Ethical Impacts of the Internet on Children and Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Ethical Impacts of the Internet on Children and Teenagers Essay As the use of internet dominates every activity in the global market, its use in homes and schools has exponentially grown raising concern on its ethical effect on children and teenagers. The nature of the youngsters’ use of internet has generated heat and anxiety among the general public as the society calls for ethical and moral guidelines that would protect children and teenagers from negative effect of the internet. This paper proposes a research that will identify the effect of internet use among the young people as the academic and policy importance concerning the opportunities and dangers of internet use continue to be raised. The paper identifies these opportunities and dangers as it proposes the methodology and limitations for the research paper. 2. 0 Introduction 2. 1 Background Internet which slowly started as a network for military officers in the cold war eventually became an important tool in the academic corridors and today the former â€Å"Arpanet† has greatly grown to become the primary platform for communication and interaction for different communities around the world. As the Internet traffic hit millions of users each day the communication technology continue to grow to allow for infinite information access and instant interaction by users, a fact that has brought about a social paradigm shift in the way societies used to live in the earlier days. This technology has particularly been embraced by children and teenagers as a way of learning, socializing and leisure. In the developed countries and many other regions around the word, internet access has ceased to being a trademark for the privileged members of the society as its use in the workplace, education institutions and leisure places continue to grow exponentially. As the use of computers and internet become more and more entrenched in our day to day routine practices, it has become a basic feature not only in the offices but also at our homes. The presence of internet at our homes has opened up a â€Å"super highway† to children and teenagers who are being referred to as the â€Å"digital generation† that incidentally predisposes them to overwhelming information and social sites that may contribute heavily in shaping their behavioural patterns. Whereas internet offers a perfect educational platform for the young people, it is also seen largely as a risk factor that could expose them to adult sites, make them more addicted and dependant on the internet and eventually instil anti-social behaviour in some of them. While this issue demands a critical stance given the consequences it has on the future generation, very little independent researches has been conducted to inform the policy makers and end the growing public anxiety. In most of the researches conducted in the recent past only a few have focused on the social consequences of the internet among the children and teenagers. The households with children or/and teenagers that have access to the internet is however more common than those without (Wigley and Clacke, 2000). 2. 2 Research Objectives The main objective of the proposed research project is to explore the impact of the internet on children and teenagers based on the expected social, cognitive and behavioural patterns in the society. The research project will aim at identifying issues that deviate from the laid down expectations both at school, home and in the society which find their root from the internet. 2. 3 Research Question The proposed paper will focus on answering the following primary question; †¢ What are the ethical impact on the use of internet among the children and teenagers? To effectively explore the primary research question the following secondary questions will be analyzed? †¢ What are the children/teenagers perceptions towards internet? †¢ What are the perceptions of the parents whose children are using internet at home or/and school? †¢ What are the important contrasts in internet activities from what is expected to what is actually practised? †¢ What are the possible impacts of these struggles between the theoretical and practical internet activities on children/teenagers’ social development? 2. 4 Research Significance A study conducted in the UK by Wigley and Clacke (2000), revealed that among the young people aged between 7 and 16 years, 75% of them have used the internet as compared to only 38% from the adult population. This explains that in the contemporary society the young are actually the pioneers of the internet culture. For a long time children and teenagers have also been regarded as a special homogenous object in other studies a fact that has made this category of population marginalised and often left out in researches on the internet. Even in the midst of growing researches on e-commerce and e-democracy very little efforts are focusing on the expanding online market driven by the young people. For these reasons children and teenagers are often left out in technological advancement as the market analysis is evaluated. As the social effects of internet on the young people become obvious in most societies it is becoming more difficult to ignore the subject and therefore many empirical projects on children and teenagers use of the internet are coming up. This makes it appropriate moment in which the research agenda on this category of population must be given priority. 3. 0 Literature Review 3. 