to a poem called Sonnet 130. This is because, in Sonnet 130, the poe t says â€Å"I love to hear her speak, yet well i know, That music hath a far more pleasing sound;†. We can link the first phrase of Sonnet 130 with Benedicks quote of a ‘rare’ parrot-teacher. By including the word rare before the imagery of a bird, suggests that although Beatrice may talk too much, Benedick still enjoys listening to her speak hence relating to Sonnet 130 â€Å"I love to hear her speak†. As well as this, the second line of Sonnet 130 â€Å"that music hath far more a pleasing sound† links to why Benedick uses the imagery of a bird to mock Beatrice in the first place. As he includes the phrase ‘parrot-teacher’, it indicates that even though he enjoys listening to her speak, perhaps as she speaks too much, means that there are better things to  be heard. Overall, within the First Meeting of Beatrice and benedick, Shakespeare begins an interesting relationship causing the audience to be intrigued and persuaded to keep watching. Shakespeare proceeds with their relationship in Scene 1 Act 11 at the Masked Ball. Here, Benedick and Beatrice are presented as hostile towards one another as Benedick is masked, unable to reveal his identity, as Beatrice is basically insulting him while pretending that she doesn’t know who he really is. She says that Benedick will â€Å"break a comparison or two on me, which peradventure not marked, or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy, and then there’s a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night.† She is making the case that benedick is so weak-minded that no one will laugh at his jokes. Then Benedick will be so upset that no one listens to his witty comparisons that he loses his appetite and is unable even to eat a partridge wing, which would be a small meal anyway. But perhaps the idea of consuming food could be changed to create a more interesting insight of Beatrice’s insult. Beatrice could also be saying that Benedick is weak but has lost his appetite not for food but for life because he is regarded so low by his friends. It could also be a reference to Benedick losing his sexual appetite. In Beatrice’s quote, she uses a powerful metaphor to insult Benedick’s manhood. This would be particularly astonishing given the context of time: women were expected to say less than men. However, in this scene Beatrice is particularly outspoken by saying something which is immensely rude; this is completely going against the conventions of time. Beatrice would also be living up to the expectation at the time as women were more sexual than men and would be prone to having affairs and ultimately cuckolding men. We could compare Benedick and Beatrice relationship throughout the Masked Ball with the poem ‘Salome’. Salome presents someone who is confessing to something that they are guilty of. One line says ‘cut out the booze and the fags and the sex.’ This indicates that the person is wanting to lose their appetite for sex whereas within Beatrice’s insult towards Benedick, it refers to a possibility of Benedick losing his sexual appetite without wanting to. Furthermore, we could link when Beatrice says ‘for the fool will eat no supper tonight’ to another quote from Salome: ‘was his head on a platter’. Perhaps when Beatrice says that Benedick will have no supper, she could really mean that he is the supper.

Electronic Manufacturing Services Industry Commerce Essay

Electronic Manufacturing Services Industry Commerce Essay This research discusses Electronic Manufacturing Services industry and providers trends and it is relation to supply chain aspects of electronics industry. The challenges that faced and still facing this industry are discussed in details. Electronic Manufacturing Services industry provides solutions and mechanisms to solve supply chain problems in electronics industry. A case study of Flextronics International Company presented to explain how this industry helps Original Equipment Manufacturer and how it can be a good solution for the major problems and challenges in electronics manufacturing world. Introduction: Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) or Contract Manufacturer (CM) has started their service since 1960, once huge Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) began working with subcontractor in order to achieve more profit and to deal with high demand changes without the needs to new labor and capital. The EMS industry grew up and played a major role in manufacturing processes and technology, also EMS providers have increased their capability, manufacturing flexibility, purchasing power and cost reductions of material used in this industry. Therefore, it has been hard for OEM to cope with high demand changes and manufacturing flexibility beside cost reduction since EMS providers had handle all of those aspects efficiently [1]. From 1970 to 1990, EMS has increased their role and share in global network and supplied a high variety of services such as assembly, prototype, testing, circuit board, material purchase and management, and shipping to the end customer. A huge demand was created due to technological development since 1990; this has obliged OMEs to deal with EMS providers in order to respond more efficiently to product innovation, the shorter life cycles and dynamic changes of demand. EMS providers have facilitated enlargement and development of OEM companies by providing them high flexibility and better control of the variety of new products and demand changes [1]. Outsourcing works better in electronics industry for several reasons. First, the products of most electronics are similar in production process and building methodology. Second, the nature of electronics markets is very dynamic and interacted which push OMEs to deal with EMS. All parts of personal computers and medical appliances are consisted from parts such as capacitors, memory chips, and resistors. The reason that makes the product unique is the method of joining the different parts onto printed circuit board, customization of components and parts, and the programming of the device and its special software. The basic similarity in finished goods makes the EMS to have an easy methodology to divide their apparatus, skills and data, and information to cope with several production orders [2]. Challenges Facing Electronics Industry: The main challenges that faced and still facing this industry and cause it to deal with EMS are: High customization: customers demand is increasing continuously and rapidly. They required the manufacturers to produce vastly customized products quickly and at relatively low cost. This results in very high load and pressure on electronics firms to respond to those highly customized orders with flexible supply chain and low cost [3]. Second challenge is the short life cycle: producers have to manufacture new products that have good price, keep up reasonable profit and keep market share. This will result in too short life cycles of products and will make it more complicated to forecast customer demand. Therefore, manufacturers must be close to customers and must work with retailers and resellers to better understand markets needs and demand [3]. Third challenge is inventory control versus quick declination: the challenging environment in electronics industry requires the manufacturers to produce components at low price with new performance and functionality, to keep high competitiveness. Therefore, using the existing inventory as early as possible is very important to maintain profit [3]. The conflict between supply and demand is the fourth challenge: material is one of the main constrained in electronics industry. Continuous production of new products and redesign of old parts and components are being processed while the prediction of customer demand is very difficult. Therefore, manufacturer must work collaboratively with material suppliers to satisfy demand and at the same time they have to work with retailers to forecast customers demand [3]. The fifth challenge is the high pressure from distributers and retailers to deliver products at the right time and right place. This applies high strain on electronics manufacturers. Thus, good communications and collaboration with retailers and distributers is required to guarantee better delivery and customer satisfaction [3]. EMS Industry Growth and Supply Chain: EMS industry has a major role in supply chain management and components. It is being an important part and partner in electronics manufacturing world. The reasons behind this evolution are as follows: Economical scale: the demand of electronics is increasingly very high, and it depends on product cycle. Therefore, if EMS providers decide to increase capacity to satisfy high customer demand this will lead to excess labor and resources but, they have the ability to shift those excess labor and resources to another OME customer. This means that EMS providers have high flexibility and alternatives to deal with [2]. Main capability: electronics industry witnesses high competition between OEMs thus, looking for customer needs and expectations is very important part to design high competitive products quickly. Thus, the main capability of OME is in new product design and customer satisfaction. By dealing with EMS, electronics OMEs can focus and make more attention on new products design and customer satisfaction [2]. Decreasing materials cost: the huge growth of EMS providers gives them more power and influence of obtaining raw materials. This increased power and size can result in decreasing components costs [2]. Better profit and return on investment: electronics manufacturing overhead cost and capital investment is very high and to pay it back it takes long time. Taking into consideration that the life cycle is short in this industry, it will be very hard to make the decision of investment. Thus, EMS providers can help OEM to take their decision by constructing the whole manufacturing processes and overhead cost which will result in better profit and return on investment [2]. The high pressure of time to market: as we discussed before, the cycle time of the product is too short thus, being at the top in the market is very essential to gain higher profit. EMS providers can supply capacity and expertise required for new products and new design process quickly. Therefore, EMS providers have the ability to bring new products into market quickly and satisfy customers demand [2]. Markets globalization: nowadays, markets are being global and OMEs are struggling to satisfy demands in global markets. EMS providers have the ability to take the advantage of low labor costs in many places in the world. Furthermore, they can supply products at short lead time and decrease supply chain costs locally [2]. EMS Providers Customers: Choosing customers is the most important decision for EMS providers. Since EMS providers are not in the business to make demand, they must be careful and aware about products that have huge market demand in addition to future changes. EMS providers must place themselves in manufacturing areas that enable them to add more value. For instance, most of EMS companies get rid of personal computers assembly processes and they get more involved in medical electronics, servers and cell phones so they can add more value to their manufacturing processes due to the high demand on those electronics areas [2]. Typically, EMS providers have a wide customer found and they are producing a collection of components and products. Consequently, they achieve high production and capacity utilization. EMS is striving to build high diversity of OME customers to gain higher return on their investment and improver utilization. Additionally, by building this wide base, EMS providers can compensate the demand from other customers if one of their customers market has gone down [2]. Another issue for choosing customers is the competitors. Once EMS wants to make contract with a competitor of one of its customers, EMS provider usually ask for permission from his old customer, then he will construct a special production line for this new customer. This behavior leads to construct EMS industry that has ethical base and reliable attitude. Furthermore, the maturity of EMS industry will lead to high competition within electronics industry and small OEMs have the ability to grow up within short period into big company through dealing with EMS providers and taking the advantage of their supply chain capabilities [2]. EMS Industry and Supply Chain Management: Ever more, EMS providers are not only produce components and provide services but they are also being a major part of supply chain solutions to OME manufacturers. Supply chain roles consist of product manufacturing and design, shipping and delivery to end users, demand forecast and expectations, suppliers management and interaction [2]. Demand forecast and expectations of EMS depends basically on OEM orders. EMS providers are trying to produce all orders of OME companies. OME provides demand for long and short term periods and EMS uses the short term for material purchasing. Long term demand is used typically fort capacity requirements planning and material forecasting. The demand is very dynamic, so the long term demand may change and the OME can amend this demand based on its contract with EMS. Sometimes, if EMS provider not able to deliver the planned quantity it may get penalized; therefore, EMS starts to build its own skilled expertise and procedures to work on demand forecasting with OEMs in order to protect itself from penalization [2]. Shipping and delivery to end users is being a service