White Sheet free essay sample

It was a typical day: playing hide and seek in the rubble of a Sarajevo house with my closest friend. Mujo, to the world a homeless gypsy, was a few inches taller than me, equipped with x-ray vision for hiding places in his brown eyes. I hid in the remains of a kitchen cabinet, holding the door from the inside so it would not fall off, shielding myself from the sounds of his feet kicking rocks in the former living room. Suddenly he pulled at the door of the cabinet and shrieked †I found you!† I started chasing him, when I heard my father’s booming voice calling me. He handed me a suitcase and told me to pack – just like that my rubble playing days were over. Next I knew, it was the first day of school in America, my heart pounding as I walked into the classroom. The teacher introduced me and asked who was willing to let me sit next to them, and that’s when my cousin Mirza came to the rescue, pushed the girl sitting next to her to move over, and said â€Å"over here!† I looked at my hero she had brown wavy hair and brown confident eyes. We will write a custom essay sample on White Sheet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her freckles looked innocent, but she fought off all my bullies that year. We would soon become inseparable. She knew English already, and we would do homework together- we were always there for each other. Those days of having her nearby were soon over as I moved to another school for 5th grade. On the first day of school, my parents dropped me off to the classroom, the first in my life without any fellow Bosnians. Alone without my Mirza, I felt like I could not do well. I struggled throughout the year with my English, often having to work twice as hard for average grades. For winter break we had a science packet to finish, and I tried to do my best no matter how much time it would take, though not expecting much. My work paid off and Mrs. Parisi pulled me aside to congratulate me on being the only student in the class to have gotten a 100%! She kissed me on the forehead, and showed me a mug with my schools name written in big purple letters. She described it as one of the best schools in the country, and even thought I could get in. I could not wait to get home and call Mirza to tell her everything. Another year, another school, and although it was harder than before, the year passed by relatively quickly. The tougher environment encouraged me to work harder. That year I managed to get a medal in my school’s Science Fair, the same night I took my entrance exam. That night, when I wanted to show Mirza my medal, my parents told me we would be visiting her in the hospital from now on. I had no idea she was sick, but was sure she would get better. On a May morning some months later the letter arrived. I ran home from school, anxious to tell my parents the news that I had actually gotten in! My parents only smiled quietly, and congratulated me. I was disappointed at their reaction, but I still couldn’t wait to show Mirza because she knew how important it was to me. As we entered her room, we saw the nurses pulling a white sheet over her, and my heart stopped as I realized Mirza had been much sicker than I thought, realized why my parents had reacted so quietly to my great news. My dad put his arms around me and said â€Å"do you want to hug her before we leave?† Still clutching my letter, I walked the few steps to her former bed, and put it on top of the white sheet.

Pursuit of Efficiency and Effectiveness

Pursuit of Efficiency and Effectiveness Introduction The world is increasingly becoming competitive due to the emergence of new firms in various industries. According to Phipps (2011, p. 275), firms are finding themselves under increased pressure to deliver products of very high quality, but at subsidized prices to attract customers. Delivering products of high quality at reduced prices is not an easy task.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pursuit of Efficiency and Effectiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is because the cost of production has consistently been on the rise. Firms are finding themselves at awkward positions where they have to pay for the increased processes related to acquisition of raw materials and labor. It is not an easy undertaking for a firm to deliver products using inputs that are more expensive and still afford to charge competitive prices. However, there is no option for these firms. They must find ways through which they can maintain their competitive prices while at the same time increasing their products’ value. It is through this that they will be assured of an increased market share in the industries they operate. In order to achieve this, firms have realized that they have to maintain high efficiency and effectiveness in their operations. The process of delivering products to the market must be very efficient. In this case, the efficiency involves ensuring the process takes place at the least possible cost within the shortest time possible. Effectiveness will be ensured by making sure the factors of production deliver output as expected. The management must be in control of these factors of production in order to deliver the desired results. There has been an argument that the pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness in the production process comes at the expense of the welfare of the workforce. Those who support this line of thinking argue that when the management emphasizes on producti on efficiency and effectiveness, it would always come at the expense of human resource. This is mainly because human resource is a factor of production. In order to enhance efficiency, there must be a reduced cost of production in the firm. This means that in the quest to lower this cost, the management will make an effort to cut the cost of labor in the firm. This would result into a scenario where the management will try to make maximum use of labor force at the least cost possible. This means that the management will try to exploit the workforce. This exploitation is what is referred to as lack of consideration for the welfare of the workforce. This research examines the claims that management’s pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness has been at the expense of labor’s welfare.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Management’s Pursuit of Efficien cy and Effectiveness Comes According to Bowey (2005, p. 19), the human resource is the most important asset in the organization. The above scholar argues that for a firm to achieve its objectives, it must find a way of making employees part of the objectives. The workers are always responsible for the implementation of projects in the organization. The main input of employees is directly proportional to the overall output of the firm. When they work with motivation, their efforts will always be transferred to the overall output of the firm. The managements of some organizations have abused their employees despite their full knowledge of the impact these employees have on their organizations. These managers therefore consider using other mechanisms to ensure that employees do what is expected. There are cases where employees are forced to undertake duties against their wish because of the threats meted out by the management. According to Waddell, Jones, and George (2011, p. 112), the era when managers used carrot and stick tactics to make employees do what they want is long gone. Although some management units consider using punitive measures to motivate their employees in undertaking some important assignments, this strategy is outdated. When an employee works under such pressures, the drive ceases to a motivating factor and turns out to be fear. They develop fear that when they fail to do as expected and they might face the wrath of the management. The research done by Caldari (2007, p. 64) shows that some managers over emphasize the effectiveness and efficiency of their production at the expense of their employees. In such instances, employees are forced to work for overtime hours even if it is against their wish. In such instances, the management would demand that employees meet the set goals even if the goal is way beyond the original jurisdiction of the employee as signed during the hiring process. Some of the managements have opted to have a leaner workf orce as a way of increasing efficiency. These managements consider retrenching their employees whenever they feel the organization can run with a lesser number of employees. Retrenchment always has a ripple effect that results to massive negative effect both to the retrenched employees and to the remaining workforce. It is true that part of improving efficiency of an organization may involve having a lean, but very effective workforce. However, some managers always retrench employees in total disregard to the well-being of their employees.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pursuit of Efficiency and Effectiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The retrenched employees will have to look for alternative source of income. This will have a direct impact not only to them as individuals, but also to their families and other benefactors. To the remaining employees, their motivation will be reduced to the lowest level possib le. They will be working in constant fear that at any moment, their job may be terminated. This lack of job security is an abuse to the welfare of the employees. When other employees are retrenched, the remaining workforce will develop a sense of loss at the workplace. This is because those they had developed close ties with are forced out of the firm unceremoniously. These scholars also believe that when emphasis is laid on the efficiency and effectiveness of the factors of production, the welfare of the employees will be forgotten.  Employees are human beings with normal feelings. In order to protect their welfare, they should be awarded various incentives that will not only make them motivated in their work, but also make them renewed to deliver more in their respective areas of work. As such, there is need to ensure that they are given fully paid leave, teambuilding seminars, end-year parties to celebrate the achievements within that particular year, a pay rise to appreciate i mproved productivity among other incentives. However, most managements do not consider awarding their employees these incentives when their focus in on efficiency. They would consider the resources- in terms of money and time- ‘wasted’ in offering these incentives enough to increase part of production. As Caldari (2007, p. 61) says, whenever the management gives emphasis to efficiency and effectiveness, the welfare of the employees would be ignored. Schwartz (2007, p. 51) says that the argument that management’s pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness comes at the expense of labors’ welfare is not valid. This scholar observes that employees are always at the core of the production process. They are part of the organization, and for a firm to be able to succeed in its undertaking, there must be the goodwill from the employees. A firm may not operate as a distinct unit from its employees. The employees are the component of an organization, which helps in ens uring that the organization’s objectives are on the track. For this reason, when the management focuses on efficiency and effectiveness of its production process, the employees will be part of their focus.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In most cases, lack of efficiency within an organization does not mean that the welfare of the employees is well taken care of within the firm. In fact, the opposite can be said to be the truth. This is because when an organization is not efficient and effective in its production process, then it would most likely register losses. A firm that registers losses cannot be considered able to meet the welfare of its employees. This is because it will lack the financial power to meet most of its obligations. Improving efficiency means improving every segment of a firm, with employees being part of it. It means ensuring that every section of the organization performs optimally. It is a scenario where the focus of the management is both on the employees and on the production. Blake and Mouton’s managerial theory below helps bring out this point much clearly. Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid Black and Mouton’s managerial grid is one of the most important leadership the ories in the contemporary world. The grid is as shown below. As evidenced from the above grid, the theory gives emphasis on concern for people and concern for production. As a leader, there is always a concern to ensure that the organization functions effectively (Sikula, Olmosk, Kim, Cupps 2001, p. 18). This can be measured by increased productivity of the firm. This theory says that productivity should not be overemphasized at the expense of employees. Employees are very valuable to any organization and their interest should be taken care. The need for productivity should be balanced with the need to protect the employees. At level 1.1, the graph shows there is impoverished management where employees concern is not taken care of and production is poor. At (9,1), emphasis is laid on task, while taking middle ground (5.5) would help the firm achieve its objectives moderately with moderately satisfied employees. At level 1, 9, emphasis is given on concern for employees. The best gr id is at 9.9, which always referred to as team management. Employees concern is emphasized while ensuring that production is put at maximum levels possible. Basing leadership upon this theory, a leader would need to realize that for there to be a change in the production, the change should start with the employees. The employees should feel that the management cares for them. When this is achieved, it is easier for the management to introduce change. In order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the production process, the management must consider both the welfare of the employees, and the productivity of all sections of the organization.  This theory above clearly demonstrates that seeking efficiency does not mean ignoring the welfare of the employees. In essence, it means ensuring that while the interests of the employees are well taken care of, the management should maximize the productivity of the employees and other factors of production to improve the productivity of th e firm. When a firm becomes more efficient and effective, it would increase its productivity and profitability in the market. This would translate to increased financial power. With the increased financial power, such a firm can afford to offer its employees a better pay, thereby improving their welfare. Schwartz (2007, p. 84) says that focusing on the efficiency and effectiveness within the firm is a process that cannot be achieved if the welfare of the employees is ignored. In order to ensure that employees give their best effort within the firm, there is always a need to ensure that employees are motivated, and are in support of what is being proposed by the management. There is need to ensure that the objectives of the organization is intertwined with that of employees. Conclusion Some scholars argue that when the management focuses on efficiency and effectiveness in the firm, there is likelihood that the welfare of the employees will be ignored. Although their arguments are fac tual, there is no absolute truth regarding the matter. It is not possible to ignore the welfare of the employees and succeed in achieving efficiency and effectiveness of the firm. This argument is therefore invalid based on the discussion above. List of References Bowey, A 2005, Motivation: the art of putting theory into practice, Organisation Advice and Research, vol. 1, no. 20, pp. 17-20. Caldari, K 2007, Alfred Marshall’s critical analysis of scientific management, Euro. J. History of Economic Thought, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 55 – 78. Phipps, S 2011, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary: In a male-dominated field, women contributed by bringing a touch of spirituality to early management theory and practice, Journal of Management History, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 270-281. Schwartz, M 2007, The â€Å"business ethics† of management theory, Journal of Management History, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 43-54. Sikula, A, Olmosk, K, Kim, C Cupps, S 2001, A New Theory of Management, Ethics and B ehavior, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 3-21. Waddell, D, Jones, R, George, J 2011, Contemporary Management, 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Limited, Sydney.

