How to Structure an Essay

If youve been tasked with  writing an essay  for a class assignment, the project might seem daunting. However, your assignment doesnt have to be a hair-pulling, frazzled all-nighter. Think of writing an essay as if you were  making a hamburger. Imagine the parts of a burger:  Theres a bun (bread) on top and a bun on the bottom. In the middle, youll find the meat.   Your introduction is like the top bun announcing the subject, your supporting paragraphs are the beef in the middle, and your conclusion is the bottom bun, supporting everything. The condiments would be the specific  examples  and  illustrations  that can help to  clarify  key points and keep your writing interesting. (Who, after all, would eat a burger composed only of bread and beef?) Each part needs to be present: A soggy or missing bun would cause your fingers to slip immediately into the beef without being able to hold and enjoy the burger. But if your burger had no beef in the middle, youd be left with two dry pieces of bread. The Introduction Your  introductory paragraphs  introduce the reader to your topic. For example, you might choose to write an essay titled, Technology Is Changing Our Lives. Start your introduction with a  hook  that captures the readers attention: Technology is taking over our lives and changing the world. After you introduce your topic and draw the reader in, the most important part of your introductory paragraph(s) would be you  the main idea, or  thesis. The Little Seagull Handbook calls this a statement that introduces your main point, identifying your topic. Your thesis statement could read: Information technology has revolutionized the way we work. But, your topic can be more varied and may cover seemingly mundane subjects, such as this opening paragraph from  Mary Zeiglers  How to Catch River Crabs. Zeigler grabs the readers attention  from the first sentence: As a lifelong crabber (that is, one who catches crabs, not a chronic complainer), I can tell you that anyone who has patience and a great love for the river is qualified to join the ranks of crabbers.​ The final sentences of your introduction, then, would be a mini-outline of what your essay will cover. Dont use an outline form, but explain briefly all the key points you intend to discuss in narrative form. Supporting Paragraphs Extending the hamburger essay theme, the  supporting paragraphs  would be beef. These would include well-researched and logical points that support your thesis. The  topic sentence  of each paragraph might serve as the reference points of your mini-outline. The topic  sentence, which is often  at the beginning of a  paragraph, states or suggests the main idea (or  topic) of a paragraph. Bellevue College in Washington state shows how to write  four different supporting paragraphs on four different topics: a description of a beautiful day; savings and loan and bank failures; the writers father; and, the writers joke-playing cousin. Bellevue explains that your supporting paragraphs should provide rich, vivid imagery, or logical and specific supporting details, depending on your topic. A perfect supporting paragraph for the technology topic, discussed previously, could draw on current events. In its Jan. 20-21, 2018, weekend edition, The Wall Street Journal ran an article titled, Digital Revolution Upends Ad Industry: A Divide Between Old Guard and New Tech Hires. The article described in searing detail, how one of the worlds biggest ad agencies lost a major Mcdonalds advertising account to a relative upstart  because the fast-food chain felt the older agency was not adept enough at using data to quickly produce online ads and target minute slices of its customer base. The younger, hipper, agency, by contrast, had worked with Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Incs Google to assemble a team of data experts. You could use this news story to illustrate how technology—and a need for workers who understand it and are able to use it—is taking over the world and is changing entire industries. The Conclusion Just as a hamburger needs a durable bottom bun to contain all the ingredients inside, your essay needs a strong conclusion to support and buttress your points. You can also think of it as the  closing argument  a prosecutor might make in a criminal court case. The closing arguments section of a trial takes place when the prosecution attempts to strengthen the evidence she presented to the jury.  Even though the prosecutor likely provided solid and compelling arguments and evidence during the trial, it isnt until the closing arguments that she ties it all together. In the same way, youll restate your main points in the conclusion in reverse order of how you listed them in your introduction. Some sources call this an upside-down triangle: The intro was a triangle that was right-side up, where you started with a short, razor sharp point—your hook—which then fanned out slightly to your topic sentence and broadened further with your mini-outline. The conclusion, by contrast, is an upside-down triangle that starts by broadly reviewing the evidence—the points you made in your supporting paragraphs—and then narrows to your topic sentence and a restatement of your hook. In this way, youve logically explained your points, restated your main idea, and left readers with a zinger that hopefully convinces them of your point of view. Source Bullock, Richard. The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises. Michal Brody, Francine Weinberg, Third edition, W. W. Norton Company, December 22, 2016.

Candide, Macbeth and Oedipus Rex - 1525 Words

In Candide, Macbeth and Oedipus Rex, fate and free will are always two opposing themes reflect on major characters. Fate is a belief that the future is predetermined, and it’s truly impossible to convert the consequence. No matter how people endeavor, the same thing will happen because that is what is supposed to occur. It’s also the philosophy that everything happens for a reason or relates to the God, things don’t happen â€Å"just because†. Free will is a constant concept that people act freely upon their voluntary intentions. People doing something because they wanted to do, not the thing that is supposed to happen. People have totally control of their actions when to use their free wills, and they don’t necessarily believe that things happen for a specific reason. Both beliefs are exemplified by different characters among three books, and they bring out a similar point that fate and free will always alternately happen in a same event. People in tuitively think that they acting freely, but the fate has already impacted in their action. In fact, the fate and free will might cannot leave without each other. In Voltaire’s novel, Candide, it talks about Candide’s adventure and other people’s stories. After everything got down, Candide learnt that people had free will and dominated their fates based on their actions in the present. However, at the beginning of the story, Candide and some other people believed in Pangloss that everything happened in their life was supposed toShow MoreRelatedFate and Free Will in Literature Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus Rex, Candide, Macbeth, The Cherry Orchard, and the Metamorphosis all have one obvious recurring theme; fate v.s. freewill. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus tries to beat his fate. He leaves home and travels because he is afraid of the prophecy made of him. Despite this, in the case of Oedipus, his fate was inescapable. Candide, on the other hand, defies his fat e. He is fated to be separated from Cunegonde, but he keeps trying and trying to be with her. Candide goes through many obstacles, learns aboutRead MoreEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 Pagesunderstanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary. You may select a work from the list below or another novel or play of comparable literary merit. Alias Grace Middlemarch All the King’s Men Moby-Dick Candide Obasan Death of a Salesman Oedipus Rex Doctor Faustus Orlando Don Quixote A portrait of the Artist as a Young Man A Gesture Life Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Ghosts The Scarlet

