History of Relational Database

Hao-Wei He Wilmington University October 9, 2010 Abstract Database system have been inseparable with our daily life, since IBM developed the hierarchical database management system in 1969, database system has been innovated many times, such as hierarchical database, network database, relational database, and object-oriented database. Nowadays, relational database still is the most popular model used by different industries; this article is going to introduce the history of the relational database.History of Relational Database Data, which can be defined as an entity of meaning, it is the original material to construct message and knowledge. Thanks to the assistance of computer, data processing practices reached several important milestones. The earliest way to store data are done through manual file management, all documents will be filed and then store, but this method had many processing restrict, such as search, storage takes up a lot of space, and cannot be access by people at t he same time.After IBM announced the first set of hard disk drive for data storage in 1956, due to the innovate development of hard drive, and the access speed much faster than magnetic tape, it replaced the tape drive gradually, and then direct access file system developed. Although direct access file system could access each files directly and improved a lot of missing, but since the objects are files, it still lack of flexibility of processing. Database can be considered to automatically query and modify data sets.There are a variety of database types; from the simplest store all kinds of information forms to large-scale database systems that able to process a variety of mass data storage, are widely used in all inspects of applications. The advantages of database management system: * Reduced redundancy * Integrated data * Integrity * Data commonality * Protect data safety and privacy The disadvantages of database management system: * Overall operating cost will increase * More c omplex to use Need to backup regularly, or unexpected conditions will cause serious data damage * Hard to training database administrator * Difficult to integrate or manage different format from multi systems Therefore, there was an idea about divide files into a sum of record, and store it as an unit in the computer, it also formed the â€Å"Centralized Database System†, it can record a record through hard disk drive, and can directly navigate to the record or fields for further data processing and computing.This concept also derived to the following data types: * Hierarchical Data Model (1960s) Use record as a processing unit, and organize record by tree structure. As a result of the characteristic of tree structure, hierarchical data model particularly suitable for describe â€Å"One to Many† data composition relationship but â€Å"Many to Many† relationship. * Network Data Model (1970s)As a result of the tree structure does not reflect network connection rel ationship between data and data, so after hierarchical data model, some groups proposed â€Å"Network Data Model†, organize records by network structure. However, records in both Hierarchical data model and network data model use link to strung together, so when programming applications must accommodate the structure status between links, a lot of dependencies between programming applications and data structure, and the independence of data is hard to reach, cause the system difficult to maintain. Relational Data Model (1970 ~ present) Edgar Codd, a British computer scientist, proposed â€Å"Relational Data Model in 1970, emphasize the applications should not have any dependencies with internal structure of data, it also known as â€Å"Data Independence†, this data model lead the development of the database system entered a new milestone. In relational data model, data use record as a processing unit, and organize record in tabular form.The applications just face to t he tabular structure, without to understanding the internal structure of the data. Conclusion Relational Database Management System (Relational DBMS) is the most widely used database management system in recent years, the mainly reason is the concept of relational data models is simple, and the basic theory was developed very completely. Since Relational Database management System be proposed in 1970, almost all the commercial database management systems are based on this model.We often hear of the data table, is a relational database foundation.References Yung-Fang Chen, Relational Database management system lecture, Retrieved from http://allen. chen. name/teachdata. htm Jeffrey H. , Mary P. , & Heikki T. (2009). Modern Database Management 9th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Shou-Jeng Tseng. Review Database System and Future Research Develop. Taiwan, Retrieved from http://www. iicm. org. tw/communication/c1_1/page02. html.

Thomas Becket

Describe the state of the church in Chaucer's middle ages. The king's immediate successors paid little attention to the issue of division of power between church and state. Richard the Lion-Hearted spent his reign in France and on the Third Crusade to recover Jerusalem, and John was a tyrant who spent much of his time overtaxing and angering his subjects. But from time to time, the issue of who would control the judicial system of England resurfaced and other differences between church and state arose. It was not until the rule of Henry VIII that the struggles between king and pope were resolved.Henry VIII settled the issue by separating England from the Catholic Church altogether. â€Å"Thomas Becket. † IJXL Biographies. Detroit: 2003. Student Resources in Context. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. 16. What is the Magana Carta? What historical impact did it have? The Magna Carta (a Latin phrase meaning â€Å"Great Paper† or â€Å"Great Charter†) was originally an English docum ent issued in 1215. An army led by English barons forced King John (1167-1216) to sign it. The purpose of he document was to clarify the king's power over the barons, the church, clergymen, and the free people of certain towns.

Preludes by T.S Elliot and Vitae Lampada by Sir Henry Newton Essay

Reading both poems for the first time, there seemed to be no distinct or even vague similarities between the two poems, Preludes, by T.S Elliot and Vitae Lampada by Sir Henry Newton. However, after reading each thoroughly a few more times and carefully evaluating them, several key similarities and as always, differences, began to reveal themselves. Both Preludes as well as Vitae Lampada begines with a time introductory statement. â€Å"There’s a breathless hush in the close tonight.† From Vitae Lampada, and â€Å"The winter evening settles down† from Preludes. Both these sentences inform us of the time, a sort of evening, just after dark. The very next sentences from each poem are also similar. â€Å"Ten to make and a match to win† and â€Å"With smells of steaks in passageways†. These sentences are written by the poets to set a scene, as one would set a scene in a drama play, but in poetry, with words. These two sentences give us a strong visual image of what the rest of the poem is about. â€Å"Ten to make and a match to win† is similar to that of a game of cricket, and as in cricket, it gives a certain tension of the stakes, to win the match. Prelude’s â€Å"With smells of steaks in passageways† gives us a vision of a lonely passageway, with smells of steaks suggests that the person the author is describing could possibly be an outcast of society, wondering around the streets in evening. Vitae Lampada goes further into describing itself. â€Å"And It’s not for the sake of a ribboned coat, or the selfish hope of a season’s fame.† -immediately tells us that what they are encountering in their match, what they need to win, is not a one man team, but rather the whole team working as one. Not for personal glory but for much higher stakes, for the entire team. Preludes now introduces a picture of a low, dirty place. â€Å"The grimy scraps, of withered leaves about your feet.† A grimy place, a dirty place, somewhere that is not well maintained, with stray withered leaves across the floor. The next few lines† The showers beat on broken blinds and chimney pots.† Once again an image of a badly maintained place, with rain beating on broken pots that are left behind. On the whole, a negative image. Vitae Lampada, is also setting in a negative image, an image of lost hope and despair. â€Å"The sand of the desert is sodden red -Red with the wreck of a square that broke;† A square, in this case is referring to a formation of troops. Sir Henry Newbolt is comparing the aspect of war, with a game of cricket and this extended metaphor has worked exceedingly well in managing to contrast and yet bring the two closer together. Sodden red suggests that a great many soldiers have died and their blood spilled across the battlefield. The next two lines, add deeper to the feeling of despair. â€Å"The gatling’s jammed and the colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke† The soldiers that Sir Henry Newbolt is referring to here is not in a bright situation, with their guns jammed, and their leader (colonel) dead, and the entire regiment of them blind in the dust and smoke, it is indeed apparent that a deep feeling of desolation is introduced. And, as in Preludes, a negative image is painted. Revolving around time appears to be the main theme in Preludes. The start of the second stanza â€Å"the morning comes to consciousness,† lets us know that the morning has come, after the evening in the first stanza. And time is also in the fourth stanza â€Å"the conscience of a blackened street.† could possibly mean after dark. And a few lines before, four and five and six o’clock suggests that time is moving quickly. The final stanza of Vitae Lampada uses a few † strong words† possibly to reinforce it’s meaning. â€Å"Every one of her sons must hear, and none that hears it dare forget.† Her sons, this of course, means the country’s people and the strong word â€Å"must† hear, hear the patriotism perhaps? And â€Å"dare† forget. â€Å"dare† is a strong word, a threat even. Threatening them to remember their loyalty, and to never forget it. Vitae Lampada’s last few lines, bring a sudden contrast, compared to the rest of the poem. The second stanza is an image of despair, but here, the final touch to the sense of patriotism is added. â€Å"Bear through life like a torch in flame, and falling fling to the host behind.† This sentence carries a great deal of meaning to the main theme of the poem. Bear through life like a torch in flame suggests that these troops, instead of hopelessness, now carry a symbol, a beacon of light. The torch, could be as a baton is passed on in a game of relay. â€Å"As falling fling to the host behind†. When a soldier falls in battle, his effort is not lost, not wasted, but instead, passed on to those behind, as they march forward, with the flaming torch. These two poems have indeed, very different ideas and themes, but they both have several things in common. For a start, both Preludes and Vitae Lampada use time description to allow the reader a window in which to see the rest of the poem. Both are describing, metaphorically, aspects of life. And they both, to an extent, use negative images to describe, to paint their visual images to the reader.

Principles of Quality Control Relating To Business Management Research Paper - 1

Principles of Quality Control Relating To Business Management - Research Paper Example There are many employees who at times do not take adequate measures in order to maintain proper quality. Therefore, in this regard, it can be demonstrated that such an attitude may lead to loss of the customers. On the flip side, the competitors may take advantage of the market needs. It has been viewed that most of the flourishing companies have identified the role of the customers-defined quality on the business. As a consequence of this, most of the companies have focused their attention on quality standards. The two successful companies that have identified customer satisfaction as their topmost priorities are Honda Motor Company and Ford Motors. Quality is one of the primary aspects that each and every organization aspires to maintain their products and offerings. Quality in their offerings can offer an organization with the added competitive advantage. The definition of the factor quality in business management context generally relies upon the position of the people defining it. There isn’t any single description of quality. However, according to certain people, the term quality can be understood as â€Å"Performance to Standards†. In short, the term quality can be comprehended as the degree of excellence (John Wiley & Sons, â€Å"Total Quality Management†). It can be revealed that the term quality tends to have an impact upon all the aspects of the organization and it also has cost implications. It has gained importance as in due course of time organizations have realized that poor quality might result in high costs. The greatest loss to the company can result when the poor standards of quality transpire to discontented customers. This can ultimately result in a loss of consumer as well as business. The term quality can be associated with a few other costs. One group of the cost is referred to as the cost of quality control whereas the other group of cost can be referred to as the prevention and appraisal cost.  

