Hmv Uk 7ps - 1085 Words

[pic] Westminster International College Module Title: International Economics Programme: BABS Semester: Four Academic Year Period: October 2012 - January 2013 Lecturer: Dr. Kui Juan Tiang Date of Completion and Submission: 17 December 2012 Submission Method: Online via turnitin Assessment Type: An individual type-written assignment Assignment Question: The attached article discussed the risks and rewards of China going global. Critically analyse China’s international expansion. Also recommend what China can do to generate further economic growth for both its local economy and discuss how this can contribute to the global economic growth. Reference The International Economy Publications, Inc., 2011.†¦show more content†¦Examples of plagiarism are: †¢ the verbatim copying of another person’s work without acknowledgement †¢ the close paraphrasing of another person’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation without acknowledgement †¢ the unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another person’s work and/or the presentation of another person’s idea(s) as one’s own. Copying or close paraphrasing with occasional acknowledgement of the source may also be deemed to be plagiarism if the absence of quotation marks implies that the phraseology is the student’s own. Plagiarised work may belong to another student or be from a published source such as a book, report, journal or material available on the internet. Harvard Referencing The structure of a citation under the Harvard referencing system is the author s surname, year of publication, and page number or range, in parentheses, as illustrated in the Smith example near the top of this article. †¢ The page number or page range is omitted if the entire work is cited. The author s surname is omitted if it appears in the text. Thus we may say: Jones (2001) revolutionized the field of trauma surgery. †¢ Two or three authors are cited using and or : (Deane, Smith, and Jones, 1991) or (Deane, Smith Jones, 1991). More than three authors are cited using et al.Show MoreRelatedMarketing Management Question on Hmv- London School of Commerce1670 Words   |  7 Pages--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description of Assessment Requirements You have joined HMV’s marketing department in the UK and have been asked to recommend a marketing plan for HMV to ensure continued growth in the future. You should think about new ways in which HMV can distribute  music  and create alternative revenue streams. You have agreed the plan will include: * An audit of the marketing environment; * This will includeRead MoreAnalysis of HMV3085 Words   |  13 PagesSEGMENTATION AND 7PS OF HMV. INTRODUCTION: The largest retail entertainment chain in Britain is HMV of its kind. What that mean is HMV is the leader in retail entertainment in Britain with over 150 retail stores within the country and more than 600 stores worldwide. Employing more than 13000 people it makes nearly 2 billion of revenue each year. HMV mainly specialises on music CDs and DVDs, books, games, gadgets, video games, movies, technology, fashion, magazine etc. Presently HMV is one of the largestRead MoreHmv Market Environment2711 Words   |  11 Pagesmarketing audit on HMV which is a UK based international entertainment retail chain. It is listed on the stock exchange and earns millions from selling entertainment to countries around the world. THE MARKETING ENVIRONMENT This consists of both Macro and Micro forces which are not fully controllable by the business. These external influences can be kept under certain limits of control by identifying and monitoring these forces that are relevant to the business. This is how HMV can keep control.

The Art of Persuassion Essay - 1470 Words

The textbook Persuasion in Society defines framing as â€Å"a number of possible ways of seeing something, while it defines reframing as a way of seeing something differently; in effect changing its meaning†. (Simons Jones p.179) Essentially these definitions boil down to perspective. How things are framed are simply what perspective they are shown in or which they are intended to be shown in. Reframing simply means that the perspective changes and adjustments are made on the fly. These concepts were applied in our class in some of the videos and movies we observed. For example, the video we observed on Republicans v. Democrats and how they frame certain language to be beneficial to their respective party and campaigns. Certain trigger words†¦show more content†¦They have to reframe the entire story when his character gets himself killed, reframing it to the somber homecoming for the lost life of a soldier. The final reframing in the movie is when Dustin Hoffman’s character demands credit for the entire operation and is killed off, but his death is framed as a heart attack by the pool. 2. Throughout the semester I feel as if you were trying to persuade us of multiple things using multiple different methods. Firstly and most importantly, you persuaded us to come to class even though you did not enforce the attendance policy. You accomplished this by giving quizzes on almost every class day. By giving quizzes even though we could miss as many days as we wanted, our grades were still being affected by not attending. In some ways, although you did not enforce an attendance policy, the policy you did have in place affected our grade more than the standard attendance policy. By not attending classes, not only did we receive a zero on the quiz for the day, but we would also miss out on the discussion for the day, which in turn would affect us on the midterm or the final. By the same token, you also persuaded us to actually read the book. Many kids, including myself will just skim the chapter, but by asking us specific questions and testing us on every night we read, you ensured we actually read and understood what weShow MoreRelatedThe Art of Persuassion and Speeches Essay1089 Words   |  5 Pagespart of a series of malicious activities. In speeches created and presented by Malcolm X you will find similar manipulation and persuasion tactics to have been used. History has been filled with people who practice to master the intricate art of persuasion. The art of persuasion is a skill that not everyone has, however,the â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech by Martin Luther King Jr. and â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† speech by Malcolm X; both exert great use of the skill, and many similar practices were used byRead MoreThe Media Helps to Construct National Identity and Loyal National Subjects. Discuss.3186 Words   |  13 Pagesand symbols can be perceived as a strategy of engagement where Singaporeans, especially the politically less-informed, would be incited to participate by internalizing the sights and sounds of ‘nationhood’. ( Ministry of Information Communication and Arts, 2000) National Rally Thirdly, the National Day Rally would be held after the National Day parade and when all the hype has die down. The media is then used to rationalize the rule of the party and often provide additional benefits for SingaporeansRead MoreMcdonald Marketing of Service12670 Words   |  51 Pageslifestyle or personality characteristics (Kotler et al. 2008, 235). In this segmentation,McDonald’smainly targets children as believers like them based on VALS type (Belivers 2012), will go through the buying process (Kotler et al. 2008, 438) until the persuassion stage and influence their parents in their buying decision. For instance, after the attracted stage of â€Å"Happy Meal† toys. Moreover, according to Roy Morgan Value Segments, family and children, as well as health conscious consumers are categorised

Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins free essay sample

Book Review: Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins Dr. David Traverzo Christian Ethics Gregory A. Keels 02/13/2012 Doing Christian Ethics from the margins is all about helping people explore the ethical issues of the marginalized. This book reveals as to how people who live in the margins of society deal with ethics. Also this book reveals how the same marginalized people worldview is different from the dominate culture who is not apart of the marginalized. This book is divided into four sessions, the first section dealing with theory while the last three gives specific case studies to the theory. The first session titled Ethical Theory deals with how Christian ethical systems are formed. The author Miguel A. De la Torre gives his understanding of ethical theory. The first main and important statement he makes in this section is when he talks about ethics being done in a particular social location. When he stated that it proved that ethics and social welfare comes together. We will write a custom essay sample on Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A person’s upbringing and social surroundings affects his or her ethics. Also in this section the author talks about how white males generally dominated the academic ethics. This domination has many pitfalls. Some of these pitfalls include spiritual concerns that are excluded from social concerns, individualism, grace in favor of works, thinking more of heaven instead of the here and now, and failure to come up with a transformation praxis. These pitfalls reinforce ideologies of power that are connected to unjust social structures that include racism, classism, and sexism. The author puts up a challenge to every single reader to come up with a code of ethics that will identify with the example of Christ of standing against the ppressed. In the other three parts of the book the author gives case studies and show how his own hermeneutic circle applied to different ethical situations such as relationships, business, and global relationships. in each section there are four chapters. the first chapter explains the topics and the other three explains the topic with case studies. The hermeneutic circle is made up of five steps. In each of those five steps a per son’s worldview ethics is challenged and encourages the person to be more engaged in social transformation. The steps include observing, reflecting, praying, acting, and releasing. This pattern is a continuous circle repeating itself over and over. The significance of this book to the church is great significance. This model the author has presented could be used greatly in the church. When I was looking at this model I felt this is what the church should be doing. The church is only effective if it is active in the community. The church should be able to see what the need of the community, pray on it, act on it and then move onto the next need. Part of Christian ethics is doing the right thing when the problem is presented. Two of the case studies that I felt can greatly impact the church was the case studies on global and national poverty. the church has always played a major role in helping the poverty both globally and nationally. However I believe that the church need to realize that poverty is more then just not having any food or being homeless. Poverty is connected to social class. It is connected to those who can afford an education and those who can not. Poverty is also connected to those who can get hired for the high paying jobs and those who can only get the jobs that pay minimum salary and is not enough to raise a family. The church can do a better job in helping in that area. The main part of a Christian’s ethics is helping those who are in need. This is our primary responsibility. So in order to fulfill that responsibility we must understand the whole issue of poverty. The significance this book has on the society can be great. However I believe the church and society must be connected together. This helps those who read it understand the problems of the marginalized and how it can be addressed. It would be really helpful if those who were from the groups who hold the most power read this book for a better understanding of how the actions they do affect those who are marginalized. Just like I stated with the church and its response to poverty the society has to have the same response. However since the society is not the church the ethical response would be different. Those who are in high powerful positions have the ethical obligation to assist those who are in the marginalized. However what we see is those people exploiting the marginalized. When it comes to ethics as a whole this book as revealed to me no matter what position you are connected to rather it is Christian ethics, business ethics, or society ethics you have an obligation to help those who do not have the power to help themselves. It is not just about poverty either. There is an ethical obligation to help the marginalized when it comes to things like affirmative action, war, the environment etc. A strength I found in this is how the author used real life examples in his case studies that included people who were marginalized. By using real life stories it brought a whole new experience than from a typical text book. This help take the readers from a spectator view to an up close and personal view of what it is like to be in the marginalized. Another strength I felt the author had was the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. These discussion questions help the reader reflect and understand more about the marginalized. Also these discussion questions help the reader form a more solid ethic for the marginalized. The main weakness I saw in this book is how the author did not really go through the whole hermeneutic cycle. In each case study the first three cycles were used. It would have been better if the author used the whole cycle so that the reader could get a full example of how the cycle is used and the outcome of the cycle. Also it would have been helpful if the author had given some examples where this cycle has not worked. Perhaps it would even be helpful if the author had limited to just once case study in each section and go more in depth as to how the cycle worked in the case study. Overall I strongly recommend this book to those who have a desire to get an action plan that will have an impact on dealing with the marginalized. De La Torre makes a great case in challenging those who are in the dominate culture to give up the heavy power and special privilege they have so that those who are in the marginalized can live a better life. With making this challenge the author has given great tools for those who are committed to seeing the transformation of the marginalized. While this seem like a no brainer to some it might be still difficult for those in the dominate culture to accept. Some people might just not see how the dominate culture affects the marginalized while others feel they are doing just enough. Also you might get those who will say they will embrace De La Torre’s model but will fail to actually attempt to do it. It is going to take a lot of work and sacrifice to see true change. Who is willing to actually do that hard work? Who is going feel it is actually worth it? Regardless of where you fit in the spectrum we all have to do our part. If we all do not step in and say we are willing to make the sacrifices need to see a transformational change then regardless of what one group does it will not work. this has to be a group effort. I believe this is the point De La Torre was trying to bring across.