Description of Strategic Management of Manchester United FC

Question: Describe about the term for Strategic Management of Manchester United FC? Answer: Corporate Objectives of Manchester United Manchester United FC, a professional sports team of Manchester, England, has three principle sectors in their business model. The three areas are Commercial, Broadcasting and Matchday. Corporate strategy of Manchester United FC totally depends on these three sectors. Via commercial sector, they enhance their global brand using three revenue streams which are retail, merchandising apparel and product licensing and mobile and content (manutd.com 2016). Authority of Manchester United FC also focuses on their broadcasting sector that allows them to gain a large part of their total revenue. Broadcasting revenue of Manchester United was 108 million in 2015. Therefore, their foremost objective is to increase the availability of MUTV (Manchester United TV) in different countries. Last but not the least, match day sector of the organization is responsible for proving 90.6 million revenue in the year of 2015 (manutd.com 2016). Being one of the largest stadiums in the world, Old Trafford has th e seating capacity of 75,669 and Manchester United Authority is planning to increase this number so that they can gain more revenue from match days (Paramio et al. 2015). Vision: The vision of Manchester United is to become the perennial best soccer club in the world, both on and of the pitch (manutd.com 2016). Some of their other vision and values are staying united (committed passion for success), non-discriminatory (available to all), creative (to be first to ball every time) and team oriented (working as a team with dedication). Mission: As Manchester United, our mission is to become the most powerful and successful sports team in the world, both on and off the pitch (manutd.com 2016). From the mission statement, it is clear that the organization is focused to combine their best business practices to acquire and maintain a championship caliber team that will help them to become a more successful brand in the world. PESTLE analysis of Manchester United PESTLE analysis on Manchester United FC is mentioned below by describing the effect of four major factors (Political, Economic, Technological and Social) on it. Manchester United is an English Premier League soccer club located in Manchester, UK. Therefore, all the factors described in this analysis will focus on the UK market. Figure 1: PESTLE Analysis (Source: Ausloos 2014 ) Political factors European Football Association and global equivalents like Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and Fdration Internationale de Football Association or International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) are primarily affecting Manchester United FC politically. These organizations are responsible for shaping and instructing how all football clubs can operate (Ausloos et al. 2014). UEFA and FIFA set the rules and regulations for the football clubs regarding transferring and signing players and carrying out their on-field activities. According to the rules of UEFA 2010, those organizations also monitor the amount of debts a club is allowed to carry. This rule has a direct effect on Manchester United FC as their high-level debts can cause short-term financial difficulties in near future (Edwards 2013). As the club cannot afford more debts according to the rules of UEFA, the scale and duration of Manchester Uniteds financial difficulties might increase further. Economic Major economic recession in the UK is likely to affect the revenues of Manchester United. Watching football matches and following football clubs as big as Manchester United is expensive. Therefore, it is possible that Manchester United will feel an economic decline in near future. However, in spite of the critical economic conditions of the UK, Manchester United continues to grow its revenues as per BBC sports. According to Millward and Poulton (2014), the revenue of Manchester United reached record levels in the year of 2015. As a result, of this economic fall, buying players will be difficult for the club, as the other clubs in Eurozone will have an advantage because of the pound's current weakness against the Euro (manutd.com 2016). Social The desire to watch football has increased significantly among the people. In some previous periods such as in 1980s, football was affected by hooliganism, but now football has become the center of social interests (Doidge 2014). Having the largest fan base and the most attractive brand value in the world, Manchester United will be benefited because of this social interest (manutd.com 2016). Technological The advent of the internet technology, hundreds of broadcasting channels and various social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter has come up. These social media sites have helped Manchester United to unite with a broader range of fans and followers globally (Rofe 2014). This also allows Manchester United to gain more revenue from the fans that do not live in within the range of traditional distribution networks of UK or cannot access football matches on their local television networks. Porters Competitive Forces Porters five forces model or competitive forces are mentioned below to find out the attractiveness of Manchester Uniteds key market in UK. Figure 2: Porters five force model with their level of influence (Source: Sanders 2014) Buyer power A large part of Manchester Uniteds revenue is dependent on its fans and followers. Even though the club has a huge fan base, these fans and followers can switch to other EPL clubs of UK like Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool. Poor performance of Manchester United in English Premier League and other major leagues can force the fans and followers to move to other teams (Olson et al. 2016). Besides, switching costs are also low for the buyers/fans. Supplier power Supplier power in England is much more favorable than any other country in the world (Ogbonna and Harris 2015). Countries like China and India have relatively high supplier power (Szymanski 2016). Clubs in those countries are not allowed to have more than five foreign players in their teams (Sanders et al. 2014). On the other hand, football clubs of England do not have such rules and regulations. Competitive rivalry Teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have already completed their pre-season tours in China. Liverpool is all set to join hands with one of the I-league teams in India. Chelsea is providing support to local teams in Korea and Japan. According to Poli et al. (2013), Arsenal has already taken over Manchester United in terms of popularity in China. Therefore, the competitive rivalry is fierce and Manchester United is currently losing the battle (Ado et al. 2015). Threat of Substitution Manchester Uniteds revenue mainly depends on English Premier League (EPL). EPL is considered as the most popular and demanding football league in UK and the world and being a top team in that league, Manchester United is in the center of all attraction (Porter et al. 2015). However, the popularity of EPL is fading slowly but steadily as some new football leagues are introduced in other countries, especially in countries of Asia. For example, Indian Super League has already acquired rank 3 in top 10 football leagues in the world where just two editions of that league have performed yet (Thetoptens.com 2016). Besides, football leagues in China are also gaining lots of attention which can affect EPL and Manchester United. Strong marketing presence of USA basketball teams in the UK can also divert the popularity of football to basketball. Threat of new entry The Asian market is slowly but steadily firming their grip on the football industry (Szymanski 2016). Football leagues in China and India are giving enormous competition to the football leagues in England, Germany, Spain and France. Several other countries are also planning to introduce new football leagues in the near future (Kennedy and Kennedy 2015). Therefore, a threat is rising for the existing football leagues regarding popularity. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is conducted to describe strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Manchester United. These factors will shed light on the internal analysis and strategic capabilities of the football club. Figure 3: SWOT analysis (Source: Olson 2016) Strengths According to Nufer (2013), Manchester United is the strongest and valuable sports club and sports brand in the world. This helps the organization to gain immense revenues from sponsorship deals and the sale of merchandise around the world. The market position of Manchester United can be understood by the fan following it has which is 330 million; 5% of the worlds total population (manutd.com 2016). This huge fan following is the base of their strong brand image and there is no reason that it will face difficulties unless the club experiences a prolonged period of underperformance. Weaknesses The primary weakness of Manchester United FC is their high amount of debt on the market. Their debt is so high that the strengths of the club are arguably countered by this. Besides, the rules and regulations of UEFA and FIFA are not allowing the organization to take further debts which is causing more problems for the organization (Olson 2016). The recent performance of the club in any football tournament has been not only poor but they have also failed to qualify for UEFA champion leagues for the first time. As a result of this, their fan base is declining and their brand image is falling at an alarming rate. Opportunities The future opportunity of Manchester United lies in its huge fan base. Currently, the football club has 330 million fans and revenue of 327 million Euros per annum, most of which is generated within the UK and Europe from matchday and broadcasting sectors (manutd.com 2016). According to Olson (2016), the authority of Manchester United could double their revenue if they can gain one extra Euro per fan per year. Threats Manchester United has a huge amount of debt in the market. According to Kennedy and Kennedy (2015), if they cannot pay their debts within their maturity date, the amount of debts will rise to one billion pounds. The club is also facing fan protests because of their high level of debts. However, the club is not experiencing any major issues from the fan protests right now. It is expected that, if the club maintains their current position regarding debts, the fans might boycott the matches of Manchester United which will reduce the revenues and will increase