Issues in Small Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Issues in Small Business Management - Essay Example Some of the initiatives taken by Australian government for small business growth include market study and identification of business opportunities in Australian markets for small entrepreneurs. This report emphasizes the importance of home based businesses in Australia that take up almost 67 percent of total small businesses in the country (Commonwealth of Australia, 2004). Many potential opportunities to start home based businesses in Australia have been provided to small business entrepreneurs in this document. Annual Review of Small Business series is another effort to provide comprehensive review of small business sector in Australia and develop a future outlook based on current performance. This report is published annually by the Department of Industry, Trade and Resources to facilitate small business development and growth. It provides case studies of small business organisations and also contains results of surveys conducted for small businesses across Australia. Other important contributions to small business sector include publications highlighting factors that should be taken into account while establishing small businesses; the areas where government support can be sought; best practices and guidance for small business managers to develop business plans; taxation structure; and other similar information that are usually required by all small business owners before starting on a new business and then to maintain a steady business growth. In short, the website provides a load of information targeted towards resolving all queries of small business sector companies. Another website where a variety of information is available is http://www.business.gov.au. References Commonwealth of Australia. (2004). Home Based Business - Local Opportunities [Online]. Available from: [Accessed August 20, 2007]. Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources. (2007). Office of Small Business - What we Do [Online]. Available from: [Accessed August 20, 2007]. Question 2. The Federal Privacy Act of 1988 was enacted to protect personal information of an individual from public disclosure without his/her approval. Effective from 21st December 2002, some small businesses including non-profit and unincorporated associations are required to comply with the Privacy Act (Federal Privacy Commissioner, n.d.). As per the information provided by the Office of Federal Privacy Commissioner, "any small business that: 1. trades in personal information; or 2. is related to a larger business; or 3. provides health service and holds health records; or 4. is a contractor that provides services under a Commonwealth contract" has to comply with Privacy Act of 1988. The Act requires small businesses to do the following key activities in order to ensure privacy of information: To inform people as and when their personal information is to be collected and its intended purpose. To ensure that the personal information is used only for the stated purpose it was collected for; or the consent from relative person has been obtained to use it for other purposes as well. To "pass on personal information only for the reason you collected it, or in ways people would think reasonable, unless you have consent or the

Contemporary Developments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Contemporary Developments - Essay Example Some of the competitors of Cafà © Coffee day are Barista, Cafà © Mocha and Costa Coffee. India is a growing economy and has shown stability over the past decades in terms of economic growth. The GDP (gross domestic product) of 6% has been maintained in the past ten years and India has become the fourth largest economy in the world (Government of India, 2005). Along with having increased the per capita income of a large number of its people, especially the middle classes, India now has a vast middle class with large amount of disposable income (Aguilar, 2006). This makes the country a choice for consumer product producers and retailers. AT Kearneys annual Global Retail Development Index (A.T. Kearney, 2008) lists India at the top and the country is hailed as the 5th largest retail investment destination (with expected growth of investments to US$ 427 billion by 2010 and US$ 637 billion by 2015) (A.T. Kearney, 2008). It also has the largest number of retail outlets at 12 million, out of which 5 million retailers cater for the food and beverage requirements (India Brand Equity Foundation, 2008). In addition to the proliferation of the retail business in urban India, there is tremendous potential provided by the smaller towns and cities. A very large section of the Indian masses reside in the semi-urban regions that border the metros as well as in the villages. These people are as yet not introduced to the retail boom that urban India is experiencing, and offer a large market that can be tapped. According to Brand Equity Survey, the there investment through franchising in rural India is expected to double by 2010 (India Brand Equity Foundation, 2008). The indigenous coffee organizations however face increased competition from foreign brands and retailers who are getting a stronghold in India. India started its economic reforms in 1991 and deregulated economy that led to an influx of foreign