The Future of the Chinese Communist Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Future of the Chinese Communist Party - Essay Example The essay "The Future of the Chinese Communist Party" analyzes the future of the Chinese Communist Party that faces a major hurdle of the unresolved tension between the economic and political reforms. Though the party still maintains extensive political power with an aim of exercising its controls in the major sectors in the country. If the state wants to ensure that the policies that it pledged at the Plenum come to a realization, it must reduce its role. Schuman observes that a well-functioning economic system must have banks that function properly, for instance, the government must set clear lending decisions. State corporations must operate within the healthy political framework away from political interferences to allow for the flourishing of the private sector. David Shambaugh observes that the C.C.P needs to encourage particular policies that promote competition such as liberalization of prizes. Such policies would mean that the politicians sit back and observe how the market regulates resources. Zhao et al. note the rising tussle between the economic reformists and the authoritarian party leaders leads to some of the fatal problems noted by Barmà ©. If CCP is to succeed, it must let go of the reins of control in areas where it  is not welcome. The second challenge facing the party is the lack of accountability on sensitive issues that face its people. There are several occurrences that emphasize on this point as observed in the communist country. Among the grievances is the prevalence of income inequality.

Balancing College Studies with Work and Family Demands Essay

Balancing College Studies with Work and Family Demands - Essay Example In addition, the school program is not friendly for the student. For instance the school schedule lacks breaks in-between lessons. Although I am almost getting used to the school program, home duties are also becoming increasingly stressing. In addition, the lecturers give us insufficient time to complete the assignments. This denies us time to research and analyze the questions appropriately. The entire school program also contributes to the stress that we face as college students. The school management created the school’s program without considering the interests of the student. For instance, the distribution of lessons is not student friendly. It stresses me to have two consecutive lessons without a break in-between the lessons. The lecturers do not consider that we have been from another class and hence we need to relax before going to the next class. The school curriculum is also a major cause of stress and needs to be restructured. The current curriculum does not incorp orate modern student’s needs hence contributing to stress. For instance, students in modern age prefer short-term goals and objectives while the curriculum is characterized by long-term goals and objectives. Despite the presence of stress in my academic life, I am determined to achieve my objectives of academic excellence. This requires that I should have effective strategies of dealing with stress resulting from my school life. The first strategy that I consider effective, is acknowledging the problem. This acceptance induces my abilities to search for an appropriate solution to the problem. After accepting and identifying the problems, I am in an excellent position to find the solution to the problem. Secondly, I rank the three problems according to their needs of urgency and long-term implication. For instance assignments are first while school curriculum problems lies in the bottom of the list. Thirdly, I require developing a positive attitude that I can solve the problem s successfully. Having a positive attitude towards the problem enables me to tackle a problem successfully. To eliminate the problems associated with assignments, I first consider them beneficial to my studies and course. In addition, I consider the unbalanced schedule as a motivation to work hard. The final approach to the problem is applying the actual solution to the problem. This involves a systematic application of solution strategies to the problems. I cope with stress resulting from assignment by completing them in time. Sharing my solutions with other students also acts as part of the solution. Weekly Schedule My week starts on a Monday morning at 6 AM. After doing my routine bathing and dressing, I peruse through my course books to familiarize with the previous work. Identifying and devising solutions for different causes of stress enables me to accomplish my weekly program. This also gives me a chance to establish if there is any urgent assignments, pending or unsolved pro blems. I then write my days schedule in my diary according to available tasks and time. I also look at the school timetable to ensure that it is in line with my day’s schedule. After taking my breakfast, I go to the bus stop where our school bus waits for the students. We usually spend the first few moments sharing our experiences for the weekend. After getting into the school compound I spend the remaining time talking with my friends concerning the lessons and the overall school life.

European Convention on Womens Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Convention on Womens Rights - Essay Example This further leads to women's dependency on men and particularly in circumstances where women are expected to perform in-house responsibilities as well like domestic work and children rearing. (Ball, 2001) Ranging from gender politics to sexual trafficking, European Convention (EC) action has weakened women's social rights more seriously than men's by emphasising upon the issue 'gender inequality'. No doubt EC has taken measures to reduce gender inequality and has diminished gender differences in various aspects of paid, unpaid and employed labour but this is also true that EC has only viewed one side of the picture. The other side EC does not want to view which states that women must be categorised for the household services she performs in the name of duties. With the weakening of welfare systems and restriction of the social rights of citizens to the working population, the gender hierarchy has implicitly embedded in the very notion of worker weighs more and more heavily on the social citizenship of women, especially of those from the weakest social strata. This is evident from the fact that U.N also runs in parallel with the EC when it comes to women's rights. In this context Newspaper article written by Archibald (June 5, 2000) mentions Mrs. Aguirre statement as "the attempted expansion of U.N. women's rights initiatives in the sexual realm has 'angered' women from less-developed countries, where religious faith is strong". (Archibald, June 5, 2000) Whatever is the religious faith and what ever be the nation, EC must understand that women's rights must be measured according to their limitations. I would also like to present her (Mrs. Aguirre) viewpoint in a feminist critical way in which she said that "Parenting and motherhood should not be taken as issues that discriminate men from women". (Archibald, June 5 2000) Now was she trying to convince that the women must not call their voice upon inequality and discrimination Mallik while focusing on women inequality stated a critical question in Magazine article UN Chronicle (Sept 2006) that why is it that despite being on the crossroads of women inequality, the Government is not appointing a woman for the General Assembly (Mallik, Sept, 2006) Similarly, European Court of Justice refused in giving decision in support of migrant women thereby rejecting the idea that children look after could be considered as 'work'. (Ackers, 2004) It seems the EU Convention has tried to keep itself aloof from the matters of resolving the issues of inequality. According to Rubbery (1999) "In the context of the European Union's social policy, equal opportunity is synonymous with material equality. That means the promotion of equal opportunities refer to a process aimed at eliminating inequalities which further justifies that inequality refer to promoting equality between women and men" (Rubery, 1999, p. 7). That simply implies to the fact that working women are no longer taken into account by the EC who are engaged in double duties, i.e., child rearing and employment. While diminishing women's social rights, Let us take a look at the European

Finance question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Finance question - Essay Example Besides selling games products, the Nike Inc. also produces urban fashion clothing common to the youth. Urban clothing has enabled the Incorporation to secure significant awareness especially in the hip-hop culture. Nike Inc. ration also teamed up with Apple Inc. to produce a product that allowed monitoring of athletes through taking statistics of their performance. Nike Inc.’s major competition comes from Adidas. According to Amed (2014), Nike Inc. had an upper hand in winning customer’s top of mind awareness. Nike exploited its endorsement by sports superstars to advertise its Mercurial and Magista superfly boots. The advertisement saw Nike Inc. dominate during the 2014 FIFA world cup (Amed, 2014). According to Amed (2014), uniqueness of the Nike Inc.’s products emanates from the necessity in the sports society as a strategy to ensure sustainability in the market. Uses of sports stars endorsement and frequent innovations have given Nike Inc. an upper hand in the market. Nike Inc. has maintained competitive advantage over it rivals in the market (Nike Inc., 2014) Nike Inc. has formed business collaborations and partnerships in order to achieve the technological breakthrough as a way of increasing its market empire (Amed, 2014). Nike Inc. aims at improving its marketing by use of software. As a result, the Nike Inc. has formed collaborations such as with Apple Inc. to enable the development of personalized software for the Incorporation. Nike Inc. diluted annual earnings and revenues per share have increased by 13 and 9 percent in 2013 and 2014, respectively (NIKE Inc., 2014). Nike Inc.’s investment returns increased from 22 to 25 percent in 2014 with the expanded gross margins increasing by about 190 basis points. The fiscal growth of Nike Inc. resulted in earnings, revenues and cash returns to the incorporation’s shareholders. In 2014, continuing operations net

Employability skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employability skills - Essay Example The company offers a range of products to clients depending on clients needs. They run care homes, health centers, dental centers, and hospitals, offer personal and company health insurance and provide home health care, workplace health services, health assessments and chronic disease management services including health coaching. The organization employment structure ranges from the top echelon to the bottom depending on employees skills such as professional level. As an erstwhile employee of the institution (saved as a financial adviser), I was tasked with the responsibility of marketing policies of the company to the clients. It is a position that requires certain skills and competencies as well as professionalism to effectively and efficiently deliver in terms of performance ( Bupa, 2015). Personal skills in the modern workforce especially in private institutions are considered to be profitable. There are those who subscribe to the school of thought that personal skills are generic hence its passed from one generation to the other. It is further from the truth as scientific proof show that traits can be acquired. As a financial adviser, I developed my responsibilities by grooming appropriately and in an acceptable manner to the eyes of the clients as well as to the codes and ethics of the institution. Besides that, reporting punctually to workstations would give ample time for proper preparation. Punctuality and strict time observation enable a financial adviser(FA) to identify the appropriate client prospecting methods with the sole purpose of meeting the client’s needs and convincing them into consenting on preferred products. In addition to that it enhances the self-respect, good self-management, honesty to the unit manager and team members and ones work. Ca rrying out duties responsibly boosts confidence in ones work, and that correlates with the

