Management Experience in the Creative and Cultural Industries Essay

Management Experience in the Creative and Cultural Industries - Essay Example The first concept which is applied to setting up a new restaurant is based on the franchise requirements which are associated with IHoP. The building has to be free standing and should be an average of 5,000 feet, which seats 185 people. If it isn’t free standing, then it is required to be on an end – cap space, such as at the end of a shopping center. The site is also to be located in an area that has a minimum population of 25,000 and a maximum of 50,000 within a 3 mile population. The traffic which goes through the location should be 28,000 daily, which is specific to the area that the building is located in. It is also required to have a parking space for 50 – 80 people. The property terms are on a triple lease to own, which is based on a lease agreement which lasts from 20 – 30 years. The utility service requires gas at 2,000,000 BTUs, water at 2 inches and 55 pounds minimum flow pressure fire service. Electricity is required to be at 1,000 Amps and 1 20 / 208 2 phase 4 wire. The sewer should contain a 6 inch line minimum lateral (IHoP, 2010). The expectations with the franchise are followed by the establishment and main way in which the operations will work. The first aspect to this is safety. The safety for employees relates to keeping the place clean and free from slipping, spills, burns and other hazards while cooking or serving guests. To ensure this, safety standards will be required through both internal standards and federal regulations, such as continuously cleaning the floors and counter space as well as taking preventative measures while cooking (Almanza, 2004). The food safety will be added into this, specifically with the purchase, storage, handling, preparation, cooking, transport and service. Each of these stages has to meet specific regulations through a food management safety system. The purchase, storage and handling will be monitored by keeping the area clean and by

The Case of the Off-Rhythm Bongo Player Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Case of the Off-Rhythm Bongo Player - Essay Example As explained by Jason Bardi reports from the Scripps Institute, "calcium is a second messenger and regulates many different intracellular processes, including gene expression within cells." (Bardi, 2004) and "the transfer or spread of this excitability to a neuronal network, manifested as electro-graphic and clinical seizures, occurs via synaptic transmission." (Wellmer J, Su H, Beck H, Yaari Y and Eur J Neurosci, 2002) The effect on ion channels and effect on threshold are distinctive in the sense that "native calcium channels have been classified by both their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties and are generally divided into low-threshold (T-types) and high threshold (L-, N-, P/Q- and R-types). The L-, N-, P/Q- and R-type channels typically activate at membrane potentials near -30 mV and display diverse kinetic, voltage-dependent and pharmacological properties.1 The availability of specific pharmacological agents targeting the high threshold channels has permitted elucidation of many of their physiological functions. The T-type calcium channels describe a class of molecules that transiently activate at relatively negative potentials (-60 mV) and for which a general lack of high-affinity selective blockers has made their exact physiological contributions lag behind those of the high-voltage activated isoforms" (Snutch, 2005) The effect on Bado's muscles including the aching, twitching and tingling fingers is based on how the calcium mediates constriction and relaxation of blood vessels. This includes those excitable cells which controls the nerve impulses like those occurring in his twitching fingers. More definitively explained by Jane Higdon of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon University, calcium plays a role in mediating the constriction and relaxation of blood vessels (vasoconstriction and vasodilation), nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and the secretion of hormones, such as insulin. Excitable cells, such as skeletal muscle and nerve cells, contain voltage-dependent calcium channels in their cell membranes that allow for rapid changes in calcium concentrations. For example, when a muscle fiber receives a nerve impulse that stimulates it to contract, calcium channels in the cell membrane open to allow a few calcium ions into the muscle cell. These calcium ions bind to activator proteins within the cell that release a flood of calcium ions from storage vesicles inside the cell. The binding of calcium to the protein, troponin-c, initiates a series of steps that lead to muscle contraction. The binding of calcium to the protein, calmodulin, activates enzymes that breakdown muscle glycogen to provide energy for muscle contraction. (Higdon, 2003) As explained in the following afflictions, cell excitability and effects on the skeletal muscle are discussed: a) Hyperkalemia: "In acute hyperkalemia, the ratio of intracellular to extracellular K+ is decreased. The gap between the resting membrane potential to the excitability threshold is decreased and the nerve conduction is initiated more easily. If this continues it progresses to weakness of muscles. Gradual hyperkalemia, as in

Strategy Positioning Paper Essay Example for Free

Strategy Positioning Paper Essay Apple is one of the most innovative companies that were ever created to surface our technology world. Founder created it Steve Jobs and two others in 1976. Apple is an â€Å"American multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers† (Apple Inc., 2014).Apple is most known for its hardware products such as the Mac computer, IPod, IPad, and the infamous IPhone smart phones, just to name a few. The sleek design of all these products mentioned, is one of the major components that separates this line from its competitors. Having a collection of Apple products is in very high demand across the globe, due to its popularity, speed, and overall technology performance. It has over 400 retail stores across fourteen countries. It does not surprise Apple customers when they develop something great and market it to the world seeing that Apple has estimated revenue of $170 billion. Most Apple consumers are ready for something new to be launched, just so they can get their fingers on it. Apple, Inc. is introducing a new product called the iFlash. It is a portable flash drive combined with a charger, having a flash drive on one end and a charger on the other end. The iFlash comes in varies GB of 8, 16, and 32, with its compatibility with all Apple products. It also comes with a docking station that it connects to so that it can charge itself. It gives you the luxury of being able to charge your phone on the go without worry about finding an outlet to plug it into. The iFlash lets you have the freedom to charge your phone, without being connected to a power source, which is great for this â€Å"on the go generation†. The iFlash is also Wi-Fi capable which means that whenever you have Wi-Fi capability you can upload and sync your phone with iTunes and iCloud as well as perform any  updates that are needed to any applications or to your operating system. The built in flash drive allows you to save information from your phone to the flash drive if needed or you can use it as a portable flash drive on its own. A SWOT analysis of the organization and offering Recognition of Brand Many people are around one area, could leave the Wi-Fi in slow connection Opens opportunities to downloading to a computer without the use of a cord attached to it Workers being exposed to Benzene and N-Hexane The table shows that iFlash could be an advantage or disadvantage with the company. IFlash gives this now on the go generation the opportunity to get things done and stay updated without the fear of finding an outlet to plug into. Many companies that work with electronics have to worry about workers being exposed to Benzene and N-Hexane. Both of them could be critical, however, Apple practices going green. Apple likes to use some of their older projects to help advance the company and gain additional knowledge about the iFlash. The iFlash is yet another fantastic technological creation from  Apple that will give its