The Prelude - William Wordsworth free essay sample

The opening lines of the poem immediately personify nature as having a feministic quality. When Wordsworth stumbles upon a boat and unloosens its chain, he describes this incident as an â€Å"act of stealth and troubled pleasure†. Wordsworth in a way foreshadows possible dangers that are lurking in the near future due to his guilty conscience. This guilty conscience can also be interpreted as a consequence of the sexual seduction of nature and the boat as suggested by the author’s syntax and tone. The author’s mentioning of the boat as â€Å"an elfin pinnace† and the description of how he â€Å"lustily †¦ dipped [his] oars into the silent lake† confirm the author’s premature and lascivious tendencies. Wordsworth’s attitude towards the relationship that he shares with the boat also infers a sense of egotism and overconfidence. He describes himself as â€Å"one who rows, proud of his skill, to reach a chosen point with an unswerving line,† with a â€Å"fixed† view. We will write a custom essay sample on The Prelude William Wordsworth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Wordsworth’s syntax and his choice of the words â€Å"fixed†, â€Å"chosen† and â€Å"unswerving† all further develop and emphasize his haughty youthful character. Later in the poem, when Wordsworth witnesses a monstrous black figure appearing on the horizon that seemed to acquire an â€Å"utmost boundary†, a sudden shift in tone and diction takes place. The author’s seemingly control of nature and his sexual dominance is abruptly stolen away from him due to a symbolic black figure that in a way represents Wordsworth’s guilty conscience and childhood illusions. In addition, the author has lost his composure and â€Å"proud skill† in the way he paddles away with â€Å"trembling oars†. The incidence of this daemon figure completely transforms Wordsworth’s tranquil and lustful relationship with nature into a dreadful and outlandish one. Wordsworth’s earlier intimacy with nature transforms to â€Å"solitude† and â€Å"blank desertion†. The author’s perception of nature contrasts with that of the Romanticists. The â€Å"familiar shapes† are no longer prevalent and â€Å"no pleasant images of trees† or â€Å"colors of green fields† linger in the author’s conscience. The author’s anticipation of possible dangers that seemed inevitable due to the suspenseful nature of the poem did not compare to the extent of such an episode. A key distinction between the author’s perceptions of nature earlier and later in the poem arises in the extent in which he personifies it. Initially, nature was illustrated as possessing an inert quality and a mere existence. This connotation suggested that he controlled nature’s way and determined its fate. Later, however, this earlier notion of his is altered once â€Å"a huge peak, black and huge† appears on the horizon. The â€Å"voluntary power instinct† of the figure implies that it has acquired unnatural and humanistic qualities and thus haunted the author’s dreams. Wordsworth’s description of nature can be interpreted as Wordsworth’s childhood sexual fantasies with feminine figures while the black figure symbolically represents religious condemnation of his society at the time. The morals and customs of the society in which Wordsworth lived in presumably disdained the sexual desires of the youths. Consequently, Wordsworth unconsciously fears the black figure and interprets it as a force that has come to punish his unfitting and lustful behavior.

Is Montag Truly a Fearless Fir essays

Is Montag Truly a Fearless Fir essays Farenheit 451 is a futuristic novel that concentrates on the forbidden act of reading, for this may encourage thinking. Guy Montag, the main character, is a fireman. Today, we translate the word "fireman" as someone who extinguishes fire, but in the setting and time of this novel, "fireman" has a whole different meaning than what we are accustomed to. Instead of putting out fires, Montag has the job of burning any books that can be found. His character significantly changes throughout the novel, going from ruthless and As the novel begins, Guy Montag is a fireman who enjoys his work, which, unfortunately, is to find and burn books. He is extremely apathetic to the people whom the books belong, but does not realize the impact that his job may have on some people and the damage he is actually doing. Montag seems to love destruction, for no given or noticeable reason. He even takes on the appearance of a serpent in the line, "with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world..." (p3). Even though Montag seems to be tough, he is very kind to Clarisse, the girl who had recently become his neighbor. Clarisse tells Montag that she is seventeen and crazy, but after listening to her thoughts on nature, among other things, he comes to appreciate her insight. This appreciation shows the softening of Montag's As Clarisse begins to walk with Montag daily, he grows fond of her and starts to enjoy her company. He constantly remembers the question she asked him in the beginning of the novel, "Are you happy?" (p10). After several conversations with Clarisse, he realizes that he is not truly happy with his marriage, his job, or his life in general. He admits to the readers that he has married a selfish, lazy woman. Through this view into Montag's ...

Plutarch Describes the Assassination of Caesar

Plutarch Describes the Assassination of Caesar The Ides of March was the day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in the year 44 B.C. It was one of the major epoch-changing moments in the history of the world.  The scene of the assassination of Caesar was pretty bloody, with each of the conspirators adding his own knife wound to the fallen body of their leader. Plutarchs Caesar Here are the words of Plutarch on the assassination of Caesar, from the John Dryden translation, revised by Arthur Hugh Clough in 1864, of Plutarchs Caesar, so you can see the gory details for yourself: When Caesar entered, the senate stood up to show their respect to him, and of Brutuss confederates, some came about his chair and stood behind it, others met him, pretending to add their petitions to those of Tillius Cimber, in behalf of his brother, who was in exile; and they followed him with their joint supplications till he came to his seat. When he was sat down, he refused to comply with their requests, and upon their urging him further, began to reproach them severally for their importunities, when Tillius, laying hold of his robe with both his hands, pulled it down from his neck, which was the signal for the assault. Casca gave him the first cut, in the neck, which was not mortal nor dangerous, as coming from one who at the beginning of such a bold action was probably very much disturbed. Caesar immediately turned about, and laid his hand upon the dagger and kept hold of it. And both of them at the same time cried out, he that received the blow, in Latin, Vile Casca, what does this mean? and he that gave it, in Greek, to his brother, Brother, help! Upon this first onset, those who were not privy to the design were astonished and their horror and amazement at what they saw were so great, that they durst not fly nor assist Caesar, nor so much as speak a word. But those who came prepared for the business enclosed him on every side, with their naked daggers in their hands. Which way soever he turned, he met with blows, and saw their swords leveled at his face and eyes, and was encompassed, like a wild beast in the toils, on every side. For it had been agreed they should each of them make a thrust at him, and flesh themselves with his blood; for which reason Brutus also gave him one stab in the groin. Some say that he fought and resisted all the rest, shifting his body to avoid the blows, and calling out for help, but that when he saw Brutuss sword drawn, he covered his face with his robe and submitted, letting himself fall, whether it were by chance, or that he was pushed in that direction by his murderers, at the foot of the pedestal on which Pompeys statue stood, and which was thus wetted with his blood. So that Pompey himself seemed to have presided, as it were, over the revenge done upon his adversary, who lay here at his feet, and breathed out his soul through his multitude of wounds, for they say he received three and twenty.

Testable hypothesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Testable hypothesis - Essay Example Its meaning, from a social perspective and from the scope of the reading, is coming together of people who have a common aim in the society and the aim can be implemented at different levels of the associations. Social stability and morality are other variables in the hypothesis. Social stability refers to existence of a systematic and sustainable framework of social norms that may be enforced by a social centre of power or a virtual authority. Morality however defines acceptable acts in a society and emanates from established norms. Operationalization of variables The hypothesis seeks to determine the role of association in moderating social stability and morality. Number and size of associations are the dependent variables while social stability and morality are independent variables. Two measures are used to investigate two independent roles of association. One measure is the number of associations in a locality. The other measure is the size of association in terms of number of m embers, and population size is the measurement basis, measurable on a ratio scale, for both measures. Social stability is measured based on experienced consistency in values within associations and ability to enforce such values. A scale, on a range of one to ten, and based on experiences among members of association is applicable in measuring level of social stability in associations. Incidences of outstanding cases of immorality, leading to mass calls for corrective measures, form basis of determining level of morality within associations. Possible sources of data Members of associations and published empirical data on associations are the possible sources of data for testing the hypothesis. Hypothesis 2 Another testable hypothesis, based on the reading, explores the relationship between independence of the press and perceived level of liberty in a jurisdiction (Tocqueville, 1953, p. 96, 97. The following is the testable hypothesis for the relationship. H2: Level of independence o f the press determines the level of liberty that people enjoy in a territory Definition of variables Two variables, independence of the press and people’s liberty, are important to the hypothesis. Independence of the press defines freedom of the press from regulations by political and legal authorities. Even though a level of regulation is necessary, some regulations are controversial and are widely perceived to be restrictive to the role of the press and the hypothesis focuses on these regulations. Liberty defines statutory rights of citizens and such rights are protected from arbitrary actions by authorities. Operationalization of variables Independence of the press is the hypothesis’ independent variable while liberty is the dependent variable. Number of controversial regulations over freedom of press measures level of independence of the press, on an inverse scale, across provincial and territorial jurisdictions. Number of controversial regulations, limiting people ’s rights and freedoms in the provincial and territorial jurisdictions measures level of liberty on an inverse scale. The measurements are in ratio scale. Possible sources of data Human rights activist groups and legal experts, especially experts who specialize in human rights and freedom of press is the possible source of data. Hypothesis 3 Another possible testable hypothesis is on the role of unrestricted liberty on defining level of anarchy in a territory and the hypothesis

