Assignments and Lab Reports Essay

Assessment By now you should have a good understanding of the scientific method and its importance in contributing to scientific knowledge. Grab your lab coat and get ready to design your own experiment. In this assignment, you will be doing two things: Evaluate an experiment. Designing your own experiment using the scientific method. Part I: Evaluate An Experiment Review each scenario below and choose ONE to complete for part I of your assignment. Read the scenario, and answer the questions using concepts learned in the lesson. Be sure to respond to each question in complete sentences and with supporting detail. Choose only ONE of the four scenarios below. Part I is worth 10 points. Scenarios (only select one): Scenario 1: Scenario 2: Scenario 3: Scenario 4: Part II: Designing an Experiment For the second part of your assignment, you get to apply the scientific method to a real life situation. Just as you saw within the lesson, the steps of the scientific method can be used to address the problem of finding the best directions to the movie theater, figuring out how to get grass to grow in your lawn, determining what color light helps plants grow fastest,  or answering a variety of other questions. Think about a scenario or problem that could occur in your life in which you can apply the scientific method to answer the question or solve the problem. Explain how you would follow each step of the scientific method and design an experiment. Please note that you are only describing what you would do at each step, you will not actually conduct the experiment. Part II is worth 20 points. Please be sure to write in complete sentences and use the â€Å"steps you need to include† and the rubric below to ensure you include sufficient detail.

American National Standards Institute

In every database project, there would always be requirements for the implementation of its data model. For it to work well and test its functionality, a data value might be needed. This data value will assume a value that is unknown. In relational databases, SQL server uses a placeholder called NULL that resembles unknowns. NULL sets parameters so some data modelers can avoid using it. However, just like any other technology, complications would always arise. One of these is an argument whether it’s good to use NULL or not.NULL is a condition, apart from being unknown (Poolet, 2006). However, along with its many uses are issues supported by some books that suggest minimization of using NULL. There are also a few authors who came to a point of telling to never declare a column NULL. According to them, declaring a column null would mean minor additional overhead on SQL server. Also, you must see to it that you have accounted for the NULL condition in any program that will gain access to the database most especially to those programming languages that would flag null as an error condition.The issues, however, do not necessarily suggest to avoid the use of NULL. In the first place, NULL values are created for purpose. It expresses an unknown condition that is valid. The American National Standards Institute, the provider of standardization system in USA, is supporting the use of NULL instead of empty strings. Thus, the use of NULL is just a matter of choice. References Poolet, M. A. (2006, May) Designing for Performance: Null or Not Null? SQL Server Magazine, pg. 31 American National Standards Institute The American National Standards Institute is an organization that is instrumental in evaluating conformance in relation to customary setups. Their management systems related to standardization are reflected in their environmental parameters in ISO 14000 and quality based parameters such as ISO 9000. In general terms the mission of ANSI can be enumerated as an operation that is constructed to enhance the basic competitiveness of both national and global business.This helps to maintain the integrity of the US business in a voluntary consensus manner that ultimately projects the face of the US to the world as this depicts the quality of life in the United States. (Lamb, 243) It could be mentioned in this context that the system of voluntary standard and the ANSI is a very dynamic process. The initial need of this organization can be traced back to 1911 when industrial conflicts in relation to waste and duplications became a major issue.During this period in 1916 five major bodies of Ame rica came together to form a common nation body that was to look after and coordinate the standardization process. These eminent bodies are ASTM or the American Society for Testing Materials, AIMME or the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, ASCE or the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASME or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the most important of all the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. They together formed a core unit to overlook the process but soon enough the need of a separate unit or organization became obvious.Thus the AESE or the American Engineering Standards Committee was founded within the next two tears. Later this organization was redesigned and named ANSI or the American National Standards Institute. (Kar, 147) It should be remembered that the ANSI is also affiliated with the ISO or International Organization for Standardization where it represents the US officially. It is also affiliated with the IEC or the Internati onal Electrotechnical Commission. However, this affiliation is made via the National Committee of the United States.Furthermore, the American National Standards Institute is also the member of the IAF or the much important International Accreditation Forum. In the regional sector ANSI is an active member of the PASC or the Pacific Area Standards Congress and it represents the United States and also hold an important portfolio as a member in the COPANT or the Pan American Standards Commission. It is a very important part of the PAC or the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation too and is extremely instrumental in the decision making machineries of the IAAC or Inter American Accreditation Cooperation.However, it should be mentioned that the activities of ANSI in this sector is mostly done via ANAB or the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board. (Kar, 148) The standardization process of the ANSI follows a strict mode of hallmark. Firstly, agreement by an assembly of eminent position holders a re taken into consideration who are granted as able representatives of interested bodies and those who are affected materially. Secondly, draft standards are prepared based on comments and public review that is predominantly broad based.Thirdly, the voting members evaluate and analyze the topic in concern and then after thorough consideration the response is taken into account. The fourth phase starts with the process of incorporation of the changes agreed upon in relation to the requirements of the consensus and in accordance to the standard of the initial draft. The fifth and the last phase deal with the process of development of standard where appeal could be put forward in relation to review of the entire process, if necessary. (Lamb, 245)In conclusion it should be mentioned that the ANSI was founded on 19th October, 1918 and holds a legal status that indicates it belongs to non profit institution and private firm under 501(c) 3. (King, 30)The head office of ANSI is situated in Washington, DC. The present Chairman of ANSI is Robert W. Noth and the president is Joe Bhatia. (King, 28) According to the current profile of ANSI the organization has a total workforce of more than 85 full time employees and the annual budget of the organization is about $22 million.(King, 29) The organization runs on membership and its members are individuals, International bodies, academic bodies, Companies, Organizations and most of all Government agencies. At present date the ANSI is the representative of about 4 million professionals and 125000 companies. (King, 27) References: Kar, P; History of Technology and related applications. (Kolkata: Dasgupta & Chatterjee 2001) pp 147-8 King, H; The ANSI Today. (Chennai: HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2006) pp 27-30 Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata. (Delhi: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 243-245

A Good Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Good Leader - Essay Example I am required to plan and organize events and ensure the harmony of group members, is a great experience for future positions in the business world where it might be necessary for me to organize corporate gatherings and facilitate contract negotiations. I will defend it whether it is right or wrong. I entirely disagree. I perceive myself as a malleable person and I also believe I consider other’s opinions. If I defend my opinion, it means that I am confident about its validity. I believe that if I am stubborn about my ideas it is in regards to my ambition and desire to see projects through to their full potential. However, I realize that candidness towards other people’s ideas is very important in business. Without being open to other people’s ideas and perspectives, it is impossible to successfully collaborate. In business, effective collaboration is built on the open trust and freedom of expression of all group members. Through this open environment, the group is then able to compare ideas and attain a goal that would be impossible the sole efforts of an individual. Even as I ultimately see myself as a leader, I think it’s important to consider Franklin Roosevelt who said, â€Å"A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers.† While I hope to function as a strong beacon of direction for my friends, I realize that it’s important to not forget the essential similarity of all human-kind and that the great thing about having friends is the chance to share the great journey of life with someone that understands.

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Essay

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Manager) - Essay Example These are important in order to build a successful manufacturer - sales agent relationship". Sales representatives also give importance to product package, quality product lines that are competitive in terms of effectiveness and affordability. They are particular in the quality and delivery of the products and most importantly, sales people seek to represent organization that has proven integrity and are supportive of agents (Spiegel 2006). While looking at the factors mentioned, sales management can conduct teambuilding for the sales representatives. Sales people are so vital to the organization that it is important to invest in them. Management should make the sales people feel they are important. Bonding and trust in each other are created during team building and sales people always look forward to this kind of activity. Feeling a sense of belonging make them stay long in the organization. Sales planning should also be conducted in a venue outside the company. In this particular activity, people give their sales commitment with the corresponding action plan that they would take to insure the achievement of the sales target. Improvement in the sales performance is observed after a sales planning. A medium-size streamer is displayed conspicuously at the lobby on the way to the conference room where orientation for new employees takes place. The text on the streamer says, "At NL&C, you're in good hands. We insure your future through the 401 (k) Retirement Plans". At this stage when new employees have just begun an episode of their lives with NL&C, they will know that obviously the streamer is exclusively for their curious eyes and questioning mind. The streamer was placed along their path for them to see and feel the caring hands of NL&C from the start and through their stay with their newfound company. Apparently, as in-charge of employees' benefits, I think I was able to effectively put the message across. My purpose of putting 401 (k) retirement plans in the text is to stir the curiosity of the new employees. Many of them, especially the first timer or those who come from another company which does not offer the same privilege, would ask what 401 (k) is. I understand that although 401(k) will benefit them, there will be a lot of questions and some opposition. I have to give them advance information of what will be discussed during the orientation. I want them to be excited so that the appetite to listen attentively will prevail as soon as they enter the conference room. After some explanation of the company rules and regulations, its time for the new employees to hear why it is worth partnering with NL&C. 401(k) along with other benefits will be explained this way: First of all, there are protections and benefits that go with the new workers everyday while they work with the company. On top of them there is the 401(k) retirement plans which afford them of a long term benefit. A portion of their salary will be put aside for their

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - Essay Example "No experience," asserts Bradley in a phrase that Eliot states, "can lie open to inspections from outside" (Rampal, 203). Prufrocks dream is incommunicable, and whatsoever he speaks to the lady is answered by, "That is not what I meant at all. That is not it, at all" (CP, 6). The lady is also trapped in her own domain, and the two domains can never, alike soap bubbles, turn into one. Each domain is impassable to the other. If other consciousnesses occur only as opaque matters for Prufrock, he possess an equally unhappy relativity to space and time. One of the poem puzzles is the question of whether Prufrock leaves his room ever. It seems that he does not, hence infirm is his determination, so prepared "for a hundred indecisions, And for hundred visions and revisions, Before the taking of a toast and tea" (CP, 4). In another notion Prufrock would be incapable of going anywhere, no matter how hard he tried. However far the author goes, he remains caged in his own individual space, and all he is experiencing is imaginary. It appears to be some opinion of this which makes him stay in his room, gratified to imagine himself walking through the streets, climbing the ladys stairs, and saying to the lady "all like Lazarus from the dead†. There remains no resurrection from death which has unfastened him, and this is an implication of the Dante epigraph. But time, just like space, has only subjective existence for Prufrock. Consequently, future, present, and past are equally immediate, and the author is paralyzed. As a Bradleys finite centers asserts, he "is not in time," hence "contains [his] own past and future" (Rampal, 205). Memories, ironic reverberations of earlier poetry, current sensations, anticipations of what the author might do in future ("I grow old . . . I grow old . . . I shall wear my trousers bottoms rolled" (Rampal, 71) - which are equally present. Like the women