1 Nature of Internet Usage Recent surveys reveal that children and teenagers attach high value to the usage of internet to gather information, entertainment leisure and as a medium of communication. According to Valkenburg and Soeters (2001), 73% of the children and teenagers use internet as an education tool, 59% use it for E-mails, 38% to play games, 32% for chatting with friends and 31% use internet as a hobby and an area of interest. The internet has already revolutionized the social patterns of our younger population drastically changing the earlier forms of communication and interaction among the peers. A research conducted by Valkenburg and Soeters (2001), indicates that among most households internet has continued to elicit mixed reaction between the parents and their young ones as it is considered to easily lead the young toward the wrong direction if mismanaged or taken for granted. While the parents praise the internet for its role in availing most of the information that their children would need in pursuit of their education, the children consider the opportunity more as a source of entertainment that gives them a break from the other â€Å"old fashioned† entertainment sources. The tug of war between the parents and children demonstrates an obvious digital generation gap in which children and teenagers who normally acquire and understand new internet skills faster than their parents get transformed into â€Å"family tutors†. The expertise in computer and internet skills among the children gives them a symbolic advantage over their parents that can easily be mis-used in pushing their interests that could not necessarily be approved by their parents. The current researches on the social context in which internet is focusing more in identifying ways and means in which children and teenagers are changing their homes into centres for content production, entertainment and leisure. This fact has in essence brought about new approaches in children’s activities as questions linger on whether learning has become more fun, playing is turning more and more educational and whether online chatting is part of civic participation or a way of withdrawal from the general society. This kind of researches therefore calls for the need to analyse the online content that is most preferred by children and teenagers. This raises a challenge given the large volume of online contents from which one can choose from and the fact that the hypertext content can be actualized by the user. This has in effect discouraged most of the researchers carrying out studies on the impact of internet on children and teenagers. Most of the researches today are however guided by the policy issues that are endeavouring in trying to balance the benefits that the internet offers to the young population against the harm that may be associated with some of the sites. Therefore the key agenda is on how the society in general should ethically conceptualize and balance the benefits and the dangers of the internet on the children and teenagers within there spheres of influence.

Heart of Darkness: Psychoanalytic Criticism Essay -- Psychoanalysis Si

Heart of Darkness: Psychoanalytic Criticism Psychoanalytic criticism originated in the work of Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who pioneered the technique of psychoanalysis. Freud developed a language that described, a model that explained, and a theory that encompassed human psychology. His theories are directly and indirectly concerned with the nature of the unconscious mind. Through his multiple case studies, Freud managed to find convincing evidence that most of our actions are motivated by psychological forces over which we have very limited control (Guerin 127). One of Freud’s most important contributions to the study of the psyche is his theory of repression: the unconscious mind is a repository of repressed desires, feelings, memories, wishes and instinctual drives; many of which have to do with sexuality and violence. These unconscious wishes, according to Freud, can find expression in dreams because dreams distort the unconscious material and make it appear different from itself and more acceptable to co nsciousness. They may also appear in other disguised forms, like in language (sometimes called the Freudian slips), in creative art and in neurotic behavior. One of the unconscious desires Freud believed that all human beings supposedly suppress is the childhood desire to displace the parent of the same sex and to take his or her place in the affections of the parent of the opposite sex. This so-called â€Å"Oedipus Complex,† which all children experience as a rite of passage to adult gender identity, lies at the core of Freud’s sexual theory (Murfin 114-5). A principal element in Freud’s theory is his assignment of the mental processes to three psychic zones: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is the passional, irrational, and unconscious part of the psyche. It is the site of the energy of the mind, energy that Freud characterized as a combination of sexual libido and other instincts, such as aggression, that propel the human organism through life, moving it to grow, develop and eventually to die. That primary process of life is completely irrational, and it cannot distinguish reasonable objects and unreasonable or socially unacceptable ones. Here comes the secondary processes of the mind, lodged in the ego and the superego. The ego, or â€Å"I,† was Freud’s term for the predominantly rational, logical, orderly and conscious part of the psych... ...ut: Librairie Du Liban Publishers SAL, 1994. Guerin, Wilfred L., et al. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Hewitt, Douglas. â€Å"Conrad: A Reassessment.† World Literature Criticism. Ed. Polly Vedder. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1992. 789-92. Hughs, Richard E. The Lively Image: Four Myths in Literature. Cambridge, MA: Winthrop Publishers, 1975. Karl, Frederick R. â€Å"A Reader’s Guide To Joseph Conrad.† World Literature Criticism. Ed. Polly Vedder. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1992. 785-9. Leavis, F. R. â€Å"From The Great Tradition.† A Practical Reader in Contemporary Literary Theory. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1996. 246-7 Mudrick, Marvin. â€Å"The Originality of Conrad.† World Literature Criticism. Ed. PollyVedder. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1992. 782-5. Murfin, Ross C. Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989. Saà ¯d, Edward W. Culture and Imperialism. New York: Knopf, 1979. Wright, Elizabeth. â€Å"Psychoanalytic Criticism.† Encyclopedia Of Literature And Criticism. 1991 ed. 765-7.