that many EMS providers may provide. EMS providers have started to provide entire supply chain solutions. They started shipping the products to OEMs customers and end users. This results in add more value to EMS providers and to solve shipping issues that may face OEM companies. Transportation costs may be very high and OEMs want to make the assembly process close to their end users. EMS has increased its global existence to be very close to the end users markets. Building their factories close to the end users enables them to decrease lead time and decrease shipping costs to the end customers [2]. In order to manufacture and design new products, EMS should expand its capacity. When OEMs outsource more and more of their works to EMS, then, filling the capacity will be not hard. The main challenge of building the capacity and the time of this building is the short life cycle of electronics products. Thus, EMS providers should be careful when to build the capacity required and should be aware how to combine and integrate all facilities and capacities of all customers to achieve higher utilization [2]. Electronic Commerce and EMS: Recently, EMS providers are using electronic commerce in their supply chain management strategies. The aims of using this tool are to accelerate purchasing process time, to automate purchasing process and to decrease overhead cost. Therefore, the supply chain will be more efficient and overall cost will be minimized. In addition, the application of electronic commerce enlarges the supplier foundation for EMS providers and affects global sourcing positively. Another main fact is, sharing the information between OEMs, EMS, suppliers, and end customers will be very important to integrate supply chain parties and will lead to success of EMS industry [2]. Challenges Facing EMS Industry: First challenge is managing inventory level, which is very hard issue for EMS providers. Presently, studies show that the typical minimum level of the inventory is about 2 weeks. Determining the level of inventory depends on accuracy of demand forecast from OEM and the ability of suppliers to respond to this forecast [2]. The accuracy of demand forecast is very important and depends mainly on OEM. EMS and OEM agree on specific mechanism to capture customers needs. For example, OEM may provide one month demand and four months forecast. Based on this agreement, OEM will add one more month at the beginning of each month besides providing actual demand for the coming month. Consequently, this kind of agreements will help to better control inventory level [2]. Ability of the supplier to respond to the new demands and forecast is a major factor to help EMS controlling inventory issues. Responsiveness of supplier depends on lead time, capacity available, and safety stock level. Some suppliers choose to build additional capacity to be able to refill EMS orders within couple of days for example. EMS should provide bonus for such suppliers [2]. EMS usually has many customers, this means that EMS should pool inventory for those customers. Furthermore, suppliers of EMS industry will face the same issue and they should manage their inventory to face the problem of pooling [2]. Demand uncertainty is a big challenge in EMS industry thus, the owning the inventory is subjected to high risk. Unsurprisingly, no one wants to take the risk and own the inventory. Suppose that the supplier owns the inventory, this may lead EMS to set a high inventory level. Without a doubt, setting the optimal inventory level is very hard and taking the risk of inventory ownership needs more and more study and analysis [2]. The second challenge is risk sharing in electronics industry. EMS providers have, due to their position, the ability to relocate risks to suppliers or OEM as much as they can. Their special position in electronics industry supply chain allow them spread and share the risks of demand ambiguity and capacity investments with suppliers or OEM customers or both of them. Consequently, EMS could reduce risks through supply chain relation [2]. EMS Industry and Information System: In recent times, Make-to-Order (MTO) strategy is being more efficient in electronics industry to control demand uncertainty and short product life cycle. MTO needs more sophisticated information system tools to control and manage the complicated supply chain. Electronic commerce ability must be improved and used in this industry. Another challenge to EMS information systems is to design for manufacturing product and process. The ability of prediction and innovation of new designs necessitates EMS to continuously improve its knowledge base and information system tools [2]. Flextronics Case Study: Flextronics International is EMS provider registered as Singapore Company and based in San Jose. It was founded in 1969 and from 1994 to 1998 it expanded and gained high growth in several regions. The companys annual revenue has grown to $5.74 billion for fiscal 2000 ended March 31 from $640 million in fiscal 1997 [4]. Flextronics has been among the five largest EMS providers in the US since 1997 [5]. The company is implementing the principle of Industry Park or Campus. It built low cost production campuses in North and South America, Asia and Europe where major customers exist in. Every property or campus is prepared with high manufacturing equipments and technologies, engineering staff and services, and plastics skilled expertise. Flextronics has expanded its service area by being close to suppliers of its material needs such as molding of plastic, chips and microchips packaging, and product allocation at its campus in Guadalajara-Mexico, Sarvar-Hungary, and Doumen- China. The strategy of Flextronics enables its suppliers to rent areas close to campuses which help them to supply materials easily and build their own foundation. Flextronics is considered currently as a leader in responsiveness, speed, and flexibility in EMS providers world [2]. The company has strength points in many areas such as product quality, purchasing capability, and customers base. It is manufacturing many products in different areas such as computers, communications, and medical equipments. The company provides its customers high degree of product and mass customizations, flexibility of production and design, superior supply chain management, efficient logistical issues and decreased time to market. Flextronics has located its business in all markets to control cyclical changes of each industry, thus rising consistency and steadiness, and improving quality. Consequently, provide the ability to OEM customers to decrease production and shipping costs and at the same time Flextronics growing up its customer foundation [2]. The high diversity of services and flexibility offered by Flextronics resulted in new contracts and awards from