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 4-SLP) Essay

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 4-SLP) - Essay Example Morbidity refers to a measure that helps in determining factors that affect the individual's health such as abnormal conditions and illnesses; this section analysis aids prevalence in the UK and the US using year 2000 estimates. In 2000 it was estimated that 885 thousand individuals in the UK were living with Aids, and over 126 thousands individuals living with aids in the US, the total population in the UK was estimated at 58,886 thousands and 281421.906 thousand in the US. Therefore using the formula it is evident that aids prevalence rate of Aids in the UK was 150 per 10,000 individuals while the value was 447.8 per 10,000 in the US, this shows that there are relatively higher prevalence rate in the US than the UK. Disability is also an important health statistic, data show that 5.9% of the total population in the UK was disabled while 6.1% of the total population in the US was disabled in the year 2000, this means that we have more cases of disability in the US than in the UK according to the 2000 estimates. Fertility is also an important measure that indicates the trend in population, fertility can be indicated by the crude birth rate which is determined by dividing total births by the tot

The Impact of the Aging Population on Public Health Care Research Paper

The Impact of the Aging Population on Public Health Care - Research Paper Example Immediately afterward the population of old people with sickness will grow rapidly. The outcome could be a massive allotment of resources to the elderly (Callahan 4). An effective solution to the current issue in the medical system should recognize these changes demography, and it should consider not just individual’s wellbeing but also the stability of the society and the well-being of the public. This research paper discusses the impact of an aging population on all aspects of the medical system, and the potential solutions to this health care issue. The impact of the aging population is more striking in the mental health care sector. The percentage of older people across the globe is continuously rising. For the elderly, mental health problems are a major reason for early mortality and morbidity. Severe depression and dementia are the two most common mental health disorders among the elderly. Specific medical needs of the older people should be recognized and provided by the medical system. Long-term care has been a serious issue brought about by the rapid aging of the population. The most evident impacts of an aging population are to be found in highly developed countries and developing nations like Latin America and China (Rao & Shaji 1). Because of the unparalleled rate of population aging, these countries would have difficulties creating health care and social policies on time to address the medical requirements of the older people. The poor priority given to the medical needs of the aged seems to contribute to the public’s insufficient knowledge about older people’s mental health disorders. Dementia and other neuropsychological problems of the elderly are still unknown issues seldom prioritized by policymakers and medical practitioners. General health services are still centralized or hospital-based and normally require long queues in jam-packed hospitals.

Impacts of a Borderless Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Impacts of a Borderless Society - Essay Example This is possible because of the borderless society that we are living in today. Although a borderless society makes it possible to access products all year round globally, it also has some negative impacts from economic, social and environmental perspectives. A borderless society reduces the world into a global village where it is very likely that national identities and cultural values may be lost (Reimann, 2002). Market competition has now become very stiff as a result of the concept of a borderless society. Countries that have goods of low quality and unfavorable prices do not have the chance in the global market. Some countries have taken advantage of the borderless society, and utilize cheap labor that is available in other countries. For example, many Western companies have relocated to Asian countries to take advantage of the cheap labor in these countries and the operations cost are low (Laudon & Traver, 2013). Sirloin steak refers to the steak that is cut from the back of an animal. The name ‘ sirloin’ originated from England when a certain king after having the steak liked it so much that he decided to knight it. Many people probably would only say which grocery store their sirloin comes from opposed to the geographical area in which it was produced. Most of the beef that is consumed in the United States for instance originates from the U.S with only 8-20 % originating from foreign countries (Emel & Neo, 2013). American cattle ranchers have continued to show interest in sustainable beef production practices that have minimal adverse environmental, ecological and social impacts. Research has shown that the beef industry in America has made achievements in environmental sustainability by using less water, emitting less greenhouse gas and avoiding overgrazing. America only imports beef products that have met sustainability standards set by the Global Beef Trade. It can therefore be concluded that

What is SEBD and Disability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

What is SEBD and Disability - Essay Example Problems with such responses are known to adversely affect an individual’s performance in the areas of academic progress, self care, work adjustment, social relationships and classroom behaviour. (PLSS, 2011) To put things into perspective, the BBC estimated in a research that the world market for drugs used for the treatment of emotional, behavioural and mental problems in children and adolescents will increase to some eleven billion British pounds by the year 2010. The greatest rise has been seen in drug requirements for individuals with learning and conduct disorders which account for some four and a half billion pounds. (BBC, 2005) SEBD significantly affect the acquisition of skills and learning required for an individual to become a responsible member of society. Adult adjustment is also negatively affected as social, vocational and academic skills are not gained at the desired pace.Although SEBD can present learning difficulties but such a state need not be permanent and can be resolved through the right course of action. Most people with SEBD display accompanying symptoms that are visibly identifiable. Individuals may act out, become phobia ridden, show symptoms of withdrawal, become passive and depressed or aggressive and may even exhibit tendencies to inflict injuries to themselves. Moreover, such tendencies could well easily lead to substance abuse, crime, anxiety, depression, self harm and in the worst case scenario to suicide. (Wetherimer, 2000) Young people and children with SEBD have a tendency to disrupt playgrounds and classrooms. This often leads to the exclusion of such individuals. Moreover, attitudes directed to such individuals by the social groups are often negative. (Watson, 2001) Among children with SEBD, emotional and conduct disorder are the most common problems. Generally males are more likely to suffer from SEBD than females. In terms of exclusion, the ONS reports that almost one third of all children with conduct disorders ha d been excluded from regular schooling once. Moreover, around a quarter of children with conduct disorders had been excluded from school more than one time. This problem is not merely restricted to children’s behaviour at a specific age alone. Instead the consequences of SEBD go beyond the infant years. A report delineates that individuals with SEBD who find employment are often at a 75% risk of losing their employment because of inappropriate behaviour as well as exclusion from support during training and in the workplace. A host of factors encourage the growth of SEBD but social factors can be seen at the fore front. An estimate by the Department for Education and Skills places the amount of school going children suffering from SEBD between 10% and 20% such that the SEBD significantly affects the ability of children to develop socially and emotionally. (Department for Education, 2011) On the other hand disability can be considered to be any set of problems centred on growth vulnerabilities that undermine an active role of the individual in society. Disabled children have some form of physical or mental impairment that has substantial and long term adverse effects on the abilities of the child to deal with daily activities. Such problems can assume complex shapes such as low IQ levels (generally considered below 60), diabetes,

Famous Creative Thinkers Presentation Essay Example for Free

Famous Creative Thinkers Presentation Essay Famous Creative Thinkers Presentation I choose Carl Sagan as one of the people that I felt has given a great contribution to the world. Carl Sagan was born in Brooklyn, New York the son of an immigrant worker from the Russian Empire. Name after his mother’s mother. Carl had a sister and his mother was very protective of him. Carl’s mother was not up to par to fit in the social life, so she was restricted. When his parents took him to the New York World Fair, Carl was so excited when he saw the burial of a time capsule, stars and other exhibits that would lead to his inquisitiveness about the world. Later in life Carl and others would build time capsules, but these would be sent out into space for other life forms to find and they would contain Carl’s memories form the world fair. Carl’s parents helped his growing interest for science by buying him books about science and chemistry sets. He loved to read the books about science fiction stories, by writers such as H. G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs, they made his imagination even wilder his about whether there was life on other planets such as Mars, Jupiter and Venus. Carl attended the University of Chicago and received his bachelors and was a part of the Ryerson Astronomical Society. He got received his Bachelors of Science in Physics, a Master of Science in physics and a PhD In astrophysics and astronomy. Carl was denied tenure at Harvard, because of his scientific advocacy, being widely publicized. Carl Sagan was a great astronomer, cosmologist, author, astrophysicist, science communicator, and science popularizer. Because of his great inquiries as to what did what and how come Carl thought about if there was truly life outside of the earth. He was the first to actually make the first messages that were sent into space. He studied the earth, stars, planets, he made messages that he thought could be understood by the extraterrestrials. He had over 600 articles published that  were scientific and authored or co-authored more than 20 books. The award winning series named Cosmos was also by Carl Sagan. He was a professor in astronomy at the Unive rsity of Cornell; he was part of the NASA as an advisor. Because of the Cosmos people were able to better relate and understand Carl’s ideas about the worthiness of the human race. Carl did his thinking the best way that he knew and that was to do it his way. Because of Carl they were able to learn the high surface temperature on the planet Venus, was due to the dryness. He was also the first to think about Saturn’s moon Titan may have contains liquids on the surface and that the Jupiter’s moon Europa might have oceans. Carl did organized research on such projects as Near Earth Objects, he composed the Deflection Dilemma, which would be deflecting an asteroid away from the Earth, and then it could be possible to deflect it back to the earth. During his career Sagan would be very much criticized as to his soundness, when it came to extraterrestrial life. Carl loved to urge people to listen using radio telescopes to see if they could hear signals from outer space that could help him prove that there were other life forms. Due to the lack of belief call stated a petition and was able to get 70 scientists to sign it advocating the SETI that was also p ublished in his journal of Science. Carl would later go on to explain his theories and use science to reveal them to the world. His life force was dedicated to science. Under President Regan rained there was to be a Strategic Defense Initiative, that would cost billions of dollars but it would develop a defense against nuclear missile attacks, an Carl was against this because he felt that there was no real way to do this and by doing so would unbalance the Soviet Union and United States making progress in the arms agreement. There was an experiment called : The Nevada Desert Experience† is where Carl would later be arrested twice for climbing a fence at the protest at the Nevada Test Site in order to protest against the government for using test sites that were experimenting in the Nuclear weapons and they where they were conducting the detonations. Carl was also noted as a free spirit and free thinker. References Whitehouse, David (October 15, 1999). Carl Sagan: A life in the cosmos. BBC News (BBC). Retrieved August 30, American National Biography Online, Carl Sagan. Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia Bansky is the second person that I choose to write on. Bansky is a very creative artist that did street and wall graffiti, painter, film director and political activist. No one really knew is real name or when he was born. He was the son of a technician, was born in Bristol England. Originally he was trained to be a butcher. Some say that his work is similar to that of Blek le Rat. Bansky was impressed by an artist known as 3D who was a member of a group called Massive Attack. Bansky displays his art to the public but he does not sell photo graphics are reproductions of his work. His first movie was called Exit through the Gift Shop was a disaster. His art is part of the Bristol Underground Scene. He like the way that stencils would help to use less time to complete a project. Bansky hid from the police while using stencils as a cover while he created his work. There was a statement to be made in each one of Bansky’s art works. Bansky works are usually all anti something. He d id not approve of the way that people considered art on surfaces as graffiti. He wanted to show that it was real art and start to do mural and other such art on public building and public places. Bansky, did his first exhibit in Los Angeles at the 33 1/3 Gallery and the exhibit called Existentialism, later he would produce such exhibits like Turf Wars, Monet’s Water Lily Pond, Barely Legal, and Bansky effect. The Bansky effect is a way of not just tagging but using art to express things and making areas brighter and pleasant to look at. There is not a particular technique Bansky used whatever he thought to be use full at the time. Bansky art has been known to be thought as a way of revenge for the underclass. To tag a mother persons art is disrespectful, and represents them taking away power or territory and not upholding the rules. Bansky’s works can be so different but beautiful when he does his art although it is considered graffiti it is beautiful. He developed a quantity of spoof British money notes, where the head was not the Queens but the Princess Diana’s and text was changed from the Bank of England to Bansky of England. Although they were not re al notes today they are of great value. Bansky also was responsible for nine portraits on a bank wall in Palestine on the Israeli’s  West Bank. Bansky has a flare to make a mockery of centralized power, too state that power can work against you. When it came to politics, Bansky was thought to be anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism, anti-authoritarianism, nihilism, existentialism and anarchism. Bansky used images and visual as a means to create his art work. I felt that h could have made his work more realistic by not adding things to make the true scene a joke. But when there is an artist they can only put what they feel is their style of art. Bansky was also responsible for Money Bart of the Simpsons. I did not see any academic references. Bansky’s art was deprived from art and musicians. References Creative ThinkersBanksy creates new Simpsons title sequence. BBC Banksy, Street Art Cult Hero, International Man of Mystery. The Village Voice./ Wikipedia, The free encyclopedia