Fault Tolerance Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Fault Tolerance Paper - Essay Example Understanding the different components as a part of shadowing and mirroring as well as how it can be used to assist in databases can provide individuals with more alternatives for building the database security needed while creating higher levels of fault tolerance. The need to examine the benefits and disadvantages of the mirroring system is also required. This provides an evolution toward the main approach of mirroring and shadowing for more advanced technology that is currently being built for end users. Several types of technologies are available and used for the shadowing and mirroring fault – tolerance system. Each of these can work together to provide complete functioning within the system while allowing the backup system created to work more efficiently. The first technology used is from physical aspects of the system. The mirroring built through a hardware system is placed into the main drive of the computer. This divides by a coupled multi – processor with modules that carry dual paths. The cross - section and double paths as a part of the mirroring then create a way for data to move from one component to another. These interface with dual ported controllers and a disc subsystem that allows the data controlled with where it goes and how the information can mirror. The storage then takes place in the disc subsystem to provide complete backup to the system. Newer physical properties built from remote servers are also available. These specific options allow end use rs to immediately back-up data through an online portal connected through a remote server. The information moves into a storage space by connecting from one network to the computer so one can save all applicable information. The main hardware of this system built into a server provides a hosting company who has larger backup space on

Terrorism and anti-terrorism laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terrorism and anti-terrorism laws - Essay Example The most prominent combination of the War Measures Act, Canadian security certificate program, and Canada’s own Anti-Terrorism Act provides a stable and strong anti-terrorist legal framework in the country. However, the Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act functions as the most powerful element of this framework. The Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act extends the legal sphere of the war measures mechanism. Canada has fought wars with the United States and also it had conflicts with the Native Indian populations on certain occasions. During the World War II, Canada participated in several military operations in Europe and Asia-Pacific region. During Cold War, tensions regarding the country’s internal security concerns often surfaced. Hence, formulating the Anti-Terrorism Act in response to the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks was challenging but not impossible. Technically, this Act extends the powers of the institutions and the Government athwart the country’s security establishment so that they can address, combat, and diminish the threat of terror. The Act has some most important law enforcement process at focus. These are pre-emptive detention, extended surveillance, investigative hearing, preventive arrest, and stringent sentencing. Thus, it is highly similar to the USA PATRIOT Act, which was passed after the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. (Canadian Legal Information Institute, 2012) It has been already mentioned that although Canada’s past has been relatively peaceful, the country’s involvement in several important greater international conflicts cannot be ignored. Like World War II and Cold War, Canada got involved in the War on Terror too. And like the previous conflicts, this conflict too called for certain specific and special arrangements. Terrorism has its peculiar dynamics. Since it is not direct warfare and even terrorist states enjoy diplomatic immunity in the modern society, it may prove to be more dangerous in the sense of psychological effect. And in the

Genetic Engineering and the Law Essay Example for Free

Genetic Engineering and the Law Essay To understand the ethical implications of genetic engineering, we must first understand what genetic engineering is. Genes are units that code for specific characteristics. Such characteristics are hair and eye colour and we inherit these from our parents. It is chromosomes in the cell nuclei than enable your body to inherit features or, more specifically, it is the DNA that makes up the chromosomes that forms a unique genetic code for every human being (apart from identical twins). It is estimated that the human body has around 50,000 to 100,000 different genes contained inside, some of which have been linked to certain diseases. Scientists claim to have identified 4,000 conditions that are linked to just one fault or defect in a persons genetic makeup, which is where genetic engineering comes in. At present a project is taking place to identify the function of every gene in the human body. The Human Genome Project aims to uncover the cause for many diseases and find a cure for them. One such way, is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering, as a cure for disease, is the removal of a defective gene sequence and the remodelling of it. But this isnt the only definition given for genetic engineering. Compassion in World Farming describes it as the taking of genes from one species of plant or animal and inserting them into a completely different species. It is obvious, therefore, that genetic engineering is used for different things, in different situations. In this essay I will look at some of the varying uses genetic engineering has in todays world and the ethical implications of such uses. Genetic Engineering and the Law At present human cloning is illegal in the UK, although there are many countries were such a law does not exist. And although, technically, it may be possible to clone humans in the way animals have been, the Act of Parliament strictly forbids ever doing with human eggs what we have done with sheep eggs Dr Ron James Head of PPL Therapeutics. Nor are scientists allowed to mass produce human eggs for in-vitro fertilisation- something that many scientists have been pushing for for years. Genetically modified crops are also strictly controlled by the law. Such UK laws include: The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 1992 and The Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992. These laws are in addition to the standard For Safety Act which specifies that food must be fit for consumption. Several government bodies have been set up to assess and regulate GM foods including ACNFP, COT, FAC and, the most important, The Department of Environment. The DOE requires tat anyone proposing a release must apply to them for consent first. It is then advised by the Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment on the granting of consents. At a European level, the Regulation on Novel Foods and Food Ingredients was introduced in May 1997 and covers labelling of foods no longer equivalent to its conventional counterparts. But despite the introduction of laws, many people are still unhappy, and are pushing for further action. For example the CIWF believe GM meat should be clearly labelled, although they also say it should not be sold in the first place. They see the genetic engineering of farm animals for food as cruel and unnecessary. But the question remains: are they right? Few people know the implications of genetic engineering and what it really involves and many are ignorant of what to expect from GM. Genetic Engineering and Animals/ Humans Everyone knows the story of the first cloned animal. The Finn Dorset sheep, known as Dolly, was the first new-born mammal to be cloned from adult cells and is a miracle for scientists the world over. She had opened many new windows of opportunity for scientists who hope to soon be able to clone humans using the same technology. The possibilities really are endless. A single cell from an elite racehorse could be used to create hundreds of identical copies, each with the same elite genetic makeup. However pleasing this heady new discovery is, there is a widespread argument over whether or not cloning is right. Is it simply a wonderful new way to develop a generation of disease-free animals and humans or is it tampering with nature and playing God? Many people see it as the answer to all problems, that screening can reveal vital information about a persons life span and health future. Genetic engineering could, in theory, identify genetic defects early on, giving time to replace the faulty gene and cure the sufferer. Predicting disease is a major use for genetic engineering and one that could change the way we live forever. At present scientist are working on a genetic test known as the GeneChip. They claim in a few years doctors will be able to take a simple mouth swab and, using the GeneChip, look through your DNA for disease prospects. Although they have come under fire from their critics, geneticists argue that anyone is entitled to know what their future holds for the health-wise. Indeed they say the information can be vital for planning out the rest of your life if, for example, you are a woman with a likelihood to develop breast cancer. Pre-natal diagnosis is also another option that could soon be open to the public. Parents could be made aware of any flaws there may be in their childs DNA and could decide whether or not to carry on with the pregnancy. Genetic engineering could also be used to grow substances like human insulin and growth hormone on a huge level. Currently scientists are looking at introducing blood-clotting genes for haemophiliacs and purifying milk from GM sheep for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. They are also hoping to study presently incurable diseases in the hope they might be able to introduce a cure using genetic engineering. There are also high hopes for animals in genetic engineering. Transgenic animals (or those that have been given a gene from another animal) have many uses. They can produce more meat and milk, feeding the starving, and they can grow faster, with the possibility of less fatty meat. They can be bred to resist disease, but also develop disease so they might be tested on for further research. A biotechnology firm in Cambridge is working on a transgensic pig that could be bred to grow desperately needed organs for transplant into human beings. The technique can also be used to knock out genes, deleting proteins so that they might prevent BSE in cows. But it isnt all good news for genetic engineering, in fact there is a lengthy and strong argument as to why it is dangerous to go to take it to these levels. Many have disagreed with the predicting of disease, saying that many people may not be able to cope with the knowledge that they may contract a terminal disease- it could ruin lives. Also there has been widespread outcry over the Association of Insurance Brokers announcement that it will not offer life insurance over i 100,100 to anyone who had taken a genetic test that had predicted fatal disease and since 1995 there has been pressure form MPs to develop a code of practise concerning genetic screening. There are also fears of employers discriminating against potential employees who have the potential for life threatening illness in later life. Although scientists hope genetic engineering will provide many choices for parents, the BMA has voiced its concerns that the industry will cause selective breeding or the choice to abort a baby because of undesirable characteristics such as physical traits. The BMA have also said people have been mislead about the power to screen for later abnormalities. It says The number of abnormalities which can be detected in this way is limited and few of the tests are conclusive. The problem many people have with genetic engineering is the risk of error that is involved. Screening is complex and it is difficult to be precise every time. Faulty diagnosis could put an end to job prospects or insurance benefits, not to mention the psychological problems arising from finding out you have the potential to contract a fatal disease.

