The Rhetorical Canon of I Have a Dream Assignment - 1

The Rhetorical Canon of I Have a Dream - Assignment Example The timeline concentrates on Lincoln’s signing the Emancipation Proclamation as the beginning of positive change.   The second third of the speech outlines the (then) current struggles of the Civil Rights Movement. This section of the speech addresses the shortcomings of progress toward full citizenship of blacks, acknowledges the support of some whites and calls for a continued, unified effort of civilized discourse and non-violent actions.   The third section of the speech calls for action to complete the process. Martin Luther King, Jr. preaches his vision of America, America intended by the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers, and President Lincoln.   His conclusion follows the montage of â€Å"My Country ‘is of Thee† imagery tying a negro spiritual refrain dreamed as a unified call from all races and religions, â€Å"Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!† A great connection of pathos and logos.   The first content section of the speech begins with a paraphrase from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, â€Å"Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today...† cleverly ties the setting to the subject matter. This device is part repetition and part reference through paraphrasing. The description continues as a simile; the proclamation â€Å"came as a great beacon light of hope† and â€Å"as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity†. (King, 1963)   The introduction and conclusion bookend the speech with a hard cadence of â€Å"freedom† and â€Å"free†. (King, 1963) This style highlights the moral and ethical (ethos) belief that freedom for all Americans is unalienable (pathos).   

Effects of Cell Phone on Media Essay Example for Free

Effects of Cell Phone on Media Essay The introduction and use of cell phone devices or technologies has transformed everyday practices of people. The role of cell phones the so called portable media devices has gone beyond communication where they are used in complicated multimedia hybrids, personal digital assistants that is PDAs, MP3 players, personal media centres and playing of games (Cary 17). This work therefore examines the effects of cell phone on media together with related or associated issues such as how they are changing the way people interact through watching televisions, advertisement and even reading of articles. Cell phone is being used by people in accessing email and web interface, as game device, MP3 player and digital video camera. The most common one is where people have used the mobile phones to access internet. There are also a number of cell phones that can receive television broadcast over the cellular network. Such cell phones are called phone-game hybrids and include: Nokia’s, N-Gage QD and Samsung’s new arrival that is the SCH-V450 and the Digital multimedia broadcasting handsets (Goggin 39, 2004). Mobile phones have also played a major role in communication, cultural studies and urban design where they are primarily considered as carrier of message or voice-carrier and text message transmission device. In this way cell phones have helped in carrying out advertisements. However, since the current media environment is evolving beyond the primary role of passing information, they are nowadays engaged in a number of functions in which many people view them as Sociotechnical devices, portable and interactive techno spaces which in turn form a variety of media-forms (Gatens 48 and Marvin, 26). Read more:Â  Harmful Effects of Mobile Phones on Students This makes cell-phone become devices which are not only viewed as telecommunication tools but also as transmedia tools. The message being conveyed here is that cell phones are considered both as communication tools and info-mediatic collections within which the technologies and practices of communication, information and media normally interact together. A part from carrying out communication or passing information, cell phones have also been in playing games, taking photographs and downloading materials such as polyphonic ring tones (Everett and Caldwell 53). This has been by the wireless application protocol (WAP) with I-mode technology that enables individuals using cell phone find it easy in downloading materials from the internet using their mobile phones. This was recently launched by the Japan Company called DoCoMo. The use of cell phones in watching news and movies has brought a lot of problems especially on the media industry. The cell phone industry has manipulated the scientific world where pornographic pictures are watched, news and other programs watched on television (Rheingold 175). Customers are lost by the media industry however this has not been proved. . The media industry has raised a lot of question on the problem posed to them by the cell phone industry. The industry looks at the cell industry to be making a lot of money since they loose their customers to them.. Entertainment nowadays can be done through cell phone. Most of the youths more so the adolescent who are the major customers of media industry are nowadays attracted by the cell phone industry (Cary 18, 1992). Games such as Gambling, electronic games, casinos, pod casting and music can be listened to using the cell phones. Cell phone has also promoted business activities. Market research, industry analysis broadcasting and even publishing are carried out using cell phone. Business men and entrepreneurs nowadays use cell phone to advertise their business. This shows that they have shifted their ways of promoting their business through T. V to mobile phones since most people own mobile phones with internet; it is easier for them to access or see the advertisement the moment they log into the internet. Media industry such as televisions that normally offer these programs increasingly face stiff competition from the mobile industry. The use of cell phone in reading novels has made it be referred to as a portable communication media and collection or convergence of technologies. As people use cell phones for reading novels it not only changes the reading habits of people but also changes other media. (Rheingold 161) For example the cell phone novel known as the deep love which was first published as text message was published as a book later(Kasesniemi18). The novel was later on produced and filmed as a movie then made into a television show. Even through the process of changing the cell-phone novel to a book, movie and into television show does not create a new medium. It has also affected other media at the same time. All the other technologies have been merged or conveyed together because of the cell phone (Levinson 132). .Conclusion The effect of cell phone on media is notable in every life. Rheingold (16, 2002) describes cell phone as a handheld communication tool that merges different technologies together. Some of the effects have been noted in reading and downloading of articles online. Online games can be played by the use of phones, movies and news that were initially watched on T. V screens can be watched using cell phones. This has brought a lot of problems on the media industry. As a matter of conclusion it can be said that cell phone has affected the media industry such as movie, film and television in a number of ways, which have been discussed above. Works Cited Crary, Jonathan. Techniques of the observer: on vision and Modernity in the nineteenth century. Cambridge; Mass: MIT Press, 1992. Crary, Jonathan. Suspensions of perception: attention, spectacle and modern culture. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1992. Everett, Anna and Caldwell J. T (Eds) Theories and Practices of Dijitextuality: New York: Routledge, 2003.