international OEMs like IBM, Microsoft, Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola. Flextronics has boosted its presence in Europe by purchasing Dii Group in 2000 for $2.4 billion and in the same year, the company has achieved a huge step by signing a contract with Motorola Company for $10 billion. By signing this contract, Flextronics was planning to produce cellular phones, pagers, and other wireless devices for Motorola Company by the end of 2005. Flextronics became the major EMS provider for Motorola business. The expected value of this alliance is about $30 billion [6]. Product Portfolio and Customer Base: Flextronics has broad customer base as mentioned before. The company chooses its suppliers and customers carefully. Flextronics focuses on telecommunications products and servers. Figure 1 shows the product market mix of the company in 2000. Comparing those numbers with numbers in 1998, for example, the results shows that consumer electronics products share decreased from 10% to 8%, whereas computer products increased from 15% to 27%, and medical and others increased from 5% to 12% [5, 7]. Figure 1: Percentage of Product Market Mix of Flextronics International Ltd [2]. Flextronics Supply Chain Strategy and Challenges: Flextronics has transformed from seller to manufacturer and EMS provider. The company chooses it suppliers carefully based on performance and trust. Meeting the demand and forecast is very important as a measure of performance. Strategy of Flextronics is to deal with wide range of suppliers and makes acceptable profit without have narrow range of suppliers [2]. Flextronics wants to supply production schedules to customers. However, the company usually uses short term demand because it believes that the long term forecast is not accurate. Furthermore, the company has its own engineers that are responsible for demand forecast [2]. The company uses Kanban system in its manufacturing factories with limited buffers at each stage. Using MTO strategy, the company doesnt own finished goods warehouse. Singapore warehouse carries on about two days of inventory from each supplier, and then ships them twice a day to the site in Malaysia. Flextronics is the owner of this warehouse and pays for inward shipping. The company wants its suppliers to have about two weeks of inventory if possible, but this is not committed inventory because it knows that its suppliers have other customers [2]. Its very rare to ship components to the production location from every region in the world. Therefore, Flextronics has come up with the model of Industrial Park to solve logistical issues that face supply chain. This strategy enables all of the suppliers to be close or in the same region of the company campus. Furthermore, geographical boundaries can be eliminated, keep away from import and export limitations, and minimize logistical difficulties for distribution [2]. Flextronics Information System: The complicated nature, short life cycle and demand uncertainty results in the need for complicated information system to deal with all aspects in electronics industry. It is common for EMS providers to build software solutions to enable them to track their demand, production processes and inventory control. During 1999, Flextronics use to upgrade its electronic commerce ability using some new software programs. The software allows buyers or purchasing managers to use the Internet to view customer orders and demands. A number of Flextronics major customers have their own websites to post their new orders. The company looking forward to enable suppliers in close future to view and respond to orders too. In addition, Flextronics has web-based tool for OEMs and they can log in the website to view important information about the products being produced on production line and related quality data, engineering observations, production rates, and failure rates [2]. Conclusion: EMS providers are being an essential part of electronics supply chain industry. Electronic industry is very complicated and has many challenges and obstacles. Short product life cycle, uncertainty of demand, inventory problems and capacity and lead time constraints are being solved through contracting and dealing with EMS providers. EMS industry integrates supply chain and increases capacity utilization. Furthermore, it can share industry risks with OEM and suppliers. The growth of this industry is increasing since it offers several services, manufacturing solutions, supply chain flexibility, reduced materials costs and proximity to raw materials suppliers.

Discrimination laws: An analysis

Discrimination laws: An analysis What are the strengths and weaknesses of the law relating to either race discrimination, sex discrimination or disability discrimination? Relating to disability discrimination: Disability discrimination is legally prohibited and controlled in the UK via two main statutory instruments, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) (previously the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) Act 1999. Further legislation extends the scope of coverage; for example, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 providing children equal access to education regardless of their ‘ability’. The main aims of these legislative pieces is to effectively end discrimination towards disabled people and provide them an egalitarianism in society mainly reflected through equal rights in employment; access to goods, services, facilities, products and places; buying, selling and renting land and/or properties and to maximize ease of use of the public transport system (to be implemented by the government). The law in this area remains rather unclear, however, despite the limited and rather straightforward statutory coverage p rovided. This opacity has generated a collection of strengths and weaknesses in the law relating specifically to disability discrimination, some of which will be discussed and explored below. These strengths and weaknesses demonstrate how the law is virtually ineffective in attacking such a concept as discrimination because of enforceability. For the purposes of this essay, focus will reside with anti-discrimination in employment. The greatest weakness in the law in relation to disability discrimination is, as touched upon above, it’s recondite ness. The legislation suffers from the proof problem, qualifying for protection under the Acts. How is a does one define who is and who is not disabled? What is and what is not discrimination? How can you be sure you are being discriminated against as these tests are all a matter of perception, excepting of course when there is clear-cut objective discrimination like a dismissal or non-accommodation of physical ability (Corker, 1999). With regard to defining who is and who is not disabled the DDA