Two of the most important things Essay Example Essay Example

Two of the most important things Essay Example Paper Two of the most important things Essay Introduction In marketing two of the most important things are the marketing segmentation and the marketing- mix. Even if you come up with a â€Å"gee-whiz† product, if you do not use the right marketing ingredients the result can be devastating.Nowadays, Sony is the one of the most successfully growing electronic companies in the world but it cannot be attributed just to the technology and the innovation.Sony’s marketing segmentation consists of four different lines: electronics (camera, computer, camcorder, TV, Walkman, MP3 players), Sony Music and Sony Pictures, digital entertainment (Play Station) and mobile phone (SonyEricsson).One of the biggest steps in Sony’s life was when the Sony Computer Entertainment sector was set up with the Play Station 1 (PS1) concept, and later developed with the Play Station 2 (PS2) concept.By the mid-1990s, the whole company was in a deep funk. Its profits had sunk from a high of $1,3 billion in 1992 to a loss of $3,3 billion in 1995. The s olution was the Play Station division in 1993. Less than 5-years later, the Play station business had grown to achieve an incredible 40% of Sony’s $3 billion in operating profits and nowadays, it brings nearly half of the company’s profits and Sony owns the biggest share from this market in the world.So how was this success compromised?Task 1SEGMENTATIONSony endeavours to understand its customers as much as possible. The marketing segmentation makes the process more efficient and effective. It divides the market into small pieces and targets people who belong to the same group and feel the same desire for a product.Geographic:Sony visibly goes all out for to supply individual customers. The company concentrates its efforts in three key markets: USA, EU and Japan but it is also represented in 200 countries with support in 68 languages. Such a globally segmented market allows the organisation to focus specifically on the needs of their particular markets. The Sony Comput er Entertainment America (SCEA) has been set up by Sony to focus specifically on the USA market while the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) cares for the European consumers.A good example of how this has materialised is that its console and marketing of the product for the Japanese market. Sony focused on the fact that more than 20 million people have got high-speed internet connections and hence it offers PS2 with on-line function1. However, in the USA market the situation was different and they realised that the version did not have an on-line function.Mr. Jack Tretton, vice president of SCEA says: † Twenty per cent of customers choose the on-line PS2 and its eighty per cent buy the cheaper off-line product.†In the European market the EU member countries dominate, especially Western Europe. The major software writers are based in London, Paris, and Vienna to supply the huge game demand.Demographic:Gender- In the beginning, most software developed was specific t o the young male, like fighting and shooting games. Soon, however, Sony realised that it could benefit from the female members of society too. In 2004, it launched its innovation: the Eye Toy. It is a special camera which players can see themselves on the screen in real time and play table tennis, boxing, cleaning windows and drumming for example. This has been a success in 2003- 2.4 million pieces were sold. (Index 2004)Age- The PS1 console technically is inferior to the PS2 that it is also cheaper. It has fewer aggressive games so it is perfect for people age between 6 and 11. PS2 is more professional both in hardware and software hence the age segmentation is between 12 and 19.The newest Play Station console will probably be promoted in 2006 with special features. The processor might be implemented from the modernist IBM technology, which is used in the famous Power-Apple PC. It will also have internet modem so even adult players can find access the Internet playing on the networ k against each other.Psychographic:In Japan, Sony describes the Play Station 2 as an entirely new dohyou, using the Japanese world for sumo ring. Sometimes playing a game can mean more than just fun. People like playing and winning. It can be more serious even among adults. These people with achiever and ambitious personalities like to â€Å"challenge everything† (EA GAMES- one of the biggest software producer company).Behavioural:Benefit- Sony’s strategy is based on the fact that it tries to persuade consumers that its brand offers the best quality for their money and it is different from the others.The new PS2 for example, is, super light compared to the other consoles, thus it is mobile and children can take it with them on holiday, for example. With the mobile concept, Sony tries to squeeze out Nintendo’s palm consoles.Loyalty- The customers feel strong loyalty to the Play Station brand. First of all, it comes from the belief that the quality of the product and service satisfy the customers on a high level. Secondly, there is a correlation between the two consoles.Compatibility-The first generation of customers who grew up on PS1 prefer to buy PS2 because they can play with their old games on the new machine. This fact and the brand loyalty ensure that in the long run people become medium or even heavy users.Task 2 (A)MARKETING- MIXThe marketing- mix is the one of the most important things in marketing. The hardest thing is to find out the best mix from the existing ingredients.Product:Brand name- Sony always tries to persuade consumers that its brand offers the best quality for them. The company’s goal is to build a strong brand name to capture consumer loyalty and preference. The Sony name is synonymous with quality and value, while the Play Station name suggests the concept but it is clearly identified separately from the main brand.Hardware- The company spends huge amounts on research and development and is the first to prod uce products. When PS2 was first launched, Sony had made a machine, which was leading edge its features included a 128-bit processor called the â€Å"Emotion Engine† which was three times faster than a Pentium chip of the same vintage.Sony is the only company in the entertainment market which offers so many different designs of hardware: modern silver, serious black and futuristic transparent.The also produce more than 30 supplementary units.Software- From the beginning Play Station was developed in alliance with the biggest software companies such as, 3DO, EIDOS, NAMCO UBISOFT and EA GAMES. It made it able to produce much more software games in the early stages. Lately it has given it a big advantage when rivals want to step into the entertainment market. The key is the range