Employment Law Compliance Plan Essay

I have researched several employment laws for Mr. Stonefield’s Landslide Limousine Company and there are four laws that I will outline for Mr. Stonefield to consider complying with in his new business venture. I will discuss in this memo the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding employment discrimination, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 regarding people with disabilities, Equal Pay Act of 1963 regarding wage discrimination between men and women, and lastly the Texas Minimum Wage Act regarding the least amount of an hourly wage payable in the state of Texas. I will give a brief summary of each of the four Acts and consequences for noncompliance. Civil Rights Act of 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is regulated and enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). As a new business, if you receive any federally funded monies such as grants, assistance, or subsidies The  Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to you. The EEOC â€Å"enforces laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age in hiring, promoting, firing, setting wages, testing, training, apprenticeship, and all other terms and conditions of employment† (The United States National Archives and Records Administration, n.d., para. 3). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it unlawful for employers to â€Å"fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (The United States National Archives an d Records Administration, n.d., para. 2). The Civil Rights Act has been expanded to include subsequent legislation. According to the United States Government Manual of 1998-99, â€Å"the EEOC enforces laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age in hiring, promoting, firing, setting wages, testing, training, apprenticeship, and all other terms and conditions of employment† (The United States National Archives and Records Administration, n.d., para. 3). Protected classes now include race, color, creed, sex, and age. As you can see, the spectrum of inclusion has been increased to protect the employee. Consequences for noncompliance Once a business has been found to be in violation of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 the penalties are substantial. Consequences for violating The Civil Rights Act can result in federal funding can be withdrawn for a specific time or terminated and monetary fines. Marion Shaub, a former Federal Express (FedEx) truck driver, sued her employer after she reported anti-female comments, hostility, and retaliation when she reported the incidents. The EEOC reports â€Å"The jury found Federal Express liable for a sex-based hostile work environment and retaliation and awarded Ms. Shaub $391,400 in back pay and front pay, $350,000 in compensatory damages for emotional pain and distress, and $2.5 million dollars in punitive damages† (United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC], 2004, para. 2). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 â€Å"prohibits discrimination  against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities† (United States Department of Labor [DOL], n.d., para. 1). The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees that have disabilities or may have accessibility requirements to be able to use public accommodations. Under the ADA, disabilities include physical and mental conditions with varying degrees of severity. A few examples are deafness, blindness, missing limbs, epilepsy, cancer, and mental retardation. The Department of Labor provides assistance with the ADA but four federal agencies are responsible for enforcing the ADA. Those four agencies are the EEOC, The Department of Transportation (DOT), The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and The Department of Justice (DOJ). Consequences for noncompliance As with The Civil Rights Act of 1964, withdrawal and termination of federal funds is possible of companies that violate The ADA. One example is Bates v. United Parcel Service (UPS). This particular case brought against UPS brought to issue â€Å"the hearing standard that is part of the DOT physical† (Case Law Find Law, 2015, para. 9). The plaintiffs contended that even with a hearing disability and not passing the DOT hearing test they were still able to operate vehicles that were below the required gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10, 001 pounds. UPS agreed to pay $5.8 million and to create a program that was implemented nationally throughout UPS. Equal Pay Act of 1963 The Equal Pay Act of 1963 states, â€Å"Employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort and responsibility, and that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment† (Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM], 2015, para. 2). What this means is that men and women are to be given equal pay for doing the same types of work however, the work does not have to be exactly the same but equal, within the same employer. Skill, effort, responsibility, working conditions, and establishment are factors that employers must keep in mind when paying wages to men and women doing similar jobs in similar work environments. Wage differences can exists when merit, seniority, or any other factor exists as long as it is not a person’s  gender. When there are wage differences the burden of proof falls on the employer to prove why the difference exists. Consequences of noncompliance Corning Glass Works violated the Equal Pay Act by paying male employees who work a night inspection shift a higher wage than females doing the same inspections during the day inspection shift. Corning Glass also tried to correct this by opening up the night inspection shift to women and implemented a unionized shift differential to equalize pay however, employee employed prior to the changes continued to receive higher wages continuing to create a difference in pay. The Secretary of Labor brought the charges against Corning to collect back wages for the women who had been violated. Texas Minimum Wage Act The Texas Minimum Wage Act (TMWA) provides information about rights and duties for both employees and employers. The TMWA establishes the minimum wage at $7.25, requires employers to provide a written statement of an employee’s earnings, outlines provisions for agricultural workers, provides exemptions for different types of employers, and civil penalties for violations. All employers must display the current Texas minimum wage poster in an obstruction free area so that all employees can see what the minimum wage is and their rights as workers in Texas. Recommendations for Compliance In closing, compliance with Federal, State, County, and City laws is strongly recommended. Landslide Limousine Company can be shut down and fined heavily for violations brought by employees. The burden of proof is on you as the employer and understanding all of the laws applicable to your business is necessary. Investigations by any of the federal departments who are responsible for investigating and enforcing the employment laws can tie up your resources for months, possibly years. However, not all judgments go against the employer. My recommendation is to understand the laws, document well, keep pristine records, and do your best to remind within the guidelines for employers. References Case Law Find Law. (2015). BATES v. UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC UPS. Retrieved from http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1242057.html Society for Human Resource Management. (2015). Equal Pay Act of 1963. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/legalissues/federalresources/federalstatutesregulationsandguidanc/pages/equalpayactof1963.aspx The United States National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). Teaching With Documents: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/civil-rights-act/ United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Disability Resources Americans with Disabilities Act. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2004). Federal Express to Pay over $3.2 Million to Female Truck Driver for Sex Discrimination, Retaliation. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/2-25-04.cfm

A Subaltern’s Love Song Essay

â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† is a rhapsodic poem that details the poet’s real-life infatuation. Betjeman does not use the military definition of subaltern here, but instead is referring to someone in an inferior position. The author struggles, somewhat happily, against his love interest as she continually bests him at tennis. In Literature, poems can often be very difficult for one to comprehend and interpret the author’s perspective. Many people grew only being exposed to the basic â€Å"Roses are red, violets are blue† form of poetic expression, so anything that fails to employ simple rhythmic phrases can be somewhat aloof to some people. Poetry is one of the most artistic forms of literature because it influences the author to express big thoughts and imaginations in somewhat of an abbreviated writing style, in contrast to essays, short stories, and many more. A Subaltern’s Love Song by John Betjeman is an example of poetry that takes the reader on a journey of music and a love story. It was not until I actually read through the poem once did I realize that the title â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† would actually allude to the character of this poem. The context of this poem is most certainly romantic, and indicative of a love story, however the form of the poem actually has a rhythm to it. I am not exactly certain if the author purposefully paralleled the word â€Å"song† in the title with music, but it was something that stuck out to me and was one of the things that did capture my interest in this particular poetic work. Due to the fact that I am a one who enjoys reading love stories, my imagination was most certainly ignited by reading this poem. Another thing that particularly stuck out to me about this poem was the use of ambiguity regarding the soldier and the love interest. The author was successful in my opinion with his use of ambiguity to â€Å"raise questions and suggest outcomes. † (Clugston, 2010) All of the aforementioned components of â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† allowed me to be an active and responsive reader while I was reading this. The archetypal approach is the best analytical approach that can be used to describe this poem. The poems does not direct it attention to only one sole approach. Because the poem is not just limited to the author’s feelings or way of thinking but it is delivered in a manner that the author has you thinking of different ways to show your love. The archetypal approach is being used in line five where it states â€Å"Love-thirty, love-forty, oh! Weakness of joy† (Clugston, 2010). It relates the weakness to as getting older in life and taking a chance on love. This also shows his progress through life in which he learns to love and finally ask for marriage. Were in the last stanza of the poem it sums up the whole meaning of the poem. A good poem should write in such a way that it does not immediately reveal all of its secrets. But neither should the language be couched in such arcane and esoteric terms that discovering its meaning become impenetrable. Poem is not a synonym for puzzle. When the inherent message of a poem becomes impossible to understand, then it becomes a more of an ordeal than a pleasure. The references should, in my view, be accessible to scrutiny in such a way that its treasures are unlocked upon careful and considered reading. A deliberately confusing poem serves no purpose other than to prove what a smart Alec the poet is. A Subaltern’s Love Song is a perfect example of a well-structured poem. Upon first reading this seems little more than a clever poem written about a few posh twerps with too much time on their hands. But, there is so much more going on. It’s a love story that was not directly stated and I enjoyed the reading.

Developmentally Appropriate Practices Essay

Feedback is a very important aspect in teaching any subject but it is most important in an algebra class. This is because there are many instances when particular students tend to repeat implicit errors hidden in their solutions. In a large class, it is unmanageable to study each of the student’s solutions in order to find just what the student is doing wrong. Therefore, it is more practical to provide feedback in collaboration with members of the class. This is done by letting students present their solutions to homework or quizzes on the board. Afterwards, the solutions are not only checked but critiqued by their classmates for errors which the teacher providing guided questions. This way, students will be able to see how errors are committed and avoid them in the future. They would also be able to interact which addresses a social need at their stage of development. In any classroom, it is important that students are free to think about all the possibilities of the knowledge presented to them. One way of addressing this is through giving very practical problems which groups of students can solve independently through methodologies that they themselves would think of based on the current lesson. This strategy allows the students to interact and think autonomously about how best to address the problem. Of course, not all students are the same and the teacher should have a way of figuring out their individual needs and learning styles. This can be solved by administering questionnaires at the beginning of the course that can determine the learning styles of the different members of the class. Based on the results, the teacher can now better plan how instruction would be delivered to obtain maximum effectiveness. Lastly, the teacher should inspire the class to love the subject and see its value in the real world. This can be done through ample input of real world applications. In presenting word problems, their applications to real life should not be superficial. I explore the use of models, multimedia, and hands-on experiments in order to be able to let students completely visualize the real-life value of the problem. TPE 7 Teaching English Learners (1 Page) Students who are learning English as a second language are often at a disadvantage in a typical math class because they end up having a hard time understanding the discussions due to the language barrier. In occasions when there are members of the class that are not native English speakers, the first intervention that I employ is to always remember to use more basic English when delivering subject content. For example, when discussing about solutions of quadratic equations, I have to make it clear that the terms solutions, zeroes, and roots all just mean the answers as to what is â€Å"x† or whatever variable I am using. Another way to facilitate more effective instruction in a class of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners is to incorporate culturally relevant examples in lessons. Using objects, places, and people that are familiar to ESL learners in word problems help them associate the content of the problem with its solution better and motivate them to try and answer the problem because it has develops a better meaning for them. Of course, there must be appropriate balance of culturally relevant examples used and there should be ample input of popular culture examples as well. Finally, when there are students who are really having a hard time understanding English in class, I make it a point to use as few words as I can and describe lessons in terms of symbols and numbers instead of words. When explaining how to get the solution of an equation such as 2x – 4 = 7, I will not go on explaining about transposing one number from the rest and changing the sign. Instead, I will show the students that by adding a +4 on both sides, I would not really be violating the equality and the same is true when I divide both sides of the equation by 2 afterwards. By showing the solution in this manner, I give less verbal explanations and more visual ones which would be better appreciated and absorbed by learners who do not understand the common language of instruction so well.