Supplier and Partnering Processes Essay

For many businesses, goods and services provided by suppliers or partners account for a significant portion of the cost and value of the final product. Suppliers include not only companies that provide materials and components, but also distributors, transportation companies, and information, healthcare, and education providers. Key suppliers might provide unique design, technology, integration, or marketing capabilities that are not available within the business, and therefore can be critical to achieving such strategic objectives as lower costs, faster time-to-market, and improved quality. Organizational partners might include educational institutions that collaborate on research and training. (Conversely, a company might be viewed as a partner for an educational institution.) Increasingly, suppliers are viewed as partners with customers, because there usually is a co-dependent relationship. A powerful example of supplier partnerships is the response that occurred when a fire destroyed the main source of a crucial $5 brake valve for Toyota.1 Without it, Toyota had to shut down its 20 plants in Japan. Within hours of the disaster, other suppliers began taking blueprints, improvising tooling systems, and setting up makeshift production lines. Within days, the 36 suppliers, aided by more than 150 other subcontractors, had almost 50 production lines making small batches of the valve. Even a sewing-machine company that had never made car parts spent 500 person-hours refitting a milling machine to make just 40 valves a day. Toyota promised the suppliers a bonus of about $100 million â€Å"as a token of our appreciation.† Strong customer/supplier relationships are based on three guiding principles: 1.Recognizing the strategic importance of suppliers in accomplishing business objectives, particularly minimizing the total cost of ownership, 2.Developing win-win relationships through long-term partnerships rather than as adversaries, and 3.Establishing trust through openness and honesty, thus leading to mutual advantages. One example of these principles is the Baldwin Piano & Organ Company, which set up a 10-year agreement with Southland Marketing Inc. for piano plates to get  Ã¢â‚¬Å"higher quality, more consistent supply, and lower cost.†2 Baldwin helped finance the purchase of the equipment needed to finish the plates. The contract is expected to save Baldwin 10 percent a year on its plate costs. Successful suppliers have a culture where employees and managers share in customers’ goals, commitments, and risks to promote such long-term relationships (recall one of Deming’s 14 Points about supplier relationships–not purchasing solely on the basis of price). In many companies, suppliers are treated as if they were actually a part of the organization. For example, functions such as cafeteria service, mailroom operations, and information processing are being performed by suppliers at their customers’ facilities. As more and more of this type of outsourcing is done, the lines between the customer and the supplier become increasingly blurred. Many companies segment suppliers into categories based on their importance to the business and manage them accordingly. For example, at Corning, Level 1 suppliers, who provide raw materials, cases, and hardware, are deemed critical to business success and are managed by teams that include representatives from engineering, materials control, purchasing, and the supplier company. Level 2 suppliers provide specialty materials, equipment, and services, and are managed by internal customers. Level 3 suppliers provide commodity items and are centrally managed by purchasing.3 Measurement plays an important role in supplier management. Texas Instruments measures suppliers’ quality performance by parts per million defective, percentage of on-time deliveries, and cost of ownership.4 An electronic requisitioning system permits a paperless procurement process. More than 800 suppliers are linked to Texas Instruments through an information exchange system. Integrated data systems track the incoming quality and timeliness of deliveries as materials are received. Analytical reports and on-line data are used to identify material defect trends. Performance reports are sent