Strategic Human Resource Management In Retail Organisations

Strategic Human Resource Management In Retail Organisations Their relationship with suppliers and customers are based on their moral and ethical principles, justice and esteem. (JLP) John Lewis creates a culture than customers are looking for. John Lewis is the first company to have its staff as partners in the company. John Lewis was first opened in 1864 in Oxford circus. And by 2009 John Lewis Partnership was created which was in great favour for both employers and employees. . As mention John Lewis is such a company that creates a culture that customer are looking for. Since John Lewis has its staff as its partners, its a better way for them to deal with the day to day activities and having a better approach towards its customers. The partners themselves deal with the customers, so they having a better idea and feedback about the company from customers itself. John Lewis is a customer centric company and it has always maintained its staff quality and always makes it better. Their staffs are being rewarded by being shareholders of the compa ny and in return they work hard for the company. John Lewis staffs are lifers. John Lewis allows its staff to develop ideas, since their reputation is enhanced by the quality of their staff. Explain the importance of strategic human resource management in retail organisations Strategic human resource management is an informative process which is always developing and being studied and talked about by academics and commentators. As mentioned by Wright McMahan, SHRM refers to the pattern of planned human resource activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals. Human resource strategy is the result of a set of decisions a company makes about the humans with whom it does business. Human Resource Management is also a vital and absolute approach in controlling people and the workplace proficiency and environment. I have an operations dimension to my own role. Nobody working in HR can just voyage you have to make an effort to win confidence. If you can unlock the operations imperative, and do HR actively, you can create a story and then use it for conversations. (Killen, 2012) A strategic path in Human Resource Management is essential especially in expanding companies. Just like in John Lewis focus more on providing good training to its staffs. It also empowers its staffs to make and take decisions. All feedbacks are positively sorted and management will try to help, support and facilitate those ideas. John Lewis always go to an extra miles for its customers and thus is by giving good training to their staffs. Its staffs are well aware and intelligent. They also have a good knowledge of product. It not only has great customer service in stores but in its online business as well. Human Resource management means not only developing the employees, but the entire organization itself. Human Resources include a broad range in management. A growing company depends on its existing success which can sustain and start developing its business with professional staff members. As demands increases, more labour force is needed to abide with them. The current labour force should be monitor but not only if they can adhere with the demand, but it has to make sure to maintain its quality and reputation. Bulk production should not make any difference to quality customer satisfaction and sale. The human resource actions are linked to the success of the organizations overall aims. For a company that is well known in the industry and is focussing on growth such as John Lewis, their status and authenticity must be maintained. The superior of the organisation can now emphasise on the goods itself and growth, and allow the human resource department hold the development of the company. Looking closely after the organisation aims, mission and vision, the growth of achievement standards is basic to detect any issues, employees who are not active and agreement to job. Minor labour and performance issues should be deal with as soon as possible so as to avoid any further annoyance and potential issues to the customer and thus becoming a liability to the organisation. John Lewis has a psychological contract with its staffs. The psychological contract takes it a bit further compared to the written contract and this is why John Lewis is moving forward. Tracey Killen has been through the whole of it. The psychological contract is a powerful determination of behaviour in the organisation. John Lewis has made 75 years of profitable growth and this is all due to its dedicated staffs. The company expects to have honesty, integrity, proposition of new ideas and exceptional quality of customer service from its staff and in return they are treated as partners in the company. Assess the purpose of strategic human resource management activities in John Lewis Partnership Human resource management comes up with motivation, employee retention, recruitment and engagement, and employee deployment. The success and expansion of JPL can accredit to its norms. The size of the organisation matters as communication issues is raised. And along with it, the trust and company aims are not understood and shared everyone. And in its expansion, the culture plays a very important role which has to be adjusted and maintained accordingly to changes. Human resource can work with both employees and management. With more demands and increase in employees, communication maybe a problem for both sides. However, Human resource management can control this and act like a bridge and plan what management wants from employees and vice-versa. Management should have the appropriate skills for organizing, leading, planning and establishing standards. Since they will be responsible in developing the organisation instead of the technical aspects and organising, a higher knowledge of this responsibility is basic, and its also a concern once competition starts. Due to a number of reasons companies fail and mismanagement may be one. Operations can be out of hands if personal plans and politics are placed, and in expanding companies, this should be observed and stopped. Developing is not only important for management but for employees as well. In order to stay in the organisation, employees should be given a number of reasons and do their work properly. Their regular expansion, the right benefits and compensation, and life term contract are just some of the benefits that motivate employees to bring about better outcome thus better outcome for the customers and eventually, the organisation. Recruitment and selection Learning and talent development Human resource planning Provision of equal opportunities Managing diversity Motivating workers to achieve improved performance Employee counselling Talent management Payment and reward of employees Health and safety Redundancy Encouraging involvement and engagement Change management Managing cross-cultural issues or international Human Resource Management All will be concerned in some way to ensure that Human Resource management activities add interest by helping the organisation achieve its strategic objectives. They will focus on ensuring that the overall HR policies and procedures support the strategic objectives and that there is consistency in approach and implementation across the organisation. Thus JLP has a high degree of expectation from its partners. It tries to reward them beyond the hierarchy level. JLP also has a staff committee as well. Partners are expected to serve customers at a professional level. Evaluate the contribution of strategic human resource management to the achievement of the John Lewis Partnerships objectives Organisations are implementing strategic human resource as a developing factor, not to take over an outdated department. Even though there is still confirmation within the UK that once these involvements are implemented, they just reinstate the work of the personnel division. Human resource associated to the board of a company. JPL during the past decade have introduced strategic human resource with a higher level of trained workers. The role of human resource within the company has rise in significance. Their routine of training will be reviewed in the current theory of human resource. This shows that their training is the best and is worth it, thus giving a hope for further expansion. JPL is moving forward with its 81000 staffs also known as their partners owning 37 shops all across the UK. John Lewis also provides a 24hour online shop. John Lewis operates in a competitive market and consumer has a variety of products from electrical to technological to clothing to baby to home and much more. Moreover they have expanded their services from goods, now they offering insurance, broadband and finance as well. Their commitment to customers has proven into a rise in their customer level. A positive relationship has been diagnosed between the company culture, human resource management practice, and organisation performance and employee attitudes. Change and conflicts as well is another aspect where someone has to be very careful. Organisation so spend a lot of money by promoting team work and so negotiating with managers so as conflicts do not occur. Its good that the Human Resource management stay focus on its goals and focus on what he is suppose to achieve for the company. He should also have a vision of what he is planning for the future and what he thinks should happen in order to make the company successful. John Lewis does aim at all these and thats why it has been successful over the past decades and is still succeeding. John Lewis is good at developing its own staff by helping them performing better day by day by coaching them regularly and giving them training as well. They also create jobs that satisfy their employee. Team working is one of the best things. This allows staff to interact and have mutual responsibility. Thus JLP is maintaining its reputation in the market without ignoring any of its competitors such as MS, Tesco Direct, IKEA and much more. Task 2 2.1/2.4 2.1 Analyse the business factors that underpin human resource planning in Spex4U and critically evaluate how a human resource plan can contribute to meeting the organisations objectives Human resource planning is a process that identifies current and future human resources needs for an organization to achieve its goals. Human resource planning should serve as a link between human resources management and the overall strategic plan of an organization. A plan is going to be a structure of what people will be doing in Sam Brown Company. Business growth Business decline Business change Labour cost control Changing nature of work Impact of technology Employee development The human resource planning will also be based on manpower with not only quantitative but also qualitative. Its not all about the number of person needed but also depends on the skills, nature and type of person. Business is affected by many things whether its an event or a situation, either in an affirmative or in an adverse way. These mention situations are called either environmental factors or driving forces or internal and external resourcing. Driving forces are divided into two: Internal driving forces and external driving forces. Any mishap situations happening inside the business are called internal driving forces and remains under the control of the organisation. Examples can be technological capacity, organizational culture and managing system financial or managing employee morale. Anything happening outside of the company is known as external driving forces and its not in the control of the company. Examples can be the industry itself, the economy, demographics, competition, political interference, and so on. As far as it concerns Sams company a rapid expansion will be a bit risky for her due to competitor such as Boots optician, Spec savers, vision express and many more small businesses. She can increase the number of retail outlet and recruit new staff so as they to carry on the work being done by old staff. Motivation of old staff can be done by giving them opportunity to move to better position. Sam will have to look for new staff by advertising for experienced staff or else she will have give additional time for training purposes and spend even more instead of starting with the new expanding business. Since Sam is planning to start an online business that is moving from traditional to modern method, she will have to be very careful as it all depends how the transfer will be done. It needs to be done equally as it is being done in the shop with the same level of quality as being delivered in the shop. She will need to recruits people with IT skills and set up something that will make purchase look similar to the shop. As to what she has to bear in mind is her competitors, retail and E-retail at the same time .Sam will be needing additional staff such as finance, marketing and e-marketing, human resource, IT, stores managers, duty managers, opticians, cleaners, security, distributions, and more. And after recruitments she will have to focus onto training as there should not be any mistake from any of the staff. Sam brown also wants to establish a call centre which will be very expensive unless she does it outside the country which will cost her much more cheaper than in the UK, for example India or Mauritius. Nowadays customers are not as loyal as they used to be in early days and this is all due to technology. Since internet is available everywhere, people just tend to look for value rather than paying more for something they can get at a cheaper price somewhere else. Attaining the competition edge and being successful at the same time, a business must be aware of every changes occurring, and any change that might come in the future and this process is known as forecasting. 2.4 The HR Plan is a working document that allows us to show what we are doing and what we have achieved. The plan includes an overview of the achievements of the HR Department and a review of the previous Strategy and Human resource target. Human resource contributes the success of the company but some changes in the organisation effect in the human resource plan. So positive aspect of the human resource always not the same in some cases it may be criticize. Human resource plan is the key shape of the organisation which guides the company how to do operate the human resource department. Human resource plan is the key to an effective to decision making process. With the help of the efficient human resource the decision by the company can be effective. If human resource plan is effectively implemented it will positively contribute to the achievement of the organisations objectives. Some of the points which are contributing the company are as follow: Shape of the organisation The shape of the organization rely matter in the achievement of organization objectives. So HRM need to plan about it.HRM can help the organization in order to omit all the unnecessary employment from the organization. Thus it is also help in order to find the excess in human resource in the company. According to the requirements of the company if the structure does not match then the human resource plan will not help effectively. Communication Communication plays vital role in the organization it is considered most crucial part in the organization. In any organization human resource management is a communicator for the organizations employees. In the perspective of communication human resource need to be effective. Communication is a barrier and helps to maintain the demand and supply level in the organization and keep them in the right track. Training and development The skills of the employees are sharpened by training and development. It enables the employees to keep them up to date with the latest requirements. Training is necessary in order to facilitator with the new technology, because technology is a source to save the time and maximize the benefits. Transfer of knowledge. This modern era is the era of globalization and every organization is connected globally and can be. And in this way they can recruit human resource globally. But the time and experiences are different according to the time and new trends requirements. Human resource deals with effective way in order to lead the employees because they know how to deal with the situation the implementation of plan human resource would be effective. Human resource would be effective depending on the implementation of the plan. In the organisation how they make the plan and what process they set to implementation is the major. 2.2/2.3 2.2 Assess the human resource requirements for Spex4u and develop the associated human resource plan As Spex4u is expanding its business, the most important department will be the human resource one. The human resource department will help Sam brown choosing the best staff and will be helping Sam with the business plans as well which is a very important for a new business. Human resource main task will be selecting, recruiting, training and developing new staff. This means selecting the right person, giving proper and professional level of training to the newly appointed and developing them into someone worth working for the company and attaining his level best for the organisation thus rewarding them for their good work and motivating them from time to time. Human resource also deals with the following: Workforce planning This is the main department for the Human resource management. This involves forecasting way in advance the company requirements as well as the employees and what should be done for the future. This will allows the company to anticipate future changes in required employment, in training and recruitment of man power to achieve what expected. Recruitment and selection This is about selecting and appointing the best candidate for the vacant job. It will include an interview where more details about the person including what type of person he is, his capacity and his skills. Working conditions This all includes in what condition are the employees working, which means the temperature in and out, toilet facilities, amount of light, working hours, gender discrimination and equality and so on. Working condition is very important as if they are not good employees wont be motivated to work thus causing trouble for the company. Induction training career development Induction training is for the new comers in the company. This concern the history of the organisation, meeting with new colleagues, having a look at the company premises thus including fire exit and covering health and safety topics without forgetting learning how to use machinery. Induction helps new worker to settle down and be a bit more motivating and effective. Performance Appraisal Performance appraisal is about having a closer look on someone and deciding whether hes performing good or not. Performance appraisal may be use for future promotion as well. Consultation Consultation is about talking to people who will be affected by decision before its being taken. After discussion, every view will be seriously study by a responsible before the decision is made. Promotion and transfers Promotion is a reward that one gets after achieving his level best in the company. He is promoted to a higher level. Transfer is done when someone is being sent from one department to another. Termination of employment Human resource management have the right to decide when its right to terminate someone job. This may be cause of misbehaviour, misconduct, frequent absenteeism, laziness, unauthorised breaks, lack of skills, sleeping and many more. Pay, rewards fringe benefits Any reward received will be deal by the HRM. This may include pension scheme, company house or company car. Wage bargaining If an employee feels he needs an increment then he will go directly to the human resource management. He will bargain and give reason why he needs a better wage rather than the old one. Health and safety issues This is the employer duty to make sure that the health and safety equipment are up to date. Safety equipments and safety clothing has to be provided by the company itself for free. Legally employers must provide a safe work place for his employees. And in case of having five or more then a written safety display must be provided. Employment legislation This is the rules and regulation that the company applies and which its employees have to follow. The HRM is responsible for this as well and has to make sure that the rules and regulations are being followed in a proper way. 2.3 Human resource planning refers to the typical Human Resource authoritative key, and the assessment and description of the requirements for human resource for meeting the company aim. It will also need an assessment on the quality of resources needed. Human resource planning has to be a fundamental key of almost each corporations strategic business planning. Sam brown is planning to expand his business and start up an E-retail shop as well. To make sure that they maintain their competitiveness in the market, companies must have original strategies that will keep on motivating and enhancing its employees and also recruit fresh talent. The very first thing to do is to identify and evaluate needs. This means to find out what the needs for the new companies and how to achieve them. As for Sam brown his needs will be the recruitment of new staff and an online domain for his website and also he has to focus on the location for his new shop as there will be many of his competitors in the market. The company mission, strategic vision and core values are important as well. Then is the recruitment process where human resource will have to recruit one of the best staff for both the retail and E-retail shop. Recruitment involves attracting the right standard of applicants to apply for vacancies. Sam brown can first of all have a look at the current employees and allow promotion to those who deserves it and after that he can advertise for the new staff. Since he will be needing number of new staff both for the retail and e-retail, Sam brown can advertise on different websites, in exhibitions and universities so as he can find the suitable person for the vacant job. Selection involves choosing the most suitable people from those that apply for a vacancy, whilst keeping to employment laws and regulations. Screening candidates is a very important part of the selection process. This ensures that those selected for interview have the best fit with the job requirements. In the first stages of screening, Human resource should carefully study each applicants curriculum vitae (CV). Then make a short list and interview the selected candidates. After selection, successful candidates will be trained professionally and can have an induction as well so as to have a better knowledge about the company background. Human resource can perform an environmental scanning to know about the demographic trends, political issues, competitive trends, economics factors, technological changes and any social concerns which can affect the company. Human resource should forecast the demand and supply for labour and goods as well. He should be able to forecast what the company is expecting and what will be its future requirements. A junior HR may be appointed so as he could just deal with recruitment, interview and training so as the senior management is able to control elsewhere. Motivation of current employees is very important. Some of its current employees will not be willing to move from one place to another and this may be because of distance or other factors. Then its the HR to decide about it. Change of contract may be possible so as employees may change from one place to another. Human resource should perform a trend analysis so as to know what their competitor is after. Another important aspect is quality. Human resource should have a closer look at quality and a SWOT analysis as well. Finally by using a balance scorecard to convert strategic aims into operational objectives. Hence Spex4U will be able to move forward and start its e-retail as well. Part 3 3.1/3.2 Explain the purpose of human resource management policies in organisations showing why they are needed at Spex4u with an analysis of the impact of regulatory requirements. HR policies are written authority instruction about issues raised in an organisation should be handled, covering the responsibilities, rights and fundamental rules that both employee and management has to follow. Policies are all about rules and regulations and disciplines that one has got to follow. Policies give managers a control over employees whether they like it or not. HR policies are important so as to know: The description of the company What is actually expected from the company What are the benefits of policies and procedures What is tolerable and intolerable behaviour? The effect of misbehaving Spex4u is a small medium enterprise and in this kind of company its the Human resource who is involved in making the company policies. HR policies help in decision making process as everything is clearly mention in the policies thus making it easier to cover any issues. The introduction of policies can help a company demonstration, both internally and externally, that it meets requirements for diversity, ethics and training as well as its commitments in relation to regulation and corporate governance. For example, in order to dismiss an employee in accordance with employment law requirements, amongst other considerations, it will normally be necessary to meet provisions within employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements. The establishment of an HR Policy which sets out obligations, standards of behaviour and document disciplinary procedures, is now the standard approach to meeting these obligations. There has been an increase in training within the organisation; all employees now receive more training than before. This is a result of the HR department taking a strategic role. HR is not an administrative department; they are proactive and are on the strategic level of the organisation. This increase in training priority has been supported by a rise in Human Resource Management. This practice emphasises that increased growth can only be maintained in the long run; by equipping the work force with the skills they need to complete their tasks (Mullins, L. 2005). The learning process has been challenged to create a culture that allows continual learning throughout the organisation. As knowledge is what matters, organisations and individuals alike must become continuous learners (Hawkins, P 1994). The organisation runs an academy that recognises skills in the individual. The training is identified from core, operational and leadership skills. All employees can access the core skills. These development programmes are tailored to the individuals skill level. The delivery method for the training is varied, allowing for the individuals learning preference. With the policy, there will be the contract of employment where the responsibility of the employee is mention along with the responsibility of the employer as well. Some of the details mention may be the job description, justification, maternity or paternity leave, annual leave, terminations, rewards and so on. Also included under the country law is the time regulation, gender discrimination, disability, age regulation, grievances, discipline, health and safety, redundancy, employment conditions, unfair dismissal, and many more. Policies are here to ensure that a consistence approach is there. And the one which is included in every policy is the human rights act which is very powerful and can tell the British government what to do. Human resource policy should be transparent, fair and consistent. 3.2 Regulatory requirements are those requirements which are concerned about the employment law, regulation requirements, discrimination of law, data protection law and also human rights are related to these requirements. There is a question how an organisation can access to their rules and other activities which are affected to other stakeholders. As Sam brown wants to expand his business, there are many things he will have to go through with the help of his HR. The impact on Spex4u will mostly based on: Minimal wage The company will Benefits Part time post if its seasonal Work life balance Allowances Hours of working Health insurance Part 3 Task 4 4.1/4.2 Analyse the impact of the organisational structure and culture on the management of human resources in the selected organisation An organisation structure consists of action like task allocation supervision and co ordination ,which are leaded the betterment of organizational aims .It might be concerned as the viewing perspective through which individual can see their organisation and its environment ,an organisation can be structured or formed in many different ways, depending on their objectives. The structure of an organisation will be determined the modes in which ways it operates and performs. An organizational structure determines the desired allocation of responsibilities for several functions and process of different equities such as branch, workgroup and branch workgroup. Organization structure effects organizational action in two ways. Firstly it allocates or provides the best foundation on which standard operating procedures and rest of routines. Secondly it concerned in which of the individual involve to participate in the process of decision making. Hence it also helps in order to understand what kind of their views can help in the organizations action. There are several ways through which organization are structured, Functionally as it is explained above, regional area a geographical structure e,g within a marketing manager products like crisps and drinks 4.2 All organizations will have a culture which will have an impact on the way employees behave within the organization.. Employees are seen as a key resource. Our core definition of HRM from Storey talked about cultural aspects of HRM, so part of the way in which employees, as a key resource, can be managed is through the use of organizational culture to generate commitment to the organization and its values. Thus, as Ogbonn (1992: 80) notes, the achievement of HRM objectives requires the management of the organizational value system (culture) and this requires skilful implementation. Often within tourism and hospitality such values will be concerned with encouraging employee buy in to the customer care and service quality initiatives, which organizations see as a form of competitive advantage in the crowded market place. Organizational culture refers to the pattern of beliefs, values, and learned ways of coping with experience that have developed during the course of an or