Study On Gandhis Leadership Styles History Essay

Study On Gandhis Leadership Styles History Essay This essay gives an overview of various leadership types and its main focuson the situational leadership. It attempts to explain the situational leadership process with an example of Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi as a situational leader. It further explores the attributes that Mahatma Gandhi as a situational leader possesses. The essay also tries to find out various effects of situational leadership. While mentioning the positive effects of the situational leadership, it also investigates the dark side of the situational leadership. After reading the essay the readers are expected to have gained enough familiarity with this kind of leadership and at the end of the essay. Any type of organisation, country or political party runs successfully when it is piloted by a skillful and influential leader. While leaders motivate their followers, it is not the only thing leaders can do. A good leader can structure the organisation in the way he wants. He represents the culture of the organization and most importantly, it has been observed that effective leaders posses a capacity to increase the productivity of the organization. Various scholars categorize leadership styles in a different way. Lewin (1939) classifies leadership styles in three categories: Autocratic Leadership, Democratic Leadership and Delegative (Laissez-Faire) Leadership. Mohandas Gandhi was born in the western part of British-ruled India on October 2, 1869. A timid child, he was married at thirteen to a girl of the same age, Kasturbai. Following the death of his father, Gandhis family sent him to England in 1888 to study law. There, he became interested in the philosophy of nonviolence, as expressed in the Bhagavad-Gita, Hindu sacred scripture, and in Jesus Christs Sermon on the Mount in the Christian Bible. He returned to India in 1891, having passed the bar, but found little success in his attempts to practice law. Seeking a change of scenery, he accepted a position in South Africa for a year, where he assisted on a lawsuit. In South Africa, he became involved in efforts to end discrimination against the Indian minority there, which were oppressed both by the British and by the Boers, descendants of the original Dutch settlers of the region. Having intended to stay a year, he ended up remaining until 1914 (his wife and children had joined him, meanwhile, in 1896). He founded the Natal Indian Congress, which worked to further Indian interests, and commanded an Indian medical corps that fought on the British side in the Boer War (1899-1901), in which the British conquered the last independent Boer republics. After the war, Gandhis reputation as a leader grew. He became even more adamant in his personal principles, practicing sexual abstinence, renouncing modern technology, and developing satyagraha-literally, soul- force. Satyagraha was a method of non-violent resistance, often called non-cooperation, that he and his allies used to great effect against the white governments in South Africa. Their willingness to endure punishment and jail earned the admiration of people in Gandhis native India, and eventually won concessions from the Boer and British rulers. By 1914, when Gandhi left South Africa and returned to India, he was known as a holy man: people called him a Mahatma, or great soul. At this point, he was still loyal to the British Empire, but when the British cracked down on Indian civil liberties after World War I, Gandhi began to organize nonviolent protests. The Amritsar Massacre, in which British troops gunned down peaceful Indian protestors, convinced Gandhi and India of the need for self-rule, and in the early 20s Gandhi organized large-scale campaigns of non-cooperation that paralyzed the subcontinents administration-and led to his imprisonment, from 1922 to 1924. After his release, he withdrew from politics for a time, preferring to travel India, working among the peasantry. But in 1930, he wrote the Declaration of Independence of India, and then led the Salt March in protest against the British monopoly on salt. This touched off acts of civil disobedience across India, and the British were forced to invite Gandhi to London for a Round-Table Conference. Although Gandhi received a warm welcome in England, the Conference foundered on the issue of how an independent India would deal with its Muslim minority, and Gandhi withdrew from public life again. But independence could not be long delayed. The Government of India Act (1935) surrendered significant amounts of power to Indians, and the Indian National Congress clamored for more. When World War II broke out, India erupted into violence, and many nationalist leaders, including Gandhi, went to prison. After the war, the new British government wanted to get India off its hands quickly. But Muhammed Ali Jinnah, the head of the Muslim League, demanded that a separate state be created for Indias Muslims, and to Gandhis great distress, the Congress leaders and the harried British agreed. August of 1947 saw Indias attainment of independence-as well as its partition into two countries, India and Pakistan. However, neither measure served to solve Indias problems, nor the country immediately fe ll apart: Hindus and Muslims killed each other in alarming numbers while refugees fled toward the borders. Heartbroken, Gandhi tried to calm the country, but to no avail. He was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist in Delhi on January 30, 1948, and India mourned the loss of its greatest hero. Gandhis leadership style is being termed as follower-centric and that took into account existing conditions before determining the strategy. Gandhi advocated having leadership styles that were dependent on the circumstances. When Gandhi was in South Africa, he launched his protests in a suit and a tie. But when he came back to India, he thought of khadi and launched non-violent protests on a greater scale; it shows that Gandhijis leadership style was situational leadership style. (http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/gandhi/summary.html) What is Leadership? Harry S. Truman, (2003) describes leadership as the ability to get men to do what they dont like to do and like it. John Gardner, (2003) describes leadership as the process of persuasion or example by which an individual (or a leadership team) induces a group to pursue objectives held by the leader or shared by the leader and his or her followers. The reciprocal process of mobilizing, by persons with certain motives and values, various economic, political and other resources, in a context of competition and conflict, in order to realize goals independently or mutually held by both leaders and followers. (James McGregor Burns, 2003). What is Situational Leadership? Hersey and Blanchard (1988) developed a particular form of contingency theory which has become well known as situational leadership. Making the point that the appropriateness of a leadership style is a function of the situation, they focused attention on subordinate maturity as a contingent variable, by which they meant the ability and willingness of a subordinate to work without direction. Where subordinate maturity is high, a relationship-oriented style is appropriate, but where maturity is lacking a more task-oriented style will prove more effective. Situational leadership theory is one of the type of leadership theory, leadership model and leadership style that believes that different leadership style suit different situations. That is as per the situation, you should apply leadership style. Situational leadership theory assumes that the best action to be taken by a leader depends on the situation. As the situation changes, you (leader) should also quickly change the leadership style. Depending on the situation, you (leader) should adopt leadership style. A situational leadership model is also associated with situational leadership theory. The basic idea of this model is that leadership flexibility is necessary for effective leadership. It also believes that different leadership approaches are required for different situations. This model defines four leadership styles. These styles are based on how much guidance or direction the leader can give to his or her followers. Situational Leadership Model : (Ollhoff.com) The above situational leadership model is applied on the Mahatma Gandhi in order to prove that he was a situational leader. In the following passages different action, reactions and incident from the life of the Gandhi are chosen that proves him a situational leader. Leadership developed by Robert House (1971) which defines that leaders make a clear and easy path for their followers and to fulfill the goals encourage and supports them to take it. The leaders clarify the path for followers and remove the roadblocks that might stop them from attaining the goal. For laying the path for followers a leader can follow any of the given leadership behavior. First the directive leader in which the leader lets the follower know what is expected of them, schedules work to be done and give specific guidance as to how to accomplish task. When Mahatma Gandhi called up all the community who were not being treated equally and made a speech to them asking all the non Europeans to burn their passes which showed their symbol of status. By doing so he was asking government for the right to claim them as equal citizens of the empire. We can see that he was making sure the followers know what is expected from them and he gave specific guidance what and how it would be accomplished. And for scheduling he made sure there is enough public gathered so he asks his wife to encourage some female along with her. The second kind of behavior is coaching leader who tries to promote good friendly relation within the group and shows concern for the welfare of the followers. In this way during Salt march from Ahmadabad to Dandi, Gandhi had gone there quietly; it would just not have made an impact. He knew he had to create an event to make an impact and so he took his followers on a march that stirred popular imagination of the time. He had a total understanding of the human psychology and used it along with his public relation skills. By doing this Gandhi coached his followers The third kind of behavior is supportive leader who tries to promote good friendly relation within the group and shows concern for the welfare of the followers. This kind of leadership depicted takes the help of followers for day-to-day decision. Decisions include processes and task allocation. The leader facilitates decisions but the final decision is taken by the follower. The Non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule. This movement, which lasted from 1920 to 1922, was led by Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist British occupation of India through non-violent means. Protestors would refuse to buy British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts, picket liquor shops, and try to uphold the values of Indian honor and integrity. The Gandhian ideals of ahisma or non-violence, and his ability to rally hundreds of thousands of common citizens towards the cause of Indian independence, were fir st seen on a large scale in this movement. Gandhiji while working for independence of India used to consult other leaders like Pandit Nehru, Gokhale, Maulana Azad who were his followers as well. The last kind of leadership behaviour according to the Path-Goal theory is achievement-oriented leader where the leader sets a challenging goal both for self improvement and work. The leader shows and expects high demonstration and has faith in the capabilities of the followers to succeed.