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Art history - Essay Example orld styles of flattened figures and animorphed images combining the figures of animals and humans in different ways for different meanings to the ‘new’ world styles which included more humanism in expression and optical experience reflected in the art forms. By the time of the Romans, there was a much greater emphasis and development of naturalistic expression of form, including natural bodily movements, weight and strain. A comparison of the Grande Ludovisi Sarcophagus (The Ludovisi Battle) and the Dying Warrior from the Temple of Aphaia reveal both the similarities of cultural beliefs as well as the differences of emphasis of expression. Both the Grande Ludovisi Sarcophagus and the Dying Warrior present similar images of death and dying using marble as a base material, but they remain sharply different because of the scale of the individual figures as well as several of the smaller visual elements involved in each. Although separated by approximately 700 years, both the earlier Dying Warrior statue and the Ludovisi Sarcophagus represent mastery of sculptural art in different dimensions. Both of these works of art are presented in marble and each detail some sense of battle. The Ludovisi Sarcophagus can be seen to have been carved from a single block of marble that measured at least nine feet wide by five feet high and four and a half feet deep (â€Å"Art of the Roman Empire†, 2005). Of only slightly smaller scale overall, the Dying Warrior from the east pediment of the Temple of Aphaia measures just over six feet long. However there has been a great deal of discussion regarding just what the statue is truly made of. While some scholars say it is marble, others have suggested the statue was first created in poros, the native rock of the island on which the temple stands (George, 2001). In addition, a great deal of detail about this statue can still only be guessed at as several segments of the statue are missing, particularly the knee joint of the