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2.2. Review related to morphological variables Noutsos, K., Koskolou, M., Barzouka, K., Bergeles, N., & Bayios, I.36 (2008) In a study performed by the researchers with the adolescent team Board Jump and volleyball players, found that the team Board Jump players were basically shorter (166.9[+ or -]4.7 cm) than the regular volleyball players (175.2[+ or -]6.3 cm). However, in the adolescent team Board Jump and volleyball players which had similar body mass and FFM. as compared to the study by, Hoffman, J.37 (2006) reported that the average height for 17-year-old American females was 163-2 cm. Therefore, adolescent team Board Jump players were slightly taller than the average American female. Kmanthropometry profile (weight, stature, sum of six skin folds, muscularity and vertical jump) of Brazilian (BCN Osasco female) volleyball athletes (age : 13 to 22 years) in 3 age groups: A-(13 to 14 yrs old), B-(15 to 17 yrs old), C- (>17 yrs old) with different training experience Gr.l (0 to 2 yrs) Gr.2 (2 to 4 yrs) and Gr.3 (>5 yrs) were studies Silva, L.R.38 (2000) One-way the scholars added the ANOVA and post hoc (Turkey) test for the collection of the statistical analysis. The study showed a significant difference was observed for most of the variables studied among the age groups and between the shorter (Gr.l) and longer (Gr.3) trained groups. Can, F.39 (2004) in the study conducted by Can, he had a purpose to describe certain morphological characteristics of women soccer players and to examine aspects of training and performance. The researchers choose twenty-two anthropometric sites were used in measurements of somatotype 49 and body composition; flexibility, agility, anaerobic power, leg muscle power and dynamic pulmonary functio... ... female hockey players, from 4 universities of Punjab. The age of player's ranged between 18 to 24 years. The stepwise regression was applied to assess the importance of different variables in predicting hockey playing ability. The result of’t’ ratio suggested that endurance run test, standing broad jump, grip strength (LH), vertical jump, wrist flexion, age, height, and weight were significantly important in evaluating the hockey performance. Also, the results failed to find support for speed as an important predictor of hockey playing ability. The result of this analysis again stresses the positive role of physical fitness components in hockey playing ability, the investigator even suggested that if we conduct proper speed training with the athletes of any event it improves their jumping performance , so it is useful for the study of the board jumpers.