Batteries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Batteries - Research Paper Example Starter batteries are mainly used in applications that require short bursts of high power and are, mainly used in vehicles. Deep cycle batteries tolerate deep discharge; hence produce steady power for a considerate amount of time. Industrial batteries produce low but steady power for longer periods (Leadacidbatteryinfo.org, 2015). A normal lead acid battery consists of a combination of electro-chemical cells. The cells form the building blocks of the battery. The basic components of the cell are the anode, cathode, electrolyte and a separator. The anode consists of metal mesh that is pasted with lead oxide while the cathode is covered with lead. The anode, which is the positive electrode, receives electrons from the circuit when the cell is discharged. The cathode, which is the negative electrode, donates electrons while the electrolyte provides a mechanism for the charge to flow from the cathode to the anode. The electrolyte is usually a solution of sulphuric acid (30%) and water (70%). The separator ensures the electrodes are electrically isolated. The lead and lead and lead oxide grids are given a porous structure to increase the active surface. Due to positive grid corrosion, the thickness of the anode affects the lifetime of the battery; the thicker the plate, the longer the lifespan. dQ/dt = ï  ¥Ã¯â‚¬ ªÃ¯  ³Ã¯â‚¬ ªÃ¯ â€Ã¯â‚¬ ´Ã¯â‚¬  where ï  ¥Ã¯â‚¬  Ã¯â‚¬ ½Ã¯â‚¬  Stefan-Boltzmann constant (5.67*10-8),ï€  Ã¯  ³Ã¯â‚¬  Ã¯â‚¬ ½Ã¯â‚¬  emission ratio of the material (0.95 for battery containers)ï€ ¬Ã¯â‚¬  Ã¯ â€ is temperature in Kelvins. Example when T = 298K (Kiehne, 2003), The anode receives electrons from the external circuit. The electrons then react with active materials at the anode through the reduction reaction, which then continue the charge flow through the solution of the electrolyte. The lead oxide is converted to lead sulphate and absorps HSO4 and H+. Water is hence generated from the process. Oxidation occurs at the cathode. The

Chinese Foreign Policy Essay Example for Free

Chinese Foreign Policy Essay Specific portfolio. (See â€Å"Collective Leadership.†) To ensure Party control, the top-ranked members of the PSC serve concurrently as the heads of other parts of the political system. The top ranked PSC member, Party General Secretary Hu Jintao, for example, serves concurrently as head of the military, in his capacity as head of Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and as the head of State, in his capacity as State President. The second-ranked PSC member, Wu Bangguo, serves as Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC), while the third-ranked PSC member, Wen Jiabao, serves as Premier of the State Council, and the fourth-ranked member, Jia Qinglin, heads the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and oversees the Party’s relations with non-Communist groups. Portfolios for other PSC members include the propaganda system; management of the Party bureaucracy and Hong Kong and Macau; finance and economics; Party discipline; and the internal security system. 32 PSC members also head Party â€Å"Leading Small Groups† (LSGs) for their policy areas. LSGs are secretive bodies intended to facilitate cross-agency coordination in implementation of Politburo Standing Committee decisions. The National Security Leading Small Group and the Foreign Affairs Leading Small Group, for example, are both headed by Party General Secretary Hu Jintao. The next highest decision-making body is the full Politburo, which, with the suspension of the disgraced former Chongqing Party Secretary, Bo Xilai, now comprises 24 officials. In addition to the nine members of the PSC, Politburo members include the heads of major departments of the Party bureaucracy, the two highest ranking officers in the Chinese military, State Council Vice Premiers, a State Councilor, and Party leaders from important cities and provinces. The current Politburo has only one female member. Because of its relatively unwieldy size and the geographic diversity of its members, the full Politburo is not involved in day-to-day decision-making. In 2011, it met eight times, with its meetings often focused on a single major policy area or on preparations for major national meetings. According to the Party’s constitution, the PSC and Politburo derive their power from the Central Committee, whose full and alternate members together â€Å"elect† the Politburo, Politburo Standing Committee, and Party General Secretary, and â€Å"decide† on the composition of the Party’s Central Military Commission.34 In practice, incumbent top officials provide a list of nominees to the Central Committee, which ratifies the leadership’s nominees.35 The current nearly 400-member Central Committee (including alternates) is made up of leaders from the provinces (41.5%), central ministries (22.6%), the military (17.5 %), central Party organizations (5.9%), and stateowned enterprises, educational institutions, â€Å"mass organizations† such as the Communist Youth League, and other constituencies (12.4%). The National People’s Congress (NPC) The third major political institution in China is the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s unicameral national legislature. According to Article 57 of China’s constitution, the NPC is â€Å"the highest organ of state power.† The Constitution tasks the NPC with overseeing the Presidency, the State Council, the State Central Military Commission, the Supreme People’s Court, and China’s national level public prosecutor’s office, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. In practice, however, the NPC’s powers are severely limited, and the entire entity operates under the leadership of the Communist Party. The public theater of the NPC’s work is centered around its ten-day-long annual full session, held every March and attended by all of the NPC’s nearly 3,000 deputies. The next full session, in March 2013, will mark the start of a new five-year Congress, and is expected to approve a major leadership transition, including a new President and Premier, and new Vice Premiers and State Councilors. At the annual full sessions, NPC deputies almost always vote to approve the reports, laws, and candidates put before them, usually by overwhelming margins, leading many observers to describe the NPC as a â€Å"rubber stamp† parliament. NPC delegates do occasionally push back, however. At the March 2012 session of the NPC, for example, a record 20% of deputies withheld their support from the Ministry of Finance’s budget report, reportedly in protest over the Ministry’s longstanding refusal to accept any NPC suggestions for revisions to the budget.47 (Unlike the U.S. Congress, the National People’s Congress does not pass spending bills. Rather, at the annual full session each year, it votes to approve the budget presented by the Minister of Finance.) The NPC also makes revisions to the Premier’s annual report on the work of the government, the State’s most important policy document. Out of the public eye, individual committees and the Standing Committee exercise more meaningful influence. They shape legislation and can exercise a degree of oversight over government entities through â€Å"inspection† visits and committee reports. The power of individual NPC deputies to exercise oversight is largely restricted to the right to submit â€Å"proposals† advocating for reforms or demanding better implementation of laws or regulations, to which officials are required to respond in writing. Because the annual full session of the congress is so brief, much of the NPC’s work is undertaken by its approximately 175-member Standing Committee, which meets about half a dozen times a year.48 Other important NPC bodies include nine specialized committees and a legislative affairs work committee, all of which review and revise draft legislation before sending it to the Standing Committee or the full Congress for action. Like the State Council, the NPC has a Party organization embedded within it. The NPC’s chairman serves on the Politburo Standing Committee and is currently the Party’s number-two ranked official. NPC deputies are not directly elected. The Communist Party draws up lists of nominees, based in part on potential nominees’ perceived loyalty to the Party. Thirty-five electoral units, most of them provincial-level People’s Congresses, then vote upon the Party’s nominees. The process is modestly competitive in that the Party nominates 20% to 50% more candidates than available positions and those with the most votes are elected to serve as NPC deputies. NPC election rules stipulate quotas for the representation of ethnic minority groups, the military, women, and other groups, including the Party itself. Because China rejects any separation of powers, the President, Premier, and other top leaders are all NPC deputies. 49 Deputies serve for five-year terms. The NPC is the uppermost layer of a nation-wide system of People’s Congresses. These congresses are loosely linked together in process and function. Only deputies for the lowest level of People’s Congresses are directly elected. Traditionally, even at the lowest level, candidate lists are controlled by the Party, and elections are uncontested. Since 2011, however, China has seen a wave of independent candidates contesting elections for People’s Congresses in city districts and townships. Most such candidates have faced forms of official harassment, including intrusive surveillance, extra-legal detention, intimidation of their supporters, and election irregularities designed to keep them from appearing on ballots, but some have succeeded in being elected to office. Corruption Corruption in China is widespread and takes many forms, from lavish gifts and expensive meals bestowed on officials by those seeking favors, to bribes explicitly offered in exchange for permits and approvals, to embezzlement of state funds, exemption of friends and relatives from enforcement of laws and regulations, and the appointment of relatives to lucrative jobs in stateowned companies. A 2011 report released by China’s Central Bank estimated that from the mid- 1990s to 2008, corrupt officials who fled overseas took with them $120 billion in stolen funds.28 The CCP uses its Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC) to police its own ranks for corruption, an arrangement fraught with conflicts of interest. As noted above, the Party metes out its own punishments for wrongdoing by its members, and has sole discretion about whether to hand members over to the state judiciary for investigation and possible prosecution. (See â€Å"Weak Rule of Law and Ineffective Policy Implementation and Enforcement.†) Critics charge that CDIC investigations are frequently politically motivated, even if they uncover real wrongdoing. Officials who keep on the right side of their superiors and colleagues may engage in large-scale corruption, while other officials may be investigated for lesser infractions because they have fallen afoul of powerful officials.