each month to key suppliers. Joint customer-supplier teams are formed to communicate and improve performance. A supplier management task force of top managers directs current and strategic approaches to improving supplier management practices. Finally, communication, feedback, and recognition or awards are important practices in supplier and partnering processes. For instance, the Fastener Supply Corporation, which distributes fasteners, electronic hardware, and other products to over 300 customers makes frequent contact with its 250 suppliers, invites them to company functions and shares such information as customers’ forecasted requirements.5 Feedback should provide timely and actionable information to suppliers to lead to improvement and ensure that suppliers meet the organization’s performance requirements. At Fastener, any potential performance problems are brought to attention with prompt notice and immediate feedback. An annual award dinner recognizes outstanding suppliers for quality and continuous improvement. Many companies such as Bethlehem Steel, Miller Brewing, and Honda, make a point of delivering supplier awards not only to upper management at a fancy banquet, but also to the workers on the shop floor. â€Å"It’s one thing for the boss to say that quality is important, but another thing entirely for the customer to come out and say it,† says Jerry Schiedt, corporate purchasing director for Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee. â€Å"When we actually visit a plant to present an award to the folks who made the award possible, then we build a relationship with the company and the folks on the floor who do the work to ensure the quality of the products we buy.†6 Supplier Certification Many companies use some type of supplier certification systems as the focal point of their supplier management system. These systems rate and certify suppliers who provide quality materials in a cost-effective and timely manner. For example, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association defines a certified supplier as one that, after extensive investigation, is found to supply material of such quality that routine testing on each lot received is unnecessary. Certification provides recognition for high-quality suppliers, which motivates them to improve continuously and attract more business. The details of supplier certification processes vary by company. For instance, Florida Power and Light has a three-tier certification program.7 Vendors (another term for suppliers) can be certified as a â€Å"Quality Vendor,† â€Å"Certified Vendor,† and â€Å"Excellent Vendor.† To become a Quality Vendor, a  supplier’s products or services must meet basic requirements of quality, cost, delivery, and safety. In addition, the supplier must have a quality improvement process in place and be able to demonstrate that this has achieved significant improvements. It must also have an audit system to certify the process and the results. To become a Certified Vendor, the supplier must have demonstrated the use of statistical process control and prove that its processes can meet FPL’s specification requirements. It must also be able to document capability and have a plan for continuous quality improvement. To achieve Excellent Vendor status, suppliers must demonstrate the ability to exceed FPL’s specification requirements, employ reliability assurance techniques, and show that quality improvement is a central part of their management system. At the Gillette Company, the supplier certification program begins with Gillette identifying those suppliers with a proven ability to meet its specifications.8 Once a supplier is selected to participate, Gillette expects them to establish a pre-production planning system to assess the capability of their process to meet Gillette’s specifications. Feedback is offered in the form of recommended changes that will improve quality, reduce cost, or facilitate ease of manufacture. Supplier certification programs can be time-consuming and expensive to administer. One approach to avoiding unnecessary audit costs and helping to assure buyers that specified practices are being followed is to create a uniform set of standards–an independent and transportable supplier qualification system, such as ISO 9000.