the threat from debts. Market segment Manchester United has segmented their market into three sections which are commercial, matchday and broadcasting (manutd.com 2016). Their revenue based on these sectors are shown below, Figure 4: Revenue gain of Manchester United according to their market segments (in million US dollars) (Sources: manutd.com 2016) Porters Generic Strategy Framework Figure 5: Porters Generic Strategy Framework (Source: Shaw 2012) Cost leadership Cost leadership is a part of Porters Generic Strategy Framework that serves to provide competitive advantage to the organizations so that they can edge past their market rivals. For Manchester United, it is highly recommended that they must cut their costs as low as possible otherwise they will not be able to pay their debts (Wicker et al. 2015). Manchester United has already acquired this strategy, as from past two years they focusing on more local players than buying high rated foreign players. Signing up local players is helping them to reduce their organizational cost. Differentiation strategy Differentiation strategy allows a company to manufacture products which are different and more attractive that those of their competitors. Manchester United is a sports club. Therefore, their differentiation will be shown in terms of teams performance, brand image of the club, presence in the social media, connection with the fans and plans. Currently, the performance graph of the team is decreasing, as the club is unable to afford any high-ranked foreign player because of their debts (Shaw 2012). However, still Manchester United has the largest fan base in the world. Besides, their presence in social Media like Facebook and Twitter is far stronger than any other club in the world. Therefore, the club can easily use these differences as their differential strategies. The focus strategy The focus strategy concentrates on particular recess markets and helps the organizations to manufacture low cost products after understanding the dynamics of the market. These organizations build a strong relationship with their customers and therefore, other companies do not show any interest in that specific market segment. Like Liverpool and Arsenal, Manchester United can choose countries that are not economically wealthy but have the enthusiasm to play football, to set up their preseason camps (McNamara 2013). This will increase the clubs popularity in that country and because of the poor economy; the club will bear fewer expenses too. Strategic choice of Manchester United Based on Ansoffs matrix, strategic choices of Manchester United are described below, Market Penetration Market penetration is one of the most important objectives of any organization. Being one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, Manchester United is also looking to penetrate into new markets to acquire new fans. The one and only way to achieve this target is to buy better players who will help the club to win more leagues and trophies (Millward and Poulton 2014). More they win, more their fan base will increase and more they will penetrate into new markets. New Product Development Manchester United is already focusing on developing several products such as T-shirts, jackets, shoes and other sports accessories (Unlucan 2014). New Market Development Manchester United is working to increase the popularity of soccer in various countries. They are joining hands with countries like China and India to help develop their stadiums (Petrkov and Sorokov 2015). Besides, the club is also focusing to increase their popularity among female fans. Diversification Diversification of Manchester United totally depends on their fashion accessories and their contribution to other sports. Strategy evaluation Based on the Ansoffs matrix, it can be said that market penetration would be the best option for Manchester United FC to increase their market position, brand value, brand image and fan base. Suitability Currently, Manchester United FC is dealing with their huge amounts of debts and with the extreme poor performances of their team. Therefore, at this moment, market penetration might look difficult for them. However, if the authority does not take proper actions to minimize these issues, the organization will lose their entire market share and brand image in the near future. Therefore, they do not have any option but to choose market penetration strategy. They will have to spend their money cleverly to buy appropriate players for the club so that they can improve their performances and can regain the trust of their supports. Acceptability In the current context of huge debts and poor on-field performances, the mentioned strategy is fully acceptable for Manchester United FC as that is the best they can do at this moment. Feasibility Most of the rivals in EPL like Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, have already signed up major players for the next two seasons. Manchester United, on the other hand, focused on local players and new players who have not worked out yet, as the team has recently lost all of their records and achievement. For example, few days ago, they lost their first home match against Everton in last thirty years (manutd.com 2016). Therefore, the possibility is low that the chosen strategy can help the club. However, Manchester United does not have any other option too. Conclusion and recommendations From the report, it is clear that the most significant problem of Manchester United is their amount of debt in the market. The rules and regulations of UEFA and FIFA are also stopping them from taking more debts. Therefore, it is becoming more difficult for them to deal with the situation. Besides, the team has not won any major trophies in the last two years which is also hurting the management. In this critical time, the only chance that Manchester United has to survive is their huge fan base and their strong presence in social networking sites. Last year, Manchester United gained 451 million dollars from commercials and match days. It is also expected that this number will increase in the next two years. Therefore, it can be said that Manchester United is using their strengths perfectly to deal with their current issues. However, it is also true that Manchester United has some competitive weaknesses which are creating obstacles before them. Arsenal and Liverpool have already compl eted their preseason practices in China which gave them a great opportunity to connect with the local fans. Manchester United does not have any similar plans and as a result, they are slowly losing their fan base in China. The fact is not hidden to the authority of the club but still they are not taking any steps to revert these effects. Therefore, it can be said that in spite of having several strategies, the company is unable to execute them precisely. References Ado, A.B., Hassan, H. and Nasir, M.H.M., 2015. Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM) Features: Comparing Two Football Clubs (Manchester United Chelsea FC). Ausloos, M., Gadomski, A. and Vitanov, N.K., 2014. Primacy and ranking of UEFA soccer teams from biasing organization rules.Physica Scripta,89(10), p.108002. Doidge, M., 2014. Book review: The Global Football League: Transnational Networks, Social Movements and Sport in the New Media Age.International Review for the Sociology of Sport,49(1), pp.121-124. Edwards, K.G., 2013. The Biggest Game in Town: The NFL, The EPL, and a New Model for Value Creation in Professional Sports. Kennedy, D. and Kennedy, P., 2015. Grass-roots football, autonomous activity and the forging of new social relationships.Sport in Society,18(4), pp.497-513. manutd.com, 2016.Business Model. [online] manutd.com. Available at: https://ir.manutd.com/company-information/business-model.aspx [Accessed 14 Mar. 2016]. McNamara, P., Peck, S.I. and Sasson, A., 2013. Competing business models, value creation and appropriation in English football.Long Range Planning,46(6), pp.475-487. Millward, P. and Poulton, G., 2014. Football fandom, mobilization and Herbert Blumer: A social movement analysis of FC United of Manchester.Sociology of Sport Journal,31(1), pp.1-22. Nufer, G., 2013. Ticket pricing in European football-Analysis and implications.International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences,1(2), pp.49-60. Ogbonna, E. and Harris, L.C., 2015. Subcultural tensions in managing organisational culture: a study of an English Premier League football organisation.Human Resource Management Journal,25(2), pp.217-232. Olson, E.M., Duray, R., Cooper, C. and Olson, K.M., 2016. Strategy, structure, and culture within the English Premier League: an examination of large clubs.Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal,6(1). Paramio-Salcines, J.L., Downs, P. and Grady, J., 2015. Football and its communities: the celebration of Manchester United FCs Ability Suite.Soccer Society, pp.1-22. Petrkov, D. and Sorokov, T., 2015. Economic and Psychological Aspects of Importance of Real Madrid Brand in Marketing Communication.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences,6(3), p.504. Poli, R., Besson, R. and Ravenel, L., 2013. The Demographic Polarisation of European Football.Article Available at https://www. footballperspectives. org,21. Porter, C., May, A. and Kiernan, A., 2015. Thinking long and wide: which communities have a future within the global game?.Soccer Society, pp.1-5. Rofe, J.S., 2014. It is a squad game: Manchester United as a diplomatic non-state actor in international affairs.Sport in Society,17(9), pp.1136-1154. Sanders, A., Heys, B., Ravenscroft, N. and Burdsey, D., 2014. Making a difference: the power of football in the community.Soccer Society,15(3), pp.411-429. Shaw, E.H., 2012. Marketing strategy: from the origin of the concept to the development of a conceptual framework.Journal of Historical Research in Marketing,4(1), pp.30-55. Szymanski, S., 2016. Professional Asian football leagues and the global market.Asian Economic Policy Review,11(1), pp.16-38. Thetoptens.com, T., 2016.Top 10 Football (Soccer) Leagues of 2015-2016 - TheTopTens.com. [online] Thetoptens.com. Available at: https://www.thetoptens.com/football-soccer-leagues-2015-2016/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2016]. Unlucan, D., 2014. Jersey manufacturers in football/soccer: the analysis of current jersey manufacturers of 1061 football/soccer clubs in top leagues of 72 countries.Soccer Society,15(3), pp.314-333. Wicker, P., Soebbing, B.P., Feiler, S. and Breuer, C., 2015. The effect of Porter's generic strategies on organisational problems of non-profit sports clubs.EJSS. European Journal for Sport and Society,12(3), p.281.