users the benefit of saving data, including pictures and videos without having to plug into or log onto a computer at all. At the same time, the iFlash will allow the charging of any Apple device without having to plug into an electrical outlet. Both of these functions are wonderful alone but together they make for an extremely useful device. According to Porter’ s five competitive forces, however there may be a significant amount of competition almost immediately. Because of the fact that mobile device industry is so profitable there will surely be a number of threats of new entrants as has been the case for almost all advancements in the industry. One thing that Apple does have however is an extremely loyal customer base, which will certainly help with the success of the launch of the product. Apple customers are so loyal in fact, that some actually camp out in front of stores in anticipation of the release of a new product, in particular the iPhone. The threat of substitute products or services is also very prevalent and in fact to some degree already available. There are both portable chargers and flash drives already available however not as a combination, which is where our product is different from any other. There is also the factor of bargaining powers, both of the customers as well as the suppliers. Apple has a substantial production and distribution operation however, whenever a new device is introduced there is inevitably a backlog because of the popularity of the product. This in essence would create a bargaining power for the customer however since Apple is so popular and established it does not. This might however create a bargaining power for the suppliers because they know that the demand for the product is huge and they could possibly play on that to charge more to produce the device. The competitive rivalry is alive and well in this industry perhaps more than any other industry today. Market Segmentation Base Apple should segment the market on the following basis. Accessible: The selected segments should be reachable in terms of communication or distribution channels. Identifiable: The market segments should have differentiable measures that are easy to identify while segmenting them. Durable: The segments should be stable enough to manage changes in the cost of product offerings (McDonald, 2012). Substantial: The market segments  should be large enough to justify the use of resources for targeting them. Unique Needs: The segments should be able to respond to marketing mix differences to justify separate offerings. By using all these variables, demographic segmentation strategy will be used to segment the target market. It will also cover age, occupation, income, attitude, buying pattern etc. Target Market Because our product will be used with Apple computer, iPad, iPod, and iPhone and is sold in our Apple store, our market can potentially be anyone with an Apple computer, iPod touch or an iPhone. Apple has sold an estimated 33 million total iPhones and 13 million iPod touches, and 14.1 million IPad. This means the market consists potentially of about 60 million Apple. Specifically, we are going after two target markets. The first market will be teenager/college students, ages 16 and above. This market is interested in socializing, music, gaming, recording school notes, and being able to have them at any time. What we can offer them is a device that will be convenient in use and allow quick availability of content for the student. We are providing them the flexibility to have their products and apps available at all time. The other market we are going after is the business peoples. This person is primarily male or female from the age of21-55. This market is interested in being able to transfer their apps, music, or reports from one device to the next. This device allows business people to finish work efficiently and securely on multiple devices. In addition, the businessperson can upload or download material at will. Carrying these small devices make moving data, software and material from one device to next much easier. This product provides the average consumer the resources to move, data, software music, and apps from one product to the next. The reality of the target market is going to be anyone with an apple iPhone or iPod or those who are thinking of getting an apple product. The main audience is going to be teens, young adults, college age, and adults because they are the main audience for the apple products. â€Å"Apple products are also useful to young children and kids. The reason for this is that devices such as iPods and iPads are easy to use due to their touch screen quality, which is good for children. Parents can download learning game apps on Apple devices to teach young children and kids.† This product is can be used to charge two to  four apple products at the same time so it will save ample time in charging products. Emotional and Logical Driver The popularity of our devices link to a device that allow them all to talk and interlink will be quickly becomes a great seller for Apple. We will also target the need for a device that allows business people and student to have accessibility to their data at any location and at any time. Logically, this device will make business and studying much easier. The driving force for this product will be need, available, and convenient. â€Å"Adults are also one of Apple Inc.s target markets. IPhone’s are useful to adults for their everyday needs such as phone calls, map directions, internet connection, documents, and cameras. Carrying these small devices makes adults lives much easier for communicating daily.† Apple products are used by people of all ages for just about anything you can think of from watching a moving to doing business. Many students use their iPhone to do homework (myself included) because it is much easier then carrying around a laptop all day. The tablet i s a common item among students of all ages because it is smaller than a laptop but is capable of doing the same thing a computer can. â€Å"Teenagers are considered one of Apple Inc.s target markets. Teenagers use iPods for many reasons. Some of these reasons are to socialize with friends, listen to music, and go on Facebook, MSN, twitter etc. There are also many gaming apps that appeal to them. IPods have become quite a trend with teenagers† (Apple Inc.’s Target Market). Teenagers live on their apple products, without them they would not know what to do with themselves. Apple has the appeal to the teenage population with all their products. Adults are also one of Apple’s target markets due to the convenience of using it helpful tools such as map direction, internet connection, receiving and sending documents, and the camera. Carrying these small devices makes adults lives much easier for communicating daily.† â€Å"Business People are very intrigued by Apple products. All Apple devices (iPhones, iPads, MacBooks etc.) have a business quality that is very useful. These devices are used to finish work efficiently and to communicate with clients easily. In addition, sending documents is easy and organized† (Apple Inc.’s Target Market). Apple products are used by people of all ages for just about anything you can think of from watching a moving to  doing business. Many students use their iPhone to do homework (myself included) because it is much easier then carrying around a laptop all day. The tablet is a common item among students of all ages because it is smaller than a laptop but is capable of doing the same thing a computer can. Apple has implemented the strategies of push and pull in order to reach their target market. Because of push strategy, the product was placed in front of the consumer. By means of advertising as well as making sure, the customer is mindful of their new product the iFlash, which are a charger on one side and a flash drive on other. However, this approach works extremely well for low price product and drive investment product. There are several ways Apple Inc. can implement the push strategy in order to enhance knowledge of their new product the iFlash. Operating the market to reassure the request of the retailer, promoting the iFlash face-to-face or display area, Apple Inc. can reassure other retailers to stock their product. Although, at times companies must cooperate with retailer to stock an individual product