of games- PS 1 and 2 offer more than 1500 games to its new consoles while Microsoft less than 500.Service and experience- Sony ranks customer care highly both before and after purchasing. In the main th is is delivered via the Internet through their very popular www.playstation.com homepage. The customers find product and technical advice, as well as being able to link into other PS customers to discuss matters. They can order and buy hardware and software support, play in networks and if somebody is registered in the database, they will receive special offers and a lot of useful information by e-mail. It brings the customers together and adds to the experience of being part of Play Station.Price:Sony used captive- product pricing for its launch, tried to sell its consoles on relatively cheap and make money on video games, hence it was able to reduce console pricing and increase its profit margin on games titles – to sixty-five per cent in 2002. (Index 2002)The PS2’s biggest rival was Microsoft’s X-Box consoles which were introduced in 2001 but it could not break into the market even though its price is $99 against PS2 which is $149. Sony reacted in 2003 with a new PS2 Satin Silver Edition and it increased sales by 15% because the new product wave was at the right time.Microsoft’s price strategy is simple, it tries to decrease the price. On the other hand, Sony offers its consoles with 2 free games to tempt costumers to buy rather than reduce its price and follow the rivals. Sony also has not entered the market at the low cost end, which its rivals have had to do in order to compete but have relied on its â€Å"Quality† image to support such a pricing strategy. It concentrates on the fact that people often think that if something is relatively cheap, it must be poor quality (even if it is not true).Place:Sony presents its Play Station concept in Asia, Europe, Africa, America and Australia.It promotes its consoles in specialist shops, supermarkets, particularly play shops and other similar places. Here costumers also can play with and test the new hardware and software with the available consoles.Every year the Play Station t ruck travels around America, hence an opportunity presents that customers are able to play and test the new games free in a futuristic surrounding.Promotion:The enterprise spends a lot of money on campaigns especially in the USA to squeeze out its biggest rival from the second biggest market2.Task 2 (A)THE U.S.PWhen first PS1 was launched in 1994, it was the right time to catch the new computer generation and create for them a new entertainment world. Ken Kutaragi dreamed up this new digital world. Kutaragi envisaged a computer business with personality, fun and emotion. After two years’ development engineers accomplished the creation of Play Station (PS1) with a totally new chip with a plastic shell. It was the first to combine a 32-bit processor, a graphics chip, and a decompression engine on the same piece of silicon, otherwise known as a system-on-a-chip. After this big step the entertainment project was launched. The whole concept was supported with product development a nd marketing knowledge on the highest level.SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT GROWTH IN REVENUES AND OPERATING PROFITS AS PERCENTAGE OF CORPORATE PROFITS,1995-1999 (IN BILLIONS OF YEN)95 96 97 98 99Sony Computer 35 201 408 700 760Entertainment RevenueSony Computer n/a (9) 57 117 137Entertainment OperatingIncomeSony Corporate (167) 235 370 520 339Operating Income(Gary Hamel- Leading the revolution (2000), p-172)Sony has created a different world. The â€Å"Play Station† and the â€Å"See the world of Sony† slogans perfectly reflect how Sony wants people to enjoy themselves and feel something special: get an experience, win in their new life and more than that.In the business the â€Å"consumer is the king† the golden rule is still the most important moment but in Sony’s marketing strategy it has been transformed.Akia Morito: â€Å"Our goal is to lead costumers where they want to go before they know where they want to go.†This is the real power of marketin g, when a company like Sony owns the intellectual property to lead their customers, hence the whole process is more comprehensible and predictable, that is why the strategy is more easily controlled, defended against rivals and monitored. Two of the most important things Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

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Management –Outsourcing and/or Off Introduction In the recent years, various organizations have adopted outsourcing and/or off shoring as part of their long-term strategic management practices in their supply chain management. Tambe and Hitt (2010) define outsourcing as the process of contracting work to a third party. On the other hand, off shoring entails seeking provision of services from a foreign country.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management –Outsourcing and/or Off-shoring specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the drastic revolution in technology advancement in the 21st Century, the IT industry has become one of the sectors in which outsourcing is prevalent (Michela Carlotta 2011). Firms in the IT industry are increasingly turning to outsourcing of function and processes by establishing a network of contracts with renowned outsourcers. As a result, the outsourcers exclusively adopt the role of supplying the necessary services or pro ducts. Some of the reasons that have motivated firms to adopt outsourcing include an increase in the intensity of competition and the emergence of a dynamic business environment. Furthermore, the need to deliver a high level of customers’ satisfaction coupled with the need to attain a high level of profitability has also enhanced incorporation of outsourcing amongst organizations. Considering the fact that organizations have to operate under these organizations, the need for a high level of adaptability, flexibility, and capability has increased significantly (Wee, Peng Wee 2010, p. 2081). The concept of outsourcing and off shoring has been in existence in firms’ supply chain-management practices for a number of decades now (Gupta, Seshasai, Mukherji, Ganguly 2006). However, its relevance in the IT industry has increased significantly over the recent past probably at the start of the 21st Century. Firms can accrue a number of benefits through incorporation of outsour cing and or off shoring. Some of the major benefits relate to cost reduction, improved operational flexibility, accessing new technology, and capacity to offer high quality products and services. However, a number of risks factors are associated with outsourcing and off-shoring (Herath Kishore 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This aspect accentuates the