Social Applications of GIS †Free Sample Assignment Solution

Question: Describe the role of social applications of GIS? Answer: Social Applications of GIS GIS or geographical information system have become more matured and robust. It is being used in different types of applications in various domains like technology, research, social sciences, governance, business etc. More advanced technologies like web based GIS, mobile GIS etc. are emerging. In current age, information technology applications have become more ubiquitous in nature. Usability of those applications is also another concern. Applications those are social-driven, are more relevant in this context. Spatial decision making based on spatial data has been introduced and implemented in practice based on web based GIS applications. Any common man can place query and access spatial data from suitable application. This is kind of democratizing of events. GIS is being adopted by social sciences very rapidly. Application of GIS in social science helps to address number of challenges faced by society. (Craglia Maheswaran, 2004) Social science is a vast domain. Basically it covers all activities that somehow related to human aspects or studies human aspects. Sometimes social science is termed as soft science. It is just an attempt to categorize physical or quantitatively driven physical science from subjective social science. But it is hard to differentiate between these two as those are overlapped. There is a new category of social sciences with such overlaps, it is called mixed methods. Social science helps in binding members of a society to its environment. Social science can be think of as a process that constructs and describes how people are networked and interact with each other, how the behave, think or act , how people can be grouped together etc. People also forms communities but there will be individual existence. (Adewunmi, 2007) There will be some kind of spatial framework for any social process. This is very much inherent to the behavior and daily activities of the people. For example, local neighborhood is the place where people live and this is spatial by nature. On the other hand, spatial framework is important for GIS applications and concepts. Here comes the reasons behind application of GIS in social sciences. GIS helps in carrying out different types of socio-spatial research by allowing comparison and integration of data from different contexts, environments etc. GIS has significant applications in such researches. (Craglia Couclelis, 1997) A research on social science will be involved in exploring, describing and explaining just like GIS helps in analysis of spatial data, gives insight to the results. In many cases these results and insight to the result have been proven as pivotal for contemporary society (Babbie, 2012).GIS applications needs to use spatial data from appropriate sources and analyzing those using suitable methods. Social issues like public health, education, development, crime, planning etc. are important application domains of GIS into social science.(Nyerges, et al., 2011) Application domains like health, rural planning, urban regeneration, development of social policies, crime etc. have different key themes for applications of GIS into these domains. For example, cluster analysis is used in determining health related queries from social and geographical information, in urban regeneration visualization is used for getting idea about some proposed development plan.(Moran, 2011) GIS can be used to tackle various issues with government, academia etc. It is possible to map spatial dimensions or components into different social datasets like data on lifestyle of people, census data, public health records, government data etc. from these data different types of maps like choroplethic map can be developed (Babbie, 2012). For example, it can be visualized that what is the employment status of the people in some area by analysis data from national statistics. This is possible by joining geometric attributes and map creation. It can also help to find patterns from social data ranging from a local area to different regions. Special dimensions like place, location, distribution, scale etc. are part of GIS based applications in analysis of such kind of data. Thus GIS not only helps in explaining social science processes rather it helps in various mapping, measurement and analysis. (Craglia Couclelis, 1997) There are several application of GIS in social science. In community development data on community organization, urban spatial politics, narratives based of GIS spatial data etc. are being used. In disaster management geospatial technologies can be used. In land management land use conversion, different regulative mechanisms, geo-informatics are used. In public health, remote sensor based systems are used for identifying areas with high risks of diseases etc. In planning, GIS based terrestrial planning are used for developing wireless network in some area etc. Other than these GIS can be used in numerous social science domains like sustainable development, geography including soil study, agriculture etc. In practice, the original problem is identified in the light of socio-spatial concepts, then specification of data and methods will be used for gauging the scale of the analysis, limitation of data etc. There are various issues with social applications of GIS. One of the foremost consideration is how data will be collected and will be analyzed. Then next issue is how data will represent individuals and groups. Then, how social activities and behavior will be analyzed by the spatial patterns. Another consideration is there may be several issues while working with the spatial and longitudinal data sets. (Steinberg Steinberg, 2005) Scale and integration is an important factor for datasets collected from GIS based applications. For example, census contains data about people and their households. There may be exceptions to ensure data security and the quality of those data may be not ready to analyze. This is there for ensuring anonymity of data. On the other hand, aggregated datasets are useful for mapping visualizations on those datasets. Ecological fallacy is a great concern in Social applications of GIS. According to it, any characteristic or process may not be present if the scale is changed, hence, it is inappropriate to assume presence of those characteristics or processes while moving from one scale to another. Thus, average characteristics cannot be assumed for aggregated population. At ecological level, associations may be observed among different variable but that do not imply same associations at another levels of groups or individuals. The identification and investigation of such variables is the res ponsibility of the GIS analyst. GIS analyst is also responsible to scale datasets properly by ensuring there will be no ecological fallacy or other casual links unfounded in the datasets (Steinberg Steinberg, 2005). In another way, multiple scales of the social behaviors and activities should be recognized. These scales may operate on some multi-level model. A multi-level model can be developed from aggregated data or from individual data based on contextual or compositional or both kinds of behavior. These models are made in such a way that it reflects realistic nature of human activities. (Moran, 2011) With the advancement of GIS and the modeling techniques, now it is not impossible to model neighborhood and behaviors of individuals, but it also helps in modeling social activities of individuals. For example, travelling details of an individual on space, shopping information etc. Researchers can investigate individual level compositional factors other than area based contextual behavior and patterns present in social landscapes. These features also helps in exploring interplay between different factors that operate of the population levels and scales. (Paliou, et al., 2014) Many of the recent GIS applications in social sciences have given exposure to the pollutants to the environments, healthcare opportunities, travel information etc. Even employment activities of individuals can be captured and analyzed. Models of spatial activity research focus on the activities by individuals on spaces during 24 hours of a day. Models on individual level sometimes collect data from questionnaire, personal details etc. A thing to consider here is, the size of the dataset in such cases will not be very longer, thus there may be issues with representation of data from this smaller sized datasets. On the other hand, larger projects may involve geocoding and more computational budgets for combined datasets on group of individuals. Here one important thing to consider is privacy of individuals. Analysis can be either local or global. GIS based social applications may focus on the longitudinal studies on historical GIS. From these resources data on social records can be accessed based on different time frames. After that these data can be analyzed. For example, patterns on spatial inequality over time can be understood from such datasets. Standardization is a key issue here. (Steinberg Steinberg, 2005) In case on any longitudinal study it needs to consider the changes restricted by social landscapes, administration etc. on different time frames. Thus, the data sets cannot just overlay on the top of each other as the characteristics of the landscapes change over time. The variations on the boundaries or spatial units are also needed to be considered. A process called interpolation can be used in such cases. It helps in disaggregation of the datasets from the original sources and re-aggregates those at the target level. For example, if the census data of some state is needed to be analyzed from time frame from 1990 to 2000, then the simplest way of doing so is to enumerate data for different towns or cities of the state. But again, simple overlay is not possible to aggregate census data from different towns and cities. The suitable approach is to transform the datasets into same spatial units. This problem belongs to the domain of areal interpolation. This is a process based on areal weighing by assuming uniformity of the characteristics across the space. Then it intersects the datasets from sources and target and helps in establishing a shared area. On the shared area it performs re-distribution of the population based on the proportional value. (Raper, 2003) A historical study considers how geography effects datasets over a period of time during collection of data. Data standardization helps in study of different landscapes of individual behavior and social advancements of individuals over time. (Casino, 2009) GIS has significant implication on social sciences and society. One of the most important GIS based development is the emergence of critical GIS. In early days GIS based applications were more focused on technical and quantitative approaches. Geographers and GIS researchers were challenged to follow on these quantitative approaches later on and they gave attention to surveillance and controlling properties of GIS. Application of technology on society is often shaped by different social conditions. GIS based technology and its application on social sciences is no exception. Technology also has significant impact on society. Social shaping and social impact are two perspective towards social constructive and technology. These help in understanding the roles of information and communication technologies in society, among individuals and groups. (Milson Alibrandi, 2008) Usually an investigation framework is followed while finding insight from the results of the analysis. Application of GIS to social sciences provides just some glimpses to the emerging realm of GIS and its impacts on society. There are various issues to negotiate during such applications of GIS in social sciences. There are various social based GIS applications. A typical investigation framework contains several steps. During the very beginning, it is necessary to have a clear definition and interpretation of the actual problem. The concepts should be very clear. Then the conceptual framework can be developed. This is important for identification of the variables and actors as a part of the study and area of the study, its environmental and social impacts. Without the conceptual framework it is difficult to gauge the requirements. (Cope Elwood, 2009) When the goals of the project are defined clearly, then the investigation methods are needed to be selected. In case of social sciences, there are options to take qualitative, quantitative or mixed approach in investigation. On the other hand, in GIS, the focus is more on the qualitative investigation. There are various tools and techniques to measure connectivity and distance. Recent advancements in activity modeling at individual level and participatory techniques have helped in such cases. For example, biographies, oral histories can also help in analysis applications, visualization of the environment of individual etc. It also helps in demonstrating different geographical setting and enhance quality of qualitative analysis. After identifying the methodology to follow in the analysis process, it needs establishment of the datasets. In some cases, databases are available readily and easily fits into the purpose. But in some cases, opposite may happen. There may be more data than requirement. It should be remembered, that quality and quantity of data are important. There may be issues with padded datasets that is data sets based on some proxy based mechanisms. There are various publicly available data sets like census and others from national statistics. Then it comes about data aggregation. The nature, scale and aggregation of data should be considered. Proxy mechanisms sometimes are also helpful, but it depends on the problem and available dataset and also how the proxy mechanisms are being used. (Cromley McLafferty, 2011) There is a wide range of analytical methods supported by GIS. These methods can be applied to social sciences. The selection of spatial data model effects the available analysis methods and tools. At last, proper interpretation of the findings is a key issue. There may be applications and use of theories behind finding spatial patters on human behavior. Finding the right set of information from the finding from the analysis is a crucial part. (Lnen Travis, 2012) GIS is rapidly gaining its popularity among the domains and applications related to social sciences. The key steps of any process will be conceptualization of the actual problem, deciding the methodology for analysis, collecting and building suitable dataset, analysis of the dataset and interpretation of the analysis. GIS has very promising and significant applications on social sciences. There are several researches going on this topic. It helps in improving society and lives of the individuals. Thus it can change social landscapes and its elements. But there are several notable issues. For example, data privacy of individuals. Collection of data should consider data privacy of individuals. It does not gives right to access any personal information about anyone. With emergence of technology and GIS based application this issue is becoming more prominent. GIS practitioner and analysts should take care of this issue. They should use data and its analysis in the proper way. It should not be the case that instead of making the lives of individuals easier, these applications make them suffer. The impact of GIS can be very potential but it should be understood at the first place. (Mehrer Wescott, 2005) In this essay, different facets of applications of GIS in social science have been discussed. To make the content easier to understand, at the very beginning, the terms like society, social science etc. have been defined clearly. Then there are discussions on impact of GIS based application in past, present and future scopes, the methodologies used in these applications, the process of GIS based applications in social sciences, what are the things to understand and follow in this case etc. (Scholten, et al., 2009) References Adewunmi, O. F., 2007. The Effects of Web-enabled GIS Relational Database Management System in an Organization. s.l.:ProQuest. Babbie, E., 2012. The Practice of Social Research. s.l.:Cengage Learning. Briggs, D. J., 2002. GIS for Emergency Preparedness and Health Risk Reduction. s.l.:Springer . Campagna, M., 2008. GIS for Sustainable Development. s.l.:CRC Press. Casino, V. D., 2009. Social Geography. s.l.:John Wiley Sons. Cope, M. Elwood, S., 2009. Qualitative GIS. s.l.:SAGE. Craglia, M. Couclelis, H., 1997. Geographic Information Research. s.l.:CRC Press. Craglia, M. Maheswaran, R., 2004. GIS in Public Health Practice. s.l.:CRC Press. Cromley, E. K. McLafferty, S. L., 2011. GIS and Public Health. 2nd ed. s.l.:Guilford Press. Fisher, P., 2005. Re-Presenting GIS. s.l.:John Wiley Sons. Gimblett, H. R., 2001. Integrating Geographic Information Systems and Agent-Based Modeling Techniques for Simulating Social and Ecological Processes. s.l.:Oxford University Press. Jankowski, P. Nyerges, T., 2001. GIS for Group Decision Making. s.l.:CRC Press. Kovar, K. Nachtnebel, H. P., 1996. Application of Geographic Information Systems in Hydrology and Water Resources Management:. s.l.:International Association of Hydrological Sciences. Lovett, A. A. Appleton, K., 2007. GIS for Environmental Decision-Making. s.l.:CRC Press. Lnen, A. v. Travis, C., 2012. History and GIS. s.l.:Springer . Mehrer, M. W. Wescott, K. L., 2005. GIS and Archaeological Site Location Modeling. s.l.:CRC Press. Milson, A. J. Alibrandi, M., 2008. Digital Geography. s.l.:IAP. Moran, E. F., 2011. Environmental Social Science. s.l.:John Wiley Sons. Nyerges, T., Couclelis, H. McMaster, R., 2011. The SAGE Handbook of GIS and Society. s.l.:SAGE. Okabe, A., 2005. GIS-based Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences. s.l.:CRC Press. Paliou, E., Lieberwirth, U. Polla, S., 2014. Spatial analysis and social spaces. s.l.:Walter de Gruyter. Parker, R. N. Asencio, E. K., 2009. GIS and Spatial Analysis for the Social Sciences. s.l.:Routledge. Raper, J., 2003. Multidimensional Geographic Information Science. s.l.:CRC Press. Scholten, H. J., Velde, R. J. v. d. Manen, N. v., 2009. Geospatial Technology and the Role of Location in Science. s.l.:Springer . Sinton, D. S. Lund, J. J., 2007. Understanding Place. s.l.:ESRI, Inc.. Steinberg, S. J. Steinberg, S. L., 2005. Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences. s.l.:SAGE Publications.

