Braille Passion - 798 Words

According the World Health Organization, approximately 285 million people across the world are suffering an impaired vision. They cannot read or write in normal letters; they use Braille to communicate. Braille is a writing system that employs tactile sensation instead of its visual counterpart. I have been learning Braille for a year and am able to read and write in English Braille. This system of writing is my passion. The reason why Braille writing captivates me dates back to three years ago. I was seeing floaters in my eyes, and the doctor diagnosed me with vitreous degeneration. The diagnosis meant that my vitreous, the fluid inside my eyes, had a chance to detach. The detachment can permanently damage my vision. Even without the†¦show more content†¦Unlike any normal writing systems, Braille is written from right to left but is read from left to right. Moreover, what I have learned from this passion is that there is no limitation that can block you from enjoying a succ essful life. If your visual condition bars you from writing normally, you can still write in Braille and get your ideas heard. Braille teaches me that, if you have any disability or disadvantage, all you have to do is to try harder and overcome whatever is keeping you behind. Once you overcome those obstacles, you are standing on the same ground as everyone else but even with more experiences and a more enduring quality. With this passion, I have found the meaning of life. In life, you are given a privilege: whether it is a complete vision or any other things that you might normally take for granted. The reason why you have those privileges is to use them to assist those who lack such opportunity. For instance, if you have a perfectly normal vision, you can learn the Braille more easily than the blind do. You then can use that knowledge to help the blind by writing a Braille book or simply writing a sign in Braille. I once assisted with translating a fairy tale into Braille for the kids who do not have a chance to read it. One of the works I take greatest pride in is a star wheel. I used Braille to symbolize eachShow MoreRelatedBraille : The World Of The Blind1162 Words   |  5 PagesBraille: Imagine if you couldn t see anything. You are seized by darkness and enclosed by a constant perception to look. You are blind as a bat and the colors you see in this world are only the ones you have imagined. The world would be a very contrasting place. Powerless to read a thrilling book and incompetent to do the most delighted hobbies. Unable to understand the appearance of your self and others, where everything you see is what your wild imagine has led you to believe. This is the worldRead MoreAssistive Technology Plan Essay975 Words   |  4 Pageslet his impairment affect the quality of his life. He is completely self-dependent. He uses his walking stick to get from class to class and because the school is equipped with an AT setting, Johnny is able to make to the correct class by using the Braille directly under the room numbers. Johnny is an honor roll student and he would say that his greatest strength is the ability to hone in on his other senses. Johnny is a fantastic saxop honist, in fact he is self-taught thanks to his ability to honeRead MoreThe Violation Of Human Rights996 Words   |  4 PagesAfter reviewing the Human Rights Watch website, www.hrw.org, I decided to write my paper on the violation of the human rights of people with disabilities. I have a passion for working with people that have disabilities and I think so much more should be done for them. The United States have made great strides in being respectful for their human rights and it is time to see the rest of the world step up and take responsibility. There is also much more needed to be done in the United States but weRead MoreA Scientist, By Aldous Huxley848 Words   |  4 Pagesmaking remarkable scientific discoveries, although for some, unfortunate circumstances prevent them from working in scientific laboratories. Whether it be due to a major illness or a physical defect, many inspired adolescents are kept from their true passion, due to the demands of the field. These individ uals are often forced into much less favorable professions, but still retain the analytical mind of a prospective scientist. However, those lucky few who are allowed to express their scientific interestsRead MoreTheme of Alienation in Literature Essay1118 Words   |  5 Pagesdreams to further their detachment. This woman is described being her husband’s ‘habit,’ which really illustrates the effect that she is being dragged down in her life. She is alienated from true passions and real love by being stuck with this man. When she actually feels her husband, there is a braille touch to him. This man is blind for his ‘honey bunch’s’ needs and does not seem to realize any sort of distance she endures. It pains this women to think of how she he has wasted many of her youngerRead MoreEveryday Above Ground Is A Good Day984 Words   |  4 Pagessingle mother, she worked multiple jobs to raise three boys in the Jewish neighborhoods of Los Angeles. On e of these boys would become my father. Shortly after, he would leave my mother. After her sons moved on into adulthood, my grandma learned Braille and taught cooking skills for the blind around Southern California. When her eyesight finally left her, she received Social Security and grew adamant about taking care of herself. That s how I remember her. She would laugh when I offered to cookRead MoreHow Faith Influences Life and its Path1227 Words   |  5 PagesPossibly because Martel had related the importance of religion in his novel to the quote, â€Å"religion is more than right and ritual. There is what the right and ritual stand for† (Martel 48). He wanted to stand for religion and connect it with his passion of writing. I link the prominent usage of the Bible and biblical allusion to the expansive knowledge and grandeur of the Bible’s teachings. Being the best selling book of all time, some may question the Bible’s accuracy, but there is still a lackRead MoreGreat Composers of the 19th Century1106 Words   |  5 Pagesshe encou raged him to become a charity student at the state –supported school for the deaf and blind in St. Augustine, Florida. At the age of seven, he begin to receive a formal musical education and learned to read, write, and arrange music in Braille; score for big bands; and play piano, organ, saxophone, clarinet, and the trumpet. Some of his major influences include big band clarinetist Artie Shaw, big band leaders and pianists Duke Ellington and Count Basie, jazz piano giant Art Tatum, altoRead MoreHelen Keller: An Idol to Deaf People?2987 Words   |  12 Pagessociety focus on Helen as a pitiful deaf blind girl in need of nurturing and communication and ignored the rest of her passions that made her the woman she was. This research paper will show the important aspects of Helen Keller’s timeline throughout her 88 years of life. The timeline will be broke up into twenty-year segments in which the important information connecting to her passions will be discussed. This will allow us the opportunity to see a different side of Helen Keller than what is portrayedRead MoreAll The Light We Can Not See By Anthony Doerr1514 Words   |  7 Pagesand considered her disability an obstacle she could be able to conquer. He helped her develop skills to manage her condition in various ways such as making her wooden models of their neighborhood to be able to navigate the streets, and teaching her braille. Marie-Laure was very dependent on her father and his assistance, and when they moved to Saint-Malo where he was arrested and taken to a German prison, Marie-Laure was left hopeless and devastated. She began helping her great uncle, who she lived