since retailers does not have much space. Nevertheless, want to stock products that will sell, well-organized supply chain allowing retailer supply, packaging design to encourage the purchase, and point of sale displays (Marketing Made Simple.Com). In the meantime push strategy also work best for wholesalers, suppliers inventors and others that by this time has already established a connection with operators. Then there is pull strategy, which Apple Inc. can use to increase demand that encourages customers to pursue an individual product aggressively the iFlash. However, it is intended mainly for the end customers. Nevertheless, a well built and able to be seen brand is required to make certain that the pull strategy is a success. Although, there are many ways a company can apply pull strategy to endorse their brand such as creating advertising strategies that involve the mass media promotion of a product. Customer relationship management that ensures current consumers is mindful of an innovative product that will fill an individual requirement, referral, and sale promotions and discounts. By exercising, those policies drive the demand for the iFlash product. However, because of the demand retailer are pushed to pursue the product as well as to stock on the shelves in their stores. Meanwhile, Apple productively implements the pull strategies to  introduce their products such as iPhone, iPads, iPods and their newest product the iFlash. However, several companies are willing to apply a mixture of push and pull strategies in order to have a productively market product. The strategies that were provided above explain the needs that drive purchase in our current company, which is Apple Inc. It also explains how to encourage retailers to promote its product within their stores. However, it also shows the drive to get customer to purchase iFlash, which is a useful product, it help if your iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Apple laptop has to be charge. For an instant, let us say that one has a meeting and the information that is require located on that hard drive, which can be helpful within that section. However, push and pull strategy help companies to push its product such as place, price, and promote to have a successful product as well as loyal customers. The industry category that Apple falls under would be that of the technological device and applications. This is one of, if not the fastest growing and most competitive industry categories today. Technology is advancing at such a staggering rate that it is often said that once one purchases a new device suc h as an iPhone or iPad it will soon be out of date because the next model will be available in the near future. That should not detour a person from purchasing the product however, just know that if you want the newest and best model you will have to continuously upgrade, which is quickly becoming the norm. This is also in fact how Apple solves the target’s needs, because the reason the advancements and next generation models are developed so rapidly is because both the developers and consumers recognize new options that could be made available or improved. Even when only minimal improvements or new options are recognized, a new model with those options included is developed and distributed virtually always with extremely successful sales. IFlash’s main competition would be Samsung being that they would try to duplicate the same technology as iFlash. Another competitor would be Energizer or any other type of battery maker. However, they would be unsuccessful in the industry because constantly buying batteries to maintain a charge on the devices can be expensive and inconvenient. IFlash would be different from other competitors because while they still struggle with wires bending, breaking  and being lost, the iFlash USB is a portable device that is conveniently stored with a person’s portable device for protection. What makes your organization different from its competition? When it comes to competition, Apple Inc. is truly in its own category. Apple does not just sell devices; it sells online services as well. You have the online Apple store to purchase the latest products, ITunes for media browsing, Safari web browser, and IOS operating system. Apple also has its own retail store that touches 14 countries. This store is not your average retail store, its high tech design and Genius bar to help customer with any technical support. This store also provides presentations and workshops to train the public on new products. Having something so beneficial for the public to utilize definitely sets them apart from its competition. Apple as a company has proven its relevancy in today’s market. Its products are in very high demand, being the largest â€Å"Apple is the largest publicly traded corporation in the world by market capitalization, with an estimated market capitalization of $446 billion by January 2014† (Apple Inc., 2014). Product, Pricing, and Channels Introduction Apple Inc. incorporated in 1977. Their business model has been design, production, and promotion of personal computers, messaging and communication devices, mobile media, laptops and other portable digital equipment. The company also produces a wide range of associated software applications, secondary merchandise, and services, the most well-known among these: iPhone, IPod, iPad, Mac Book, IOS and OSX systems. Apple recently purchased a seed company from Silicon Valley that focuses on I-Flash Charger. A detailed description of the features of your product or service including how it solves the needs of your target market Apple, Inc. has introduced a new product called the iFlash. It is a portable flash drive combined with a charger, designed for people who need to multi task on a daily basis. Having a flash drive on one end and a charger on the other end, has its simplicity and over all convenience. . The iFlash comes in varies GB of 8, 16, and 32, with its compatibility with all App le products. It also comes with a docking station that it connects to so that it can charge itself. It gives the average person on the go, the luxury of being able to charge your phone  without worrying about finding an outlet to plug it into. This iFlash lets you have the freedom to charge your phone, without being connected to a power source, which is great for this fast-paced generation. The iFlash is also Wi-Fi capable which means that whenever you have Wi-Fi capability you can upload and sync your phone with iTunes and iCloud as well as perform any updates that are needed to any applications or to your operating system. The built in flash drive allows you to save information from your phone to the flash drive if needed or you can use it as a portable flash drive on its own, and save work from a desktop computer or laptop. This new product was created with much thought to make your everyday task that much easier. A description of how marketing efforts will change with each phase in the product life cycle Since a very well established firm such as Apple is introducing the iFlash, it will have a great chance for very successful profit margins. The introduction itself is expected to be very successful as with many other Apple products introduction where in many cases people actually camp out hours, even days before the release. The lines at Apple stores when a new product or new version of a popular is being released are always extremely long but the consumers do not care, or rather, they do not let that stop them from wanting to be one of the first to own the hot new Apple product. That being the case, during the marketing introduction phase of the iFlash’s life cycle the marketing strategy will be to have ads on T.V. during popular shows, as well as in printed publications that appeal to a tech savvy and in that case maybe younger consumer group. During the market growth phase we believe the iFlash will have shown how wonderfully convenient it is and is necessary have. Therefore the product will then be market to a much wider range of a consumer group and ads will be place in other types of publications, and ads on T.V. and radio will be during different times of the day as well as during different programs and on different stations to appeal to that wider demographic. â€Å"In the market growth stage, industry sales grow fast—but industry profits rise and then