Life cycle analysis

Relevance of conducting a life cycle analysis from a business prospective Environmental awareness is on the rise, and industries and businesses are evaluating ways through which their activities impinge on the environment. In response to this awareness, businesses have provided green products and are using greener processes as well as environmental management tools in their production of goods and services. An example of such a tool is life cycle analysis, also referred to as life cycle assessment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Life cycle analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conducting a life cycle analysis is one of the most important processes done today for the successful implementation of environmental sustainability. One of the uses of this process is identifying and categorizing decisive areas whereby the environmental performance of a product can be made better. Businesses will prefer life cycle ana lysis because of its unique characteristics unlike other environmental sustainability systems; for example, it covers all the environmental releases and processes beginning with raw material extraction as well as energy production used in the creation of products, in addition to the use of the products and their final disposal. It is therefore relevant when deciding between two alternatives, as it can help decision-makers make comparisons on the major impacts caused by goods, services or processes (Seliger, Khraisheh, Jawahir, 2011). As a cradle to grave process, life cycle analysis evaluates every stage of the life of a product. The process is also relevant for businesses because it makes it possible to estimate the cumulative environmental effects that result from all the stages involved in the product’s life cycle. These effects may not be included in other methods of analysis, for example effects of raw material extraction or effects son product disposal. This way, the a nalysis process enables businesses to have a comprehensive view of the various environmental aspects of the product as well as a more accurate image of the real environmental trade-offs involved (Cohen, 2010). The cradle to grave life cycle of a newspaper Raw material extraction and processing Newspapers, just like other types of papers, are made of connected fibers. These fibers are obtained from a variety of sources including plants, trees, or even cloth rags. For newspapers, sawmills provide the fiber. Strong paper is usually made from coniferous trees because the fibers found in the pulp of these trees make strong paper.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The trees are referred to as softwood trees. The increasing demand for paper has however led to the use of almost every species of trees to extract logs. These trees undergo the logging process, which can be achieved usi ng sawmills (Ranchhod Marandi, 2012). Manufacturing The first step in manufacturing is making pulp. Various processes are used to convert logs to wood pulp. The mechanical process is a commonly used process; here, logs are crushed in big drums to remove bark. Subsequently, they are taken to grinders, that press them hard between big revolving slabs. The filtering process then follows. The chemical process can also be used to make pulp; here, wood chips are cooked from de-barked logs in a chemical solution found in digesters. At the digesters, the chips are boiled at a high-pressure solution of sodium sulfide and sodium hydroxide. It is at this stage that bleach or colorings are added. From this process, the pulp is taken to the paper plant (Ranchhod Marandi, 2012). The process of converting the pulp to paper begins at the beating process; here, the pulp is squeezed with machine beaters. Several filler materials are also added at this process, such as chalks, chemicals, clays or ev en titanium oxide. The final process involves taking the pulp to big automated machines that have moving conveyer belts. Here, water is drained off and the pulp is then taken to the press section, and over steam-heated cylinders for further drying. This paper is then wound on big reels and further processed using metal rollers c calendars that give it the desired finish (Ranchhod Marandi, 2012). Purchase, use, and disposal The newspaper printing process is responsible for the purchase and use of papers from the paper mill, for use by the printing press of newspapers. During newspaper printing, a lot of energy and raw materials are consumed, for example inks and printing plates. The printing press purchases paper from the paper mill. The disposal of newspaper is done through several ways. One is recycling, whereby the newspapers are taken back to the paper mill and, using chemical processes, are transformed anew. Land filling can also be used to dispose of the newspapers (Hesselbach Herrmann, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Life cycle analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Waste management Waste management in the life cycle analysis of newspapers is done in various phases of the cycle. A thorough analysis of this process reveals that it is during the paper mill stage that the most emissions are produced. It is also in this stage that the most resources are consumed, largely because of its high-energy consumption. The landfilling process is also responsible for high emissions, considering the high methane emissions of the disposal process compared to other stages of the life cycle. Various waste management solutions are developed, and the following conclusions and recommendations can be established. The inclusion of the production stages of the waste management process, this can help in obtaining a realistic picture of the relevance of the individual life cycle phases on the gene ral impacts (Dahlbo et al, 2005). Paper is one of the biggest contributors of solid waste components. It is also a material that originates from a very important natural resource whose maintenance and sustainability is crucial, the forest. It is recommended that during the manufacture process, newspapers can be co-combusted or incinerated. These modern waste management processes have the capability to decrease using de-inked pulp. Otherwise, using virgin fiber-based pulp in the manufacture of newsprint is more effective. During the treatment and waster recovery stage, it is important to remember that landfilling of newspapers in their untreated state is environmentally worse compared to their energy recover (Hesselbach Herrmann, 2011). In its disposal management, the combustion of newspaper using solid recovered fuel, rather than coal can save significant amount of energy. References Cohen, N. (2010). Green Business: an A-Z Guide. New York: SAGE. Dahlbo, H., Koskela, S., Laukka, J. , Myllymaa, T., Jouttijà ¤rvi, T., Melanen, M. Tenhunen, J. (2005) Life cycle inventory analyses for five waste management options for discarded newspaper. Waste Management and Research 23:1-13. Hesselbach, J., Herrmann, C. (2011). Glocalized Solutions for Sustainability in Manufacturing:Proceedings of the 18th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Technische Università ¤t Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, May 2nd- 4th, 2011. London: Springer.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ranchhod, A., Marandi, E. (2012). CIM Coursebook 07/08 Strategic Marketing in Practice. London: Routledge. Seliger, G., Khraisheh, M. M., Jawahir, I. (2011). Advances in Sustainable Manufacturing. New York: Springer. This essay on Life cycle analysis was written and submitted by user Darren I. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Westnile Disease essays

Westnile Disease essays About the Virus, the Disease, and Its Spread West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and can infect people, horses, many types of birds, and some other animals. Most people who become infected with West Nile virus will have either no symptoms or only mild ones. However, on rare occasions, West Nile virus infection can result in severe and sometimes fatal illnesses. There is no evidence to suggest that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person or from animal to person. Overview of West Nile Virus Updated Q: What are West Nile virus, West Nile fever, and West Nile encephalitis? A.West Nile Virus is a flavivirus commonly found in Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East. It is closely related to St. Louis encephalitis virus found in the United States. The virus can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses and some other mammals. West Nile fever is a case of mild disease in people, characterized by flu-like symptoms. West Nile fever typically lasts only a few days and does not appear to cause any long-term health effects. More severe disease due to a person being infected with this virus can be West Nile encephalitis, West Nile meningitis or West Nile meningoencephalitis. Encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain, meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane around the brain and the spinal cord, and meningoencephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain and the membrane surrounding it. Q. Where did West Nile virus come from? A. West Nile virus has been commonly found in humans and birds and other vertebrates in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East, but until 1999 had not previously been documented in the Western Hemisphere. It is not known from where the U.S. virus originated, but it is most closely related genetically to strains found in the Middle East. Q. Historically, where has West Nile encephalit...

Malcolm X Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Malcolm X - Essay Example Malcolm writes: "My two other images of my father are two outside the home: he never pastured in any regular church of his own" (p. 7). Similar to his father, Malcolm created his own religion based on century-old traditions and values, morals and ideals. Malcolm's sister, Ella Collins, explained that Malcolm X was present at chapter meetings almost from birth. Political ideas and rebellious issues expressed in the meetings, formed personality of Malcolm and his life perception. Also, Malcolm admits that: "the image of him [father] that made me proudest was his crusading and militant campaigning with the words of Marcus Garvey (p. 8). Further, Malcolm became a militant leaders fighting for pride and self-determination of black people. Malcolm's childhood was filled with the emerging urban culture of Black America. Malcolm's rooting in the U.S. working class was incomplete. Riding the rails as a porter and later established in Harlem, the cultural capital of the Black world, Malcolm X developed a deep, if only partly conscious, sense of the peoplehood of the African American. Malcolm admits that: "it was only me that he sometimes tool with him to the Garvey UNIA meetings which he held quietly in different people's homes" (p. 8). Similar to his father, Malcolm supposed that no Black man at this time could be easily and unequivocally rooted in the working class. Malcolm's family and father was unusual in that it made the transition from the southern rural countryside to the northern urban city intact and started out as the nuclear family of the American Dream. During these years, Malcolm's father played both in the family and in the UNIA a strong leadership role. The "New Negro" concept embodied a new view of the role of Blacks in social change. It represented a further development of themes first seen in the Negro movement at the turn of the century. Malcolm's father was following a model of Black liberation popularized at this time. All these features have a great influence on Malcolm and his life aspirations. His father supposed that: "freedom, independence and self-respect could never be achieved by Negro in America" (p. 4). Further, Malcolm opposed this view fighting for racial equality and identity politics. To some extent, the full power of Malcolm's intellect was held in check due to the magnetism of his father's personality and the very special and personal role that he played in Malcolm's life. Political figure of his father had immense power and prestige, and obviously one that Malcolm X did not subject to his otherwise methodical scrutiny. It is possible to say that Malcolm used Black national ideas of his father and transform them into a separate national movement, but later expelled that nationalism from the NOI to protect its theology from internal criticism and to deflect an activist thrust which would lead to repression. For Malcolm, he embodied wisdom represented as a keeper of Negro's traditions and values. "I reflected many, many times to myself upon how the American Negro has been entirely brainwashed from ever seeing or thinking of himself, as he should, as a part of the nonwhite peoples of the world" (p. 56). These ideas helped Malcolm to create a framework for the reformulation of Black nationalism in a more internationalist and revolutionary manner and thus facilitated the linking of the Civil Rights movement with the

Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Zara - Essay Example Several leading organizations are trying to implement business expansion strategy in order to develop a potential global client base and achieve significant market share growth. Zara has a strong global presence. The brand implemented a unique operation management strategy in the business processes which is totally different than other retailers selling similar types of apparels. Zara is known as a vertically integrated retailer. The organization has high control on each and every step in supply chain, manufacturing, designing and distribution of the products. The company has set up its own production factory in major areas around the globe (Jones and Robinson, 2012, p.29). It helped the organization to control each and every business operation process individually. Effective integration and close look at each and every business process help the organization to maintain a strong control on production and distributions. It is discussed earlier that the organization adopted different o peration strategy in business process unlike to the similar retailers or organizations. Zara adopted just-in-time approach in the business model in order to enhance the supply chain, inventory management, and logistics management and distribution management process. The manufacturing units are located in several parts in the world. It is true that the warehouses of Zara are located in Spain. 50 % of products are manufactured in Spain. The rest of the products are manufactured throughout the world. It is a significant example of effective operation process (Slack, Chambers and Johnston, 2010, p.97). It is true that, several leading organizations used to outsource products and services from the parent country. It increases the outsourcing cost and supply chain cost. Glocal manufacturing and distribution process helped Zara to cut down the outsourcing cost. Now-a-days, Zara is significantly trying to expand its business practices due to favourable external environmental factors. In add ition to this, strong global brand name is influencing Zara to implement global expansion strategy. Manufacturing factories in different places and strong vertical integration in business model are helping Zara to adopt and implement global expansion strategy quite successfully. Question 2 Zara, being one of the leading global apparel retain chain is facing several operation management issues in its global expansion strategy. It is discussed earlier that the organization adopted vertical integration strategy in the business model. In addition to this, the organization implemented just-in-time approach in the supply chain and distribution management process. Zara believes in lowest inventor management. Zara never goes for mass production and huge inventory. According to the management of Inditex group, large inventory can affect the product quality and brand image of the organization (Johnston, Clark and Shulver, 2012, p.76). The percentage of annual sales of Zara is lower that other potential competitors due to this reason. In addition to this, Zara used to avoid developing inventories in its supply chain part from the resources and raw materials to the end users. The brand designs and manufactures almost 10,000 new models in every year and distributes it to all the retailers twice per week. This system actually increases the inventory management cost. The organization believes that large inventory and limited logistics activity can reduce the exclusivity of the products as the organization tries to provide quality and exclusive products to the target customers. The organization faced