Chiefly Disposed From Individual Households-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Chiefly Disposed From Individual Households? Answer: Introducation The following is a concept design of a waste water system designed for Miri, Indonesia. The system is significant to that area because it is specific to the locations altitude which is 5m above the sea level. Being a coastal area, the land is gently sloping. The nearest river is 500m away from the treatment site while the ocean is 5km from the treatment site. In this concept design, a system is needed that can enable the treatment of water gathered from the local area community, treating it into a harmless waste product and further disposing it accounting river as effluent. With a population of 20000 people, the per capita water usage is estimated at 130l per day. This means that large volumes are collected from individuals and as no industrial activity is noted in that area, it is assumed that the disposal water is chiefly disposed from individual households. This means that the waste itself is not toxic but rather domestic, organic waste matter. As such, no complicated mechanism of waste water treatment is necessary and therefore it is recommendable to use large open space purification methods (Hoekstra, 2005). In this design, an analysis is done comparing 3 main types of water treatment in order to obtain the best disposal alternative. These 3 methods of disposal are aerated tank disposal, oxidation and the use of a biofilm filter (Vesilind, 2003). With the population at 20000 people and per capita usage at 130l/c/day, we have an overall water disposal rate of 2600m3 of water per day. However, as there is a conversion of sewage water to water supply of 85% - 95%, 90% will be considered for this case therefore leaving the treatable discharge at 2340m3 per day. Alternatives: Waste water is usually an effluent of a variety of processes ranging from industrial to domestic which have varying degrees of toxicity and pathogen accumulation. It is therefore imperative to identify a model or process which cleans out the specific contaminant targeted to such a level of cleanliness that would be acceptable for direct human consumption. As it stands, a variety of state of the art methods of achieving this exist with varying working principles. This report seeks to single out and carefully analyze three main processes of treatment which utilize aeration, oxidation and biofilms in the relative purification of the waste water (Campbell, 2011). The use of an aeration tank is a purification method that combines both the bacterial decomposition activities and reactions to break down wastes in the waste water into less harmful substances. When the right amount of oxygen is allowed into the water or imposed on it, this provides an optimal environment for aerobic digestion of the pollutants. It is mainly used in municipal and industrial processes where large quantities need to be purified over a short time to the cleanest possible degree. It is a secondary process and is proceeded by purification, disinfection and other water sanitation processes (Oxymem, 2014). This method works by supplying oxygen needed by pre-introduced bacteria in the water so as to provide them with the optimum conditions for the aerobic decomposition of waste water pollutants. The end product of this degradation is usually carbon dioxide and water formed by decaying the organic hydrocarbon compounds. The lack of oxygen in waste water treatment results in slow and incomplete reactions which make the water even harder to treat and in some cases even produce odours. This makes the aeration tank relatively safer than other technologies that limit the amount of getting into the waste water to aid in the breakdown of pollutants. Aeration happens in aeration tanks where nothing, other than air is introduced into the water and is the most effective method for breaking down activated sludge (Pure Water Gazette, n.d.). The main advantages of this method are the relatively cheaper capital and maintenance costs and the less equipment required. It is therefore preferred as a secondary process when treating large volumes of water as this process can happen on an open aeration water basin or in a tank with the air being imposed onto the water. The products of this organic reaction are also relatively safe and do not need to be filtered metals and other chemicals are involved. This also significantly reduces the cost of further treatment practices that the waste water would pass through. Another method of state of art treatment that could be considered is the oxidation ditch. This is a process of molecular breakdown that happens when a compound is introduces to a reducing or oxidizing material. In most cases, the end product of this is usually a precipitate and can be filtered out in subsequent water treatment steps. Oxidation ditches are also used by financial and industrial authorities but are best suited for treating waste water whose state of pollution is chemical in nature. They can therefore be set up in a variety of regions with the best possible regions being those closest to industries (Mohajerani, 2009). This method, while similar in description to the aeration tank method works in a significantly different way. While aeration tank method uses the oxygen pumped into it or regulated into it from the air to provide an optimum environment for bacteria, this method uses the oxygen in the air to directly break down chemical components by reduction and oxidation. The precipitates are relatively clean and further reactions into more toxic compounds are prevented in the tank. It usually works for wastewater with a mixed liquor suspended solid mass falling in between the range of 3000ppm to 4500ppm. This method of treatment can handle flows of up to 3500m3 of water per day with a BOD content of 100ppm to 250ppm (Waste Water System, 2017). This method is advantageous as it produces the cleanest effluent without requiring extensive infrastructural investments. It utilizes rotors that provide for circulation at a slow rate in order to allow for maximum oxygen uptake by the water allowing enough time for precipitates to settle. This provides for a reliable and safe method of particle separation without needing further investment in filtration systems. As such, it would be suitable for any urban center provided the population did not exceed the amount that can be produced within a given time period. It is however slow leading to low treatment rates which means it cannot be applicable to areas with a great demand of clean water (Evoqua, 2017). Another state of art treatment method is the use of a biofilm filtration unit. This is where waste water having been discharged from industries or rivers is channeled into a filtration layer that consists of an organic lining and a filter. This seepage occurs slowly with pollutant substances in the water being trapped by the film leaving the water to flow on in a cleaner state. This method of water purification works well in low demand areas where the number of people using the water does not exceed 8000. It is therefore best suited for either domestic usage or usage in town areas where the number of people to be serviced by the clean water is relatively low (Jiang, 2013). This method works by attaching a layer of organic microorganisms onto the lining of a variety of materials that are applied in the purification stages. This allows the microorganisms to attack the pathogens that would otherwise have been too small to combat using a regular filter therefore leaving relatively clean water to flow out. This method does require part replacement as the filters need to be cleaned then replaced on a regular basis. These are usually replaced after regular intervals as letting a filter run too long without changing it would lead to either blockages or further contamination of the water. The filtration layer could be any permeable membrane or material and can even include granular solids like sand (Jiang, 2013). This method of water filtration is mostly used in rural areas due to its easy assembly and the relatively lower demand population. It is significantly cheaper than most other models of waste water treatment but however, it is very effective for treating the said water. Installation of this biofilm does not require great professional expertise