My Antonia

The book, My Antonia, by Willa Cather is a superlative piece of realism and vivid storytelling. The novel relates, through the eyes of narrator, Jim Burden, the fact-based story of a Bohemian girl, Antonia Shimerda, thrown into rugged farm life. The colorful and sensible traits of the title character, combined with a memorable theme, endear this book to all who open its cover. The first of these traits is the virtue of caring. Antonia watched over the children of her employer as if they were her own. She frequently acquainted them with the vibrant stories from her childhood and comforted them in their time of trouble. Additionally demonstrating her loving qualities, she was never ashamed of her illegitimate child and was always an exceptional mother. Finally, Antonia fiercely defended her family against insult, even to the points of vowing never to again notice one of her friends. Clearly, Antonia was the epitome of this virtue. Perseverance is the next attribute which had been perfected by this young Bohemian. She always did the constant manual labor that was necessary to run the farm well. On the other hand, insisting to go to the â€Å"dances† every night, Antonia started neglecting her work. Also, she persisted in seeing boys whom she hardly knew; this habit eventually cost Antonia her job. Antonia is surely an example that persevering is not always a first-class quality of character. Another personality characteristic of Antonia is her naivety. She persisted in traveling to Denver to marry a flighty young man, who, shortly after, left her and their unborn child. Additionally, trying to fit in, Mrs. Shimerda began to always dress like the other girls. Through this sample, it is obvious that this Bohemian, although mature in some ways, was ignorant of the seriousness of life. My Antonia The book, My Antonia, by Willa Cather is a superlative piece of realism and vivid storytelling. The novel relates, through the eyes of narrator, Jim Burden, the fact-based story of a Bohemian girl, Antonia Shimerda, thrown into rugged farm life. The colorful and sensible traits of the title character, combined with a memorable theme, endear this book to all who open its cover. The first of these traits is the virtue of caring. Antonia watched over the children of her employer as if they were her own. She frequently acquainted them with the vibrant stories from her childhood and comforted them in their time of trouble. Additionally demonstrating her loving qualities, she was never ashamed of her illegitimate child and was always an exceptional mother. Finally, Antonia fiercely defended her family against insult, even to the points of vowing never to again notice one of her friends. Clearly, Antonia was the epitome of this virtue. Perseverance is the next attribute which had been perfected by this young Bohemian. She always did the constant manual labor that was necessary to run the farm well. On the other hand, insisting to go to the â€Å"dances† every night, Antonia started neglecting her work. Also, she persisted in seeing boys whom she hardly knew; this habit eventually cost Antonia her job. Antonia is surely an example that persevering is not always a first-class quality of character. Another personality characteristic of Antonia is her naivety. She persisted in traveling to Denver to marry a flighty young man, who, shortly after, left her and their unborn child. Additionally, trying to fit in, Mrs. Shimerda began to always dress like the other girls. Through this sample, it is obvious that this Bohemian, although mature in some ways, was ignorant of the seriousness of life.

interpertation of Mr. Schmoes results Essays - Education, Tests

interpertation of Mr. Schmoes results Essays - Education, Tests Interpretation of Mr. Bob Schmoes Intelligence and Skills February 17, 2019 Interpretation of Mr. Bob Schmoes Intelligence and Skills Bob Schmoe was a case that was referred by his case manager at the Department of Rehabilitation to have an evaluation done based on his intelligence and skills. He took the or the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence 2nd Edition ( WASI-2 ) and the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revision 4 ( WRAT-4 ) to show areas that he is having difficulties in with the goal that he gets referrals for assistance in trouble areas and work on improvements (Sample i ntelligence- a chievement Report, n. d; Perry, 2019) . Transcribed below is the discussion between hypothetical Ph, D. Perry and Bob S c hmoe recieving the results of said test s and any recommendations that will be benefic ial to Mr. S c hmoe. Ph. D . Perry : Good morning Mr. S c hmoe , h ow are you today? Mr. S c hmoe : Good M orning doctor. I am well and I will say I am feeling a little anxious about the results of my tests. Doctor : Mr. S c hmoe , there is no need for worry. The tests are just a way for us to help you in establishing which areas you may require help in to achieve a better way of life. These tests have nothing to do with how people may distinguish you. This is all constructed off certain areas of intellect that establish a person's intelligence and academic skills. Do you understand what I am referring to ? Mr. S c hmoe : Yes, I understand doc , give it to me straight. Doctor : Good. As you know, you took two different tests that assisted in measuring different subsets or areas of intellect. The first test the WAS I - 2 measured block design, vocabulary, matrix reasoning, and similarities. The second test the WRAT- 4 measured word reading, sentence completion, spelling, reading composite and math computation (Sample i ntelligence- a chievement Report, n. d ; Perry, 2019 ) . These tests will help us by showing which topics you have strength s or weakness in. The results are used in assist ing us in determining the best solution or course of action to better assist you in strengthening those weak areas you need help with . Do you understand so far Mr. S c hmoe? Mr. S c hmoe : Yes, you are going to let me know what each area means and what areas I need to work on. Doctor: Correct . When looking at the scores of the subsets for the test s you were given, and I compare them to individuals who are within your age group that also took the same test s . The scores tell us if you are a h igh average which specif ies you have a strength in that s ubset , average you are at a middle point , and low average specif ies a weakness for that s ubset . Your scores with the WASI -2 showed you have a full-scale IQ (FSIQ-4) score that is within average range. This score tells us that your cognitive abilities seem to be characteristic to those of your peers. The average scores in the subset's matrix reasoning, vocabulary, similarities, verbal comprehension, and perpetual reasoning index indicates that you have strengths in verbal abilities, and you do not have difficulties forming verbal concepts and using different words to form these thoughts (Perry, 2019) . You can form sentences, understand the ideas that are within the sentences, listen to sounds or look at sound structures and shape words from those sounds (Sample i ntelligence- a chievement Report, n. d ; Perry, 2019 ) . Block design you did fall in the low average range and what this means is you have some difficulty with pattern recognition in other words it was difficult for you to recreate a given pattern this is a weakness in the ability to understand and analyze abstract ideas from visual stimuli (Perry, 2019) . Mr. S c hmoe: So, developing different ideas and sentences, I am good at and I can finish

Free Essays on Swords

generally are worn in a scabbard ,a leather or metal sheath, belted to or hung at the side. A type of a sword is a wea... Free Essays on Swords Free Essays on Swords The sword is a weapon consisting of a long, sharp-edged or pointed blade fixed in a hilt which is a handle that usually has a protective guard at the place where the handle joins the blade. In a general sense, the term connotes any side arm for cutting or thrusting, such as a rapier, saber, à ©pà ©e, scimitar, cutlass, or claymore. Swords used in the most ancient times were made of stone, bone, or wood. Bronze swords, which were probably known to the Egyptians as early as 2000 bc, were the first metal swords. Harder iron swords, appearing at later times in different parts of the world, quickly proved superior; these remained in use until fairly recent times, when steelmaking was perfected and steel blades appeared. The requirements and methods of modern warfare have made swords obsolete as combat weapons. The sword has always been a personal weapon, effective only in hand-to-hand combat such as it was associated with individual distinction. Although swords of political and military leaders, nobles, and exceptional warriors frequently were ornamented, with hilts elegantly decorated ,and sometimes bejeweled and blades inlaid with gold and silver or forged so as to produce a watered effect after the damascene fashion. Symbolic importance also was often attached to the sword. In mythology and literature swords possessing supernatural qualities abound. These belonged to or were acquired by heroes and superior warriors. Oaths of honor or fealty commonly were taken on the sword, and sovereigns still confer knighthood by tapping the shoulder with a sword. To surrender one's sword has always been a token of defeat or submission, and the breaking of it a ceremony of degradation. In the U.S. Army the sword has been abolished, and a single form of saber is worn by officers on ceremonial occasions. When not drawn for use, swords generally are worn in a scabbard ,a leather or metal sheath, belted to or hung at the side. A type of a sword is a wea...

The Influence of Teachers Words and Actions

The Influence of Teachers' Words and Actions Teachers can have a huge influence on their students.  This goes much deeper than the lessons they teach. You only have to reflect on your own time in school to realize how positive or negative experiences can stick with you for the rest of your life. Educators need to remember that they hold great power over students in their hands. Words Can Uplift By encouraging a struggling student and explaining how she can be successful, a teacher  can change that student’s career. A perfect example of this happened to my niece. She had moved recently and began attending a new school in ninth grade. She struggled through most of her first semester, earning D’s and F’s. However, she had one teacher who saw that she was smart and just needed some extra help. Amazingly, this teacher spoke to her only once. He explained that the difference between earning an F or a C would require just a bit of extra effort on her part. He promised that if she spent just 15 minutes a day on homework, she would see a huge improvement. Most importantly, he told her that he knew she could do it. The effect was like flicking a switch. She became a straight-A student and to this day loves learning and reading. Words Can Harm By contrast, teachers can make subtle comments intended to be positive but are actually hurtful. For example, one of my best friends in school took  AP classes. She always earned B’s and never stood out in class. However, when she took her AP English test, she scored a 5, the highest possible mark. She also earned 4’s on two other AP exams. When she returned to school after the summer break, one of her teachers saw her in the hall and told her that she was shocked that my friend had earned such a high score. The teacher even told my friend that she had underestimated her. While at first my friend was delighted with the praise, she said that after some reflection, she was annoyed that her teacher didn’t see how hard she had worked or that she excelled in AP English. Years later, my friend now an adult says she still feels hurt when she thinks about the incident. This teacher likely only meant to praise my friend, but this faint praise led to hurt feelings decades after this brief hallway discussion. The Donkey Something as simple as role-playing can bruise a students ego, sometimes for life. For example, one of my students spoke of a former teacher she really liked and admired. Yet, she recalled a lesson he presented that really upset her. The class was discussing the barter system. The teacher gave each student a role: One student was a farmer and the other was the farmer’s wheat. The farmer then traded his wheat to another farmer in exchange for a donkey. My students role was to be the farmer’s donkey. She knew that the teacher simply picked kids at random and assigned them roles. Yet, she said that for years after the lesson, she always felt that the teacher had picked her as a donkey because she was overweight and ugly. Words Stick With Students The example illustrates that a teachers words can really stick with students for their entire lives. I know that I have tried to be more careful with what I tell students each day. I’m not perfect, but I hope that I am more thoughtful and less damaging to my students in the long run.