Drama Queens Present :: Television Entertainment Media Papers

Drama Queens Present In the past fifty years, the television-viewing world has experienced drama, romance, and attraction through the eyes of soap opera writers, creators, producers, and actors. Soap operas, also known as daytime dramas have been around and the talk of the town for more than half a decade. It all started in radio in the earlier part of the 1900s, then the excitement moved to television. The first television soap opera was â€Å"Guiding Light† and it began airing on radio stations in the 1930s. In 1956, it crossed over to television. The CBS radio station knew it had a hit on hits hands and decided to take a chance on television success (Jameson 35). Listeners accepted the trends, and soon more and more soap operas made their debut on television. Soap operas were better known from the beginning to be for stay at home moms, who cooked and cleaned all day. Their name, â€Å"soap opera† came from the origins of the sponsors that created the shows. In the beginning, the shows were extended advertisements for the soaps that the housewives would use. Once the dramas moved to television, they began to take on a larger audience. Today everything from birth control pills, laundry detergents, and children’s toys are advertised during the soap opera viewing hours (Pagewise, Inc.). Millions of viewers; college students, mothers, fathers, stay at home moms and dads, retirees, teenagers and the elderly are hooked on daytime drama between the hours of twelve and four waiting for their shows to come on. There has been such a change in audience and growth in the viewing since the dawn of soap operas on television: soap operas constitute a very large part of network daytime viewers. From the evil stepmother to the pretty blonde girl, soaps do not change much over the years. Even the latest drama, â€Å"Passions† has some of the same plot elements as the original â€Å"Guiding Light.† Soap operas still use good, evil, sex, scandal, and relationships as basic plot elements. Some good things never change. Daytime dramas will be around for years to come. Mothers pass soap opera stories on to their daughters, and the obsession continues to grow. Today, soap operas have become multimedia events. Many people prerecord their favorite soap operas for later viewing.

Management and Eastern Hemisphere

1. Since arriving in Singapore, Lancaster has formulated several opinions about the health of the Eastern Hemisphere organization. What are the concerns both now and for the future? ? Lancaster’s concerns now are as below: He found that there was a major disparity in the management style of people here. Some had styles that emphasized employee empowerment. Others were of the old authoritarian school. ; the managers here didn’t seem to be growing or developing; there were some problems with the existing management assessment and development system and it needed to be changed.Managers still were using a MBO-type system that had been replaced in the U. S. some time ago. Lancaster believed strongly in ADP and had seen it change the management and culture of Black & Decker in the U. S. He also knew that 360? Feedback might not be universally embraced because of cultural differences. Now, Lancaster has been faced a difficult decision as to whether he should accept a new perfo rmance appraisal and management development system presented to him by Anita Lim, manager of Human Resources, or introduce a U.S. -designed Appraisal Development Plan (ADP) throughout the Eastern Hemisphere. For the future, Lancaster wanted to change culture and more effectively develop the people, while he thought building managers here had been difficult, for there was a limited supply of truly talented managers available, Lancaster worried about the lack of management strength in his organization. The brutal competition the company was facing throughout the region made him particular sensitive to the need for more and better managers.With Lim’s new hybrid plan, Lancaster began to have concerns about moving forward. On the one hand, he was convinced that ADP could provide significant benefits in terms of management training and development. On the other hand, he knew he would need the human resource staff’s full support if ADP were ever to be successfully implemented . 2. What problems does Lancaster want ADP to address? ? ADP was first introduced in the U. S. in 1992 as a replacement for the company’s Management by Objective (MBO) plan.Under the previous MBO program, superiors would meet individually with each subordinate to discuss the subordinate’s performance and jointly establish clear and comprehensive objectives for the subordinate for the coming year. MBO systems were widely used by Western business during the 1980s, yet, despite their widespread use, not everyone was happy with the results. It didn’t seek input from others in the organization; the boss had to give performance reviews with MBO systems, but in many cases, they wouldn’t have a lot to say.Under the MBO systems, it can be difficult to make the system objective. Lancaster wants ADP to address TWO major problems: One problem is the disparity in the management style of people in the Eastern hemisphere organization, as some had styles that emphasized employee empowerment, others were of the old authoritarian school; the other problem is the lack of growth and development in the organization. 3. What concerns do Asian managers have about ADP?How substantive are these concerns? ? The Asian managers have the concerns about ADP as below: Firstly, Asian people might not willing to open up the way Americans do, for they are likely to say something polite but won’t be critical if they are asked to provide with candid feedback on their boss; Secondly, Asians might not believe in the confidentiality of the ADP system. â€Å" No matter what a boss says about feedback being anonymous, Asians won’t believe him/her.Somehow he or she will find out who said what about whom and there will be negative consequences for that person; Thirdly, a change from MBO to ADP might be too radical. â€Å" Asians will not support radical change of this nature. † Fourthly, the staff. The staff is not going to change because of ADP if thei r boss has been afraid to tell them something negative for five years; besides, the staff cannot understand English, while the ADP is written in English, so the language will become a problem. The substantive concerns come from the culture differences.As in Asian culture, people don’t tend to open up. Growing people and building people are essential, but the Asians will never say that their career’s ambition is to have their boss’s job. As a result, while ADP is designed to build commitment and develop managers, it may backfire; what’s more, people may quite if they are pressed to open up in ways that make them uncomfortable. 4. What action should Lancaster take: wait; go ahead with hybrid or full speed ahead with the US version of ADP? ? Considering the culture differences, in my opinion, Lancaster should go ahead with hybrid. First of ll, the existing MBO-type system has its problems indeed in management and development in Eastern Hemisphere organizatio n, which need to be changed for a high performance, while the Asians might not be adapt to the ADP version because they don’t tend to open up. By moving forward more slowly, ADP could evolve over time. The reasons about that from two sides, one side is that ADP could provide significant benefits in terms of management training and development. On the other hand, it would need the human resource staff’s full support if ADP were ever to be successfully implemented.Interactive change was always less threatening, particularly when the perceived change agent was viewed by so many as an outsider. As he reflected on the input he had received, he had a growing realization that the Eastern Hemisphere was not one culture but many cultures. With the hybrid, a 180? plan, they could do the management training and develop the company without radical change as well, along with the new management assessment and development system, the staff might accept the change as well as a new cul ture gradually, and finally they could make the ADP applied to the Eastern Hemisphere.

Introduction to Ergonomics

Dafpus skripsi Bridger, R. S. 1995. Introduction to Ergonomics. International Editions. Singapore : McGraw- Hill Book Co. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. 2010. Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in the EU-Facts and Figures. http://osha. europa. eu/en/publications/reports/TERO09009ENC (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Health and Safety Executive Authority. 2004. Getting to Grips with Manual Handling. UK : sss http://www. hse. gov. uk/pubns/indg143. df (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Health and Safety Authority. 2005. Guidance on the Management of Manual Handling in the Workplace.http://www.hsaeng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Retail/Management_Manual_Handling. pdf (diakses pada tanggal 17 September 2012) Kurniawidjaja, L. Meily. 2010. Teori dan Aplikasi Kesehatan Kerja. Jakarta: Penerbit Universitas Indonesia (UI-Press). Nurmianto, Eko. 2004. Ergonomi: Konsep Dasar dan Aplikasinya, 2nd. Ed. Surabaya: Penerbit Guna Widya. Tarwaka, dkk. 2004. Erg onomi untuk Kesehatan, Keselamatan, & Produktivitas. Edisi I, Cetakan I. Surakarta: UNIBA Press. Santoso, Gempur, Dr. , Drs. , M. Kes. 2004. Ergonomi: Manusia, Peralatan, dan Lingkungan. Jakarta: Prestasi Pustaka Publisher. Sastrowinoto, Suyatno, Ir. 1985. Meningkatkan Produktivitas dengan Ergonomi. Jakarta: PT Pustaka Binaman Pressindo. Suma’mur, P. K. , Rd. , MSc. 1989. Ergonomi untuk Produktivitas Kerja. Jakarta: CV. Haji Masagung.Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of New Brunswick. 2010. Ergonomics Guidelines for Manual Handling, 2nd. Ed. , Australia : Worksafe NB, http://www. worksafenb. ca/docs/MANUALEdist. pdf (diakses pada tanggal 03 Agustus 2012) WorkCover New South Wales Authority. 2012. Manual Handling Black Spots: Manufacturing. Industry Reference Group, http://www. workcover. nsw. gov. au/formspublications/pages/manualhandlingmanufacturing. aspx (diakses pada tanggal 06 November 2012)

Professional Design Helped Me Through the Wild West of Indie Publishing

Professional Design Helped Me Through the Wild West of Indie Publishing How Professional Design Helped Me Through the Wild West of Indie Publishing Adam Bender's debut novel takes place in the Wild West. According to him, the landscape of self-publishing bears some similarities with that setting. In this article, he talks about how professionals  helped him design his book and successfully navigate this new territory. Mark sent me a draft of the interior and asked me to scan for problems. It looked great, but we went through a few rounds weeding out little imperfections. He responded quickly and in days we had a PDF ready for printing. He then helped me convert the print book into an eBook fit for a Kindle. This isn’t as simple as sticking the print version into an app and clicking â€Å"Change to eBook.† Some elements had to be simplified to work for digital reading. There were a few bugs, including some issues related to page breaks and spacing, but Mark quickly sorted them out. I was just glad it wasn’t me poring over the code!The pride you feel when your book looks 100% professional? PricelessThe Wanderer passed a big first test when I received the proof of the paperback. The first thing I thought when I saw Ben’s cover was, â€Å"Hey, this actually looks like a book I’d want to read!† And when I opened it up, it looked like a real book too! I could se e that the work of my diligent editors, Rachel Gluckstern and Jim Spivey, and Mark’s clean layout had been worth the investment.Soon afterward, I scored a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and five-star ratings from five separate critics who reviewed the novel early on Readers’ Favorite. I couldn’t have done that without my gang of Reedsy collaborators. "This new frontier of self-publishing can often feel a little like the Wild West."  @WatchAdam Not only did using Reedsy pay off for this novel, but the professional relationships I’ve built will continue to be valuable down the road. Even after finishing their jobs, my collaborators have been available for advice, and they’ve helped spread the word. Next time I venture out into the self-publishing frontier, it’s heartening to know I won’t be riding alone.The Wanderer and the New West is available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle!  Please share your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Adam Bender in the comments below!