start falling. The innovator begins to make big profits as more and more customers buy. Nevertheless, competitors see the opportunity and enter the market (Perreault, Cannon, McCarthy, 2014). That being the case we expect there to be copycat products as there usually are so prices will have to be  adjusted accordingly because some customers will not care if the product is of the same quality as the iFlash if it is half the price. During the life cycle phases of market maturity and especially the sales decline phase, we will begin to develop a new generation of the iFlash with new capabilities and perhaps at a better initial market price. The packaging you will use for your product or service and how it will add value When it comes to packaging, it may appear as less important to some customer electronics companies. Meanwhile, Apple impressions on their packaging design are taken very seriously. The way Apple package its iFlash and other products, everyone who has opened an Apple product of any kind know that Apple’s packaging is well designed. It reflects a consideration in which many companies do not take the time distribute. Therefore, packaging for Apple is more than how products are placed securely inside its package. Apple’s packaging always looks clean and simple, and the iFlash packaging will be true for the brand. However, the art of the cover of the box is a small size box for the produ ct, which would be inside. In other word, it would be the perfect marketing message, building expectation and making the product the center of attention. Meanwhile, the only other graphic arts on the package are the Apple logo, and the name of the product would locate in the side of the box. Therefore, with the iFlash, being a flash drive on one side, however, the space on the iFlash runs from 8GB to 32GB, which is good for storing pictures and another source of information. The packaging Apple created for the iFlash is unique and made exactly to fit the iFlash, which is stored safely in its box. The appropriate pricing strategy for your product or service and the price you will set at launch The appropriate pricing strategy that will be used upon initial launch of the iFlash would be premium pricing. â€Å"Premium pricing strategy establishes a price higher than the competitors. It’s a strategy that can be effectively used when there is something unique about the product or when the product is first to market and the business has a distinct competitive advantage† (Richards, 2014). Since the iFlash will be the first to m arket, the competitive advantage would be at 100%. Until competition and knock-offs hit the market Apple can continue to charge premium pricing on the product. The iFlash will be offered at four different price points based upon the USB flash drive memory capability. The 2GB will be launched at $19.99 and will be  available in the same colors that are available for iPhones. The 8GB will be launched at $29.99, 16GB launched at $39.99, and the 32GB iFlash will be launched at $49.99. By offering these products at the available pricing, the consumer will notice that the prices are not that much different, and in some cases cheaper than just purchasing a USB flash drive it, and the iFlash performs an additional function! Even if competition comes into play, the iFlash is reasonably priced for an Apple product, and as with all other Apple products, customers have proven willing to pay for quality over price preference. Since the iFlash will be the only product of its type available as a dual feature product, the hype will be instant and hope that the buzz will remain as people flock to purchase the product. The ability to carry around your data and charge your phone at the same time without being tied to a wall outlet allows an iPhone user to be more on the go than before and have more capability to share information, save information, and transport their information. The ability to take the iFlash anywhere and charge your phone from a portable location is a feature that has not yet been offered from any phone competitor to date. By setting, the pricing amounts at the above points Apple can decide to lower them if needed once competitors enter the market, however, based upon the features and quality of the product Apple believes this is a valid and acceptable pricing strategy, which has been set for initial launch. The channels of distribution you will use to sell your product along with a description of how each channel partner will add value â€Å"Apple’s stores are among the most successful brick-and-mortar shops around, generating more revenue per square foot than any other retailer in the United States, including Tiffany.† (Paczkowski) Apple has over three hundred and seventy two store in the United States but the retail outlets sold 40% of the merchandise from Apple. Apple deals with all the phone outlets plus Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Amazon. The main revenue the company makes are from the channels distribution centers, Amazon is a big seller because of the Internet availability, and they deliver quickly. The phone centers such as Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, ATT, and Best Buy are hands on type of distribution center where you can look at the product in real time make it easy for Apple consumers to buy or look at the Apple product. â€Å"Apple is using two major distribution channels to reach the end-user. Direct distribution: Apple established the retail stores in different regional location; it displays the product and provides the information and support to the end-user directly. Indirect distribution: Apple used the intermediary organization to Fragmenting bulk supplies of inventory, provides the financial services to retailers and Increase ease of customer purchase, beside, Apple minimize the transport costs by monitoring and operating a warehouse close to the intermediaries.† The supply chain for Apple products are a vast majority because Apple knows how and what the consumers want and the suppliers are more than happy to get the product for them. Apple products are a worldwide enterprise and the consumer continues to want more so Apple produces more and supplies the chain. With the Apple Standard being adopted as the Industry standard and Apple becoming the major supplier of digital software to the Consumer Electronics industry Apple is in a unique position to leverage its design and innovation capabilities to make high quality digital products for this market. Apple can then use the differentiation strategy to command premium for its products based on the quality and features. They would then become a niche player in the upper and premium end of the digital products market. Conclusion The Apple iFlash has the potential to change the mobile device market. The method of presentation is going to determine how quickly this will happen. The competition will follow the product through its distribution channels, but this product will lead the market exclusively for a significant period. It is during this time that Apple will focus most on developing and perfect the unique functions of the product. The pricing strategy and distribution phases will extract maximum profitability. In the current world, everything has turned digital. Today, the use of iFlash has influenced considerable factors that have effectively enhanced storage and mobility. This has influenced a great challenge to the upcoming generation because of the new devices and the course outline they cover in their institutions. However, Apple Inc. created a suitable device that can meet all the need of the current generation. In general, the target market of the iFlash is the  current and the upcoming generati on. Research shows that most youths are attracted to Apple products because their brains are intelligent, and they believe that this is the right device. The device can store information and link Apps to multiple devices. In addition, the iFlash has suitable features compared to other storage devices. This iFlash will be widely used because of its speed, compatibility and efficiency compared to other storage devices. Your promotional strategy for your product or service, including how you may use the following; Advertising, Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Sales Promotion, Direct Marketing, Event Marketing, Outdoor The promotional