as the other methods and it can be used by individuals for residential water cleaning purposes depending on both the amount of contaminant and the level of cleanliness required. The effluent from this method is fairly clean but in most cases, that may change depending on the level of toxicity or contamination (Jiang, 2013). Reccommendation: The method of breakdown used will be the aeration tanks. This tanks are especially beneficial in such a small community as they are adequate enough to cater for the needs of the residents. It is also cost effective with the development of this waste water treatment system necessitating only to provide and open surface wide enough to allow for aeration with the best possible surface area to volume ratio. Aerated tanks are also fairly easy to operate and need minimal skilled operatives operating the equipment in comparison to the other methods. Aerated tanks would be easier to service and clean for silted material over time in comparison to the other methods. Owing to the fact that it is going to be draining into a river, the necessary steps will have to be put in place to ensure the best possible quality that will not be toxic to anything or anyone using the river. These steps are outlined below. Water from a dirty source will come in as influent and head over to storage at the storage pool. Here, it will be retained briefly so that it can enter the screening zone gradually. This is done intentionally to prevent blockage of the chambers. Screening will then take place with the filtration of waste water taking place to remove the huge particles. From here, water is then redirected to the grit chamber so as to begin the process of settling down the insoluble solids. They are usually separated from the rest and cleared later during chamber cleaning. After the dropping of some particles in the grit chamber, the waste water moves on to the silt chamber where siltation then occurs in order to separate the finer, insoluble particles that were not removed in the earlier. From this point onwards, the process of purification can begin at the primary purifier. From here, it proceeds to the aeration tank for further decomposition through aerobic activity and then to the necessary disinfection using chemical action (Norweco, 2006). Other necessary tertiary treatment such as Phosphate removal, nitrogen removal etc. will be included in the treatment. All this is included to ensure that the water has achieved the desired output of 0.25 the solid concentration. From here, the water is now released as effluent. The sludge on the other hand will be disposed of systematically in a process beginning from the sludge storage pool. Here is where it is stored after extraction from the influent during the primary waste water treatment processes. It is then stored in a sludge thickening tank where its density is significantly increased by reducing the amount of water contained. Owing to the amount of sludge expected, the sludge dewater facility to be used can be rotating discs which will be provided in accordance with the quantity of sludge. After that, anaerobic or aerobic digestion can take place before drying and final disposal in landfill. Equipment, Cost Project Time: There are 4 main aerated tank systems which include package plants, oxidation ditches, surface aerated basins and deep shaft vertical treatment. In this case study, it is recommendable to use the package plant due to the economic aspect of it considering that 20000 people is too minute a figure to develop a large-scale system. The package plant condenses more activities into one allowing there to be little retention time versus the amount of water processed. The equipment used in this water treatment include a pump for pumping the waste water across the course of purification. While a majority of the processes will operate under gravity, a pump is needed to raise the water and even dispose it as effluent. This process also uses a wide variety of tanks, each of which is specialized to its specific purpose. These include the storage pool/tank, the silt chamber, the aeration tank, the disinfecting tank, sludge thickening tank and digestion tanks. A grit chamber will also be constructed between these processes whose main purpose is to slow water down long enough to provide for deposition of solids. Filtration membranes are important too and are available in a variety of sized and shapes to suit various treatment plant dimensions. Other aerating equipment e.g. a blower is necessary to ensure proper aeration. Finally, rotating disks will need to be availed to cater for the dewatering of the sludge in its near solid state. The chemicals needed for disinfection could be either ozone, chlorine dioxide or chlorine. The treatment plant could cost between $250 million to $400 million depending on the preliminary site reports, site conditions and complexity of the design. The running costs would cover replacement of the filters, removal of silt and deposited solids, periodic cleaning of the channels and pipes, power requirements and cost of skilled and unskilled labour. References Centi, G. and Perathoner, S., 2014. Advanced Oxidation Processes in Water Treatment. In Handbook of Advanced Methods and business Processes in Oxidation Catalysis: From Laboratory to Industry (pp. 251-290). Comninellis, C., Kapalka, A., Malato, S., Parsons, S.A., Poulios, I. and Mantzavinos, D., 2008. Advanced oxidation processes for water treatment: advances and trends for RD. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 83(6), pp.769-776. Hoekstra, A.Y. and Hung, P.Q., 2005. Globalisation of water resources: international virtual water flows in relation to crop trade. Global environmental change, 15(1), pp.45-56. Ikehata, K. et al., 2008. Ozonation and Advanced Oxidation Treatment of Emerging Organic Pollutants in Water and Wastewater. Ozone: Science and Engineering 2006 (30): 21-26. Jiang, G. and Yuan, Z., 2013. Synergistic Management of anaerobic wastewater biofilm by free nitrous acid and hydrogen peroxide. Journal of hazardous materials, 250, pp.91-98. Hoekstra, A.Y. and Hung, P.Q., 2005. Globalisation of water resources: international virtual water flows in relation to crop trade. Global environmental change, 15(1), pp.45-56. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/indonesia-population/ Mohajerani, M., Mehrvar, M. and Ein-Mozaffari, F., 2009. An overview of the integration of advanced oxidation technologies and other processes for water and wastewater treatment. Int J Eng, 3(2), pp.120-46. Poyatos, J.M., Muio, M.M., Almecija, M.C., Torres, J.C., Hontoria, E. and Osorio, F., 2010. Advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment: state of the art. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 205(1-4), p.187. Radjenovi? et al., 2008. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) as an Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technology. Handbook Env. Chem. Vol. 5 Part S/2: 37-101. Sheng, G.P., Yu, H.Q. and Li, X.Y., 2010. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of microbial aggregates in biological wastewater treatment systems: a review. Biotechnology advances, 28(6), pp.882-894. Sheng, Z. and Liu, Y., 2011. Effects of silver nanoparticles on wastewater biofilms. Water research, 45(18), pp.6039-6050. Wang, L.K., Hung, Y.T. and Shammas, N.K. eds., 2005.psychology treatment processes (Vol. 3). Humana Press. Wang, L.K., Ivanov, V., Tay, J.H. and Hung, Y.T. eds., 2010. Environmental biotechnology (Vol. 10). Springer Science Business Media. Wang, L.K. and Pereira, N.C. eds., 1979. Handbook of environmental engineering (Vol. 4). Humana Press. Wang, L.K., Shammas, N.K. and Hung, Y.T. eds., 2010. Advanced biological treatment processes (Vol. 9). Springer Science Business Media. Wang, L.K., Shammas, N.K. and Hung, Y.T., 2007. Biosolids treatment processes. Humana Pr Inc. Wang, L.K., Shammas, N.K., Selke, W.A. and Aulenbach, D.B., 2007. Flotation thickening. Biosolids Treatment Processes, pp.71-100. Vesilind, P. ed., 2003. Wastewater treatment plant design (Vol. 2). IWA publishing.