History of the Mexican Revolution

History of the Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution broke out in 1910 when the decades-old rule of President Porfirio Dà ­az was challenged by Francisco I. Madero, a reformist writer and politician. When Dà ­az refused to allow clean elections, Maderos calls for revolution were answered by Emiliano Zapata in the south, and Pascual Orozco and Pancho Villa in the north. Dà ­az was deposed in 1911, but the revolution was just beginning. By the time it was over, millions had died as rival politicians and warlords fought each other over the cities and regions of Mexico. By 1920, the chickpea farmer and revolutionary general Alvaro Obregà ³n had risen to the presidency, primarily by outliving his main rivals. Most historians believe this event marks the end of the revolution, although the violence continued well into the 1920s. The Porfiriato Porfirio Dà ­az led Mexico as president from 1876 to 1880 and from 1884 to 1911. He was an acknowledged but unofficial ruler from 1880 to 1884 as well. His time in power is referred to as the Porfiriato. During those decades, Mexico modernized, building mines, plantations, telegraph lines, and railroads, which brought great wealth to the nation. It came, however, at the cost of repression and grinding debt peonage for the lower classes. Dà ­azs close circle of friends benefited greatly, and most of Mexicos vast wealth remained in the hands of a few families. Dà ­az ruthlessly clung to power for decades,  but after the turn of the century, his grip on the nation started to slip. The people were unhappy: An economic recession caused many to lose their jobs and people began calling for change. Dà ­az promised free elections in 1910. Dà ­az and Madero Dà ­az expected to win easily and legally and was therefore shocked when it became evident that his opponent, Francisco I. Madero, was likely to win. Madero, a reformist writer who came from a wealthy family, was an unlikely revolutionary. He was short and skinny, with a high-pitched voice that became quite shrill when he was excited. A teetotaler and vegetarian, he claimed to be able to speak to ghosts and spirits, including his dead brother and Benito Jurez. Madero didnt have any real plan for Mexico after Dà ­az; he simply felt that someone else should rule after decades of Don Porfirio. Dà ­az fixed the elections, arresting Madero on false charges of plotting armed insurrection. Madero was bailed out of jail by his father and went to San Antonio, Texas, where he watched Dà ­az easily win re-election. Convinced that there was no other way to get Dà ­az to step down, Madero called for an armed rebellion; ironically, that was the same charge that had been trumped-up against him. According to Maderos Plan of San Luis Potosi, the insurrection would begin on November 20. Orozco, Villa, and Zapata In the southern state of Morelos, Maderos call was answered by peasant leader Emiliano Zapata, who hoped a revolution would lead to land reform. In the north, muleteer Pascual Orozco and bandit chieftain Pancho Villa also took up arms. All three rallied thousands of men to their rebel armies. In the south, Zapata attacked large ranches called haciendas, giving back land that had been illegally and systematically stolen from peasant villages by Dà ­azs cronies. In the north, Villas and Orozcos massive armies attacked federal garrisons wherever they found them, building up impressive arsenals and attracting thousands of new recruits. Villa truly believed in reform; he wanted to see a new, less crooked Mexico. Orozco was more of an opportunist who saw a chance to get in on the ground floor of a movement he was certain would succeed and secure a position of power for himself (such as state governor) with the new regime. Orozco and Villa had great success against the federal forces and in February 1911, Madero returned and joined them in the north. As the three generals closed in on the capital, Dà ­az could see the writing on the wall. By May of 1911, it was clear that he could not win, and he went into exile. In June, Madero entered the city in triumph. The Rule of Madero Madero barely had time to get comfortable in Mexico City before things got hot. He faced rebellion on all sides, as he broke all of his promises to those who had supported him and the remnants of Dà ­azs regime hated him. Orozco, sensing that Madero was not going to reward him for his role in the overthrow of Dà ­az, once again took up arms. Zapata, who had been instrumental in defeating Dà ­az, took to the field again when it became clear that Madero had no real interest in land reform. In November of 1911, Zapata wrote up his famous Plan of Ayala, which called for Maderos removal, demanded land reform, and named Orozco Chief of the Revolution. Fà ©lix Dà ­az, the former dictators nephew, declared himself in open rebellion in Veracruz. By the middle of 1912, Villa was Maderos only remaining ally, although Madero did not realize it. The greatest challenge to Madero was none of these men, however, but one much closer: General Victoriano Huerta, a ruthless, alcoholic soldier left over from the Dà ­az regime. Madero had sent Huerta to join forces with Villa and defeat Orozco. Huerta and Villa despised one another but managed to drive off Orozco, who fled to the United States. After returning to Mexico City, Huerta betrayed Madero during a standoff with forces loyal to Fà ©liz Dà ­az. He ordered Madero arrested and executed and set himself up as president. The Huerta Years With the quasi-legitimate Madero dead, the country was up for grabs. Two more major players entered the fray. In Coahuila, the former governor Venustiano Carranza took to the field and in Sonora, chickpea farmer and inventor Alvaro Obregà ³n raised an army and entered the action. Orozco returned to Mexico and allied himself with Huerta, but the â€Å"Big Four† of Carranza, Obregà ³n, Villa, and Zapata were united in their hatred of Huerta and determined to oust him from power. Orozcos support was not nearly enough. With his forces fighting on several fronts, Huerta was steadily pushed back. A great military victory might have saved him, as it would have drawn recruits to his banner, but when Pancho Villa won a crushing victory at the Battle of Zacatecas on June 23, 1914, it was over. Huerta fled to exile, and although Orozco fought on for a while in the north, he too went into exile in the United States before too long. The Warlords at War With the despised Huerta out of the way, Zapata, Carranza, Obregà ³n, and Villa were the four most powerful men in Mexico. Unfortunately for the nation, the only thing they had ever agreed on was that they did not want Huerta in charge, and they soon fell to fighting one another. In October of 1914, representatives of the â€Å"Big Four† as well as several smaller independents met at the Convention of Aguascalientes, hoping to agree on a course of action that would bring peace to the nation. Unfortunately, the peace efforts failed, and the Big Four went to war: Villa against Carranza and Zapata against anyone who entered his fiefdom in Morelos. The wild card was Obregà ³n; fatefully, he decided to stick with Carranza. The Rule of Carranza Venustiano Carranza felt that as a former governor, he was the only one of the â€Å"Big Four† qualified to rule Mexico, so he set himself up in Mexico City and began organizing elections. His trump card was the support of Obregà ³n, a genius military commander who was popular with his troops. Even so, he did not fully trust Obregà ³n, so he shrewdly sent him after Villa, hoping, no doubt, that the two would finish each other off so that he could deal with the pesky Zapata and Fà ©lix Dà ­az at his leisure. Obregà ³n headed north to engage Villa in a clash of two of the most successful revolutionary generals. Obregà ³n had been doing his homework, however, reading up on trench warfare being fought abroad. Villa, on the other hand, still relied on the one trick that had carried him so often in the past: an all-out charge by his devastating cavalry. The two met several times, and Villa always got the worst of it. In April of 1915, at the Battle of Celaya, Obregà ³n fought off countless cavalry charges with barbed wire and machine guns, thoroughly routing Villa. The next month, the two met again at the Battle of Trinidad and 38 days of carnage ensued. Obregà ³n lost an arm at Trinidad, but Villa lost the war. His army in tatters, Villa retreated to the north, destined to spend the rest of the revolution on the sidelines. In 1915, Carranza set himself up as president pending elections and won the recognition of the United States, which was hugely important to his credibility. In 1917, he won the elections he had set up and began the process of stamping out remaining warlords, such as Zapata and Dà ­az. Zapata was betrayed, set up, ambushed, and assassinated on April 10, 1919, on Carranzas orders. Obregà ³n retired to his ranch with the understanding that he would leave Carranza alone, but he expected to take over as president after the 1920 elections. The Rule of Obregà ³n Carranza reneged on his promise to support Obregà ³n in 1920, which proved to be a fatal mistake. Obregà ³n still enjoyed the support of much of the military, and when it became apparent that Carranza was going to install little-known Ignacio Bonillas as his successor, Obregà ³n quickly raised a massive army and marched on the capital. Carranza was forced to flee  and was assassinated by supporters of Obregà ³n on May 21, 1920. Obregà ³n was easily elected in 1920 and served his four-year term as president. For this reason, many historians believe the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920, although the nation suffered from horrible violence for another decade or so until the level-headed Lzaro Crdenas took office. Obregà ³n ordered the assassination of Villa in 1923 and was himself shot to death by a Roman Catholic fanatic in 1928, ending the time of the â€Å"Big Four.† Women in the Revolution Before the revolution, women in Mexico were relegated to a traditional existence, working in the home and in the fields with their men and wielding little political, economic, or social clout. With the revolution came an opportunity for participation and many women joined up, serving as writers, politicians, and even soldiers. Zapatas army, in particular, was known for the number of female soldaderas among the ranks and even serving as officers. Women who participated in the revolution were reluctant to return to their quiet lifestyle after the dust had settled, and the revolution marks an important milestone in the evolution of Mexican womens rights. Importance of the Revolution In 1910, Mexico still had a largely feudal social and economic base: rich landowners ruled like medieval dukes on large estates, keeping their workers impoverished, deep in debt, and with barely enough basic necessities to survive. There were some factories, but the basis of the economy was still mostly in agriculture and mining. Porfirio Dà ­az had modernized much of Mexico, including laying train tracks and encouraging development, but the fruits of all of this modernization went exclusively to the rich. A drastic change was obviously necessary for Mexico to catch up with other nations, which were developing industrially and socially. Because of this, some historians feel that the Mexican Revolution was a necessary â€Å"growing pain for the backward nation. This view tends to gloss over the sheer destruction wrought by 10 years of war and mayhem. Dà ­az may have played favorites with the wealthy, but much of the good that he did- railways, telegraph lines, oil wells, buildings- were destroyed in a classic case of â€Å"throwing the baby out with the bathwater.† By the time Mexico was once again stable, hundreds of thousands had died, development had been set back by decades, and the economy was in ruins. Mexico is a nation with tremendous resources, including oil, minerals, productive agricultural land, and hard-working people, and its recovery from the revolution was bound to be relatively speedy. The biggest obstacle to recovery was corruption, and the 1934 election of the honest Lzaro Crdenas gave the nation a chance to get back on its feet. Today, there are few scars left from the revolution itself, and Mexican schoolchildren may not even recognize the names of minor players in the conflict such as Felipe Angeles or Genovevo de la O. The lasting effects of the revolution have all been cultural. The PRI, the party that was born in the revolution, held onto power for decades. Emiliano Zapata, the symbol of land reform and proud ideological purity, has become an international icon for just rebellion against a corrupt system. In 1994, a rebellion broke out in Southern Mexico; its protagonists called themselves the Zapatistas and declared that Zapatas revolution was still in progress and would be until Mexico adopted true land reform. Mexico loves a man with personality, and the charismatic Pancho Villa lives on in art, literature, and legend, while the dour Venustiano Carranza has been all but forgotten. The revolution has proven to be a deep well of inspiration for Mexicos artists and writers. The muralists, including Diego Rivera, remembered the revolution and painted it often. Modern writers such as Carlos Fuentes have set novels and stories in this turbulent era, and films such as Laura Esquivels Like Water for Chocolate take place against the revolutionary backdrop of violence, passion, and change. These works romanticize the gory revolution in many ways, but always in the name of the inner search for national identity that continues in Mexico today. Source McLynn, Frank. Villa and Zapata: A History of the Mexican Revolution. Basic Books, August 15, 2002.