Nature vs. Nurture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nature vs. Nurture - Essay Example Since the introduction of fuel consuming vehicles in the society, there has been a rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Cars are everywhere on the face of earth. There is hardly any region where people still travel on foot, and don’t use cars. Cars consume fuel. As the fuel burns, it releases chloro-flouro carbons into the atmosphere, which in turn, result into an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases. Increase in the content of greenhouse gases has caused the temperature to rise in general. In addition to that, our reliance on the vehicles in daily life has made us lazy and laggard. We tend to avoid traveling on foot as long as we have cars with us. Reduced physical activity has caused many of us to put on weight, and people have become obese in large numbers. Like global warming, obesity is an equally big social issue in many advanced countries in the present age. Although there are many other factors that lead an individual to obesity, yet lack of walk is an important factor that causes obesity in people. I believe that in order to cater for these problems, we need to avoid use of vehicles that consume oil. I use a vehicle that does not consume any fuel, and also allows me to put in physical exertion. I have a bicycle. Wherever I have to go, I use it. Not only does it save time, but is also very environment friendly and also keeps me physically fit as I have to constantly keep rotating pedals to drive the bicycle. In addition to that, I also take other measures to stay physically fit. I dislike obesity and believe that it ruins an individual’s looks. I am a big fan of healthy food, and have always tried very hard to keep stuck to one. To me, health is more important than wealth. I tend to be indulged in more and more physical work because exercise is the treatment of obesity (Queen). I believe that increased use of vehicles in the modern age has

Orientalism In Hollywood Movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Orientalism In Hollywood Movies - Movie Review Example Here the lead actor, Yule Brynner’s role, portrays Thailand’s legendary monarch, King Mongkut, who had opened the doors of his country, to welcome the entry of western influences during his reign in the 1860s. However, the movie, which is an adaptation of the book ‘Anna and the King of Siam’ by Margaret Landon, shows a lack of in-depth research work and limited knowledge on Thai history and culture, has a tendency to highlight dramatic considerations, and being too Eurocentric, fails to depict the country’s history authentically. This article will do a film review on â€Å"The King and me† and examine how ‘orientalism’ is represented in this movie. It will explore the notions of ‘orientalism’ as given by Edward Said, and will study the movie in this respect. It will also examine the post-war theory of modernization, which is very evidently represented in this movie. Postwar theory of modernization in the movie: King Mongkut, a renowned monarch of Thailand, has always been ‘an usually attractive subject to study’, and is generally considered to be ‘a pivotal one in Thai history’ (Wilson, 164). The movie is based on a romantic relationship that develops between Anna Leonowens and King Mongkut, and it depicts the issue of modernization quite clearly. It shows certain nuances of reality, by depicting the pros and cons of trying to adapt to a new culture, as the king opens the door for the western world to enter. The movie shows Anna Leonowens, a highly specialized English-American school teacher, who is hired by the king to teach the royal children western thoughts and etiquette. As she initially crosses sword with the king, the movie shows how Anna saves the country from the tyranny of the nonwestern ruler, by imbibing American modern values within him, thus ‘modernizing’ him in the process.

Emergency Management 670 week 7 Conference Essay

Emergency Management 670 week 7 Conference - Essay Example In the future, emergency managers will need to develop a region wide approach to emergency management, implement interoperable GIS technologies and protect key infrastructure in the communities. Effective emergency managers need some skills and traits in order to effectively manage the unforeseen disaster. Some of the skills include risk assessment skills, mitigation planning, and ability to work with the communities in preparedness through periodic drills. According to Drabek’s study of 1987, effective emergency managers should have salient traits such as anticipating disasters, exhibition of professionalism, being community mentors, reconciliatory traits, the knowledge of extend of authority and ordinance based powers and doing anything possible to protect and preserve the safety of the community. The National Academy of Sciences study of emergency management concluded that efficient emergency managers need critical future skills such as grasp of the public administration and budgeting skills. It also made it clear that understanding of HAZUS software and improvement warnings and communications was essential for emergency managers. The study concluded that emergency managers should improve the use of social media and acquire higher education on risk assessment and preparedness skills (Langberg, 2010). The study also suggested that emergency managers should be more regionally focused and share best practices in emergency management in order to enhance the response capabilities of the first responders. The National Academy of Sciences study also proposed the better use of GIS and other software technologies in identifying and responding to emergencies. On the other hand, International Association of Emergency managers (IAEM) recently announced that the emergency managers should be compressive, risk-driven, progressive, inclusive, collaborative, professional, coordinated and flexible in response to

Changing the Legal Drinking Age in Michigan Essay

Changing the Legal Drinking Age in Michigan - Essay Example As defined by Cambridge International Dictionary, alcohol is an item for consumption produced when manufacturing wine, beer and liquor. People who drink these products tend to have behavioral change causing them to do inappropriate acts. Â  Alcohol contains substances that can affect a human body especially its way of thinking and act on things. It is said that people under the influence of alcohol became fearless in saying their feelings toward another person; they also tend to be bold on doing things. They think that when they take alcohol it makes them better and boosts their self-esteem. Â  Legal age as defined by the dictionary is the right age wherein an individual enters adulthood wherein lawful rights and responsibilities should be followed. The legal drinking age in Michigan - a state in the East North Central United States that consist two peninsulas separated by water was 21 years old. Â  In this research, a variety of facts and opinions will be discussed so as to oppose the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) also known as the Uniform Drinking Age Act of 1984 wherein the MLDA will be 21 years of age. On the other hand, certain facts will also be given to support the 21 years of age as the legal drinking age. The research was done to present both sides of the issue regarding on changing the legal drinking age; considering 18 years of age as the legal age. ... Â  A person who reached his/her legal age is therefore according to the law allowed to vote, to have a license and to apply for a job. Â  Undeniably, age is one of the many factors to be considered in selling alcoholic beverages but to look into a larger picture, 21 years of age is old and mature enough to be responsible in his/her action/s. The law says a citizen can vote at the age of 18 because maybe they believe that this age, teenagers are responsible enough to know the laws and policies of the country and yet they are not allowed to drink. If we are to compare voting and drinking, I personally think that voting requires more knowledge and maturity compared to drinking. Another fact is that manufacturers of these products did not lack anything to their consumers for they have warning/s on their advertisements like the famous tagline of beer, "Drink Moderately." Â  According to an article, on an Amethyst Initiative - an effort done by McCardell wherein a number of college presidents were called, college presidents signed a statement saying, "Twenty-One is Not Working." In lieu with the statement here are the reasons supporting the statement (1) a society of risky, clandestine binge-drinking has been made and is usually done outside the campus (2) there was no positive behavioral change with the students.

Analysis of Piracy and Plagiarism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Piracy and Plagiarism - Case Study Example However, one may point out that the need to create pirated movies has been influenced by the high prices or original versions of similar content. This counter-argument may not justify the practice. The price of movie production has increased significantly. For this reason, the consumer should appreciate the art of movie production. From a financial perspective, the cost incurred in the production process can only be compensated if consumers purchase the product at an appropriate price. The desired profit ratio cannot be acquired through the sale of pirated movies. Karaganis is the assumption that the price of pirated movies is almost 60% less of the price of the original DVDs. The rise of pirated movies has influenced the growth of television networks that offer alternative modes of consumer access to movies. For instance, the growth of television networks such as Netflix has been influenced by the need to create cheaper ways that consumers may access movies legally. However, the gro wth of such networks has been cited as a negative impact on the sale of original DVDs. Regardless, the trend is embraced hugely as it increases the level of exposure of movies. Strauss asserts that television networks offer a legal alternative that may substitute piracy to a consumer population seeking cheaper options. Another significant effect of piracy is the increased release of counterfeit movies with low quality. This dents the reputation of movie makers. However, if a consumer acquires a counterfeit movie they may not create a negative perception of the movie maker since they may understand the circumstances of which the movie was accessed. But, production of counterfeit movies of low quality does allow the consumer to capture the real creativity and effort of the movies made.

Exercise Physiology in Extreme Environments Essay

Exercise Physiology in Extreme Environments - Essay Example The term hypoxia refers to a pathological condition in which the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply (Wikipedia, 2006a). Physiologists have long been astonished by the changes that occur with adaptation to altitude as the circulatory system attempts to compensate for the increased hypoxia by enhancing certain characteristics. Common reasoning asserts that if the characteristics of circulation at altitude are better than those of sea-level, then sea-level performances should be enhanced among these athletes. For example, training at altitude, anywhere above 3000 meters, increases the body’s number of red blood cells, thus the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen is greater. It seems reasonable that this would enhance sea-level performance as the high altitude athlete’s body uses oxygen more effectively which enables that individual to run farther and faster (Sutton, 1994). However, these assumptions of high altitude training are just that. Contradictory evidenc e suggests that high altitude training is not only ineffective, but the physiological events that occur in the body as a result can be harmful. Ascent to high altitude is accompanied by a progressive fall in barometric pressure and an accompanying fall in the partial pressure of oxygen. â€Å"As low-level dwellers, we are optimally equipped for existence at normal air pressure of 760 mm of mercury, with an oxygen concentration of 21 percent. With increasing altitude, the concentration of oxygen remains the same, but the atmospheric pressure decreases and with this the partial pressure of oxygen falls. This means that the number of oxygen molecules per breath is greatly reduced and this in turn reduces the amount of oxygen available to the blood and tissues in the body† (Quinn, n.d.). The resulting decrease in arterial oxygen saturation (hypoxaemia) triggers a cascade of physiological disturbances that ultimately result in an

Systems Analysis and Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Systems Analysis and Design - Assignment Example Unlike C++, which combines the syntax for structured, generic, and object-oriented programming, Java was built almost exclusively as an object-oriented language. All code is written inside a class, and everything is an object, with the exception of the intrinsic data types (ordinal and real numbers, boolean values, and characters), which are not classes for performance reasons. Java uses similar commenting methods to C++. There are three different styles of comment: a single line style marked with two slashes (//), a multiple line style opened with a slash asterisk ( ), and the Javadoc commenting style opened with a slash and two asterisks ( ). The Javadoc style of commenting allows the user to run the Javadoc executable to compile documentation for the program. Source files must be named after the public class they contain, appending the suffix .java, for example, HelloWorld.java. It must first be compiled into bytecode, using a Java compiler, producing a file named HelloWorld.class. Only then can it be executed, or launched. The java source file may only contain one public class but can contain multiple classes with less than public access and any number of public inner classes. A class that is not declared public may be stored in any .java file. The compiler will generate a class file for each class defined in the source file. The name of the class file is the name of the class, with .class appended. For class file generation, anonymous classes are treated as if their name were the concatenation of the name of their enclosing class, a $, and an integer. The keyword public denotes that a method can be called from code in other classes, or that a class may be used by classes outside the class hierarchy. The class hierarchy is related to the name of the directory in which the .java file is located. The keyword static in front of a method indicates a static method.