Modern Material Inc Case Study free essay sample

Introduction of Supply-Chain-Management2 Key Individuals and their Effectiveness3 Companies Involved5 Organizational Issues:6 Business Processes Impacted7 Management Takeaway10 Areas of Agreement10 Areas of Disagreement/Concerns11 Recommendations:12 Lessons Learnt16 References17 Objectives (What do you think the author is trying to demonstrate or bring out in the case? ) * A company’s competitive position and profitability can be improved through the use of Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) which if successfully implemented will lead to exemplary customer service. Oz, 2009) * System requirements should be clearly defined and the necessary processes analyzed and agreed upon by all key players/groups before software is coded to avoid reworks and unnecessary spending. * Cohesiveness, coordination, communication and leadership should be evident between stakeholders and management for the successful implementation of a project. * Information systems strategy must be in alignmen t with business strategy and processes to ensure business continuity. Company Background Modern Materials, Inc. (MMI) was established in 1927 and grew through a series of small mergers and acquisitions ultimately earning its name in 1991, when it took over a major competitor and subsequently broadened its product line. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Material Inc Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page MMI manufactures products that are used as raw materials by large manufacturers and the construction industry and was described as one of the giants in the manufacturing industry with two of its facilities producing basic products with special properties and shapes. However, due to difficulties being faced by the manufacturing industry such as overcapacity, foreign competition and reduced profits; spiralled by a depressed manufacturing economy, the company came under immense financial pressure. Ultimately, the company lost money in two of five years and downsized in 1998 which left the remaining workers stretched thin and working at a hectic pace. After the mergers, MMI had several issues as each premerger company became a division of MMI, and each division inherited the Information System (IS) organization of the company from which it was formed, hence, reducing effectiveness. To ensure that a single IS strategy was being maintained and adhered to; MMI outsourced its IS operations to STC, a major player in the IT outsourcing business in 1994. As part of the contract, STC offered employment to all of MMI’s IS staff, most of whom accepted the employment offer. Notably, STC did not evaluate the software and hardware employed by MMI to determine efficiency and applicability. In addition, only a small group of analysts was retained by MMI to address concerns regarding problem definition and process analysis. Introduction of Supply-Chain-Management In 1995 Harvey Woodson was hired as vice president for quality to improve MMI’s competitiveness and profitability. He believed exemplary customer service was the best strategy to do this using the supply-chain management technique. Oz (2009) describes supply-chain-management as the coordination of purchasing, manufacturing, shipping, and billing operations, often supported by an enterprise resource planning system. This system involves entering an order, creating a manufacturing order to guide it through to the required manufacturing process, scheduling it into production, producing, warehousing, shipping and routing it so that it arrives at the proper time, invoicing and billing it, and handling any testing issues or claims that might arise. The company’s information systems however needed to be aligned to Woodson’s plan as supply-chain-management is dependent on efficient processes supported by appropriate information processing systems. Key Individuals and their Effectiveness Several persons were involved in Modern Materials Inc’s attempt to implement a Supply Chain Management system (SCMS) in the company with varying levels of effectiveness. They are as follows: 1. Harvey Woodson, Executive VP, Quality was passionate in his resolve to improve MMI’s competitiveness and profitability. He believed that improving customer service would give MMI competitive advantage and subsequently pushed to develop the company’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) by reengineering its business processes and having efficient information systems to support this drive. He used his seniority to motivate workers to do their best. It can be argued that Woodson was very effective in carrying out his role and drove change within the organization by utilizing several soft techniques. After all, he promoted the project among employees, extolling its benefits and how it would ultimately improve the company. His knowledge about the system and strategies was not shared with others, hence when he departed in 2000, the project was in trouble. Being responsible for a project of this magnitude, he could have ensured that the policies and procedures re succession planning were properly developed and documented. Overall, Woodson was effective given the limitations identified above. 2. George Leach, Director of Planning in Construction Division Although Leach was a sophisticated IT user, he never had the IS expertise to undertake the SCMS project. The case postulates that he understood the SCM process. However, understanding SCM and being a user of technology does not necessarily translate into someone who has the skills/expertise to ensure that the system is well implemented and that there is clear coordination among all stakeholders. He attempted to keep the project on schedule; however his incorrect definition of requirements further delayed the implementation of the MMI order entry system. The case explained that â€Å"when the requirements for a system component fell behind schedule Leach would step into the breach and assist in defining the requirements and specifying appropriate processes†. While this is commendable, as Project Leader, Leach should have been managing the process in such a way to ensure that it remained on schedule. Leach’s lack of IT experience affected his effectiveness. 3. Charles Hastings, Chief Information Officer – Hastings’ selection to the post of Chief Information Officer was a reactive rather than a proactive move. It can be argued that being in charge of IS at one of MMI’s plants was not enough for him to be employed in this post. After all, the system being developed was to be spread across all MMI’s departments. His IS experience may have been limited; however he assessed the project in a timely manner and provided overall IS leadership where it was lacking. The case shows all the problems Hastings found; lack of project management responsibility and lack of communication and provided only a cursory glance at what Hastings accomplished. He emphasized that the order entry system was successfully installed, coordination issues were being addressed and the project plan was redone. However, the case does not provide any information to indicate the degree of success the order entry system had or how Hastings planned to address the deep rooted coordination problems. There was also no indication of how realistic the new project plan was. It can be argued that the most effective move Hastings made was to hire the consultant, Carol Young, to take a comprehensive look at the project. 4. Matthew West, Financial Vice President – Based on the financial history of the company, West strongly believed that the project should be abandoned or put on hold for revisiting at a later date. However, he was effective in presenting the financial context in which the project operated. 5. Carol Young, Project Manager – Young’s experience and expertise in project management was unquestionable and her business-like approach to the task was commendable. In her assessment of the project, her findings showed a great level of research. While, Hastings’ projections were on the surface, Young was detailed. For example, she and her team interviewed the functional persons involved (first time they were being included in anything related to the project) and identified the implications for lack of testing and staffing needs. Young did a â€Å"health check† of the project where she evaluated the company’s risk, financial and schedule management. She highlighted Leach’s short-comings as a project manager as well as criticized his ‘big bang’ approach that was costing MMI time and money. She recommended the ‘rolling wave’ approach as a better option. While her recommendations were valid, Young’s tone was confrontational and was interpreted by Leach as being offensive. Young’s involvement in the case was effective as she was able to present a realistic picture of the project and identify a clear path to successfully implement the project. GROUP The Task Force * Comprised of four senior executives and chaired by Woodson * Responsible for developing a proposal to be presented to MMI * Appointed UCA to develop the new system Also had the alternative of enhancing the current system Companies Involved STC – The case describes STC as a major player in the IT outsourcing business. In accepting MMI’s contract, most of the MMI’s IT staff were offered jobs. STC also became responsible for MMI’s hardware and software and were responsible for coding, testing and installing the system. They were also responsible for solving th e company’s Y2K compatibility issues and bringing in Carol Young as consultant on the orders of the Chief Information Officer. There was no indication as to how STC was chosen and whether or not their track record was successful. It can be argued that the lack of leadership at MMI led to STC’s poor performance. United Consultants Associates (UCA) – Appointed by the task force under Woodson’s leadership, hence management thought they were a good fit. They were