states: those who have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities are disabled (DDA 1995 s1.1). The DDA was further extended on April 7th 2005 to include those with some mental illnesses and those suffering from cancer, HIV and MS (multiple sclerosis), yet it did not encapsulate th ose suffering from depression. The reason given by the Commons for this exclusion was because the illness was re-occurring rather than fundamentally long-term and the DDA only covers those illnesses which are long-term (BBC 2005). Depression may be a severely debilitating disorder and much research has attributed depression with biological roots, therefore being an effect of a physical long-term disability which merely manifests sporadically. Yet the purpose of the DDA, to render those with disabilities equally amongst society by removing the constraints their disability places on them, is lost with depressed persons. Many argue however, that a line must be drawn somewhere in order to prevent the floodgates from opening and every even minor disability, from scraped knees to headaches, to fall subject to the anti-discrimination legislation.   This lack of definition within definition is supplemented with a series of guidance notes, issued by the DRC, on interpreting the various terms. Yet, as would be perceived, these notes are merely guidance and not fundamental law and therefore have no enforceable effect. Only a judge could make the decisions as to whether or not a person qualifies as disabled. To activate the process of filing and issuing proceedings, paying court fees and actually going to court while waiting for a potentially adverse outcome is not a walk in the park. Of course this is all providing the perpetrator is difficult. This discrepancy between legal theory and practical application is an obvious flaw in the anti-discrimination regulation and will be touched upon again later. The greatest strength in the law relating to discrimination is its generation of awareness. A simple effect, but a nonetheless extremely important one. Awareness is the first step in a winning battle against discriminating, changing the mind-set of the population en masse. Employers are focused on accommodating the disabled, businesses think more about how effective a disabled person remains. Colleagues are alerted to the fact that a disabled person functions equally well as one who is fully abled if given the right environmental conditions. Yet this legislation may also suffer from institutionalization. When a person is diagnosed as being depressed, checked into an institute and treated by all being depressed then the disorder is perpetuated. On a simpler note, a child who is told they are mentally slow at a young age may begin to live up to that expectation, having been ‘institutionalized’ into stupidity (Cohen, 2002). With physical disabilities this concept applies le ss but with mental disorders it may have some side effects. Further, even with physical disabilities, many disabled persons attempt to integrate themselves into society as much as possible. This legislation, when implemented as intended may instead cause it to be more difficult for the person to move beyond their ‘pigeon-holing’.  Ã‚   A further strength in the law regarding disability discrimination is the provisions it makes for those who defend the disabled. It falls under the term victimisation in the statute and covers both disabled and able people who have either provided evidence or information in a case of discrimination or brought proceedings of discrimination under the DDA, regardless of whether these proceedings were followed through or not (Corker, 1999 and Halsburys, 2005). This applies particularly in the scope of employment, where colleagues may become involved. This provision enhances fair justice as the witness, in this instance the colleague, will know they are protected from being discriminated from by statute and can speak up.   However. The case is never that straightforward. A fundamental weakness with this facet is also the proof problem. What is discrimination, who is being discriminated, who is disabled and so on. Further, a point must be made on the incompatibility (often) between theory and practice. It is fine for a business to change the working area of a disabled person, allowing them greater benefits than other workers, but it doesn’t often follow that the abled workers will not continue to socially discriminate against those who are disabled who are now, due to the anti-discrimination legislation even bigger targets through their labeled, identification parade like treatment. Students suffering from dyslexia often receive special treatment through time extensions during exams and even the possibility to take exams on a computer versus writing. Many have argued that this should be abolished as ultimately they will have learned the same amount than others and just because they have a learnin g disability does not mean that they should receive special treatment over others, especially not those who are of lower than average intelligence. Ultimately could this also not be classed as a disability? Conceptually the anti-discrimination regulations would work well to enhance egalitarianism but how individual people react to it, thereby shaping the environment in which we work, is questionable. The silent treatment, passing work on to others, not being invited to travel and to particular meetings can all feel like discrimination but an abled person can equally be passed over due to lower performance ratings (Butler and Drakeford, 2003). How to find the link between corporate behaviour and discrimination is a problem. The behaviour is also often a matter of perception and some people may be more sensitive than others, reading everything against a backdrop of disability.  Ã‚   The anti-discrimination legislation has another side to it too. The party who is to accommodate the disabled and implement the regulations. This area of law is effective in so far as it clearly lays out for an employer, or other persons who interact with disabled people, what it is that they must do to comply. It also imposes limitations. Employers with 20 or less employees do not need to comply (DDA 1995 s7.1). This prevents the regulation from causing a financial hindrance to those businesses which are smaller and potentially therefore generate less turnover. This is important so as not to become a cause of possible financial and economical ruin. There is a fine balance to be met between protecting the discriminated and imposing rules on the discriminator.   