Theories of Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Theories of Biology - Essay Example Washington, by getting a blood sample from a pregnant woman and a saliva specimen from the father, the genome of a fetus can be identified (Pollack, 2012). This new development will be very useful in detecting genetic diseases even before the baby is born. It was further found that gene mutations can be inherited from the parents. Aside from the theory of inheritance, there are other major theories of biology. A famous theory is Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). This theory explains why there are different species on earth and how these species have evolved. Another theory is the cell theory which â€Å"states that all organisms are composed of cells and that all cells come from preexisting cells† (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). Biological classification is another theory in biology which classifies living organisms according to their similarities and differences (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). The fifth major theory is bioenergetics which affirms that the energy that powers life is regulated by the same energy in the inanimate universe (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). The sixth theory explains that organisms can tolerate varying external conditions by maintaining stable conditions internally, known as homeostasis (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). The latest theo ry of biology is ecosystems. This theory acknowledges that organisms are part of a population which is part of a larger environment composed of other living and non-living things (Pruitt & Underwood, 2006). Pollack, A. (2012, June 6). DNA blueprint for fetus built using tests of parents. Retrieved July 31, 2012, from The New York Times web site: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/health/tests-of-parents-are-used-to-map-genes-of-a-fetus.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Pruitt, N. L., & Underwood, L. S. (2006). Chapter 1 - Biology: What is the study of life? In N. L. Pruitt, & L. S. Underwood, Bioinquiry: Making Connections in Biology (3rd ed) (pp. 1-18). Hoboken, NJ:

Hymn to Labor Essay Example for Free

Hymn to Labor Essay Assessment process of setting a value on real or personal property, usually for the purpose of taxation. It is carried out either by central government agencies or by local officials. Property may be assessed on the basis of its annual rental value, as in Britain, or its capital value, as in the U.S. Various methods are used to determine capital value, including analysis of market data to estimate the propertys current market price, estimation of the cost of reproducing the property minus accrued depreciation, and capitalization of the propertys earnings. Because educators have used the word â€Å"assessment† in a variety of ways, it’s important to understand its specific definition in education today. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), has identified five fundamental questions for institutions to use in discussing and defining assessment: 1. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, and degrees? 2. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes? 3. In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning? 4. How do you ensure shared responsibility for assessment of student learning? 5. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning? The HLC’s complete statement on assessment can be found at: www.ncahlc.org/download/AssessStuLrngApril.pdf Using these questions as a guide, OCC has developed its own definition of assessment, which is broadly published in various college documents including the College Catalog (p. 43), Student Handbook, Schedule of Classes, and the assessment website: Assessment is an on-going process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. It involves making our expectations clear to students and setting appropriate outcomes for learning. It helps determine how well student performance matches those outcomes. It uses the resulting information to improve student learning. The assessment process helps to support OCC’s shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving student learning. Assessment of student learning occurs at various academic levels. The goals at each level are different. Classroom Assessment The goal of classroom assessment is to enhance student learning. Instructors use a variety of methods in the classroom to get feedback about student learning in terms of course objectives. Program Assessment Every degree, diploma, and certificate program has a statement of purpose and learning outcomes. Each learning outcome is measured by the faculty in the program through a variety of assignments, tests, practicum’s, projects, and licensing examinations. Also, in some cases program graduates are surveyed to get feedback about how well the program prepared them for their jobs. The goal of program assessment is to revise and improve the curriculum of the program and to insure student success. General Education Assessment Students come to college for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the reason, it is the goal of the college to give its students an education including general skills and knowledge critical for success in life. Therefore, the OCC faculty have identified ten General Education Outcomes and have incorporated them into the general education requirements of the college. These outcomes are assessed in the same way as course learning objectives in the classroom. Additionally, Student Assessment of General Education (SAGE) occurs college-wide each year.

A Brief Background On Nestle Marketing Essay

A Brief Background On Nestle Marketing Essay In the 1860s Henri Nestlà ©, a pharmacist, developed a food for babies who were unable to breastfeed. His first success was a premature infant who could not tolerate his mothers milk or any of the usual substitutes. People quickly recognized the value of the new product, after Nestlà ©s new formula saved the childs life, and soon, Farine Lactà ©e Henri Nestlà © was being sold in much of Europe. In 1905 Nestlà © merged with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. By the early 1900s, the company was operating factories in the United States, Britain, Germany and Spain. World War I created new demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts. By the end of the war, Nestlà ©s production had more than doubled. After the war Government contracts dried up and consumers switched back to fresh milk. However, Nestlà ©s management responded quickly, streamlining operations and reducing debt. The 1920s saw Nestlà ©s first expansion into new products, with chocolate the Companys second most important activity Nestlà © felt the effects of World War II immediately. Profits dropped from $20 million in 1938 to $6 million in 1939. Factories were established in developing countries, particularly Latin America. Ironically, the war helped with the introduction of the Companys newest product, Nescafà ©, which was a staple drink of the US military. Nestlà ©s production and sales rose in the wartime economy. 1944-1975 The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestlà ©. Growth accelerated and companies were acquired. In 1947 came the merger with Maggi seasonings and soups. Crosse Blackwell followed in 1960, as did Findus (1963), Libbys (1971) and Stouffers (1973). Diversification came with a shareholding in LOrà ©al in 1974. 1975-1981 Nestlà ©s growth in the developing world partially offset a slowdown in the Companys traditional markets. Nestlà © made its second venture outside the food industry by acquiring Alcon Laboratories Inc.. 1981-1995 Nestlà © divested a number of businesses1980 / 1984. In 1984, Nestlà ©s improved bottom line allowed the Company to launch a new round of acquisitions, the most important being American food giant Carnation. 1996-2002 The first half of the 1990s proved to be favorable for Nestlà ©: trade barriers crumbled and world markets developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Since 1996 there have been acquisitions including San Pellegrino (1997), Spillers Petfoods (1998) and Ralston Purina (2002). There were two major acquisitions in North America, both in 2002: in July, Nestlà © merged its U.S. ice cream business into Dreyers, and in August, a USD 2.6bn acquisition was announced of Chef America, Inc. 2003 + The year 2003 started well with the acquisition of  Mà ¶venpick Ice Cream, enhancing  Nestlà ©s position as one of the world market leaders in this product category.   In 2006, Jenny Craig and Uncle Tobys were added to the Nestlà © portfolio and 2007 saw  Novartis Medical Nutrition, Gerber and Henniez join the Company.   Nestlà © is the worlds leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company. We are committed to increasing the nutritional value of our products while improving the taste. We  achieve this through our  brands and with initiatives like the Nutritional Compass. Since Henri Nestlà © developed the first milk food for infants in 1867, and saved the life of a neighbours child, the Nestlà © Company has aimed to build a business as the worlds leading nutrition, health and wellness company  based on sound human values and principles. The Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles are at the basis of our companys culture. We have built our business on the fundamental principle that to have long-term success for our shareholders, we not only have to comply with all applicable legal requirements and ensure that all our activities are sustainable, but additionally we have to create significant value for society. At Nestlà © we call this Creating Shared Value. Our  Corporate Business Principles will continue to evolve and adapt to a changing world, our basic foundation is unchanged from the time of the origins of our Company, and reflects the basic ideas of fairness, honesty, and a general concern for people. Nestlà © is committed to the following Business Principles in all countries, taking into account local legislation, cultural and religious practices: Nestlà ©s business objective is to manufacture and market the Companys products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners. Nestlà © does not favour short-term profit at the expense of successful long-term business development. Nestlà © recognizes that its consumers have a sincere and legitimate interest in the behaviour, beliefs and actions of the Company behind brands in which they place their trust, and that without its consumers the Company would not exist. Nestlà © believes that, as a general rule, legislation is the most effective safeguard of responsible conduct, although in certain areas, additional guidance to staff in the form of voluntary business principles is beneficial in order to ensure that the highest standards are met throughout the organization. Nestlà © is conscious of the fact that the success of a corporation is a reflection of the professionalism, conduct and the responsible attitude of its management and employees. Therefore recruitment of the right people and ongoing training and development are crucial. Nestlà © continues to maintain its commitment to follow and respect all applicable local laws in each of its markets. The Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles The ten principles of business operations Consumers; 1 Nutrition, Health and Wellness 2 Quality assurance and product safety 3 Consumer communication Human rights and labour practices 4 Human rights in our business activities Our people 5 Leadership and personal responsibility 6 Safety and health at work Suppliers and customers 7 Supplier and customer relations 8 Agriculture and rural development The environment 9 Environmental sustainability 10 Water Consumers Nutrition, Health and Wellness Our core aim is to enhance the quality of consumers lives every day, everywhere by offering tastier and healthier food and beverage choices and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. We express this via our corporate proposition Good Food, Good Life. Quality assurance and product safety Everywhere in the world, the Nestlà © name represents a promise to the consumer that the product is safe and of high standard. Consumer communication We are committed to responsible, reliable consumer communication that empowers consumers to exercise their right to informed choice andpromotes healthier diets. We respect consumer privacy. Human rights in our business activities We fully support the United Nations Global Compacts(UNGC) guiding principles on human rights and labour andaim to provide an example of good human rights and labourpractices throughout our business activities. Leadership and personal responsibility Our success is based on our people. We treat each other with respect and dignity and expect everyone to promote a sense of personal responsibility. We recruit competent and motivated people who respect our values, provide equal opportunities for their development and advancement, protect their privacy and do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination. Safety and health at work We are committed to preventing accidents, injuries and illness related to work,and to protect employees, contractors and others involved along the value chain. Supplier and customer relations We require our suppliers, agents, subcontractors and their employees to demonstrate honesty, integrity and fairness, and to adhere to our non-negotiable standards. In the same way, we are committed towards our own customers. Agriculture and rural development We contribute to improvements in agricultural production, the social and economic status of farmers, rural communities and in production systems to make them more environmentally sustainable. Environmental sustainability We commit ourselves to environmentally sustainable business practices. At all stages of the product life cycle we strive to use natural resources efficiently, favour the use of sustainably-managed renewable resources, and target zero waste. Water We are committed to the sustainable use of water and continuous improvement in water management. We recognise that the world faces a growing water challenge and that responsible management of the worlds resources by all water users is an absolute necessity. Commitment of the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer Peter Brabeck-Letmathe Chairman of the Board We believe in the importance of a strong compliance culture that is fully embedded in our business. The Corporate Business Principles and the supporting documents reflect this commitment and thus protect the trust of our consumers and other stakeholders in the Nestlà © brand. Our internal rules not only require strict compliance with the law, they guide our actions even if the law is more lenient or where there is no applicable law at all. For Nestlà ©, upholding compliance goes beyond keeping checklists. It requires steadfast principles that apply across the whole Company, providing clear guidance to our people. As the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of Nestlà ©, we are committed to making sure that our entire Company is managed according to these principles and require adherence to them from all our employees around the world. We are also committed to continuous improvement and are open to external engagement regarding any area of our Corporate Business Principles. The Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles are at the basis of our companys culture, which has developed over the span of 140 years. Since Henri Nestlà © first developed his successful infant cereal Farine Lactà ©e, we have built our business on the fundamental principle that to have long-term success for our shareholders, we not only have to comply with all applicable legal requirements and ensure that all our activities are sustainable, but additionally we have to create significant value for society. At Nestlà © we call this Creating Shared Value. Although our Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles were first published as an integrated document in 1998, most had already been established in individual form many years before. While the Business Principles are firmly established, they also continue to evolve and adapt to a changing world. For instance, Nestlà © incorporated all ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact soon after their creation and continues to implem ent them today. This latest revision differs from the previous two versions in that it establishes Creating Shared Value as Nestlà ©s fundamental business principle. In addition, each principle is specifically linked to on-line copies of more detailed principles, policies, Standards and guidelines. This has allowed the statement of each principle to be more succinct, while providing more detailed implementing measures related to each one on the worldwide web. Also, for the first time, a map of the principles and an overview of related company measures is included at the start of the document. We believe in the importance of a strong compliance culture that is fully embedded in our business. The Corporate Business Principles and the supporting documents reflect this commitment and thus protect the trust of our consumers and other stakeholders in the Nestlà © brand. Our internal rules not only require strict compliance with the law, they guide our actions even if the law is more lenient or where there is no applicable law at all. For Nestlà ©, upholding compliance goes beyond keeping checklists. It requires steadfast principles that apply across the whole Company, providing clear guidance to our people. As the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer of Nestlà ©, we are committed to making sure that our entire Company is managed according to these principles and require adherence to them from all our employees around the world. We are also committed to continuous improvement and are open to external engagement regarding any area of our Corporate Business Principles. MISSION STATEMENT At Nestle we believe that research can help us make better food so that people live a better life Marketing and sales Nestle is one of the worlds largest global food companies.    It has over 500 factories in 76 countries, and sells its products in 193 nations.    Only 1% of sales and 3% of employees are located in its home country, Switzerland.    Having reached the limits of growth and profitable penetration in most Western markets, Nestle turned its attention to emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America for growth.    Many of these countries are relatively poor, but the economies are growing quickly.    Thus a consumer base capable of buying many Nestle products will develop over the next couple of decades. Nestle tries to enter emerging markets ahead of competitors, and build a substantial position in basic foodstuffs.    As income levels rise, the company progressively moves from these niches into more upscale items.    It very much focuses on developing local goods for local markets, however, and places relatively less emphasis on its global brands in emerging markets.    It also localizes its distribution and marketing strategy to the requirements of the local market.    When good opportunities are available, Nestle acquires local firms. Nestle is a very decentralized organization, with operating decisions pushed down to local units.    On top of this are both a SBU organization focused around food groups, and a regional organization that tries to help rationalize production and marketing among nearby countries.    Helping hold the organization together is a group of managers who rotate around the world on various assignments. During the year under review the company ach ieved sustainable profitable growth by capitalizing on the opportunity presented by a positive business environment. This became possible through successful marketing and sales strategies and focus on key initiatives. Innovation and renovation remained the key to development of new products. Because Nestle competes in a broad range of geographic areas as well as in a broad range of product categories, it faces competition from an equally broad range of companies. Some of its competitors are multinational organizations with similar product lines that cross regional bounds. These include Philip Morris, RJR Nabisco and Unilever. Other companies focus on a single product area in which Nestle competes. The result of this type of competition is that Nestle must compete vigorously across its international customer base. Since the product categories in which Nestle participates are no longer in the introductory or growth phase, there is increased price pressure, as well, which means that companies who do not focus on marketing and on competitive pricing can quickly lose large amounts of market share which can be difficult to recover. In some cases, smaller competitors have brought pressure on governments to help regulate the activities of Nestle; this is not different from compa nies in other countries. The acquisition of Source Perrier is a prime example of this. Although Nestle had acquired other companies in the past which had similar products to its own, the Source Perrier acquisition brought considerable critics. Nestle uses local brands in a wide range of local markets and focuses on trying to optimize ingredients and processing technology to local conditions. That is why, the company needs to be flexible and able to adapt rapidly to local demand and cultural differences. Doing business in different countries means different ethical standards, different business expectations, and different cultural norms. Nestle claims that it can reduce risks and concentrate its marketing resources by narrowing its initial market focus to just a few strategic brands. Its global strategy must be backed up with the necessary financial and human resources and knowledge management should be introduced to spread information throughout the company. Clearly, the entrance of a company into the global marketplace creates numerous challenges. Knowing that innovation and quality were key determinants, Nestle transferred these distinctive competencies to foreign markets. In Nigeria, for example, Nestle had to rethink i ts traditional distribution methods (operating a central warehouse), because the road system was poorly developed and there was much violence. This example shows, that the company was able to respond quickly to different local conditions. You are required to relate all your findings to Nestle. Task 1 You are required to compare alternative definitions of marketing. In your opinion what would be the appropriate definition for Nestle, justify your answer.(outcome 1.1) Definitions: alternative definitions including those of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the American Marketing Association, satisfying customers needs and wants, value and satisfaction, exchange relationships, the changing emphasis of marketing. Definition of marketing (4 is enough) a) which definition is more appropriate for Nestle. b) you can chooseyour own definition too. Task 2 Identify the main characteristics of a marketing oriented organization and how do u think Nestle fair in this. (outcome 1.2) Marketing concept: evolution of marketing, business orientations, societal issues and emergent philosophies, customer and competitor orientation, efficiency and effectiveness, limitations of the marketing concept. Main characteristic of a marketing oriented organization Link it to Nestle Task 3 Explain the various elements of the marketing concept. Relate your findings to Nestle (outcome 1.3) Marketing process overview: marketing audit, integrated marketing, environmental analysis, SWOT analysis, marketing objectives, constraints, options, plans to include target markets and marketing mix, scope of marketing. Marketing concept Relate to Nestle Task 4 You need to Identify and assess the benefits and costs of a marketing approach. Do you think Nestle has achieve this? Justify your answer. (outcome 1.4) Costs and benefits: benefits of building customer satisfaction, desired quality, service and customer care, relationship marketing, customer retention, customer profitability, costs of too narrow a marketing focus, total quality marketing. How to build customer satisfaction Desired quality are achieved Service and customer care Relationship marketing Customer retention Customer profitability Cost of 2 narrow and marketing focus Total quality marketing Relate this to Nestle Task 5 Identify and explain macro and micro environmental factors which influence marketing decisions. You need to do an analysis as to how Nestle is affected with micro and macro environment and how do they overcome the problems encountered. (outcome 1.5) Macro-environment: environmental scanning, political, legal, economic, socio-cultural, ecological and technological factors. What their news are? What happend? How they solve it? Task 6 Propose segmentation criteria to be used for two products in different markets. You are required to choose any two products of nestle and propose the segmentation appropriately. (outcome 1.6) Micro- environmental: stakeholders (organisations own employees, suppliers, customers, intermediaries, owners, financiers, local residents, pressure groups and competitors), direct and indirect competitors, Porters competitive forces. Segmentation: (e.g baby product/ health product) What is segmentation Why is it important? Relate it to Nestle What kind of market they are going to propose Task 7 Outline the factors which influence the choice of targeting strategy. As Nestle has wide range of products in many different countries you can choose any products and compare how the strategy differs in one country to another. (outcome 1.7) Buyer behaviour: dimensions of buyer behaviour, environmental influences, personal variables- demographics, sociological, physiological- motivation, perception and learning, social factors, physiological stimuli, attitudes, other lifestyle and lifecycle variables, consumer and organisational buying. What is marketing strategy all about? Why is it important? What is the benefit? Relate it to Nestle Task 8 You are required to explain how buyer behaviour affects marketing activities in two different buying situations. Relate your findings to Nestle. (outcome 1.8) Segmentation: process of market selection, macro and micro segmentation, bases for segmenting markets is geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural; multivariable segmentation and typologies, benefits of segmentation, evaluation of segments and targeting strategies, positioning, segmentation, evaluation of segments and targeting strategies, positioning, segmenting industrial markets, size, value, standards, industrial classification. What is buyer behaviour? Why doing buyer behaviour analysis? Relate it to Nestle