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 25

Case study - Essay Example It is also proposed that the company should run a customer reward system that will reward loyal members who have retained their membership till they are adults and loyal customers through discounts and giveaways and competitions. Since scouting is entirely an adventure experience, Scouts Canada should focus on trying to increase membership not only among boys but also girls, women and men too who are stressed and need to learn essential life skills. Because of the changing nature of the contemporary people, it is proposed that Scouts Canada should come up with new badge programs such as mountain biking, street sports, healthy eating and other issues that affect the country. The target membership of Scouts Canada is anticipated to increase by 30% with an increase in adult membership by 30%. This will allow the marketing team to know the success of the recommendations and offer feedback on which areas the company can improve on. Scouts Canada is a scouting organization in Canada known for its merit badges. The organization offers programs to the young people between the age of 5 and 25. The organization has the highest membership in Canada making it the largest youth organization in the country (Scouts Canada, 2014). The organization realized that its image was a bit worn because of the decline in membership and volunteer support. Because of the numerous cases of image tarnishing, Scouts Canada have to come up with a marketing strategy in order to reposition itself. Since Scouts Canadian membership goes at a high price of $205 for beaver to venture scouts and $180 for the first child, it is recommended that the membership price be discounted to $160 and $100 charged for the second and third child from a single parent. A reduction of the prices will encourage more parents to get involved in their child’s life and increase

Risks in Social Networking Sites

Risks in Social Networking Sites A social network is a map of the relationships between individuals, ranging from casual acquaintance to close familial bonds. Virtual communities are built around affinity and similarity. Social networking sites allow people to gather online around shared interests or causes, like finding people who live nearby or who are in the same age range. It is also one of the most popular Internet activities among teenagers. Friends are everything to a teen. New technologies in the last few years have provided opportunities for teens to make cyber friends in addition to their real world friends. These sites allow teens to design their own personalized page on the Internet, much like an interactive scrapbook, that can include their favorite music clips, their choice of background designs or wallpaper, photos, favorite quotes and any other information about themselves and anyone else that they wish to include. The websites combine many Internet features into one: personal profiles, blogs (web logs like an online diary or journal), places for photos and videos, the latest news in pop culture about music groups or hot new products, opinion polls, user groups, and more. Some of the most popular social networking sites for teens include MySpace, Facebook, and Bebo. Social networking websites have potential for both negative and positive consequences. These are public websites. Which means people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds have access to them. Due to the information sharing nature of these sites, teens face on critical and dangerous problems caused by using their personal information from others. There are many positives things about these websites when used appropriately. Creation of a personal web page can be a very creative outlet for a teen. Frequent entries into an online blog can give teens practice in writing and expressing their thoughts and opinions, which would improve their communication and language skills. Through using technology, teens are learning how to play with and use large amounts of data and information. Teens are also learning skills needed to build a website and use other technologies. Some other positive facts of the social networking websites are that people who share the same interests interact. They make these site a meeting point. They share school research documents and develop artistic talents and experiments with other forms of content creation. While most of this online interaction is just for fun, there are dangers for teens. While todays teens may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and life experience can quickly get them into trouble with these new social venues. On the other hand, abusing of the social networking websites occurs harassment, tormenting, or sexual advances. Some criminals locate person with only his/her last name and town. To protect the teens from these online predators we need to look into the reasons why like these sites. Why are teens so attracted to social networking websites? 1. Consider the world in which todays teens have grown up. The media has made very public the personal lives of well known people from entertainment, sports, and political circles. Celebrities live out their lives in the limelight. Other examples are TV reality shows many of which are popular with teens. As mentioned earlier, friends are everything to a teen. As todays teens are growing up, they view the Internet as a place to hang out just as real world places are. Using the Internet to connect to friends they know in person and to make new friends is a natural step its just another way to communicate. Todays teens are a self-publicizing generation. It is natural for them to put information out there. A normal developmental task for teens is figuring out their identity. For example, it is typical for teens to try on different identities through their clothing and hairstyle choices. Designing a webpage complete with favorite symbols, quotes, and pictures can also be viewed as a way to try on an identity, test an image, and get feedback from others. 2. These sites expose teens to the world. They enable teens to access people living anywhere in the country or in foreign countries, as well as their peers from school. Its a place where they can create and showcase who they are and also keep tabs on all of their friends. Unless under a hidden view or setting, profile pages are open for all to see. But teens love social networking sites because its their space. There is a sense of empowerment attached to controlling a piece of their own world and this is typically a world where parents are not present. Privacy and Security Issues in Social Networking There are very serious privacy and safety issues with regard to social networking sites. Anyone worried by privacy issues on social networking sites should ask themselves the question: is the next generation even going to be bothered by online security? A survey in the U.K. has discovered that 25% of teenagers have either hacked or attempted to hack their mates Facebook accountsdespite four out of five of them admitting that they knew they were doing wrong. Most of the 1,150 under-19-year-olds, who were questioned anonymously, said that they tried to crack their friends passwords for fun. Some 21% said that they hoped to cause disruption (as Facebooks founder Mark Zuckerberg allegedly did at Harvard). A successful hack, however, was harder to manage than the kids had envisaged, with 82% saying they hadnt succeeded. As regards Facebook and privacy issues, theres been a fair amount of keyboard pounding. The problem, its implied, is with Zuckerbergs company ethos as he strives to eke as many dollars as possible out of the site. However, perhaps there is some meat in the argument that kids are less bothered about what actually constitutes a persons right to keep his private stuff just that. Tufin Technologies, the firm that commissioned the study, claims that it demonstrates that kids needed educating about what is and isnt acceptable with online privacy. Playing around with computers and trying to understand the system can be leveraged for good and bad purposes, said Reuven Harrison, one of the co-founders of Tufin. Theres a fine line at which point it becomes something bad. Children dont always understand where that line is. Risks associated to the use of social network services identified up to now include the following: The notion of oblivion does not exist on the Internet. Once stored it stays there forever. Data, once published, may stay there forever, even when the data has been deleted them from the original site, there may be copies with third parties. Additionally, some service providers refuse to speedily comply with user requests to have data, and especially complete profiles, deleted. The misleading nature of the community. If users are not openly informed about how their profile information is shared and what they can do to control how it is shared, they may by the misled into thoughtlessly sharing their personal data they would not otherwise. The very name of some of these sites like MySpace creates the illusion on the web. Free of charge may in fact not be for free. Many social networking providers make money by selling user data such as email to service providers for marketing purposes, e.g. for (targeted) marketing. Traffic data collection by social network service providers, some providers have an ability to collect and record every single move by a user. Some details like IP address are given to third parties for advertising. Note that in many jurisdictions these data will also have to be disclosed to law enforcement or secret services upon request, including maybe also foreign entities under existing rules on international cooperation. For many of the social networking site user data are only the thing they have to make profit. So they use it to maximize their profits. Giving away more personal information than we think. For example, photos and, social graph functionalities popular with many social network services do reveal data about the relationships between different users. Misuse of profile data by third parties: This is probably the most important threat potential for personal. Depending on available privacy settings profile information, including pictures are made available to the entire user community. And very little protection is present against copying any kind of data from profiles. Law enforcement agencies and secret services are other entities. Possible hijacking of profiles by unauthorized third parties. Use of an insecure infrastructure. The introduction of interoperability standards and application programming interfaces to make different social network services technically interoperable entails additional new risks. Social issues Cyber-Bullying by Teenagers Should society be concerned? Many teens argue that rating is harmless fun. Fun it probably is, but whether it is harmless only time will tell. Teachers, lecturers and professors could find themselves unknowingly the subject of ribaldry, criticism, victimization or worse. Potential exists for slander and defamatory suggestions, if ratings are accompanied by gossip. Social Networking and Harassment The internet has had a reputation for being a platform for online bullying. Sometimes cyber-bullying has involved student to student situations. Sometimes harassment issues in the workplace have found their way online and teens have been targeted by online predators. Teenagers have found themselves giving statements to the law about bullying allegations, now this could affect teachers too. Online Bullying Health Issues for Teachers Stressed teachers, who are sometimes trying to give of their best in difficult circumstances, could be subjected to additional emotional and psychological trauma. Teenagers can be cruel in their humor and comments could be misleading, inaccurate, or derogatory, with scope for invention and exaggeration. Some would not realize that an online campaign of uncomplimentary performance ratings, ridicule or even threats might have negative consequences for teachers well-being. Laws Pertaining to Social Networking Sites The two most important statutes to consider when discussing the legal liabilities and obligations of the social networking sites are Section 512(c) of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Section 512 Section 512(c) removes liability for copyright infringement from websites that allow users to post content, as long as the site has a mechanism in place whereby the copyright owner can request the removal of infringing content. The site must also not receive a financial benefit directly attributable to the infringing activity. Section 230 Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act immunizes website from any liability resulting from the publication of information provided by another. This usually arises in the context of defamation, but several courts have expanded it to cover other sorts of claims as well. Thus, if a user posts defamatory or otherwise illegal content, Section 230 shields the social network provider from any liability arising out of the publication. Websites that, in whole or in part, create or develop contested information, on the other hand, are deemed content providers that do not benefit from the protections of Section 230. For example, MySpace.com attempts to restrict the ability to view underage profiles by preventing older users from accessing them. In effect, the web site filters the content based on answers provided during registration to ensure that only minors of certain ages can view other profiles from that age group. This would almost certainly qualify as meta-information under the Roommates.com decision, and would bump MySpace out from under the protection of Section 230. State Laws In addition to these federal statutes, several states have enacted or proposed laws that would create requirements for social networking sites, particularly in regards to monitoring the presence and activities of sexual predators using the sites. For an example, the North Carolina state senate recently passed a bill requiring that parents and guardians register with a social networking site and verify their ages before their children can sign up for an account. This is to counter the difficulty in verifying the ages of minors, who usually lack credit cards or other sources of information concerning their ages. That bill still requires approval from the North Carolina House of Representatives. Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) The New Problem of Sexting Sexting refers to sending a text message with pictures of children or teens that are inappropriate, naked or engaged in sex acts. According to a recent survey, about 20 percent of teen boys and girls have sent such messages. The emotional pain it causes can be enormous for the child in the picture as well as the sender and receiver often with legal implications. Some social networking sites attract pre-teens even kids as young as 5 or 6. These younger-focused sites dont allow the same kinds of communication that teens and adults have, but there are still things that parents can do to help young kids socialize safely online. In fact, when it comes to young kids, the law provides some protections and gives parents some control over the type of information that children can disclose online. For sites directed to children under age 13, and for general audience sites that know theyre dealing with kids younger than 13, theres the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). It requires these sites to get parental consent before they collect, maintain, or use kids information. COPPA also allows parents to review their childs online profiles and blog pages. Cultural Issues Teens chose to go where their friends are. So they dont randomly select their friends, they connect with people who are like them. This is known as homophily in the sociological concept of which highlights that birds of a feather stick together. By the time most teens join MySpace or Facebook, they already know someone who is on the site. They are attracted to the site because of the people there. MySpace came out as the first and quickly attracted young adults. It spread to teenagers through older. Facebook started at Harvard and spread with in before spreading more broadly. First within Harvard, then to other colleges, then to companies, then high schools, and then the whole world. MySpace came first and many teens chose to embrace it. When Facebook came along, plenty of teens changed to it as the new thing. In doing so, some chose to leave MySpace, while most simply maintained two profiles. Yet Facebook did not simply take over MySpace. In May 2009 comScore reported that MySpace and Facebook had roughly equal numbers of unique visitors. In choosing between the two sites, teens marked one as for people like me, which suggested that the other was for the other people. Teens use social categories and labels to identify people with values, tastes, and social positions. As teens chose between MySpace and Facebook, these sites began reflecting the cultural frames of those social categories. Health Safety Issues Health and safety on the internet applies to the mental health of an individual rather than the physical. For example the use of social networking site Facebook is associated with issues of cyber bullying and peer pressure. Solutions Teen Users of social networks 1. Be careful Think twice before publishing personal data (specifically name, address, or telephone number) in a social network profile. 2. Think twice before using your real name in a profile. Use a pseudonym instead. Note that even then you have only limited control over who can identify you, as third parties may be able to lift a pseudonym, especially based on pictures. Think of using different pseudonyms on different platforms. 3. Respect the privacy of others Be especially careful with publishing personal information about others (including pictures or even tagged pictures), without that other persons consent. Note that illegal publication especially of pictures is a crime in many jurisdictions. 4. Be informed Who operates the service? Under which jurisdiction? Is there an adequate regulatory framework for protecting privacy? Is there an independent oversight mechanism (like a Privacy Commissioner) that you can turn to in case of problems? Which guarantees does the service provider give with respect to handling your personal data? Has the service been certified by independent and trustworthy entities for good quality of privacy, and security? Use the web to educate yourself about other peoples experience with the privacy and security practices of a service provider you do not know. Use existing information material from providers of social network services, but also from independent sources like Data Protection Agencies, and security companies. 5. Use privacy friendly settings Restrict availability of information as much as possible, especially with respect to indexing by search engines. 6. Use different identification data (e.g. login and password) than those you use on other websites you visit (e.g. for your e-mail or bank account). 7. Use opportunities to control how a service provider uses your personal (profile and traffic) data. E.g. opt out of use for targeted marketing. What parents can do Learn what your teen is doing on the Internet. One way is to ask your teen to help you with doing a task on the web. Help teens know what is appropriate to put on the web. They have the web knowledge but you have life experience. Be clear about what is not safe to post on the web: full name, address, specific places they go, phone numbers, ethnic background, and anything else that would help someone identify or locate them. Remind your teen that strangers and people they dont want accessing their information have the ability to do just that. Once something is posted on the web, it is no longer private. Stress that the rules of social networking sites must be followed. There are age limits on most sites. Establish limits on how much screen time your teen has including time at the computer, watching TV, or playing video games. Invite your teen to show you his/her web page. Give him/her a day or two of warning before looking at it. Some teens may rethink what they have posted. Consider joining the same website your teen is on and setting up your own profile. That way your teen will be able to look at your profile and you will be able to ask to view his/her profile. Knowing this, teens will be much better at self monitoring. Conclusion à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Bullying and other threats which young users inflict upon each other may be more likely to arise than threats from adults. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Much is known about potential risks, but more research on the nature and extent of harm actually experienced by minors online is needed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Parental involvement in their childrens online activity is important, but principles of privacy and trust should dictate how parents help children to stay safe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Education and awareness are the most important factors in enabling minors to keep themselves safe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industry self-regulation is the preferred approach for service providers to meet public expectations with regard to the safety of minors. Legislation should not place burdens on service providers which prevent them from providing minors with all the benefits of social networking. However, available safety measures vary greatly from one provider to another and mandatory minimum levels of provision may need to be established. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There are a number of resources for learning how to guide youth, and program leaders can direct parents to them. One Internet watchdog, Parry Aftab, has several websites with advice tailored for parents, police and the youth themselves. One of them, WiredSafety, contains a guide to staying safe in online social networks.