importance of firms conducting cost-benefit analysis prior to incorporating outsourcing and or off shoring in their supply chain management practices. The cost-benefit analysis will aid in determining whether the benefits are more than the costs and hence its feasibility. This paper intends to analyze whether the advantages of outsourcing outweigh the disadvantages. Analysis Advantages of off shoring and or outsourcing Creating and protecting firms’ competitive advantage According to Tho (2012), outsou rcing enables organizations to transfer non-core activities to the provider of the services. The supplier of the services in turn assumes the responsibility of delivering the non-core service, which provides an opportunity for the firm to focus on developing its core competencies. Through outsourcing, firms are in a position to nurture areas that are vital for their success. Ultimately, the firm can create and protect its competitive advantage effectively. Through effective implementation of outsourcing, a firm can implement effective human resource development, which emanates from the fact that the firm can acquire new ideas on how to develop its human capital. There are numerous benefits associated with nurturing core competencies. Some of these benefits relate to providing the firm an opportunity to improve its market share. Additionally, the perceived customer benefits with regard to the final product improve significantly. This aspect makes it difficult for competitors to imita te the firm’s product or service. Development of core competency also contributes towards the attainment of advantages associated with economies of scale. One of the main sources of competitive advantage with regard to economies of scale relates to specialization. Through outsourcing, organizations can accrue the benefits associated with the specialized skills of the outsourced vendor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management –Outsourcing and/or Off-shoring specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Schniederjans, Scherniederjans, and Schniederjans (2005), outsourcing and outsourcing enables organizations to attain their profit maximization objective. This aspect emanates from the fact that the firm can outsource some of its business activities from low cost providers and ultimately the firm is in a position to cater for the cost of operation. Due to profit maximization, firms are in a position to streamline their cash flows. Profit maximization is one of the major factors that can contribute towards development of competitive advantage amongst firms for a firm is in a position to cater for its cost of its operation. Freeing up company resources Outsourcing provides organizations with an opportunity to concentrate on aspects that contribute to a high level of competitive advantage. This element increases the effectiveness and efficiency with which an organization allocates its resources. For example, through outsourcing firms save on the cost of investing in certain technologies necessary for the firm’s operations. Information Technology is one of the main areas that firms are increasingly outsourcing. Focusing in such an area safeguards the firm against the cost of implementing costly IT technologies. Tadelis (2007) asserts that outsourcing enables organizations’ to free some of its resources. By outsourcing and or off shoring some of the activities, organizat ions are left with some resources such assets that can be converted into real cash. The freed resources can be used to undertake other tasks and activities. For example, the firm can invest the money saved through outsourcing in other more lucrative avenues. The ultimate effect is an improvement in the firm’s profit maximization objective. One of the cost elements that organizations can eliminate relates to cost of labour.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Schniederjans, Scherniederjans, and Schniederjans (2005), human resources constitute the largest proportion of firms’ cost of operation. Through outsourcing and or off shoring, an organization can eliminate a significant proportion of labour cost. Before implementing the outsourcing decision, it is imperative for organizations to ensure that they undertake a comparative analysis between outsourcing and undertaking the task itself. The comparative analysis should aid in determining the cost differences. Additionally, outsourcing enables firms to eliminate other operational costs associated with in of such information may relate to product designs and formulas, which presents a confidentiality risk to such an organization. According to Weerakkody and Irani (2010), loss of confidential information may adversely affect the firm’s competitiveness. Prior to implementing the outsourcing decision, it is paramount for the firm being contracted to review the contrac t to determine whether its data is adequately protected. Additionally, the contracting party should also ensure that a penalty clause is incorporated in the event of such an incident occurring. The high rate of technological innovation especially with regard to Information Communication Technology (ICT) presents a major challenge to most organization. Security is one of the major issues being associated with outsourcing and off shoring. To prevent loss of confidential data and information, it is also necessary for the contracting firm to ensure that its computer security system is configured effectively. This element will safeguard the firm against cases of infiltrated by the outsourced firm. The contracting firm should also restrict access of its computer system. Additionally, a background check on the outsourced firm should also be conducted to determine the credibility of the outsourcing firm. Perception of outsourcing and off shoring Outsourcing and off shoring may adversely aff ect employees and customers. One of the issues that are likely to be greatly impacted relates to loyalty. Announcement of outsourcing some functions may result in generation of negative perception regarding the employer by the employees, which may culminate in the employees losing focus hence decline the employees’ productivity. According to Elmuti, Grunewald, and Abebe (2007), outsourcing may culminate in organization downsizing some of its operations. This move may lead to some employees losing their jobs, which may adversely affect the employees’ level of loyalty to the organization due to increased job insecurity. According to Rawdan (2008), â€Å"production and other performance metrics fall in the wake of the announcement† (p.16). Elmuti, Grunewald, and Abebe (2007) further assert that increased outsourcing culminates in employees developing a perception that they are insignificant. Findings of previous studies conducted reveal that the rate of employee tu rnover is high