New Product Launch Marketing Plan Essay

Executive Summary Learning Team A has shown in the first two phases of the marketing plan that individuals exercise for a variety of reasons including obesity, addressed target markets (recreational, fitness, and professional athletes), decision motivators and buying behaviors (individual needs and health concerns), the Product Life Cycle, the four P’s, and the product mix. Within this final phase, Learning Team A will be discussing situational analysis, market growth potential and competitive analysis, segmentation, target market, and positioning, pricing and distribution, and marketing communication. Also discussed will be the financial aspect, intended market objectives for year 1, year 2 and year 3, implementation milestones, and finally, evaluation and control metrics and methodology to measure performance. Situational Analysis My Run Buddy offers a new innovation in fitness technology as the first voice commanded treadmill. Its product marketing on extraordinary combination of powerful design and features are the key factors for its product brand development and market growth in the fitness industry. Enhancing and implementing strategic marketing plan will also be essential to the success of My Run Buddy. Market Growth Potential and Competitive Analysis There are so many treadmills out on the market today, individuals try to find just the right one that will give them just the right workout for their lifestyle. With the innovative features that are installed on My Run Buddy, such as the Voice Command option, Learning Team A believes that this will escalate My Run Buddy to the top of everyone’s list of treadmills. Learning Team A estimates that with these innovative features, sales will be high and  profits will be generated. Learning Team A compared My Run Buddy with two different treadmills that are out on the market today, the LifeSpan Treadmill and the Life Fitness T5-0 Treadmill. After reviewing both of these, the one that comes closest to My Run Buddy is the Life Fitness T5-0 Treadmill. The Life Fitness T5-0 Treadmill has many of the similar features, warranties and price range; however, it does not have the Voice Command feature. The Voice Command feature is what is unique to My Run Buddy and everyone that uses this machine, whether it be at home or in a gym, will feel comfortable with the features and enjoy the easiness of programming it to their respective needs. Marketing Strategies The major strategies to market My Run Buddy are aimed toward health and fitness industries. According to Wellsource (2014), in the next five years, an increase of at least 4.2 percent within five years is projected for the demand in services and equipment for the multibillion-dollar health and wellness industry. My Run Buddy will reach out to male and female customers mostly between the ages of twenty to forty years old, which does not limit customers who are fifty years of age and above because of the growing demand to promote active health lifestyle for all ages. In addition to the market target stated, a small percentage of customers who may use My Run Buddy include professional athletes preparing for competitions such as marathons or the Olympic games. Positioning My Run Buddy focuses on its ability to become as the first voice commanded treadmill providing extraordinary combination of powerful design, comprehensive product features, and positive health and fitness results to its customers. Its major advantage compared to other existing treadmills is its capacity to offer personalized fitness workouts to ensure safe workouts based on each user’s health status, vital signs, and intensity of workout. Marketing Program Kotler and Keller (2012) mentioned that consumers often make the decision to purchase certain products based on how they perceive the price of the  product is rather than the marketer’s stated price. The automobile may cost $100,000, and if some customers perceive the particular price to be reasonable price for the automobile, they will purchase it based on their perception and not because of the fact that marketers set the price of the automobile as $100,000. Same customer may feel that $30,000 for different automobile is too expensive even though he or she felt that $100,000 for the automobile was reasonable for them because they perceive each products differently. Kotler and Keller (2012) also mentioned that customer are less sensitive to price of the product when they believe that 1) there are not too many similar products in the market that can replace the quality of the given product; 2) the high price of the product can be justified; 3) stated price of the product is just a small cost of obtaining unique product for the life time. Learning team A intends to set the price of the voice commanded treadmill to create the perception that the price of voice commanded treadmill is reasonable enough for a customer to purchase the customized treadmill that can enhance their health status for the rest of their lives. Rather than matching the price of the treadmill to another company’s lower price of the treadmill, Learning team A believes it will be beneficial for the company if the company can justify that customers are paying for superior quality of the voice commanded treadmill, and they are saving money for more value on the voice commanded treadmill by paying the stated retail price. Kotler and Keller (2012) stated that companies need to consider four different objectives when they are attempting to determine the level of effectiveness for their market logistics: 1) How should the company handle orders from customers? 2) Where should the company store their products? 