The Global Transportation Industry: Bombardier Essay -- Case Study

Political Factors Being a major player in the global transportation industry, governments are both partners and customers to Bombardier. The transportation industry is seen as a quintessential strategic industry due to its highly profitable nature and contribution to a country's economic growth and prosperity, attracting significant support from their governments. The Government of Canada provides Bombardier with various subsidies such as tax breaks, financing, loan guarantees, and R&D support. The federal government, through EDC (Export Development Canada) administer these subsidies, even providing loans to international airlines enabling them to buy regional aircrafts from Bombardier . Such initiatives are necessary to allow Bombardier to thrive in an industry dominated by state backed international rivals. However, the issue of unfair subsidizing to undercut completion has been subject to legal cases and numerous allegations among the major rivals. The impact of this attention is being seen in the form of more conservative subsidy measures. In the light of such scrutiny, this trend is set to continue, forcing Bombardier to evolve into a more independent self sustained company. Economic Factors Along with the rest of the world, Bombardier has suffered the ill effects of the recession. However, there is an upward trend in the transportation industry led by growing demand and impressive economic growth forecasts in developing nations such as China and India. For the next 20 years, a return to sustained growth in business aviation is predicted, with a estimated demand for 24,000 business jets in all segments in which Bombardier competes. This represents total revenues of approximately $626 billion for the industry. These fac... ...any that is able to sell at a higher rate than cost has a greater chance of being more successful. Overall, Bombardier has been able manage a gross profit in the range of 15-16%. Given the nature of their operations being mostly on a contract basis, meaning that their product prices differ by customer, this shows that Bombardier is able to successfully sell their products at a consistently profitable manner. Additionally, it represents their ability to negotiate with customers. Of great notice is that they were able to maintain their margin levels throughout the recession of 2008-2009. Sources: Wiedman, 2002: http://www.camagazine.com/archives/print-edition/2002/dec/regulars/camagazine25484.aspx Stanford & Eprile, 1999 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6419/is_3_73/ai_n28735186/ SEC press release, 2004 http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2004-144.htm

Warren Court

Between 1953 and 1969, Earl Warren was the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Supreme Court decisions made during the â€Å"Warren Court† time period led to significant changes in different aspects of life in the United States. The Warren Court affected public schools, separation of church and state, and the rights of individuals accused of crime. The Warren Court affected public schools. The Brown v. Board of Education had a big part in the Warren Court. They decided to ban segregation in public schools. Therefore, more black children attended white schools.However, the Brown v. Board of Education decision did not abolish segregation in other public areas, such as restaurants and restrooms. The Warren Court affected prayer in public schools. Engel v. Vitale decision states that prayer is no longer allowed in public schools. John F Kennedy suggested a â€Å"remedy† to people who disagree with Engel vs. Vitale. He says to pray more at home and not in schoo l. However, prayer in public schools continued. Prayers are part of school activities from early morning moments of silence to lunchtime prayer sessions.The issue in this continuing debate is that people wanted to continue fighting religion in school. Lastly, the Miranda decision affected American society. It has increased public awareness of constitutional rights. More people now know their rights and what they are entitled to. Someone accused of a crime be informed of his or her constitutional rights prior to interrogation. This protected the rights of the accused. Therefore, the Warren Court greatly affected American society. The Warren Court affected public schools and desegregation, prayer in public schools and the rights of individuals accused of crime.