Resorts And Palaces Of Taj Hotels

Resorts And Palaces Of Taj Hotels Marketing is a prime asset of any companies in todays market. Marketing department is the backbone of any companies any d if the company doesnt have this can be called handicapped. It context to a hotel it also a has vital role, as the hospitality is a fast growing industry and has tough competition everywhere; so it is very important to be ahead of the competition. In this context marketing plays a fatherly role. Marketing department is the area which comes in contact with the customers and tells about the product and the services provided by the hotel and compare it with its competition. During this project the author has given the introduction and importance of marketing about marketing in comparison to a hotel. A brief about taj hotels palace and resorts has given in relation to its history and segment of customers served. The main objective of this particular project to learn, analyze and propose solutions wherever required to the various marketing strategies undergone by the Taj Palace, New Delhi hotel and also giving the reason for the proposed solutions to it. This project would also allow the author to know and learn about the city and would also allow the author to understand about the hospitality trends in the city. It would also help the author to understand the competitors of Taj Palace, New Delhi and providing significant reasons and facts for supporting the reasons of the provided solutions and suggestions. This will also help to learn about the city and will learn what the trends of hospitality in the city are. It will help to learn what strategies are the competitors of Taj Palace, New Delhi to compress it competition. Marketing: An Introduction For a business not to advertise is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but no one else does Stuart H. Britt, US advertising consultant Marketing is a social and managerial process to obtain they need and want through creating and exchanging products of what they need. Kotler defines marketing as The key to achieving organisational goals consist in determining the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors. marketing today helps in understanding the psychology of customers so that products can be innovated accordingly. . In the Hospitality Industry, leaders like the Taj Hotels Resorts Palaces, Marriott International, Hilton, Hyatt, etc are increasing their market share at the expense of smaller chains and independent operators because they possess a thorough understanding of marketing which is essential to ensure steady flow of customers. Marketing involves the following questions: How to find the right customers? Different products? How does one reduce cost of customer acquisition? The scope of marketing is quite broad. The implication is that the firm uses to acquire customers and manage the relation with them. The Kotler definition encompasses both development of new products and services and their delivery to customers. Marketing expert Regis McKenna expressed a similar viewpoint in his influential 1991 Harvard Business Review article Marketing is everything. McKenna argued that because marketing management encompasses all factors that influence a companys ability to deliver value to customers; it must be all-pervasive, part of everyones job description, from the receptionists to the Board of Directors. The Importance of Marketing in Context to the Hospitality Sector Marketing is one of the most important tool in the in the hospitality sector as well as other sectors which plays a major role. In other industries selling of products are sold is marketing but in the hospitality sector it is sold with a slight variance. In a hotel it is not the product it is the service that is provided to the guest. Both service marketing and goods marketing start with a crucial need identification and product design functions; goods generally are produced before sold and services generally are sold before produced. Service industry has less influence on comparison with the other industries. The influence is slow comparison to the industries. The customers who have not witnessed the product may have a different opinion. Goods marketers may be able to move prospective customers from brand awareness to brand preference with packaging, promotion, pricing and distribution whereas services marketers usually cannot. The services provided in a hotel are intangible. This type of service makes it more difficult to describe the services provided to the customers so the customers can only feel the services. Customers perception of risk tends to be high for services because services cannot be touched, smelled, tasted or tried on before purchase. Customers can try a new product like a test drive of a car but to experience the services of a hotel he has register as a guest in the hotel. Service marketers can create brand awareness and induce trial before the sale, but they demonstrate benefits and build brand preference most effectively after the sale. Superior service can only be felt it cant be packed and given to customers. Introduction to Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is a subsidiary of Taj Hotels Resorts Palaces which is a part of the TATA Group which is Asias largest group and one of the finest and the oldest companies of India. The first hotel built by Taj was Taj Mahal Palace built in 1903 and it was built because Indians were not allowed to stay in prestigious hotels and not allowed in clubs during the British rule. This lead in the foundation of the Tata Group by Mr. Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. The hotel alone stands for more than a century. The main development of the group started in the 70s under the leadership of the then Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Ajit Kerkar. In the starting came the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. They started with the concept of converting century old palaces into hotels, which is now USP of the Company. During the years many more hotels like Taj Coromandel and the Fishermans Cove, Fort Aguada Beach Resort were built. In the 80s the company came up with two more hotels in the capital city and Bangalore. These hotels are ethnic in nature and they are setup according to international standards. The Taj is symbol of hospitality in India and completed 100 years in 2003. Till date the company has 78 hotels including resorts and palaces. Out of which 18 are abroad which are in Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States of America, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa, the Middle East and Australia. In India it has 60 hotels across 45 locations like Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Goa etc. as the brand holds such diverse network it symbolises Indian hospitality in India and Abroad. The Managing Director, R.K. Krishnakumar says The vision for the Taj Group is for it to be a select chain, present globally. Asian, perhaps in character, but absolutely international in terms of systems and processes and with a strong West European focus. The way forward was to make sure that the entire Taj team is imbued with the missionary zeal to sell the brand. The Taj caters all types of hotels like luxury, business and premium. Amongst the clientele, international travellers form the bulk of the market for the Taj particularly in the metros. Even the profiles of the Indian customers are changing with time. Categories of Taj Hotels Taj Hotels Palaces and Resorts is an international hospitality group with strong roots in India. For the past 100 years they had build their own reputation on legendary properties, unparalleled facilities and impeccable service. They operate in the luxury, premium, mid market and value segments of the market through their following brands: Taj (luxury full-services resorts and palaces) is their flagship brand for the worlds most discerning travellers seeking authentic experiences given that luxury is a way of life to which there are accustomed. Spanning world renewed landmarks, modern business hotels idyllic beach resorts, authentic Rajput palaces and rustic safari lodges ,each Taj hotel reinterprets the tradition of hospitality in a refreshingly modern way to create experiences and lifelong memories. Taj also encompasses a unique set of iconic properties rooted history and tradition that deliver truly unforgettable experience. A collection of outstanding properties with strong heritage as hotels or palaces which offer something more than great physical product and except cal service. This group is defined by the emotional and unique equity of its iconic properties that are authentic, non-replicable with great potential to crate memories and stories. Taj Exotica is their resort and spa brand found in the most exotic and relaxing locales of the world. The properties are defined by the privacy and intimacy they provide. The hotels are clearly differentiated by their product philosophy and service design. They are centred on high and accommodation, intimacy and an environment that allow its guest unrivalled comfort and privacy. They are defined by a sensibility of intimate design and by their varied and electric culinary experiences, impeccable service and authentic Indian spa sanctuaries. Taj Safaris are wildlife lodges that allow travellers to experiences the unparallel beauty of the Indian jungle amidst luxurious surrounding. They offer Indias first and only wildlife luxury lodge circuit .Taj safaris provide sustainable ecotourism model. Premium Hotels (premium full-service hotels and resorts) provide a new generation of travellers a contemporary and creative hospitality experience that matches their work-hard play-hard lifestyles. Stylish interiors, innovative cuisine, hip bars and a focus on technology set these properties apart. The Gateway Hotel (upscale/mid-market service hotels and resorts) is a pan India network of hotel s and resorts that offers business and leisure travels a hotel designed, keeping the modern nomad in mind. At the Gateway hotel people believe in keeping things simple. This is why Taj hotels are divided into 7 simple zones stay, hangout, meet, work, unwind and explore. Ginger (Economy Hotels) is their revolutionary concept in hospitality for the value segment. Intelligently designed facilities, consistency and affordable are