Features of Business Management and Organization

Features of Business Management and Organization Business Environment Individual 1.0 Introduction to organization 1.1 What is an organization? Managers are the ones who operate in organization. Organization is an individual or group of people that collaborate to achieve certain commercial goals that its members would be unable to reach by themselves. Every organization have a management structure that determines relationships between the different activities and the  members, and subdivides and  assigns  roles,  responsibilities, and  authority  to carry out different  tasks. Organizations are open systems in that they affect and are affected by the environment beyond their boundaries. So according to that organization should have following features. Vision A statement of what a company wishes to accomplish in the course of its operations. It is a declaration of a companys goals for the midterm or long-term future E.g.:- Apple Corporation’s Vision- To make a contribution to the world by making tools for  the mind that advance humankind. Mission A statement of the purpose of a  company,  organization  or  person, its  reason for existing. E.g.:- Unilever’s mission- â€Å"To add Vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition; hygiene and personal care with brands that help people look good, feel good and get more out of life.† Objectives A specific  result  that a  person  or  organization  aims  to  achieve  within a  time frame with available  resources. E.g.:- Unilever objective is to increase their profit by 35% end of the year 2014 Goals An observable and measurable  end result  having one or more  objectives  to be achieved within a more or less fixed timeframe. E.g.:- Unilever goal for 2020 To improve health and well-being, reduce environmental impact and source 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably and enhance the livelihoods of people across our value chain. Values Value statements define the organization’s basic philosophy, principles and ideals . they also set the ethical tone for the institution. 1.2 Organisation categories There are various ways to categories the organizations. We can divide organizations in to three types as characteristics, legal form and by size (Figure 01). (Figure 01- Organization Categories) Sole Trader A business owned by one person is a sole proprietorship. In a sole proprietorship, the owner invests capitol, makes all decisions, and receives all profits. Owners in a sole trader however may have more difficulty than larger organizations obtaining loans. More significantly, sole traders are personally liable for their debts if their businesses fail. A purpose of a Sole Trader is to provide a service for a client and charge for that service. Partnership Partnership is the relation between the persons who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all or a business owned by two or more people also can be a partnership. The partners share the responsibility for financing, operating and managing the business. Usually profits are divided in proportion to the amount of money that each partner has invested in the business. Private limited company Private companies main objective is maximize the profit; these organizations are owned by shareholders by buying company shares, there can be minimally one shareholder and maximally fifty shareholders in the company. Profit and loss will be shared between shareholders at the company general meeting. The company should be named their company name along with (PVT) Ltd term. 2.0 Stakeholders of an organization The persons and organizations that have an interest in the strategy of the organization are called stakeholders. Stakeholders normally include shareholders, customers, staff and the local community. (Figure 02- Stakeholders) 2.1 Stakeholders of the D-MAC Bookshop 2.3 Stakeholder Analysis What is stakeholder analysis? Stakeholder analysis is methodology of systematically gathering and analyzing qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken in to account when developing and /or implementing a policy or program. And this can be done by using the stakeholder mapping. Stakeholder mapping 2.4 Identifying the key stakeholders of D-MAC Bookshop Managers High salaries Profit maximization Bonuses Job security Status and growth of the business Employees High pay Job security Pleasing the customers Promotion prospects Job satisfaction and motivation Customers Safe and reliable products Value for money Innovation Product availability Customer service Suppliers A long term relationship with the firm Prompt payment Frequent and regular orders Large size and value of contracts Growth of the business Competitors To compete by all lawful means To differentiate its products Keeping up with innovation If an organization has to achieve the goals and objectives with efficiently and effectively, first of all the organization have to fulfill the objectives of stakeholders. So organization has to do something to achieve it. Those as follows, Employees Speak to them respectfully Make attract full remuneration packages By giving bonus and other allowances By introducing medical and entertainment allowance Providing job securities Customers By providing quality products. Providing products regularly. By giving truthful information about their products. By giving discounts and gifts. Providing other customer services. Government By paying taxes other payment correctly And provide some helps to government sector 3.0 Responsibilities of an organization 4.0 Economic systems â€Å"Economic system is an organized way in which a state or nation allocates its resources and apportions goods and services in the national community† a world in which all humans wants are instantly fulfilled is hard to imagine. Productive resources are limited while human wants are unlimited. Scarcity occurs] because human wants exceed the amounts of production possible with the limited time and resources that are available. Because of the scarcity every country needs a system to determine how to use its recourses productively. There three basic questions that needs to solve by any economic system. Three basic economic problems-: What to produce? –what kinds of goods and services should be produced How to produce? –what productive resources are used to produce goods and services For whom to produce? –who gets to have the goods and services The way a society answers these questions determines its economic system. There are tree economic systems. Command Economy Free Market Economy Mixed Economy 4.1 Command or planned Economy Economic system in which the government largely decides what goods and services will be produced, who will get them and how the economy will grow. Where the means of production are stake controlled and the allocation of resources are managed by centralization. What to produce? – The goods and services produced in a command economy are those which the governments choose to produce to produces. How to produce? – The government chooses the method of production it can direct resources including labor, to whatever activity it chooses Whom to produce? The output of economy is distributed in what the government sees fit. E.g.: it may try to distribute goods and services equally in order to minimize inequality. 4.2 Free Market Economy Economic system in which decisions about what to produce and in what quantities are decided by the market, that is , by buyers and sellers negotiating prices for goods and services. Where the competitive interaction of many producers and consumers without any intervention of by government, provide the forces of demand and supply which allocate resources through the price mechanism. What to produce? – Generally there is an economic incentive for the firm to choose to produce the most profitable goods and services and these will be those which are in higher demand. How to produce? There is an incentive for firm to choose the production method which is the least costly and therefore is the most profitable. Whom to produce? – The people who get the goods and services produced in a free market are those who are will and able to pay the price for them. 4.3 Mixed Economy Economic system in which allocation of resources is made by the market and some by the government. Where resources are allocated by a mixture of free markets and government intervention. Simply in such a type economic there is the presence of private economic freedom and centralized planning with a common goal of avoiding the problems associated with both economic systems. 5.0 Government of UK Economy of UK changes every year. According PWC publication in United Kingdom their economy has grown high in the past year and they are expecting to keep that growth in 2014 as well. The government of UK controls the economy in different ways. Firstly through a legal standard issuing by parliament that creates new laws. Another way is through arrangement of subsidies that create goods and services for people. And thirdly through taxation. 5.1 UK Government Policies Every government have their own aims and objectives to carry out their economic system. mains objectives in UK government are increase the economic growth, to maintain full employment, to stabilize exchange rates, control the inflation and to improve the standard of living of people in the country. To achieve these main objectives the government uses two main strategies. Fiscal policy Monetary policy 5.2 Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy is the use of government spending and tax policies to stimulate or contract macroeconomics activity. This includes taxation and how government adjusts its expenditure. fiscal policy changes in the taxing and spending of the federal government for purpose of expanding or contacting the level of aggregate demand. 5.3 Monetary Policy The actions central bank, currency board or other regulatory committee that determine the size and rate of growth of the money supply and interest rates. This includes interest rates and credit controls. 5.4 The impact of Fiscal and Monetary policy on business organizations In United Kingdom monetary policy is controlled by the Bank Of England. According to Bank of England monetary policy called as monetary stability. Monetary stability means stable prices and confidence in the currency. Stable prices are defined by the government’s inflation target, which the bank seeks to meet through the decisions delegated to the monetary policy committee, explaining those decisions transparently and implementing them effectively in the money markets. In England fiscal policy is called as financial stability. Financial stability entails detecting and reducing threats to the financial system as a whole. This is pursued through the bank’s financial and other operations, including lender of last resort, oversight of key infrastructure and the surveillance and policy roles delegated to the financial policy committee. In UK mostly fiscal policy and monitory policies have an influence on organizations. By fiscal policy government is influencing organization by receiving tax. E.g.:- income tax, vat, BTT, By monitory policy the central bank will increase the interest rate for the deposits, then government will get more and more money, then they will increase the interest rate for loans, then organizations will not going to barrow loans from the bank likewise government influence the organizations, and some of social responsibility also will influence an organization. 6.0 Types of Market Structures Market structure is used to describe the number of buyers and sellers operating in a market. The extent to which the market is concentrated in the hands of a small numbers of buyers and/or sellers and the degree of collusion or competition between buyers and/or sellers. We can identify four types of market structures 1) Perfect Competition Perfect competition is a market structure where competition is at its greatest possible level. There are large number of buyers and sellers, and none begin influence prices. 2) Monopoly- a firm that is the lone producer of a good for which there are no close substitutes. 3) Oligopoly – are industries dominated by a few firms whose decisions are strategically linked; barriers to entry tend to be significant 4) Monopolistic Competition requires easy entry and exit in to industries in which many potential suppliers compete vigorously with makers of close, but not perfect substitute for their â€Å"brand- name† products According to the above information following table can be describe the types of market structure. Perfect Competition Monopoly Oligopoly Monopolistic Competition No. of Firms infinite one many few Product Type Homogeneous Unique Homogeneous or Differentiate Differentiate Freedom of Entry Unrestricted Restricted or blocked Restricted unrestricted Control over Price None Total Significant Some Size of Firms Small Large Small Very large Profit Normal Economic profit. Short long run Losses to normal economic in short long run Economic in short run normal over long run Implications For demand curve Horizontal (price taker) Downward sloping more inelastic than oligopoly Downward sloping relatively inelastic Downward sloping but relatively elastic Possible consumer demand Highly elastic Highly inelastic Inelastic Elastic 6.1 Pricing and output decisions of market structures Generic office supplies, most agricultural and few relatively homogeneous goods are produced by Perfect Competitive markets. Each buyer or seller is too insignificant to single handedly affect the total demand or supply of the goods. There acting as price takers in this market they have no choice but to accept the price set in the market. The demand is perfectly elastic in perfect competition. The producer tires to sell goods for a high price he won’t be able to sell because other competitors also selling for the same price. The demand curve of monopoly market slops down; prices will be inversely related to quantity demanded. Any firm with market power must lower its price to sell more if it can charge only one price at time. Market power is a firm’s ability to alter the price of its output because of inadequate competition or a lack of perfect substitutes for its products.

Which Gender Is More Likely To Drive After Drinking? :: DUI, Drunk Driving, Alcohol

IntroductionLast year a student from my high school was killed in a drunk driving accident. As shocking as the death was for many students, people still continued to drive while intoxicated. This year two of my close friends received DUI's and numerous people I have encountered have also been convicted of Driving Under the Influence. Working at a local bar, it is very seldom that I see a person choosing to remain sober because they "have to drive", and I began to wonder which gender was more likely to drive after consuming alcohol. I hypothesize that men are more likely to drive after consuming alcoholic beverages than women. I have decided this for several reasons, the primary one being that when on a date, usually the male drives.ResearchI began my research on the Internet, and found several very useful sights. MADD (mothers against drunk driving) had some fairly new statistics regarding alcohol consumption and driving. I also visited the National Clearinghouse for Drugs and Alcohol, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. While reviewing some statistics regarding fatal accidents related to alcohol, I noticed that California had a very high number of deaths-second only to Texas (this number did not reflect the percentage of the population-with this in mind, Nevada and Texas had the largest percents). With this in mind I investigated the current laws regarding alcohol consumption and driving. Currently, the law in California declares a person to be legally intoxicated if their blood alcohol content is .08% or greater (this law of course is different for minors). The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services define a standard drink as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. MethodI decided to Survey 50 people, 25 men and 25 women. Although laws prohibit people under 21 from consuming alcohol, I chose to survey people 16 years and older simply because I know that many minors do drink and drive. In order to get a more representative sample, I decided not to survey at CSUSM but at the mall where my sample population would consist of people other than students. Before handing people the survey I asked them two simple questions: Are you a licensed driver? and Do you consume alcoholic beverages? To those that answered yes to both questions, I passed out the following survey:1.