employed to develop a single plant operation that would be expanded and enhanced to suit MMI. They provided the code for a system developed for MMI’s competitors, lead the requirements definition effort and helped to develop the system design and program specifications. However, a few red flags were raised when it became clear that the system to be developed was far greater than what UCA had previously done. Also, the fact that the IS system implemented by UCA had only 50 – 60 per cent functionality was questionable. It would have been more realistic to get a company that had 100 per cent functionality. Individuals Mary Ellis – Construction Division representative on steering committee Organizational Issues: MMI is a multibillion dollar manufacturing company and one of the giants in the industry. The company has, however, experienced many organizational challenges which affected the successful implementation of the SCMS project. These included; lack of leadership, teamwork and clear policies and procedures to guide the implementation process. Some of these challenges are detailed below: * MMI experienced difficulties such as overcapacity, global competition and a depressed manufacturing economy that plunged profits and as a result the company had to downsize. In order to regain market share and boost profitability, MMI developed a strategic plan and sought to develop new information systems. The organization had a conventional IS structure with each division/department having their own systems and eventually outsourced its IS organization to STC. This meant that STC had control of MMI’S hardware and software. * The organizational culture seems to support hiring within as opposed to hiring the most suitable candidate, even if it meant looking externally. This was eviden t in Leach’s appointment. * There was a lack of cohesiveness, teamwork and effective leadership within the organisation. Business Processes Impacted The case indicated that MMI’s production processes were â€Å"highly automated, with exceptional computer controls,† however the inadequacies of the business processes and supporting information systems does not facilitate outstanding customer service. Modern Materials Inc. implemented a new Supply Chain Management System in order to provide outstanding customer service and improve the company’s position and profitability. Supply chain management involves the â€Å"oversight of material, information and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. It involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies. † The objectives of the new Supply Chain Management to be implemented by MMI are highlighted below; 1. Reducing inventories 2. Increasing market share 3. Enhancing profits 4. Reducing operating costs 5. Increasing customer service The following business processes were reengineered and replaced by the new Supply-Chain Management System (SCMS): * Sales-order entry * Sales forecasting * Order status * Pricing * Scheduling and planning * Manufacturing data collection * Inventory control * Quality tracking * Traffic Shipping * Invoicing * Billing * EDI Additionally, with the implementation of SCMS, the following business functions will be impacted: * Customer Service One of MMI’s main objectives is to improve profitability through exemplary customer service. This includes, taking orders, producing the product and getting it the customer at the right time and the best cost. SCMS would enable MMI to achieve this goal by managing customers’ orders more efficiently and reducing the delivery time from 120 days to 45 days; ultimately enhancing customer relationships through better service levels and value-added services. Marketing SCMS would allow MMI to identify its profitable and non-profitable products which would help to drive the company’s marketing efforts. The compatibility of the MMI’s marketing concepts with SCMS will help to ensure that the company satisfies customers at a profit through inter-functional coordination. * Finance and Accounting SCMS maximizes efficiency and provides the opportunity for the company to realize cost savings. The system will track and record payments, cash receipts, and all cash movement. SCMS will help MMI to create the visibility that leads to improved budget management, effective cost-reduction strategies and more accurate forecasting. SCMS also facilitates the easy tracking of financial transactions, thus allowing for detailed analyses of trade payables and receivables. With the implementation of SCMS, MMI will have a better view of the long-term financial health of the organization. * Operation The implementation of SCMS facilitates reduced inventory because of the expected improvement in the delivery time. Operational information regarding supply chain management is usually available in real time. * Human Resource Management With the implementation of the new SCMS, staff will need to undergo training so that they can be equipped with the knowledge and skill sets needed to maneuver and manipulate the system. This will ensure effectiveness and efficiency of staff before, during and after the system has been implemented. SOFTWARE: Applications: * Microsoft Excel * Microsoft Access SYSTEMS Production systems which were replaced with one integrated system The data processing systems: Supply chain management system * Sales-order entity system * Sales forecasting system * Order status system * Pricing system * Scheduling and planning system * Manufacturing data collection system * Inventory control system * Quality tracking system * Traffic system * Shipping system * Invoicing system * Billing system * EDI system Management Takeaway The case provides an interesting glimpse into the life of a company and specifically the dynamic relationships and issues that manifest themselves when implementing a project. After analysing the case, it is clear that in implementing the SCMS project, Modern Materials Inc could have handled the process better, however, there were areas in which they excelled. This section will highlight the areas with which we agreed and disagreed as well as make some recommendations and indicate lessons learnt that MMI could possibly consider in moving forward and in implementing other projects in the future. Areas of Agreement 1. Hiring Woodson as project leader for the SCMS. He understood leadership and was a good change agent who spent time explaining inconsistencies and encouraging others. . The decision to establish the Chief Information Officer position (CIO) and appoint Charles Hastings to fill the post. This decision, even though a bit overdue, was very instrumental in bringing leadership to the project. The CIO was charged with the responsibility of straightening out the problems with the SCMS systems. 3. Business process reengineering BPR helped MMI to fundame ntally rethink how they do their work in order to dramatically improve customer service, cut operational costs, and become world-class competitors. 4. Leach’s role in defining systems requirements; however this must be done in consultation with the person responsible for that area or processes. 5. Leach’s recommendation that MMI continue with the SCMS as this will give the company a competitive edge and provide an integrated supply plan for the entire organization in real time technology. 6. The following recommendations made and actions taken by Carol Young: Recommendations * The need for an elected project manager who takes full control of the entire project and promotes effective communication between all stakeholders. Employing more efficient business processes. * Completing each stage of the project as opposed to Leach’s strategy of working on a number of the phases independently; thereby ensuring that each stage works properly, ultimately saving the company money by eliminating the process of reworking if a fault is found after the fact. Actions * Performing a â€Å"health check†, interviewing func tional and end users of the project and reviewing the project plan. * Researching what needed to be done to make the project a success Areas of Disagreement/Concerns 1. Decision to devote most of STC’s resources to dealing with Y2K compatibility issues which resulted in less resources being spent on the SCMS project and added to its non-completion. 2. The decision by UCA to begin the systems design and program specifications without input from the users. 3. Despite the numerous benefits to be had from SCMS, the importance of trust comes into play and hence MMI must develop mutual trust and understanding between parties (suppliers etc) to achieve collaboration. 4. Reorganizing the task force and replacing senior managers with middle level managers. This project required MMI changing the way it does business, and considering its importance to the long term viability of the company; MMI should have kept the senior managers. 5. Mathew West’s recommendation that the project be abandoned. As the Vice President of Finance, West considered the overall dire financial condition of the company, highlighted the financial context within which the company operated and questioned the affordability of the project’s completion. It can however be argued that West failed to assess the benefits to be derived if the project was to be completed and implemented on time. 6. MMI not having a project leader with demonstrated experience in implementing projects of this magnitude and nature; distinct from the leader of the steering committee with overall responsibility for the project’s implementation. 7. MMI not conducting a risk analysis or having IT governance of the project in place. As such, the project was not properly planned, and possible risks, obstacles and setbacks were not considered. 