hallmarks of this brand targeted at travellers who value simplicity and self service. Client profile Taj hotels have a client profile consultation service provided wherein they diagnose the clientele needs and with that information they try and provide the required facilities to their customers. Generally Taj concentrates on the upper class of the society who can spend lavishly on the luxury provided. Vision The Taj group hotels commit itself to the overall improvement of the ecological environment, which all the people are a part of. We recognize that we are not owners but caretakers of the planet and owe it to our children and future generations of humankind. It is our endeavour not only to conserve and protect but also to renew and regenerate the environment in which we live and operate. Our commitment encompasses all actions related to our products, services, associates, partners, vendors and communities. We will partner and engage with our environment through EARTH: ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS AND RENEWAL AT TAJ HOTELS. For us earth is not a program, nor a process, it is a way of life. Mission Embrace talent and harness expertise to leverage standards of excellence in the art of hospitality to grow our International presence. Increase domestic dominance and create value for all stakeholders. Earth In an endeavour to reinstate its vision and efforts to boost sustainable tourism and integrate environment management in all business areas Taj hotels and resorts and palaces presents EARTH (ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS AND RENEWAL AT TAJ HOTELS) a project which presents and indicates the conscious effort of one of Asias largest and finest group of hotels to commit to energy conservation and environment management. EARTH has received certification from green globe the only worldwide environmental certification program for travel and tourism. Taj values PEOPLE DIVERSITY, INTEGRITY AND RESPECT PASSION FOE EXCELLENCE EXCEED EXPECTATIONS INNOVATIONS SENSE OF URGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY JOY AT WORK Taj promises At the Taj group their commitment is to service excellence is rooted in our two guiding principles. One of Taj key priorities is to empower the people to deliver on their legacy of impeccable service3. Four steps of service are:- A warm and sincere welcome. Use the guest name, whenever possible. Fulfil guests need and provide anticipatory service. Defect free products and services. Fond farewell using the guest name, whenever possible. The following philosophy is a summary of our beliefs and values towards our employees. Introduction to Taj Palace, New Delhi Taj palace one of the most popular 5 star hotels to stay in Delhi it provides one of the best and marvellous international facilities and world class services to the guests. It has 461 rooms which attracts a majority of big shots of the state and government officials. Top business tycoons love to stay in the hotel during their business trips. The hotel is located is Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave near to Dhaula Kuan area. The national and international airport is just a 10 mins drive from the hotel. The hotel has 12 banquet halls with world class facilities for all kind of functions like meetings, seminars, weddings and casual parties. The capacity of the hall is around 700-1000 guests. The hotel provides all kind of recreational activities for its guests. The hotel look is all n different in the area. It is a perfect embodiment of all the qualities associated with Taj hotels, Resorts and Palaces. The luxurious and fabulous rooms are mainly divided into 7 categories superior rooms, deluxe rooms, Taj Club rooms, Executive suite, Grand Luxury Suite and Grand Presidential suite. The Grand Presidential suite is one of the rooms in the city in comparison to its competition hotels. The rooms have different views available as per the guest continence like garden view, pool view and city view. The hotel serves fantastic food in its 4 different restaurant specially the award winning Oriental express which provides excellent luxury and services to its guests and itself is one of the best restaurants in the city to dine in. Competitors of Taj Palace, New Delhi Though Taj Palace is well reputed hotel it faces tough competition. As the hotel is situated in Delhi which is the Metro city and the capital, there are many other five star properties of Taj and other brands, these hotels provide tough competition because they provide the same services in comparison with the hotel as they have market share with them. The Hotels providing immense competition are: ITC Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi: it is a 440 room property and it the main competition to the hotel as it is the nearest situated hotel. It is a Welcomgroup property and it provides world class facilitates to its guest. It is one of the most popular hotel for dinning in the city because of its world famous restaurant BUKHARA which specialise in North West frontier cuisine. The hotel truly creates magic on the hearts and the minds of the travellers with its luxury accommodation and its state-of-the-art facilities and warm hospitality. Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi: located in the area of Bikaji Cama Place in South Delhi, this 520 room property provides state-of-the-art services to its customers and is one of the well reputed hotels in the area. This particular hotel provides a very tough competition to its competitors. The hotel provides all types of rooms from the poolside facing to executive rooms to The Presidential Suite. The interior of the hotel is bed-lighted with selective traditional art work, elegant furnishing, artful antiquities blended with some fabulous service provided by the well trained staff. Le Meridien, New Delhi: Situated in the Raisina Road, with its proximity to the shopping, commercial and cultural center act as a potent factor for this particular hotel. This Hotel a part of a very well reputed brand Le Meridien group of Hotels, is one of the most popular hotels present in the city. This 355 room property provide all types of rooms to its travellers from Deluxe to the presidential suites with all types of facilities ranging from in-room safe to high speed internet access in its rooms. Its Food and Beverage outlets providing different cuisines such as the Golden Pheonix (Chinese cuisine), Pakwan (North Western Frontier Cuisine), the Pierre (French Cuisine), Henris bar and Aloha bar gives this hotel and extra edge and gives a tough competition to the taj palace. The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi.-The hotel reflects a nice blend of tradition and contemporary sophistication. The hotel is situated near to the city center, business, commercial and shopping districts. The hotel has a prestigious golf course on one side and on the other side it has a Humayuns tomb. Placed in the Dr. Zakir Hussein Marg, New Delhi, it is roughly 20 mins. Away from the airport. It has been awarded as the Best Hotel in Delhi and Among the Top 100 Hotels in the world by the Institutional Investor, 2009 the worlds best Hotels. This hotel has also being awarded with a number of other awards also such as The best hotel in Delhi by TTG Travel Awards, 2009 and Amongst best hotels and Resorts in the World by Forbes Traveller 400- the worlds best hotels and resorts 2009. This 350 room property provides all kinds of world class services to its travellers and hence is the biggest threats to the taj. Shangri-la-Eros Hotel, New Delhi: It is most centrally located hotel in the city. The hotel is situated in Connaught place which is like the lifeline of Delhi as the Business, Commercial and Shopping District definitely makes it one of the preferred hotels for the guest to stay into. It is 17 floor hotel which has 350 luxurious rooms which target both business and leisure travellers and is definitely popular 5 star property in the city. It is a very famous food and beverage out known as cafà © uno along with other outlets is famous among the guest who comes to the city. Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi: It is one of the distinguished properties in the capital city. It is the sister hotel of Taj Palace. The hotel is located in the lutyens residential place in Delhi. It is a landmark by itself. . Although it is located a bit far away from the airport approximately 40 mins., but is near to the bustling city center, Connaught Place, Pragati Maidan, Government Offices and Diplomatic Missions. This 294 room property also has been awarded as the 5 star diamond award by American Academy of Hospitality Radisson Hotel, New Delhi: This 5 star property in the National Capital Region, located less than 5 km from the Domestic and International airport of Delhi and the near to the business hub of Gurgaon, The Radisson Hotel is truly one of the easiest ways in which one can make its trip to Delhi a memorable one. The Radisson Hotel simply oozes luxury and promises its guest a stay with an experience of a lifetime. This 29 room property also gets an edge with its five Food and Beverage services; specially one of the famous Restaurants in Delhi i.e. The Kabab Factory truly gives an edge to this property. About The Capital City Delhi is capital city of India and is the largest metropolis by area and second largest by population. It also stands 8th in the world largest metropolis with more than 12.25 million inhabitant in the territory and over 15.9 million residents in the NCR (national Capital region) which includes Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad. It is a modern city which has a history all around it. A tour of Delhi provides the visitors with much to see and admire ranging from the Mughal monuments to Modern Malls, from Traditional arts and crafts to trendy fashion shows. Delhi is a city which combines the historic and the modern in a unique way. Delhi was the second most visited place after Andhra Pradesh with increase in foreign tourist to 2.3 million in the year 2008 as compared to 2.01 million in the year 2007 and 1.9 million in 2006.It became the capital of India in the year 1911, after the British East India Company gained control of India during the 18th and 19th century and George V. the head of the East India Company decided to move back to Delhi and it announced it as the