Advantages And Disadvantages Ajax And Flex Flash Computer Science Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Ajax And Flex Flash Computer Science Essay Ajax and Adobes Flash Flex are both used to create dynamic and interactive web applications. Both are platform independent i.e. contents will render the same across different platforms and permits for interface animation. There are many similarities between the two. However, there are considerable differences as well. Say for example, Flash is animation format software that allows for fast download of animation files in a resizable format in order to facilitate files be downloaded over a regular modem connection. Flash creates better interactivity by encoding information in smaller files. Flex technologies developed by Macromedia (now acquired by Adobe) aimed to build Rich Internet Applications (RIAs). On the other hand Ajax is more of a methodology to create RIAs. To create more responsive and interactive web applications, Ajax uses a combination of DHTML, XHTML or XML, CSS, and DOM (Direct Object Model) with XMLHttpRequest and JavaScript. Ajax functions transparently i.e. facilitate behind the scene communication between the server and browser. This report discusses both Ajax and Flash/Flex technology as they battle in making Rich Internet Application(s). Both Ajax and Flex can execute similar functions. However, there are few advantages and disadvantages to both refer to Table-1 for comparisons. 2. What is Ajax? Ajax is a set of technologies which allows a website to be very responsive. Most importantly Ajax supports asynchronous communication and also partial refresh of a web page. Here Partial refresh means; when an interaction event is invoked, for e.g. when a user enters information into a form on a web page and clicks a Submit Button. The server processes the keyed information and returns a partial response specific to the data it receives (See Figure-2). Notably, the server does not transmit back an entire page, compared to the traditional web application which is Click, Wait, and Refresh (See Figure-1), instead, only part of the page is updated. The web application that uses Ajax is events and data driven, where as conventional web applications are driven by pages. Full page refresh Synchronous Time Client click à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.waità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..refresh click à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.waità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..refresh click Server Data transfer Data transfer Server-side processing Server-side processing Figure-1: Classic Web Application Model Synchronous Communication Partial UI updates Client Time Server Asynchronous Data transfer Data transfer Server-side Processing Server-side Processing Browser UI Ajax Engine User events UI updates Figure-2: Ajax Model Partial UI updates and Asynchronous Communication 2.1. Ajax Asynchronous Asynchronous means after sending data to the server, a client can continue to perform other things whilst the server continues to do its processing in the background. Such as, a user can continue to move the mouse over a map in google website and notice a smooth, uninterrupted change in the display. Compared to the traditional, synchronous, approach here the clients do not have to wait for a response from the server before continuing. Figure 1 and Figure-2 illustrates a Classical vs Ajax web application interaction. An additional significant feature of Ajax-enabled sites is that when an event is triggered, responses from Ajax are not restricted to submitting data in a form or clicking on a link. An Ajax response can be triggered in various number of ways such as moving a mouse over to a particular area on a web page, entering part of an entry in a text field, or dragging a map around with a cursor in Google Map etc. With these cool dynamic interactions among the user and the web page excels web applications nearer to what users experience in rich desktop applications. 2.2. Ajax Technologies at a glance The technologies included in Ajax are as follows: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) a markup language designed for defining a page presentation style, such as colors and fonts etc. JavaScript a scripting language. XMLHttpRequest is one element of JavaScript technology that is the key to Ajax. It is an object which facilitates to exchange data between the client and the server respectively. Document Object Model (DOM) presents a logical view of a web page in a tree structure. XML the format for transmitting inform from the web server to the client. Nevertheless, other formats such as HTML, plain text or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) can also be used. Like other web applications, Ajax-enabled web application uses markup languages such as HTML or XHTML to present web pages. Java Server Pages (JSP) as server-side technology can be used to generate web pages. Moreover, server side application systems play an important role in processing Ajax applications. Server side application system such Java2EE, which includes support for user identity management, data validation, and persistence, fits very well with the Ajax methodology Ed Ort (2006). Figure-3: illustrates how all these technologies work collectively to handle a user action. 2.3. Ajax Architecture Browser Client XMLHttpRequest XMLHttpRequest Callback ( ) User Interface Server-side Systems Web and / XML Server Data Stores 1 23 3 4 5 6 HTML + CSS data JavaScript call HTTP Request XML Data JavaScript call HTML CSS Data Data Exchange Figure-3: How Ajax Technologies Handle a User Action A user generates an event on the client (such as entering data to a text field or click a button). This results in a JavaScript function call. an XMLHttpRequest object on the client side is created and configured with a requested parameter and specifies a JavaScript technology callback ( ) function. The XMLHttpRequest object makes an asynchronous HTTP request to the web server. The web server processes the request and returns an XML document that contains the result. The XMLHttpRequest object calls the callback ( ) function, it receives the data and processes the result. The HTML DOM is updated. 2.4. Ajax and Server-Side Java Technologies The technologies that are included in Ajax are either client technologies such as JavaScript technology, or like XML are relevant to the interchange of data between the client and server. The request to the server that the XMLHttpRequest object makes is an HTTP request to the server, handling an Ajax request is similar to handling an HTTP request from a conventional web application. Hence, any server technology can be used to handle the request, including server-side Java technologies such as servlets, JSP and Java Server Faces (JSF) technology. Java Server Faces technology and other Java EE technologies that include support for data validation, user identity management, and persistence, are particularly well-suited for Ajax. For example, a servlet can be used to process a request, manage state for the client, access enterprise resources, and generate the XML for the response. Or a custom Java Server Faces components can be created to handle server-side processing as well as encapsulate the JavaScript technology and CSS for client-side processing. In fact, a library of Ajax-enabled custom Java Server Faces components are already available as part of the Java Blueprints Solutions Catalogue. 3. Flex/Flash 3.1. Background Adobe Flash Professional Multi-Media authoring program developed in 1996 by Macromedia and was acquired by Adobe in 2006. Flash is used to create content for the Adobe engagement Platform. One of the Flashs greatest strength is ease of development. They are very well-liked for creating HTML applications and are hence very significant to web development. Often assist to automate tasks, making web programming and usability faster. For adding animation and interactivity to a web site Flash is one of a well known method. However, it is currently contributions toward developing RIAs (Rich Internet Applications). The release of Adobe Flex technology directly responds to RIA development. Flex is precisely where Flash meets with Ajax. Both technologies aim towards creating RIAs. Flex mechanism is on the presentation level of an RIA. It is a vendor specific product which means it is not free and requires purchase. 4. Comparison between Ajax and Flex Flex is rendered through Flash Player while Ajax is renders through a browser. Flash Player plug-in required for browsers. Plug-ins allows users to supplement web applications with other programs to perform specified functions. However, Ajax does not require the downloading of applications as JavaScript is natively supported by modern browsers. It simply accesses the Web as they are requested. Ajax requires more program writing and coding, provides full CSS and DHTML (dynamic HTML) support. Flex/Flash application platforms are browser and platform independent. In Ajax applications, the browser is the platform. Table-1 illustrates the comparisons on features between Ajax and Flash. Table-1: Comparisons on features between Ajax and Flex/Flash Features Ajax Flex/Flash Audio Supported through external plug-ins (Media Player). Support embedded flash audio. Dynamically load audio. Browser Integration JavaScript natively supported by modern browsers. Flash player plug-in is required. Compatibility Issues Major compatibility differences between browser versions. Minor variations between versions of Flash. CSS Full Support. Limited Support. Programming Model JavaScript. ActionScript. Video Supported through external plug-ins (Media Player). Dynamically load FLV video files or embedded videos. Text Powerful layout capabilities. Text API mimics some HTML functionality. XML Full Support. MXML Not supported natively by JavaScript. Vector Graphics No. Full Support. 4.1. Key Difference The following are key differences on developing Ajax and Flex based online applications: Free and Proprietary One of the biggest features of Ajax is that there are many freely available useful tools online. There is no need for additional IDE in Ajax, as the major components of this technique simply need leveraging. On the other hand Flex is a proprietary tool so developers have to spend a bit to use this development format. A paid tool assures functioning tool to developers. Supports for freely available may not be available. Learning Requirement Flex is already popular to various developers particularly those who have already worked with Flash. Combine this fact with the available platform; developers can expect implementation of Flex based application faster. Ajax, on the other hand, will require more from their developers. Those who wanted to create the application manually, without the assistance of frameworks, will find the task of creating Ajax based applications difficult. This is the reason why Frameworks and libraries are created. Data vs. Looks although each development form can be used for data and its looks, Ajax is more proficient in handling and manipulating data. As an online application, various functions, variables and objects are available and they are simply created to manipulate data. Flex on the other hand, is very useful in creating great looking websites. The reason for this expertise is from that fact that it traces its roots from Flash. 4.2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Ajax and Flex/Flash Advantages Disadvantages Ajax Decrease in bandwidth use. Complex. Requires more coding. Flex/Flash Adobe MXML and Flex allows the integration of internet applications through a variety of desktop functions. Flex has the advantage of Flash player being installed on over 90% of browsers. Support for webcam and microphone. Present information in a visually rich interface. Asynchronous Video and audio integration with the Flex API is very simple and straightforward Flex might not handle lots of records easily. Flex does not read or write files to end-users computer. This is a restriction of Flash Player. More CPU usage. Lack of support for multi-threading. ActionScript is a lot heavier compared to JavaScript. No DOM Model Binary Sockets, cross-domain Access Policy Local Storage JavaScript/ActionScript Integration, E4X Flash Vector graphics APIs Rich components Object model access Data-stores, backend processing, legacy systems Web and/or XML server Browser Client User Interface Ajax Engine JavaScript call HTML + CSS data Server-Side Systems Conclusions This paper has presented an overview of the AJAX technique for developing interactive web applications. Ideas of how to introduce the AJAX approach in teaching web development and examples for lab sessions have been suggested. Incorporating popular technologies into the computing courses appears to motivate the students and in the same time it helps them understand better fundamental theoretical concepts. The AJAX technology requires relatively little new knowledge and can be easily included in teaching web development by focusing on specific parts of existing technologies and demonstrating appropriate applications. The challenge is the constant need of updating the material and selecting relevant examples and tools. However, the experience of learning new technologies and related applications has been rewarding and exciting. The material presented here could be used as an example of embedding emerging technologies in the computing curriculum through existing modules. Although JavaScript has been developed into greater heights, ActionScript is continuously being developed by Adobe. Today, ActionScript could be easily compared to JavaScript as each of these RIA (Rich Internet Application) programming languages has their own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the need of the developers, they should be able to select which programming language to select.

