Federalism in India Essay

India is a big country characterized by cultural, regional, linguistic and geographical diversities. Such a diverse and vast country cannot be administered and ruled from a single centre. Historically, though India was not a federal state, its various regions enjoyed adequate autonomy from central rule. Keeping in view these factors in mind, the Constitution makers of India opted for the federal form of government. Though, the Government of India Act 1935 envisaged a federal set-up for India; federal provisions of the Act were not enforced. Thus, India became a federal polity with the Constitution of India. Federalism is a system of governance in which the powers to legislate is in two levels as Central and subordinate levels. Features of Federalism Federalism in India has a strong bias towards the Union Government. Some unique features of federalism in India are: * There is no equality of state representation. Representation in the Parliament can vary widely from one state to another depending on a number of factors including demography and total land area. * No double citizenship, i.e. no separate citizenship for country and state. * The consent of a state is not required by the Parliament to alter its boundaries. * No state, except Jammu and Kashmir, can draw its own Constitution. * No state has the right to secede. * No division of public services. The main features of Federalism * Provision for more than one form or government to act simultaneously on the same territory and on the same time. * Each government must have their own authority and spheres of power, though they may overlap. * Neither level of government, state or national can abolished the other. Why Federalism is Important? Federalism is important because of the following reasons: * Because of diversity, there is a division in the power of federalism (to legislate in better manner). * For better Administration. * Economic development in cultural diversity, linguistic groups, traditions, customs, natural resources. The concept is taken from U.S.A. in 1776 and at the time of U.S. government independence. How Democracy is linked with Federalism? In a democracy, the involvement of people at state level is more, as the people are free to choose their own representatives, for the people, of the people, by the people. What makes India a Federal Country? India is a vast country with numerous languages, religions and regions. The concept of federalism plays a vital role and the power sharing arrangements plays a crucial role in maintaining unity and harmony in the country. India got its independence in 1947 but it also resulted in painful partition that paved way to the formation of Pakistan. After independence, several princely states became a part of the country and the constitution declared India as a Union States. Despite the fact that the word federalism is not used or implied with Indian Union but it is largely based on the principles of federalism. All the above key features of federalism are well suited to the provisions of the Indian Constitution. The constitution of India provided two tiers of levels of governments â€Å"Central or Union Governments representing the Union of India and the state governments. Later, a third tier or level of federalism was formed and added in the forms of Panchayats and Municipalities. These three different tiers of governments enjoy separate jurisdictions and the constitution provides a three- fold distribution of legislative powers between the Union governments and the state governments. It comprises of three major lists and they are as follows: – 1. Union List: – This list includes subjects of national importance such as defence, foreign affairs, banking, communications and currency. They form as the part of Union list as we need a uniform policy on these important matters throughout the country. Union or Central government can only make laws relating to these above mentioned important subjects. 2. State List: – This list contains subjects of state and local significance and state governments alone can make laws relating to subjects like police, trade, commerce, agriculture and irrigation. 3. Concurrent List: – It can also be termed as co-existing list and includes subjects of common interest to both the Union Government as well as the State Governments. It includes subjects like education, forest, trade unions, marriage, adoption and succession. Both levels of government (Union and State governments) can make laws on these subjects. If their laws conflict with each other then the law made by the Union Government will reign and succeed. How is Federalism practiced? The success of federalism in India cannot be merely attributed to constitutional provisions but to the nature of democratic politics in our country. It ensured that the spirit of federalism, respect for diversity and desire for living together became a common goal in our country. The major reasons in which federalism has succeeded in our country are as follows: – 1. Linguistic states: – The formation of linguistic states was the first major test for democratic politics in India. There were lots of changes in democratic politics of our country from 1947 to 2006. In India, many old states have vanished while many states have been created. Even the names of areas, boundaries and states were changed during this period. In 1947, the year of independence, the boundaries of many old states were changed in order to create new states. It was done to ensure that the people speaking same language should reside in same state. It led to formation of some states that were created not on the basis of language but to recognise differences based on culture, ethnicity or geography. It includes states like Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand. There was fear of disintegration by some national leaders in our country when there was demand for the formation of states on the basis of language was raised. Earlier central government resisted linguistic states but the experience has shown that their formation has made country more united and integrated. It made administration procedure easier and opened doors of opportunities for everybody. 2. Language policy: – Our constitution has not given the status of national language to any one language. Language policy proved second major test for India federation and finally Hindi was identified as the official language of the country. Hindi, the official language of country proved to be mother tongue of only 40 percent of India and therefore there were many safeguards to protect other languages. Besides Hindi, constitution recognized 21 another languages as scheduled languages. All the states had their own official language and much of government work took place in the official language of the concerned states. Our leaders adopted a cautious and vigilant attitude in spreading the use of Hindi in India. According to Indian constitution, the usage of English for official use has to be stopped by 1965 but many non-Hindi speaking states resented it violently and wanted to continue with English. In Tamil Nadu, the movement took ugly turn as it turned into violent agitation. Thereafter, Central government responded positively and agreed to continue with usage of English along with Hindi for official purposes. But still Government of India continues to have encouraged the promotion of Hindi in their official policy. It does not mean that central government can impose Hindi on states where people speaks their own regional languages. 3. Centre State Relations: – The concept of federalism was strengthened to large extent by restructuring of centre and state governments relationships. It also largely depends on how the leaders of ruling party follow these arrangements. In India, the same party ruled both at the centre and at the most of the states. It means that the state governments did not exercise their rights as autonomous federal units. There were occasions where the parties at centre and state were different and in such cases central government tried to undermine the powers of state government. In those days, central government misused the constitution to dismiss the state governments that were governed by opposition parties. It undermined the spirit of federalism to large extent. After 1990, there was significant changes as the country saw the rise of regional parties in many states of the country. It was the arrival of the era of coalition governments at the centre. It led to new culture of power sharing and created a respect for the autonomy of state governments. This new trend was supported by a major judgment of Supreme Court that made difficult for Central government to dismiss state governments in an illogical manner. Federal power sharing holds more significance in today’s time than in early years when constitution came into force. Conclusion There are still other subjects that don’t fall in any of these lists. These subjects are computer software that came much after the formation of constitution in India. According to our constitution, Union government has the power to legislate on these left over or untapped subjects. Generally, it is learnt that holding together federations do not give equal power to its constituents so all states in Indian Union does not have identical powers. Jammu and Kashmir has its own constitution and enjoys special status and many provisions of Indian constitution are not applicable in this state. There are some units of Indian Union that enjoys very little power and these are areas which are too small to be recognized as an Independent state and could not merged with any other states. They are referred to as Union Territories and include areas like Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Delhi, capital city of India. These territories do not have the powers of the state as Union or Central Government runs these areas with their special powers. It is not easy to make changes to the power sharing arrangements of Union and state governments as it has to be passed with both the houses of parliament with at least two-third majority. After its approval from both the houses of parliament, it has to be authorized or ratified by the legislatures of at least half of the total seats. In case of disputes about the division of powers, the High court and Supreme Court makes the decisive decision. Both Union and State governments have the power to raise resources by imposing taxes in order to carry on the government and the tasks allocated to them.