Critical analysis of the Titanic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical analysis of the Titanic - Essay Example Critical analysis of the Titanic The ship was divided based on social classes whereby there was the first, second and third classes. The elite were on the first class section, the middle class people were in second class while the poor or low class people were in the third class section. Even though the ships’ captain had received fore-warning of icebergs along the route on which he was bent on using, he ignored these warnings and soldiered on regardless of the risk involved. The ship hit an iceberg and water started rushing in the ship. This only meant that the ship was going to sink eventually. There were few life boats that would only allow for 1/3rd of the people in the ship to be saved. The priority was thus given to the women and kids. This order was however not completely adhered to because some of the elite men from the first class ad second class defied this order and decided to use the life boats to save their own skin. The issue of class is greatly focused on because as we can see, even the forbidd en love between Rose and Jack was across two classes on the extremes. Rose was from a wealthy family and jack was from a poor family. This explains why Rose was in the first class while Jack won a free 3rd class ticket while playing a game of cards. Roses’ mother was forcing Rose to marry Cal a wealthy man so as to maintain her social status. Rose as a character shows her demand for independence when she plans to take her own life instead of having to put up with her mothers’ demands to marry someone (Cal) she didn’t love for her mothers’ benefit.... Most of the people who belonged to the third class did not understand English and hence they could not understand what to do; they thus failed to escape hence most lost their lives as they drowned along with the ship. In addition there is also the issue of culture where we see the people in the first class have a different culture with those of the third class. Those in the first class live in their own structured and strict world while those in the third class are care free they just live their life. There were many members of the wealthy American families on the titanic and following this most members of the Americans were all lost in the sea. Sir Cosine Gordon together with his followers/ staff all survived having escaped using life boats to save their lives (Eaton 30). This was against the order that stated that women and men were to be given first priority. Wealth not only brought privileges but also responsibility; a way of conduct. There was the sense of duty as men were expec ted to give a higher priority to women and children. They were to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of others. This conduct is naturally expected of a gentleman. The life boats were not enough to save all the peoples’ lives which was very tragic. The life boats were few because the owners wanted a bigger space for the first class walkway decks hence made the life boats removed to create more space. This was selfish and inhuman as that action sacrificed the safety of all passengers just for the comfort of a fortunate few. Based on the statics of the survivals, very few people from the third class section of the ship survived which brought about the question of the people from the upper class and their right to life of to survive. Various reproaches are

Threat Management Of Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Threat Management Of Terrorism - Essay Example Most of the terror outfits in recent times have an ulterior political motive, and comprises of a very large and complex social network. One of the key measures of counter-terrorism strategies is to disrupt these terror networks by gaining corroborative evidence against its operations and pressing for military and/ or criminal proceedings against the culprits by way of seeking intervention of international bodies such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); International Police for Cooperation against Terrorism (Interpol); and the United Nations counter terrorism activities (Fraser, 2003; Deflem, 2004). This paper on ‘Threat management of terrorism’ discusses the various ways in the issue of global terrorism can be addressed and approached. Risk Calculation It is extremely crucial for decision makers to take calculated risks while undertaking counter-terrorism measures. This is because most of the time, the information collected regarding the terrorist activitie s, may result in poor judgments and hence poor decisions. Although the fact that no amount of planning and preparation on the part of counter-terrorism agencies can foretell or foresee all the terror attacks on a nation, a deterrence strategy based on defensive principles will, nonetheless, contribute significantly in restricting the extent of damage or at the most, prevent the dissipating of scarce national resources (Lebovic, 2007). Risk calculation might not help in completely averting the attack but it does play a key role in quantifying the extent of damage to human life and property and take pre-emptive measures to support and / or contain the aftermath. Today, due to the increasing use of technological aids and computer simulation it has become easier to calculate with accuracy, the degree and extent of damage likely to be caused by a certain act of terror. One of the most critical aspects / aftermath of such attacks is the number of casualties and economic loss. The risk cal culation strategies prove to be highly useful in mitigating the damage through development of counter-terrorism methods, evaluating the risk implications, and implementing crisis management strategies, in the most cost-effective manner possible (Larche, 2008; Dixon, 2007). Furthermore, strategies such as red-teaming and blue-teaming exercises which refer to the process of defining the weaknesses of a system and developing methods to mitigate the resulting vulnerabilities, can be implemented as an effective countermeasure (Carter, 2002). Reducing risk: Reducing the risks associated with terrorist attacks is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of threat management. Thanks to the ever increasing technological developments, reducing such risks has become easier and cost-effective, over time. One of the key strategies to ensure reducing the terrorism risks is to enhance the level of security. Care must be taken to install effective special protection technology which helps in avertin g and detecting potential risks, particularly at places which are highly vulnerable to terror strikes and prone to such attacks. Some of the most commonly used technological vigilance aids include installing of CCTV cameras in places of high risk, deploying of security guards and metal detectors; using intensive

Child and the Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Child and the Law - Case Study Example The multiple needs of the child, together with the fact that he has been acting as a caregiver for his mother, make the case a multifaceted one in which several different agencies need to be involved. The basic duty of care towards Justin involves assuring he receives parental care or in loco parentis care, adequate educational opportunities and medical provisions for the "signs of depression" that might incapacitate him or even put his life in risk if they were allowed to develop into full-blown depression. All these facets need to be taken into account. Taking each part of the account of Justin in turn, this analysis will first consider the "education supervision order" which he is under and also the fact that he has been "taken into care on a voluntary basis by Hoppingdean Social Services on a number of occasions". An education supervision order is an order that is granted by a family court under the provisions of section 36 of the Children Act, 1989. The Education Supervision Order (ESO) has a clear and compelling reasoning behind it. The ESO is designed to "ensure that the child receives an efficient full-time education, suitable to his or her age, ability and any Special Educational needs; and that the Child benefits fully from the education received" (cumbria, 2006). At the present time it appears as though the general provisions of such an order are not being met for Justin. Thus the fact that his "frequent absences" have left him without the peer group vital for social development at this age, and that despite the "remedial work" being offered by the school he "has fallen far behind on his schoolwork" shows that he is clearly not receiving an efficient education. The blame for this cannot be put at the school's door, as they appear to be meeting Justin's needs as far as is feasible for a general Comprehensive school. Neither, under the exceptional circumstances within which the family is living, can the blame be put on the mother who is suffering from depression and alcoholism. Normally the parents/parent would be required to attend a magistrate's court to discover why the elements of the ESO are not being met, but this would not be appropriate in this case. The question arises as to whether the fact that Justin has been taken into care on a number of occasions on a voluntary basis should offer the way forward: should Justin be taken into care on a full-time basis, thus transferring responsibility for the ESO onto the Local Authority Social Services Department. As it is the child exists in a kind of limbo in which no one agency, or his mother, is fully responsible for what is occurring to him. He clearly is not thriving within this situation, as his educational problems and initial signs of depression graphically illustrate. Some other action is needed. The case of Justin could be seen as an embodiment of the need for some kind of integrated services for at risk children in the United Kingdom. It was the realization of this need that led to the creation of the Children's Trusts. The Trusts were created in order to keep up with the Children Act of 2004. As the National Evaluation of the Trusts suggests, English Local Authorities and National Health Service organizations serving children, young people and families are expected to take steps to unify or co-ordinate these services . . . .Children's Trusts are the emerging framework in which improvements in outcomes for children and young people are to be brought

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Essay

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Can we take them seriously in the post modern era - Essay Example Miracle is a sign God use to point at Himself or at His existence. Through miracles God portrays, the universal fact that the whole universe is made by Him. He has order the universe to act in a certain order and according to certain laws, therefore He has the authority to change these whenever He wants The miracle is not always mean to break or violate the natural law. Everything has been made by God, He controls it and has been maintaining it since the first day of its creation but one day He will destroy it. The day will be â€Å"the day of judgment†. In the New Testament Jesus Christ performed many miracles. He performed His first miracle when He changed water into wine. He healed many people. The brought the dead to life. This was all done to build the faith of the Christian in the Supreme Authority. Being a Christian whenever you read the bible, you see miracles happening on every other page. Whether it is water changing into wine, sick ones is healed, the sea divides into two parts. There are number of miraculous activities which are performed by God himself, or by God’s will. All these events which we read only make our faith firm as a mountain. It makes us believe that Almighty God has unlimited power over every other thing. He controls all that happens and even the things that you think are impossible to happen. All the powers are in the hands of God, He can bring the dead to life. The purpose of all the miracles is to tell the human being that God has control of creation because he is the only one who has created us. It tells us that if God has the control over such miraculous thing, so just imagine what he can do with our lives. Nothing difficult for Him to control He can change our lives within the blink of an eye. He wants us to believe in the miracles and know that they can happen in our lives too. The miracles occur to make us believe in the bible. It makes us believe that there is a life after death and the way to that eternal life, is

Winston Churchill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Winston Churchill - Essay Example In his essay â€Å"Scaffolding of Rhetoric† Churchill wrote: â€Å"Sometimes a slight and not unpleasing stammer or impediment has been of some assistance in securing the attention of the audience†. Over the years of training, Churchill learned to use his voice with the highest level of mastery. He skilfully utilized the means of language such as detailed descriptions, stately sentences, metaphors, analogies, humor, resounding perorations, etc. as well as means of voice performed by influential intonation, which became a part of so-called Churchill's â€Å"personal style†: â€Å"There was imagery, color and history. Churchill crafted an interwoven set of traits that made a unique rhetorical persona... His speeches have a â€Å"Churchill quality†... a â€Å"Churchill approach† to public speaking†. Winston Churchill was also an acknowledged writer and received Nobel Prize a literature, making the language the main actor of his speeches.Among th e other elements of successful public speaking Churchill pointed out thorough preparation, emphatic beginning and focusing on ideas. All his speeches, Churchill prepared personally and beforehand. For many times Winston Churchill rehearsed, rewrote and edited his speeches. He could work out separate phrases for several days, weeks and even months, writing down the most important of them into a special notebook. Churchill admitted that he could not write fast enough and all his speeches were a result of hard work. He said that precise improvisation existed only in the imagination of the audience.