8. Carol Young’s affiliation with STC and her recommendation that she be brought in to manage the project. This can be viewed as a conflict of interest as she was a hired consultant of STC, an affiliate company. Recommendations: 1. MMI should proceed with the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS). Despite the obvious monetary challenges that the company is presently facing MMI should implement the system as planned because of the array of benefits to be derived from SCMS, inclusive of regaining market share and increasing profitability. 2. Appropriate Technology to support SCMS. MMI should consider purchasing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) which has a system that allows information about a product to be recorded. â€Å"It contains an electronic product code (EPC) which provides much more information than the Universal Product Code. The tag can include the date of manufacturing, the plant in which the product was made, lot number and many other details that help track its movement and sale†. This would help MMI to improve its service and enhance its customer relations. 3. Project Managers should be clearly identified. Effective project leaders are critical for the successful completion of any project. If MMI decides to proceed with the project as recommended, a project manager should be appointed. 4. Feasibility Analysis. MMI should  undertake a  feasibility analysis of the project on an economic, technical, operational and temporal basis. This would  better assist MMI to determine project outcomes ahead of time, thus allowing the stakeholders to make better/more sound decisions. 5. Customer Relationship Management. MMI should consider implementing customer relationship management (CRM) systems to support its SCMS so that it can plan its resources. CRM systems increase the quality of customer service information captured which can be further analysed to learn about the buying habits and service preferences of customers; ultimately enhancing strategic planning. 6. Project implementation should have a clear deployment strategy. This involves planning how and when execution takes place, the training of operational staff, data conversion and piloting (acceptance testing). IT projects undertaken should first be ‘piloted’ in all departments that will be affected by the change. To this end, staff directly involved in /affected by the changes should be frequently informed on the project’s progress. The company should ensure that sufficient time is dedicated to testing. There should first be unitary testing, once this is successful then MMI should proceed to integration testing. If there are any issues, this must be dealt with before full implementation. 7. An independent audit should be commissioned by MMI’s management team, MMI should invest in an independent external audit. It is recommended that the audit be carried out by a company/organisation that has no prior affiliation with the SCMS project so that an unbiased and objective analysis of the project’s status and the way forward can be determined. 8. An organizational structure should be outlined for the project. A representative from every facet of the project should be accounted for in the organisational structure to ensure that information is communicated in a structured manner. This will increase the efficiency of the communication process thereby reducing delays. 9. A clearly defined communication strategy/plan should be developed for the project. Developing a communication strategy or plan will facilitate the smooth running of the project. This may help to identify potential areas of concerns, allowing for project leaders to be proactive rather than reactive. A communication plan would have proven beneficial to MMI in its dealings with independent/outsourced contractors UCA and STC. This was due to a breakdown in communication between the companies which accounted for a great percentage of the delays in the beginning stage of the project implementation. These companies should have specific service level agreements which have a clause for consequences of non performance 10. Alternative cost saving measures should be considered by management instead of staff cuts. It is recommended that instead of cutting staff, management look at alternative cost saving measures. Management should consider that the project is still in its implementation stage and the existing staff is already stretched beyond its full potential. As such cutting staff may have a negative impact on the successful completion of the project. 11. Effective monitoring mechanisms should be introduced by management. Management should implement project management systems to facilitate tighter control and monitoring of projects. This will help to ensure that delays are minimised, deliverables are achieved, deviations dealt with immediately and the project is kept on schedule. 2. Policies and Procedures should be adequately documented and updated on a timely basis to facilitate knowledge management. There should be documentation and timely updating of processes and procedures used during a project’s implementation so that team members are aware of how particular systems work. 13. Mapping of business processes should be undertaken by the relevant department manager. IT projects an d processes must be implemented based on what the actual specifications are and not on what the IT specialists think they ought to be. Therefore the project leaders must ensure that consultants liaise with the required department head before designing a project. The processes and requirements should be properly defined and signed off by affected parties before coding is done. 14. MMI should ensure there is succession planning in place. In the case of the SCMS, too much of the project was in the hands of one person. When under taking a new project, management must ensure that its project management team has the requisite systems and people in place to facilitate easy handover if necessary. Developing a succession plan will aid in minimising completion lags and cost-overruns where there is a change in the team composition 15. The composition of the Information System Steering Committee should be reviewed. This committee should consist of the CEO (Chair), all senior executives, Chief Information Officer, selected technical managers, selected users, domain and subject matter experts and champions. 16. MMI should employ effective IT governance. This is critical if MMI wants to earn value from IS/IT. Effective IT governance helps to clarify business strategies, measures and manages the amount of money spent and assigns accountability for organizational changes. (Solutions, 2007) 17. MMI should implement a business recovery plan. The business recovery plan will assist MMI in outlining the procedures for bringing the business to normal operations after a disaster or other emergency. The plan will also help MMI’s management to better identify their key staff, vendors, equipment and clients; establish a communication protocol and identify any alternate emergency location for work to resume. Lessons Learnt 1. A project plan should be implemented with clear communication strategies. 2. Poor project planning, insufficient communication, ineffective management (process, project and change), failure to align with constituents and stakeholders and poor or missing methodology and tools are recipes for the failure of any project. (Gulla, 2012) 3. Business activities outsourced should be monitored, similarly to any internal activity, in an effort to  prevent loss of control and damage to the organizational brand. 4. System requirements and definitions should be properly established/agreed upon before the project is embarked on. . Management should ensure that stakeholders are in agreement with the project so that there is cohesion and no dissent. 6. Change project and process management are key to successful implementation of any project. 7. When embarking on large company wide projects as in the case with MMI, persons with demonstrated Project Management experience and relevant technical exper tise should be appointed to spearhead same. 8. For IS to be effective, the necessary business processes and support systems must be in place and must be aligned with company objectives. 9. When undertaking projects, risk analysis must be done and contingency plans drafted. References Gulla, J. (2012, February ). Seven Reasons IT Projects Fail. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from www. ibmsystemsmag. com: http://www. ibmsystemsmag. com/power/Systems-Management/Workload-Management/project_pitfalls/? page=3 Oz, E. (2009). Management Information Systems 6th Edition . Massachusette, USA: Course Technology . Solutions, H. G. (2007, October ). How to prepare a business recovery plan. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from www. hostway. com: http://www. hostway. com/newsletter/2007/08/

King Cobra Snake Facts