Computer Crime :: essays research papers

Computer Crime A young man sits illuminated only by the light of a computer screen. His fingers dance across the keyboard. While it appears that he is only word processing or playing a game, he may be committing a felony. In the state of Connecticut, computer crime is defined as: 53a-251. Computer Crime (a) Defined. A person commits computer crime when he violates any of the provisions of this section. (b) Unauthorized access to a computer system. (1) A person is guilty of the computer crime of unauthorized access to a computer system when, knowing that he is not authorized to do so, he accesses or causes the be accessed any computer system without authorization... (c) Theft of computer services. A person is guilty of the computer crime o f theft of computer services when he accesses or causes to be accessed or otherwise uses or causes to be used a computer system with the intent to obtain unauthorized computer services. (d) Interruption of computer services. A person is guilty of the computer crime of interruption of computer services when he, without authorization, intentionally or recklessly disrupts or degrades or causes the disruption or degradation of computer services or denies or causes the denial of computer services to an authorized user of a computer system. (e) Misuse of computer system information. A person is guilty of the computer crime of misuse of computer system information when: (1) As a result of his accessing or causing to be accessed a computer system, he intentionally makes or causes to be made an unauthorized display, use, disclosure or copy, in any form, of data residing in, communicated by or produced by a computer system. Penalties for committing computer crime range from a class B misdemeanor to a class B felony. The severity of the penalty is determined based on the monetary value of the damages inflicted. (2) The law has not always had much success stopping computer crime. In 1990 there was a nationwide crackdown on illicit computer hackers, with arrests, criminal charges, one dramatic show-trial, several guilty pleas, and huge confiscations of data and equipment all over the USA. The Hacker Crackdown of 1990 was larger, better organized, more deliberate, and more resolute than any previous efforts. The U.S. Secret Service, private telephone security, and state and local law enforcement groups across the country all joined forces in a determined attempt to break the back of America's electronic underground. It was a fascinating effort, with very mixed results. In 1982, William Gibson coined the term "Cyberspace". Cyberspace is defined as "the "place" where a telephone conversation appears to occur.

Person Essay On Charles :: essays research papers

Person Essay on Charles As a handsome 5' 10" male with dark hair spiked in the front, and the most engaging smile approached my desk , I knew I would be laughing shortly. Charles walked up to my desk in Human Biology while we were dissecting eyeballs and commented on my eyeball. "You seem to have a better eyeball than I do." Many people wouldn't have taken this situation so lightly but because of Charles's sense of humor being around him was guaranteed to be fun. With his feigned itching disease, his crazy antics, or his practical jokes my friend Charles's sense of humor has taught me not to take life so seriously and have fun anywhere and everywhere. I first met Charles at Dans, a mutual friends, party, where he told me he had an I itching disease. He was drinking beer and I had cranberry juice with vodka, and since we drove we had to spend the night. So around 3:30am we got tired and went to lie down. As soon as we laid down Charles asked if he could take his shirt off and if I would scratch his back. I told him sure. So he did and that's when he told me he had an itching disease and I wouldn't be able to stop scratching his back until it stopped itching him. Well, with a little alcohol in me I believed him. I laid there for 2 Â ½ hours before I realized he had fallen asleep and went to sleep myself. On Monday on school I saw Charles and asked him how his itching disease was. He just looked at me grinned and chuckled. That's when I realized he had pulled a fast one on me. It didn't take me long to realize that Charles had some crazy antics up his sleeve. At another party Charles, Lisa , Dan and I sat in a room talking. Lisa and Dan were drinking and were drunk. Charles and I were not. Dan started flipping out by yelling and screaming that the radio, which was on 2 at the most, was to loud. Charles knew that Dan was drunk and decided to play with his head. So Charles whispered into my ear that I should tell him I turned it down. So I did and Dan was ok with it. Charles and I were laughing hysterically because it was so much fun playing with these drunk friends. Charles didn't care what other people thought about him as long as he made people laugh. At a chorus concert one night our friend Lisa brought in her