One Summers Day :: Personal narrative

I walked over to the refrigerator and helped myself to the orange juice. Sarah was in the laundry room adjacent to the kitchen. She was talking to me about something, but I don’t think I was listening. I poured the orange juice and found my usual seat in front of the television. On weekend afternoons, if we were at Sarah’s house, we always watched MTV, no matter what else was actually on. We had just returned from the beach. Sarahrecently bought a new couch and it was so comfortable. It made watching MTV like a glass of ice, cold water on a fiery, hot day.Sarah had a small, but roomy house and everything that happened in it is heard by everyone else in the house, perfectly. Mostly because she had wood floors, but also because the walls are pretty thin. Her living room, where I was, had a new couch, a new stereo, and a new entertainment system . . . the works. Sarah’s living room is surrounded by windows all around you facing the streets, which really unnerves me. Not only do the walls have windows but the front door is all windows too. When someone comes to the door, not only can you see who it is, they can see you. I was particularly fearful about this that afternoon because we were on our own for the weekend. Sarah lives with her stepdad, Nolle, and her mom, Deborah (who happened to be out of town this weekend), on the west side of Santa Cruz. She has a stepbrother Willy, who lives on his own but sometimes stays at Sarah’s house. Willy is a skater and graduated from Santa Cruz High about 4 years ago and now goes to Cabrillo. Whenever I see him at Sarah’s, which is about 90% of the time, he’s skating out in front.Sarah and I met through a volleyball club around 3 years ago. Since then we’ve been best friends. She’s a year younger than me and also goes to a different school, so although we’re almost always together, we do have some time apart. We have many mutual friends that we have introduced to each other over the years. Sarah is a very attractive girl, one would say she has a perfect body. But I don’t see her in that perspective. Once you know someone really well, you can’t say or think about how they look, you just know.

Riordan Manufacturing Business Analysis

Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Business Analysis Learning Team B BSA 500 University of Phoenix Instructor: Charlotte Bonner October 6, 2008 * Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Business Analysis * ****INTRO GOES HERE – DANA WILL WRITE IT AS WE NEAR COMPLETION History of Riordan Riordan Manufacturing Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of plastic injection molding components. Some of the components that it manufactures include: plastic bottles, fans of all sizes, heart valves, medical stents, and other custom plastic parts. Riordan is focused on high standards, long term customer relationships, innovation, and growth. The company was originally founded in 1991 by a professor of chemistry, Dr. Riordan, as an outlet for commercial applications for the high tensile strength plastic substrates that Dr. Riordan had developed. Riordan Manufacturing is now a subsidiary of the Fortune 1000 enterprise, Riordan Industries. The company is headquartered in San Jose California, but also has facilities in Georgia, Michigan, and China. Current large projects include the design stage on an innovative bottle in the shape of a pyramid, and the proof of concept stage on a CardiCare heart valve. Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, serving 550 employees, consists of three Wide Area Network (WAN) lines originating from the corporate headquarters in San Jose (125 employees) to the three manufacturing plants in: Michigan (130 employees), Georgia (45 employees), and China (250 employees). Modules Accounting Modules Riordan Manufacturing’s corporate office has integrated ERP software designed purposely for plastics, processors, and process and assembly manufacturers. During acquisition in Georgia and Michigan, the finance and accounting software’s compatibility issue was not addressed. For this reason, Georgia and Michigan have applications which are not compatible with the current financial system. The following is a list of additional modules that should be connected to the accounting system: Inventory Modules The Inventory module will help Riordan Manufacturing with the physical management of their stock (until used up or sold). It will perform a sound cataloging procedure by assigning item numbers that the accounting system can process. Asset Management Modules Asset Management will help Riordan Manufacturing with physical maintenance, tracking of assets, and financial management. Physical maintenance includes the asset location, condition, and the assignment of asset management to specific individuals. Cash Management Modules Cash Management will help Riordan Manufacturing manage and control the cash cycle. It will ensure liquidity and enhance profitability. Benefits of this module include multi-currency capabilities, cash balancing, bank reconciliation, and cash forecasting. Web Applications Modules Web Applications will help Riordan Manufacturing in many ways. Customers and salespeople alike can enter orders through the web. This â€Å"real-time† web configuration will shorten the order cycle, and enhance customer satisfaction. Employees of Riordan will be able to use this medium for expense reporting, supply requisitions, and communication between employees. Multiple Currencies Modules Since Riordan has a joint venture with China, the Multiple Currency module will be of considerable help. Financial transaction with China will be recorded in the sub-ledgers and converted into the â€Å"functional currency† by using current exchange rate information. The transactions will be recorded and maintained in the accounting data. Riordan’s â€Å"functional currency† will be in US dollars. Payroll Modules The Payroll module will apply human resource data to salaries and benefits and determine the amount of pay and how to get the disbursement to the employee. It will take into consideration national tax codes and worldwide regulations. The system can also track and do calculations for data such as sick time, leave of absence, and vacation. Travel/Expense Reporting Modules Because Riordan has multiple offices within the United States and a joint venture with China, travel budgets and expense reporting of trips can be documented into the travel/expense reporting module. Riordan employees and management can use this module to document information such as cost of plane tickets, vehicles, food, and supplies while employees are traveling. General Ledger Modules The accounting process begins with general ledgers. Therefore, this module will help organize Riordan’s financial reports from the first steps. This will make information readily accessible and more easily processed. Accounts payable/receivable Modules Like the general ledger module, this module will help organize Riordan’s accounts payable and receivable, which will better organize their balance sheet. Systems to be connected to the Accounting System Sales and Marketing All of the sales to past customers have been annotated using written methods. Riordan has requested that all past sales records, made up of diverse databases, paper files and microfiche be inputted into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The information recorded in these records is largely made up of information that can easily be entered into a CRM database for easy distribution and reproduction between departments. The CRM package will also benefit Riordan by providing the customers access to a front end server (extranet), to be able to create accounts, check account status, pay bills and place orders. Having a single CRM database will provide sales personnel or customer service representatives with the ability to quickly check customer accounting information without having to search through various paper work, microfiche and out of date or inadequate databases. Internally, employees will be able to keep track of various vendors who have a proven track record of discounts, reliable shipping and product innovation. In the past, individual sales employees have managed customer records, and no standard of data recording has been established. Operating in this manner doesn't allow for a cohesive sales team, which is going to be critical for the new team selling approach being implemented by Riordan. A standardization and consolidation of customer records needs to be implemented for the sales team to be more successful in the future. The CRM will consolidate the sales team into one unit rather than individuals servicing specific accounts. Customer relations will be proficient due to the ability of multiple sales personnel being able to acquire and update account information rather than a single person maintaining individual account records. Not to mention when a sales person is not available due to health, personal issues or vacation, another employee will be able to provide information and support. The CRM will then be connected to the Finance & Accounting System. Human Resources Riordan Manufacturing’s Human Resources system should be connected to its accounting system because the Human Resources department handles the employees’ salaries, benefits, employee recognition programs and training programs. These programs do not bring in revenue, however, they are considered costs for the company. Accurate bookkeeping of these activities and incorporation of the figures into the accounting equation is crucial to painting an accurate financial picture of Riordan. Operations The Operations system should also be connected to the accounting system since it outlines inventory, supply and production. Inventory is part of a company’s assets, which is a core part of the accounting equation. In determining its financial state, Riordan needs to have knowledge of its inventory, how much it costs to obtain, how it is used and the cost of operating, or manufacturing products with that inventory. Just like assets are a core part of the accounting process, Operations is a core part of Riordan’s process. Legal Legal systems need to be connected to the accounting system in order to maintain legal watch over the system. One example of how Legal could benefit from a connection to the accounting system is that it would be able to monitor inventory and approve where Riordan products are being sent. This would make sure export laws and restrictions are being met. Legal can also interact with Human Resources, Finance, Sales, and Operations over the accounting system to make sure that all aspects of the legal requirements for corporate accounting are followed. Reports and policies could be put in place by Legal in the system to ensure integrity and ethics. Information Technology IT has many reasons to be connected to the accounting system. Ordering, policy implementation, monitoring, and support are just a few of the aspects of business that would benefit from the Information Technology system being connected to the accounting system. Monitoring, policies, and support are a huge reason for IT to be connected. Accounting is one of the most important aspects to running a business. IT needs to carefully monitor and support validity and integrity within an accounting system as well as ensure proper policies, established in conjunction with legal, are in place. Income Statement Analysis In reviewing the Income Statement for Riordan Manufacturing, there are some concerns on cost expenses that managers will need to adjust. Even though the sales revenue from 2004 to 2005 has increased 10. % from $46 million to $50 million, a combination of direct cost of goods sold and operating expenses has caused the net profit to decrease during the same period. The direct cost of goods sold increased 12. 2% from $37. 5 million to $42 million. A possible cause for this increase may be that Riordan may have abundance of inventory on hand as a result of ordering above the ordering point. Despite the high increase in cost of goods sold, t he gross margin still increased, but by only 2. 6% from $8. 6 million to $8. 8 million. In addition to the 12. % increase in cost of goods sold, the operating expenses also incurred by Riordan Manufacturing increased 8% from $5. 3 million to $5. 7 million. These two big increases in costs incurred compared to the small increase in the gross margin proved to be too much, resulting in a decrease in profit before interest and tax expenses. The profit before taxes and interest expenses decreased 6. 3% from $3. 2 million to $3 million. In addition to the negative figures, there are some positive figures to bring into the mix. Despite the profit before taxes and interest expense decreasing by 6. %, the net profit only decreased by 1. 7% from $2 million to $1. 95 million. The reason for the smaller decrease in the net profit was a 13. 5% decrease in non-operating expenses including tax and interest expenses from $1. 3 million to $1. 1 million. The main focus to increase profits from 2005 t o 2006 would be looking into decreasing the cost of goods sold and some of the operating expenses while continuing the trend in decreasing the non-operating expenses or at least keeping the cost manageable. What the company is doing wrong Riordan’s Inventory accounts for a large share of its current assets (54%). On the surface this may represent a weakness however the company has an inventory turn of 5. 35 (cost of goods sold annually/inventory) which means the company goes though its inventory 5. 35 times per year or every 68 days. Riordan’s products are not perishable and enjoy a very long shelf life so this turnover rate of relatively good. This relatively high turnover rate allows for it to maintain relatively low cash balances as it can raise cash quickly from sale of inventory. This is reflected in the high balance of the accounts receivable. In addition, the company continues to carry a significant long term debt without a noticeable attempt to lessen that debt. Analysis of shareholder equity shows that the value of the company’s shares is greater than the total shareholders’ equity, a sign of deficit. The debt to equity ratio is fairly high at 56%, this a potential sign of weakness as well. While the company has maintained a gross margin of over 8. 5 million for the past two years, its operating expenses have increased during the same period affecting its profit margin. This is a sign that Riordan is not doing well in keeping its costs low to be more profitable. The opportunities would be to focus on increasing sales at the same decreasing general and administrative costs. To achieve this, the company needs to invest in IT systems. Eliminating incompatible systems and consolidating information at it’s headquarter will help in reducing administrative costs. References Riordan Manufacturing. 2004. University of Phoenix. Accessed September 2008 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Riordan/Internet/IndexPort. htm