Apple Strategy Management Essay

Formerly known as Apple Computer, Apple Inc. has effectively became a successful company in a competitive consumer electronics industry. The firm managed to outsell others by being innovative and differentiating its products through superior service standards and high quality products. To ensure standards are met, Apple outsourced its manufacturing to a reliable third party electronics manufacturing company, Foxconn Technology. In recent years, the smartphone industry is moving towards commoditization. This resulted in intense competition where constant innovation is required to withstand its business marketability. Apple’s strategic capabilities such as having tailored hardware/software systems has enabled the corporation to position itself in term of value, rarity, inimitability and non-substitution. However, to continue gaining its market share as the best smartphone, the corporation might need to review its business suitability, so as to maintain its market leadership in t he industry. This strategic analysis and evaluation report will hence review Apple’s performance and sustainability through using business level strategies before strategic recommendations are decided upon. In order for Apple to continually retain its market position, the corporation might need to consider its business suitability such as its strategic direction. Through market development, the company can increase its presence in new market segments. There is a need to look into its R&D (Research & Development), so that new products with unique features can progressively developed. Table of Contents Introduction (300words) 372 Background Information Apple Inc. is a technological company that had achieved great success in designing, producing and selling its wide range of products categories including Mac, IPad, IPod and IPhone, which brings innovations in computers, media tablet, Portable music players and mobile phones respectively. In addition, Apple also offers a variety of related software, applications, services, networking solutions, peripherals and third-party digital content which represent a revolutionary era for innovation and differentiation of Apple. (reuters). Although touch screens in mobile devices are not new, Apple managed to be the first to achieve mass market adoption for that technology by creating and launching the first IPhone series in January 2007. The IPhone was so much ahead of its time that it virtually created a new category in the market leaving everyone else playing catch up (Elliot, 2012). The Apple’s target market includes teenagers, college and university students, business people, young children and kids and adults. As of September 29, 2012, it had 412 retail stores in 14 countries around the world. (Financial Report 2012) At the same time, Apple had an extensive 72,800 regular employees and an additional 3,300 temporary employees or contractors worldwide (Apple 3 year PnL). Financial Performance According to the financial report, the company recorded total net revenue of $156,508 million during the fiscal year 2012, which shows an increase of 63% over fiscal year 2011. In which net profit accounted for $41,733 million, a 61% increase over fiscal year 2011 (Apple 3 year PnL). As observed from the report, Apple’s gross profit margin had rise from 40.5% to 43.9% in the past 2 years. This is mainly the result of effective implementation of cost-leadership and differentiation strategy over the years. (Find source). Culture The firm’s pervious CEO, Steve Job (from 1997 – 2011) had created a culture in which vision are understood and is live by their employees. He believes that communicating the vision to the employee is almost as important as coming out with new products (Elliot. Jay, 2012). This culture was kept alive even when Tim Cook took over as CEO (from 2011 – current) which essentially kept all Apple’s employees on the same page and enact the vision with true passion (Elliot. Jay, 2012) which is key to strategic management (Find that book) Macro Environment Analysis (700words) 803 PESTEL Analysis PESTEL analysis will be used to understand Apple’s external environment and gain an insight of Apple’s future business potential, market situation and operations directions. There are six elements in the PESTEL analysis; Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal (Find source). Considering developments, trends, indicative incidents at the global levels, we identify that Social, Technological and Legal element of the PESTEL analysis pose a much significant impact on Apple’s mobile phone SBU as compared to the rest. Social Apple’s social environment is one of key contributor for its success today and will continue to lead it into greater height in future (wei kang, 2013). It’s ‘think different’ slogan is the unique combination of simplicity, creativity and luxury image into the product that reflects the user’s individual identity and the desire to be different (Schneiders, 2011). Apple’s pervious CEO Steve Job always had a sense of what consumer really wanted and adjusted the company’s products line to meet their wants. In other words he tells them what they should love (VERGANTI, 2010). This is a phenomenon known as the cult marketing in which people do not know their wants until cult marketers present it to them (RAGAS & BUENO, 2005). In simple terms, Cult marketing is actually a tool used in strategy to strengthen customer loyalty (Schneiders, 2011). This element has significant positive impact as it allows Apple to have the strongest customer loyalty in the world and achieve the highest repurchase rate in the electronic field (MacNN, 2006). This effect can be seem worldwide whenever Apple launch their new product, Apple’s fans would camp for days in front of the store only to get one of its newest innovation. This shows that Apple’s users really love Apple unlike most others (NUSSBAUM, 2005). In addition, due to the technology development, Apple’s Products such as the IPhone are no longer being viewed as luxuries but real necessities goods (source). To succeed in the long run, Apple should follow and abide to its guiding principle; ‘don’t follow your customers; Lead them’ which implies that consumer need to be shown a superior alternative which Apple distinguishes itself and provide these alternatives (MacVarish, 2009). Technological The market for mobile phone and other electronic products that Apple offers puts them in a hyper competition environment driven by the fast pace of technological changes. Companies like Apple which manufacture such products will have to continually invest substantial amount of money on research and development (R&D) to produce better performance, new feature and better design products to counter the short life cycle and frequent introduction of new products in the market (source). According to MacVarish, one of Apple’s guiding principle for their innovation strategy was ‘Be your own toughest Critic’. In which, Apple aims to offer new product lines that replaces older products making their them obsolete and thus preventing competitor from doing so. With this principle to beat itself, Apple managed to beat its competitors too (MacVarish, 2009). Ultimately this enable Apple to lead the market as it did in the launching of the different generation of IPhone especially IPhone 5 which become the world’s best-selling Smartphone worldwide during the 4th quarter of 2012 (Maisto, 2013). As a result, Apple’s R&D expense increases exponentially from $1.782 billion in 2010 to $3.381 billion in 2012 (Apple 3 year PnL). Due to their research intensive nature to keep innovation ahead of competitors, Apple becomes less cost-effective in saturated markets and is exposed to greater risk if it’s R&D does not come through (source). Legal The intellectual property war has long being used as tool in technology and management strategy by companies such as Apple to gain strategic advantage against their competitors. Apple alone has filled as many as 250,000 patents for the IPhone and other Smartphone covering the design and functionality of these products (Cusumano, 2008). Apple had lawsuits all around the world with its competitors such as Samsung, Motorola and Nokia both suing and being sued over violation of each other’s patents (source). One such