Lufthansa case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lufthansa - Case Study Example The company uses internet ticket booking, instead of the traditional agents located in the company’s operational strongholds (Davies 2010, 41). Internet ticketing has been touted as one of the cost drivers in most of the service industry. It is ineffectual to use agencies in the current market trends owing to various reasons, as highlighted in market dynamics. The involvement of agencies means that there has been a good relationship between Lufthansa Airlines and their clients, a third party. For that reason, it will call for a reduction of their profits to sustain the agents in the supply chain. It is thus advisable to deal directly with customers through internet ticket booking. Security concerns such as cybercrime are synonymous with all sorts of online transactions. In the main, they are initiated by people who need to hijack people’s business trails. All the same, in the long term, this is a sustainable business model for Lufthansa Airlines (Davies, 2010, 72). Comparison of the industry wages with those of Lufthansa Airlines show a noticeable gap. This is because of the initiative to hire fewer workers in their teams. As a result, Lufthansa Airlines has managed to offer competitive remuneration to employees, at the same time saving on the resulting

Three- dimensional echocardiography Research Paper

Three- dimensional echocardiography - Research Paper Example   Three-dimensional echocardiography has evolved at a fast rate since it was first used about forty years ago. In its different stages of evolution, the use of three-dimensional echocardiography was at a point reduced to the research side of cardiology and not in the clinical setting. Only until very recently has 3D echocardiography been used by cardiologists, and echocardiographers in hospitals and clinics. Another interesting thing is the fact that transthoracic three-dimension ultrasound has been trumped by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography, especially in the operating room and surgical setting.The development of three-dimensional echocardiography (3D TTE) can be traced back to almost four decades, just a short period after the arrival and development of 2D echocardiography. In the year 1974, at Stanford University, Dekker et al produced the results of their work: A System for Ultrasonically Imaging the human heart in three dimensions.2D images were retrieved ac cording to electrocardiographic and respiratory timing. This data was developed off-line by interpolation, then reconstructed into a three-dimensional image. Using the same off-line interpretation and reconstruction process as 3D TTE, three-dimensional echocardiography was introduced and was first performed in the year 1992. In Comparison to transthoracic echocardiography, the trans-esophageal perspective, as seen by cardiologists and echocardiographers, more often showed superior anatomical detail.  

Gender identities are constructed through the repetition of social Essay

Gender identities are constructed through the repetition of social norms - Essay Example It is possible to trace major trends reigning in the world of fashion as well as in other spheres of people’s lives. The fashion industry has been chosen, as it has already become an indispensable part of people’s everyday activities. It is possible to examine the way gender identities developed during the middle of the 20th and 21st centuries. The post-war period is characterised by a specific attitude towards people’s bodies as well as their identities. The accepted norm was a natural, capable and strong body (Creadick 22). It is noteworthy that standards for male and female bodies were quite similar, as it was essential to be healthy and look healthy. It is also important to add that that kind of body was a result of certain lifestyle. People were not concerned (at least, focused) on development of specific shapes. They were rather concerned with living the right life. Importantly, the trend was common in many countries. People tried to maintain a balance in their lives. They were active and industrious. Numerous posters, postcards and ads depict strong capable men and women. Film stars (in all countries) can be regarded as examples of such people of the post-war society. It is necessary to add that films reflected (as well as formed) the way people’s gender identities developed. There was a particular role (or even predestination) played by each person who knew (or, at least, tried to accept) his/her part. People knew they had to invest their powers to contribute to the society. This trend can be explained by many factors but the most important one was the political and social agenda of the societies. People just lived through the deadliest war and they were building a new and better world free from dictatorship (or opposing certain political and economic systems). Thus, the USA and Western European countries were