amongst unsatisfied employees compared to satisfied employees upon implementation of outsourcing (Elmuti, Grunewald Abebe 2007). On the other hand, customers may react negatively. Some customers may have adverse perception regarding some activities being outsourced from some locations. For example, customers in the United States have developed a negative perception regarding the local firms outsourcing services from certain foreign locations. On the other hand, customers may not be willing to pay high prices for products and services in order to enable firms to attain a high level of profitability through off shoring. Conclusion The above analysis has illustrated that outsourcing is one of the aspects that organization are increasingly focusing in their strategic supply chain management practices. The IT industry is one of the economic sectors within which outsourcing is increasingly being undertaken. One of the factors that have led to an increment in the relevance of outsourcing amongst organizations relate to the changing nature of the business environment. Additionally, the increment in the intensity of competition within the business environment has also stimulated the growth of outsourcing. The evaluation conducted reveals that there are a number of advantages and disadvantages associated with outsourcing. One of the major advantages is associated with development in firms’ ability to create and protect their competitive advantage. Outsourcing enables firms to create their competitive advantage by focusing on their core competencies. By transferring some of the business activities and responsibilities to the outsourced vendor, the firm can focus and nurture its core competencies. Additionally, firms also derive competitive advantage from outsourcing by developing economies of scale. For example, the firm is in a position to reduce the cost of operation. Outsourcing provides firms with an opportunity to free up some of its resources . The freed up resources can be utilized in other avenues. For example, the firms may decide to invest such an amount in other economic avenues hence increasing the chances of achieving their profit maximization goal. Additionally, outsourcing provides firms with an opportunity to nurture their level of operational expertise. This aspect emanates from the fact that the two parties can share their expertise, which culminates in development of the firm’s competitive advantage. Risk sharing is also another major advantages associated with outsourcing. The risk sharing characteristic emanates from the fact that the outsourcing firm transfers a proportion of its business activities to the outsource dealer. Despite the aforementioned merits, there are a number of demerits associated with outsourcing. Loss of managerial control is one of the major disadvantages associated with outsourcing. The outsourcing firm may not have the capacity to control the activities of the outsourced ven dor, which means that the firm might not attain the desired results. Outsourcing may result in the quality of the product being compromised. This aspect might occur due to poor contract enforcement, which limits quality guarantee. Outsourcing also culminates in decline in the level of innovativeness and skills development amongst the employees, which arises from the fact that the employees are not challenged to undertake some of the business activities that might stimulate innovativeness and skills development. Exposure to security threats and loss of confidentiality also constitutes another disadvantage of outsourcing. This arises from the fact that the firm might be required to disclose and share some information that might compromise its competitive advantage. Increased reliance on outsourcing may lead to a decline in the level of customer and employee loyalty. Employee loyalty may be affected adversely due to increased job insecurity. On the other hand, some customers might hold negative reservations with regard to outsourcing or off shoring from certain locations. In spite of this aspect, the advantages of outsourcing outweigh the disadvantages for the advantages of outsourcing contribute towards the long-term survival of firms. On the other hand, the involved parties can address the disadvantages of outsourcing adequately through the incorporation of appropriate strategies. Reference List Bradshaw, P Hayday, B 2007, ‘Non-profit governance models: problems and prospects’, The Innovation Journal, vol.12 no.3, pp. 1-22. Dhar, S Balakrishnan, B 2006, ‘Risks, benefits, and challenges in global IT outsourcing; perspectives and practices’, Journal of Global Information Management, vol.14 no.3, pp. 1-32. Elmuti, D, Grunewald, J Abebe, D 2007, ‘Consequences of outsourcing strategies on employee quality of work life, attitudes and performance’, Journal of Business Strategies, vol.3 no.3, pp. 1-28. Gupta, A, Seshasai, S, Mu kherji, S Ganguly, A 2006, Off shoring: The transition from economic drivers towards strategic global partnership and 24 hour knowledge factory, Pace University, Bangalore. Herath, T Kishore, R 2007, ‘Offshore outsourcing: risks, challenges and potential solutions’, Journal of Information Systems Management, vol.26 no.4, pp. 312-326. Isaca, J 2006, The risk of IT practitioner guide, Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Lu, Y, Ng, T Tao, Z 2012, ‘Outsourcing, product quality and contract enforcement’, Journal of Economics and Management Strategy, vol.21 no.1, pp. 1-30. Michela, P Carlotta, M 2011, ‘Outsourcing strategies: How to formalize and negotiate the outsourcing contract’, Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, vol.20 no.1, pp. 274-77. Rawdan, M 2008, An empirical investigation of the link between transaction cost and governance structures of off shoring, ProQuest, New York. Sako, M 2005, Outsourcing and off shoring: Key tr ends and issues, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Schniederjans, M, Schniederjans, A Schniederjans, D 2005, Outsourcing and in sourcing in an international context, M.E Sharpe, Armonk. Tadelis, S 2007, ‘The innovative organization; creating value through outsourcing’, California Management Review, vol.50 no.1, pp. 261-279. Tambe, P Hitt, L 2010, ‘How off shoring affects IT workers’, Communication of The ACM, vol. 53 no.10, pp. 62-72. Tho, I 2012, Managing the risks of IT outsourcing, Routledge, New Jersey. Wee, H, Peng, S Wee, P 2010, ‘Modelling of outsourcing decisions in global supply chains: An empirical study on supplier management performance with different outsourcing strategies, ‘International Journal of Production Research, vol.48 no.7, pp. 2081-2094. Weerakkody, V Irani, Z 2010, ‘A value and risk analysis of offshore outsourcing business models; an exploratory study’, International Journal of Production Research, vol. 4 8 no.2, pp. 613-634.