case is the lawsuit in the U.S between the Apple and one of its top smart phone competitor; Samsung in which the jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damage and ordered some of Samsung’s Smartphone products off shelf in parts of the US (source). This verdict allows the IPhone to gain distinctive advantage in the US market and at the same time helped Apple in advertising and broadcast IPhone originality. In addition the amount of damage awarded to Apple could be counted as revenue which eventually increases the profit margin significantly for of Apple that quarter. In conclusion, while most lawsuits Apple filed comes with little success, any court decisions that verdict in favor of Apple’s patents will likely allow IPhone to remain distinctive in the market (Cusumano, 2008). Industry (Competitive) Analysis 815 Michael Porter’s 5-forces model Apple’s competitive position and its attractiveness in the smart-phone market can be explained in analyzing the Porter’s 5-Forces framework (Porter, 1980). Using the competitive forces, it would identify the competitiveness and its ability to position itself with diversification. It will show its sustainability and profitability of its iPhone series. Threat of Potential Entry/Barriers to entry – LOW The smart-phone industry is saturated and poses strong barriers to potential entrants who are keen to enter the market. Presently, there are a few well-established competitors that have a large market share and economies of scale which limits new entrants from entering. Its strong brand presence and consumer loyalty is a hindrance to potential entrants (Bostic, 2013). New entrants require a large amount of capital investment, so as to compete against the market leaders. Due to large economies of scale, it is nearly impossible for this new entrants to enter and gain substantial market share. Sometimes, there is a need for new entrant to innovate such as creating distinctive features or software to compete. But this usually brought about by lack of resources as investing in ample resources does not come cheap. Legal terms such as patents and trademarks serves as a barrier to new entrants. New entrants also face barriers such as legal terms. These are usually patents or trademarks that the dominants players have. This market leaders such as Apple Inc have patents on its designs of iPhones including software such as iTunes. This prevents any infringements from new entrants to copy similar ideas. After all, Apple is still a dominant player in the smart-phone market and competing against Apple really requires a new entrant high start-up costs. Reference: Bostic, K, (2013), â€Å"Study finds 20% of Apple iPhone users switched away from Android in past year†, Apple Insider Porter, M, (1980), â€Å"Competitive Strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors†, Free Press, Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group Rivalry between competitors – HIGH The smart-phone market is very well-developed and there is a high degree of concentration. It is controlled by a few large competitors which are Apple’s strong rivalry. This are dominant smart-phone players such as Samsung, LG and HTC Mobile which has high capital investments. Smart-phones have become a commodities item that any person will require. As such, dominant players have been placing an emphasis on competitive pricing. This will enable them to gain an edge over competitors. These competitors are generally of comparable size with Apple in its operations. Due to stiff rivalry, Apple will differentiate itself in terms of design features and functionalities. Its competitors have also aggressively seek a leadership position in the smart-phone market by constantly innovating and seeking new changes. The result of technology advancement has also caused an increased competition to seek change in the industry. This in turn results in rivalry among smart-phone players to stream line its products and constantly refreshed its gadgets to meet the demand, so as to stay in competition. (Apple Inc Report, 2009). References: Apple Inc. SEC 2009 Form 10-K Filing Page 16 Threat of substitutes – MODERATE It may seems that Apple has a variety of substitutes in the market, but the nature of Apple’s products sets itself apart from competitors. Although it may seem that Apple has an extensive array of substitutes in the market, but its proprietary nature of products sets itself apart from competitors. Presently, its threat of substitutes of its smart-phones (e.g: iPhone5) are still moderate. But competitors are already riding on its successes by constantly innovating and substitutes it with a similar product in the market. In general, Apple sources its parts from various suppliers, thus keeping itself unique in the smart-phone market. As such, Apple still have to constantly stay innovative and price conscious so as to effectively positioned itself against other competitors with a strong branding and following. As such, its differentiation strategy can effectively diversified itself from others. Bargaining Power (buyers) – LOW There are many smart-phone brands in the market that is a substitute to Apple’s iPhones, but the bargaining power by buyers remain low. The main fact is that Apple’s focuses on differentiating its products from its competitors. Its unique designs, features and cult marketing are testimony to its loyalty by buyers. Its niche market in the smart-phone industry also makes buyers less sensitive on product pricing. Customers or loyal fans of Apple are still willing to pay regardless of the price. Although major retailers or businesses have some relative power to bargaining due to its bulk volume, individual buyers still have no control especially on their product pricing. Apple’s lack of third party options also means that buyers have less options for other product. Bargaining Power (Suppliers) – LOW Apple relies on a variety of suppliers in its manufacture for smartphones. Usually, it is not limited to just one single supplier for various components in the assembly of its smartphones. As such, this leaves Apple’s suppliers with less bargaining power over prices. This enables Apple to successfully create a competitive advantage over its competitors in the market (Apple Annual Report, 2012). Due to its bulk quantities of components, Apple Inc can have a leverage over suppliers through negotiating better terms and pricing. This allows Apple to have a lower cost structure and ensures a higher profit margin as compared to its competitors. Apple’s Strategic Capabilities 684 Analysis Apple’s integrated system of hardware and software has enabled the firm to successfully market and develop to be their most valuable strategic resources (Dhaliwal, 2009). It was their former CEO, Steve Jobs that pulled Apple’s back to the growth stage. Apple’s talented team of software engineers, programmers and designers are the firm’s key resources in innovating. This enables Apple to utilize their knowledge to successfully create a tailored hardware and software system which serve as its key capabilities. Its integration in its key capabilities has allowed Apple to create a competitive advantage and sustainability in the market (â€Å"Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition,† 2009). Resource/Capability| Value| Rare| Imitate| Non-substitution| Relationships with OEMs| √| | √| | Retail locations| √| √| √| | Tailored Hardware/Software Systems| √| √| √| √| Figure 1: VRIN Table Applying VRIN, The VRIN model, a four key criteria resource-based view, examines if Apple Inc. uses its strategic resources to create a competitive advantage. Relationships with OEMs Apple holds good relations with its OEM business partners in China. It includes companies such as Foxconn and Hon Hai Precision Industry. This close relationships that the firm maintains with its partners assures that the outputs produced are superior and of high quality. This allows Apple to be ahead of other smart-phone manufacturers who prefers not to outsource production. Value: Its strong relationships maintained with its business partners allow Apple to take advantage of opportunities by Foxconn, such as cheap manufacturing costs. This ensures that the firm can provide a sustained value in its products and thus reducing any threats (Barney, 