Acceptance and equality within society are fundamental facets, and at that perhaps even the most important ones, that define and shape our society (here in the UK) yet capitalism, consumerism, competition and entrepreneurship ultimately generate the economical and fiscal foundations upon which our high standard of living is based. The weaknesses this area of law experiences are perhaps rather just reflections of a balancing act, attempting to maintain the core backdrop to our standard of life while dabbling at moving the concept of total egalitarianism from ideology to reality. References: BBC, April 7 2005. Peers back down on Disability Law. London: BBC News.   Berlins, M. and Dyer, C. (1994) The Law Machine (4th Edition). Harmondsworth: Penguin.   Butler, I. and Drakeford, M. (2003) Social Policy, Social Welfare and Scandal. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Cohen, S. (2002) Folk Devils and Moral Panics (3rd Edition). London: Routledge. Corker, M. (1999). The UK Disability Discrimination Act – disabling language, justifying inequitable   social participation. In Silvers, A. and Francis, L. (2000). 10th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities. New York: Routledge. Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Queens Printer of Act of Parliament (internet version). The Stationery Office Limited (hardcopy). London. Halsburys Laws: Disability Discrimination. Butterworths Legal Series, 2005. www.butterworths.co.uk/halsburys Slapper, G. and Kelly, D. (2003) The English Legal System (6th Edition). London: Cavendish. Smith, O. (2000) Challenging the Closed Class Concept of Disability under Disability Discrimination Legislation. Liverpool: University of Liverpool, School of Law

The Writing of Arab Female Novelists :: Culture Cultural

The Writing of Arab Female Novelists The Story of Arab women novelists reflects, in many ways, the story of most women in different disciplines: it is the story of abundant creativity with very few rights or sometimes no rights at all. It is the story of a group of women who were absented from the literary scene simply because their creativity and attitudes proved to be different from men's, who were and still are, the "mainstream" and the only arbiters who decide what is literally valuable and what is not. It is a story that went on unnoticed for a hundred years because, as men related it, there was only one version of the official history of Arabic literature.' In the recent half-century, Arab woman writers have acquired a distinctive position in the field of literature, with an impressive richness, diversity and creativity in their writing. Woman novelists lead the reign of storytelling now just as they did right at the beginning. 'The first Arab novel was written by a woman, fifteen years before any Arab man tried his hand at this literary genre. Hush al Awaqib, by Zaynab Fawaz, was published in 1899.' For them, storytelling was a way of self-expression, and individualism. The intention is not to imply that it is gender difference itself that determines the nature of literary creation, on the contrary, it underscores differences in experience, differences that are manifested in literature. But it is often viewed that "individualistic" works by many woman writers can be read as feminist in the context of Arab culture. This culture denotes that values such as collective ethnic and religious identity conformity behaviors are caught up in the power structure. Therefore, feminism is also institutionalized in these values. Other criticisms in regard to women's novels are that they their works were merely an extension of their bodies, that the heroines in the text are representatives of themselves. Another criticism was that the subjects and issues the women writers dealt with could not possibly be of any public interest due to the fact that the majority of the works were about love, family and children and reflected the restricted world they lived in. Even other women critics dissociated themselves with women's works and concentrated on the works of men instead. But the truth is that not only were women the first to write novels in Arabic, they were also the first to deal with major issues, even before men addressed them. Also, evidence from works such as Liyana Badr's A Balcony of the Fakhani demonstrate beyond any doubt that Arab women novelists were intensely involved in the social and political concerns of

Reading and Writing Skills Essay -- Teaching Writing Education Essays

Reading and Writing Skills I remember when I started kindergarten. It was August 27, 1990. I’m still a little angry about that day because it was my fifth birthday and I still remember that I didn’t get to wear a crown on that day like the rest of my classmates did on their birthdays. I guess I didn’t get to wear the crown because it was the first day of school. But besides that, kindergarten was a really great year. In the mornings we’d go around the classroom to different stations and play different games, then we’d go to P.E., then lunch, and finally nap time. That was the year I learned how to count to one thousand. My teacher Mrs. Collins would sit with us and we’d count every morning. And every morning we’d count a little higher. She would also read to us. I don’t remember what we read but it was a great source of entertainment for me and I remember being very interested in what we were reading. I believe that that was what kept me interested i n reading series books when I was younger. Everything I chose to read from then on kept me interested and made me want to read more. That’s how my first year of grade school went. In first grade I learned how to read and write. My inspiration that year was my teacher Mrs. Garza. I remember thinking that she was the prettiest lady I had ever met (besides my mom) and I did everything I could to try to impress her. There were two different reading groups in my class. The better readers were the cardinals and all of the others were the robins. I was a cardinal. Mrs. Garza would sit with us and we’d read different stories and that was how we improved. I was definitely an over-achiever back then when it came to school. Reading was so interesting to me. .. ... greatest moment of achievement so far in life is graduating high school. There were days in high school that I didn’t know what my future held because I found many obstacles and didn’t know how I was going to overcome them. The greatest part about that was that despite how hard my work got and how much I hated reading and writing what was assigned, I still enjoyed reading what I liked in my free time and playing the piano. I also journaled. All of these things were a big part of my growing up in high school. I know that as I go through college I am going to reach many obstacles that arise. Already in my third week, I have had to read things that I’ve hated reading and I’ve had to put my opinions aside and do what is expected of me. I hope to expand my reading and writing skills as I continue to get an education and I hope to do what my teachers expect of me.