King Cobra Snake Facts The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is a snake known for its deadly venom and impressive size. Its not truly a cobra (genus Naja), although both species belong to the famiy Elapidae, which includes venomous cobras, sea snakes, kraits, mambas, and adders. Its genus name, Ophiophagus, means snake eater. It is the king because it eats other snakes. Fast Facts: King Cobra Scientific Name: Ophiophagus hannahCommon Names: King cobra, hamadryadBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 10-13 feetWeight: 13 poundsLifespan: 20 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: India and Southeast AsiaPopulation: DecreasingConservation Status: Vulnerable Description The king cobra is the worlds longest venomous snake. Adults typically measure 10.4 to 13.1 feet in length, but one individual measured 19.2 feet. King cobras are dimorphic in size with males larger than females (the reverse of most snake species). The average adult of either sex weighs about 13 pounds, with the heaviest recorded individual weighing 28 pounds. The snake is brown or deep olive green with black and either yellow or white crossbands. Its belly is cream-colored or yellow. King cobras can be distinguished from true cobras by its two large scales on the top back of the head and chevron neck stripes instead of eyes. A king cobra may be identified by the two scales on the back of its head and the chevron pattern on the back of its neck. gaiamoments, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution King cobras live in India, Southeast Asia, and southern East Asia. The snake prefers forests near lakes or streams. Diet and Behavior A king cobra hunts using its eyes and tongue. Because it relies on keen eyesight, it is most active during the daytime. The snakes forked tongue senses vibration and transfers chemical information to the Jacobsons organ in the snakes mouth so it can smell/taste its surroundings. King cobras primarily eat other snakes, but will take lizards, rodents, and birds if necessary. When the snake is threatened, it tries to escape. If cornered, it rears its head and the top third of its body, extends its hood, and hisses. A king cobras hiss is lower in frequency than that of most snakes and sounds like a growl. Cobras in threat posture can still move forward and may deliver multiple bites in a single strike. Reproduction and Offspring King cobras breed between January and April. Males wrestle each other to compete for females. After mating, the female lays between 21 and 40 leathery white eggs. She pushes leaves into a pile over the nest so that decomposition provides heat to incubate the eggs. The male remains close to the nest to help guard it, while the female stays with the eggs. While normally not aggressive, cobras readily defend their nests. The eggs hatch in autumn. Juveniles are black with yellow bands, resembling a banded sea krait. Adults leave the nest after the eggs hatch, but may mate for life. The average life span of a king cobra is 20 years. A baby king cobra hatches from its egg. R. Andrew Odum, Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the king cobra conservation status as vulnerable. While its difficult to gauge the number of remaining snakes, the population is decreasing in size. King cobras are threatened by habitat loss from deforestation and are heavily harvested for skin, meat, traditional medicine, and the exotic pet trade. As venomous snakes, cobras are often killed out of fear. King Cobras and Humans King cobras are well known for use by snake charmers. Cobra bites are extremely rare, but most cases of bites involve snake charmers. King cobra venom is neurotoxic, plus it contains digestive enzymes. The venom can kill a human within 30 minutes or even an adult elephant within a matter of hours. In humans, symptoms include severe pain and blurred vision which progresses to drowsiness, paralysis, and ultimately coma, cardiovascular collapse, and death from respiratory failure. Two types of antivenom are produced, but they are not widely available. Thai snake charmers drink a mixture of alcohol and turmeric. A 2012 clinical study verified turmeric confers significant resistance to cobra venom. The mortality rate for untreated cobra bites ranges from 50 to 60%, implying the snake only delivers venom about half the time it bites. Sources Capula, Massimo; Behler. Simon Schusters Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. New York: Simon Schuster, 1989. ISBN 0-671-69098-1.Chanhome, L., Cox, M.J., Vasaruchapong, T., Chaiyabutr, N. and Sitprija, V. Characterization of venomous snakes of Thailand. Asian Biomedicine 5 (3): 311–328, 2011.Mehrtens, J. Living Snakes of the World. New York: Sterling, 1987. ISBN 0-8069-6461-8.Stuart, B., Wogan, G., Grismer, L., Auliya, M., Inger, R.F., Lilley, R., Chan-Ard, T., Thy, N., Nguyen, T.Q., Srinivasulu, C. Jelić, D. Ophiophagus hannah. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T177540A1491874. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T177540A1491874.enWood, G.L. The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Sterling Publishing Co Inc., 1983 ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.

Analysis Of International Expansion Samples

International expansion of organizations provides them with opportunities to increase their revenues and profitability. The organizations however need to analyse the external environment where they are planning to expand so that they can decide upon the ways by which they set up their business. The organization that is taken into consideration for expansion is Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The area where the company is planning to expand its operations is India and the city is Mumbai (Ang, Benischke & Hooi, 2018). Marina Bay is a resort which is located in Marina Bay, Singapore. The resort started its operations in the year 2010 and was named as the most expensive casino in the world. The Marina Bay resort consists of 2561 hotel rooms and many facilities within its premises (Singapore, 2018). The target market of the company will be India. The huge population and developing economy of the country will facilitate the operations of the organization in the country. The service sector of the country acts as the major driver of growth of its economy. Almost 28.6% of the entire population of India is employed in the service sector. The service sector of the country mainly comprises of the hotels and restaurants. India has been named as the most advanced traveller nations related to the usage of digital tools for the purpose of planning, then booking and further experiencing a particular journey (Papadopoulos, Gulanowski & Plante, 2018). The hospitality and tourism sector is considered to be a part of the top 10 sectors which are able to attract foreign investment. The government has also been taking many initiatives related to the promotion of the tourism and hospitality sector of the country. The hospitality and tourism industry of India has huge potential related to growth in the future. These qualities of the hotel industry of India will help in the growth and will further increase the revenues of the Marina Bay Sands resort (Yoder, Visich & Rustambekov, 2016). Marina Bay Sands can however face challenges related to various factors in the country which are as discussed below, Marina Bay Sands will face many challenges in the new area of their operations in Mumbai, India. However, the organization has to device strategies so that they can combat these challenges and set up a successful business in the country. The organization needs to conduct extensive research in the Indian hospitality sector before entering and investing in the market. The organization can take the help of promotions and advertising to promote their services and offerings in the country. The promotions can be done with the help of digital media and the with the help of social media   marketing as well. Marina Bay needs to a build a competitive edge so that they can differentiate themselves in the market. The shopping experience that the organization provides to the guests is a new concept and can help them in creating a different position in the market. Marina Bay will be able to create a different market for their offerings by introducing this new concept in the market. A wholly owned subsidiary mainly refers to the type of company which is totally owned by another company. The organization which owns the other company is known as the parent company or the holding company. The stocks of the subsidiary company are totally owned by the parent company. The market entry strategy that can be undertaken by the organization is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The wholly owned subsidiaries will be able to take control of the entire supply chain and will be able to control them totally (Santos, Brochado & Esperanà §a, 2016). The suppliers of the organization are under total control of the owners in this case. This means that an entirely different organization will be opened in India which will be a part of the Marina Bay Resorts Group. The organization needs to make a huge investment in this case, however, the growth levels of the Indian market will be suitable for the fast pace growth of the resort. The development of the organization will be facilitated by the increased number of foreign tourists in the city. The investment needs to be made by the organization as the facilities need to be built in such a manner so that it can accommodate the services that are provided by the resort in Singapore. The brand value of the organization will also help them attracting guests and setting up the business in a profitable manner (Andreu, Claver & Quer, 2017). Andreu, R., Claver, E., & Quer, D. (2017). Foreign market entry mode choice of hotel companies: Determining factors.  International Journal of Hospitality Management,  62, 111-119. Ang, S. H., Benischke, M. H., & Hooi, A. W. L. (2018). Frequency of international expansion through high control market expansion modes and interlocked directorships.  Journal of World Business. Doyle, G. (2015). Brands in international and multi-platform expansion strategies: Economic and management issues. In  Handbook of Media Branding  (pp. 53-64). Springer, Cham. Leonidou, L. C., Leonidou, C. N., Fotiadis, T. A., & Aykol, B. (2015). Dynamic capabilities driving an eco-based advantage and performance in global hotel chains: The moderating effect of international strategy.  Tourism Management,  50, 268-280. Papadopoulos, N., Gulanowski, D., & Plante, L. (2018). The Role of Knowledge in International Expansion: Toward an Integration of Competing Models of Internationalization.  Review of International Business and Strategy, (just-accepted), 00-00. Santos, M., Brochado, A., & Esperanà §a, J. (2016). Foreign direct investment patterns of global hotel chains.  Journal of Business Research,  69(11), 5235-5240. Singapore, 5. (2018).  Singapore Luxury Hotel.  Marinabaysands.com. Retrieved 16 March2018,fromhttps://www.marinabaysands.com/hotel.html#osSwY5SPJvKoE5Yx.97 Yoder, S., Visich, J. K., & Rustambekov, E. (2016). Lessons learned from international expansion failures and successes.  Business Horizons,  59(2), 233-243.