Consistency and Safety in Electrofishing Methodology

Consistency and Safety in Electrofishing Methodology Within the study of electrofishing and fishery habitat management, there are specific guidelines which the management professional must adhere to in order to protect the safety of the wildlife, the boating participants, and the participating patrons. Such guidelines are industry standards and should be understood by all professionals who are participating in the fishing process. To ensure such failsafe mechanisms are in place on a consistent basis, activities must follow a professional and pre-determined path while preparing gear, loading into the watercourse, and performing electrofishing tasks. Professionals will understand that these steps cannot be ignored due to the need for similar results over an extended period of time. Given the adherence to such measures, the potential for a pure data stream and analysis is greatly improved. Given the scope of lake fishing operations, there are several key safety checks which must be performed prior to placing the boat into the water. Figure 1 demonstrates a standard safety check of the engine and generator systems on a typical electrofishing boat. Boat standardization across the industry is consistent; however, the components will often vary, requiring safety examinations which are constantly aware of standard features. Generally all boats will include a power supply and a power conditioner which are designed to meet the requirements of the specific body of water. By ensuring that the boating materials are properly calibrated for the specific investigation, researchers will ensure that their performance is not inconsistent with previously tested results. Participants in the electrofishing process will include the boat handler or driver and two additional participants for actually performing the fishing process. It is important that each individual is aware of the expectations of the task prior to moving into the water so that standards systems remain active. The handlers are responsible for placing the seining instruments into the lake for continuous shocking of the fish population. The stun process will involve retrieving the fish via net and charting their data aboard the boat. To ensure that such procedures are accomplished with limited negative affect on the fish, handlers must use care and be actively aware of their shocking methods. Niemla et al. (2000) challenge that within the electrofishing process that there are oftentimes inconsistencies in the population estimation process which can be minimized through a standardized and non-random selection process over a small number of suitable sites. There are alternative mechanisms which can also be used, including a random process or area sweep; however, what is important is that such procedures generate comparable results over time. One of the most significant challenges given the breadth of the lake environment and results driven electrofishing is to ensure that transets are predictable and time based. In successive examinations, researchers recognize that removal methods will oftentimes underestimate the actual fish population, due to a reduced catchability based on removal statistics (Gatz and Loar, 1988). To ensure that such deviation does not occur, the seining gear must be placed in approximately the same spatial area as participants navigate the lake. Extending the gear to a specific length, i.e. 10 feet, ensures that with each subsequent transet, fish are compared to the previous guidelines and not to a new set of unpredictable data. For appropriate fish sampling, a multiple pass system as highlighted by Kimmel and Argent (2006) may be used for accuracy’s sake; however, standardized systems will focus on length versus width consistency or a linear sampling distance. Recognizing that fish demographics offer substantial insight to fishery professionals, comparison data is often drawn using specific tools and tracking methods. A length board is a handy and standard tool which is used to compare fish throughout the study. Weight can be charted frequently or at regular intervals in order to gain a sampling of the representative fish population. Data regarding the water quality, temperature, and chemical composition should also be attained during this process through standard testing which includes the use of a dissolved oxygen probe. Implications of such study will become obvious during subsequent examinations and data comparison. During the multiple pass system, transets are established by visual shore markers which enable the consistent analysis over a period of time. Study of historic data trends by Humpl and Lusk (2006) demonstrated that singular pass systems were oftentimes inaccurate and could not provide researchers with adequate samples for long term comparison. Upon collection of data samples, the return process and docking procedure should mimic that of the initial boat placement, including the shutoff of all powered components prior to exiting the boat. Cataloguing data using visual methods and consistent charting materials enables long term comparison and researchers will be quickly able to identify any inconsistencies in the lake or habitat area. Considering the variability of lakes and the changing fishing population, such standardized electrofishing techniques ensure that results may be compared based on regular intervals. As biologists continue to develop more standard technologies for fishing bodies of water, integration of standard procedures the process, regardless of materials must be ensured. In this study, the underlying safety checks for the boating system were addressed, highlighting those key points where failure to investigate could mean a failed experiment and a stranded craft. Fishery management involves a relationship between the natural habitat, the visitors, and the investigating professionals; through well directed, consistent efforts, the information gathered can directly assist in charting the long term sustainability of a fish population as well as the surrounding ecology. References Gatz, A.J; Loar, J.M. (1988) â€Å"Petersen and Removal Population Size Estimates.† Environmental Biology of Fish, Vol. 21, pp. 293-307. Humpl, M; Lusk, S. (2006) â€Å"Effect of Multiple Electro-Fishing on Determining the Structure of Fish Communities in Small Streams.† Folia Zoology, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 315-322. Kimmel,W.G; Argent, D.G. (2006) â€Å"Efficacy of Two-Pass Electrofishing Employing Multiple Units to Assess Stream Fish Species Richness.† Fisheries Research, Vol. 82, pp. 14-18. Niemla, E; Julkunen, M; Erkinaro, J. (2000) â€Å"Quantitative Electrofishing for Juvenile Salmon Densitites: Assessment of Catchability During a Long-Term Monitoring Programme.† Fisheries Research, Vol. 48, pp. 15-22.

The Death of My Best Friend Essay -- friendship essay, my best friend

I remember an old saying my mother used to tell me, â€Å"Never say never†. Is this true? I would have never expected this to be true till something happened to me that changed my life till this very day. Growing up I was oddly very cold hearted. I guess I was never the gurly girl always crying after a finger nail broke or the kind of person that wore her heart on her sleeve. I would always keep things to myself and let it be the day someone saw me cry. Most people just thought I wasn’t human. Crying wasn’t something I was used to but I didn’t know one instance would make me shed oceans. I guess I was the only dry eyes at every funeral I ever attended. My uncle’s funeral, my grandfather’s funeral, pretty much everyone’s funeral, I would just sit in the back and pray for it to be over. Everyone had so much grief that to a certain point I felt jealous I couldn’t feel such raw emotion. I think I should be put in Ripley’s World Record for attending the most funerals in a lifetime yet not shedding a single tear. It was like I was a regular customer at funerals. Everyone around me was dying and crying and it didn’t phase me one bit. I remember attending every single funeral with my best friend. We were so close she was peanut and I was jelly. She would always cry and sympathize for everyone. If I ever told her about a death she would always cry in my arms didn’t matter if she knew them or not. I was always there for her and she was always there for me. At the funerals we attended she would joke after sobbing for hours that m aybe I should go to the bathroom and pour water going down my eyes. She used to always make me laugh. I remember specifically in my grandfathers funeral she told me, â€Å"Johanna would you cry if I died?† I said â€Å"Hell no u... ...lieve she would wake up and still be with us. I’ve never cried for anyone or ever in my life and it was a shock to me. She meant the world to me and I guess you never know what you have till it’s gone. I still shed tears for her and I don’t think I’ll ever stop doing so. I never knew id cry so much for someone else or feel like my world was ending. I never expected that would happen to me, my best friend committing suicide without any notice. I never expected to react the way I did on that day. I used to be so cold hearted and emotionless and not a care in the world. After my best friend passed away, it opened a door of emotion I never thought I had. Now it’s so easy for me to sympathize with people who have lost loved ones and to console them through their grief. Katherine Peralta is the reason why I shed tears every night when I fall asleep.