strategy for the iFlash would be what is typical from Apple. Advertising is a key so there would be numerous clever televisions, radio and printed advertisements to inform the public of Apples new product the iFlash. Because of the fact that Apple already has very loyal following the advertisements would primarily focus on bringing new customers over to the Apple line of products but also to inform those that already own Apple products how beneficial it would be to own an iFlash. Public relations would be handled in all Apple store locations as well as all other subcontractors that have agreements to sell Apple products. Obviously, Apple stores would have great promotional deals on the iFlash as well as all other Apple service providers that sell Apple products and services and we would offer promotional discounts all around for the purchase of an iFlash. Apple plan to take full advantage of social media to advertise the great benefits of owning an iFlash and will send digital messages to current customers. That already own an iPhone or iPad so they may see firsthand what a great product the iFlash is. The iFlash will also be marketed at popular events such as sporting events and music concerts to allow the public to see how wonderful a product is and how it could help them. Both save the images and videos that they have taken on their iPhones as well as to insure that they have a full charge to take as many pictures and videos as they want without worrying about storage capacity. As we, all know our hand held devices are fantastic for capturing important or fun times in our lives but often times the capacity is limited  because we have done so many times. without saving our images or videos to an external drive and when another moment that we want to capture occurs our device is unable to because the memory is full or your device has used its charge and not only can you not capture the occasion but you may not be able to call someone in case of an emergency. With an iFlash in your pocket, this will never happen again. The effect professional selling may have on your offering

Performance measurement

Performance measurement Introduction: This report is about operations Management in general and performance measurement in specific, which is broadly a study of an organization’s performance. LYCATEL has been chosen as Model Company in order to measure its performance. This report will focus on studying the different areas of their operations. This repot will also look at the positive or negative impacts of operational decisions taken by the company. This report will positively contribute to highlight some issues which may lead company towards betterment or vice versa. Finally the conclusion will proceed to some recommendations based on our analysis.This report will begin with brief explanation of performance measurement and its related concepts. The next section will introduce the Model Company and description of the problem. Finally the company will be analyzed on the basis of performance measure tools and recommendations will be made. Performance Measurement: Performance measurement can be defined as: a process in which we check or evaluate the company from different angels that how they are performing in their field. If we explore history, organisations have always measured performance in some way through the financial performance that they are making profit or not. However, traditional performance measured, based on cost accounting information; provide little to support companies on their quality journey. They never check the performance of an organisation seen by their customers that how they think about organisation’s performance. According to an article published in PMA Newsletter: â€Å"Evaluating performance is important, but we can not limit the performance measurement to this purpose. If we want to manage for results and manage through measures we should consider the performance measurement not just as a rear-view mirror to evaluate our past performance but as a tool to support decision making process in the organisation day by day.† Now a days in a successful total quality organisation, performance measures by the improvements seen by the customer as well as by the results delivered to other stakeholders, such as the shareholders. In the issue of Perspectives on Performance, Max Moullin recommended his personal definition of performance measurement and explained the aims of it. We would like to contribute to the discussion what he asserted. Here is how Moullin defined performance measurement: â€Å"Performance measurement is evaluating how well organisations are managed and the value they deliver for customers and other stakeholders† â€Å"We are not totally agreed with this definition because the word he used ‘how well’ should be decided after the measurement, we can’t say that the organisation is doing well or not before the measurement.† But as far other concerns it covers the both sides that the performance measurement tells the customer satisfaction and the stakeholders. Obviously if the customers are happy with the products or organisation they will stick with them and organisation will make profit, it’s just the different angle to see the things. Tools for Performance Measurement: When we talk about measuring something the first concept in the mind comes that measurable things should be tangible. So question arises here how we can measure intangible things? Then there should be some tools to measure the performance like if we want to measure the speed we measure in km/hr or if there is some liquid then we measure in litre and length in meters but for organisations we check that how good is their performance. It is really easy to say that in some organisation, some operation is not doing well or its performance is not very good but how we can say that what exactly we mean by these words â€Å"Well† or â€Å"Good†. To justify this we need something to measure the performance of operations in an organisation, some tool to do that. For this we will use Slack’s theory as a tool and measure the performance. His theory is also a best match with our case. In his theory he is using Quality, Speed, Dependability, Flexibility and Cost as tools to measure the performance. And these tools can be used to measure that the organisation is: Gives Doing things Right a Quality advantage Gives Doing things Fast a Speed advantage Gives Doing things On-Time a Dependability advantage Gives Changing what you do a Flexibility advantage Gives Doing things cheaply a Cost advantage The LYCATEL Group In this section a brief introduction is given about LYCATEL which is a dynamic, fast growing alternative provider of telecommunications services for consumers and businesses throughout the world. We will asses their performance in the UK market that how they perform in the market from customer’s point of view. LYCATEL Group covers several countries all over the world but we will check its performance specifically in the UK. The LYCATEL Group offers a broad product portfolio comprising of prepaid telephony solutions including: Carrier to carrier wholesale services Calling cards Residential Indirect Access Services (1xxxx) Mobile services (MVNO) Through a relentless focus on providing high voice quality by partnering with over 70 global telecommunications carriers, the LYCATEL brand serves its growing base of over 2 million customers who want to make low cost international calls. LYCATEL Group’s FUTURE The LYCATEL Group is committed to being the first choice telecommunications provider focused on serving global niche segments that have a need to call internationally whilst managing their monthly budgets through prepaid solutions. Vision To create a world-class telecommunications organisation where their talented people team up with their business partners to continually drive down costs and deliver superior value propositions to their customers. Mission To be the global market leader in the prepaid international calling card business by 2008. To diversify their revenue mix by developing prepaid carrier to carrier wholesale, prepaid residential and prepaid international mobile businesses, accounting for 40% of revenue streams by 2008. To delight their customers by providing low cost, high quality telecommunications services. Performance Key Facts Generates over 700 million minutes of voice calls every