capital city of India. It was when the India gained independence from the British Rule, New Delhi was declared as its capital and seat of the government. New Delhi houses important offices of the federal Govt. including the parliament of India. With the estimated net State Domestic Product of the Fiscal Year of 2007 of Rs.1.82 billion (US$24.5 Billion) in nominal terms and Rs. 3,364 billion (US$69.8 billion), Delhi is the largest commercial center in Northern India. Delhi had a per capita income of Rs. 66,728 (US$1,450) in 2007 at current prices; it is the third highest in India after Chandigarh and Goa. Delhi has the largest and one of the fastest growing retail industries in India, because of which land prices are booming and it is currently ranked at 7th most expensive office hotspot in the world with prices at $145.16 per square foot. Along with its contribution in the economy, Delhi plays a significant role in being one of the hot tourist destinations in India because of numerous historical monuments present in the city. This can be seen with the example of many monuments of significance found in the city. With the Archaeological survey of India recognizes 1200 heritage buildings and 175 monuments in Delhi as national heritage sites. With the presence of the three worlds heritage sites i.e. The Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayuns Tomb along with the architectural marvels like the Jama Masjid which is Indias Largest Mosque and India Gate gives as extra edge of attraction for the tourist in Delhi. S.W.O.T. analysis of Taj Palace, New Delhi SWOT analysis is divided into 4 parts Strength Weakness Opportunity Threats Strengths It has the largest convention center which can handle 700 personals at a single point of time. The Orient express restaurant, one of the popular restaurants in the city, adds as an promoter to the hotel and helps in generating extra revenue. The hotel is located in one of the prime locations and is very near to the airport which is a 10 min drive. As it is centrally located so it has a well connectivity with the city. Hence, easy access to travellers. The rooms are divided into many types and also give the guests of option of different views as per guest connivance like pool view, garden view and city view. For a pick up and drop facility the guest has an option of one of most luxurious car that is JAGUAR. The 12 banquet halls can accommodate different types of function at the same time and which generates good revenue for the hotel. Its spacious rooms give a full luxury experience with some extra luxurious options as per convenience of the guest. It has the largest convention center which can handle 700 personals at a single point of time. The Orient express restaurant, one of the popular restaurants in the city, adds as an promoter to the hotel and helps in generating extra revenue. Weakness The lighting in the lobby gives it a very dull look which creates a dull atmosphere in the lobby and for the guest who enters the hotel for the first time. The parking area in the hotel is very less which generates problem during high occupancy and banquet functions. Staffing of the not adequate which again is a problem during high occupancy. It is located in an area in Sardar Patel Marg, which faces a massive problem of traffic jams which does keeps the traveller waiting on roads and hence, leads to reducing the curiosity of the traveller for visiting the hotel. Less aggressive promotional activities taken place by the hotel in order to promote their product which in turn looses out its customers. In comparison to its competitors the food and beverage outlets are very costly which again a drawback for the hotel. The Oriental Express restaurant mostly invites the guests to the restaurant instead of allowing the walk-ins. Opportunities To promote and generate more revenue the hotel should be more aggressive in the promotion of the hotel. To promote the hotel some activities like food fest and exhibition can be held to promote the hotel. The hotel should promote its food and beverage outlets to give stiff competition to its competitors for e.g. the oriental express which is a very famous restaurant should be promoted to give a good competition to ITC Maurya Sheratons Bukhara and generate more revenue. Different schemes related to room tariff should be made and be promoted so the occupancy be increased and generates more revenue. Contractual staff can be increased in order to provide efficient service to its guests during peak seasons. The parking area should be improved so that it gives convenience to guests which are a problem in the food and beverage outlets. Walk in guests should be allowed in the main restaurants like Oriental express so that it helps in increasing the revenue of the hotel. Threats There is a very tough competition of well known 5 stars in the city along with the upcoming hotels not only in the city but also in the NCR area are a big threat to the Taj Palace. The hotel should be more aggressive in promoting the hotel in the area of food and beverage and the aim should be eating up the market of is competition hotels. The food and beverage staff is not adequate which leads to customer dissatisfaction and leads to less revenue. There should be a specialized restaurant in the hotel as it is the latest trend in the hotel industry like its competition hotels has such as the Bukhara by the ITC Maurya Sheraton Dakshin by Sheraton, New Delhi Hotel aims at eating up the market demand of the Taj Palace hotel, which indirectly reduces the revenue of the hotel. Next door property by the ITC Welcomgroup i.e. ITC Maurya Sheraton aims at eating up the market share of Taj Palace. New Delhi Marketing strategies taken by Taj Palace, New Delhi The market strategies are mainly divided into 3 parts mainly Segmentation Targeting Positioning Market Segmentation Different marketing strategies are being used to promote the hotel and generate the max revenue where market consists of buyers, the buyers always by many reasons like needs, wants, locations, buying attitude and buying practices. For eg the needs and wants of the customers of a hotel in Goa will be different from the needs and wants of a guest in Cochin. The Taj Palace is a luxury hotel by categorization, if the geographical segmentation is taken then the hotel mainly aims to target all the leisure guests who visit the city as the hotel is near to the airport is also tries to cater all the business clientele who comes on business trips in the city and it also try to take in the function of these guests like business meetings, seminars and conferences. Taking the local crowed into consideration Taj Palace, New Delhi hotel tries to attract guest by providing them also with facilities of 12 banquet halls which can be used simultaneously and with 4 different types of Food and Beverage Outlets. It mainly aims at capturing the customers with upper and upper-middle classes i.e. mainly tourist or businessmen. Targeting The main target market has been set up by Taj Palace; it mainly aims at leisure and business clientele. As the hotel is situated the capital city the so the tourist who mainly visits the city are business and leisure. The leisure clientele will visit the city because of its history and historic monuments in the city which is a major attraction among the tourist. There are significant offers and packages provided by the hotel to attract the customers. They are mainly seasonal packages. They also try attracting the local by its four restaurants and twelve banquet halls which can cater 700 guests. It also aims at meeting the standards of the company with the fact of satisfying its customers and generating maximum amount of revenue. Over the years Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi has been able to meet the objectives by generating maximum revenue by maximum guest satisfaction. Positioning Taj as a brand name in India which is something which is being accepted by the people of India as something with which they can associate themselves. It gives them a feeling of warmth and harmony to associate and a sense of pride in using the services of this brand. Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi takes this as the opportunity to attract the travellers and guest to its hotel. This helps in attracting the local crowed as well as the domestic travellers towards the product they offer. With the name Taj which is associated with this hotel it helps the hotel in taking up the advantage to attract the foreign travellers who intend to stay in India and it is one of the branded hotels i.e. Taj Palace with which they associate India with, especially when it comes down to staying in Delhi. Delhi being the Capital of India and palace as a word associated with the brand name Taj creates a psychological effect in the minds of the customers and hence it helps in increasing the revenue for the hotel. Along with its rooms and extra facilities provided by the hotel, the Food and Beverage outlets such as the Oriental Express provided by the hotel have been welcomed by the locals as well as travellers. This helps in creating a well planned and a good promotional tool in creating the psychological effect in the minds of the customers and helps in create repeat customers and hence generating revenue. Critique by the author on the Marketing Strategies The position of the hotel is that it is well accepted by the local crowd and the visiting guests. The hotel is also well settled because it is now operating for many years and it is clear about its target market. The Taj Palace is one of the land mark hotels in the city and has been publicized at a very good rate and has been able to capture the market since a long time. The current scenario in the hospitality industry in the capital has completely changed, from the time the hotel was setup. Now there are a lot more 5 stars in the city which has given a stiff competition to Taj Palace and these hotels are eating up the market share of the hotel. If we compare the promotional strategies of Taj Palace with its competition it is clear that its competition is much ahead than Taj Palace. Activities like food festivals or using media as the source of promotion is very less. Even the sister hotel Taj Mahal is much ahead than Taj Palace. Significant difference in the market positioning of the hotel has been seen over the years