3) How much products should the company store in the designated storage space? And 4) How should the company distribute the product to the customer? Learning team A believes it is best for customers to be able to order the voice commanded treadmill from the company’s internal website or the electronic commerce company, such as Amazon because customers do not always have time to visit the local retail locations to order the product. Learning team A believes the company should store voice commanded treadmill in warehouses located in west coast, east coast, and southern states and use  the fast transportation method, such as FedEx, UPS, and USPS to expedite the shipment process. Learning team A does not recommend the company to store excessive amount of voice commanded treadmill in their storage locations, but they suggest that company’s logistic professional and sales professional should work together to determine the projected amount of sales for the given period and attempt to clear out the amount of inventory if they become too excessive by promoting clearance sales events. Marketing Communication Plan Multiple methods of advertising and promotion for My Run Buddy will be used as part of marketing plan for reaching out to its target market. Kiosks will be installed in stores and retailers selling the product, where its shoppers will experience free product demonstration. Discount coupons, extended warranty, free product delivery, or free trial offers are also few promotions to be considered for customers. Other than kiosks in stores, My Run Buddy can also be offered for free trial or deals to different fitness locations such as LA Fitness or Gold’s Gym. Furthermore, advertising through multiple media such as print, online, television will be utilized to spread information about the product. Financial Information Our cost structure allow us to pass some savings and still have a solid 200% contribution margin which means that even if we start with low profit, we can sustain the operation enough to see the product establish in the market. Our Policy is to have certain allowances and discounts for wholesalers tie to our AR so our Promotional Pricing follow the following: Total Cost (Including Labor, Overhead, and Transportation) per unit: $2,000 US Direct Cost (Parts, electronic components, etc†¦) per unit: $1,250 US Contribution Margin Goal (Floor Price): $2,500 Sensitivity on Total Profit without marketing expense: Price 1: $3,600 (80% Profit) p unit Price 2: $3,200 (60% Profit) p unit. We will sell the Unit to the Wholesale at $3,600 with a contractual allowance to renew each year of 5% prompt pay discount (less than 30 days), and an additional volume (more than 10 Units per month) discount of 7% of  the marked price. This will allow the wholesaler the possibility to pay only $3,181 per unit if they pay on time and order 10 units per month. A savings of $419 per unit or 11.64% discount. Our closest competition based on the specs (4.0 Motor, Absorption pad, Monitor, etc.. but without the voice activation is the Life Fitness Club Series Treadmill (http://www.treadmilltalk.com/treadmill-comparison-chart-5.html) with an average price in the US of $5,500. Financial Objectives To start sales with a minimum of 60% Profit To increase sales by 2% in Year 2, and another 5% Year 3 To keep plan under budget Break Even Analysis Cost to produce a treadmill unit (Direct Cost): $1,250 Fixed Cost (Annual Overhead): $9,000 ($750*12) If selling for $3,200, then we need to sell 5 Units to break even! ($9,000/ ($3,200- $1,250)) If selling for $3,600, then we need to sell 4 Units to break even! ($9,000/ ($3,600- $1,250)) If selling for $3,181, then we need to sell 5 Units to break even! ($9,000/ ($3,181- $1,250)) Marketing Expenses We are estimating a marketing expense (promotion, training, etc†¦) of $500 on Year 1, $400 Year 2, and $280 on Year 3 Per Unit; these figures are considered in the budget. Forecasting Demand We are estimating a total of 200 Units sales on year one with an increase of 2% in Year 2, and another 5% Year 3. We will keep the price the same for the first 3 years; therefore we expect the following each year: Year1: $636,200 in revenue with a 64.7% Profit Year2: $648,924 in revenue with a 64.7% Profit Year3: $681,370 in revenue with a 64.7% Profit Marketing Objectives Year 1: Establish the Product in the industry: To be one of the top 5 brands in the fitness equipment industry among the wholesalers and the consumers. Year 2: Increase Sales on a steady pace: To increase the number of wholesalers purchasing our product by 7%. Year 3: Brand Management: To ensure consistency between our brand licensing strategy and the overall business goal† and to focus on maximizing leverage of the brand. Implementation Milestones Milestones during this project will be the main guides to product progression and success. In order to determine whether the product development and launch is on track our team has decided to set in place milestone or timeline marks to stay on track. Our product will have 4 major milestones with different sub sectioned goals. The first milestone will be identifying customer needs and within this major category we have to accomplish the following goals; business problems, customer requirements, business opportunity, target application and technology requirements/abilities. The second milestone will be to accomplish understanding of the market opportunity. Within this we plan to accomplish industry trends, market size and growth, target market and finally market channels. The third milestone will be entering the market. Within this second major milestone we will accomplish product positioning, competitive strategies, pricing, marketing plan, sales strategy, sales tools and customer support. The third milestone will be a continuous process during the length of the product. The final milestone is generating revenue and the goals accomplished will be establishing partners, channels and leads. The last milestone will also be a continuous process for the length of the product. Milestones may be introduced