1991). Inimitability: Competitors can still imitate by following Apple’s strategy of finding an OEM partner. But what sets Apple apart from the rest, is its ability to maintain its development of software, which others has problems imitating despite having an OEM partner. The intention of Apple Inc. is to integrate multiple functions into developing an Apple product. This will ensure Apple’s users get the most value when they purchase the final product. Apple Inc. ability of combining all 5 aspects of key strategic resources/capabilities into one, allows the firm to be ahead of competitors due to its sustained value and its success in taking opportunities and reducing threats. (Barney, 1991). Retail Locations The introduction of Apple’s retail stores provide the corporation with a physical presence and convenience to its customers. It allows Apple to create a store image by providing an attractive store front and superior customer service. This key resource serves as an important value to Apple which is a relative rarity in the industry. Value: Its strategic locations of its retail stores worldwide provide consumers with the ability to reach its products easily. This gives Apple a competitive advantage against competitors. Rarity: Apple’s strategy in positioning its store and differentiating its products ensures that the firm is in a leadership position. Its unique factors of its strategic retail location are a rarity to the organization. Talented software development teams Apple has a capable team of software developers. This are often carefully chosen by the corporation and serves as Apple’s most talented programmers. They assist Apple with introducing important products. But often developers of this caliber are not rare in the IT industry, neither are they tough to imitate. Hence other smart-phone manufacturers such as Samsung Mobile can also train or hire strong caliber of developers too. Industrial Design Capability Industrial design capability is one of Apple Inc. strategic resource that serves as a function of its innovation ability. Its capability of its innovative design teams are valuable to the corporation. Its innovative design teams also have strong teamwork which forms one of Apple Inc. strategic resource too. This enables Apple to indeed be very valuable, rare among its competitors and also its difficulty in imitation. Tailored Hardware/Software Systems Apple Inc. competitive advantages among competitors are having a tailored hardware and software systems. It is one of Apple’s most important abilities as it is only specifically designed and built in its integrated products. Its ‘closed system’ styles also form its specialty as most competitors relied on third party software. One example would be Samsung Mobile adopting the Google’s Android market. Its capability of combining its own design, software development, hardware programmers ensures its competitive advantage. Value: The benefits of having its own hardware and software ensure that the firm provides value to its consumers. Rarity: The rarity of having a dynamic team of talented staff allows the firm to develop specialized hardware and software which are unique to the company. This are important factors which identifies Apple’s power in the industry. Inimitability: Apple’s inimitability in most of its strategic capabilities allows the firm to be of a competitive advantage than its competitors. In particular, its tailored software, iOs app store was developed ahead of its competitor, Samsung mobile who adopted the Google Play store. Though Apple has a talented team of software developers, this is still inimitable as competitors can train and develop staff. In general, Apple’s strong strategic capabilities still prevent competitors from intimidating. Non-substitution: In general, Apple’s products are substitutable with alternative products. The reason that sets apart from its competitors is its brand identity and its tailored hardware and software. This development serves as a unique factor which no third-party can substitute. Sustainability as Competitive Advantage To successfully sustain Apple’s continued performance and competitive advantage, its management may consider seeking exclusive partnerships or arrangements with its OEM partners to bring costs down and probably reaching out to more countries with expansion of Apple’s stores. These strategies will allow Apple to continually lead the market with its dominance and market share. Value The intention of Apple Inc. is to integrate multiple functions into developing an Apple product. This will ensure Apple’s users get the most value when they purchase the final product. Apple Inc. ability of combining all 5 aspects of key strategic resources/capabilities into one, allows the firm to be ahead of competitors due to its sustained value and its success in taking opportunities and reducing threats. (Barney, 1991). Rare In the smart-phone industry, there are many brands that compete directly with Apple iPhones. But what stands out against competitors is Apple’s ability to position and differentiate its products. Its innovativeness in industrial design, specialized hardware/software and its strategic retail location allows Apple to gain its uniqueness in the market. This assures Apple Inc. as a successful organisation due to its brand identity and superior quality.Inimitate Apple’s inimitability in most of its strategic capabilities allows the firm to be of a competitive advantage than its competitors. In particular, its tailored software, iOs app store was developed ahead of its competitor, Samsung mobile who adopted the Google Play store. Though Apple has a talented team of software developers, this is still inimitable as competitors can train and develop staff. In general, Apple’s strong strategic capabilities still prevent competitors from inimitating. Non-substitution Generally, Apple’s products are substitutable with alternative products. The only reason that sets apart from its competitors are its brand identity and ability to keep hold of Apple’s fans. Its talented teams of software developers and tailored hardware/software are an uniqueness to Apple and no third-party can be substituted. Business Strategy 781 Strategy Statement An analysis shows that there is a strategy shift in Apple for its smart Phone business as the company had a change in leadership since 2012. Apple’s current goal is to give its consumer the best product experience by offering superior high and low-middle end products that are user friendly, innovative in design and feature, integrate seamlessly and excellence sales and post-sale support experience for consumers (forbes). Generic Competitive Strategy Apple’s is pursuing a hybrid combination of product differentiation and cost leadership strategy. With the combination of the 2 strategy, Apple managed to achieve high profit margin where it produces its smart phone cheaply and selling them at a premium price. Competitive scope (broad target) Under Tim cook’s (CEO of Apple from 2012- current) lead, Apple started to explore new territory by building on the success of its current smart phone business unit and expanding it into emerging markets. This strategy is seen to be put into action with the announcement of the IPhone 5s and IPhone 5c (a watered-down version of the IPhone series) launch (Apple main website). With the dual launch of the IPhone 5s and IPhone 5c, Apple managed to position its product in both the premium and non-premium category respectively that offers 2 price points. The IPhone 5s will continue to address their current market while the IPhone 5c will catered to more price sensitive customer base especially from the emerging market. Competitive Advantage (Lower cost and Differentiation) Given that Apple will be having a dual IPhone launch with almost the same design, features and running on the same operating system (ISO 7), it will achieve economies of scope where cost factors such as advertising and research and development will be shared. In addition, the 2 IPhone caters to different market segment, allowing Apple to have a larger addressable market where economies of scales can be achieved by driving supplier’s cost down with the promise of increase order quantity. These factors will help Apple deliver cost leadership in the smart phone industry. However despite the increasing effort in research and development to bring about innovation and to differentiate their smart phone, Apple failed to produce sufficient uniqueness and dimension that is valued by their consumer. In fact, Apple is replicating its previous IPhone model with minimum introduction of ‘game-changing’ features. The company’s reduce pace of innovation can be inferred fro m its latest launched flagship IPhone, the IPhone 5s which retains the dimensions and design of its pervious flagship; Phone 5 with little addition to its feature and performance (yahoo news). Value Chain Apple.inc has been able to perfect the chain of activities in innovation. Apple starts from its new ideas of product design through R&D with its strategy capability and extensive funding. Then manufacturers it and finally markets it wholeheartedly. The process of transforming inputs into outputs compromises a number of primary and support activities† (Hill and Jones, 2001, p.133). Each value is considered to be a source of competitive advantage. Value chain analysis is a powerful tool for managers to identify the key activities within the firm which form the value chain for that organisation, and have the potential of a sustainable competitive advantage for accompany. Therein, competitive advantage of an organisation lies in its ability to perform crucial activities along the value chain better than its competitors Technology Development Buying and R&D Inbound Logistics Most components are generally available from multiple sources; a number of components are currently obtained from single or limited sources. Hardware products are manufactured by outsourcing partner primary in Asia e.g. Foxconn. Delegate raw materials acquisition – Apple works with its OEM partners to delegate the raw materials acquisition process but provides some supervision for quality control purpose. Automated receiving systems – Apple has implemented sophisticated automated receiving systems to speed up the receiving process and reduce facility footprint and storage space requirement That is a concern for suppliers. Apple’s smartphone margins are the highest in the industry. But as those margins come under pressure, Apple will push suppliers to cut costs. Flat-panel televisions followed a similar pattern, with margins for screens eventually falling to near break-even levels, says Alberto Moel, an analyst at Bernstein Research.( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323610704578625540722848194.html) Outbound Logistics Apple used variety of direct and indirect distribution channel, such as retail stores,online stores and direct sales force, 3 Rd party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers and value added resellers. Apple continue to expand and improve its distribution capacities by expanding the number of its own retail stores worldwide in order to ensure a high quality buying experience for its product. Economical packing – Apple employed teams of design and engineering experts who develop product packaging that’s slim and light yet protective. Efficient packaging design not only reduces materials and waste, it also helps reduce the emissions produced during transportation. Marketing & Sales http://www.docstoc.com/docs/121102555/Apple-Computer-Value-Chain http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/30/us-honhai-idUSBRE83T08K20120430 References used: Dhaliwal, A. (2009). â€Å"Apple’s Q4 results beat analysts? Estimates; quarterly profit rises to $1.67 billion.† Top News, retrieved on September 14, 2010 from: http://topnews.us/content/27794-apple-s-q4-results-beat-analysts-estimates-quarterly-profit-rises-167-billion â€Å"Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition.† (2009). Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. retrieved on September 14, 2010 from: http://www.eicc.info/PDF/EICC%20Code%20of%20Conduct%20English.pdf Barney J, (1991), â€Å"Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage†, Journal of Management, vol. 17, no1, p99-125 Identifying the strategy Generic Competitive Strategy Apple is pursuing a broad differentiation strategy. Apple differentiates by offering high-quality, exceptional design, and personalized service. The scope of their strategy is broad targeting customers ranging from unsophisticated beginner users to specials needs power-users. 1) Cost-leadership 2) Differentiation Business Suitability Apple Inc. is concerned with which strategic directions and methods suggested addressed the issues the corporation faced (Johnson & Scholes, 2008). It assists in determining the business suitability of strategic choices which relates to the strategic position. To test on Apple’s suitability on its proposed business strategies, the Porter’s value chain model is chosen to consider the internal factors of the organization. Strategic Directions Market Penetration Presently, Apple’s infrastructure is very well established and developed. But the corporation should still continue in its infrastructure developments, so as to achieve back its high market share in the smartphone industry. Its market penetration business strategy relies heavily on its primary activities such as inbound logistics, outbound logistics; and sales and marketing. To continue moving towards the market penetration direction, its support activities do play apart. The technology development will then be in a position to assist the support to the proposed strategy. Product Development Apple may need to consider a strategic drift to gain a competitive advantage in its business strategy. The product development strategy gets its assistance from support activities such as developing new products to meet customer demands. To increase its firm performance and market share, Apple is introducing new features such as finger sensor on its new iPhone5s and also colored version of its iPhone5c (Apple.com). This new features or product development somehow serves a determining factor whether Apple will achieve its business strategy or affects its corporate performance. Market Development At present, the firm is adopting the market development strategy. It assists Apple in venturing into new market segments. Thus, there is the importance to focus especially on the primary activities of inbound and outbound logistics, sales and marketing. Apple is still able to rely on its OEM partners for resources especially in manufacturing, which serves as Apple’s key competency. To move ahead, Apple might need to enter or develop new market, such as in developing markets which it has zero presence. With its strong alliance partner, such as Foxconn, Apple is able to utilize its logistics part and its strong sales and marketing to open up new market. Hence, these three suggested business strategies are suitable to evaluate the value chain, and Apple can carry any of these strategies ahead. Apple will need to consider which strategy will achieve its overall business objectives to sustain itself in the market. Conclusion Reference List 1) http://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=AAPL.O (reuters) 2) http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AAPL/2634031917x0x444195/E7A8FE5F-8835-46AB-ACC2-6FA28DFB546D/Three_Yr_Financial_History.pdf (Apple 3 year PnL) 3) Porter. ME, (2008), ‘The Five Competitive Forces that Sharpe Strategy’, Harvard Business Review, vol. 86, no. 1, pp. 78-93, Business Source Complete, (online) Available at: EBSCOhost database [Accessed:15 sept 2013] (Porter, 2008) 4) MacVarish, B. (2009, August 13). Guiding Principles of Apple Innovation.brucemacvarish.com. Retrieved January 29, 2010, from http://www.brucemacvarish.com/2009/08/guiding-principles-of-innovation-at-apple1-dont-follow-your-customers-lead-themapple-tends-to-place-less-emphasis-on-evide.html (MacVarish, 2009) 5) Cusumano, M 2008, ‘Technology Strategy and Management: The Puzzle of Apple’, Communications Of The ACM, 51, 9, pp. 22-24, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 16 July 2013. (Cusumano, 2008) 6) http://www.forbes.com/sites/mobiledia/2012/02/19/nuts-apples-ceo-reveals-future-strategy-google-to-expand-into-hardware/ (forbes) 7) (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/apple-unveils-iphone-5s-iphone-5c-slideshow/five-colors-iphone-5c-cases-photo-181338126.html) (yahoo news) 8)

How to Succeed in College Essay

For many students, transitioning from high school to college can be a nightmare; however, it does not have to be that way. Many high school students do not know what to study or where to study. In addition, they have many more questions about this academic process and how to succeed in their college career. Students need to know that college life is just like a marathon, which begins prior the first year of college, so they will need to prepare themselves before this new academic adventure begins. Thus, if students want to succeed in college, it is imperative to pay attention and follow some simple advice to make it happen. First, it is very important to discover and understand about yourself. Discovering and understanding your interests, skills or talents, and personality are keys to choose an academic major and institution. Students usually do not know what to study or what college to go to while they are in the last year of high school and one step away from college. If that is the case, you ought to seek for careers that have subjects which are related to your interests and skills, so you do not get frustrated when taking college classes. You need to remember that the best way of learning and succeeding is enjoying what you do. Once you have chosen your academic major, it is time to look for a college or university that is convenient for you. When deciding on a college, you should take a few key points in consideration as: how prestigious is the education of the college or university? How far is it from your home? Does the college or university have financial aid available? After you chose your academic major and college, you are ready to get to know your campus. You should get a map and a catalog of the campus, so you can find out where classrooms, labs, libraries, offices, and services are located. It is not in vain when they say, â€Å"School is your second home!† Therefore, you need to know the environment and culture of your college as your own home. Students sometimes do not realize that if they get to know their institution, they would feel more connected to it. Furthermore, knowing your college has many more advantages because you would know where to go when you have a problem or questions. Throughout this journey, you can also have the opportunity to meet helpful and very interesting people who will make your academic life easier and more enjoyable. Once you have gotten to know your institution, it is time to get started with your academic life. You will need to develop educational habits in this new world of college. You must remember that college is like a marathon, and every good athlete has to train everyday in order to succeed. For that reason, you will have to incorporate some academic habits in your life during college to nourish and make easier the learning process. Therefore, you always have to go to class even though it may sound tedious. Also, if a topic is not clear when attending classes, you need to ask all the questions necessary until you understand it. Do not feel ashamed of asking questions. Students usually keep their questions because they are afraid of asking in front of their classmates. It is also essential to find a place without distractions where you can actually study and spend quality time with your books and notes from your classes. In addition, reading and doing your homework everyday have to be part of your educational life. Likewise, you should spend more time on the classes or subjects that are more difficult for you. You ought to remember that what you put into your educational life is what you will get as a result. Consequently, your effort is quite important in this stage of your career. Also, you need to quit procrastinating homework or college activities, so you do not get overwhelmed by trying to do everything at once at the last minute. Being consistently organized and disciplined with your academic agenda will give you control over your academic life. After incorporating and developing positive habits, you need to keep in mind not to get obsessed or excessively concerned with your grades because academic success will happen in a natural manner. College is a remarkable stage of your life, so you should live in the moment. College education is once in a lifetime, so you should enjoy this learning experience along with everything that comes with it. You only need to pack your best attitude and get ready to enjoy the best time of your life during this journey. Finally, it is important to take good care of yourself if you want to perform well academically. You take care of yourself when you have a balanced life. You need to get enough sleep, eat healthy food, and exercise frequently; so that your academic performance does not get affected. Keep in mind that your body and mind are directly connected to each other, so you need to take care of both appropriately to be successful in college. If you follow this simple guidance, your experience in college would be exceptional. These valuable suggestions combined with your skills and best efforts will effectively help you to succeed in your college career. Take your nicest outfit and get ready to embark on the journey of your life! You can really love this new educational world and reach your academic goals while learning!

International Law and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Law and Development - Essay Example Compliance with counter terrorism measures has affected the ability of humanitarian organisations to provide assistance based on the principles of neutrality and impartiali...ty. Law and development is a topic that concerns the potential of law as an instrument of social change in developing countries. The key objective of this assignment is to evaluate the impact of public international law in an era which has been affected by changes in policies due to anti-terrorism laws and their affects on development assistance in developing countries. The key problem in this respect is that counter terrorism legislation and other policies have directly affected levels of development assistance, as many donors are now afraid of the consequences of indirectly funding designated entities or individuals. What is Development Aid Assistance? Development assistance can be separated into two sectors – private and public. Private aid is concerned with financial aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social and political development of developing countries. It is distinguished from humanitarian aid (public aid) which focuses on long-term poverty alleviation. This assistance ensures that the country can develop instead of sliding back into conflict. Some examples include: the reconstruction of property and infrastructure, the return of displaced security, governance, transport of food and supplies, and the rebuilding of the economy. The aim of development assistance is to help developing countries function on their own and ensure that they can function independently after aid is extended to them. Public aid deals with humanitarian aid and its general aim is to help people in third world countries, particularly the most

Training and Employee Development Annotated Bibliography

Training and Employee Development - Annotated Bibliography Example Undeniably, training is a very important component of any profession and as such every organization has to provide for the training needs. The provision comes in varying forms, for instance, large enterprises can have dedicated training departments while small organizations can outsource the services from individuals or dedicated training institutions( Carliner 2003, p. 45). There are is need to have a form of training, whether it is outsourcing or having an established and dedicated department. First, training is beneficial to the company staff in many ways and to the company since they are the company’s critical asset. It improves organizational efficacy through the use of refined skill imparted to the trainees. It also transforms the organization by improving the capabilities of the human resource department (HRD). The HRD is able to perform effectively and deliver its mandate to supply the company with a motivated and equipped workforce. The fundamental aim of training is to develop the capacity to realize and accomplish a company’s aims. Developing this capacity requires learning new skills, communication patterns, attitudes, and knowledge. In some instances, the aforementioned already are in the trainees and the training comes in handy to refresh or hone those requirements. The initial form of training was developing organizational skills of workers. In the early ages, industrialization, and development, workers were required to work together and in groups. To enhance coordination, groups were required to have a common understanding of the tasks and role-playing. In this century, training progress is relentless. The training activity assumes that you can prepare individuals for the future by taking them through what worked in the past. Training department has had challenges from the changing times.     

Review of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle - Essay Example Multiple jobs, and long hours "And, for this, at the end of the week, he will carry home three dollars to his family, being his pay at the rate of five cents per hour-just about his proper share of the million and three quarters of children who are now engaged in earning their livings in the United States." (85). His wife and children are forced to find jobs of their own. They continue to barely survive. These initial American experiences take their toll on the Rudkus family, and they lose the hope they brought with them from Lithuania. Jurgis and his family learn that hard way that justice dos not exist in a capitalist society where only corruption is rewarded. The trials of the Rudkus family continue. Jurgis is injured at his work and is forced to spend two months healing. When he returns to work he has been replaced and finds work at a glue factory. Bills continues to pile up, his wife is expecting another child, and he to drinks. The family continues to spiral into poverty as Jur gis learns that his wife was forced to sleep with her boss. This symbolizes and demonstrates Sinclair sole message with in the novel - corrupt and merciless capitalists are screwing over immigrant families. Jurgis seeks his revenge an confronts the man who raped his wife.

Factors influencing Language and Literacy - (4) Language Change Essay

Factors influencing Language and Literacy - (4) Language Change - Essay Example With the shift to understanding the importance of culture in teaching English as a second language, teachers are faced with new challenges when teaching adults. Language is complex, far more than just making language and grammar choices. For instance, try translating the phrase â€Å"Linguists have been interested in several aspects of language variations† into Spanish, and then translating the Spanish back to English: Los lingà ¼istas han estado interesados en varios aspectos de la variacià ³n de la lengua. The translation reads: â€Å"The linguists have been interested in various aspects of the variation of the tongue.† That might be quite true because the tongue has a great deal to do with forming words, but it isn’t the phrase that was originally translated. Translation is one of many specific factors that influence language change. What else must be taken into consideration in an analysis of change? An effort will be made to investigate factors such as cultural variation, social networking, ethnicity, communication in a family-unit and technological advances, as they relate to teaching and learning a different la nguage. Looking back at the history of the English language over the past hundred years, pronounciation, spelling and meaning have changed very little, but the number of words has greatly increased because of the industrial revolution and the advent of a technological society. Also, military history, with wars throughout the 1900s, made military language very much a part of the century (Wilton, 2005). In Great Britain, the variances of language, i.e. accent, dialect, variety and register, are especially evident in different sections of England. American English has its own regional dialects, as well as different spelling, pronounciation and meaning for many English words. In Australia, both accent and dialect, as well as several words unique to the continent, make the English language distinctive there. For people from Asian

Case Analysis (Continued 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Analysis (Continued 2) - Essay Example So, in the remainder of the present segment, we shall attempt to determine Otis’s position on the Global Integration / Local Responsiveness Grid to determine the extent of the veracity of the statement. So, it is evident that Otis in Russia is influenced both by global as well as local factors. Thus, from this perspective, the notion of Otis being solely Russian does not hold. It is true that local factors play an important role, but the impact of global integration factors is not insignificant enough to validate the statement. However, if we consider the facts that the Russian operation is self financed with all employees and traditions being Russian, along with the strength of the local responsiveness factors, the statement cannot be so easily invalidated. The most important part is that Modernization, which is the most important part of the business, was invented and introduced by Otis in Russia, the statement does seem to be at least partially true. To facilitate an enhanced perception of the possible areas that can be focused upon to increase the extent of value created, the value creation at various stages is presented in the following table. The accorded comments for each stage in resources, assets and competencies are explained thereon through a more detailed narration. Otis’s prime strength lies in its R&D capabilities. Being a part of United Technologies Company (UTC), Otis strives on its constant innovations which in fact account for a significant part of the company’s budgets. UTC has a considerable number of engineering centers spread all over the globe and the culminated know how is efficiently utilized for all major subsidiaries. As a result resources, assets as well as competencies, all are significantly value generating for the R&D stages. Particularly in case of Otis-Russia, it benefits from not only this

1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

1 - Essay Example Each of these will be explored in turn with examples but greater emphasis on the last two. Cost has always been an obstacle to having many computers in schools (Micromart, N.d.). Low cost computing was then pioneered by the British Sir Clive Sinclair although the Acorn’s BBC eventually became more popular in UK schools (Lee, 2009). The greatest influx of computers into UK schools thus began in the late 1980s when the educational authorities supported the move (Smith, n.d.). Generally, the affordability of computers has been improving (Reddy, 2006) resulting in more of them being present in schools today. This includes laptops, as their prices and maintenance costs have been falling steadily making cost less of an obstacle nowadays (Warschauer, 2008). The form factor refers to the physical size and configuration of the computer hardware, or the physical arrangement of its case or internal components (Tech Target, 2005). As far as the outward size is concerned, computers have generally become smaller in size making them more convenient and space saving including peripherals such as the monitor. Early computers were too large for schools (Eteokleous, 2008). They also lacked sound and graphics capabilities (Smith, n.d.). The latest major trend in computer design is the tablet form. This follows on from the attempt at making smaller and cheaper laptops called notebooks. This form is likely to be more successful than notebooks because it is less bulky. Apple has led the way with its iPad, described by the company itself as "a whole new kind of device" (Apple, 2010). It offers more functionality than e-readers such as Amazons kindle and is easier to carry around than a netbook. This kind of convenience in a new computer form and at a lower cost than the traditional computers makes it ideal in education. The iPad like all e-readers can contain many textbooks which is easier than carrying several real textbooks