Essay --

‘Clan Of The Cave Bear’ By Jean Auel Jean Auel wrote the book by the name of the â€Å"Clan of the cave bear† and it has been hailed as one of the bets pieces of all times. It was so good that even a movie has been made on the story line and much of the success of the movie can be accredited to the success of the book itself. The story is basically about this woman and her struggles in life and it is very broad because the story develops over the years and it encompasses a number of other characters and happenings in her life. It is about how things shape out in her life and many a reader may get the impression that it is herself that she is talking about and that she went through the similar period of turmoil and trouble in her own times. Life can be a funny thing and as the title of the play suggests that it is about a family which in this case is the family of the bear or his clan and the story deals with their lives and developments over the years. The story begins like any common novel but the way in which the language and expression can be felt is very deep rooted and the impact is very deep. It is able to interact with the people and the human values and human touch has been emphasized by the writer. She feels that the best way to interact with the reader is by giving them something that is new to them. Humane touch and the human element is something that has been missing in the books of recent times and that is what makes the American writers peculiar because their level of interaction and their inclusion of the human values in their works are very pronounced. The main character in the book is a female who is left stranded after a disaster and she is at a loss of words because she is still in her tender age. She is so young t... ...the prime focus of study in the book and the writer has not spared any thought about their description and she has done a remarkably wonderful job of making that link so effective between the two completely different worlds. The adoptive and the parental instincts as well as the human touch are apparently clear. The two worlds might seem equally ugly to one another from a naked eye. Ayla learns about new things and is able to understand the things that are not known to the outside world. There are social and moral taboos and she breaks them and she is allowed to do so and she ventures in the unfamiliar territory where no one else has been before. There is mystery and there may be evolution but moreover it is all about the way the things may interact and bring out the best from the ends where things might have been there but have always gone so unnoticed by us all.

Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind :: Architecture Design Essays

Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind As a largely visually-reliant society, much of botanical garden design have focused primarily on visual presentation, whether in flower color or in garden composition. Slowly, however, sensory gardens appealing to our more underutilized senses of smell, sound, touch, and even taste are appearing around the country and the globe. While these unique parks may specifically have blind individuals in mind, sensory gardens also appeal to anyone in the general population who would like to expand their sensory horizons. The following is just one proposal for a sensory garden design: The entrance to the garden should be visually, nasally, and tactilely stimulating. A metal gate covered with entangled goldflame honeysuckle vines (Lonicera x heckrottii ) would serve as a colorful, aromatic greeting and give visitors a small taste of the experience to come. These perennial plants also attract hummingbirds and butterflies, whose activities would surely stimulate the ears. The general layout of the garden would include a continuous serpentine path lined with raised plant beds (to minimize stooping and bending) on both sides. The path can even wrap around a standing rectangular planter to maximize usable area. The path would also have several alcoves or nooks, which would give visitors a resting area where they could linger about, smelling flowers and feeling leaf textures. Park benches present throughout the park would accommodate walking visitors who want to simply breathe in the lovely smells of the tea olive tree, for instance. Smooth wood railings on both sides of the path should run all throughout the garden to serve as directional guides. A change in material texture (to a metal, for instance) could be used to indicate an alcove area. Metal plaques in Braille embedded in the edges of the concretealcoves would provide general information about the various plants. These plaques can also have buttons that can be pushed for an audio reading of the inscription. According to the book Sensory Design, uneven pathways heighten our awareness of surfaces by compelling us to use our kinesthetic sense to perceive the changes in the ground. For the disabled, a slow-sloping path (upward and downward) would engage the visitor in using this sensory system. Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind :: Architecture Design Essays Proposed Design for a Garden for the Blind As a largely visually-reliant society, much of botanical garden design have focused primarily on visual presentation, whether in flower color or in garden composition. Slowly, however, sensory gardens appealing to our more underutilized senses of smell, sound, touch, and even taste are appearing around the country and the globe. While these unique parks may specifically have blind individuals in mind, sensory gardens also appeal to anyone in the general population who would like to expand their sensory horizons. The following is just one proposal for a sensory garden design: The entrance to the garden should be visually, nasally, and tactilely stimulating. A metal gate covered with entangled goldflame honeysuckle vines (Lonicera x heckrottii ) would serve as a colorful, aromatic greeting and give visitors a small taste of the experience to come. These perennial plants also attract hummingbirds and butterflies, whose activities would surely stimulate the ears. The general layout of the garden would include a continuous serpentine path lined with raised plant beds (to minimize stooping and bending) on both sides. The path can even wrap around a standing rectangular planter to maximize usable area. The path would also have several alcoves or nooks, which would give visitors a resting area where they could linger about, smelling flowers and feeling leaf textures. Park benches present throughout the park would accommodate walking visitors who want to simply breathe in the lovely smells of the tea olive tree, for instance. Smooth wood railings on both sides of the path should run all throughout the garden to serve as directional guides. A change in material texture (to a metal, for instance) could be used to indicate an alcove area. Metal plaques in Braille embedded in the edges of the concretealcoves would provide general information about the various plants. These plaques can also have buttons that can be pushed for an audio reading of the inscription. According to the book Sensory Design, uneven pathways heighten our awareness of surfaces by compelling us to use our kinesthetic sense to perceive the changes in the ground. For the disabled, a slow-sloping path (upward and downward) would engage the visitor in using this sensory system.