National Discipline Awardee Essay

â€Å"A person is not measured by his accomplishments or possessions, but how he deals with people and how deep his relationship with God is. † Young as I am, I have been taught by my God fearing parents to value everything – big or small – that we have. I am not from a prestigious clan or a well-off family but I feel privileged because I was able to see life more meaningful and worth living. It’s all because of my loved-ones that keeps me going. Amid the crucial days that come my way, I would be standing there because I believe that tests won’t be given to me if I cannot surpass them. Being chosen as a National Discipline Awardee is another challenge for me. Challenge because I have to prove everybody that I deserve that award. Nevertheless, they would probably look at me with their eyes stick on everything that I will do and on decisions that I will make. But, I don’t mind them. I have nothing to do. I just have to be myself. I don’t have to be somebody else just to please everybody. I am confident that what I have right now is the fruit of what my parents taught me ever since childhood. The virtues that they implanted in my heart helped me a lot in achieving my goals and dreams. And now, it’s my turn to give them something that they can be proud of. This award would definitely give them so much joy. And as for me, it’s indeed an honor. But I know, it doesn’t stop there, it is better if I could share something for our society especially for the youth. I have often wondered how some of our youth today were greatly influenced by the modern trend. Some lives have gone astray and dreams of a good future vanished. All because of the bad vices that they have been practicing which they learned from the BAD influences in our environment. My heart bleeds every time I will see parents working so hard just to give their child all the things they need. Yet, their deeds often neglected. I guess, what is lacking, is the discipline in our youth sector. Our teachers never failed to remind us that resorting to drugs, alcohol, premarital sex and other form of vices is an immoral act or habit. And this will definitely ruin their lives and bring nothing but trouble. So instead of doing so, I learned to respect y God-given life, and nurture the talents that I have. â€Å"Discipline† of the youth, is what we need, and that is being pure in thoughts, in words and in deeds. It has been said that you may whatever you resolve to be. You must be determined to be something in the world, and you will be someone or something. â€Å"I cannot† never accomplished anything. â€Å"I’ll try† has wrought wonders. Opportunities – that would direct my lives, trials – that would teach me lessons, and decision-making – where I can apply all lessons I’ve learned from my daily experiences, will always be just around the corner, playing a vital part in my personal life. But what really matters, is that I know I have this determination and will to overcome difficulties and hardships. I may not be from a well-off family nor has deformity in my physical aspect; I believe I would never get tired of trying and trying again. For it is only in the minds of my detractors that I can’t do it. Failure is not a hindrance for me to stop believing and dreaming rather I make it an inspiration for me to try and strive my best even more and have enough perseverance to attain success. Lastly, I learned to think less of myself. I found out that there should be selflessness and diminish in my heart selfishness. For I believe that it is only through selfless love that I can find true happiness. Reaching out for others especially in the needs of time and sacrificing my personal advantages or desires for the good of the masses gives me fulfillment in my heart. Sharing my time, talents as well as blessings with my brothers and sisters is the best way to say â€Å"Thank you† to God. Above all this, I would like to put emphasis that being a good role model for my fellow youth is simply what I can do to make this country a better place to live in.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey Essay

Throughout history, the struggle of women to gain and sustain power in society has proven to be difficult, and has coexisted with a rivalry against the opposite sex. Women have been denied many throughout the course of history. They have been discriminated against, lost jobs, lost privileges. Women’s suffrage had not developed in the United States until the Nineteenth Amendment, which became effective in time to allow the voting by women nationally in the Presidential election of August 18, 1920. Stereotypical views of the ideal features of women are femininity, maternity, gentility, care, nurture, and dependency. Not matriarchy, independence, nor strength. Women are not generally associated with these traits, and society generally expects women to posses the assumed feminine characteristics. This is not the case in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, in which Ken Kesey shows a woman can hold a dominating, powerful role in society and be contrary to the stereotypical woman figure to depict the validity of the society’s views about women and their roles using the failure of the matriarchal female character to succeed at her role assumed by her occupation. The matriarchal female, Mildred Big Nurse Ratched, gains control over her realm in the mental hospital, but fails to fulfill her duties as a nurse of healing or helping her patients. The sexist description of her physical appearance provided by her patients are those typically associated with women, however, she completely contradicts the typical female. She is a matriarchal figure, not maternal. She is powerful, not dependent. And she manipulates complete power over the staff and patients of the hospital. However, her matriarchy does not fulfill her duties assumed by her occupation; to heal and help the patients. Instead, she worsens the situation by diminishing their strengths and exposing their weaknesses; which she does to gain control in a way which appeals to her senses. Big Nurse, or Mildred Ratched, attempts, and succeeds, to create her own world within the confines of the ward; one where she is completely in charge of all her subjects. This depicts her strong matriarchal role. Her desire to gain complete control over her environment uses several strategical moves.  