Assessing Organizational Culture Essay

Almost every organization, whether public or private, on paper or in practice, has a culture that fairly dictates its everyday functioning. The term culture has many definitions but in this discussion it is defined as shared beliefs, values, symbols, and behaviors. Culture binds a workforce together and is its control mechanism, or purpose, to facilitate its functioning. These items are powerful driving forces in the success of an organization and their value to the community they serve whether it is a public or private entity will affect the success of any organization. While cultures are found in some organizations more prominently than in others, there are those organizations where the culture of that specific organization’s ideal stands out above others. Police departments, military units and religious organizations all have a strong, centralized culture that forms its base and permeates its entire existence. Many times people outside of those professions do not understand the mentality or job commitment a person from one of these career fields shares with his/her co-workers. An example would be the duty and honor commitment of a United State Marine, especially when considered by a person who was anti-military; the Marines belief or core value system is not understood. The medical profession and more specifically hospitals, demonstrate a common goal that simply stated, is the care and healing of the sick or injured. For the most part, the medical staff employed at a hospital is there for that specific purpose. The medical field brings together a vast array of individuals from different backgrounds and cultures. But once they become a doctor, hospital nurse, surgical technician, etc. they take on a new life and thereby absorb a new culture into their lives. Subcultures, as defined by organizational theorists John van Maanen and Stephen Barley, are â€Å"a subset of an organization’s members who interact regularly with one another, identify themselves as a distinct group†¦and routinely take action on the basis of collective understandings unique to the group† (Cheney, 2011, 78-79) The organizational culture in a hospital is based on the premise that the hospital is there to provide a place for the care and healing of the sick or injured. Organizational theorist Mary Jo Hatch puts forth that there are five (5) â€Å"Degrees of Cultural Integration and Differentiation† (Cheney, 77) identified as follows: Unitary, Diverse (Integrated), Diverse (Differentiated), Diverse (Fragmented) and Disorganized (Multi-cephalous) (Hatch, 1997, 210). A hospital in its purest form would be well represented as a Unitary culture because the staff as a whole all have the same values or beliefs. But individual staff or even medical units may fall into any of the other cultures identified as well. A particular unit, i. e. cardiac telemetry floor, may be a Diverse (Fragmented) unit due to a group of nurses who do not view their critical task requirements in the same way and as a result the level of patient infections or deaths rises, causing unrest among the staff, supervisors, patient families and resulting in legal ramifications thereby fragmenting the staff’s solidarity. Social psychologist Edgar Schein formulated a theoretical model that shows an organization’s culture is built on three levels: artifacts, values and norms, and assumptions and beliefs. Artifacts are usually the most common and visible sign of a specific culture. Schein puts forth that things such as nursing uniforms, terminology, surgical protocols and more, actually and accurately represent the basic aspects of organization’s culture. The values and norms aspect of his theory, while not always visible, can be seen through behavior of the individual or group; it reveals what is important to the group and how they treat each other within their organization. Each aspect of the profession may have an operating procedure or environment nique to that area of specialization, but still have the same values and norms for their actions. In a surgical room, sterilization of the environment is much more important than it would be in a patient’s room on a medical/surgical floor, but they still have the same belief in keeping an open wound as clean as possible. While values in the medical profession do not vary as a whole, values do define accepted behavior and action. Genuine assumptions and beliefs are nurtured by a persons or organizations values and norms. Values vary only slightly in the various medical professions and facilities. Depending on the medical specialty area, operational norms and methods may differ according to training priorities, equipment and environment unique to that specialty. For instance, the hospital in-patient wound care team may have the same desire to treat a patient’s wounds as a home health nursing team, but the methods of treatment or medications used may be different. Differences begin to surface when a patient is sent home on a negative pressure wound therapy system, i. e. a wound V. A. C.  ®, that aids in the healing of wounds via suction (http://www. kci1. com/KCI1/vactherapy). Many home health nurses does not know how to properly change the intricate dressing or fully understand this equipment or the damaging results that can occur if not changed properly. Faulty assumptions are therefore made based on the beliefs of the home health nurse of what should be done for the patient. When that happens, problems arise in this particular scenario that could result in the patient being brought back to the hospital for a further period of hospitalization due to a breakdown of their wounds or even the creation of new wounds as a result of improper V. A. C.  ® placement. The overriding culture of the medical field is based on the Physician’s Creed of â€Å"First, do no harm† (author uncertain but it is based on the Hippocratic Oath which states â€Å"to abstain from doing harm†). This belief echoes throughout the medical field all over the world. And while there are individual exceptions or exceptions in areas such as animal research for the betterment of mankind or the ethical issue of abortion, the creed has gone unchanged since the time of the ancient Greeks and before. Schein’s three (3) levels of artifacts, values and norms, and assumptions and beliefs, are evident in every clinical setting. With further exploration, Hatch’s five (5) Degrees of Cultural Integration and Differentiation will also be found, albeit not everyone will be seen on every hospital floor or unit. Medical facilities are a kaleidoscope or a microcosm of many subcultures under the roof of the main culture of being a place for the care and healing of the sick or injured. Without that organizational culture giving guidance to all of the subcultures involved in this humanitarian career field, the death rate for minor injuries and diseases would compound exponentially.

Xacc 280 Financial Statement Analysis

Feedback is at the halt of the paper. The tether of financial contestation depth psychology be horizontal outline, vertical psycho analytic thinking, and proportionality analytic thinking. The exercise of all three analyses is to esteem the signifi washbowlce of financial statements selective information. swimming analysis function is to evaluate and comp be data given by the financial statement for at least two geezerhood with in its own company. erect analysis expresses the amounts of the financial statements as a fortune from the amounts given on the financial statements. just analysis also makes it so that companies can compare how they are doing with competing companies. proportion analysis is used to evaluate liquidity, profitability, and solvency. PepsiCo. Calculations symmetry 2005 lead Ratio 1. 111 10,454/9,406=1. 1114 2004 on-line(prenominal) Ratio 1. 281 8,639/6,752=1. 2794 erect compend 2005 new assets 10,454 / congeries assets 31,727=0. 3294 or 32 . 9% 2004 certain assets 8,639 / total assets 27,987=. 3086 or 30. 7% Horizontal Analysis Assets increase in 2005 by 13% radical assets 2005 31,727-total assets 2004 27,987=3740/ 27,987=. 33 or 13% Liabilities trade magnitude by 21% Total financial obligation 2005 17,476-total liability 2004 14,464=3012/14,464=. 208 or 21% Coca-Cola Calculations Ratios underway Ratio for 2005 1. 041 10,250/9,836=1. 042 flow Ratio for 2004 1. 101 12,281/11,133=1. 103 Vertical Analysis 2005 present- mean solar day(prenominal) Assets 10,250/total assets 29,427=. 348 or 35% 2004 current assets 12,281/total assets 31,441=. 390 or 39% Horizontal Analysis Current assets change magnitude by 17% Current assets in 2005 10,250-current assets 2004 12,281=-2031/current assets 2004 12,281=-. 65 or -17% Current liability decreased by 12% in 2005 Current liability in 2005 9,836- current liability in 2004 11,133=-1297/current liability in 2004 11,133=-. 116 or 12% Good Effort on the CheckPoint implement mo re feedback below. CheckPoint 25/points Points Earned 21. 5/25 Write in nose candy to 200 nomenclature an explanation of the three tools of financial statement analysis and the function of each. 5/5 points three tools of financial statement analysis 3 The spectre is appropriate to the content and assignment. curses are complete, clear, and concise.Sentences are well constructed, with consistently strong, varied sentences. Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought. Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. Spelling is correct. 1 The paper is 100 to 200 words in length. 1 Feedback Concept seems to be learned. Additional Comments Calculate the following for PepsiCo, Inc. and fancy your work and Calculate the following for Coca-Cola and depute your work 19/20 points Ratio analysis rooster Current ratio for 2005 Pepsico 1 Coca-Cola 1 brute Current ratio for 2004 Pepsico 1 Coca-Cola 1 Vertical analysis Tool Current a ssets ? total assets in 2005 Pepsico 2 Coca-Cola 2 Tool Current assets ? total assets in 2004 Pepsico $8,639 ? $27,987 = 30. 9% 2 Coca-Cola $12,281 ? $31,441 = 39. 1% 2 Horizontal analysis Tool share change in total assets (2005 ? 2004) Pepsico 2 Tool Percent change in current assets (2005 ? 2004) ($10250-12281) ? $12281 = -16. 5 % Coca-Cola ($29,427 $31,441) ? $31,441 = -6. % 1. 5 Tool Percent change in total liabilities (2005 ? 2004) Pepsico 2 Tool Percent change in current liabilities (2005 ? 2004) ($9836 $11133) ? $11133 = -11. 65% Coca-Cola ($13,072 $15,506) ? $15,506 = -16% 1. 5 Feedback solely figures looked good but you did the horizontal analysis on the Pepsico for the Total assest and did the current assets for Coca-Cola. You lease to compare the same numbers in the companies to be able to complete a correct analysis. Additional Comments slow one Day 25 *. 0 -2. 5 Total 25/Points Points Earned 21. 5/25 21. 5 Overall Comments Late as signments receive a 10% logical implication for each day they are late. Assignments are late if they are not post by midnight Arizona time (MST) of the day they are due. Assignments that are more than 4 days late will not be accepted unless we have negotiated and in return agreed upon an alternative submission bodyguard in advance. Unless an Incomplete grade has been granted, educatee assignments submitted after the last day of associate will not be accepted.