month – handling over 1.2 million completed calls daily. Operates a state-of-the-art global network comprising over 2,500 E1s – combining modern VOIP and traditional TDM technology. Employs over 150 talented professionals in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and Portugal. Interconnects with over 70 blue chip telecommunications carriers. Operates though a broad European distribution network of wholesalers providing access to over 300,000 outlets, including own controlled outlets in key locations. Provides customer services through a 24-hour multi-lingual call centre. Brand is recognised and used by over 2 million pan-European consumers. Is the European prepaid calling card market leader with an estimated market share of 25% in the UK, 20% in Holland, 20% in France and growing rapidly in Scandinavia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and Switzerland? Has annualised global revenues in excess of $300 million and on target to achieve global revenues of $500 million in 2006. Calling Cards LYCATEL calling cards enable their customers to make international calls easily and cost effectively. Providing over 100 calling card product brands to the market place including Uni Asia, Uni Tel, Lyca India, Latino Tel, Euro Tel, Africa Tel, They originate over 350 million minutes per month, of which we terminate over 60 million minutes to the Asian Sub-Continent, 70 million minutes to Africa, 20 million minutes to the US, 35 million minutes to Europe and 20 million minutes to the UK per month. The LYCATEL Group produces and distributes 6 million calling cards a month making us one of the biggest European operators in this sector. They achieve this through an extensive network of wholesalers ensuring that their customers can easily purchase cards at over 300,000 retailers across Europe including own controlled outlets in key strategic locations or online through their e-shop at www.LYCATEL.com. (3) Measuring the Performance of LYCATEL: As we all know that there is a big competition in telecommunication companies now a day in the UK and all over the world. Everyone is trying to give the best to their customers in this competitive market and want to bind the customers with them forever because they know the values have been changed. Now the customer’s satisfaction is a very big issue for the companies in the UK and all over the world. In telecommunication companies if someone needs to contact any one in the company, need any information, or they have any complaints or any sort of matter they have, they go through customer services. So it means customer services play a vital role in these companies and leave a deep impact on the customers as well. That’s why we decided to measure the performance of their (LYCATEL Group) customer services. We gathered views of people about LYCATEL’s customer services and measure them using our tools to get their performance. Now we will try to measure their performance using different tools. No doubt that the facts figures they are showing in their charts are very good and the company is progressing but it is not enough if we compare with their competitors especially in the UK. We will asses their performance using some tools like Quality, Speed, Dependability, Flexibility and Cost. We took review of the people about their customer services in which we will check these certain areas: Quality: One of the main factors in quality measurement is to evaluate the level of complaints. There are many sources to check the customer’s complaints. Different businesses use different strategies in order to get feed back. There have been many companies and websites formed in order to collect the positive negative reviews of the company. We have measured company’s customer services on the basis of customers complaints registered on one of the authentic web source, which is famous to collect customers views. There have been many complaints registered regarding their poor customer services depicted in one of the customer’s view as: View: â€Å"Bought Africa tel lycatel phone card and it gave me 5 minutes to talk yet claiming I had more minutes. I guess they disappeared in the thin air. I then proceeded to call customer service, who do not seem to know what they are talking about, did not answer or help me in any way shape or form, they just wanted me to get off the phone by giving me false information.†(4) In our research we found that customers were not much dissatisfied with the products of the company but with the customer services. A number of complaints were found regarding language barriers especially accent related issues. The customer services don’t seem to be well trained. They have not been equipped with proper information as reflected in the view which clearly shows the communication gap between management and staff. We also found many complaints regarding warrant claims and mean time between failures when measured the performance of customer services. Another person’s view as follows: â€Å" Very bad. Customer service too bad. I have online account with lycatel and I paid through credit card and they took the money and did not credit my account. Trying to contact them but call center could not help me on this. Very bad service.† Speed: Communication is known as a backbone in the field of customer services. LYCATEL’s customer services lacking in the field of communication due to their pronunciation problem as their most of the staff is non English. The consequences of this factor is influencing very negatively on their customer query time. The bad communication leads to misunderstanding, repetition and finally frustration. This does not only results in delaying customer query but also increases the order lead time. View: â€Å"Bought Africa Tel Lycatel phone card and it gave me 5 minutes to talk yet claiming I had more minutes. I guess they disappeared in the thin air. I then proceeded to call customer service, who do not seem to know what they are talking about, did not answer or help me in any way shape or form, they just wanted me to get of the phone by giving me false information.† Dependability: In this regard we would like to share personal experience of one of our colleague’s, who was dealt with many of the customer assistants including their supervisors. He experienced that every person he spoke to was not dependable at all. Every assistant provided different information on a same query but no one could solve it. Finally it was found that information provided by each of the members of the staff did not exist in the policies of the company. The same issue was also reflected in many other views. View: â€Å"Its so annoying when the card tells you have 195 minutes for the call. You make a call for one hour. A couple of hours later you go back and the card tell you have no funds. What happened to the other 2 hours? You call the customer service team (at YOUR expense), am left holding for over 15 minutes only to be told that the computer does not update for 6 hours. You call back again in the morning over 9 hours later only to be told the same thing.† Flexibility: Our research found that LYCATEL is not flexible enough to provide solution for diversity of queries. Very minor issues are discussed with supervisors or transferred to others. This causes dissatisfaction and finally shows inflexibility. The customer assistants are not equipped with the variety of information that’s why they depend on their seniors. View: â€Å"I bought a  £5 card, used it once for about 20mins, (out of an apparent 1000+). And then, despite it still having credit, I could never call a single other number on it again. Needless to say their customer services are the very kind you fear coming across, i.e.: a million miles away, deaf to your concerns and completely unable to do anything to rectify your loss of time, money and whist.† Cost: Minimizing the cost is one of the main objectives of any organization. When companies try to minimize their costs they must consider many factors in order to make decisions. Lyca tell seems to increase cost due to the delay of handling costs. These problems eventually result in dissatisfaction and obviously if one customer is dissatisfied hundred of other are affected due to the word of mouth. Hence labour productivity effects directly on the increasing costs and puts bad impacts on efficiency. View â€Å"I am so frustrated with my attempts and loss of time that I will not buy this card again and will relay my experience to my friends too.† â€Å"There was nothing good in my experience about Lycatel and their calling cards. Open a card without using it, and you will be surprise Lycatels computers will use the card for you. I thought I would have received loads of minutes on the cards but Lycatel.com never fulfilled this for me. I therefore do not recommend Lycatel.com.† Problem Description: Analysis has pointed out a problem in their customer services. Being business doctors it is diagnosed that actually the problem doesn’t exist directly in the customer services but in their operations. The statement we arrived at as diagnosed above is based on our detailed analysis by utilising the performance tool in the early section. Our research has found that the root cause of the problem exists in operations management because that the call centres of LYCATEL’s are based in India which is purely an operations based decision as the service layout is wrongly designed. Due to the cheap labour most of the customer services staff is hired from the mentioned country. LYCATEL deals with millions of customers in the UK market every day. Further more it is found that many other problems link to this decision. Solution/Recommendation: It is recommended that LYCATEL should realize the customers concern and they should change their layout of call centres from India to UK. Our conclusion is based on our detailed analysis where all factors are analysed and we find that in order to improve quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and reduce cost the service layout must be redesigned and call centres should be based in the UK. And British people should be hired. This will not only reduce the customer’s complaints regarding language barriers but also improve quality satisfaction. Properly trained employees with better communication will increase the speed of handling calls which will eventually reduce the cost and also reduce the waiting calls time. LYCATEL’s call centres are basically structured in India due to the cost effectiveness. They have surely seen one side of the picture but have totally ignored the other side. Our calculations show that if one person is dissatisfied it can distract 100s of customers. If LYCATEL satisfies one customer it means he is saving hundreds of customers which is actually cost effectiveness. Another angel of cost reduction can be considered by employing well trained staff who can satisfy three times more customers as compare to less trained staff. As LYCATEL is operating in different parts of the world, We recommend that small scaled call centres should be established for only UK based customers which another way of considering cost effectiveness. Our research has also found that people living in India are not much familiar with the cultural values of the UK, this is also one of the reasons which results communication gaps when dealing with totally different cultural background customers. References: (http://www.balancedscorecardreview.it/c2005/Definition-of-Performance-Measurement.pdf) 12/03/09 @ 20:30 Max Moullin – Defining performance measurement in Perspectives on Performance Volume 2 (Issue 2 March 2003) (http://www.lycatel.com/LycaTelHome.aspx) Date: 14/03/09 @ 14:00 (http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews93358.html) 16/03/09 @ 19:45

Alternate Energy Automobiles Essay -- Pollution Transportation Papers

Alternate Energy Automobiles â€Å"Of the world’s approximately 650,000,000 motor vehicles, fewer than 1,500,000 are not powered by either gasoline or diesel.† (Bradley 24). This minority of the vehicular population equates to a mere two thousandths of a percent of alternately powered vehicles. Nearly all of these alternately powered vehicles are powered by liquefied petroleum or compressed natural gas. The time to change that for the better is here and we must push our way through the red tape created by automakers so we can finally drive practical low emission cars. It is imperative that we begin driving higher efficiency automobiles because the limited supply of fossil fuels is running low, global warming is becoming a major issue that needs to be reduced, and internal combustion engines pollute too much. The amount of CO and NO are controllable by the use of different emission such as catalytic converters and exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) system. These components were forced upon the â€Å"big-three† automakers in the mid-1970s by the environmental protection agency (EPA). The auto making companies fought all of these new regulations, they even went to the point of threatening to close plants because of the new catalytic converters. The companies never ran into problems nor closed plants, and internal combustion engine (I/C engine or ICE) powered cars are getting more efficient by the year thanks to our EPA‘s regulations. The previous CEO of Ford, Lee Iocca, was caught on Nixon’s secret recording system complaining bitterly about the new regulations calling them â€Å"complete wastes of money† (Motavalli 41). Iocca complained about every effort the government made towards pollution and safety. He also believed that airbags, ... ... Holes Become Rat Holes.† Ecological Life Systems Institute. 25 Mar. 2001 . Roosevelt, Margaret. â€Å"Hybrid Power.† Time 24 (2000): 94-95. Stoffer, Harry. â€Å"Ford’s Fuel Pledge Scores; Devil’s in Details.† Automotive News 5886 (2000): 4. Syndor, Alvin G. â€Å"Energy from Fuel Cells.† Electronics Now 168 (1997): 56. OCLC FirstSearch. WilsonSelect Plus. Kresge Lib., Oakland U., Rochester MI. 19 Feb. 2001. Keyword(s): Fuel* and Cell*. Wakefield, Ernest. History of the Electric Automobile. USA: n/a, 1998. Weiss, Peter. â€Å"Device Ups Hydrogen Energy From Sunlight.† Science News 158.12 (2000): 182. Williams, Herald. â€Å"Fuel Cells: the Clean Machine.† Technology Review 97 (1994): 20-30. Udall, Randy. â€Å"When Will the Joyride End?† Seven Wonders. 14 Feb. 2001 25 Mar. 2001 .

Expression of Desires In Arabic Women’s Novels :: Arab Culture Cultural Essays

Expression of Desires In Arabic Women’s Novels Picking an original and engaging topic that is able to span all five of the very different authors’ novels we examined this semester proved to be a difficult task. Though there are certainly similarities between each book and overlying themes that connect them, ultimately I didn’t want to get tied down into the shifty and unsafe territory of placing novels together solely because one, they are all written by women; or two, they all emerge out of the Arabic world. However, there are certainly broad themes present in all of the novels, and I chose to focus on how women express, or can’t express their desires and wants, and how the ability to do so leads to agency and freedom in one’s own life. A woman’s desires, sexual and otherwise, seems surprisingly suppressed or not allowed in each novel. When it does emerge, it seems that too often one’s own desire is replaced with the need to be desirable for men, and so these women’s wants are placed aside in favor of the male protagonists’ wishes. I want to explore this topic in each novel, taking a look at when a woman is able to express desire, when it must give way and take second place to a man’s wants, and how, ultimately, it seems to free the women who chose to make their own path according to their wants, dreams, and goals. As we finish the semester and conclude our discussions on Arabic women, I think it’s important to note that though at times these women have agency in their lives, quite often, despite different upbringings, social/political/economic status, regions of habitation, and direct contact with Western influence, they are ultimately unable to take total control of their own lives. Obviously there are varying degrees to which this is applicable, and certainly some of the women are stronger than others, but overall, I think a very key message that all of these female authors are sending out is that women’s struggle for freedom and equality is still a battle that is being fought-- all over the world for sure, but certainly in the Middle East. Pillars of Salt, perhaps the novel with the strongest female character, is the one novel where desire is seen and nothing stops Maha from expressing her wants, both sexually and when it concerns her husband, son, and father.

How Film Technology Impacted Cinema’s Evolution Essay

Over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, cinema technology advanced greatly—and with an ever-growing history of movies from which to draw reference, film-makers have increasingly approached productions from fresher perspectives, while always employing the most modern equipment, in order to better serve the audiences of their days. In Visions Of Light, a series of interviews with directors and cinematographers explores how the evolution of microphones, lighting, film, staging, cameras and mounts has affected the translation of story into cinema in a variety of ways. When sound was first introduced, for instance, actors were forced to lean in closer to microphones that were hidden on the sets, in order to be better heard—thus affecting their physical impression on camera (Bailey, VL). Also, the advent of sound affected the mobility of cameras—and it was years before directors began taking moving shots again. Only after technology improved, and the practice of adding audio in post-production took hold, did cameras become fluid once more (Bailey, VL). In Visions Of Light, Zsigmond even goes so far as to claim the advent of sound might have affected film’s ability to rise to a higher form of art. Furthermore, in the early years, the onset of color film collided with the aesthetic prerogatives of directors from the black-and-white era of cinema. The dark-and-light stark contrasts of early film had always supplied directors with a strong foundation in a medium built on more abstract emotions—being more removed from reality, due to their lack of color (Daviau, VL). The introduction of red, yellow and blues, however, gradually eroded that surreal nature of young cinema—and left film-maker’s with a new spectrum of visuals to explore that were more rooted in reality—yet took away the artsier fare of the colorless picture (Daviau, VL). Finally, as the studios began to give way to more location shoots, and more independently ground-breaking and inventive movie-making, more experimental cinematography began taking place, including the increased use of techniques adopted from unintended effects of technology—and instructional mistakes on set. Inventiveness and new cameras and lenses wedded to create unprecedented waves of evolution in cinema. The more relaxed embracing of happy accidents, such as random camera â€Å"flares† for instance–and other unique lighting effects (Hall, VL), eventually led to the deeper medium today, where visual artisans have a century’s worth of rich and varied cinema to emulate, be inspired by—and pay homage to—in order to further expand upon the apparent human motion to improve the film experience. Visions Of Light is an inspiring look into the history of film—and a revelatory expose of the methods by which we attempt to translate our greatest tales into the constructs of cinema—and how technology and history have shaped the medium. By the time a movie is played on screen, one is witness to countless lifetimes of work, both in the perceived piece—as well as the endless sub-texts of cinema that came before it. The improvements of technology over time have both strengthened and handicapped cinema, enabling it to more accurately capture reality, while also rarifying the more abstract forms of black-and-white film and silent pictures. Future directors, of course, may yet return to the black-and-white medium, in order to test the depths of their art—but they may also find it more challenging than filming in color (Daviau, VL). Similarly, while sound changed movies from a purely visual form into a mixed discipline—directors who were to attempt to make a silent film today might find it more difficult to execute. Technology has allowed film to record reality better—while also blunting or limiting its inherent ability to translate more basic human emotions, through less colour or sound. Furthermore, as cameras have become more sophisticated and economical—the increased use of an independent, hand-held approach will change the look-and-feel of film for the coming generations, lending to it a more reality-based frame—and for that very same reason, a more difficult platform from which to craft the abstract. Overall, as technology advances, film evolves into a much different form from the shape it started out. It is now a fuller and more complex medium—although perhaps less of a straightforward one. With each mounting generation, directors have to grapple with the new and profound questions about how to approach the entertainment and education of an audience. They have to learn how to emulate the traditional paths of film’s past auteurs—but also, and equally importantly, to test the limits of the undiscovered country and new technology in cinema. Film-making as an art-form is ever-evolving and re-engaging its audiences in newer and more gripping ways. The language of the motion picture, however, is fundamentally limited by the science which allows it—and so, in order to direct most effectively, every last available trick of modern film-making must be employed, toward the end of showing people something they haven’t seen before, and creating a synthesis that succeeds in overwhelming the sum of its parts. Newer technologies and angles must be embraced, in order to achieve a more honest form of surprise and catharsis, so that audiences are finally moved and enlightened. For as technology evolves, so too does our tool set in the medium—providing an endless art-form to perfect and exercise up to the heights of cinema, as modeled by Citizen Kane. No patterns from past directors can ever be totally relied on, of course, in order to achieve the freshest cutting edge of new cinema—but those who are willing to learn the trade as well as take risks and experiment in the non-traditional forms are the ones who will always create original and inspiring works. Thinkers and shapers who are keen to test tomorrow’s technologies and exploit their own mistakes are the ones who will consistently set the bar higher—and allow the younger audiences to be livened up by the unexpected. Film’s suspension of disbelief, after all, dwells in the camera’s ability to capture the world around us—but also, in the editing room, where unnecessary redundancies of past pictures are trimmed back–and re-hashed tricks of the trade are left on the cutting floor. Only the bare bone advances of new cameras and exciting visual storytelling will seduce the eye and mind long enough to engage future audiences. Only the visionaries of light and sound will remind people of their daily existences deeply enough to be enthralled by the verisimilitude of it all—while simultaneously transporting them far enough away from themselves, that they will ultimately leave the theaters changed forever. Works Cited Vision Of Light. Samuels, S. ; Glassman, A. ; McCarthy, T. ; Glassman, A.. Daviau, A. ; Almendros, N. ; Bailey, J. ; Hall, C. ; Kovacs, L. ; Nykvist, S. ; Storaro, V. ; Wexler, H. ; Willis, G. ; Zsigmond, V. ; DVD. CBS FOX, 1993.