Coldest Winter Ever Summary

Set in the projects of Brooklyn, New York, The Coldest Winter Ever is the story of Winter Santiaga (aptly named because she was born during one of New York's worst snowstorms), the rebellious, pampered teenage daughter of a notorious drug dealer. Ricky Santiaga, Winter's father, has attained substantial wealth through his illegal drug empire and lavishes his wife, Winter, and Winter's three younger sisters, Porsche, Lexus, and Mercedes, with the best things money can (and cannot) buy. Unknown to her father, Winter uses her hustling tricks to get whatever she wants. Winter's world is turned upside down on her 16th birthday, when her father suddenly decides to relocate his family and his growing business to Long Island, but she is determined not to sever ties with the old neighborhood. Her life spirals downward when her mother is shot in the face by foes of her father. Shortly afterward, the FBI arrives at the Santiaga mansion while Winter is at a party, seizes the family's possessions, and sends the drug lord to prison. At this juncture, Winter's sisters are placed in child custody, rather than in their unemployed mother's custody. Winter escapes by pretending to not be her parents’ daughter. Winter stays with a man just for his money for a while, but when his girlfriend comes back, Winter goes to live with an aunt. While with the Aunt, Winter's location is revealed, and she is turned over to the Bureau of Child Welfare. Winter's location was probably divulged by Natalie, a former friend of Winter's, who suspected that Winter was trying to date her boyfriend. While visiting her father in jail, she finds out that he had an infant son and was cheating on her mother, which tears her apart. Also, her father murdered someone while in jail. After being taken out of her aunt’s home, Winter starts living at the House of Success, a group home for teenage girls. Her new surroundings do not stop her from hustling: she makes money by selling clothes and cigarettes to her housemates, and she does their hair. Winter obtains the goods she sells from her friend Simone, who is a booster who steals designer clothes for her. Winter continues making money this way until Simone is arrested. Winter does not bail out now-pregnant Simone, but Simone gets out another way. Upon her release, Simone gathers some friends to wait so that they can beat up Winter. Winter escapes the beating by running and never returns. Then Simone falls and has a miscarriage. Rashida, one of Winter's House of Success housemates, thinks that Winter needs help and persuades her to go to a friend's house. Winter doesn't know that the friend is Sister Souljah, whom Winter boldly stated she never liked in the book's introduction. Under Souljah's tutelage, Winter volunteers at a benefit for people with HIV/AIDS, but Winter still does whatever she can to get money. Winter steals money from the AIDS benefit and rushes home to pack. Suspicious of Winter leaving, Lauren, Souljah's sister, switches the bag into which Winter has put her prized belongings. Winter takes a cab to a New Jersey hotel, and realizes that she has no money, no jewels, and no protection. Winter hooks up with an old boyfriend named Bullet, who has money. She finds out that she is pregnant with the baby of a man who tricked her into believing he was hip-hop MC GS. Months later, Winter's world crashes again when she is attacked in a car by Simone. A crowd gathers to watch the fight, and Winter loses focus when she sees Bullet cause the crowd to disperse by waving a gun in the air. Once Winter looks away, Simone slashes her across the face with a broken bottle. Winter is led back to the car by Bullet and, shortly afterward, the police arrive. Bullet leaves Winter, who gets a mandatory 15-year prison sentence for transporting drugs in his rental car. Soon, her old friends Natalie and Simone join her in prison, and her younger sister eventually becomes just like her. The ending surprises: after her father was jailed, Winter talked about being let out of prison to attend her mother’s funeral.