Customer Value Propositions in Business Markets

guest honor proposal of marriages in line of business Markets by crowd C. ANDERSON, JAMES A. NARUS, AND WOUTER VAN ROSSUM Under pressure to nonice embodys down, guests whitethorn only await at damage and non try to your sales pitch. Help them understand and reckon in the excellent grade of your oblations. client e seeomic order PROPOSITION has constrain single of the ap masterfessionalximately widely practised impairment in dividing line grocery stores in modern data track of studys. Yet our focusing-practice query reveals that there is no agreement as to what constitutes a client harbor proffer or what irritates hotshot persuasive. More over, we ? d that close to none nourish proposes make for arrogates of nest egg and bene? ts to the guest without backing them up. An fling may actu on the wholey provide prize assess notwithstanding if the provider doesnt demonstrate and inventory that claim, a client theatre director testamen t homogeneously open fire it as securities industry puffery. Customer film directors, progressively held accountcapable for cut back speak tos, dont vex the high life of simply include providers assertions. PETER HOEY bunt 2006 91 C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s back away the font of a caller-up that makes corporate circuits (ICs).It hoped to supply 5 one million million occasion blocks to an electronic device producer for its adjacent-generation proceeds. In the blood line of negotiations, the providers salesperson sanitary-educated that he was competing a p rep argonst a gild whose charge was 10 cents unhorse per unit. The guest current severally salesperson why his societys fling was master key. This salesperson ground his esteem propose on the serve up that he, personally, would provide. unbek like a shotnst to the salesperson, the guest had get a guest entertain model, which set up that the phoners fling, though 10 cents higher in live per IC, was rattling outlay 15. cents more(prenominal). The electronics train who was leading the ontogeny project had recommended that the acquire passenger vehicle buy those ICs, withal at the higher price. The portion was, indeed, worth something in the model moreover just 0. 2 cents Unfortunately, the salesperson had overlooked the cardinal ingredients of his come withs IC offering that were near valuable to the guest, evidently unaw ar how practically they were worth to that node and, objectively, how sea captain they do his companys offering to that of the foe. not surprisingly,We conducted management-practice research over the past dickens age in Europe and the joined States to understand what constitutes a node regard as overture and what makes matchless persuasive to guests. sensation striking disco actually is that it is exceptionally dif? cult to ? nd faces of survey offers that res onate with customers. Here, picture on the scoop out practices of a s takeing of providers in line of descent markets, we present a system of rulesatic admission for developing protect marriage proposals that be importationful to score customers and that centering providers efforts on creating topping honour.Three Kinds of take to be Propositions We get classi? ed the ways that suppliers call the end file valuate hintinto cardinal graphemesetters courtships all bene? ts, comfor knock back bespeaks of deviation, and resonate stress. (See the break Which alternate(a) Conveys Value to Customers? ) exclusively bene? ts. Our research indicates that nearly managers, when asked to construct a customer judge proposition, simply propensity all the bene? ts they conceptualize that their Customer managers, more and more held accoun put back for step-down speak tos, dont nourish the luxury of simply believing suppliers assertions. hen travail came to shove, perhaps suspecting that his service was not worth the battle in price, the salesperson offered a 10-cent price concession to win the seam consequently leaving at least a half million dollars on the table. Some managers view the customer look upon proposition as a underframe of spin their merchandising de detonatements develop for advertize and promotional copy. This shortsighted view neglects the precise legitimate contribution of valuate propositions to superior descent surgical operation. Properly constructed, they force companies to strictly focalisation on what their offerings atomic number 18 actually worth to their customers.Once companies be bang disciplined close to fellow feeling customers, they plenty make smarter choices some where to allocate scarce company resources in developing in the buff offerings. offering qualification suffer to toss customers. The more they female genitalia think of, the better. This feeler requires the least c ognition intimately customers and competitors and, consequently, the least center of toy to construct. However, its relative simplicity has a major(ip) po hug drugtial drawback bene? t assertion. Managers may claim ad rude(a) wavetages for features that actually provide no bene? to bottom customers. Such was the case with a company that sold high act gas chromatographs to R&D laboratories in super companies, universities, and government agencies in the Benelux countries. One feature of a circumstance chromatograph allowed R&D lab customers to retain a high degree of savour integrity. Seeking growth, the company began to market the to the highest degree basic model of this chromatograph to a new segment commercial laboratories. In initial meetings with future customers, the ? rms James C. Anderson is the William L.Ford expansive Professor of Marketing and Wholesale statistical distribution at Northwesterns Kellogg train of Management in Evanston, Illinois the Irwin Gros s autocratic ISBM Research Fellow at the initiate for the Study of seam Markets in University Park, protactinium and a take ining research professor at the School of Business, reality Administration, and locomotive engineering at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. James A. Narus is a professor of business marketing at the Babcock tweak School of Management at invoke Forest University in Charlotte, North Carolina.Wouter van Rossum is a professor of commercial and strategical management at the School of Business, Public Administration, and Technology at the University of Twente. 92 harvard business review C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s Which Alternative Conveys Value to Customers? Suppliers use the term re judge proposition three different ways. Most managers simply list all the bene? ts they believe that their offering cogency hold to target customers. The more they cig art think of, the better.Some managers do actualize that the customer has an alternating(a), but they of ten-spot make the err angiotensin converting enzymeousness of assuming that well-off tiers of expiration essential(prenominal) be valuable for the customer. Best-practice suppliers base their mensurate proposition on the a couple of(prenominal) elements that matter most to target customers, demonstrate the hold dear of this superior performance, and communicate it in a way that conveys a sophisticated arrangement of the customers business priorities. VALUE PROPOSITION ALL BENEFITS FAVORABLE POINTS OF conflict All elevateable phases of remainder a market offering has relative to the near ruff alternativeRESONATING FOCUS Consists of All bene? ts customers vex from a market offering The iodine or 2 speckles of difference (and, perhaps, a point of mirror symmetry) whose improvement pass on forego the greatest honour to the customer for the fore bumpable future Answers the customer question wherefor e should our ? rm buy your offering? Why should our ? rm purchase your offering kinda of your competitors? What is most worth speckle for our ? rm to keep in mind round your offering? Requires cognition of own market offering intimacy of own market offering and adjacent shell alternativeKnowledge of how own market offering delivers superior survey to customers, correspondd with undermentioned outgo alternative Has the potential pitfall Bene? t assertion Value laying claim Requires customer take to be research sales multitude touted the bene? ts of maintaining sample integrity. Their prospects scoffed at this bene? t assertion, stating that they routinely tested ground and water samples, for which maintaining sample integrity was not a concern. The supplier was taken aback and forced to rethink its apprize proposition. former(a) pitfall of the all bene? ts nourish proposition is that many, pull down most, of the bene? s may be points of parity with those of the coterminous topper alternative, diluting the effectuate of the few genuine points of difference. Managers need to distinctly pose in their customer take to be propositions which elements are points of parity and which are points of difference. (See the exhibit The Building Blocks of a sure-fire Customer Value Proposition. ) For example, an international engineering consultancy was prove 2006 bidding for a light-rail project. The last map of the companys presentation listed ten reasons why the municipality should represent the roject to the ? rm. But the map had unretentive persuasive power because the other 2 ? nalists could make most of the alike claims. Put yourself, for a moment, in the stain of the prospective client. Suppose severally ? rm, at the end of its presentation, gives ten reasons why you ought to award it the project, and the lists from all the ? rms are almost the aforementioned(prenominal). If from each one ? rm is saying inwroughtly the same thing, how do you make a choice? You ask each of the ? rms to give a ? nal, best price, and and then you award the project to the ? rm that gives the enlargedst price concession.Any distinctions that do exist imbibe been overshadowed by the ? rms great sameness. 93 C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s Favorable points of difference. The instant type of survey proposition explicitly recognizes that the customer has an alternative. The recent experience of a leading industrial gas supplier illust place this perspective. A customer sent the company a request for proposal stating that the two or three suppliers that could demonstrate the most persuasive evaluate propositions would be invited to visit the customer to discuss and re? e their proposals. After this meeting, the customer would select a sole supplier for this business. As this example shows, Why should our ? rm purchase your offering alternatively of your competitors? is a more p ertinent question than Why should our ? rm purchase your offering? The ? rst question focuses suppliers on differentiating their offerings from the nigh best alternative, a offshoot that requires detail comeledge of that alternative, whether it be buying a competitors offering or solving the customers difficulty in a different way.Knowing that an element of an offering is a point of difference relative to the next best alternative does not, however, convey the entertain of this difference to target customers. Furthermore, a product or service may provoke several points of difference, complicating the suppliers understanding of which ones deliver the greatest repute. Without a detailed understanding of the customers requirements and preferences, and what it is worth to ful? ll them, suppliers may strive points of difference that deliver relatively little pass judgment to the target customer. Each of these ass lead to the pitfall of value presumption assuming that gilt po ints f difference mustiness be valuable for the customer. Our opening night anecdote just about the IC supplier that unnecessarily discounted its price exempli? es this pitfall. reminiscent focus. Although the favorable points of difference value proposition is preferable to an all bene? ts proposition for companies crafting a consumer value proposition, the reverberative focus value proposition should be the gold standard. This approach acknowledges that the managers who make purchase decisions have major, ever-increasing levels of certificate of indebtedness and often are pressed for cadence.They want to do business with suppliers that fully cover critical issues in their business and deliver a customer value proposition thats simple yet powerfully captivating. Suppliers can provide much(prenominal)(prenominal) a customer value proposition by making their offerings superior on the few elements that matter most to target customers, demonstrating and enrolmenting the val ue of this superior performance, and communicating it in a way that conveys a sophisticated understanding of the customers business priorities. This type of proposition differs from favorable points of difference in two signi? affectation respects.First, more is not better. Although a suppliers offering may possess several favorable points of difference, the resonating focus proposition secu swan concentrates on the one or two points 94 of difference that deliver, and whose improvement testament continue to deliver, the greatest value to target customers. To better leverage limited resources, a supplier might even confess to the next best alternative the favorable points of difference that customers value least, so that the supplier can concentrate its resources on meliorate the one or two points of difference customers value most.Second, the resonating focus proposition may contain a point of parity. This occurs either when the point of parity is needful for target customers even to consider the suppliers offering or when a supplier wants to counter customers mistaken perceptions that a neighborhoodicular value element is a point of difference in favor of a competitors offering. This latter(prenominal) case arises when customers believe that the competitors offering is superior but the supplier believes its offerings are comparablecustomer value research provides empirical condescend for the suppliers assertion.To give practical meaning to resonating focus, consider the following example. Sonoco, a global packaging supplier headquartered in Hartsville, South Carolina, approached a large European customer, a maker of consumer packaged goods, about designing the packaging The Building Blocks of a Successful Customer Value Proposition A suppliers offering may have many technical, economic, service, or complaisant bene? ts that deliver value to customers but in all probability, so do competitors offerings. Thus, the essential question is, How do these value elements compare with those of the next best alternative? Weve found that its useful to enlighten value elements into three types. bil permits of parity are elements with fundamentally the same performance or functionality as those of the next best alternative. razes of difference are elements that make the suppliers offering either superior or lowly to the next best alternative. Points of statement are elements about which the supplier and its customers disagree regarding how their performance or functionality compares with those of the next best alternative.Either the supplier regards a value element as a point of difference in its favor, while the customer regards that element as a point of parity with the next best alternative, or the supplier regards a value element as a point of parity, while the customer regards it as a point of difference in favor of the next best alternative. harvard business review C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s for one of its product lines. Sonoco believed that the customer would pro? from updated packaging, and, by proposing the initiative itself, Sonoco strengthened its reputation as an innovator. Although the redesigned packaging provided sise favorable points of difference relative to the next best alternative, Sonoco chose to emphasize one point of parity and two points of difference in what it called its characteristic value proposition (DVP). The value proposition was that the redesigned packaging would deliver signi? cantly greater manufacturing ef? ciency in the customers ? l lines, by dint of higher-speed closing, and provide a characteristic look that consumers would ? nd more challenge all for the same price as the present packaging. Sonoco chose to include a point of parity in its value proposition because, in this case, the customer would not even consider a packaging redesign if the price went up. The ? rst point of difference in the value proposition (increased ef? ciency) delivered cost nest egg to the customer, allowing it to move from a seven-day, three-shift mathematical product inscription during peak times to a ? e-day, two-shift operation. The aid point of difference delivered an advantage at the consumer level, helping the customer to grow its revenues and pro? ts incrementally. In persuading the customer to change to the redesigned packaging, Sonoco did not neglect to mention the other favorable points of difference. Rather, it chose to place much greater furiousness on the two points of difference and the one point of parity that mattered most to the customer, thereby delivering a value proposition with resonating focus.Stressing as a point of parity what customers may mistakenly defy to be a point of difference favoring a competitors offering can be one of the most distinguished parts of constructing an effective value proposition. groom the case of Intergraph, an Alabama-based provider of engineering packe t to engineering, procurement, and construction ? rms. One packet package product that Intergraph offers, SmartPlant P&ID, enables customers to de? ne ? ow processes for valves, pumps, and scream at bottom plants they are designing and pay piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID).Some prospective customers wrongly presume that SmartPlants drafting performance would not be as good as that of the next best alternative, because the alternative is built on computer-aided design (CAD), a better-known drafting tool than the relational database computer curriculum on which SmartPlant is built. So Intergraph tackled the perception head on, fulfiling data from reference customers to swan that this point of guinea pigion was actually a point of parity. march 2006 Heres how the company played it.Intergraphs resonating focus value proposition for this software consisted of one point of parity (which the customer initially thought was a point of depicted objection), followed by thre e points of difference Point of parity Using this software, customers can create P&ID graphics (either drawings or reports) as fast, if not