Research papers Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Papers - Research Paper Example The research shall also identify the challenges as well as the weaknesses of this service as provided by SMS mobile company, basing on the result from customer responses. Mobile usage was initially common among very few individuals who could afford the services. These were the rich businessmen of very high esteem. Today, mobile services a widely used by the young people between fifteen and eighteen years of age. This research shall involve the various stages that assist in research. Field work will be done and preceded by armchair research that shall put down the report. The research methodology shall involver interviews among the young as well as questionnaires that will be administered to one hundred respondents. The questionnaires shall basically focus on the various features of the service such as service reply reliability as well as the duration of message delivery. The questionnaire shall also seek top find the average e=ages of the respondents upon analysis. This will help fin d out the heavy users of the services and record their age bracket. The data obtained shall be analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The reason for choosing questionnaires in the research is basically because of the sample size. The sample size could be very large but the sample selected represents the views of the others due to the uniformity of mobile services. The questionnaires are very precise and do not seek to know the name of the respondents. This then encourages and increases accuracy in the data collection exercise. QUESTION 2 The first portable computers were introduced in early 1975 around California. With advancement in technology in which virtually all leading manufacturers of computers have gone through, very reliable high-speed portable computers have been introduced in the market and are widely used today in businesses as well as personal ventures. Due to the generation that has witnessed the development made in the side of computer adva ncement, the young people have been exposed more into the use of these computers. The ultimate difference or challenge in the use of these computers is the cost of acquiring a computer. This has led to the fact that only those with a reasonable income. A research has been initiated to dig deeper into the fact and figures regarding the services offered by these computers that are unique in a way that only the young are able to manipulate the computers for results. The research shall seek to find out the challenges these computers have brought as well as the significance of these computers. The research shall target young people of reasonably stable income. The challenges and general report obtained shall be used to improve the market and satisfy the potential clients. The research shall begin by identifying the objectives as well as the research questions that will help identifying the nature and scope of the study. This will lead to the sampling where a specific sample of those who will be involved in the research. The methodology shall involve the administration of questionnaires but scheduled interview shall be very effective. The effectiveness of these interviews is based on the fact that the respondents are able to demonstrate as well as show the challenges using the same computers that are in question. The sample size shall depend upon the number

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Essay

What is the main purpose of the miracle stories in the New Testament Can we take them seriously in the post modern era - Essay Example Miracle is a sign God use to point at Himself or at His existence. Through miracles God portrays, the universal fact that the whole universe is made by Him. He has order the universe to act in a certain order and according to certain laws, therefore He has the authority to change these whenever He wants The miracle is not always mean to break or violate the natural law. Everything has been made by God, He controls it and has been maintaining it since the first day of its creation but one day He will destroy it. The day will be â€Å"the day of judgment†. In the New Testament Jesus Christ performed many miracles. He performed His first miracle when He changed water into wine. He healed many people. The brought the dead to life. This was all done to build the faith of the Christian in the Supreme Authority. Being a Christian whenever you read the bible, you see miracles happening on every other page. Whether it is water changing into wine, sick ones is healed, the sea divides into two parts. There are number of miraculous activities which are performed by God himself, or by God’s will. All these events which we read only make our faith firm as a mountain. It makes us believe that Almighty God has unlimited power over every other thing. He controls all that happens and even the things that you think are impossible to happen. All the powers are in the hands of God, He can bring the dead to life. The purpose of all the miracles is to tell the human being that God has control of creation because he is the only one who has created us. It tells us that if God has the control over such miraculous thing, so just imagine what he can do with our lives. Nothing difficult for Him to control He can change our lives within the blink of an eye. He wants us to believe in the miracles and know that they can happen in our lives too. The miracles occur to make us believe in the bible. It makes us believe that there is a life after death and the way to that eternal life, is

Research papers Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Papers - Research Paper Example The research shall also identify the challenges as well as the weaknesses of this service as provided by SMS mobile company, basing on the result from customer responses. Mobile usage was initially common among very few individuals who could afford the services. These were the rich businessmen of very high esteem. Today, mobile services a widely used by the young people between fifteen and eighteen years of age. This research shall involve the various stages that assist in research. Field work will be done and preceded by armchair research that shall put down the report. The research methodology shall involver interviews among the young as well as questionnaires that will be administered to one hundred respondents. The questionnaires shall basically focus on the various features of the service such as service reply reliability as well as the duration of message delivery. The questionnaire shall also seek top find the average e=ages of the respondents upon analysis. This will help fin d out the heavy users of the services and record their age bracket. The data obtained shall be analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The reason for choosing questionnaires in the research is basically because of the sample size. The sample size could be very large but the sample selected represents the views of the others due to the uniformity of mobile services. The questionnaires are very precise and do not seek to know the name of the respondents. This then encourages and increases accuracy in the data collection exercise. QUESTION 2 The first portable computers were introduced in early 1975 around California. With advancement in technology in which virtually all leading manufacturers of computers have gone through, very reliable high-speed portable computers have been introduced in the market and are widely used today in businesses as well as personal ventures. Due to the generation that has witnessed the development made in the side of computer adva ncement, the young people have been exposed more into the use of these computers. The ultimate difference or challenge in the use of these computers is the cost of acquiring a computer. This has led to the fact that only those with a reasonable income. A research has been initiated to dig deeper into the fact and figures regarding the services offered by these computers that are unique in a way that only the young are able to manipulate the computers for results. The research shall seek to find out the challenges these computers have brought as well as the significance of these computers. The research shall target young people of reasonably stable income. The challenges and general report obtained shall be used to improve the market and satisfy the potential clients. The research shall begin by identifying the objectives as well as the research questions that will help identifying the nature and scope of the study. This will lead to the sampling where a specific sample of those who will be involved in the research. The methodology shall involve the administration of questionnaires but scheduled interview shall be very effective. The effectiveness of these interviews is based on the fact that the respondents are able to demonstrate as well as show the challenges using the same computers that are in question. The sample size shall depend upon the number

The Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Essay Example for Free

The Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Essay The paper presents e-commerce business idea that could be realized at the Internet brand MusicWorld.com. Mission Statement of MusicWorld.com It is MusicWorld.com’s goal to enhance the development of electronic music by being the premier, comprehensive resource on the Internet for electronic music aficionados and producers of MusicWorld.com will democratize music, creation, distribution and consumption by: assisting artists in the production of their music by providing samples and sound fonts at no cost giving talented artists with few connections or resources the chance to distribute their music giving small record labels the chance to distribute their music online, increasing their viability allowing a fan of the music anywhere in the world instant access to a huge selection of releases from across the globe at very reasonable prices. Executive Summary A formidable opportunity has arisen from the combination of the advent of the Internet as a medium for music distribution, and the rise in popularity of a genre of music that is entirely composed with computer software electronic music. This genre has been largely ignored by most mainstream retailers and labels because of its non-traditional song formats that make it non-conducive for radio play. It is MusicWorld.com’s plan to market the electronic genre of music via a web site whereby consumers will download the music to their PCs. As a convenience, MusicWorld.com will write the purchased songs to CD and ship them directly to consumers who are not yet equipped to download music. The web site is designed for maximum user-friendliness, unlike any other music site today. MusicWorld.com’s unique web design allows users to browse the selection effortlessly, while being able to automatically hear excerpts from each virtual CD. The electronic genre of music is ideal for online distribution for the following reasons: There is a proliferation of artists worldwide within this genre because of the low price and accessibility of the necessary equipment and software The music is created on PC; artists simply send MusicWorld.com music files via the Internet from anywhere in the world Even very popular artists within this genre are accessible to negotiate contracts with since they tend to be self-distributed, or own small record labels Because of the genres rapid evolution and its individualistic nature, aficionados constantly demand new material MusicWorld.com is distinguished from its competitors in that: The site uses flash software, the latest generation in web site technology that allows users to view complex graphics and animations, and hear high-quality audio It uses a push marketing approach in that there is no need to download individual music files It combines the advantages of CD-quality, piracy-protected downloadable music, custom-mixed shipped CDs, an electronic focus, event information, and musician resources The market The market for electronic music is largely composed of University students. According to Jupiter Communications: College students, typically have free broadband access that makes digital distribution much more feasible, not to mention the highest penetration rate of any online demographic. This audience is the first that will be compelled to purchase writable drive peripherals specifically for the digital delivery of commercial music. (3) Aficionados of electronic music are raised in the age of the World Wide Web, making Internet distribution in tune with their lifestyle. Offer and Use of Proceeds The estimated net proceeds to be received by MusicWorld.com from the sale of common shares, is GBP 166,666 (including GBP 16,666 of expected expenses associated with the offering). MusicWorld.com intends to allocate GBP 27,777 of the net proceeds towards the purchase its web site design, and the balance, in the amount of GBP 138,888, towards funding salaries and working capital. The investor will receive 10% of the common shares in exchange. Capitalization The following table sets forth the capitalization of MusicWorld.com as at the dates indicated, before and after giving effect to the issue of common shares contemplated hereby. Shareholders equity Pro forma as at April 30, 20## Pro forma as at April 30, 20## after giving effects to the Common shares No. of common shares (without par value) 1,650,000 1,833,333 Book value of equity (in GBP) GBP 165 GBP 183,498 Summary Financial Information 1,833,333 outstanding shores 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Revenue GBP 405,752 GBP 1,622,987 GBP 4,900,662 GBP 12,964,445 GBP 30,145,945 Net Income (GBP 56,483) GBP 232,377 GBP 1,051,891 GBP 3,275,671 GBP 8,034,936 Net Book Value GBP 39,468 GBP 271,846 GBP 1,323,738 GBP 4,599,409 GBP 12,634,346 Return on Ave. Equity GBP 103,743 GBP 156,368 GBP 812,923 GBP 2,982,460 GBP 8,790,386 Gross Margins 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% Earnings per share (GBP 0.28) (GBP 0.016) GBP 0.07 GBP 0.31 GBP 2.43 The Opportunity The music industry is experiencing two major changes: Music has been traditionally sold in a physical format that required manufacturing, including the record, the eight-track tape, the cassette, and the CD. Recently, with the advent of the Internet and increasing bandwidth, music has been reduced to a digital entity as witnessed by the proliferation of MP3. This is the biggest change the recording industry has possibly ever seen. As we look ahead, we anticipate that the convenience of digital delivery of phonorecords may soon make digital transmission services the music distribution method of choice for many consumers.(4) Music used to be classified into a narrow range of genres. These included classical, pop/rock, country, and jazz. Tastes have fragmented over the last decade, such that there are many more genres of music today most likely due to the proliferation of low-cost technology that allows artists to self-publish. This phenomenon was virtually unheard of in the past due to the enormous costs involved. Once upon a time, people bought pop music. Then they bought rock music. Now, they buy grunge, ambient, illbient, acid house, acid jazz, drum n bass, Eurodance, hip-hop, trip-hop, lounge, techno, glam, industrial metal, lo-fi, dream pop, psyche rock or riot grill. Digital technology encourages this fragmentation by giving each new splinter genre easier access to the means of producing and distributing its wares.(5) Despite its growing popularity, electronic music has been practically ignored by mainstream record labels and radio stations, which are just beginning to catch on. Internet radio stations are discovering that the genre can be lucrative however. One of these is amino Radio: AminoRadio is a 24-hour station devoted completely to music including techno, drum n bass, house, turntablism, and other forms of electronic music. AminoRadio is The Eclectic Radio Companys answer to the huge demand for techno electronic music that is not being provided by any other form of broadcast media. (6) Launched in August 1998, amino Radio now has over 15,500 listening sessions per month, and is growing at a rate of 300% each quarter. The lack of electronic musics traditional radio play is possibly due to the unusual format of the songs, which have erratic lengths. Some tracks are ten seconds long, while the majority are at least seven minutes long. This does not fit well with the traditional radio format of three and four minute songs. With virtually no radio play, record labels do not want to risk the investment of producing electronic artists music. The result? An invisible community of electronic music lovers who hear the music through Internet radio, at dance clubs, and buy it from specialized record stores at a premium. The record stores are supplied by small record labels, which have grown out of the success of certain artists. MusicWorld.com plans to take advantage of the resulting opportunity by positioning itself as the premier online source for electronic music and culture. The Music History Whether we are prepared to admit it or not, technology has always defined popular music. From the development of the microphone that allowed Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to croon softly on top of a big band to Keith Richards discovery of the pleasures of an overdriven guitar amplifier, the excitement generated by pop music is often the thrill of exploration and the sense of possibility provided by the use and misuse of new technology. Electronic music is about the era of the proliferation of digital technology; an age in which the boundaries between human and machine are becoming increasingly blurred. (7) Possibly the most significant difference between electronica and other musical genres is the importance of the DJ in reinterpreting and re-mixing what artists produce. Indeed, there is a significant shift in recognition from the musicians themselves to the DJs who perform it live, and who also record their work. This began in Chicago with the advent of House music, which was pioneered at a local venue called the Warehouse. The tradition continued later in Detroit, the birthplace of techno. The importance of the DJ can be attributed to the fact that the music is disseminated by being played live, and by the fact that only a professional working full-time could possibly afford the time and cost involved to gather such rare music from various countries. In Germany, where electronica occupies a significant portion of the Top 40, it is bona fide pop music. (8) Music production process The following explains how electronic music is created using current technology: The minimum equipment needed is a computer with at least a 150MHz processor, 32 Megs of RAM, a MIDI-compatible sound card (e.g. Soundblaster), 1 gig of hard disk space, and music composition software (MIDI), e.g. Cubase already affordable. The sound card is capable of generating sounds which fall into 2 categories: synthesized, and sampled Synthesized sounds are generated from simple tones, whereas sampled sounds are recorded from various sources, often using a microphone Using MIDI software, the musician creates a score which plays these sounds, which effectively act as instruments (think of the MIDI score as sheet music, the sound card as the instruments, and the computer as the musicians) The result of the MIDI file playing these sounds is a WAV file. This file can then be uploaded to MusicWorld.com. The Products and Services A comprehensive electronic music web site has been designed for maximum user-friendliness, unlike any other music site today. The unique design allows users to browse MusicWorld.com’s musical repertoire effortlessly, while being able to automatically hear excerpts from each virtual CD. The site uses Flash technology, the new generation in web site design that allows users to view complex graphics and animations, and hear high-quality audio by streaming the content to them as they browse the site. Music fans can: Listen to various tracks/clips of their favorite artists and/or DJs Download a complete CD in 10 minutes through use of a high bandwidth connection for GBP 4.00 (this includes downloading the cover art as well). They then have the choice of burning the file to a CD, or playing it through their computer. Have a custom CD burned by MusicWorld.com’s staff, and have it shipped for an additional fee (GBP 3.00) Find out about electronic music events in their area, or elsewhere Read/listen to interviews with their favorite artists/DJs Electronic artists can: enter into a distribution agreement with the site whereby their music is available for purchase download (and post) musical samples which are used to create their music at no charge agree to be interviewed to increase awareness of their work DJs can: sample songs/clips of various artists before buying have access to the latest tracks from even the most obscure artist from anywhere in the world virtually instantaneously enter into a distribution agreement with the site whereby their music is available for purchase agree to be interviewed to increase their recognition post tour information Labels can: use MusicWorld.com as an additional distribution vehicle for their talent, at no marginal cost use MusicWorld.com to run promotions for new releases (e.g. sneak previews, etc.) By making sure the site offers not only music to consumers, MusicWorld.com is ensuring authenticity. Web sites that only aspire to be stores, forget why people surf the Internet in the first place: for information. MusicWorld.com intends to provide high-quality information on the topics that interest the target market to ensure frequent visits to the site, and a positive brand image. The intent is to be the premiere resource for electronic music and related information on the Internet. A site of this caliber does not presently exist. Operations Technology   Site Operations Standard operations for MusicWorld.com consist of three major facets: updating the site with new information, adding musical content to MusicWorld.com’s repertoire of products, and distributing such content to online customers. The addition of musical content to the MusicWorld.com site consists of: Artists submitting their music (and cover art, created on their home PCs) to MusicWorld.com’s submissions department as a digital audio file, or on a conventional CD MusicWorld.com screening musical content for quality and appropriateness (a qualified Artistic Director, see the Employees section on page 25) Artists signing a digital distribution contract, whereby they earn 50% of the sales price (before shipping) of each full album or individual track Converting content into a format (Liquid Tracks) that can be played by customers Liquid Music Player or Real Player using the Liquifier Pro music publisher Uploading it to our server The second facet involves distributing content to customers: Hosting the site through a dedicated server Providing samples of music, which are streamed with the Liquid Music Server software. Providing this music for purchase via a secured credit card transaction. This is provided by a third party that specializes in this service, iBill see www.ibill.com) Delivering the selected content from MusicWorld.com’s server (managed with the Liquid Music Server software) MusicWorld.com will be paying a one-time licensing fee (GBP 16,666) for the use of Liquid Audios