How Close to the ACT Should You Take a Practice Test

How Close to the ACT Should You Take a Practice Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It’s extremely important to take full-length practice tests under realistic conditions when studying for the ACT. However, you need to make sure you’re getting the full benefit by spacing out the practice tests correctly. In this article, we'll discuss both the earliest and the latest you should consider taking full ACT practice tests. feature image credit: Smell!/used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original How Early Should You Take A Practice Test? There really isn’t any harm that can come out of taking a practice test long before the ACT as long as you’re planning on taking additional practice tests or studying more afterwards. In fact, taking a practice test at the very beginning of your studying is a good idea because it’ll give you an idea of what your current score would be if you took the ACT and what your weak spots are. Ideally, you’ll also take other practice tests over the course of your studying to assess your progress and determine if your studying is making a difference. If you’re only planning on taking one practice test before the real test, just to familiarize yourself with the format and instructions, then the earliest we recommend taking it is seven to eight days before your test; any earlier and you’ll start to forget things, cancelling out any value taking the practice test might have had for you. Again, this seven to eight day recommendation is assuming you’re only taking one practice test without any further studying; if you are planning on studying after taking your first practice test and taking more practice tests, then the next section of this article is more relevant for you. How Late Can You Take an ACT Practice Test? While taking realistic practice tests is an important part of ACT preparation, you don’t want to take a practice test too close to the test or it might have a bad effect on your morale (and, consequently, on your test score). If you do well on the practice test, it might artificially boost your self-confidence and cause you to make careless errors on the real test if you think you can just coast through. On the other hand, if you do poorly, it will just make you more stressed and anxious without giving you time to address those anxieties through studying, which in turn might cause you to second guess yourself and run out off time on the real test. 020/Used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Don't let this be you on test day! The latest that you take a practice test, therefore, should be the amount of time before the test that still allows you time to review your wrong answers and do some practice drills of questions you struggle with. When exactly this is will vary from student to student, but in general, we recommend taking your last practice test no fewer than two to three days before your scheduled test date. That means that if you’re taking a test on Saturday, the last full-length realistic practice test you take should be on Wednesday or Thursday of that week. It's important to keep in mind, however, that taking a full-length practice test with realistic timing is difficult on a schoolnight; plus, you don’t get the benefits of taking the test in the morning (and getting a realistic idea of what it’ll feel like to take the test early in the day). The Saturday or Sunday before the test, then, is the last chance you have to take a fully realistic practice test. Monday-Thursday before the test, you can try taking a full test or taking it section by section with a few sections grouped together, but be wary of unrealistic conditions because you're taking it in the evening and not all at once. An hour or so of practice is helpful the day before the test, as is(for non-anxious test-takers) doing a couple of practice questions before the test. What’s Next? Now that you know when to take ACT practice tests, where can you find them? Try our massive collection of online ACT practice tests, or just go straight to our collection of free printable ACT Practice Test PDFs. Looking to invest in a book for ACT prep? Read through our rundown of the best ACT prep books here. Want to complement your collection of ACT practice tests with some sample ACT questions? We have a list of great alternative sources of ACT prep material. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Security of Big Data Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Security of Big Data - Research Paper Example Big Data are pivotal in many organizations because it allows respective stakeholders to view and analyze data. Before the advent of Big Data, information about customers and business were overwhelming. With Big Data, stakeholders can truly take this raw information and convert into data that can assist them in making real-time decisions. The challenge in many organizations is the fact that majority of decisions are made based on estimated guesses. One of the best elements of Big Data is the fact that it reduces any ‘guesswork’. Moreover, it allows the organization to understand customer behavior in a much meaningful way. Another huge aspect of Big Data is the collaboration aspect as it allows users to interact and use this data. Imagine an organization in which the marketing department requires key reports from the technology department. Clearly, the issue of latency can be a factor that can delay essential decision making. Hence, it is only evident that securing Big Dat a is essential because it holds true information because securing data is not only regulated by compliance, but can potentially fall into wrong hands. Securing data saves organization from financial implications that can have detrimental effects for everyone. One of the worst vulnerabilities for user domains are insider attacks. Insider attacks occur. For instance, denial of service and spoofing are one the most common themes that occur. The problem is the fact that intercepting authentication or other sensitive information can be executed with the current WAN technology in Big Data. Moreover, spoofing can also be conducted since an intruder can deceive the network that it recognizes a possible unauthorized access. The problem with installing firewalls in a user domain is the fact that they are fully feasible. Insider attacks occur when one user domain gains more privilege than the other user and