Birth order and School Achievement Essay -- essays research papers

Birth order and School Achievement There has always been an attempt to figure out why some people do better in school than others. Is it due to financial stability? Is it attributed to parents’ own success as students? Very importantly, one’s birth order plays a role in one’s school achievement. I. Theory Growing up with siblings or the absence of siblings can be a major factor in determining academic success. Being the oldest, middle or youngest child does not necessarily determine academic success concretely without exception, but serves as a predictor of future academic success. School achievement is gauged by how far one goes in his or her education, starting from grade school, all the way up to graduate school. Before getting into the developmental stages across the life span and in the interest of time, I will only be discussing birth order in terms of the oldest child, middle child, youngest child and only child because configurations of five or more children occur only in 10% of the families with children. The average family in the U.S. has three (Toman, 1976). Also, I will be dividing the developmental stages into 3 stages: childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Childhood (Ages 1-12)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The firstborn child is likely to have intensified feelings of power and superiority, high anxiety, and overprotective tendencies (Feist & Feist, 2002). The firstborn children usually have a close relationship with the parents than laterborn children. The child has the experience of having his or her parents to him or herself and tends to feel like a rather important individual (Forer, 1969). For a while, these children are only children until a younger brother or sister is born. They experience a traumatic dethronement, which may development resentment towards the new baby. During this time in their life, firstborns may be jealous and want to seek mother and father’s affection. When it comes to school, in grade school, these children will try to seek attention by being a class clown or a rebellious child. Education itself may not be of interest to them. Report cards may show poor grades and unsatisfactory behavior. This makes sense because before the younger siblings were born, the firstborn child was anxiously awaited. Parents are so proud of the firstborn as their â€Å"pride and joy.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The middle child or s... ...his or her final grade in the class. The students would then be grouped into categories of first born, second born, third born, fourth born, and so on. The students would then be ranked by grades along with their birth orders. I would try to determine the effect of birth order on school achievement. The professor would determine the students’ final grade. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether or not this questionnaire would find significant results for birth order and grades (school achievement), it would be a good way just to see whether there was a correlation. Ultimately, I’m not sure if this group of students would be representative of the population. The group I picked is in California, so it would not be representative of the entire United States. School achievement can be attributed to many things besides birth order such as social influences. References Feist, G.J., & Feist, J. (2002). Theories of Personality (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Forer, L.K. (1969). Birth Order and Life Roles. Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A.: Charles C. Thomas Publisher. Toman, W. (1976). Family Constellation (3rd ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc. Birth order and School Achievement Essay -- essays research papers Birth order and School Achievement There has always been an attempt to figure out why some people do better in school than others. Is it due to financial stability? Is it attributed to parents’ own success as students? Very importantly, one’s birth order plays a role in one’s school achievement. I. Theory Growing up with siblings or the absence of siblings can be a major factor in determining academic success. Being the oldest, middle or youngest child does not necessarily determine academic success concretely without exception, but serves as a predictor of future academic success. School achievement is gauged by how far one goes in his or her education, starting from grade school, all the way up to graduate school. Before getting into the developmental stages across the life span and in the interest of time, I will only be discussing birth order in terms of the oldest child, middle child, youngest child and only child because configurations of five or more children occur only in 10% of the families with children. The average family in the U.S. has three (Toman, 1976). Also, I will be dividing the developmental stages into 3 stages: childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Childhood (Ages 1-12)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The firstborn child is likely to have intensified feelings of power and superiority, high anxiety, and overprotective tendencies (Feist & Feist, 2002). The firstborn children usually have a close relationship with the parents than laterborn children. The child has the experience of having his or her parents to him or herself and tends to feel like a rather important individual (Forer, 1969). For a while, these children are only children until a younger brother or sister is born. They experience a traumatic dethronement, which may development resentment towards the new baby. During this time in their life, firstborns may be jealous and want to seek mother and father’s affection. When it comes to school, in grade school, these children will try to seek attention by being a class clown or a rebellious child. Education itself may not be of interest to them. Report cards may show poor grades and unsatisfactory behavior. This makes sense because before the younger siblings were born, the firstborn child was anxiously awaited. Parents are so proud of the firstborn as their â€Å"pride and joy.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The middle child or s... ...his or her final grade in the class. The students would then be grouped into categories of first born, second born, third born, fourth born, and so on. The students would then be ranked by grades along with their birth orders. I would try to determine the effect of birth order on school achievement. The professor would determine the students’ final grade. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether or not this questionnaire would find significant results for birth order and grades (school achievement), it would be a good way just to see whether there was a correlation. Ultimately, I’m not sure if this group of students would be representative of the population. The group I picked is in California, so it would not be representative of the entire United States. School achievement can be attributed to many things besides birth order such as social influences. References Feist, G.J., & Feist, J. (2002). Theories of Personality (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Forer, L.K. (1969). Birth Order and Life Roles. Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A.: Charles C. Thomas Publisher. Toman, W. (1976). Family Constellation (3rd ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.

Intrusion and Prevention Essay

1.0Abstract The wide spread proliferation of Internet Technology has led to the incorporation of Computer in each and every field of life. From education to Business, Information Technology has now become an indispensable element in our life. Computers have reached homes, offices, schools and even churches . The wide spread use of computers is accompanied by an exponential growth in e-crimes ,in which unscrupulous elements try to gain access to other’s computers to steal valuable information like credit card   numbers , personal identification codes etc. Owing to this the development and deployment of sophisticated Intrusion detection systems that can detect and thwart such malicious attempts becomes highly important.   2.0 Intrusion Detection Systems(IDS) In order to safeguard a computer from being intruded by malicious code, System/Network Administrators deploy Intrusion Detection Systems .These systems are nothing but software applications that monitor the inbound Internet packets for malicious or susceptible activity and alert the Administrator whenever such an activity is detected. They often respond to such intrusions by either blocking the source computer from accessing the hosted computer or by restricting the actions of source computer on destination. There are many types of IDS software available in the market and they differ in the way they detect the suspicious activity. Examples of IDS include Shadows, Snort, Dragon, RealSecure and NetProwler. 3.0 Snort IDS There are many products available in the market for intrusion detection, out of these Snort gains a unique market proposition because of its free download availability and it’s at par performance in its field with any other commercial product. Snort is an Open source IDS Software which was originally designed for UNIX platform, but now is available for Windows based systems also. It provides basic network monitoring purpose and also can also be configured for rule based IDS functionality. 4.0 Functionalities of Snort   Snort can be installed very easily on any Windows or UNIX based system with the help of its friendly graphical user friendly interface. It is a Network bases Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) that can be used in two modes, â€Å"sniffer† and logger mode. In basic sniffer mode it just reports what is happening on the system console, while in the logger mode, it can log the network traffic details in the log file directory. Both sniffer and logger modes are passive and just give system administrator an information about the network traffic without actually taking any action to prevent the intrusion. However it can be used in IDS mode to be able to act upon certain rules, pre-defined by system administrator to prevent intrusion. Snort is open sourced and comes with a well-developed API that can be used to add new functionalities to the IDS. The only pit-fall of Snort IDS is that, it does not have Customer support and a user has to rely on self-help books and internet forums for any troubleshooting and problems. However its download comes with a very elaborate documentation. Also some of the functionalities that are their in its UNIX version might be missing in its Windows version. 5.0 Evaluation: Snort is the most widely used IDS software with more than 225,000 registered users. It provides user with features like signature detection, protocol inspection and anomaly based detection. Its open source nature makes it the most favored IDS system by developers .They are constantly in pursuit to add new and sophisticated functionality to existing systems. There is lot of literature available about Snort due to its wide reach and influence on user community. It can be used to detect all kind of intrusions ranging from buffer overflows, CGI attacks, SMB probes, OS fingerprinting attempts to stealth port scans. From its initially light weight edition that was used only to log the intrusion attempts to the current sophisticated and fully developed IDS edition, Snort has truly come a long way to provide user with an inexpensive, sophisticated and cutting edge technology that could secure their systems from malicious attacks from unscrupulous elements.