The History of Feminism

The History of Feminism Free Online Research Papers The feminist movement in the United States began in 1948 in upstate New York. The first women’s rights convention was in July 19th of that year. The women involved with the feminist movement were ridiculed for fighting for women’s rights but it did not stop them from standing up for their beliefs. One example of a woman willing to do whatever it took to gain women’s rights was Susan B. Anthony. She was arrested for attempting to vote in the presidential election in 1872. These first women who advocated women’s rights became known as the â€Å"first wave of feminists.† Their greatest success was the passage and ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote beginning in 1920. Although they succeeded in gaining the right to vote, they did not succeed in reforming women’s social and economic positions. The early and middle 20th century women’s movement eventually became much less powerful force for social change. The second wave of feminism emerged in the 1960’s and went into full force in the 1970’s. The political activism involving the war and the fight for the rights of black people of the 1960’s led women to reexamine their powerlessness. Women were becoming more aware that they had accepted the sexist attitudes and practices in traditional gender roles. Because of their realization, they began challenging male dominance and were no longer happy in subordinate and submissive roles. Feminism in today’s society has a slightly different meaning with people than it has in the past. Surveys show that although women are endorsing feminist positions, they do not necessarily accept the label of a feminist. In 1987, 57% of women considered themselves feminists and by 2001, the proportion dropped to only 25%. Feminism as a unified political cause has fallen out of favor because when complex issues are discussed men and women would rather take sides individually. There continues to be a growing rate of acceptance of women in non-traditional roles such as working rather than staying home and taking care of the house and family. Since the fight for women’s rights began, feminists have endorsed the passage of the equal rights amendment, affirmative action for women and minorities, federal legislation outlawing sex discrimination in education, greater representation of women in government and the right of a legal abortion. Intersection of Social Inequality The Matrix of Domination is used to show the various intersections of social inequality including gender, social class, race and ethnicity. It shows how several social factors can converge to create a cumulative impact on a person’s social standing. Gender roles among African Americans have always provoked controversy. Advocates of Black Nationalism argue that feminism distracts women from fully participating in the African American struggle and believe feminist groups among them divide the black community. Black feminists oppose this view and argue there is nothing to be gained by accepting gender-role divisions of the dominant society. Native Americans stand out as an exception to the patriarchal tradition and consequently, most Native American women have resisted gender stereotypes. Latina’s are usually considered either part of the Hispanic or feminist movements, hardly ever both. They have been excluded from decision making in the two social institutions that affec t their daily lives: the church and the family. Abortion from a Global Perspective In 1973, the Supreme Court granted women the right to terminate pregnancies in the United States. The court ruling known as Roe v. Wade was based on a woman’s right to privacy and the decision was applauded by pro-choice groups and greatly condemned by pro-life groups. The legalization of abortion caused much controversy within the pro-life groups because of their belief that life begins at conception and they viewed abortion as an act of murder. The debates following Roe v. Wade have continuously revolved around prohibiting or at least limiting abortions. A large debate began in 1971 when the state of Missouri began requiring parental consent for minors wishing to have an abortion. Other debates include the technological advances in the medical field like the â€Å"morning after pill† and abortion inducing pills. Also, ultrasounds are now used by doctors to end pregnancy as early as eight days after conception. Sociologists see gender and social class as the defining issues surrounding abortion and say they are caused by the differences over women’s position in society. Feminists who defend abortion rights typically believe men and women are similar and oppose all forms of sexual discrimination allowing women to be active in the work force outside the home. Opposing this view is the pro life advocates who mostly believe men and women are fundamentally different and view women who work outside the home as destructive to society and their families. Like the United States, many European nations have liberalized abortion laws beginning in the 1970’s. Anti-abortion activists in Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy and Germany were inspired by the strong anti-abortion movement in the United States and have become more outspoken. Even though many countries have legalized abortion, a quarter of all the women in the world live in countries where abortion is illegal or only when her life is in jeopardy and consequently, 40% of all abortions worldwide (about 20 million a year) are performed illegally. Research Papers on The History of Feminism19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Fifth HorsemanInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesQuebec and CanadaTrailblazing by Eric AndersonAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeHip-Hop is Art

Webvan Firm Analysis

Webvan Firm Analysis Introduction Webvan is an online firm that deals with packaging, selling, and delivery of grocery products. The firm was established in 1996 under the leadership of Louis Borders. Borders’ vision was to establish a customer-focused grocery firm. The firm’s objective was to increase its customer base by nurturing a high level of customer satisfaction (McAfee and Ashiya 1).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Webvan Firm Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the ways through which the firm intended to achieve this goal entailed simplifying the consumers’ purchasing process. The firm intended to achieve a high level of effectiveness and efficiency in its operations. For example, Webvan ensured that orders were delivered within thirty minutes. Its efficiency regarding product delivery was facilitated by the fact that the firm established a number of distribution centres. Problem identificatio n In a bid to achieve its vision, Webvan adopted the concept of online marketing. Webvan intended to exploit the niche market that is arising from the growth in the Internet and the high rate at which consumers are purchasing products online. The firm invested heavily in infrastructure, but it did not focus on marketing, which led to low sales. Consequently, the firm’s online model was adversely affected. This paper evaluates the problems faced by Webvan coupled with how they can be resolved in order to reposition the firm as a strong online company. Inherent complexities in Webvan’s business model Despite Webvan’s goals to attain an optimal market position in the e-groceries market, the firm faced a number of fundamental challenges. One of the major complexities faced by the firm relates to the fact that it did not understand how the groceries value chain operates. Therefore, the firm invested in a system that it had not tested (McAfee and Ashiya 3). Secondly, the firm also faced a major challenge in motivating consumers to adopt online shopping in their purchasing processes. During its inception, most consumers were only acquainted with purchasing groceries from convenient stores. By visiting the stores, consumers were in a position to access price discount in addition to gaining a unique experience during the purchasing process. Moreover, most consumers attached little economic value to the amount of time spent when shopping in the supermarket, which means that a significant proportion of consumers did not value convenience. Consequently, online shopping was a rather new concept to most consumers. Therefore, changing the consumers’ behaviour is one of the uphill battles faced by the firm.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Webvan intended to deliver a wide range of perishable and non-perishable products to custome rs through its online model. However, the 30 minutes duration within which the firm intended to achieve this objective was relatively short. Moreover, this model was untested with regard to delivery of perishable products. Therefore, the likelihood of the model failing was relatively high. Dealing with grocery products was another major challenge that the firm faced, as such products were characterised by low profit margins of 1% to 5%. The firm also faced a major challenge with regard to sustaining its wide product range and meeting the temperature requirements in to preserve the products (McAfee and Ashiya 7). Technological discontinuities and behaviour changes necessary to implement Webvan’s business model Webvan’s failure arose from its inability to understand how it would successfully integrate online shopping technology to groceries. Despite its failure, Webvan can attain an optimal market position by improving its online shopping model. In order to achieve this goal, the firm should focus on a number of technological discontinuities. Technological discontinuities refer to the changes that the firm will be required to implement in order to maximise its sales revenue. Considering the volatile nature of the IT industry, it is imperative for Webvan to develop a well-structured framework to implement the technological changes. First, the firm should align its operations with market changes by identifying the possible technological discontinuities and market needs that might affect its ability to maximise online sales. In a bid to identify the technological discontinuities successfully, Webvan should take into account the customers’ future needs and the prevailing technological trends. This move will minimise the likelihood of the implemented ICT technology from becoming obsolete. The firm should also assess potential substitute technologies that can be incorporated and compare with the technology that has already been integrated (McAfee and Ashiya 9). It is also imperative for Webvan to engage in a comprehensive marketing campaign. The campaign should focus at creating awareness on the benefits associated with online shopping. The firm should conduct its market awareness campaign on both traditional and emerging mediums, which will play a critical role in the firm’s effort to attract its customer base and hence its sales revenue.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Webvan Firm Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the aspects that the firm should focus on relates to the economic benefits of online shopping. For example, online shopping saves on cost, as the consumer does not incur additional cost in their purchasing process due to transport. Moreover, online shopping is more convenient with regard to time, as it eliminates the amount of time that the customer may be required to queue. Target market Webvan targeted three main custome r groups, which include the new technologists, price insensitive consumers, and time conscious consumers. Before adopting the online shopping model, Webvan conducted a comprehensive market research. From the market research, the firm identified a customer group that values their time. These customers include senior citizens, mothers with young children, upscale employees, students, and physically challenged customers. Some of these customers such as students, senior citizens, and upscale employees attach high value to the convenience associated with online shopping. Consequently, they prefer shopping perishable and non-perishable products online rather than visiting supermarkets. Challenges associated with Webvan physical plant infrastructure In an effort to exploit the online market, Webvan invested in a high capital and technology intensive project. The project entailed constructing a number of distribution centres in different parts of the US. The distribution centres were fitted with optimal warehousing and order management technologies (McAfee and Ashiya 11). Despite its commitment in implementing the online shopping technology, Webvan experienced a major challenge with regard to meeting the cost of the high-tech warehouse. For example, the firm incurred $40 million in constructing the distribution centres in Atlanta. The firm experienced a major challenge in sustaining the operations of the high-tech warehouses considering the fact that its grocery sales were relatively low. The high cost of operation forced the firm to implement the downsizing strategy. For example, in 2001, the firm retrenched 2000 employees. Most investors in Webvan lost the amount they had invested. Moreover, the firm was forced to apply for bankruptcy protection. Conclusion The case study shows that Webvan faced numerous challenges that hindered its success in the online shopping market segment. First, the firm did not conduct a comprehensive consumer market research in order to det ermine the consumers purchasing patterns. Consequently, its online shopping model relied on assumption rather than market facts.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, the firm assumed that the prevailing market size in the US would translate into sales, which motivated the firm to engage in an aggressive market expansion. The firm also incurred high cost in maintaining the distribution centres it had established in the US market. Moreover, Webvan’s management team assumed that the frequency of online purchases would enable the firm to maximise its sales. However, most consumers who purchased through the firm’s online shopping system did not engage in repeat purchase behaviour. Therefore, the firm was not in a position to develop and maintain a strong customer base. The firm also experienced a challenge due to technological discontinuities. Recommendation Despite the above failures, Webvan can improve its online business model and hence its performance. In order to achieve this goal, the firm should consider the following. Webvan should conduct a comprehensive consumer market research. The research will give the firmâ⠂¬â„¢s management insight with regard to the consumers’ purchasing behaviour. For example, the firm will be in a position to identify the products that consumers purchase online rather than selling all its products through the online business model. The firm should continually invest in research and development with regard to ICT, which will improve the firm’s competitiveness within the online market segment. The firm should also evaluate its target market in order to identify changes in consumers’ purchasing patterns, and thus the firm will improve its online shopping technologies to be aligned with the prevailing market trend. McAfee, Andrew, and Mona Ashiya. â€Å"Webvan.† Harvard Business Review, 25 Sept. 2001: 1-28. Print.