Employee relations(Royal Mail) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employee relations(Royal Mail) - Essay Example It is at this time that the people started forming groups and placing their demands together. That is when the concept of union took birth and the people started getting unionized. The union started placing demand in the form of collective bargaining. There were other methods of negotiations too that were developed. It is in the following pages that this method of negotiation of conflict is discussed. the process of discussion follows the critical analysis of the success and effectiveness of the collective bargaining method from the view point of different researchers and then going on to study the other methods of negotiation. According to Aidt and Tzannatos, who studied the effect of collective bargaining on the macroeconomic environment, found that ceteris paribus the countries that have high levels of coordinated collective bargaining are accompanied by low levels of unemployment. It is found that in the countries where there is more coordinated bargaining the quality and the quantity of the job increase (Aidt and Tzannatos, 2002). In another paper the researchers argue that countries where there is high levels of bargaining there is poor performance on the economic front. However the adverse effects of the bargaining coverage can be covered by more coordinated effort towards bargaining. The researchers argue that the process of bargaining efforts is most important in times of economic growth rather than in stable economic conditions (Aidt, and Tzannatos, 2008). According to the researcher individual representation is fast becoming a fact to place ones demands in the private sector for a wide variety o f reasons. Thus the author argues that in case of modern private organization the significance of collective bargaining is on the decline (Troy, 2000).according to card the effectiveness of the collective bargaining mechanism or the fact about whether the collective

Youth Violence Essay

Youth Violence Essay Youth violence is increasing and quickly becoming one of the major concerns in American today. Frequent youth violence can be found at schoolyard, at home, outside, and everywhere in the community. Why dont people ask themselves what is making the youth today so violent, and is there anything they can do to stop this trend? Youth violence is a serious issue, and there are many factors that contribute to youth violence; they are domestic violence, negative media and gangs. The truth is if a child grows up in an unhealthy household then there will more chances for he or she to grow up to be a violent person. Every day, a child witnesses an act of violence not only on television, but also in their own home, from their parents. A home is supposed to be a safe place where children learn how to love and relate to others. However, if they usually see violence in their parents relationship, they would assume that all relationship is always filled with violence. As a result, they look at their parents and think they have the right to do that too, so they will not care what parents have to say to them and just get ideas from the streets which are not good. That is why they are dropping out of school and just hanging out with their friends, which only brings them into trouble, lead to violence. How violence in the media contributes to the many other factors that lead to violent and aggressive behavior in youth? Most of the violence is directed mainly many children and adolescents. However, not every kid who partakes of violent TV shows, movies or video games will become a violent criminal. Two common effects from media are imitation and fear. Todays youth are constantly surrounded by significant acts of violence on TV, in movies, and in video games. Many experts in education and psychology believe that children are acting out what they see. The acts can easily be reacted due to constant exposure. For many children, TV and video games have become their primary role models. Unless parents and teachers take the time and responsibility to teach children respectful values, they will learn problem solving, coping skills and conflict resolution from video role models. Another result is they would be fear from watching unrated movies. Some movies that are meant for adults can be qu ite scary for younger kids, which can cause problems later on in the socialization process. The last common reason that causes youth violence is gangs. There are many of teenagers in gang, who come from bad friends, friends in gang. The only thing they want when join there is just to prove them, to be cool; even they have to fight or kill someone to get in it the gang. That is why they are always ready to do stupid things without thinking about the results, just to let their friends know that they are acting like a hero, a big brother in their group. Another reason is they are always thinking that they are lonely in this world, they have to do everything to survive and their gang friends are only people, who they can do everything and die for. For example, there was a horrific shooting in a Vietnamese restaurant a few months ago. A young guy came into the restaurant, and then he killed all the people around a table in the corner. The reason of his action was he hated a guy in the group of those people. The list of contributing factors to violent behavior in youths is never ending. One thing that the society should remember though is that not just one single factor can be linked to youth violence. To prevent youth violence enlarge, not only an individual do, but the society also has some responsibility to it. For example, the society should limit games and videos that have many violent scenes; parents should take care of their kids much more than at the present.

Death, Tragedy and Community at Wartime Essay

Dying in War: Implications for the family, the community and the social worker Death is a phenomenon that evokes mixed reactions and views from a community. For some, it a blessed release from the trials and problems of life. To others, it may very well be the end of the world when they lose a loved one. What remains constant however is the grief, bereavement and loneliness experienced by those left behind. Even more so when death was sudden and unexpected as like what happens in times of war, disaster, and terrorist attacks. Grief goes through many stages, each stage more difficult that the last. While most people generally manage to cope with time, some experience more difficulties and tend to develop psychological and emotional problems. During the First and Second World Wars, the knock of the postman was a thing of dread. They either brought telegrams summoning the sons and fathers of families for the draft or telegrams announcing the death or loss of loved one. An estimated 8 million military personnel in 14 European countries were killed in World War I, and 14. 