Pharmacy Leadership

Sculpting the Pharmacy Leaders of Tomorrow Introduction Leadership has so much influence in our lives because so often it determines whether we enjoy a particular activity. Life is short – so why participate in an activity if we don’t enjoy it, and if we do participate, why not do so with all of our energy? Therefore, having an understanding of leadership and acknowledging its significance is vital within our day-to-day lives.Leadership can be described by many, â€Å"as the process by which a leader imaginatively directs, guides and influences the work of others in choosing and attaining specified goals by  mediating between the individuals and the organization in such a manner, that both will obtain maximum satisfaction. †1 Leadership is about building teams and communicating so that everyone works together. The importance of leadership is a key ingredient to all successful businesses and championship teams around the world. Teams that have this synergy tend to thrive and be the ones on top.Thus, leadership is dynamic in all aspects of life. At the forefront of any successful business or team is the leader. A leader is anyone who inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals. They motivate others to pursue actions, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization. A leader is also a knowledgeable and trustworthy individual that communicates effectively and sets an example by living the corporate values everyone is expected to follow. Often times many contemplate whether leaders are born or made.Effective leaders are not simply born or made; yet they are born with some leadership ability and develop it over time. 1 Legendary collegiate football coach Vince Lombardi once said, â€Å"Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born, leaders are made, and they are made by effort and hard work. †1 Thus, we are all leaders, and all individuals have potential leadership skills, which stresses the importance of leadership development. Anyone can have the fundamental requirements necessary for the leadership role, but it’s how they develop them that matters.Leadership development is defined as an effort to enhance a learner’s ability to lead, an endeavor focused on developing the leadership abilities and attitudes of the individuals sitting at the top of the chain of command. Successful leadership development requires a lot more than the ability to give orders. It also requires diplomacy, top of the line people skills, and a certain level of ruthlessness. Leadership within Pharmacy These leadership attributes and skills pertain to all professions, regardless of the career path chosen for each individual.In the pharmacy profession, transition into a leadership role often happens serendipitously, resulting in what is sometimes referred to as accidental leadership. Today’s pharmacy students receive very little exposure to pharmacy administ rative career options and administrative leaders throughout the curriculum. Thus, they are often unaware of many leadership opportunities available to them upon graduation. Furthermore, those who do develop an interest in advanced administrative training often do so after they have already committed to a post-graduate staff position or a clinical training program without an emphasis on administrative practice.By not exposing students to administratively focused career options during their impressionable clerkship years, we are losing many potential future leaders. 5 We need to spark their interest in administrative practice earlier, while they are still in pharmacy school, and introduce them to a career that focuses on leadership and creating innovative pharmacy services and practice models that improve patient care. 5 Pharmacy school provides future health care professionals with the knowledge and skills of pharmaceutical therapies in order to deliver adequate, high-quality patient care to those with health illnesses or diseases.As society becomes more and more saturated with clinical drug experts, there soon will be a higher demand for some of these individuals to lead and operate pharmacy departments. With many students having very little to no experience in leadership or managerial roles, how will these future health care providers of future generations become equipped with the essential leadership skills and attributes to successfully operate a pharmacy?A high-performance pharmacy department is one that aspires to maximize its contributions to the clinical outcomes of patients and financial position of its health system by functioning at the highest levels of effectiveness and efficiency. Achieving a high-performance pharmacy practice requires leaders committed to a clear vision for excellent practice. These pharmacy leaders must continuously enhance their team’s commitment to that vision, using recognized benchmarks of best practice to extend phar macy’s influence across the continuum of care. Do Residencies Promote Effective Pharmacy Leadership? Within pharmacy curricula, students are required to perform in various academic rotations in order to gain further knowledge of the profession in diverse areas of the field. Upon graduation from a graduate program such as pharmacy school, students also have the option of applying for a residency, or post-graduate training, to enhance their pharmacy learning and provide more experience within the profession. According to many, residencies are categorized as clinical and general.Current American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accreditation standards state that the purpose of a post-graduate year 1 (PGY1) residency is â€Å"to accelerate growth beyond entry-level professional competence in patient-centered care and in pharmacy operational services, and to further the development of leadership skills. †2 Therefore, the main purpose of a PGY1 residency is to inc rease the competency of pharmacists in the clinical environment and that PGY1 training should focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and competence in the clinical environment reinforced by experience in a strong pharmacy operations environment. In the desire to be recognized as a clinical profession, pharmacy-training programs have devoted the vast majority of resources to patient care and clinical activities. This is done at the expense of training practitioners who are not knowledgeable about the operations of a pharmacy department and have difficulty integrating clinical expertise and patient care with the skills necessary to navigate complex organizations.While operations and management expertise can be obtained through completing a post-graduate year 2 (PGY2) residency in health-system pharmacy administration, many believe the emphasis on the interconnectedness of operational knowledge and clinical practice success should be a solid part of PGY1 residencies. 2 The core experience s required in a PGY1 residency program include acute care, ambulatory care, drug-use policy, and practice management.An evaluation of various training programs revealed that approximately 80% of residency training time is directed toward acute and ambulatory care experiences, with the remaining time divided among orientation, drug-use policy, and administrative experiences. 2 Ironically, in an era of a leadership crisis within the pharmacy profession, the primary individuals responsible for the training and nurturing of young leaders are preceptors with expertise in clinical specialties that do not always have an understanding of the importance of the infrastructure that supports their work.The profession has made significant progress in training highly skilled, knowledgeable patient care specialists, some of whom now direct residency programs and profoundly influence training. While this is exemplary practice, it is also essential that the new generation of drug-specialists be fami liar with the operational aspects of a pharmacy department (e. g. , be able to create a budgetary impact proposal to justify an anticoagulation clinic or defend the purchase of smart pumps for a health system for safer delivery of I. V. medications). While completion of a PGY1 residency by itself cannot create a well-rounded, clinically competent practitioner who is well versed in organizational abilities, it is noted that residency training is the ideal starting point to establish the concept. 2 Residents are the future of the pharmacy profession, and it is imperative that they recognize, have experience in, and respect the critical role and linkages of the clinical pharmacy expert to pharmacy management and to the health system. 2 What Are the Essential Skills of a Pharmacy Leader?In December 2004, an article was published in American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy by five authors who had over 140 combined years of experience in health-system pharmacy leadership positions. 4 Tw o of the five authors were past pharmacy directors at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UWHC), where the combined master of science (M. S. ) in hospital pharmacy and administrative residency program was started. These experienced administrative leaders described the leadership skills they believed were ssential for a high performance pharmacy practice, noting that there was documented synergy between great leadership and high-performance pharmacy practice. The skills described included the following:4 * Creation of a vision that is adopted by all department personnel * Core personal values that extend to an individual’s professional life * Ability to develop relationships across the organization * Lifelong learning * Develop spheres of influence across the organization * Ability to take risks and be an opportunist Transferring knowledge across the department and the hospital * Successful work–life balance * Succession planning Specifically for patients, the y also believed that pharmacy leaders and managers should hire the best pharmacists possible, provide the best tools for pharmacists to do their work (e. g. , automation, information resources), have adequate pharmacy staff, and ensure a culture of medication safety. 4 All of these leadership skills and attributes are thus part of the manager and residency training program at UWHC.I believe that similar skills and goals should also be applied to pharmacy student rotations, and therefore students must be provided options for selecting clerkship rotations specialized in health-system pharmacy administration. Even if those who participate in such clerkship experiences decide to pursue a clinical rather than administrative career path, they will be more effective clinicians as a result of their broadened view of the profession and their understanding of the challenges of pharmacy management. They will no longer be the clinical practitioner telling our future students that administration is unrewarding â€Å"busy work. Practitioners will be more able and willing to articulate the impact pharmacy administrators can have on advancing pharmacist-led patient services and will discuss this career option with students in a more favorable light. Expanding the availability of administrative clerkships is a win–win proposition for students and the profession. 