The improvement in technology

The improvement in technology Introduction The past decade has seen business trends receive a great upgrade due to the influx of technology. The improvement in technology has greatly affected the methods means and manner in which businesses choose to conduct their activities. Technology has been the greatest determinant of business growth for a variety of reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The improvement in technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The better technology the industry has, the greater the computing power and in effect the faster, persuasive and competitive the product becomes. Technology facilitates an effective harness of talent, resources and ideas from the organisations structure (Boorsma Wolfgang 2007, p9). Today the influx of virtual business enabled by various technological business modules and vehicles has created a new approach to decision-making as well as business-to-business marketing. It would be difficult to ignore the prevalence of business modules such as Facebook which have flourished through social networking to secure a subscriber network of over 400 million people across the globe. Driven by a cost cutting objective technology continues to present new deployment methods which are aimed at reducing the cost of acquisition, maintenance as well upgrade of the technology adopted. This has made them a more attractive option as compared to alternative models and approaches to doing business. Cloud computing for example has opened a window of opportunities for majority if not all business players by offering new approaches to the concept of demand and supply. The consumer on his part is provided a variety of ways to derive utility from products, the entrepreneur also get an opportunity to expand their expansion ambitions to new markets breaching the geographical and structural limitations (Boorsma Wolfgang 2007, p9). Companies and businesses therefore have to make important decisions on how much investment to make in technology and in the transformation of the business models to harness new opportunities presented by new technology Markets operating a business-to-business model are characterised by a rather long and complicated buying process that is complicated further by the high costs of operation involved. It therefore follows that the model demands a fare share of objective and purposeful personalised communication. Traditionally the communication models used have been the face-to-face approach due to their convenience speed and immediate response ability.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They have also been commonly used due to their flexibility in delivery of the message. The parties can customize the message to accommodate a change in circumstance as well as new circumstances. This is greatly attributed to the oligopolistic nature of these ma rkets presenting a highly imbalanced seller to buyer ration. These aspects have been responsible for the general trend and direction of the business-to-business models. As De Pelsmacker et al (2004, p59) puts it the general trend has been to focus on personal selling alongside trade shows as the central marketing elements. Others suggest alternatives methods such as advertisements in business journals as the most appropriate methods of informing the consumer of the availability of a specific brand for their choosing and purchase. Despite the effectiveness of these methods however the emergence of new business marketing methods and options such as direct mail, online market strategies as well as database management have created a great indifference for managers and executives. They have to make investment decisions between expensive technologies that have a promise of high results and run the risk of obsolesce of the technology as opposed to sticking to the traditional methods of mar keting and consumer outreach approaches. I will examine how the emerging technology and communication has affected the business-to-business buying process and decision-making. Argument A long-standing measure of a successful entrepreneur is their ability to organise groups of market participants to create a market. The influx of technology has created a reliable and viable method of doing just that through the internet in the context of internet marketing. The digital revolution has infected the marketing process with a wave of transformation that has progressively increased over the past few years. The digital influence on the various market and market players has fuelled an enthusiasm that is directed at the various digital options and choices in business models. This revolution has also been of great help to entrepreneurs and sellers who get an opportunity to centralise their efforts to embrace the consumer based business models. This therefore increases their level of consumer s ervice by blending various digital options and elements. Digital marketing is however very different from internet marketing and is often but erroneously mistaken to mean the latter. Generally, internet marketing is a typical example of digital marketing since the tools of digital marketing include the internet alongside other related tools such as television channels, cell phones as well as wireless networks and connections.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The improvement in technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These tools if well employed have a great capacity to influence the buyer’s decision on whether to buy or not to buy or not. The buyer will be more convinced by a good presentation format that is technologically compliant with the recent trends that relate with them and express a futuristic impression. This however requires great monetary investment as well as strict and proper management to be able to achieve results. The technology for example must be compatible with the organisations goals objectives and strategy to avoid conflict and retrogressive or irrelevant technologies. As such, innovation in technology keeps presenting new opportunities and methods of engagement in the buying process and decision-making. This however comes at its own cost. From open source software developers to social network streamers such as Facebook and Twitter the market has switched digital. The open source websites boast of over 68 million bloggers who participate in product evaluation and in the distribution of product information. Customer relations have therefore been greatly enhanced through digital innovation. The players in the business-to-business market have an opportunity to instantly respond to each other’s questions fears and suggestions. A company therefore, lowers the cost of serving its customers by investing in an operational and suitable Web based customer service s olution. This option allows the company to monitor its performance through the number of complains or complementary comments it receives through the customer service tool. Innovation in technology has gone an extra mile by offering a word of mouth Web based marketing option that allows buyers to share their experience with the specific product for others to see and hear. Sellers on the other hand get to explain verbatim the additional facilities offered by their product over and above their competitors (Immelt, Govindarajan Trimble 2009, p57). In the near future therefore the buy or sell decision will greatly rely on how good the technology conveys the information between the participants of such a market. Technology therefore has created an opportunity to tap into communities and create value from the formed groupings. This therefore implies that companies must comprehensively research before engaging with a potential service provider in relation to technology.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Successful communication is a two way process with feed forward and feedback. Technology has also facilitated communication between the buyers and sellers by allowing the parties to supply feedback on the various concerns raised by the participants. This maintains a continuing participation and stimulates the level of commitment by the parties to the buying and selling decisions. As previously discussed, technology has allowed organisations to breach their limits in manpower, resource and geography through technological implements. Research suggests that this attribute of technological influence taps into a world of talent allowing companies to sustain flexibility and create volatility in business relations. Technology has rendered the market more porous allowing companies to work above the constraints of corporate infrastructure. In the past, this has been seen to work very well especially during the economic recession that left most companies with few workable option thereby causi ng companies to push for sustainable networks (Gawer 2010). Typically, the quality of talent an organisation can access in resolving technical client problems would be constrained by the company’s resources being structural and economic. An engineering company for instance,is only as good as its best engineer and therefore it can only be as good as the best salary it can offer to its engineers as the best ones come at a price. Technology has however made it easier for a manager to map knowledge sources with information hubs and a worldwide staff. This facilitates better utilisation of talent and increases the quality of unit innovation among its operation units. The various projects a manager undertakes are therefore authorised and assessed by the best of the best among experts in the specific specialty through the global network. This approach draws input from all calibres of employees ranging from fresh graduates to retirees. A good example of these labour markets is the Me chanical Turk courtesy of Amazon.com which specializes in selling expertise and consultancy as well as problem solving (Prahalad 2009). Despite this advantage and growth potential, management conservatism and bureaucracy still confines most companies to the talent and quality of its full time employees whose limits go only as far as the organisations’ structure. Technological advancement and innovation continue to offer new options every other day. In the near future, these options will be too many and the big question will be one of collaboration. It is important to ensure that any such engaged resource is exploited to its full potential. Essentially different innovations have different potential and capacities. The efficiency however depends on the collaboration of resources in the organisation. The collaboration leads to economies of scale and capacity. Teleconferencing and video conferencing for example has worked as a cost effective tool that saves on time and travel cos ts for the selling managers and business consultants. It also allows for more flexibility in the organisations capacity. The buyer’s decision to buy is therefore greatly influenced by convincing the sales executive in the video conference session. The buying process therefore still maintains an aspect of the interpersonal contact and dimension. In any buying process, the participants will always be concerned about history, authenticity and a promise of future consistency in service delivery. The transactions need to be authenticated to create assurance and confidence. The traditional approach would be for the participants to test, see or try the commodity before buying. Technology has facilitated automation of this process through the adoption of the radiofrequency identification and similar technologies. These create an information system that has assets in the form of elements of the system. One good such example is in the insurance industry where a company can keep account of the driver’s behaviour for the purpose of evaluation of their risk profile and for the purpose of payment of compensation should the risk materialize (Barabasi 2009). Technology has increased the accessories of the buying decision by allowing parties to offer guarantees of safety and an assurance of quality. More advanced innovation has enabled proactive action in luxury automobiles to engage intelligent action just before an accident occurs. In the medical industry the innovation has created an opportunity for cheaper more effective medical surveillance and protective mechanism against diseases and preventable illnesses. The process involves body implants that keep a record of body changes for the purpose of medical adjustments and medical prescription observation and supervision. The information collected allows for a more proper diagnosis of body problems. This not only guarantees the authenticity of products in the buying process but also guarantees safety. A good buy decision relies on the level of information relied on by the decision maker. This information would ordinarily be available only if gathered manually from the field or through trial and experimentation. These however are timely and expensive engagements that need not be undertaken thanks to technological innovation. Commonly referred to as the â€Å"big data,† the information system alternative offers access to smart assets for the buyer to choose from coupled with product information to facilitate their evaluation and information to ensure that the buyer’s expectations are adequately met. This allows the buyer to evaluate different product combinations at a lower cost as opposed to physical examination and testing or sampling. Technology has also allowed specialists, analysts and marketers to conduct purpose based trials and experiments on product combinations depending on customer expectations. The customers’ expectations are gathered from the social media we bsites and product review search engines. The experiment involves putting product combination for the discussion review and evaluation by the consumers (Thomke 2001, p66). Their responses through blogs and comments on these websites create a rating mechanism for these product combinations. These have also been used to adjust prices on a periodic basis to conform to the prevailing circumstances and the data provided by real-time data monitors on social media. From a corporate responsibility perspective, the buying process in certain circumstances caused environmental stress. This is partially due to the depletion of the existing resources and partially due to the waste generated by the process. Technology has facilitated a change in the level of responsibility of the participants of the business market by offering environmental friendly alternatives that go towards conservation and preservation of resources. The green data movement for instance, creates an opportunity to conserve ene rgy by developing environmental friendly implements that have automated energy saving mechanisms. Undeniably, the responsibility to preserve the environment falls on all and every stakeholder. Technology has therefore facilitated the principles of sustainability in the buying process by facilitating cost sharing and harmonised action (McAfee 2009). The mitigation mechanisms offered by technology also provide a quantity analysis. This information can be used in the monitoring supervision and reporting of the benefits as weighed against the damage contributed by information technology. Every company looks to reduce its fixed costs which account for the least possible price they can quote for the consumer. Business to business customers specifically invest in cost cutting alternatives and are more willing to maintain a cost as variable and terminable as opposed to a determinate fixed cost. Transport for instance, can be fixed or variable depending on the approach adopted. If a consumer acquires a bus they write it off as a fixed cost distributed evenly over the useful life of the product. In the alternative, technology has allowed for a re- evaluation of this product into a service where the consumer can acquire the purpose of the product as opposed to the physical product its self. The input of technology has allowed companies such as City Carshare to create a value added market for transportation services as an alternative to the purchase of transport equipment. The transportation service is easier to a count for and is more reliable and takes a corporate value approach. The cost then changes to a variable cost, which is adjusted on a periodic basis. It is also a more economical approach since the service is only paid for when it is rendered and it is paid for in the same measure of utility. This has changed the business-to-business concept through outsourcing which draws from the indefinite global resource. Transactions and business decisions gain value throug h interaction and exchange of information and communication. The traditional business model relies on the face-to-face interaction communication and information exchange. Technology has however transformed the business-to-business model to a multisided business model from a two-side model by allowing a three-way transaction. The advertising aspect in a newspaper allows newspapers to generate their revenue while still offering the users content. This creates a reliable market of defined sellers and many consumers in which case the consumers are segmented based on the side of the transaction and the benefit they expect to derive (Carr 2009). Relevance and suitability of a product are serious considerations in the buying decision. Therefore, the appropriateness of a service or product to a specific consumer environment and circumstance goes a long way in persuading the consumer to acquire or purchase the product. Technology has allowed the business-to-business communication process to adjust to the specific situations and circumstances through different user interfaces that adjust in language circumstance and conditions. The financial sector business to business model has greatly advanced in rural Africa through retail banking under the M-Pesa module that offers a connection between bank accounts and cell phones allowing up to 8 million to access banking services. The use of virtual cash services allows the users to access funds even in remote areas by visiting licensed shops. It is also a multisided method that allows companies to transfer funds to each other and to their employees and from employees to the companies and institutions such as banks (Bryan Joyce 2007). Conclusion The future of technology in business is bright as new methods of operation and interaction continue to emerge. The impact of technology on business transactions and decisions will also continue to gradually increase creating a dependent relationship in regard to decision making choice an d preference (Brynjolfsson Saunders 2009). Technology creates a capacity and opportunity for competitive advantage. The message is clear, organisations should acknowledge the role if innovation and technology in the business process as a strategy towards growth and competitive advantage (Malone 2004). References Barabasi A 2009, How Everything is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means for Business, Science, and Everyday Life, Plume, New York. Boorsma, B Wolfgang W 2007, ‘Connected urban development, Innovation for sustainability’, NATOA Journal, Volume 15, Number 4, pp.5–9. Bryan, L, Joyce C, 2007, Mobilizing Minds, Creating Wealth from Talent in the 21st-Century Organization, McGraw-Hill, New York. Brynjolfsson, E., Saunders, A 2009, Wired for Innovation, How Information Technology is Reshaping the Economy, The MIT Press, Cambridge. Carr, N 2009, The Big Switch, Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google, Norton Company, New York. De Pelsmacker, P., Geuens, M. Van den Bergh, J 2004, Marketing communications: a European perspective. Pearson Education. Essex. Gawer A 2010, Platforms, Markets and Innovation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham. Immelt, R., Govindarajan, V Trimble, C 2009, ‘How GE is disrupting itself’, Harvard Business Review, Volume 87, Number 10, pp. 56–65. Malone, T 2004, The Future of Work, How the New Order of Business Will Shape Your Organization, Your Management Style, and Your Life, MA, Harvard Business Press, Cambridge. McAfee, A 2009, Enterprise 2.0, New Collaborative Tools for Your Organization’s Toughest Challenges, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge. Prahalad, C 2009, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Eradicating Poverty Through Profits, Wharton School Publishing, Philadelphia. Thomke, S 2001, ‘Enlightened experimentation, The new imperative for innovation’, Harvard Business Review, Volume 79, Number 2, pp. 66–75.

The Therapy of Distance Prcis essays

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