After convincing her patients to confess their personal secrets, Ratched is understood by the patients to use the disadvantages of her patients to her own advantage in her accomplishment of gaining absolute power. Nurse Ratched is able to â€Å"smell out† the fear of her patients and â€Å"put it to use† (17) As the novel progresses, we also learn that Ratched’s powers within the ward extend to ludicrous measures as she is able to order harming of the relatively disruptive patients, which contributes to her extensive amount of power withing the ward. In numerous important scenes, we learn the extent of her power to prevent noisome independence: she can, in additio n to all the little arts of prodding the guilty recesses of her â€Å"patients'† consciences, order electric shock, even lobotomize the recalcitrant or merely disruptive patient. (Boardman ) She achieves control over the ward, as her patients, aware of her power, obey willingly or unwillingly. Mac, a patient at the hospital, promises to bug the nurse â€Å"till she comes apart at those neat little seams† (12). However, he learns that he can be institutionalized as long as the nurse sees fit. He immediately becomes cagey, satisfying, temporarily at least (Boardman)Nurse Ratched is able to establish complete control in the ward, and her patients recognize her ability maintain total control; a type of control that is parallel to a monarchy. In her own realm, Ratched is viewed as a very powerful individual, and the patients start to abide by her rules. Harding, a patient, explains, â€Å"‘We are victims of a matriarchy here, my friend, and the doctor is just as helpless against it as we are'† (54). This sentence is remarkably significant. It accredits the nurse as a dominant character in the hospital, and it also establishes the idea that the patients are not the only ones controlled by her, but the doctors as well. At times, Ratched refers to the sexuality of the men in the institute, making them inferior because of their inabilities. Ratched’s strength, and matriarchial character as a woman directly contradict the assumed characteristics associated with women; those of femininity and gentility. This contradiction is established in a way many by critics that look at the surface of the topic as a sexist description. In multiple occurrences throughout the progression of the novel, Ratched’s female characteristics are exaggeratively described by the patients such as McMurphy. McMurphy describes Ratched as having too red lipstick and the too  big boobs. (43) and as a a bitch and a buzzard and a ballcutter. Therefore, Ratched directly opposes the traditional gentle view of women as a matriarch but is given over-exaggerated female characteristics. Kesey’s purpose in creating this contrast between a stereotypical woman and and an ideal woman that is independent and strong is to establish the unsuccessful attempt at triumph of the ideal strong woman. The unsuccessful attempts of Ratched are depicted by her failure to meet the assumed role of being a nurse that consists of helping and healing her patients. Instead of helping, Ratched proceeds to make the state and situation of her patients worse and worse as she puts them down about their inabilities and maintains total control over them. Ratched is even viewed as evil. McMurphy explains, No, that nurse ain’t some kinda monster chicken, buddy, what she is is a ball-cutter. I’ve seen a thousand of ’em, old and young, men and women. Seen ’em all over the country and in the homes–people who try to make you weak so that they can get you to toe the line, to follow their rules, to live like they want you to. †¦ If you’re up against a guy who wants to win by making you weaker instead of making himself stronger, then watch for his knee, he’s gonna go for your vitals. And that’s what that old buzzard is doing. (58) McMurphy also refers to Ratched as impregnable and this sets her apart from the typical view of a female and the clichà ©d mother/whore dichotomy (Quinn) is established in the novel. There is an ambiguity that arises in the course of the novel, and the established dichotomy discussed by Quinn is expanded with a comparison of the two parts; the matriarch and the whore. Whereas Ratched uses power and control to accomplish her role of care and fails, the two whores introduced by McMurphy gain the trust and sympathy of the reader. They are viewed positively and as kind hearted by the patients in the institution. An excellent comparison captures the perception of the two figures; Strong women are evil and emasculating (Quinn) and The women viewed positively in the novel are the kind-hearted whores whom Mac introduces to the men and the sympathetic and very tiny Japanese nurse who works on the Disturbed ward. (Quinn) Through this direct comparison of the strong woman that is apart from a typical figure and the stereotypical woman that performers an act  directly associated with women, one can see that the typical woman is able to do what the other cannot; gain the affection of the male. While Ratched hides her female characteristics by wearing a white coat, the whores display their female attributes, and gain a positive view from the society made up of the hospital. McMurphy’s prior comment of Ratched being impregnable is linked to this comparison, since sexuality is a trait apparently missing from Ratched. Ken Kesey depicts the failure of a non-typical female figure to accomplish her goals as a dominating powerful figure by describing Ratched as evil, and comparing her to whores, who are viewed as kind hearted. This defiant comparison is uncommon since typically whores are viewed as a malignant part of society and nurses are viewed as purgatory. As a complete opposite, the whores are able to help amend the feelings of the patients, whereas Nurse Ratched fails miserably to accomplish her duty and even worsens the situation of her patients. Through the development of the female characters in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Kesey is able to convince the reader that the stereotypical woman is able to successfully help society, while the unusual matriarchal female is unable to fulfill her duties by gaining control and exercising domination. Works Cited (MLA Format)Boardman, Michael M. â€Å"One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest: Rhetoric and Vision.† Journal of Narrative Technique 9. No. 3. Fall 1979.: 171-83. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Quinn, Laura. Moby Dick vs. Big Nurse: A Feminist Defense of a Misogynist Text: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints. Ed. Nicholas J. Karolides. Lee Burress. John M. Kean. Scarecrow Press, 1993: 398-413. Rpt. in Novels for Students. Vol. 2. Zubizarreta, John. â€Å"The Disparity of Point of View in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.† Literature/Film Quarterly 22. No 1. 1994: 62-9. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism.