Practical and Written Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Practical and Written Assessment - Assignment Example As far as the profitability of the company was concerned, it has been quite impressive in past decade in the automotive industry, as the growth and profit margin of the company in Figure 1 reveals. Figure 1: Growth of Profit and Margin of Porsche Source: (Moffett, 2005) The strategy that Porsche followed for both Cayenne and Boxster was a combination of outsourcing, licensing and in sourcing to influence the investment of the shareholder. Due to this strategy of the company, they enjoyed high return on the invested capital (ROIC), as the increasing sales of the product line shows in Figure 2. Figure 2: Augmenting Sales of Various Product lines of Porsche Source: (Moffett, 2005) During the fall and summer of 2005, two significant announcements were made by Porsche, which changed the directions. The first announcement was that Panamera would be manufactured by the company through company’s own funds and in their own factories. The second decision was that Porsche invested around 3 billion in Volkswagen AG at an interest rate of 20 percent, which was an underperforming automaker of Germany then (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffett, 2010). In this section of the study, the focus of discussion would be on the strategic decisions that the company has made which augmented its ROIC. ROIC signifies the efficiency of the company in allocating the capital, such that it can get profitable returns on investments. The return assures how well the company is utilising its funds for generating returns. The ROIC can be calculated by subtracting dividends from net income and dividing it by the total capital. All the product line of Porsche, especially Cayenne had a high operating margin as can be seen in Figure 2, in comparison to any other European automobile company. As it has been discussed that Porsche incorporated pioneering strategies and business decisions embedded with technology and capital for Cayenne and Boxster, which was evident from the sales figures. Porsche Boxs ter was manufactured in Finland by Valmet. So the company skilfully utilised other’s money to manufacture and sell its products. It was working through licensed manufacturing agreement trough which Valmet utilised its own tools and factories for manufacturing Boxster. This decreased the capital requirements of Porsche, which the company utilised to support its own business (Moffett, 2005) Porsche invested around $3 billion in Volkswagen AG, which was though the worst performing company in the industry, but prospects of the company to excel in future were immense, which is why Porsche entered into a strategic alliance with Volkswagen. Due to this reason, it was responsible for approximately 30 percent of automotive manufacturing of Porsche and also assembling. Porsche co-manufactured Cayenne with Volkswagen. The chassis of Cayenne was assembled by Volkswagen on the same assembly line of Volkswagen Touareg. This again reduced the capital requirement of Porsche and allowed the c ompany to focus its capital towards the development of the company. The above strategic decision of the company resulted in the augmenting ROIC of Porsche (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffett, 2010). Answer 2 The section question of this case is regarding Veselina Dinova’s point of view regarding the attitude of the company towards creating value towards shareholders. Vesi was in dilemma whether Porsche’

What Is the defining business Essay Example for Free

What Is the defining business Essay What is the defining business and economic characteristics of the video game console industry? ? Intensity of competition: the competition in the video game industry is dramatically fierce. There are three largest companies in this industry, which are Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. Additionally, lots of companies have relatively high level of strength, for example:high technology and meet the social trend, which are able to compete in the market place. ? Market size; the target market for the products cover all over the world ,however,the cumulate sales in Europe, Japan and the U. S are higher compare to other regions. ?Influenced by global recession: video game is not the necessary product, hence,the global economic recession have influenced the sale of video game products. The revenue declines 6% in 2010 compare to 2009, and also continued decreasing in 2011. ?Growth rapidly:the video game industry have been growingrapidly, and also expected to continue growing in the future. What is the industry like? The companies in video game industry refer to provide high technological and innovative products. It includes online game, mobile game, video game console and handheld game. In addition, in order to attract exist and potential consumers and build customer loyalty, these companies multiply their efforts to enhancethe technology of the products. What’s more, video game business sectorupdate very fast, the new generation replaced the old one in short period. Meanwhile, the companies launched latest production rapidly. However, an obviously issue is that the target market is limited, young men are the majority part. What 3-5 key factors determine the success of video game console developers like Nintendo (2009-2012)? 1. Unique concept of video game console: In the original period, the video game companies tend to pay more attention to improving technology, which lead to less market share and high competition, however, after a strategic research, Nintendo intend to create product differentiation advantage over rivals, it avoid pursuing high-tech blindly, focusing on developing unique function of product, such as to allowed consumers to participate in the games by themselves. That characteristic can easily catch consumers’ attention. Having a unique and propriety concept is essential in video game console industry. 2. New market segment: The video game market is almost saturated;hence, these game companies have to seek new target market to survive. In traditional video game console target market, men occupied the majority portion. In order to gain more profit, companies should take effort to attract more women, elderly and so on. In terms of extending market share, companies can’t rely on a small proportion of population. Nintendo designed â€Å"Wii† not only just for men but also for the whole family, the game is very suitable for everyone 3. Technology capability: High technology capability is a vital factor for game companies to be a leader in video game console industry; it can provide more technical advantage over rivals. 4. Various range of products: In today’s world, people have relatively high demand of products, in order to satisfy the needs, it is necessary to produce diverse product to grab more market share. 5. Low cost Undeniably, reducing cost is an effective way to make profit gain, low cost lead to low price, and low price are more acceptable by consumers. Reference: Morris, C. (2011), Video Game Sales Drop 6% in 2010, Second Year of Declines, [Online] Available from: http://www. cnbc. com/id/41062675/Video_Game_Sales_Drop_6_in_2010_Second_Year_of_Declines.

Effects of Technology on Behavior

Effects of Technology on Behavior Technology: Changing Our Behavior and Relationships for the Better or Worse? Most of us are familiar with this scenario: A group of friends out on a lunch outing, each with their cell phones or laptops out, busily texting, catching up on the latest news, and surfing the internet instead of conversing with the people in front of them. Today, we are living in the era of digital technology where it is difficult to not be encompassed by the realm of digital world. More than two billion people use the Internet, and about five billion people are cell phone users. Technology is growing at an increasingly fast pace. It seems like everywhere we go, we are constantly surrounded by the presence of technology. In compliance with the increasingly advanced technology, our lifestyles are adjusting to keep up with it. In the increasingly technological society with new gadgets in the market, acquiring technological devices seems like the only way to fit in with the crowd. However, have you ever thought about the effects that heavy technology usage might have on your behavior and personal relationships? Overusing technology, such as cell phones and the internet, can cause us to neglect the people around us, and, ultimately, cause our behaviors and relationships to change detrimentally. It is of no doubt that technology is pervasive throughout our lives. A 2014 study done by Nielson reveals that the average American is digitally connected for approximately 11 hours every day (in-text citation). Social networking sites, email, online games, are among the most  popular interests of the digital world. Although young adults are the dominant group of internet  users, a study done by the Pew Research Center reveals, â€Å"Over the past year, the biggest growth in usage was among older users. Nearly half of Americans ages 50-64-and a quarter of those 65  and older-now use SNSs† (Clemmitt 5). For years, the heated topic of debate centers upon whether technology changes our lives for the better or worse. With the rise of smartphone users in the recent years, many have complained about being neglected by their family and friends, who are constantly engaged by social media networks, text messaging, and taking pictures of themselves. There is discussion on how the rise of social media sites invades our privacy and create a thin line between our private and public lives. As of this year, Facebook membership skyrocketed to over 1.35 billion users. Mark Zuckenberg, the creator of Facebook, argues â€Å"People have gotten really comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people† (Clemmitt 3). Along with the rise of Facebook and other social networking sites, the number of people sharing more personal information about themselves, and the time they spend on these sites has escalated. A Facebook account can surely reveal a spouse’s infidelity, a suicidal teenager’s thoughts, and much more than we are aware of. The internet is tool that we use to communicate with family and friends, as well as to  publish information on mediums to a large audience. A study done by Nielson, a leading  global information company whose primary objective is to seek understanding of consumer behavior, reveals that Americans spend approximately 23% of their online time on social media networks (Kessler 1). This number is on the rise every year, as more people are becoming exposed to the digital world. For many of us, it is extremely difficult to ignore the impulse to check our cell phones for a new update or an incoming text message. Some experts worry that soon social media will dominate face-to-face interaction, resulting in increased narcissism, decreased relationship quality, and lead to serious issues like cyberbullying. Many analysts argue that technology pushes our society to become increasingly impersonal and causes people to spend less time having face-to-face interaction. Thanks to technology, our society is relying more and more on text messaging, video chatting, and social media sites as means of communication. A survey conducted to find the preferred modes of communication discovered that people born between 1990 to 1999 prefer texting and social networking above all other forms of communication. For this generation, face-to-face interaction is the least preferred form of communication. In contrast, all of the generational groups born between 1940 and 1989 chose face-to-face interaction as their most preferred form of communication, and none of these groups listed social networking as a mode of communication. (Clemmitt 2). Today, many people forgo face-to-face conversation in favor of digital communication because it encourages more brevity and openness. Katie E. Davis, a professor at the Uni versity of Washington, asserts, â€Å"It feels much safer to broach uncomfortable subjects when you don’t have to look someone in the eye† (Clemmitt 5). In other words, digital  communication allows us to delge into topics that we are normally uncomfortable conversing. However, there are several issues that arise when technology is used as the primary mode of communication. First and foremost, technology doesn’t always enable people to express their thoughts and emotions without being misunderstood. When people communicate by text messaging or through social media sites, several nonverbal communication cues, such as body language, tone of voice, and body gestures are unavailable. As a result, it is easy to misinterpret an unintended message. Furthermore, it is often difficult to interpret face-to-face conversations that do take place without an adequate understanding of these cues. Some people argue that technology is a valuable asset to people who have trouble having face-to-face interaction with others, such as those that suffer from autism or psychological  disorders. They maintain that these people find solace in the digital world, as well as a place  where they can socialize without being ostracized. However, I beg to differ. Social media  sites create the illusion of companionship, and does nothing to help these people develop proper social skills. Many of these people suffer from depression and loneliness in the first place, and by solely interacting with others online rather than in real life, these problems will worsen and they will be further detached from society. Another crucial aspect of technology is that it affects our attention span, thus causing us to become ignorant of our priorities. Several studies and researchers point out that students have difficulty focusing in class and adults have trouble concentrating at work when their cell phones are nearby. Michael Suman, a professor at the University of Southern California, asserts that even with their phones off, students are unable to fully concentrate on their education because they are under the influence of technology. Technology is one of the leading influences in our relationships with our families and friends. By delging into our personal lives, technology changes how we interact with our loved ones. Although the digital world can be an asset in many aspects, it can also destroy relationships and trust. Steve Tucker, a relationship counselor, claims that many of his clients have come to him after they discover a racy text message, exposing their partner’s infidelity. Some of these affairs begin in online chatrooms, which proceed to flirtatious text messages. He insists â€Å"People have actually jumped out of a marriage and filed for divorce and never met the person who’s the new object of their romantic interest† (Newsome 3). Although most of these affairs are not even sexual, they ruin the arguably most important aspect of a relationship, trust. In addition to infidelity, online games and pornography are equally distracting and detrimental to establishing healthy relationships. Alot of people are so enamored with online video games that they spend hours in front of their computer screen, forsaking their jobs, education, and relationships. However, it is critical to note that technology has also opened the doors to happiness for many couples, who have found love online. Although this is true, there are several possible issues that arise, such as the possibility of identity fraud when finding a romantic partner online. Furthermore, in some incidences, a suicidal individual’s life is saved when someone reports their provoking thoughts and messages. Yet, it is often difficult to tell whether the person is authentic, or just trying to seek attention. Furthermore, technology also impairs relationships with its distractions and interferences. Technology has made it difficult for us to ignore the impulse to check for updates. A study completed in 2011 discovered, â€Å"Smartphone users are developing checking habits-recurring 30-second glances at social media such as Facebook- as often as every 10 minutes† (Clemmitt 5). Consequently, it makes us oblivious of others around us. Clifford Nass, a professor at Stanford University, states, â€Å"Today, people think it’s okay to text in the middle of dinner, at a meeting, in class, wherever† (Greengard 18). As a result of the society that is becoming more interdependent on technology, it is now not unusual to see a father more intent on texting at his son’s football game, rather than on watching his son play. Accordingly, family members spend less quality time with each other when they succumb to the addiction of heavy technology usage. For instance, in a technology dominated household, the father might spend all his time watching television, the mother could spend hours shopping for the latest fashion trends, and the children may perhaps endlessly play online video games. Although some people claim that technology connects family and friends across the globe,  many studies have pointed that even if our loved ones are around us, we turn a blind eye and retreat to our technological devices. Moreover, technology gives us the delusion of  Technology gives us the illusion of intimacy.   â€Å"Constant connectively offers the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship.† Two educators at the University of Essex, Andrew K. Przybylski and Netta Weinstein, conducted an experiment that demonstrated cell phones do indeed affect relationship quality. The study divided the experimenters into two groups, one with their cell phones with them, and the other without. The participants were told to have a conversation. At the end of the experiment, the group with their cell phones nearby reported that they experienced a conversation with less empathy. which demonstrated that cell phones detrimentally affect relationship quality. Paragraph: Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is one of the few fundamental issues that arise from heavy technology usage. By definition, cyberbullying is the use of technology to threaten, defame, or harm someone. Every year, thousands of lives are claimed due to cyberbullying. According to a national study conducted by Jaana Juvonen, a psychology professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, â€Å"More than 70 percent of heavy Internet users ages 12 through 17 — mostly girls — said they had experienced at least one incident of online intimidation via e-mail, cell phones, chat rooms and other electronic media in the previous year† (Billitteri 2). Although  many cases are moderately harmless, some cases leave long-term effects. A study done by Justin W. Patchin, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, reports â€Å"Between 10 and 30 percent of children and teenagers report having been on one side or the other of an online bullying incident at some point† (Clemmitt 5). Works Cited Clemmitt, Marcia. Social Media Explosion.CQ Researcher. N.p. 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2014. http://mashable.com/2011/09/12/23-percent-online/

Dukes of Burgundy :: Essays Papers

Dukes of Burgundy By successive diplomatic marriages, by victories and annexations, the Dukes of Burgundy, since the time of Jean the Fearless, had constituted a vast zone of power, which rivaled that of the kingdom of France. The zone consisted of different regions and people enclosing the kingdom of France, from North Lyon to south of Amiens forming a semi-circular realm reaching as far as the north of the Netherlands. This was the longest reign in the history of France. Some the most notable of the dukes were Charles the Bold and his father, Philip the Good. Philip the Good enlarged his territory almost double its previous size. His lands included the duchy of Burgundy, Flanders, Artois, Babant, Luxembourg, Holland, Zeeland, Friesland, and Hainaut. Philip formed an allegiance with England, supporting the efforts of Henry V to secure the French crown until his subjects urged him to make peace with Charles VII of France. Philip founded the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1430. The Dukes of Burgundy placed at the order's disposal the resources of their enormous wealth. The order was formed to serve as a symbol of their power and be used to tie together the domains of the Burgundian State. The splendor of Burgundy during Philip's reign from 1396-1467 was unmatched in Europe. Charles the Bold reigned over Burgundy from 1467-77. He was the last heir of the dukes of Burgundy. His only child, Mary, became valuable as Europe's most marriageable heiress. Charles' surname (le Temeraine) really means "the Rash" and perhaps explains why he was a great antagonist of Louis XI. Although his Burgundian court surpassed that of monarchs of his time, he was lacking in the political realism of previous dukes. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of Nancy in 1477. The administration of the vast domain was put into the hands of Nicolas Rolin at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the 81 years of his life Nicolas Rolin spent almost sixty years in service of the Duke of Burgundy. He was an excellent administrator and wise politician. He found how to retrieve the Duchy of Burgundy from an English Alliance. He was also one of the founders of the treaty of Arras, which reconciled France and Burgundy, putting an end to the Hundred Years War.

Colonial period from 1607 to 1750 Essay

During the colonial period from 1607 to 1750 an â€Å"American† way of life emerged, differing from Old World European culture. This new lifestyle developed from the interaction of five major groups, including the; Native Americans, Chesapeake colonies, New England colonies, Indentured servants, and African slaves. Each of these peoples contributed ideas, principals, practices, and beliefs to the melting pot that would later become the United States of America. Native Americans had a significant impact on Europeans as early as America’s discovery in 1492 (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 14), during which time, the Columbian Exchange occurred. This initial exchange had a larger influence on Native American life than European, as the Old World explorers introduced diseases to which the Indians had no natural immunity (Yazawa, Melvin 46). According to Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey (15), in the Centuries after Columbus’ landfall, as many as 90 percent of the Native Americans perished. When Europeans returned to America in the 1600’s to develop permanent settlements, Native Americans reintroduced to them planting techniques and crops, such as corn and tobacco, that would revolutionize the early colonies economies and diet allowing them to grow and flourish and making them an important aspect of â€Å"American† culture (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 15). Additionally, Native Americans shared in the celebration of the first Thanksgiving with the Plymouth pilgrims (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 52), a holiday still important and beloved today. Later interactions between the Native Americans and Colonists were mainly hostile, as a result of the European’s insatiable land-lust, evident in such conflicts as the Pequot War (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 52). The aid Native Americans provided to early settlers allowing them to sustain themselves would result in the downfall and destruction of numerous Indian tribes, who had already dwindling populations as a result of European diseases (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 31). However, conflict forced Native Americans to band together, displaying a way in which Europeans shaped Indian history in America as well (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 32). The Chesapeake colonies were another group that largely influenced the development of the â€Å"American† culture. Virginia was the first colony; founded in 1607 by a joint-stock company hoping to find gold and a passage through America to the Indies (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 28). This company, named the Virginia Company of London, received a charter from the King for a settlement in the new world (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 28). This charter was important to the formation of an â€Å"American† pride. The document guaranteed the New World settlers would be guaranteed the same rights of Englishmen at home. However, this document later fueled the colonists desire for independence from their intrusive and controlling mother country (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 29). The introduction of tobacco to early settlers played a large role in the growth of the Chesapeake colonies, especially Virginia. In fact, tobacco growth was so important to colonists they threatened themselves with starvation by choosing to plant the cash crop over food crops (Wheeler and Becker 29). Without tobacco’s economic contribution to the survival of Virginia, contributions made by the colony might not have been made. Virginia’s House of Burgesses was the first representative legislative assembly in British North America (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 33). This was the first of many parliaments to emerge in America, justifying the efforts of the Colonists to eventually breakaway from British rule, as they believed themselves fit to oversee their own nation. The other Chesapeake colonies also contributed to the formation of a uniquely â€Å"American† way of life. Maryland, founded in 1634 (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 33), was haven to Roman Catholics seeking refugee in the new world. Without a place for this minority religion to survive, it might not have been sheltered in the new world. The Carolinas were composed of large expanses of open land, resulting in a large plantation agriculture system in the south (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 38) that resulted in the use of indentured servitude and slavery throughout southern America. However, the colony founded last in 1733, Georgia (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 38), slowed the immediate development of slavery in the Chesapeake colonies. As Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey stated, Georgia was a religiously tolerant settlement, which was slavery free until 1750. The New England colonies were formed largely so those settling in the colonies could be free of religious persecution, especially in Massachusetts Bay (Wheeler and Becker 30). According to Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey, The Mass. Bay colony was formed in 1628 (37), although the puritans who merged into the Massachusetts Bay colony from Plymouth arrived in 1620 (37). The Pilgrims who arrived in Plymouth influenced â€Å"American† ideals of freedom from oppression, through the Mayflower Compact. This document became quintessential to the creation of later constitutions. It was an agreement to form a crude government and submit to the will of the majority ( Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey). The Massachusetts Bay colony contributed early concepts of a liberal government to America. Local affairs and issues were eligible for discussion by a large percentage of adult men, and voting was completed by majority rules (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 47). However, religious leaders held significant power in the lives of the settlers, influencing the beliefs of those residing in the Massachusetts Bay colony. As a result, those threatening Puritan views such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams, were banished (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 48). This was actually advantageous for the development of a diverse American culture, as those forced outside of Massachusetts Bay moved to more accepting colonies, such as Rhode Island. Rhode Island was a region of varying religious beliefs and ways of life as there was a lack of religious oath or taxation present in so many of the other colonies (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey). The Dutch contributed names and settlers to the renamed New York colony after it was surrendered to the Duke of York in 1664 (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey). Pennsylvania, founded in 1681 according to Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey (60), was home to the passive Quakers. Pennsylvania influenced American ethnicity, as the colony attracted people of various backgrounds (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 61). Indentured servants played a large role in the growth of an American lifestyle. Prior to the popularity of slavery in the South, colonies such as Virginia and Maryland utilized indentured servants to tend large plantations (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 33). Indentured servants supported the cash crops that helped the early colonies thrive financially, without which finances, the colonies might not have survived (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 67). Once indentured servants had completed their terms, they became freemen, but remained much in the same position as before. They were penniless and searching for land and a job. These freemen also contributed to a rebellious and headstrong American people, willing to fight for what they believed in. During Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676, a group of young freemen led by Nathaniel Bacon attacked Indians near jamestown in retaliation of Indian attacks on frontier settlements (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 68). African slaves during the colonial period influenced the development of the American way of life. Due to economic change in colonies in the 1680’s (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 70), it was financially possible for plantation owners in the south to purchase African slaves as opposed to using indentured servants. Additionally, by 1662, distinctions between a white indentured servant and african slave were made in Virginia (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 72), which made blacks and their children the property of their white masters for life. African slavery in America made it possible for southern plantations to truly develop, at the cost of a people’s rights. African slaves were subject to a plethora of harsh conditions, including harsh hours and intensive labor in the blistering heat (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 72). This resulted in a large part of American economic success being reliant on the exploitation of a group of people. The American way of life developed as a result of the interaction of numerous groups including the Native Americans, the Chesapeake colonies, the New England colonies, the Indenture servants, and the African slaves. Native Americans contributed staple crops which would support the early settlers and modify the American diet permanantly. Chesapeake colonists, although originally settling the America’s in order to attain wealth, found a permanent home that they would later fight to rule. The New England colonists wrote up the Mayflower compact, a primitive agreement which would inspire later constitutions. The indentured white servants led to the eventual treatment of people solely as property in the case of African American slaves after indentured servitude ended. Slavery would prove to be a social barrier and issue for numerous years to come, as africans struggled to acquire the same rights as granted to white citizens.

Locking Up “Surplus” Labor Greed Surplus, De

Locking Up â€Å"Surplus† Labor Greed Surplus, De The first chapter of the reading speaks mostly about the differences in the percentages of certain racial groups in crime. Throughout the periods, such as the 1980's; described here in this chapter, minorities including African-Americans and Latinos and have a higher rate of serving prison sentences however they either have equal or lower rates of criminal activities then whites. The differences the author tried to examine is that there is a racial stereotype that most people have against minorities as well as people below the poverty level which in most situations are minorities anyhow. The police and other authorities "feel" that they have more of a need enforce the law upon neighborhoods that are predominately populated by the minorities, and have less of a duty to protect them from crimes and acts of violence.If a person of color is driving a car and them don't fit the description of a person that should be driving that type of car, especially if the license plates are out-of-sta te, that person has a high chance of being pulled over by the police and questioned or harassed.WAIS-IV FSIQ Scores by Race and Ethnicity