Liquid Music System, a commercial hosting package that includes the Liquifier Pro (copy-protected music publisher), Liquid Music Server (music delivery management software), and the Liquid Music Player (digital audio listening software). The Liquid Music System not only meets our requirements for efficient, trouble-free software to manage and publish musical data, but also equally offers superior performance and flexibility. The Liquifier Pro is the first professional software that allows MusicWorld.com to prepare and publish CD-quality, copy-protected music for purchase and delivery via the Internet to PCs and Macs everywhere. It transcends audio features by providing the capability to include lyrics, credits and artwork all contained within one file, the Liquid Track. Furthermore, Liquid Audio uses Dolby Digital encoding, resulting in the highest quality audio for streaming and downloading of CD-quality music on the Internet. To ensure audio quality, regardless of different connection speeds, the Liquifier also provides a unique preview capability before publishing to the Liquid Music Server. Target Markets MusicWorld.com target market is very specific, as it comprises those people who already listen to electronic music. MusicWorld.com conducted a survey of 100 respondents, mostly in the UK area, with approximately 10% of respondents were from abroad, (surveyed via the Internet). As this market research revealed, the target market is young (average age 25), well educated (average 1-3 years University), and predominantly male (65%). They have computers at home (81%), Internet access (97%), and spend more time on the Internet than most people (9 hrs/wk). They also are more likely to have access to a high bandwidth connection (31%) than average Internet users, and are also more likely to possess a CD burner (29%). They also buy more CDs than the average consumer. A high proportion (12%) of electronic music fans actually compose their own music, which supports the fact that a high proportion of them (75%) would like to support a retailer, which rewards artists at a higher level than the industry average. This is part of MusicWorld.com’s marketing strategy. Possibly the most important characteristic of electronic music listeners is that they are dispersed all over the globe. For the purposes of marketing communications, however, MusicWorld.com’s main target markets are in the U.S., Germany and the UK. This is because the consumers in these countries are either English speaking or highly fluent in English, have the highest sales of CDs per capita, and the highest concentration of electronic music fans for historical reasons. Since MusicWorld.com’s main distribution channel is via the Internet, an English speaking person anywhere in the world with Internet access can be attracted to our site and make a purchase. Product MusicWorld.com conducts an electronic commerce that aims to fulfill all the needs of electronic music fans and artists. The site will have an image that fits with that segments lifestyle and tastes. This will come naturally, given that MusicWorld.com’s founders are part of the target market. Thus, in the very short term, MusicWorld.com’s goal is to become the most complete online resource for electronic music lovers, regardless of whether the people frequenting the site actually purchase anything. The idea is to get consumers used to using the site for information such that when they are in the market for a new CD, they use MusicWorld.com’s site as opposed to another that has not served their needs so well. After this initial period, the site must continue to innovate and respond to the consumers needs. Even beyond this, it must anticipate what customers want before they want it. This way, it will be hard to take away the first-mover advantage that the site will have in this niche market. MusicWorld.com will rely on some independent, unsigned artists for the sites content, however, MusicWorld.com will also target certain small electronica-focused record labels in order to add their roster of artists to MusicWorld.com’s repertoire. These small labels have much to gain from partnering with MusicWorld.com. Partnership offers a way of earning 40% of sale price while incurring no marginal cost whatsoever. In fact, MusicWorld.com’s site can be seen as a way of popularizing the labels roster of artists. MusicWorld.com will find unsigned talent through posting on Internet Newsgroups, which is free of charge. In fact, MusicWorld.com already has found numerous artists through market research who are enthusiastic about the possibility of the online distribution of their music; f(y)u, for example, whose CD is included at the back of this document. MusicWorld.com will have a qualified artistic director screen submissions, and only make the highest quality music available in order to preserve   brand image. Distribution In terms of the delivery of music, MusicWorld.com’s primary market research showed that our potential customers are mainly concerned with the following: Security of transactions (5.72 on a scale of 1 to 7) Speed of download (5.48 on a scale of 1 to 7) Technical problems (5.17 on a scale of 1 to 7) The site will provide secured credit card transactions as well as alternative modes of payments to satisfy all customers. In the first three months these aspects are taken care of by Liquid Audio, by being a part of the Liquid Music Network. Download times will be reduced as high bandwidth connections become the norm. MusicWorld.com will ensure that the customers who so choose will be able to download their CD without running into any of the above-mentioned problems through the use of proven, easy-to-use software from Liquid Audio. As the customer profile suggests, the target segment is very narrow and would be difficult to reach with traditional distribution methods. The spread of customers has so far made this market very small and unattractive. However, the Internet overcomes the obstacles of geography in the sense that almost everybody can be reached from a web site. Pricing MusicWorld.com’s primary market research showed that its customer have a large amount of disposable income (average income of GBP CAD 15,000, yet many are students), spends money on technology (81% have computers and 92% have Internet access) and is not particularly price sensitive (average importance of price on a scale of 1-7 was 4.8). The average downloadable CD price suggested by respondents was GBP 5,50 CAD. At the time of the survey (Feb. 1999), there were no sites offering whole CDs available for download. Sites were offering individual tracks for GBP 0.55, however. Now, Good Noise Inc. is offering full albums for GBP 4.99, although they do not have any electronic (genre) music, which tends to be more expensive because of the high import rate. The selected price-point for MusicWorld.com’s album downloads will be GBP 4 /unit, as compared to the price of actual CDs (physical copies) sold in retail outlets for GBP 6-8/unit domestic, or GBP 9-16 for imports. This GBP 4 price is composed of GBP 2.48 profit margin (56%), GBP 1.70 in artist/label royalties, and GBP 0.18 credit card processing fees. Such a cost structure is made possible by the online nature of MusicWorld.com’s distribution, which bypasses many levels in the distribution channel, and thus many overhead costs normally incurred by wholesalers/retailers. MusicWorld.com is selecting the GBP 4 price point for several reasons: To encourage first time purchases To discourage new entrants from entering the niche A very competitive introductory price will encourage loyalty. This cost structure allows not only offering a better price to consumers (with a faster speed to market), but also better royalties to artists. Under the traditional record label contracts, artists can expect to earn 10% of sales at the most. With MusicWorld.com’s method, unknown artists gain worldwide distribution overnight, and royalties of GBP 1.70 per album sold. This offers significant incentives to artists who either arent known enough to sign major record deals, or dont have an interest in dealing with major labels. There is also a significant opportunity for labels to be able to distribute their artists work worldwide risk-free, with no marginal costs, no marketing costs, and no administrative hassle. Promotion MusicWorld.com will use public relations, advertising, personal selling and an Associates Program to meet sales goals. Public relations Post MusicWorld.com to all Internet search engines (e.g. Excite, Altavista, etc.,) (free) with the help of analytical software, Webposition Gold, which optimizes meta tags for each search engine, as they all have different preferences Post links to MusicWorld.com on smaller related sites, such as hyperreal.org and Technoindex.com (free) Post newsgroup messages in the appropriate newsgroups, e.g. alt.emusic, alt.music.techno, alt.music.house, alt.music.jungle (free) Send press releases to all relevant media, including electronic music print and Internet magazines, campus radio stations, and alternative newspapers in urban areas Sponsor electronic music events, by posting signage, passing out flyers, and video Advertising MusicWorld.com will advertise in several print publications, which cover the UK and Germany, the U.S., and Canada. Respectively, they are: Mixmag, XLR8R and Tribe. MusicWorld.com will also advertise on the Internet, primarily on Technoindex, an index site which lists all relevant electronica sites, and on aminoRadios Internet radio site (exclusively electronica) Positioning Electronic music fans should view MusicWorld.com as the comprehensive one stop shop for all of their electronic music related needs. This means their actual musical needs, their need for information on artists, DJs, upcoming events, films, etc., and their need to contact other fans of the music. Composers of electronic music should view MusicWorld.com as a source of samples and sound fonts to create their music with, and as a fairly remunerated means of distributing their music and gaining recognition. DJs should view MusicWorld.com as a source of the latest in cutting edge material for their repertoires, and as a means of gaining exposure via actually distributing their music or by consenting to be interviewed, and/or posting tour information. An important note to make is that it is essential that MusicWorld.com reaches all three of its positioning goals, as it is the combination of the three that will lead to success. By having the site supported by leading DJs and talented artists, it gains credibility as an authentic place to purchase music. This puts it way ahead of a simple retailer who is merely selling music. In contrast, MusicWorld.com should become a part of the consumers lifestyle. Competitors and Substituting Products Online Players Downloadable Music CD Quality Piracy protected Custom CD shipped Event Info GBP 11 or less Push marketing Electronic focus Musician resources MusicWorld.com x x x x x x x x x CDuctive x n/a x x raveworld.net x x thewomb.org x x MP3.com x x x CDnow n/a Amazon.com n/a hyperreal.org x x x technogenesis x x x a little x X-radio.com x Astralwerks x GoodNoise x x   To compete with these firms, MusicWorld.com must successfully bundle these three characteristics greater source of information, greater variety of innovative electronica, and downloadable content and build brand equity to be recognized as THE electronica site. MusicWorld.com will continue to offer online order processing for regular shipping to accommodate electronica fans that have not yet acquired the latest technology. MusicWorld.com’s greatest competitors generally offer real-time streaming audio of sample tracks (to listen to directly with RealAudio), or downloads of single tracks, mostly using MP3, and online ordering of conventional CDs. Most are small, independent outfits, formed over the last three years, and appear to be privately owned. Competitors generally price conventional CDs at GBP 5.55-8.88, and downloadable tracks at GBP 0.55 each, plus a base price of GBP 2.772 GBP 3.3285 for a custom CD. The market for online music is already consolidating, as big players merge to create bigger entities with wider revenue bases (e.g. CDNow and N2K), in hopes of protecting themselves from new entrants. Investors belief in the explosive potential for online (downloadable) content distribution is reflected in market capitalization of these companies shares. This threat of new entrants is very real, as witnessed by the extension of Amazon.coms retail mix into CDs for home delivery, and the recent creation of online mega-distributors such as Spree.com and Buycomp.com. The next logical step for such distributors is to offer online downloads. Meanwhile, a variety of small, independent sites are also appearing with alarming frequency. Major record labels such as Warner and Sony Records have recognized the digital threat and are moving to develop competitive alternatives. Some have even begun to recognize the potential of the electronica market, and are signing contracts with major artists (e.g. Fatboy Slim and Virgin Records). Some are even developing separate labels to cover electronica Virgin Records Astralwerks is now a significant player in terms of variety offered. They have not given any indication that they plan to offer downloadable music. The speed with which this industry is moving can cause MusicWorld.com’s window of opportunity to close rapidly. Any investment initiative that is to be undertaken in this venture will have to be taken now. References: Jupiter Communications, Music Industry and the Internet, p.5 Techno Tackles the Net, Niall McKay and Christopher Jones, http://www.wired.com/news/print version/culture/story/16764.html?wnpg=all Jupiter Communications, Music Industry and the Internet, September 1998, p.9 National Music Publishers Association, http://www.nmpa.or2/nmpa.html The Music Industry. A Note of Fear, The Economist, Oct. 31, 1998. AminoRadio press kit. http://www. Aminoradio.com Modulations treatment (Caipirinha productions), Peter Shapiro, available at: http://www.modulations.com/ Quantum Fireball as quoted on www.egghead.com on April 20, 1999. http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user surveys/survey-1997-04/graphs/purchase/OnIine Seeking And Purchasing.html Calculated from lFPl and Statistics sources. Prices obtained from www.CDuctive.com on April 20,1999. Prices obtained from www.technogenesis.com on April 20, 1999.