and revamped depending on the shift of the product lifecycle. Since our team is aiming for continuous growth and success, we are aware that milestones need to be in place and also re introduced so that a cycle does not fail and we continue to succeed. Evaluation of Metrics and Methodology Elrod, Susan Murray, and Bande (2013) mentioned that there are four different categories of performance measures supply chain companies consider when attempting to determine the level of effectiveness for their supply chain management system: financial cost, quality, time, and flexibility. The cost to produce the product, the cost to distribute the product to the customer, and the cost to store the product in warehouse are some of the key  factors affecting the financial cost category of the supply chain management performance metrics (Elrod et al, 2013). Customer’s perceived value of the product, level of accuracy of the product, and the ability for a company to distribute the product safely to the customer without any damage fall under the quality category under the performance metrics for supply chain management (Elrod et al, 2013). Learning team A intends to incorporate similar set of performance metrics by evaluating production cost and inventory cost against the amount of revenue the voice commanded treadmill generated for given period of time to determine if the cost of product is exceeded by the revenue the product generates. Learning team A will also evaluate how fast the company can distribute the voice commanded treadmill to its customers without damaging the product and how well the voice treadmill can perform according to the specific features on the product to obtain customer loyalty. Contingency Planning According to Mindtools.com (2014), â€Å"The need for contingency planning emerges from a thorough analysis of the risks that your organization faces. It is also useful in thinking about new and ongoing projects: what happens when ‘Plan A’ does not go as expected?†. Contingency planning is highly important to our team and will be the foundation we follow for risk assessment and planning. We will minimize error and failure by expecting the worse. What if the consumers do not want to buy our product, what if it doesn’t sell as much as we thought it would. By preparing for the worse we will be setting up for successful future. Our contingency plan will be to continuously conduct risk assessment regardless of how well our product is doing. Communicating issues and good ideas will be a constant goal within the product team and shareholders involved. If at whatever point we need to retrain or train personnel our team is equipped with the information to do so. We will keep documentation of successes and failures no matter how big or small. Finally we will evaluate performance and implement goals so that we are able to assess how well the product is doing. Conclusion In conclusion, Learning Team A has shown, within their marketing plan, that the Voice Command treadmill is a unique product that will generate large profits for the proper company in today’s society. Learning Team A has  also shown how this type of treadmill is more advanced than those on the market with the addition of the Voice Command feature and how it will be accepted in the long term by consumers looking for the proper workout equipment to maintain their health. With this new feature, Learning Team A feels that consumers will be drawn to My Run Buddy for their health needs as the innovative features lets them feel more comfortable working out and they don’t have to worry about calling anyone if there is a medical condition that arises, all they would have to do is tell the machine to contact the hospital. References Elrod, C., Susan Murray, P. E., & Bande, S. (2013). A Review of Performance Metrics for Supply Chain Management. Engineering Management Journal, 25(3), 39-50. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2012). Marketing management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Wellsource. (2014). Market trends project more growth for wellness industry. Retrieved from http://www.wellsource.com/company-news/Market-Trends-Project-More-Growth-for-Wellness-Industry.html Mindtools. (2014). Contingency Planning. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_51.htm

How to Format a Book in 6 Powerful Steps Ebook Formatting

How to Format a Book in 6 Powerful Steps Ebook Formatting How to Format a Book with the Reedsy Book Editor If you are a self-publishing author who wants to know how to typeset a book, there are plenty of tools and resources available to you. Many writers use MS Word for ebook formatting - but this shouldn't choice by default. Ensure you take the time to explore the different options available for formatting your manuscript because a clean design is a vital part of publishing success.In this step-by-guide, we’re going to give you tips for producing a professional-looking final product whether that's an ebook, a printed book, or both.  We'll also explain how our very own free tool - the Reedsy Book Editor - can make the job simple for you.Why should I use the Reedsy Book Editor?With the input of the expert designers, our product team designed a book production tool that allows authors to create manuscripts that meet the high standards set by the industry. Whether you want ebook formatting, or to produce physical copies, there are many reasons to turn to the Editor:No previous de sign knowledge required,Your work is securely stored in the cloud and accessible for any device,There's no need to install any softwareProfessionally designed templates, compatible with a variety of distribution platforms,Unlimited exports,...and more. Head to our Reedsy Book Editor and format your book for free, in just a few seconds. And if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to let us know in the comments below.