5 Delivering Leadership Skills Via Dual-Degree Programs An additional opportunity for pharmacy students to acquire fundamental leadership skills and attributes is in the pursuit of an advanced degree in business.Many pharmacy schools across the nation, including Sullivan University College of Pharmacy (SUCOP), are implementing dual degrees for those ambitious students that seek these administrative positions within the pharmacy profession. The dual PharmD/MBA degree will provide students with clinical health care expertise along with a business background and skills that are necessary to enter managerial positi ons within pharmacy. University of Arizona College of Pharmacy PharmD/MBA student Elizabeth Munch states â€Å"business pervades every facet of health care, now more than ever.And an understanding of the business aspects of pharmacy is crucial no matter which aspect of pharmacy is considered. Business training will only serve to increase the competence and effectiveness of today’s health care providers. †6 These intensive dual-degree programs provide students a way to hone problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills while engaging with students and mentors in other disciplines. Pharmacy schools that offer these programs do so to â€Å"prepare graduates for alternative non-academic pharmacy careers† as leaders in for-profit, nonprofit, and government health organizations. In particular, a leader within the pharmacy profession needs pharmacy-specific knowledge and skills for ensuring consistency and credibility within and outside the department, recruiti ng and retaining the right team members, establishing the pharmacy team’s value beyond a traditional role, becoming a more influential player within the health system, identifying challenges as opportunities, creating passion for change, and thoughtfully making difficult decisions. Having better pharmacy leaders results in better patient care, improved medication safety, and enhanced pharmacy productivity, all of which usually lead to better medication use within health systems. Conclusion It is critical that today’s leaders take steps to ensure that pharmacy maintains a strong pool of managers to continue the important work of guiding the profession. Starting an administrative clerkship rotation is an easy way to expose students to the rewards of leadership and the satisfaction of teaching and mentoring.Pharmacists are becoming increasingly involved in managing patients with chronic conditions, while also collaborating more with physicians and other health care provid ers in a multidisciplinary team. Therefore, balance and retention of important skills that enable and leverage these new opportunities are what we need. We must also encourage residency program directors and preceptors to convey the importance of and provide excellent training in clinical care and disease management, as well as operations infrastructure, logistics, and leadership.References 1. Lussier, R. N. , & Achua, C. F. (2007). Leadership: theory, application, skill development (3rd ed. ). Mason, Ohio: Thomson/SouthWestern. 2. Ivey, M. , & Farber, M. (2011). Pharmacy residency training and pharmacy leadership: an important relationship. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 68(1), 73-76. doi:10. 2146/ajhp100051 3. Thielke, T. (2010). Synergistic relationship between pharmacy leadership development and pharmacy service innovation.American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 67(10), 815-820. doi:10. 2146/ajhp090445 4. Zilz, D. , Woodward, B. , Thielke, T. , Shane, R. , & Sco tt, B. (2004). Leadership skills for a high-performance pharmacy practice. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 61(23), 2562-2574. 5. Knoer, S. , Rough, S. , & Gouveia, W. (2005). Student rotations in health-system pharmacy management and leadership. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 62(23), 2539-2541. oi:10. 2146/ajhp050226 6. Enderle, L. (2011). Dual degrees: full speed ahead. Pharmacy Times. Retrieved from http://www. pharmacytimes. com/publications/career/2011/PharmacyCareers_Fall2011/Dual-Degrees-Full-Speed-Ahead 7. Johnson, T. J. , & Teeters, J. L. (2011). Pharmacy residency and the medical training model: Is pharmacy at a tipping point?. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 68(16), 1542-1549. doi:10. 2146/ajhp100483

Lvmh and Luxury Goods Marketing

1. Bernard Arnault has built LVMH into a luxury goods empire by making numerous acquisitions. Describe the strategy is being used here? Discuss why you agree or disagree with this type of strategy. If you disagree, what alternative tactics would you use? Actually Mr. Bernard Arnault, one of the richest men in the world who took control of LVMH in 1990, has been snapping up luxury brands during past two decades one after another. He has build LVMH into a luxury good empire by conducting a selective acquisition strategy with which I agree. Now LVMH has more than 60 brands under control and is still pursuing some others including the old famous family business; Hermes. LVMH structure is made up of Wines and Spirits, Fashion and Leather goods, Watches and Jewelry, Perfumes and Cosmetics and Selective Retailing. Although some may argue that there are issues such as lack of concentration on core business thereby exclusivity and rarity which are main characteristics of luxury brands can be faded, I firmly believe that not only has Mr. Arnault saved these special features of the business and is still focused on prestige, he has improved the profitability of each division by creating synergy between subsidiaries in terms of cost, corporate and management synergy. â€Å"Synergy, in general may be defined as two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the agent independently. Corporate synergy occurs when corporations interact congruently. A corporate synergy refers to a financial benefit that a corporation expects to realize when it merges with or acquires another corporation† (Synergy). As result of corporate synergy and this partnership, LVMH now has a bigger market share, wider range of products and less competition because the competitors are now members of the group and are all working together in a coordinated way. On top of that, they can take advantage of the existing selective retailing outlets to differentiate their products by adding value in their offering and demonstrate them as distinctive. Also, prestige, luxury and quality associated with the brand ‘LVMH’ influences every item being presented in these shops. â€Å"A cost synergy refers to the opportunity of a combined corporate entity to reduce or eliminate expenses associated with running a business. Cost synergies are realized by eliminating costs that are viewed as duplicate within the merged entity.† (Synergy) This means reducing; promotional and advertising costs, sales cost, shipping cost, travel cost and also some managerial cost such as certain executives, human resources and head quarters office cost which finally influences companies bottom-line. â€Å"Synergy in terms of management and in relation to team working refers to the combined effort of individuals as participants of the team. The condition that exists when the organization's parts interact to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of the parts acting alone† (Synergy) As stated in the text of this case study,† Arnault implemented a corporate restructuring that groups the company’s subsidiaries into divisions. Previously, the heads of individual subsidiaries reported directly to Arnault; now, division heads meet with him to discuss strategy. Notes Arnault, â€Å"It’s much more efficient, because it allows us to put into practice all the synergies between the different brands in a coordinated way.† Francesco Trapani, CEO of the Bulgari Gruop, the luxury brand recently acquired by LVMH, said: â€Å"The 2010 financial results show how the Company was able to brilliantly overcome the economic slump, reaping the benefits of the efficiency and cost containment strategy and therefore becoming more solid. At the same time, the intense creative and product development activity generated an even more competitive product offer, which enjoyed great success in all product categories.† (Knowel) He added: â€Å"At this positive moment of strong top-line growth, our alliance with the LVMH Group has created new synergies that will enable Bulgari to strengthen even more and pursue its long-term, worldwide growth.† (Knowel) In conclusion, I believe that Mr. Bernard Arnault has made LVMH into the word biggest luxury brand by adopting acquisition strategy and creating cost, corporate and management synergy between divisions of the group. 2. How do LVMH executives adjust prices in response to changing economic conditions, and why? In response to changing economic conditions, LVMH executives adjusted prices in sepcific ways in each market. In Asian markets, Patrick Choel, president of the perfume and cosmetics division has increased wholesale prices in order to discourage discount retailers from selling the products to consumers at low price. Instead, he has reduced the advertising budget to offset profitability in case the company faces a decline in sales. In countries where LVMH faced currency devaluation, managers raised the price to counteract the effect of currency depreciation. In Indonesia, the chairman of Vuitton, Mr. Yves Carcell canceled the plan for opening a new store. Since Japan market is sluggish and there has not been a sign of soon economic recovery, Japanese consumers are reluctant to invest in stock market. Mr. Arnault figured out the difference between Japan where most of his business is, and the rest of Asia. He noted: â€Å"Japan is in a growth slump, but it isn’t going to have the same difficulties as Korea or Indonesia†. Japanese had not many other spending option and executives decided to raise prices at Louis Vuittons Japanese store. Also Louis Vuiton manageres has worked closely with tour operators to predict the number of Japanese tourists traveling in Asia and to Hawaii whom 75% of sales depends on. At peak of tourism, they increase the price by 10 to 22 percent to maximize profit. Furthermore LVMH took advantage of crisis by renegotiating store leases in Asian cities. In some cases, the company extended lease terms longer than before and reduced the rate by as much as one-third which resulted saving for the company. The overall result has been an increase in price and the rationale behind this decision is the fact that price perception is a critical component of luxury goods’ appeal. In fact, executives know that sales volume would decline sharply due to the effect of crisis and they have lost a big number of their customers. It is not a good time for expansion and opening new stores, so they decided to stay focused on the narrow market segment of their loyal customers. Those who still had notable disposable income shaped a niche market which was still large enough to be profitable. On the other hand, LVMH helped profitability by reducing the cost and cutting expenditures on advertisements. This was the adjustment executives made as opposed to the other alternative; reducing the price and presenting products to a bigger number of consumers. 3. Explain why some customer might think the high retail prices charged for luxury goods are worth paying? As peoples income increases, they are more willing to buy luxury goods because the demand of luxury items increase as people get wealthier. According to wikipedia.com once the consumption of luxury was limited to the elite classes which meant whatever the poor cannot have and the elite can was identified as luxury. Consumers are willing to pay high prices for luxury goods because the brand is associated with quality, durability, scarcity and beauty. In fact, consumers pay for these values that they obtain by purchasing a luxury item. â€Å"Several researchers focus on exclusivity dimension and argue that luxury evokes a sense of belonging to a certain elite group. Prof. Jean-Noel Kapferer, takes an experiential approach and defines luxury as items which provide extra pleasure by flattering all senses at once† (Luxury). Using luxury goods is a lifestyle and shows the wealth of consumer. These can also be reasons behind why some pay high retail prices charged for such items. 4. How were luxury goods marketers affected by the slowdown in tourism that followed especially after the attacks of September 11, 2001? If we take a look at marketing mix, we can see what has been affected by slowdown in tourism is place, where a good or service is presented. Luxury goods are mainly presented in duty free shops at airports, in hotels and attractive places as tourist destinations. With the slowdown in tourism, as people are less willing to travel, airports hotels and attractive places are not that busy compared to the days before September 11 terrorist attack. Even those who still travel might care less about luxury because their main concern is security during the flight and at destination. I think this is how luxury goods marketers were affected by slowdown in tourism.