faster, as they can victimization CAD, the next best alternative. Point of difference This software checks all of the customers upstream and downstream data related to to plant assets and procedures, victimisation universally accepted engineering practices, company-speci? c rules, and project- or process-speci? rules at each stage of the design process, so that the customer avoids costly mistakes much(prenominal) as missing design change interdependencies or, worse, tell the wrong equipment. Point of difference This software is integrated with upstream and downstream tasks, such as process simulation and instrumentation design, thusly requiring no reentry of data (and reducing the margin for error). Point of difference With this software, the customer is able to link remote of? ces to melt down the project and then merge the pieces into a single deliverable database to hand to its customer, the easiness owner.Resonating focus value propositions are very effective, but theyre not wanton to craft Suppliers must undertake 95 C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s customer value research to gain the insights to construct them. Despite all of the parley about customer value, few suppliers have actually done customer value research, which requires time, effort, persistence, and some creativity. But as the best practices we studied highlight, thinking done a resonating focus value proposition disciplines a company to research its customers businesses overflowing to help solve their problems.As the experience of a leading rosins supplier amply illustrates, doing customer value research pays off. (See the sidebar Case in Point Transforming a Weak Value Proposition. ) savings from reduced power employ that a customer would gain by using a Rockwell automation ram final result instead of a competitors comparable offering forefinger Reduction = kW spent number of operate hours per Cost Savings year $ per kW hour number of years system solution in operation Competitor source ? kW spent number of operate hours per year $ per kW hour number of years system solution in operation Rockwell Automation SolutionSubstantiate Customer Value Propositions In a series of business roundtable discussions we conducted in Europe and the United States, customer managers inform that We can save you money has create almost a generic value proposition from prospective suppliers. But, as one participant in Rotterdam wryly observed, most of the suppliers were telling fairy tales. After he heard a pitch from a prospective supplier, he would follow up with a series of questions to determine whether the supplier had the people, processes, tools, and experience to actually save his ? m money. As often as not, they could not really back up the claims. but put, to make custome r value propositions persuasive, suppliers must be able to demonstrate and history them. Value intelligence service equations enable a supplier to show points of difference and points of subject areaion relative to the next best alternative, so that customer managers can tardily cooking stove them and ? nd them persuasive. A value articulate This value word equation uses diligence-speci? c terminology that suppliers and customers in business markets rely on to communicate precisely and ef? iently about functionality and performance. Demonstrate Customer Value in Advance Prospective customers must see convincingly the cost savings or conducted value they can expect from using the suppliers offering instead of the next best alternative. Best-practice suppliers, such as Rockwell Automation and precision-engineering and manufacturing ? rm Nijdra Groep in the Netherlands, use value case histories to demonstrate this. Value case histories document the cost savings or added value t hat reference customers have actually bring ind from their use of the suppliers market offering.Another way that best-practice ? rms, such as Pennsylvania-based GE Infrastructure Water & suffice Technologies (GEIW&PT) and SKF USA, show the value of their offerings to prospective customers in advance is Some best-practice suppliers are even leave aloneing to warrantee a indisputable amount of savings before a customer signs on. equation expresses in run-in and simple mathematical operators (for example, + and ? ) how to assess the differences in functionality or performance between a suppliers offering and the next best alternative and how to convert those differences into dollars.Best-practice ? rms like Intergraph and, in Milwaukee, Rockwell Automation use value word equations to make it clear to customers how their offerings will land costs or add value relative to the next best alternatives. The data required to provide the value thoughts are most often still from the c ustomers business operations by supplier and customer managers functional together, but, at times, data may come from outside sources, such as constancy association studies.Consider a value word equation that Rockwell Automation used to draw a bead on the cost 96 through value calculators. These customer value assessment tools typically are spreadsheet software applications that salespeople or value specialists use on laptops as part of a consultative selling approach to demonstrate the value that customers likely would receive from the suppliers offerings. When necessary, best-practice suppliers go to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate the value of their offerings relative to the next best alternatives.The polymer chemicals unit of Akzo Nobel in Chicago recently conducted an on-the-spot(prenominal) two-week pilot on a production reactor at a prospective customers facility to gather data ? rsthand on the performance of its high-purity alloy organics offering relative to the n ext best alternative in producing compound semiconductor wafers. Akzo Nobel paid this harvard business review C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s prospective customer for these two weeks, in which each day was a trial because of resolveaday considerations such as output and maintenance.Akzo Nobel now has data from an actual production utensil to substantiate assertions about its product and judge cost savings, and evidence that the compound semiconductor wafers produced are as good as or better than those the customer soon grows using the next best alternative. To let its prospective clients customers verify this for themselves, Akzo Nobel brought them sample wafers it had produced for testing. Akzo Nobel combines this point of parity with two points of difference signi? cantly lower energy costs for conversion and signi? antly lower maintenance costs. Document Customer Value Demonstrating superior value is necessary, but this is n o longer enough for a ? rm to be considered a best-practice company. Suppliers also must document the cost savings and incremental pro? ts (from additional revenue gener- ated) their offerings deliver to the companies that have purchased them. Thus, suppliers work with their customers to de? ne how cost savings or incremental pro? ts will be tracked and then, afterwards a suitable intent of time, work with customer managers to document the results.They use value documenters to provided re? ne their customer value models, create value case histories, enable customer managers to get credit for the cost savings and incremental pro? ts produced, and (because customer managers know that the supplier is voluntary to advance back later to document the value received) evoke the credibility of the offerings value. A pioneer in substantiating value propositions over the past decade, GEIW&PT documents the results provided to customers through its value generation planning (VGP) process and tools, which enable its ? ld personnel to understand customers businesses and to plan, execute, and document projects that have the highest value impact for its customers. An online tracking tool allows GEIW&PT and customer managers to easily monitor the Case in Point Transforming a Weak Value Proposition A leading supplier of intensity resins used in architectural coatings such as paint for buildings recognized that its customers were coming under pressure to comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations. At the same time, the supplier reasoned, no coating manufacturer would want to sacri? e performance. So the resins supplier developed a new type of highperformance resins that would enable its customers to comply with stricter environmental standards albeit at a higher price but with no reduction in performance. In its initial discussions with customers who were using the product on a trial basis, the resins supplier was strike by the tepid reaction it receiv ed, peculiarly from commercial managers. They were not enthusiastic about the sales prospects for higher-priced coatings with commercial moving-picture show contractors, the first target market.They would not, they said, move to the new resin until regulation mandated it. Taken aback, the resins supplier clear-cut to conduct customer value research to better understand the requirements and preferences of its customers customers and how the performance of the new resin would affect their total cost of doing business. The resins supplier went so far as to study the requirements and preferences of the commercial flick contractors customers building owners. The supplier conducted a series of focus groups and ? eld tests with painting contractors to gather data.The performance on primary customer requirements such as coverage, dry time, and durability was studied, and customers were asked to make performance trade-offs and indicate their willingness to pay for coatings that deliv ered intensify performance. The resins supplier also joined a commercial painting contractor industry association, enrolled managers in courses on how contractors are taught to estimate jobs, and trained the staff to work with the job-estimation software used by painting contractors. some(prenominal) insights emerged from this customer value research.Most notable was the credit that only 15% of a painting contractors costs are the coatings labor is by far the largest cost component. If a coating could provide greater productivity for example, a faster drying time that allowed two coats to be applied during a single eight-hour shift contractors would likely accept a higher price. The resins supplier retooled its value proposition from a single dimension, environmental regulation configuration, to a resonating focus value proposition where environmental compliance played a signi? cant but minor part.The new value proposition was The new resin enables coatings producers to make a rchitectural coatings with higher ? lm build and gives the painting contractors the ability to put on two coats within a single shift, thus increasing painter productivity while also being environmentally compliant. Coatings customers enthusiastically accepted this value proposition, and the resins supplier was able to get a 40% price premium for its new offering over the traditional resin product. march 2006 97 C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t s xecution and documented results of each project the company undertakes. Since it began using VGP in 1992, GEIW&PT has documented more than 1,000 case histories, accounting for $1. 3 billion in customer cost savings, 24 billion gallons of water conserved, 5. 5 million tons of waste eliminated, and 4. 8 million tons of air emissions removed. As suppliers gain experience documenting the value provided to customers, they become knowledgeable about how their offerings deliver superior value to cus tomers and even how the value delivered varies across ation can depict NPI requests whenever they have an originative idea for a customer solution that they believe would have a large value impact but that GEIW&PT presently does not offer. Industry marketing managers, who have extensive industry expertise, then perform scoping studies to understand the potential of the proposed products to deliver signi? cant value to segment customers. They create business cases for the proposed product, which are racked and stacked for review. The elderly management aggroup of GEIW&PT sort through aBest-practice suppliers make sure their people know how to identify what the next value propositions ought to be. kinds of customers. Because of this extensive and detailed knowledge, they become con? dent in predicting the cost savings and added value that prospective customers likely will receive. Some best-practice suppliers are even willing to guarantee a certain amount of savings before a cust omer signs on. A global automotive engine manufacturer turned to champion Chemical, a Pennsylvania-based specialty chemical and management work ? m, for help in signi? cantly reducing its operating costs. protagonists team of chemical, mechanical, and environmental engineers, which has been meticulously documenting cost savings to customers for years, identi? ed potential savings for this customer through process and productivity improvements. Then quaker implemented its proposed solution with a guarantee that savings would be ? ve times more than what the engine manufacturer spent annually just to purchase coolant. In real numbers, that meant savings of $1. 4 million a year.What customer wouldnt ? nd such a guarantee persuasive? large number of potential initiatives competing for limited resources. The team approved Panichellas initiative, which led to the development of a new offering that provided re? nery customers with documented cost savings amounting to ? ve to ten time s the price they paid for the offering, thus realizing a compelling value proposition. Sonoco, at the corporate level, has do customer value propositions fundamental to its business strategy. Since 2003, its CEO, Harris DeLoach, Jr. and the executive committee have set an wishful growth goal for the ? rm sustainable, double-digit, pro? table growth every year. They believe that distinctive value propositions are crucial to support the growth initiative. At Sonoco, each value proposition must be Distinctive. It must be superior to those of Sonocos competition. Measurable. All value propositions should be based on tangible points of difference that can be quanti? ed in financial basis. Sustainable. Sonoco must be able to execute this value proposition for a signi? ant period of time. Unit managers know how critical DVPs are to business unit performance because they are one of the ten key rhythmic pattern on the managers performance scorecard. In precedential management review s, each unit manager presents proposed value propositions for each target market segment or key customer, or both. The managers then receive summary feedback on the value proposition metric (as well as on each of the ennead other performance metrics) in terms of whether their proposals can lead to pro? table growth.In addition, Sonoco senior management tracks the relationship between business unit value propositions and business unit performance and, year after year, has concluded that the emphasis on DVPs has made a signi? cant contribution toward sustainable, double-digit, useful growth. harvard business review Superior Business Performance We contend that customer value propositions, properly constructed and delivered, make a signi? cant contribution to business strategy and performance. GE Infrastructure Water & Process Technologies recent development of a new service offering to re? ery customers illustrates how general manager John Panichella allocates limited resources to i nitiatives that will generate the greatest incremental value for his company and its customers. For example, a few years ago, a ? eld rep had a seminal idea for a new product, based on his comprehensive understanding of re? nery processes and how re? neries make money. The ? eld rep submitted a new product design (NPI) request to the hydrocarbon industry marketing manager for further study. Field reps or anyone else in the organi98 C u s t o m e r Va l u e P ro p o s i t i o n s i n B u s i n e s s M a r ke t sBest-practice suppliers recognize that constructing and substantiating resonating focus value propositions is not a onetime undertaking, so they make sure their people know how to identify what the next value propositions ought to be. acquaintance Chemical, for example, conducts a value-proposition reproduction program each year for its chemical program managers, who work on-site with customers and have responsibility for formulating and death penalty customer value propos itions. These managers ? rst review case studies from a variety of industries quaker serves, where their peers have executed savings projects and quanti? d the monetary savings produced. Competing in teams, the managers then recruit in a simulation where they audience customer managers to gather information needed to devise a proposal for a customer value proposition. The team that is judged to have the best proposal earns bragging rights, which are highly valued in quakers competitive culture. The training program, Quaker believes, helps sharpen the skills of chemical program managers to identify savings projects when they return to the customers they are serving. As the ? al part of the training program, Quaker stages an annual real-world contest where the chemical program managers have 90 days to submit a proposal for a savings project that they plan to present to their customers. The director of chemical management judges these proposals and provides feedback. If he deems a p roposed project to be viable, he awards the manager with a gift certi? cate. Implementing these projects goes toward ful? lling Quakers guaranteed annual savings commitments of, on average, $5 million to $6 million a year per customer.Each of these businesses has made customer value propositions a fundamental part of its business strategy. Drawing on best practices, we have presented an approach to customer value propositions that businesses can implement to communicate, with resonating focus, the superior value their offerings provide to target market segments and customers. Customer value propositions can be a guiding beacon as well as the cornerstone for superior business performance. Thus, it is the responsibility of senior management and general management, not just marketing management, to ensure that their customer value propositions are just that.Reprint R0603F HBR OnPoint 3544 To order, see page 151. P VEY . C. What we need are some tonic new ideas. 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