4 million military personnel in 17 European countries were killed in World War II (Aiken, 2001, p. 111). Parents who suddenly lose their children such as what happened to most wartime mothers with adult sons usually have a harder time coming to terms with the death of their child (Gilbert, 2005, p. 6). The loss and feelings of helplessness and anger can be intense. There is a common belief that something is wrong when a parent buries his/her child. Most parents who have experienced this report that they feel dissociation with life and everything just felt so unreal (p. 6). That it is not right that parents should survive their children is often the thought that haunts bereaved parents. What role do social workers play in times of war and terror? Social problems are defined as the challenges that face and exist in communities (Hardcastle, Powers & Wenocur, 2004, p. 62). It is the social worker’s job to help the community and its members formulate and implement solutions to these problems. Social workers usually work with problems related to economic disadvantages, illness and disability, crime and delinquency, abuse and maltreatment, service provision to special parts of the population and mental illness. All these problems call for leadership attention and trained intervention (p. 62). No situation can put all these things together more than times of war. What may be the biggest challenge to a social worker though is the task of helping a family and community deal with the sudden losses of loved ones in combat. In addition to this, they should also be prepared to cope with the rehabilitation of those who have been able to come back home but exist with scars that are not only physical but also mental and emotional. The events of September 11, 2001, though technically not a part of any formal war except the one on terror, had an impact that was not dissimilar to armed conflicts. There was confusion, anger, anxiety and above all, people who in an instant lost their loved ones. As with wartime, sudden death can only be viewed as unfair and untimely (Clements, Deranieri, Vigil & Benasutti, 2004) For example, the September 11, 2001 terror attacks left behind families and children who have lost moms and dads in that instant. Even adults and children who were indirectly affected by the attacks have grown to suffer feelings of anxiety and shattered security in their personal and familial safety (Smith & Reynolds, 2002). Besides the inevitable feelings of grief, children especially were left behind and often had to contend with nightmares and morbid pictures of the traumatic deaths their loved ones experienced as well as the stress and difficulty of trying to picture lives without mom or dad. It is also important to remember that the effects of trauma are not limited to those who suffer it directly (Sims, Hayden, Palmer & Hutchins, 2000, p. 41) The ubiquity of television also afforded children at home not only news of the attacks but also vivid pictures and descriptions of the tragedy and all its violence. This made it even more problematic for children and people who have lost loved ones in the Twin Towers and the plane crashes as coverage of each horrific scene gave them fodder for the imagination and subsequent nightmares. The case of a 7-year old boy named Johnny is cited in the study (2002) by Smith and Reynolds. : Following the 9/11 attacks, Johnny developed a constant fear of his parents leaving home and getting killed by â€Å"bad men. † He also developed a phobia of elevators and would throw tantrums whenever his parents tried to make him use one. Johnny admitted to his therapist that his fear of elevator stemmed from a story he heard of how â€Å"people in the Twin Towers were trapped and killed while riding in the elevators. † (Smith & Reynolds, 2002) Neither Johnny nor his family were directly involved or affected in the terror attack. The mental and emotional strain suffered by survivors and those affected by this very high profile event led to the American Psychiatric Association’s setting up of counseling services â€Å"focusing on grief, acute stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Smith & Reynolds, 2002). The difficulty that most surviving relatives meet is in the un-timeliness of death. While conventional wisdom holds that sons and fathers who go to war may not come back again, more often than not, there is a strong hope that they will be able to come home. Despite the knowledge of all the possibilities, the sudden and traumatic nature of death often creates problems among surviving relatives. They become victims in their own right. Muller and Thompson believe that the manner of death plays a vital role in determining the reaction of the survivors (Muller & Thompson, 2003). If its bad enough for people to suddenly lose their loved ones, how much more would it be for children to live and go through an environment of war and death? In his article in the Journal of Multi-cultural Counseling and Development in 2004, Clinical psychologist and Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Gargi Roysircar relates the case of 20-year old Yugoslavian emigre Stephen, who at the age of 10 witnessed the height of the civil war between Christians and Muslims in Kosovo in 1990. In interviews with his counselor, Stephen recalls witnessing about 80% of his classmates get killed by bombs, sniper shots and gunfire as they walked to and from school. At age 14, Stephen was taken by his father to the frontlines for training in combat to fight with the Serbian army. The next two years wold take Stephen all over the Balkans and would expose him to all kinds of death, privation and war atrocities. Eventually migrating as political refugees in the United States, in 1999, Stephen demonstrated difficulty in acculturation and adjustment. The constant displacement he experienced in war along with the mistrust bred by his past and cultural paranoia fostered by the Croatian community they lived with made it difficult for Stephen to acclimatize to peacetime setting. Roysircar describes Stephen as having â€Å"recurrent thoughts and images of his violent experience in the Balkans. He experienced nightmares, hostility and a profound sense of a lack of belonging. Stephen also often recounted the difficulties he experienced including â€Å"hiding in a basement and eating rats† especially when angry. He also displays a deep-seated hatred for the Muslims and believes â€Å"the Middle East should be wiped off the face of the Earth† (Roysircar, 2004). While there may be models detailing stages of grief and recovery, social workers must be prepared for instances that do not adhere to such models. In Stephen’s case while he did not directly lose any of his close family members, he was exposed at an early age to violence and death. He has also experienced being the cause of another human being’s death as he and his father fought on the Serbian army. This is no different from the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder exhibited by American soldiers returning from Vietnam or any other area where they fought in combat. A person does not have to lose anyone in order to feel grief, bereavement and suffer any disorder that may result from it as evidenced by the little boy Johnnie and Stephen. Death in wartime is not limited to just the loss of a loved one. In a community where all able bodied men are called to arms, anybody can lose husbands, brothers, fathers and sons at any day. Families left behind are left to their own devices and imaginings of what horrors their loved ones are facing. Those who do lose family members are haunted by the manner by which their loved one died. There is also the unfortunate circumstance in war where death is an ambiguous issue. In the Vietnam War, many people were reported missing in action. The families of such people were left at an awkward and horrible position of not knowing whether they should be mourning or holding out hope for their loved one’s return (Worden, 2003, p. 40). In some cases, some families do accept the reality that their loved one may be dead and go through the entire process of mourning and recovery only to be told later that their husbands and sons were simply prisoners