The Changing Smartphone Industry Marketing Essay

The Changing Smartphone Industry Marketing Essay Research in Motion (RIM) is a Canadian wireless device company, best known as the developer of the BlackBerry smart phones. The company, in its early years, was known for its enterprise-focus, rapid product innovation and its commitment to security. Its latest smart phone offering in October, 2010 was a significant failure. Overall, it lost 5% market share in the US smart phone market during the period between October, 2010 and January, 2011. Its latest tablet offering, named the Playbook, announced right after Apples first tablet, iPad1, is yet to be launched, while Apple is already selling tens of thousands of units of its second tablet, iPad2. And more recently, RIM decided that its new tablet, the Playbook, will support applications created by its competitor, Google. Given this background, we analyzed the industry, RIMs strategy, its product and processes and their alignment with strategy. In that light, we propose that the firm do the following: a) Support the Android Application Platform on its smart phones too (not just the tablet), while setting new rules in the Blackberry Application Store to incentivize developers further. b) Focus on enterprise-based product offerings via strategic acquisitions that allow complementary product offerings to establish high switching costs and product-bundling opportunities. c) Forge new partnerships with unique content providers, telecom companies and cloud firms to keep the firm unique and differentiated while maintaining its strategic continuity. Mobile Handset Industry Market Dynamics The global mobile handset industry is one of the fastest growing sub-industries in wireless sector. This industry was valued at approximately $133bn in 2009, a decrease of 6.7% over 2008, largely owing to the weakness in the global economy. However, as the global economy recovered, this industry saw huge shipment growth announcements from vendors in 2010. Based on industry forecasts  [1]  , this industry is expected to ship 1.4 billion handsets in 2011, up 19.2% from 2009 levels and is forecasted to grow with a CAGR  [2]  of 7.8% during the period 2009-14 to reach 1.7 billion by 2014 (refer : Appendix Figure 1). This growth is largely driven by the high smart-phone growth rates, declining smart-phone prices, increased adoption of 3G technology and the high subsidies given by vendors. Product Segmentation The global handset market consists of two product segments Feature phones and Smart-phones. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Feature phones (or mobile phones) are used for basic mobile communications such as voice, text messaging and data transfers, over a standard GSM mobile telecom network. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Smart-phones are handheld devices, offering advanced capabilities in addition to those provided by a feature phone such as e-mail, social networking or Internet access. Based on market research  [3]  data, we anticipate that during the period 2009-14, the Feature phone segment will decline at a CAGR of -15.5%, while the Smartphone segment will grow at a CAGR of 37.8%. The tremendous growth in the Smartphone market is primarily due to booming consumer demand and the recent industry trend of convergence between hardware, software and services. As consumers increasingly prefer technologies that help them to stay in touch with family, friends and their workplace while they are on the move, the demand for smart devices which are content-rich and support features such as e-mail and social networking applications (apps) will also increase. Market Drivers Most of the growth in mobile handset industry has been fuelled by developing countries. Apart from this, the increasing Smartphone usage is fuelling mobile handset market growth. Another major driver for the handset industry is the huge growth in mobile broadband revenues and subscriptions. Mobile broadband adoption is increasing due to the strong growth of Smart-phones, connected laptops and tablets, coupled with the rollout of high speed networks. Current Trends in Smartphone Industry Shift to Applications Apple, RIM and Google have transformed the Smartphone market into a software based environment, transferring value from hardware to software and content. In 2010 Apple dominated the Smartphone app market, offering over 225,000 apps (refer: Appendix- Figure 2). Its strict control over approval of apps has allowed it to maintain quality. Apple has already sold more than 150 apps from which it generated $2.4bn in revenues. Nearly 5bn apps were downloaded from its App Stores. While RIM offers 10,000 apps, Symbian offered only a mere 6,118. Android on the other hand offered 140,000 apps to its users to take up second position in the apps market. The Android Marketplace does not have the same kind of restrictions as Apple, and while this allows for a certain amount more freedom for both developers and users, the quality and compatibility of apps cannot be guaranteed in the same way. Video Communications Smartphones and other mobile devices (e.g. tablets) are transforming the communication industry, resulting in exponential growth in mobile data traffic. Based on an estimate from Cisco, nearly 66% of the mobile data traffic will be for video consumption by 2014 (refer: Appendix Figure 4). Mobile video is expected to grow at a CAGR of 131% between 2009 and 2014. Emerging Markets new growth engines Many handset manufacturers are turning to emerging markets to drive growth against the backdrop of the financial crisis in mature markets. In Asia, India and China are considered the fastest growing markets in the world for handsets. Compared to mature markets such as North America which had only a 2.5% share of global net subscriber additions in 2010, Asia-Pacific takes a much more significant share, accounting for 68.4% of total subscribers added. Low cost manufacturers affecting industry dynamics Inspired by the success of established players such as Samsung, many smaller handset vendors are entering the market to take advantage of the low entry barriers. Local handset manufacturers such as ZTE and Huawei in China and Taiwan and Micromax in India are challenging the established players, driving down prices and profits. These local companies have their own research and development divisions and design their own phones. The Value Chain Smartphone Industry The current value-chain of the smart phone industry is highly operator-centric; the network operators have a high degree of control over the device manufacturers they collaborate with, the technology operators they employ, and the content delivery entities with which they align (see Appendix Figure 3). Smartphones and intense competition in the mobile handset industry have only emphazised this trend. A snap-shot of the key players in this value chain: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Network operator: Serves as an intermediary for delivery of content and services. Examples: Rogers, Bell, Mobilicity. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Technology enabler: Provides backend technology required for delivering content. These include providing platforms and apps. Act as a mediator between operators and content publishers. Examples: Apple, Google, RIM. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Content Provider: Publish content from various sources or develop original content. Examples: iOS, Yahoo, Google. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Smartphone manufacturers: Manufacture handsets and other related devices. Examples: RIM, Apple, Samsung. However, these boundaries are blurring and there are no longer any demarcations of roles, with each actor stepping into the others domain. For instance, Apple and RIM are device manufacturers, technology enablers and also content publishers. Similarly, Google is a technology enabler and content provider. As roles increasingly overlap, the result could be a radical change in the value-chain and revenue sharing models. In the current business model, the operator (e.g. Rogers) receives 60-80% of data revenues while technology-enabled receives 10-20%, the content aggregator receives 10-15% while the remaining 5-10% is shared with the content owners as shown in Appendix (Appendix figure 5). Research in Motion Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Research in Motion (RIM) is the most widely recognized Canadian technology success story. RIM has perfected the BlackBerry solution a mobile solution that combines device, wireless data and voice access, a network operating centre and an operating system (OS) into a vertically integrated single offering and now considered the de facto standard for enterprise mobile solutions. Beyond the enterprise, RIM has been making inroads in the higherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ volume consumer market, most notably with the successful launch of the BlackBerry Pearl and Curve. RIM has developed the BlackBerry platform with the needs of both end-users and IT managers in mind. End users look for small device sizes, longer battery life, and ease of use (i.e., intuitive user experience, alwaysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ on connectivity, and low latency). On the other hand, IT managers look for security, reliability, compatibility, manageability, low cost of ownership, and integration with existing corporate applications. The BlackBerry platform provides IT managers with centralized management and provisioning capabilities, giving them full control over all aspects of the platform, including applications and configuration (e.g. mandatory use of a password to gain access to the handset, overà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ air locking and erasing of the data on devices, and the capability to disable unwanted features such as Bluetooth or cameras). All told, this has made RIM one of the most trusted providers of data communications. RIM has been extremely successful in monetizing its enterprise email subscriber base. RIM has positioned its BlackBerry as a carrier-friendly platform that enables content/services to be delivered by the operators. Time will tell if this positioning leads to any long lasting preferred vendor status at the carriers because every OEM understands how critical a flexible business model, where carriers share in the revenues/ profits, is to keep them involved. Core Competencies of RIM Highly encrypted and secure email system RIM has a very strong RD division RIM provides the capability for third party companies to develop and provide software applications that run on the RIM hand held devices and they do that by supplying the application Programming Interface Strategic Analysis of RIM The current strategy of RIM focuses primarily on the Enterprise market with a smaller footprint in the consumer market though low cost smart-phones. The company is also targeting both enterprises as well as consumer market for its upcoming tablet Playbook. The advantages as well as disadvantages of RIMs current strategy are mentioned below- Strengths in current strategy RIM has a significant focus on enterprise market which offers a number of advantages to RIM. The enterprise Smartphone market is growing rapidly and it is expected that further growth will be driven by convergence of fixed and mobile telecommunication. Understanding this future technological trend, RIM introduced the BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) as a voice convergence solution which converts desktop phones/cellular phones to Blackberry devices. With MVS and the PBX integration, Blackberry devices are now equipped with all the features of an enterprise desktop phone (5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ digit calling, call forwarding, visual call management etc.). This strategy helped to increase the penetration of RIM blackberry devices in enterprises. Another advantage for RIM is its strong relationships with many independent software vendors which provide RIM many enterprise applications beyond email. For instance, RIM enabled SAP applications to run on the BlackBerry platform. This software incorporating SAP support represents a key difference for RIM customers and will enable customers to access SAP applications from BlackBerry applications such as the address book, inbox and calendar. The current strategy also focuses on the non-enterprise consumer segment. While Apple and Nokia are delivering applications and content (that operators could also be delivering), RIM has positioned the BlackBerry as a carrier friendly platform that on the one hand drives ARPU (average revenue per user) for the carriers through its BlackBerry email (and pays RIM between $3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ $5 per subscriber per month) and on the other, provides a high performing platform that helps operators further monetize the consumer opportunity. By optimizing hardware, software and network services in a vertically integrated offering, RIM BlackBerry platform offers the carriers demonstrable advantages in spectrum efficiency, battery life and latency. Also, RIMs platform is significantly more efficient than competing platforms for email and browsing. This efficiency stems from higher compression rates achieved with the BlackBerry platform. Higher compression reduces download times (lower costs to carriers) and ultimately provides a better experience for users (lower latency, longer battery life and better connection stability). RIM offers its consumer email through its BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service). The BIS provides pushà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ based email as well as attachment viewing and Web browsing with the same optimized wireless efficiency as that found in the enterprise offering. Weaknesses in current strategy In the consumer market, Apple is the market leader with its user-friendly interface and application offerings. One of the weaknesses of RIM in this market is the lack of applications offered by its Blackberry App Store. The Blackberry App Store is an online retail store where consumers can download certain apps that are targeted at increasing productivity (spreadsheet managers, note-taking applications, social network connectivity, etc) or providing recreation (another aspect of social network connectivity, games, etc).   