Define Project

[pic] Topic 1: Define project What is a project? A project is the defined set of planned and managed activities carried out for a period of time — with a defined start and end date. A project is designed to yield a set of products or services as agreed with the project clients and stakeholders. It has a lifecycle which is the process by which the project is undertaken. Five features that differentiate projects from ordinary work are that they: †¢ have defined beginning and end dates †¢ have a unique purpose with specific objectives that meet the client goals and requirements within specified quality and performance criteria use resources, such as money, time, people and equipment that have been allocated to the project †¢ usually follow a planned and structured approach to meet their objectives †¢ have a primary sponsor or stakeholder who provides direction and funding. Projects can be simple and easily handled by one person or large and complex projects re quiring many resources and the specialised skills of a dedicated project manager and team. What is project management? Project management is about striving to meet specific time, cost, quality and resource objectives.At the same time it must facilitate the entire process so as to meet the needs and expectations of all people affected by project activities. Project management is about making change through the use of techniques, tools and resources that manage change throughout the life of the project. Project management involves the project manager and team applying knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to achieve the requirements of the project. It is a continuous process utilising planning, organising, monitoring and controlling in all aspects of the project to achieve external and internal objectives.It also encompasses the closure and evaluation of the project. Managing a project includes: ? identifying the requirements of the project ? establishing clear and achievable objectives ? balancing demands for quality, scope, time and cost ? adapting the specifications, plans and approach to meet the different concerns and expectations of the stakeholders ? closing and evaluating the project Below is an overview of the aspects of a project that need to be determined and developed. What to determine |What this involves | |Project scope |Identify and plan the objectives, desired outcomes, limitations and budget. | |Timeline |Determine the time within which the project is to be completed—involves | | |planning, estimating, scheduling and controlling. A schedule for the life of | | |the project is developed. |Costs |Determine the costs associated with successful projection completion. This | | |involves cost estimation and forecasting, cost budgeting, cost control and cost| | |applications. A budget is developed. | |Quality processes, systems and outcomes |Construct a quality management plan. | |Human resources |Human resources are re quired for project tasks, eg for organising resources, | | |managing staff performance and leading the project team, etc.A human resource | | |management plan is developed. | |Communications processes |Ensure all parties with an interest in the project are kept up-to-date | | |throughout the life of the project. A communications plan is constructed. | |Risks and any uncertainty with processes |Risks need to be: identified, analysed, evaluated, treated, monitored and | |or achievement |reviewed.A risk management plan is constructed. | |Goods, services or support |Identify what goods, services and support are needed and determine who will be | | |the best person (or people) to provide these. It also involves developing | | |effective interpersonal relationships and finalising any contracts or | | |understandings. The procurement needs for the project will need to be outlined. |All the elements outlined above will need to be integrated with each other in line with the process and proce dures of the organisation. This involves acknowledging and considering how the different functions within the project interrelate — as well as how the project interrelates with the organisation. The project lifecycle What is a project’s lifecycle — or the process by which it is undertaken? The phases in a project lifecycle are: †¢ Phase 1: Initiation and concept †¢ Phase 2: Planning and development †¢ Phase 3: Implementation and execution Phase 4: Finalisation and review. The Initiation and Concept Phase In the initiation phase of a project, the following needs to occur: †¢ Write a description of the project concept/background †¢ Identify stakeholders †¢ Identify project objectives †¢ Define the scope of work to be carried out †¢ Agree to the development of the broad strategy — which identifies preliminary agreed phases, milestones and deliverables †¢ Identify constraints and assumptions †¢ Develop the pre liminary budget †¢ Develop the preliminary risks assessment Develop the broad quality plan †¢ Develop a broad communications plan. |Workplace Learning Activity | |Find out about the range in the types of projects that are managed by your organisation (or one with which you are familiar). | |How do they vary in size and complexity as well as in their aims and objectives? | |Talk to your mentor or colleagues with project management experience about their projects (current or completed). |Begin with general questions such as: | |What do they see as the characteristics of a project? | |How was the project initiated? | The project manager With responsibilities spanning the entire lifecycle of the project — from its planning, implementation, monitoring and control through to its closing and evaluation — the project manager is key to the success of the project. The project manager must have the ability to: build relationships with all key stakeholders, including man agement, clients, suppliers as well as team members †¢ build and lead an effective team — this will include motivating team members (eg by reinforcing to each person that they play an important role and by being optimistic and enthusiastic) †¢ manage interpersonal relationships †¢ problem-solve and make decisions †¢ negotiate with others to meet their needs as well as those of the project †¢ empathise with clients †¢ develop a vision for the project that can be sold to the team and key stakeholders †¢ exercise a high degree of professionalism †¢ communicate with all stakeholders provide reports as required. |Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in setting up a project in your workplace, clarify the following: | |What is the role of the project manager? | |If you are not the project manager, what is your role within the project? | |Here is another suggestion for workplace learning: | |Interview a project manager to find out what their role was within a recently-completed project.Ask them about the: | |characteristics of a good project manager | |skills and knowledge they needed in order to function as an effective project manager. | Define project stakeholders Knowing who the stakeholders are is critical to any project. Stakeholders are individuals or organisations who have an interest in, or involvement with, the project. Stakeholders have an impact on or are affected by the project. To ensure support for a project, the stakeholders must be identified as early as possible in a project lifecycle.Project team responsibilities As the project manager, you need to clearly identify the limits of each project team member’s responsibility. Questions to ask include: †¢ What is the overall responsibility of the project manager? †¢ What is the responsibility of individual project team members? †¢ How will changes to project specifications, deliverables, scheduling, resource usage, and other aspects of the project be managed? †¢ Who is responsible for each of these? Each team member should have clearly defined responsibilities to ensure that they understand what they are—and are not—allowed to do.Otherwise one person may go off and approve changes that have not been authorised and cause the project to go in the wrong direction, go over budget, or eventually fail. Project reporting requirements When you are developing or reviewing the scope of a project, make sure to include reporting guidelines, such as when to report to the project sponsor, stakeholders and project team. (It should be on a regular basis. ) There are a few different ways to meet reporting requirements; you may need to use several of these methods together: hold project team meetings where each team member reports on the progress of the project †¢ hold a sponsor or stakeholder meetings where you report on the progress of the project †¢ provide written reports †¢ send email reports †¢ use the reporting facilities in any project management software you may be using. Reporting requirements for a project are put in place to ensure that all those involved are kept up-to-date with the project’s progress. They also provide the opportunity to report any changes or unforeseen events. This means that such things can be rectified quickly—before they get out of hand.The important thing is that everyone involved has a clear understanding of their reporting requirements, and that these requirements are met. |Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in setting up a project in your workplace, keep notes on the process of working with | |stakeholders. To get you started with your notes, here are some questions that you could address: | |Who are the stakeholders? | |What are the issues that need to be clarified with stakeholders? |What are the benefits of involving stakeholders? | |What are the rights and obligations o f stakeholders? If you are a project manager (or managing part of the project), what are| |your obligations to stakeholders? | Access project scope and other relevant information Before commencing a project, there is a need for you to get a good understanding of the exact objectives of the project and the scope of work required to be done in order to achieve each objective. The following will need to be understood: †¢ Why is the project being undertaken? †¢ Are there limitations that may restrict the way the project is carried out? Exactly what is expected to done (or achieved)? What is not expected to be done? †¢ Will adequate resources be available? †¢ Where and when will resources be needed? †¢ What is the cost of the project? †¢ Is the client (or organisation) comfortable with the suggested strategy for spending the project money? The project manager will also need an agreement about the support that will be given to the project. Prepare the project scope definition and scope document The project manager may be asked to prepare the scope definition and scope document or be given one to follow.The project manager is usually involved in developing the scope. The scope should be as specific as possible and tell all stakeholders exactly what is to be achieved on completion of the project. |Scope document — checklist | |The following should always be included in a scope document: | |Background — overview of project | |Objectives to be achieved — i. . both primary and secondary objectives | |Scope definition — as stated above the scope should be as specific as possible and tell all stakeholders exactly what is to| |be achieved on completion of the project | |Broad strategy for achievement of projects — phases | |Constraints around which project is to work | |Exclusions showing what work is not to be done |Assumptions and questions to be answered | |Related projects that may have an effect on yo ur project — or projects that may be affected by your project | |Preliminary budget | |Preliminary risk assessment | |Broad plans for communication and quality (may also be included). | A scope document shows the scope, or extent, of a project.Let’s look at the key sections and an example of a project scope document. [pic] The things you will find in a project scope document Key sections of a scope document |Section |Details | |Scope statement or definition |This clearly states the project goal, objectives and deliverables. If it is not | | |specified in the scope statement then it is outside the scope of the project and | | |is not relevant.Project tasks should only address work that is relevant to the | | |project goal and objectives. | |Project constraints |These are any limiting factors that prevent the project from moving in a | | |particular path. Examples include: | | |You have dependent tasks that impact on specific areas of the project, for | | |example, tasks that cannot begin unless another one has started. | |You have a deadline that cannot be changed. | | |The implementation work for a system upgrade can only be done on the weekend, | | |when staff are not at work. | |Assumptions |These are aspects that the project manager builds into the scope document to | | |allow for any uncertainties that may occur. Examples of assumptions include: | | |Fifteen new personal computers need to be purchased for the project. | |All staff need yearly training in OHS. | | |All resources for the project will be sourced from outside of the company. | |Tasks list |You need to specify a list of tasks (and deliverables) to be achieved during the | | |project. They are all the activities that need to take place to bring the project| | |to completion.The deliverables include all the documentation, reports, contracts| | |and products that need to be produced and signed-off on by those in authority. | |Estimates (cost, time and |You need to make initial estima tes in relation to cost, time and human resource | |human resources) |requirements. These identify the boundaries of the project to enable you to | | |expand into the more detailed estimates that are needed to develop the full | | |project plan. |Contract statement |This will include the names of those authorised to initiate contract work, sign | | |contracts and completion acceptances. It also includes any contractual | | |limitations and penalty statements for possible contract variations. (Variations | | |and penalties apply equally to the client and providers. ) | The following is an example of a scope document, in this case for a project to install animal litter bins in local parks. Sample scope document Project Scope | |Project Information (Please complete all) | |Project Sponsor |Project Name | |Bob Smith |Animal litter bins | |General Manager | | |Sponsoring Department/Client | |Directive from Council Meeting | |Parks & Gardens | |Project Leader | |Arens Sirkel | |Sco pe the project | |The project will encompass the installing of animal litter bins and bag dispensers in all council parks. The bins | |and bags are to be purchased from Animal Litter Limited after recommendations from neighbouring councils.The | |project is to be completed within six weeks at an all up cost not exceeding $24,000. | |Description of the project | |(What is the vision? What will the finished product look like? ) | |The animal litter bins will be installed in prominent locations in each park, while also being close to entrances | |to allow efficient removal of waste by our waste management contractor. | |Identify the strategic objectives which relate to this project | |To reduce animal litter by encouraging owners to pick up after their pets. |Identify the main target audience | |Pet owners. | |What are the intended outcomes/deliverables of the project? | |That pet owners will use the bags provided to clean up their pets’ litter and deposit the bags in the bins | |provided, other bins or their own bins at home. | |What are the particular aspects of the project? | |Installation of bins. | |Other comments | |Collection of waste and replacement of bags has been contracted to our waste management contractor. | |A public awareness campaign will be conducted by council after the bins have been installed. |Proposed project timeline | | |Dates/Time |Notes | |Project lifespan: include dates or total time | | | |required for completion | | | |Phase 1: Scoping and feasibility |not required |Directed by council, scoped| | | |by General Manager | |Phase 2: Planning |4 days | | |Phase 3: Implementation |3 weeks | | |Phase 4: Evaluation |2 days | | |Proposed budget | |Detail proposed budget or financial constraints for the project. |Overtime wages/contractor payments $ 7,000 | |Bins & posts $ 15,000 | |Materials (cement, etc) $ 2,000 | |Scope signoff | | | |This scope has been approved by: Bob Smith_____________________ Project Sponsor | | | |Depa rtment: General Manager Date_____/_____/_____ | Use the scope document during the whole project It is a good idea to revisit the scope document while the project is running, to check that the project is meeting its objectives and to make sure that activities are within its scope. During the plan phase you should use the scope document as a basis to expand into a detailed activity list of the project deliverables. Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in a team that is setting up a project in your workplace, keep notes on the scoping process. To | |get you started with your notes, here are questions you could address: | |What does a project scope define? | |Who was involved in identifying the scope? What tools were used to describe the scope? | |What was involved in risk management planning? | |How will the scope provide a foundation for subsequent steps in the project? | |How was it carried out? How long did the process take? |Here are other suggestions for work place learning: | |Find out about project scoping procedures in your organisation (or one you are familiar with) | |Ask your mentor or colleagues involved in project scoping if you could sit in on their scoping meetings or join the project | |scoping team. | |Speak to people in your organisation about how the scope for their projects was identified. | |Identify a small project that you could manage as part of your work — and develop a scope definition (this could come in | |useful for you later). | Seek clarification of issues related to the project and parameters With any project, there is a project sponsor (or sponsors) — a person or organisation who might be a backer or financier.A project sponsor’s role includes the ones below: †¢ provides a single point of reference regarding management decisions †¢ reports project progress to boards and top management. †¢ provides clarification of any issues related to project and project parameters. Note t hat there may also be other stakeholders, eg, the main client, funding body, or manager who may also need to be contacted for clarification at regular intervals throughout a project. |Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in a project team in your workplace, answer the questions below.Alternatively, obtain answers to| |these questions from a project manager in your organisation (or one you are familiar with). | |Who is the project sponsor (or sponsors)? | |What are the types of issues would you need to clarify with a sponsor? | |Apart from the sponsor, are there any other stakeholders who you can approach for clarification about aspects of the project? | Clarify relationship of the project to other projects and the organisation’s objectives It is important that the project manager and team understand how the project they are working on fits in with the organisation and other related projects that may be in progress. In your workplace, you will probably fi nd that there are a number of projects that are running concurrently.They may be completely self-contained projects — with no one project having any bearing on any of the others. However, the following may also occur: †¢ Your project may need to be completed before another can begin — or vice versa (your project will not be able to begin before the other project is completed) †¢ Allocation of resources such as staff, funds and equipment, may be affected, eg there may be tools or templates developed for one project that will be used or adapted for the new project. It is good policy to establish a relationship with other project managers especially where the project they are working on has bearing on the new project. Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in a project team within in your workplace, answer these questions below. | |How does the project you are working on fit in the organisation? | |What other projects are related to this proj ect and how? | |Here is another suggestion: | |Interview a project manager to find out how they identified other projects that had a bearing on the project they have | |recently completed in the workplace. | |. | Determine and access available resources to undertake the projectThe resources that are generally utilised within projects are: †¢ people — internal staff and sometimes contractors and other staff external to the organisation †¢ tools and equipment †¢ time †¢ raw materials †¢ money. In order to identify the resources needed for a project, you will, firstly, need to determine what tasks will need to be carried out to arrive at the project outcomes. Achieving your project objectives means blending activities and tasks to be carried out with time and funds available. The ‘work breakdown structure’ (WBS) is a complete list of all the work that needs to be carried out to achieve the milestones, phases and/or objectives of the project. A WBS will allow the planning sequence of activities and tasks and where they have a dependency on other activities and tasks. From the WBS, the schedule, resources and the cost of the project will be determined. A WBS will also lead to an understanding of the overall project. A WBS can take one of two approaches — either a top-down approach or a bottom-up approach: †¢ Top-down approach — The objectives are analysed to determine the phases the project must go through as it moves towards completion. A logical break-up of phases might be on the basis of major decision points or milestones. †¢ Bottom-up approach — This approach is a reverse of the top-down approach. Tasks to meet the project objective are determined and grouped with related tasks to form activities.Activities are then grouped to form project phases in logical sequences. This allows resources, duration and dependencies to be allocated at the task level. The cost of the individual resources will need to be calculated in order to determine the overall costs and budget for the project. How long a task will take will affect the cost of the project. Once the WBS is determined, calculations can be made for each task incorporating time allotted for each task as well as the resources and staff required. A dollar value is applied to each task and the sum total becomes the budget. In the initiation phase, a preliminary budget is prepared for the resources required and this is then detailed fully in the project plan. Workplace Learning Activity | |If you are already involved in a project team in your workplace, answer the questions below. | |How were the resources identified for the project? | |What resources will be required for this project? | |What staff (and skills) is required for the project? | |How did you prepare the work breakdown structure? | |Here are other suggestions for workplace learning: | |Interview a project manager to find out how they identified the resourc es for the project they have recently completed in the| |workplace.Also ask of the project manager the questions outlined above. | |View documentation that was compiled to identify resources within a project. | More resources For a comprehensive list of current readings and websites for Topic 1 – Define Project – please see the OLS for this unit and see Additional Resources and Websites. ———————– Contents What is a project? 1 Define project stakeholders 6 Access project scope and other relevant documentation 8 Seek clarification of issues relating to the project and parameters 15 Clarify relationship of project to other projects and organisation’s objectives 16 Determine and access available resources to undertake project 18 More resources 19