Mkt 421 Final Exam

1) According to the text, marketing means: A. Selling. B. Much more than selling and advertising. C. Producing and selling. D. Advertising. 2) For Tesla, a new firm that makes an electric sports car, estimating how many competitors will make electric vehicles and what kinds they will make, is: A. A production activity. B. One of the universal functions of innovation. C. An example of the micro-macro dilemma. D. A part of marketing. 3) Which of the following statements best describes the modern view of marketing? A. Marketing should take over production, accounting, and financial services within a firm.B. The job of marketing is to get rid of whatever the company is producing. C. Marketing is concerned with generating a single exchange between a firm and a customer. D. Marketing begins with anticipating potential customer needs. 4) Professional Dental Supply has been successfully selling dental instruments to dentists for the past 20 years, and has developed strong customer relations. When looking for new marketing opportunities, Professional Dental Supply will most likely look first at A. Market development. B. Diversification. C. Product development. D. Market penetration. ) To compete more successfully with its many competitors offering packaged cookies, Famous Amos added its own line of extra chunky premium cookies. This seems to be an effort at: A. Market development. B. Market penetration. C. Product development. D. Combination. 6) Which of the following statements regarding marketing strategies is FALSE? A. Developing successful marketing strategies does not need to be a hit-or-miss proposition. B. These strategies must meet the needs of target customers, and a firm is likely to get a competitive advantage if it just meets needs in the same way as some other firm. C.These strategies require decisions about the specific customers the firm will target and the marketing mix the firm will develop to appeal to that target market. D. It is useful to think of th e marketing strategy planning process as a narrowing-down process. 7) A firm's marketing mix decision areas would NOT include: A. Price B. People C. Product D. Promotion 8) Which of the following is true? A. The product P in the marketing mix stands for only tangible merchandise. B. The product P in the marketing mix stands for both physical goods and services. C. The product P in the marketing mix stands for both physical goods and tangible D.The product P in the marketing mix stands for only physical goods. 9) Product is NOT concerned with: A. Wholesale price. B. Branding. C. Packaging. D. Quality level. 10) Dell, Inc. wants to offer customers televisions in addition to computers. This is a change in their _____________________ A. personnel. B. promotional. C. product. D. pricing. 11) Hewlett-Packard sells personal computers through specialty computer stores, electronics superstores, and its own Internet site. The marketing mix variable that is being considered here is: A. Product . B. Placement. C. Promotional. D. Pricing. 2) The ______ area of the marketing mix is concerned with decisions about getting the right product to the target market when and where it is wanted. A. Promotion B. Place C. People D. Product 13) The main difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan is that: A. A marketing strategy provides more detail. B. A marketing strategy omits pricing plans. C. A marketing plan includes several marketing strategies. D. Time-related details are included in a marketing plan. 14) A marketing plan is: A. A marketing strategy—plus the time-related details for carrying it out. B. A target market and a related marketing mix.C. A marketing strategy. D. A marketing program. 15) Which of the following is part of a complete marketing plan? A. Competitors' marketing strategies. B. What company resources (costs) are required and at what rate. C. How different marketing mixes (for different target markets) relate to each other. D. All of th ese. 16) Marketing strategy planners should recognize that: A. Large firms like General Electric, Target, and Procter & Gamble are too large to aim at clearly defined markets. B. Target marketing is not limited to small market segments. C. Mass marketing is often very effective and desirable. D.Target markets should not be large and spread out. 17) Target marketing, in contrast to mass marketing, A. Ignores markets that are large and spread out. B. Focuses on fairly homogeneous market segments. C. Assumes that all customers are basically the same. D. Is limited to small market segments. 18) Good marketing strategy planners know that: A. Mass marketing is often very desirable and effective. B. The terms mass marketing and mass marketer mean basically the same thing. C. Target marketing does not limit one to small market segments. D. Firms like Nabisco and WalMart are too large to aim at clearly defined target markets. 9) ______________ is the process of naming broad product-markets a nd then segmenting these broad product-markets in order to select target markets and develop suitable marketing mixes. A. Mass marketing B. Market positioning C. Diversification D. Market segmentation 20) Clustering techniques applied to segmenting markets A. Usually require computers to group people based on data from market research. B. Remove the need for managerial judgment. C. Eliminate the need for marketing managers to specify in advance what dimensions might be relevant for grouping consumers. D. All of the above are true. 1) The process of naming broad product-markets and then segmenting them in order to select target markets and develop suitable marketing mixes is called: A. Market development. B. Market penetration. C. Market research. D. Market segmentation. 22) Procedures that develop and analyze new information to help marketing managers make decisions are called: A. Analytical research. B. Strategy planning. C. Marketing research. D. Operational planning. 23) ________ ________ ________________ utilizes qualitative and quantitative analysis procedures to help marketing managers make more informed decisions. A. Marketing structure.B. Marketing planning. C. Marketing research. D. Marketing processing. 24) A ______________ is an organized way of continually gathering and analyzing data to get information to help marketing managers make ongoing decisions. A. Marketing research project B. Marketing information system C. Marketing research department D. Marketing model 25) Marketing research which seeks structured responses that can be summarized is called: A. Qualitative research. B. Focus group research. C. Situation analysis research. D. Quantitative research. 26) One of the major disadvantages of the focus group interview approach is hat A. It is difficult to get in-depth information about the research topic. B. It is difficult to measure the results objectively. C. There is no interviewer, so the research questions may not be answered. D. Ideas gen erated by the group cannot be tested later with other research. 27) Focus groups: A. Always do a good job of representing the broader target market. B. Yield results that are largely dependent on the viewpoint of the researcher. C. Are expensive compared to other marketing research methods. D. Are usually composed of 10 to 15 people as participants. 28) The observing method in marketing research:A. Is used to gather data without consumers being influenced by the process. B. May require customers to change their normal shopping behavior. C. Is not suitable for obtaining primary data. D. Uses personal interviews. 29) The attitudes and behavior patterns of people are part of the A. Competitive environment. B. Social and cultural environment. C. Firm's resources and objectives. D. Political environment. 30) Which of the following statements about consumer products is true? A. Specialty products are those that customers usually are least willing to search for. B.Shopping products are tho se products for which customers usually want to use routinized buying behavior. C. Unsought products are not shopped for at all. D. Convenience products are those that customers want to buy at the lowest possible price. 31) ______________ is the process of naming broad product-markets and then segmenting these broad product-markets in order to select target markets and develop suitable marketing mixes. A. Mass marketing B. Strategic planning C. Market positioning D. Market segmentation 32) Which is the first step in market segmentation? A. Naming a broad product-market of interest to the firm.B. Evaluating market segments to determine if they are large enough. C. Finding one or two demographic characteristics to divide up the whole mass market. D. Clustering people with similar needs into a market segment. 33) The first step in market segmentation should be: A. Finding a demographic group likely to use your products. B. Defining some broad product-markets where you may be able to op erate profitably. C. Deciding what new product you could develop. D. Evaluating what segment(s) you currently serve. 34) Which of the following is NOT one of the text's product life cycle stages?A. Market introduction B. Market growth C. Market maturity D. Market penetration 35) The product life cycle: A. Applies more to individual brands than to categories or types of products. B. Shows that sales and profits tend to move together over time. C. Describes the stages a new product idea goes through from beginning to end. D. Has five major stages. 36) Tom and Sally Jones are preparing to purchase a new car. He currently has a Toyota Camry and she has a Honda Accord. They now have two children under age 5, so they plan to trade in Sally's car to purchase a minivan.Sally and Tom decided on a Honda Odyssey because Sally is familiar with Hondas and thinks they are very reliable. In this purchase situation, Tom and Sally's family life cycle stage is a _____________ segmentation dimension, and the benefit Sally seeks (reliability) is a _____________ segmentation dimension. A. Geographic; behavioral. B. Demographic; geographic. C. Geographic; demographic. D. Demographic; behavioral. 37) Regarding product life cycles, which of the following is NOT true? A. It is usually expensive for a new firm to enter in the market maturity stage. B.Industry profits are likely to level off or decline before sales level off. C. The level of promotion usually decreases in market maturity because there is less revenue to cover the cost. D. Many close substitutes are usually competing in the market maturity stage. 38) An industry's sales have leveled off and profits are declining in oligopolistic competition. Consumers see competing products as homogeneous. Several firms have dropped out of the industry, but a new one entered recently. Firms in the industry are trying to avoid price-cutting by spending on persuasive advertising.These firms are competing in which stage of the product life cycle? A. Market introduction B. Market growth C. Market maturity D. Market development 39) During the market introduction stage of the product life cycle: A. Funds are being invested in marketing with the expectation of future profits. B. Considerable money is spent on promotion while place development is left until later stages. C. Products usually show large profits if marketers have successfully carved out new markets. D. Most potential customers are quite anxious to try out the new-product concept. 40) Advertising allowances A.Set the allowance amount as a percent of the retailer's actual purchases. B. Are price reductions to firms further along in the channel to encourage them to advertise or otherwise promote the firm's products locally. C. Involve intermediaries and producers sharing in the cost of ads. D. Allow for coordination and integration of ad messages in the channel. 41) SGCA is having a sales contest to encourage retailers to quickly reduce the inventory of SuperGam er computers. Retailers with the highest sales during the next month win an expense paid trip to a special dealer meeting at a resort in Hawaii. This is A.An example of a producer using sales promotion in the channel. B. Probably illegal because it might encourage price competition among retailers. C. An example of cooperative advertising. D. The type of promotion that continues to impact sales even after the promotion is over. 42) While watching a television program, Liza gets a phone call just as a commercial is starting. She presses the mute button on the television's remote control and takes the call, so she pays no attention to the commercial. In terms of the communication process, the telephone call is an example of: A. Feedback. B. Noise. C. Encoding.D. Decoding. 43) A producer using very aggressive promotion to get final consumers to ask intermediaries for a new product has: A. A pushing policy. B. A target marketing policy. C. A pulling policy D. A selective distribution po licy. 44) American Tourister, Inc. —a producer of luggage—is planning to introduce a new product line. The marketing manager is having her sales force call on retailers to explain American Tourister's consumer advertising plans, the unique features of the new luggage, how the distributors can best promote it, and what sales volume and profit margins they can reasonably expect.This is an example of: A. A pushing policy. B. Intensive distribution. C. A pulling policy. D. Selective distribution. 45) Integrated direct-response promotion: A. Is not necessary or useful when the channel of distribution involves intermediaries. B. Is usually part of a pushing effort rather than part of a pulling approach. C. Focuses on achieving a measurable, direct response from specific target customers. D. None of these are true. 46) Which of the following statements about positioning is NOT TRUE? A. It helps marketing managers know how customers view the firm's offering. B.It refers to how customers think about proposed or present brands in a market. C. It often makes use of techniques such as perceptual mapping. D. Positioning issues are especially important when competitors in a market are very dissimilar. 47) When segmenting broad product-markets, cost considerations tend A. To lead to a large number of small, but very homogeneous, product-market segments. B. To lead to more aggregating. C. To encourage managers to disregard the criterion that a product-market segment should be substantial. D. To be unimportant as long as the segmenting dimensions are operational. 48) Positioning analysis A.Shows that managers and customers usually view present brands similarly. B. Is not a product-oriented approach. C. Helps managers understand the actual characteristics of their products. D. Is a visual aid to understanding a product-market. 49) A _____ is a market with very similar needs and sellers offering various close substitute ways of satisfying those needs. A. Product-ma rket B. Target market C. Generic market D. Standard market 50) Which of the following is NOT a trend affecting marketing strategy planning in the area of international marketing? A. Decreasing role of airfreight. B. Global communication over the Internet.C. Tensions between have and have-not cultures. D. More attention to exporting by small companies. 51) When a company grows globally, this is an example of: A. Market penetration. B. Diversification. C. Market development D. Product development. 52) Identify the incorrect statement about sales promotions. A. The availability of more ad agencies and specialists has spurred growth in sales promotions. B. Changes in technology have made sales promotions more efficient. C. Sales promotions have increased because of competition in emerging markets. D. Sales promotions can be used as tools to overcome consumer price resistance. 3) Which of the following is a key trend affecting marketing strategy planning? A. Growth of marketing informati on systems. B. Less use of technology in personal selling. C. Senior and ethnic submarkets are getting smaller. D. Slower new-product development. 54) It is usually the _________ job, perhaps with help from specialists in technology, to decide what types of sales technology tools are needed and how they will be used. A. Purchasing manager's B. Marketing executive's C. Sales manager's D. Procurement manager's 55) The future poses many challenges for marketing managers because: A.Social responsibility applies only to firms—not to consumers. B. New technologies are making it easier to abuse consumers' rights to privacy. C. It is marketing managers who have full responsibility to preserve our macro-marketing system. D. The marketing concept has become obsolete. 56) Many Internet sites, such as Autobytel. com and Edmunds. com, have extensive information about the prices of new and used vehicles that anyone can use for free. In light of the availability of this information, what is the responsibility of consumers to use it? A. Consumers should not trust any information they receive from any source except the government.B. Consumers should not use it because it gives them an unfair advantage over car dealers. C. Consumers can use it, but should not feel a responsibility to do so. D. Consumers have a responsibility to use the information and be smarter customers. 57) Which of the following statements about ethical behavior in business is true? A. The legal environment sets the normative standards of ethical behavior. B. The legal environment sets the highest standards of ethical behavior. C. The legal environment sets the minimum standards of ethical behavior D. The legal environment sets the maximum standards of ethical behavior.