What are flexible HRM practices To what extent do such practices mark Essay

What are flexible HRM practices To what extent do such practices mark a break from Fordism and the era of mass production - Essay Example These negative features include hierarchy, standardization and an inward focus. This paper will discuss to what extent flexible HRM practices mark a break from Fordism and the era of mass production. The word flexibility itself means differently to different people. Having an employee-centered approach, not being authoritative, being anti-hierarchical, persuasive, or even empowering and considering the employees as equal stakeholders are some of the ways that ‘flexibility’ has been defined (Caldwell). Hence ‘flexible HRM is not a norm which firms follow. It is a state of mind, and the practice itself varies from firm to firm. Within an organization also, flexibility provokes mixed reaction. While some consider flexibility an employee problem, the senior management thinks of it as a cost cutting strategy. The flexible approach has also led to the evolution of self-managed teams who work closely together to achieve greater horizontal coordination across organizational divisions. Marlow (1997) contends that in the UK few HRM initiatives that are being adopted are aimed at raising employee productivity without the return of rewards. Marlow further cites that the destruction of traditional style industrial relations and the lack of industrial policy articulated by the state have led to neo-Fordism. Hence, the flexible HR practices are used to induce the labor into higher productivity. It does not form a part of the larger process of post-Fordism. Since these are not supported by technology and training, these practices become unsustainable. Further arguments arise that flexible HR practices arise due to market volatility and labour weakness, and not due to sophisticated approach to labour management. While the Fordist regime may have had structural deficiencies, flexible HR practices will lead to difficulties in attracting, gaining and retaining a skilled workforce (Fuchs, 2002). Although employees are considered to

Business Skills & Employability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Skills & Employability - Essay Example In order to understand the reason behind the huge inflow of FDI in China, the areas of economic reforms need to be studied in context to China, the policies framed by the government in relation to the foreign direct investments in China. The favorability of the investment climate of China in the eyes of the foreign investors need to be studied by considering the several factors that affect the inflow of foreign direct investments in the country. The analysis of the quality of infrastructure available in China for the foreign direct investments, the availability of the manpower resources in China, the regulatory framework and the laws in various sectors for foreign investment are important to understand the reasons why China has been able to attract huge inflow of foreign direct investments over the last three decades. Discussion The reasons behind China’s ability to attract huge foreign direct investments in the country over the last 30 years have been discussed as follows. Th e alternative investment patterns that have emerged in order to challenge rapid growth rate of foreign direct investments have also been included as part of the discussion. ... ina’s ability to attract huge foreign direct investments in the country are the availability of favorable infrastructure for the foreign investors, the high potential of the manpower resources and the total factor productivity of China, the policies of the government in framing favorable laws and regulations for the foreign investors and the performance requirements of the foreign investors. A picture of the growth of foreign direct investments in China has been represented below in Table 1. Table 1: FDI Inflows ($US) in China from 1983 to 2012 The above data have been plotted in graphical form as represented in Figure 1 as shown below (The World Bank, 2013, p.1). Figure 1: Increasing Trend of FDI Inflow ($US) in China from 1983-2012 The policies framed by the government in China have been established in such a way over the last three decades that the regulatory framework has been viewed favorably by the foreign investors in China. The government has set up separate laws by cl assifying the foreign investors into categories like wholly owned foreign enterprises, joint venture of the foreign enterprises and the Chinese entities and Sino-foreign co-operatives. The People Republic of China maintained a Guiding Directory for the investors who are looking for foreign investments in China. The policies framed by the government offer provisions for incentives in case of foreign investments in the special economic zones as designated by the People’s Republic of China. Although in the initial stages, the People’s Republic of China had imposed performance requirements for the foreign investors, the policies on foreign direct investments were instituted with an object to provide preferential treatments to the foreign investors who invested in the economy of China. The