Photographic Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Photographic Industry - Assignment Example Previously a photograph taken in a camera could not be viewed unless developed through a process, but now in this world of digitization things have changed a lot. Now the screen within the digital cameras allows you to delete, edit and perform different operations on the spot. The result is that they need not be printed. They could easily be shown via camera, or uploaded through computer or sent through camera phones. The result is decline in prints. Prints was one of the major component in the success of photographic industry and hence its affecting the business. Though overall there has been increase in the number of overall pictures being taken but on the same side decrease in the printouts being taken out as there exist cheaper ways of showing those pictures to concerned people. Joh Larish (2006) in his article " The Analysts Speak Out: Is There a Future for the Photo Industry" states that PMA has been the largest photographic convention and trade show in the United States. This year's PMA was considerably smaller than last year because of the demise of major exhibitors such as Agfa, Konica Minolta, Bronica and others. In addition, many other companies greatly downsized their exhibits or didn't attend at all. The Kodak exhibit was less than half its normal size. There was vacant exhibit space all over the trade show floor. Nowadays people prefer... These advancements have surely made things easier but what about the photographic industry What measures do they take for their survival Most of the topped ranked companies have stopped producing the older versions of cameras, which required reels to catch the moments of life. Starting from Kodak, it is stated in Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2006), that on January 13, 2004, Kodak announced that they would stop producing traditional film cameras in the United States, Canada and Western Europe. By the end of 2004, Kodak ceased manufacturing cameras that used the Advanced Photo System and 35mm films. Production of film continued. These changes reflect Kodak's new focus on growth in digital markets. The Economist (2002) in one of its articles "Prints and the Revolution" states that 80% of digital camera owners still use film cameras more than half the time and fewer than 20% of the 30 billion digital photos taken each year are ever printed out. The industry is now trying to solve this problem since prints are what make money. From music and newspapers to travel and advertising, industries are trying desperately to forge a clear vision for themselves in a digital age that is still opaque. Amy Yee (2006) states in her article "Banishing the negative: how Kodak is developing its blueprint for a digital transformation" about Konica Minolta, which trails in third behind Fuji Photo in the film-making market, gave up the struggle, announcing that it was pulling out of its traditional camera and photo businesses to stem growing losses. This shows some companies just don't know what to do. Things were expected to improve, not change completely. She further writes that Nikon is also discontinuing single lens

INDUSTRY OF SHOPPING CENTERS IN HONUDRAS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

INDUSTRY OF SHOPPING CENTERS IN HONUDRAS - Essay Example The real estate investment in the country was able to drop by 15 percent, and this drop was due to the contraction of the global credit as well as export market and political crisis. Now Honduras has some of the best shopping malls in the world with modern facilities inside the malls (Ling and Naranjo 3). One of such a kind of mall is San Pedro Sula mall, and this mall has about 150 stores, an Applebee’s restaurant, 23 eateries that offer food products, an arcade, a Cinemark movie theatre, a banking centre, and a parking lot located in the underground. Besides the underground parking lot, the mall also has 1,200 extra parking spaces with 100% air-conditioning system and security cameras. San Pedro Sula shopping mall has a friendly atmosphere as well as stores with international standards, and the services offered here present many clients with opportunities that are only visible to many through television adverts. Some of the international standard stores in this mall are Lady Lee, Puma, Jet Stereo, and Carrion with a modern state of art technologies. The stores have automated systems as well as electromechanical systems for communication, air conditioners, and monitoring of the stores. The latest technology incorporated in this mall made it win an award from International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC), some of the contributing factors to winning the award besides the latest technology were the best traffic flow design of the mall, and this made it able to compete with other malls in Dubai and Brazil. In 2012, the country’s GDP was 17.97 billion US dollars, and this value represented close to 0.03% of the total world economy. There has been a great improvement in the economy because in 1960, the GDP stood at 4.57 USD up to 2012 and this year GDP, the value has shot up to 17.97 USD. This improvement is practically an indicator of how lucrative the businesses are in the country, and the booming business is the commercial real estate business. T he hiring and renting of commercial real estate in the country are relatively cheap, and most of these commercial real estates have modern designs and technology. They offer a variety of the cool and serene business environment that ensures comfort ability of the occupants. Renting of these apartments is renewal, and the clients are always at liberty to renew the trading contracts with the commercial real estate owners. Most of the tenants in Honduras are American citizens, and the laws and practices that govern real estate ownership in the country are quite different from the ones in America. Because most of the tenants are Americans, some of the insurance firms from the USA have been on the front line to provide title deeds for most of the lands in the country through the help of attorneys from the country (Total Transaction Costs 6). Most of the cases involving land ownership in the country have been prolonged by the judiciary system of Honduras, and this has led to the loss of m oney by many American citizens in their quest to get justice. Besides the long case protocols, most of the Americans have also been frustrated in their quest to settle most of the disputes resulting from land ownership (How High 9). Most of the foreign tenants have been brushed off using violence in some of the disputed cases. The Honduran laws have imposed