Blackberry apps have been an in-house closed platform operation until now, i.e. RIM and only RIM has been developing these apps for download, and the platform on which these apps are built is closed to external developers. In contrast, the app store for the explosively popular iPhone is open for developers from anywhere in the world to build apps for the general public to download. As a result, iPhone apps number around the 350,000 mark, while the Blackberry app s tore has approximately 7000 apps. These apps often form a key differentiator for the layperson looking to invest in a smartphone. As a result, RIM is poised to be edged further out of the market, unless they can take a quantum leap with their app offerings. In our recommendations section, we examine the prospect of a partnership that RIM can forge to rival Apples app store. Another weakness in RIMs current strategy is the delay in its entry in handheld tablet computing market through its upcoming tablet -Playbook. The company has announced the launch of this tablet in mid 2010. However, the launch of the device has been delayed until mid 2011 following a number of issues in manufacturing, unavailability of touchscreen displays due to absence of any long term contract with manufacturers. The company has also spend considerable amount of time in application development which could have been offered after the launch of the product through the Blackberry App Store. (For more details: refer Appendix Figure 6) Competitive Landscape Apple with its twin offerings of the iPhone and the iPad, along with the Apple App Store compete directly with RIM on all fronts. Google with its Android O/S (operable on multiple handset makers devices) is another (and rapidly growing) player in this landscape, with their open source platform that allows developers to write Apps that users can download, much like Apples model. In order to perform a competitive analysis, we further divided the market into two categories, that of Enterprise (corporate) users and that of non-Enterprise (consumer) users. Competitive Analysis in Enterprise Market As mentioned earlier, RIM took advantage of an early head-start in marketing their devices to large MNCs, many of whom now have deep, entrenched relationships with RIM. This was due in part to a first mover advantage, and also due to the enhanced security that RIM offered for email sent to its devices. The easy integration with existing email systems made the Blackberry phone the device of choice for a majority of corporations looking to equip their staff with mobile email units. The cost of switching from RIM for Enterprise users is essentially that of the legacy systems they have invested in (handsets, servers, trained personnel) and contractual commitments. With Apple beginning to offer enhanced security and a push towards productive applications for the corporate workforce, several younger corporations are either starting their staff with iPhones (and iPads) or looking to make the switch from their existing RIM contracts. Under the circumstances, there is an urgent need for RIM to offer additional value to keep these customers anchored, while also remaining a relevant option for new enterprise customers looking to decide for a mobile email-phone provider. RIM needs to follow the concept of Strategic Intent  [4]  and structure of Ambidextrous Organizations  [5]  to be competitive with other players in Smartphone industry. Competitive Analysis in Non-Enterprise Market This segment of users includes both the casual consumer as well as the professional consumer. While the former looks at a plethora of criteria for selecting their handsets and tablets, the latter is focused on devices and phone plans that offer enhanced professional productivity minus the baggage (like firewalls, disabled applications, etc) that accompanies enterprise-provided devices. For both sub-segments, two key decision-making criteria are the processing power of the devices, and the choice (as well as usefulness) of the applications available for download. In this regard, as stated before, RIMs BlackBerry and Playbook are at a disadvantage because they are coupled with the ill-performing, sparsely populated shelves of the BlackBerry App Store. In comparison, the iPhone and iPad, both very competent devices in their own right, are backed by Apples App Store and iTunes websites, the latter offering a large selection of media downloads, such as songs and movies. (For comparative analysis with various manufacturers: refer Appendix Figure 7) For RIM to succeed in this segment, it is key for them to compete directly with Apple on their availability and choice of Apps for download. RIM: Strategic Options Based on our analysis of RIM and current trends in smart-phone industry, we see the following options for RIM: Leverage Android App Platform and Set New Rules in BlackBerry App World Deepen Enterprise Product Range Strong Marketing in BRIC Nations Forge Tactical Partnerships Assessment of RIMs Strategic Options Option 1: Leverage Android App Platform and Set New Rules in BlackBerry App World RIMs App Store strategy must be to increase incentives for its rapidly-dwindling Blackberry App -developer community by offering them higher pay-offs. Additionally, it must monetize a pre-approved Android App store on its phones, just as it did on its tablets. If it can open the Playbook to Android, then it should also open up the BlackBerry phones to Android. Advantages of Option 1 If RIM is leveraging Android App Platform for its Blackberry Smartphones, then it will allow the company to increase its available application base from 10,000 to a close to 150,000 (Appendix: Figure 2). This will make the blackberry phones more appealing to Android buyers (i.e. phones based on Android Operating System). Another advantage of this approach is that the sales of Android applications through Blackberry App world will ensure a guaranteed cash flow for RIM coming from application sales. Additionally, this option will free up internal company resources currently involved in the development of Blackberry applications and help the company to concentrate on the companys core competency build high-quality smart phones and tablets that run on cutting-edge software. This option will also increase consistency between the PlayBook and BlackBerry smart-phones. Disadvantages of Option 1 While there are many benefits of this approach, there are few concerns as well in this direction. First of all, the shift to Googles Android applications for Blackberry smart-phones will further increase the market power of Google. This will make RIM vulnerable to Googles business decisions such as introducing a significant charge for offering Android Apps through Blackberry App world. Another source of disadvantage is related to the security of Blackberry smart-phones. Currently, these phones have applications offered by RIM which are tested thoroughly for interoperability and security. The Android based applications might compromise the security of Blackberry smart-phones due to their lower security standards. Option 2: Deepen Enterprise Product Range Via Strategic Acquisitions One of the biggest barriers to enter the enterprise market segment is the relationships that a firm possesses with enterprises and their corporate clients. If RIM is to retain and expand its enterprise client base- both in the short-term and longer time horizons it needs to expand its offering via tactical and strategic acquisitions. Our suggestion is to do so by acquiring and integrating an enterprise video communication company such as Polycom which is a global leader in Enterprise Video communications, and shaping it around RIMs existing offering via integration and bundling. To beat the Innovators Dilemma that the firm is entrenched in, it has to go after acquisitions that are aligned with its high-level strategy and within the same space, those that can be integrated with the company in a short time-span. Advantages of Option 2 There are a number of advantages of pursuing the acquisition of an enterprise video communication firm such as Polycom. First of all, this option provides quick access to technology and creates a high switching cost for enterprises due to deeper penetration of RIM in enterprise video which forms an important part of enterprise communications. It also creates a huge opportunity to cross-sell complementary product offerings to the existing and non-existing customers. Additionally, RIM can leverage various Polycom offerings such as telepresence  [6]  in its upcoming playbook. Apart from non-enterprise users, RIM should offer its Playbook initially to the existing Polycom customers. This will help the company to see adoption by Early Adopters. Once the Polycom customers like the product, the RIM will be able to Cross the Chasm  [7]  and reach the Pragmatists. (refer: Appendix- Figure 8) The acquisition of Polycom can also create an opportunity to offer video content and generate revenue through live video streaming on Blackberry/Playbook. Based on our financial analysis, we also saw that Polycoms current valuation provides an opportunity for RIM to capture value and to create value through cost and revenue synergies. (refer: Appendix-Figure 9, 10) Disadvantages of Option 2 One of the possible disadvantages with this option is related to the risk involved in any acquisition- cultural and management clashes -which can hamper the growth prospects of RIM. The acquisition will involve approval from regulatory bodies which will require major efforts from RIMs management. There is a possibility that competitors of RIM could also provide a counter bid to an acquisition (e.g. Polycom) and make it difficult for RIM to acquire the firm. Option 3: Strong Marketing in Emerging Markets According on the smart-phone industry forecast  [8]  , Asia-Pacific market will be the largest smart-phone market during 2009-2014, recording a CAGR of 30% in that period. As a result, an option for RIM is to gain a huge market share in emerging markets through strong marketing efforts. Advantages of Option 3 If RIM can capture a strong market share in Emerging Markets, then it will allow the company to increase its revenue many-folds. Another advantage of this approach is the competitive advantage RIM will have over Apple since Apple does not have a strong customer base in the emerging markets due to high price of iPhone. RIM on the other hand, offers a variety of smart-phones which satisfies the need of price sensitive users as well as business users. Additionally, the marketing costs are far less in emerging markets as compared to North America and Europe. Disadvantages of Option 3 First of all, the shift to emerging markets will expose RIM to competitive pressure from local handset manufacturers such as Huawei whose generic strategy is cost leadership. Another source of disadvantage is related to the security of Blackberry smart-phones. The secure email facility offered by RIM is encrypted and there has been security concern in many countries regarding the encrypted nature of these mails which can become a method of communication of for terrorists and criminal organizations. Option 4: Forge Tactical Partnerships Just like RIM has large partners like Microsoft in the enterprise space, it should strive to aggressively partner with other large companies that create content, mobile networks and cloud platforms. For example, it can forge ties with Amazon to get access to valuable content and services like its new cloud player; it can tie-up with gaming companies to create exclusive gaming on its tablets and blackberries, that appeal to its user base games that would appeal to its enterprise-oriented clients. Additionally, it must use exclusive contracts with mobile network companies, when appropriate in order to maintain its exclusivity and security. Advantages of Option 4 Tie-ups with large partners would be a game-changer, and would set RIM a notch above its competition and allow it access to unique content providers. Additionally, it will also provide quick access to cutting-edge technologies to RIM without diverting its focus from its core competencies. Disadvantages of Option 4 One possible disadvantage is that this option exposes RIM to the risk of exposing its intellectual property to partners. As a result, the company might lose its core competencies due to imitation by partners. Future Recommendations for RIM After analyzing the firms core competencies, its current product portfolio and resources which are unique and inimitable, future options we recommend that the firm should return its focus on its original capabilities within the enterprise markets and corporate customers. The high-level strategy for RIM should be to: speed up product development, enhance security and function to appeal better to enterprise/corporate customers and increase its product range through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. RIM possesses a critical mass in its relationships with enterprise segment/corporate clients and the best lever to protect that is enhance its product offering, security and functionalities, and align them to its existing product portfolio and quicken product development. This should be done after the market has been tested enough through small, rapid experiments. In a fast-changing smart-phone market (Figure 6), where the firm virtually had highest market share once, the best bet for the company is to slightly change its strategic position by making new trade-offs and make speedier product iterations, to remain differentiated. More specifically, we recommend the following three key steps to implement the strategy for RIM on a short and long term: 1) Leverage Android App Platform and Set New Rules in BlackBerry App World 2) Deepen Enterprise Product Range via Strategic Acquisitions 3) Forge Tactical Partnerships Additionally, we analyzed what our strategy would look like in the growing emerging market segments, and we believe that the above strategy of rapid product development, broader product offerings and unique partnerships with content providers/networks would be applicable to those markets as well, where RIMs strategy should maintain exclusivity and security and remain enterprise-oriented. We do not see aggressive marketing in emerging markets (option 3) to be a promising option for RIM going forward. In conclusion, there is still a significant enterprise/corporate market that demands high-quality, sophisticated and secure products. RIM, with its strong commitment to security, loyal user base and time-tested partnerships should deepen its focus on this customer base and remain unique and differentiated. Appendix Figure1. Global mobile handset shipments (m), 2009-14 Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 CAGR Unit Shipments(m)  [9]   1234 1373 1485 1602 1697 1796 7.80% Growth% 11.3% 8.2% 7.9% 5.9% 5.8% Figure2. Smartphone Apps Market Platform Symbian RIM Android Apple iOS Number of Applications  [10]   6118 10000 140000 225000 Figure3. The Value Chain Smartphone Industry Figure4. Market Share: Video Communication Source: Cisco Figure5. Revenue sharing model Source: Business Insights Figure6. RIM SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Strong market presence in the enterprise segment is driven by its flagship BlackBerry device. A weak content strategy coupled with a poor ecosystem is impacting on the companys competitiveness. Robust profits continue to shield the company from competitive threats. RIM derives a substantial 63.1% of its revenues from North America. Concentration of revenues from a single region could expose the company to considerable risk. Opportunities Threats The company is targeting the youth segments in emerging markets by offering social networking and multimedia featur