Essay About Smart-Phones Industry Essay

Question 1 According to the task, I select the smart-phones industry as an example to figure out my own opinion. The marketing environment always consists of particular elements within a business’s external competitive environment and operating environment which is related to the demands of one product’s target consumer, that is also known as the target market member. The operating environment includes investors, employees, customers, creditors, and the marketing environment, and how to use a business and its obtained resources. The elements beyond the scope of the company’s control is a company’s remote environment composed of . Elements about the remote-environment incorporate current and expected economic, social, technical and political factors. The industry environment, which describes the situations of businesses supplying a similar kind of product or service, is also called the competitive environment. Analyzing the remote business environment is doing good at helping business people understand the innate character and tendency of the nowaday conditions. Remote analysis tells hidden issues and predicts directions. Competitive or industry analysis lends a hand for business managers knowing how can they make their outputs diverse and better than their competitors’. Operational analysis provides people an wide profile about the company. The operational profile benefits analysts in learning which business strategies are efficacious and after all which strategies may be needed to be optimized or abolished. The macro environment involves the external factors which can totally influence a business or industry. However, these factors are not often in the control or the management ability that a company equipped with. Factors typically also include economic, demographic and social, political, technological, and legal forces in business. Business managers as well as the owners often spend a lot of time and efforts to evaluate the worldwide economic environment to finally make a determination about the number and the effectiveness of all these factors. Economic factors are generally comprised of supply and demand, the actual number of competitors in this given market, availability of recently economic resources, and efficient manufacturing methods used by companies. All these factors influence this company’s output and latent profit margins while they are selling goods and services to their consumers. Free market economies obviously have more competition for the sake of that more individuals and businesses can benefit themselves through the raw materials, labor, and facilities in the market. Demographics and society refers to information which is about the buyers in this economic market. This information involves statistics on not only the consumer age, sex, race, religion, education, but also their household size, marital status, and also other similar information. Companies that use that information to create productions and marketing strategies in order to meet the demands of all the consumers in the designated macro environment. Whatever, this information interacts on general economic factors. Companies must have the ability to decide the consumer supply and need by assessing consumer benefits. Political forces generally indicate that the government agencies or apartments and policies must be responsible for this particular nation’s economy. Policies may involve business taxes, interest rate as well as the availability of currency. Otherwise, companies regular make a business decision that is based on the government involvement within a set business industry. Creating business distributions in these regions sometimes can reduce one company’s incomes and make it adapt to more regulations and laws, which also rises operating costs. Technological changes these recent decades have changed the method companies do trades in the very macro environment. Websites, network station, software based on Internet, and the fulfillment centers permit companies to put their goods and services in multiple and international economic markets. Strategies and performance reviews can favor owners as well as the managers to use the macro environment elements to product a few competitive advantages for their subsidiary companies. Recognition of strategic groups is the crucial side for industry itself analysis. A strategic group is comprised of firms in this industry which is following almost the same strategies that aimed at the same target market groups. Marketing environments are related to the stage which the product stand on in the whole business marketing life cycle. The life-cycle marketing environment, thus, the four marketing life-cycle stages incorporated introduction, growth, maturity or decline. New products emerge on stage Introductory which is often described by an invention or an original service. Environments in the growth stage are with high competition, that means there are many firms attempting to divide shares of the similar target market. When it comes to the maturity stage, sales are growing slowly since most buyers who buy this kind product are those people who have already bought the product before. Sales slow to a halt in the decline stage. However, there may be some types would not go through every stage in this marketing life cycle. Marketing environments could also be depictured obviously of no concern of the marketing life cycle. None market leaders exist in Fragmented marketing environments. And this kind environment consisted of plenty of relatively small firms. The global marketing environment is the station for worldwide selling products businesses. Smart phone companies are illustrations of businesses which connected close with this free global marketing environment. Question 2 Since I am one of Samsung’s loyal customers, let’s take Samsung LTD as an individual firm within the cellphone industry. Samsung is a famous company selling smart phones all around the world. When we go back to see the last ten years, the rapid development of the mobile technology is an very outstanding phenomenon which really forever changed nowadays society we live in. In spite of the challenges that the current mobile industry environment brings, mobile future buyers growth are continuing without stopping with the emergency of markets to lead the way. However, the mobile industry is facing with a good many key issues, the economic downturn as well as the saturation of the spectrum concerns included. Before going next, we must say something about marketing assets. It can fall into four categories as the following: Internal or marketing support assets is the first sort. For instance, cost advantages emerge when Samsung try many ways to save its cost; while, on the other hand, information systems together with market intelligence is also of consequence; moreover, Samsung do business bases on the feeling of their existing customer; technological skills is irreplaceable in today’s mobile industry. There are many other aspects in this professional realm. The next is called the Alliance-based assets which can be described by the following questions: do the company have a market access to entry the big market? How to access to this market? And what is their management skills? How to share technology and so on. Supply chain assets is another category. In this part, Samsung pays enough attention to distribution network and the relationships between workers and buyers; they deal wel l with the pockets of strength; they ensure the delivery lead times and security of supply which is hard to come by. The last one is Customer-based and reputation assets. Relationships between Samsung supplier and customers is good. Samsung has great company name as well as good reputation; nowadays Samsung really have the smart phone market’s domination and it can not get without superior products and the after-sale services. In order to develope Samsung’s marketing capabilities which refers to its ability to perform their fixed marketing-mix activities this firm must marshal all kinds of resources they have and then deliver the value to customer. Fortunately, Samsung did this, too. We can see advertising of Samsung’s product wherever we go, such as GALAXY S4. Resources portfolios are related to the project that organizations is described as collections of resources, assets, and capabilities. The crucial dimensions of resources portfolios are the significance of resources when it comes to create values for customers together with resource advantage relative to other smart phone producer, namely, competitors. What is the competitive advantage of Samsung? First, they save costs as possible compared to competitors based on the large-scale production or intensive production. Second, they have unique production and after service. Otherwise, Samsung has done good job in developing and exploiting all their resources. Since the emergency of Apple’s iPhone in phone market, most rival mobile manufacturers are spot in a hard ‘catch-up’ stage due to they fell behind after they did not find out how to use ‘touch screen’ technology through their cellphones’ production process. However, Samsung is a winner just like Apple. It exploited not only a unique system for Galaxy but also good screen-touch technology and applications. Around this rapidly developed world, the mobile industry is standing out. America is moving forward faraway but other countries keep banging away at their spectrum plans. The mobile industry, obviously, wants their governments to say something to clarified and regard their spectrum policies. Samsung start to research and develop spectrum since that more spectrum is needed whether they want many new opportunities to use mobile and wireless broadband technology to offer this society and the worldwide economy more help. With the number of mobile users are growing up day after day worldwide, the mobile industry is still put up with the declining Average Revenue Per User. The economic downturn, nevertheless, would not be the only element that driving down the ARPU; I believe that price wars involving in the increasingly competitive market and the trend for mobile users growth. Total cellphone sales and the mobile phone revenues were also decreasing in early years after the strong financial crisis. There is also evidence showing that the whole sales of smart phones are mounting while the handset sales totally being declining. Since Nokia has been losing its hegemony in market shares in the recent times. In spite of only this recent two or three years in the mobile market, Samsung has also become very very popular. Question 3 Sellers have three choices when they come in a market. Mass marketing is decided by a mass-produce mode and mass divide one product into pieces and try to attract each types of consumers. Target marketing is the decision to distinguish the different groups which make up a market to develop corresponding products and marketing mixes for each target market. Sellers in the last decade are continuing moving away from the mass marketing and they are moving towards their established target marketing since the latter is more helpful in cramping out market opportunities and developing successful product marketing mixes. Market segmentation is the procedure of dividing and measuring distinct groups of customers or potential buyers finally into subgroups in view of the same needs or preferences. Competitive positioning pay attention on how consumers consider about the sundry providing on the mobile market contrast with the other mobile producers. Not only the competitive positioning but the market segmentation must be formulated in this way so that the demand for consumers are fulled in ways which are better than competitors. Talking about so much, the definition of market positioning is not told. It is a sure process about formulating competitive positioning for each kind of product and the detailed mix of the product in marketing. The firm should be quite sure about their plan for how to introduce the function and advantage of the product to all these the consumers. How Samsung’s consumers think about it on significate attributes and decide the product’s position. That is to say, a company’s positioning relates to Samsung finding the appropriate ‘location’ among a group of buyers as well as their market segment is good so that they could d evelop a new product or provide better service in a customer desired way. While we define market segmentation as the process of placing the buyers in our target product-market and then divide them into multiple sub-groups for the members in every segmentation showing similar respond to a special positioning strategy. Market segmentation bases on the real information but not the marketers’ intuition. Obviously, Samsung catches the value of the procedure of market segmentation. They find out that customers are not all the same and other different products may probably take the fancy of buyers on multiform stages through their lifetimes. Considering about the mobile industry, for the sake of an illustration of this conception, Samsung practices what one preaches. The segmentation procedure refers to separating the big market into different groups of customers who might require separate products or marketing mixes, recognised that all buyers have unique needs and wants. It is generally possible in buyer markets to ensure comparatively homogeneous parts or segmentation of the whole mobile market rely on shared preferences, views, or actions that separate them from the others in the smart phone market. Diverse products and separate mixes may be needed in these segments, and one-to-one marketing approach segment is a decisive step in this contemporary. Generally speaking, B2B or B2C mode are used bu Samsung for a long time and its markets can be divided into parts using geographical and demographic descriptors, while diverse forms of behavioral descriptors and psychographics. Demographic descriptors include age like how old their customers are, gender which means female or male, household life cycle, income about their benefit, their occupation, their education degree, and race. Behavioral descriptors contain a plentiful collection of segment bases that benefits sought, behaviour about purchasing, usage about this kind of product, loyalty to distinct brand, their attitudes towards product and relationship seeking characteristics are included. Psychographic descriptors include personality and lifestyle, Samsung research every class for their buyers to gain more. References Hooley, G., Piercy, N., & Nicolaud, B. (2012). Marketing strategy and competitive positioning (5th ed.). New York: FT Prentice Hall. Oviatt, B. and McDougall, P. 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