of war and has since been released. While ordinarily this may sound like a fairy tale ending, there may come unbridgeable gaps and tension that can only ruin relationships and lives (p. 85). On the other hand, some families may keep clinging to the hope that their loved ones are alive and therefore refuse to give way to grief and acceptance. Stacy Bannerman (2007) is one of the many army wives whose marriage was broken up by war. In her article that appeared in â€Å"The Progressive,† she relates how her once happy marriage with one of the military’s mortar platoon commanders started heading downhill with every death he caused and witnessed during his stint in Iraq. She decries the insensitivity and lack of support for military families from the National Guard. She further cites how there was an absolute lack of prompt attention to the mental and emotional needs of returning military men who more often than not suffered from PTSD like her husband, Lorin did. Because of this, there have been military men who have survived their tour of duty only to succumb to mental and emotional anguish and end up committing suicide on American soil (Bannerman, 2007). It is the soldiers, their families, and the people of Iraq that pay the human costs. The tab so far: more than 3,000 dead U. S. troops, tens of thousands of wounded, over half a million Iraqi casualties, roughly 250,000 American servicemen and women struggling with PTSD, and almost 60,000 military marriages that have been broken by this war (Bannerman, 2007). The problem here is that most of those left behind are left to cope with their own fears without the support of anybody else except family and members who are also wrapped up in their own concerns. In this case, social workers must be able to take the lead in establishing outreach and community groups so people do not have to cope and suffer in isolation. Carpenter (2002) states that the psychological well-being of the members of a community is one of the jobs of a social worker. While it is true that the trauma brought on by exposure to violence and death may be an individual process, healing and recovery needs societal support and strong relationships (Carpenter, 2002). This may become a challenge to families and communities who are dealing with their anxiety and grief. However, Carpenter reminds social workers that one of the primary goals of social work is to help empower the oppressed. Oppression in itself can take on many definitions and forms. In this particular case, it is the trauma and grief that is debilitating and oppressing the individual and the community. Social workers must also be prepared to look for signs of repressed grief. Some individuals choose to withhold and fail to express grief and therefore develop problems later in life often developing manias, paranoia and demonstrate abuse towards other people. At times, the feelings of grief or multiple losses of loved ones may lead to a â€Å"grief overload† that would cause an individual to delay grief (Worden, 2003, p. 91) The community as a social system can provide a network of support. Given the right leadership, empathy and sensitivity, it can also become a â€Å"safe† place where people can come to terms with their grief and slowly move on toward recovery. In the cases of Johnnie and Stephen, it took time before they were able to face and admit their anger, anxiety and grief at the bad things that they experienced and fear. Sometimes, self-reflection and a ready ear is all that’s necessary. As clinically trained counselors and diagnosticians, social workers are tasked with the duty of helping people recognize and understand what problems they may have. Community-wise, social workers should have enough knowledge of the community’s demographics in order to unify and create a solid network of safety and interaction that may assist troubled and grieving individuals particularly in conflict filled times such as war. Death at wartime comes in many forms. It could be the actual death of a loved one, anxiety at the possible death, loss at whether somebody is dead or not, or even those who continue to physically live but have broken spirits and permanent disabilities as a result of war wounds. Much as death is a big thing that affects not only the family but also the community as a whole, war brings with it so much more problems and issues that will undoubtedly challenge most social workers. Undertaking social work means one must be in sync with the community. By in sync, it covers everything from issues, key people, and resources that may be mobilized in times of need. War is a time of immense crisis and tragedy that the social worker must be prepared to face head on and ably lead and facilitate the processes by which the community may be transformed into a supportive societal system that each member may be able to depend on. This does not mean however that social workers cannot be affected or lose their sense of self in dealing with all these tragedies. Tsui and Cheung (2003) recommend a self-reflection on the part of the social worker in order to understand and come to terms with their own reactions and feelings to tragedies they both witness and hear about from their clients before attempting to deal further with the grief of others. They also stress that once social workers attend to their duties, they should do so intellectually yet with empathy and focus on assessing and addressing the needs of the community rather than one’s own (Tsui & Cheung, 2003) References Aiken, L. R. (2001). Dying, Death, and Bereavement (4th ed. ). 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Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=109184958 Clements, P. T. , Deranieri, J. T. , Vigil, G. J. , & Benasutti, K. M. (2004). Life after Death: Grief Therapy after the Sudden Traumatic Death of a Family Member. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 40(4), 149+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5008586582 Hardcastle, D. A. , Powers, P. R. , & Wenocur, S. (2004). Community Practice: Theories and Skills for Social Workers. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=104722138 Roysircar, G. (2004). Child Survivor of War: A Case Study. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 32(3), 168+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5012181947 Sims, M. , Hayden, J. , Palmer, G. , & Hutchins, T. (2000). Working in Early Childhood Settings with Children Who Have Experienced Refugee or War-Related Trauma. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 25(4), 41. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5001127890 Smith, S. , & Reynolds, C. (2002). Innocent Lost: The Impact of 9-11 on the Development of Children. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 5(5), 12+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5002560442 Tsui, M. , & Cheung, F. C. (2003). Dealing with Terrorism: What Social Workers Should and Can Do. Social Work, 48(4), 556+. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5002045024 Worden, J. W. (2003). Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner. Hove, England: Brunner-Routledge. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=108479290