Siemenss knowledge management strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Siemenss knowledge management strategy - Essay Example This essay discusses that the ability of the government to protect and make effective use of the intellectual capital of the workforce declines with an increase of the retirement rate among the federal workforce. The agency loses its timely decision making ability with the lack of critical knowledge. Where there is lack of knowledge management, agencies are neither able to execute their projects in a timely manner nor they able to complete the project within the estimated cost. Having assessed this dilemma, a representative of the Aberdeen Group said, â€Å"Knowledge workers today are losing productivity in an endless search for information they know resides in the organization but is not easily accessible†. One way for an agency to spread the critical knowledge of program to a wide range of stakeholders is by implementing an effective knowledge framework along with an enterprise-wide strategy of knowledge management. Teams benefit from this flexibility by gaining a way to com prehend the effects as well as interdependencies of the constantly changing environments along the project’s life. The data an agency has at a certain point in time is nothing more than mere representation of the temporal circumstances. There needs to be an appropriate knowledge management strategy in place to understand the relation of the data with different variables and to use it in the decision making process. The knowledge management strategy enables the workers to use the knowledge in the decision making process as they are able to completely understand different aspects of the knowledge. This paper looks into the knowledge management strategies implemented by the Siemens Company. Literature Review The Frid’s Knowledge Management Model Various strategies and models have been conventionally proposed for knowledge management. One of such models is the Frid’s Knowledge Management Model. The Frid’s Knowledge Management Model divides the assessment leve ls of knowledge management maturity into five levels. These five levels are â€Å"knowledge chaotic, knowledge aware, knowledge focused, knowledge managed, and knowledge centric† (Haslinda and Sarinah, 2009, p. 195). The first level proposes that organizations tend to comprehend and implement the Frid framework of knowledge management by working upon the vision, objectives, and indices of knowledge management. In order to optimize on their potential of knowledge management, organizations tend to advocate and adapt the departmental vision of knowledge management. The second level of knowledge awareness considers organizations to be at a higher step than the ones at knowledge chaotic. At this point, organizations need to focus on the development on a road map of knowledge management and a collaborative working with the office of knowledge management. The third level requires organizations to cover the aspects of implantation just like in the lower two levels. At this level, org anizations need to integrate the knowledge management into the process engineering, develop initial infrastructure of service, training and knowledge management, and make the budgets inclusive of knowledge management. â€Å"[T]he fourth level termed as knowledge managed adopt the fundamental activities suggested in level one, two and three other than organizations should attempt to embed knowledge management in performance reviews and also in business plans apart† (Haslinda and Sarinah, 2009, p. 193). Knowledge centric is the highest level of the implementation maturity of knowledge mana

Qualitative Article Review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualitative Article Review - Research Paper Example The case method can be effective in conducting an in depth analysis of the classroom activities. Case based method of instruction provides teachers with several opportunities to consider the difficulties of teaching and learning process from a different point of view. This method also develops critical thinking and reflection in teachers. Therefore, Stevens et al used a case study to elicit teachers content knowledge, their ability to identify student misconceptions as well as conducting critical reflection. Stevens et al drew nine participants five women and four men, with ages ranging from 31 to over 60 years. These participants participated in the workshop and completed the Q methodology. The participants had an experience of over seven years teaching at public schools and eleven years of higher education teaching. Stevens et al developed concourse statements relevant to the mathematics development workshop. The team members discussed the teaching strategies and materials that wer e to be used. The members developed 12 statements that represented the activities related to the conceptual knowledge. The participants arranged the statement in terms of preference. They arranged the ones they feel helped them in conceptual development. Stevens et al conducted Correlation coefficients to compare the manner in which individual participants sorted the statements for each Q set. He conducted Principal components Analysis to identify the number of components present in the data.

Surrealism Art Essay Example for Free

Surrealism Art Essay Surrealism is an international art movement, which draws from the depths of the subconscious mind and explores the human psyche. Frenchman Andre Breton, who described Surrealism as ‘pure automatism by which it is intended to express the true function of thought’, championed surrealism in the late 1920s’. In this period of time, the world was inflicted with the two major wars, that filled humanity with horror and unimaginable terror. Some artists of this period were chosen illustrate these horrors by representing a psychedelic of images from the human mind or to seek an altered reality, which created the intellectual playground to these artists, as it aroused the philosophical argument of what is real and un-real. Surrealism is characterised by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtaposition of subject matter, using a fascination with the subconscious mind. It is a type of Fantasy art that defines a psychological element, attempting to create artworks that explore the artists’ perception of their dreams, fears and imaginings. In turn, Surrealist artists attempt to represent their visions, by Looking through and creating an altered reality. This period of art dominated the art world during the period just before the Second World War, but still is current in the Postmodern world, continuing to flourish in its subjective approach to representing the imagination. â€Å"Surrealism! What is surrealism? In my opinion. It is above all a reawakening of the poetic idea in art, the reintroduction of a subject but in a particular sense, that of strange and illogical. † (Paul Delvaux) This quote is relevant when referring to the artist James Gleeson, as he explores the depths of the human subconscious mind, while creating his own imaginative world. He achieves this through the juxtaposition of seascapes with living organisms, self-portraits from the human fertile mind and the horror of social concerns through distorted imagery. Gleeson works mainly within a subjective context, where highly emotive paintings are drawn from the inner self . Gleeson paints to understand the difficulties faced with the stress and questions unknown in the modern world. James Gleeson is known as one of Australia’s major painter and important poetic art critic. In his long-lasting career that blossomed from the late 1930’s to the 1960’s, Gleeson wrote the first text in Australia that defined the meaning of Surrealism, and was known as Australia’s leading Surrealist artist.. While working within a subjective context, influenced by Salvador Dali, Gleeson’s overriding concept behind his work is that ‘humanity is driven by the subconscious mind’. Gleeson preferred to work in artificial light and avoided working in sunlight so that he was to paint his dreams and surreal landscapes in a more imaginative way. While the application of painting oil on canvas with luxurious textures of paint with a mixture of translucent glazes and rich encrustations, attracts his viewers, Gleeson’s works inspires the imagination of the viewer. In relevance to the quote ‘the reintroduction of a subject in a particular sense’ Gleeson’s works encourage his viewers to look through and beyond Surrealist’s artists concept of what is reality, and not only, the imagination of the subconscious mind. Gleeson presents his viewers with a number of observations so vivid in concentration, in order to tap into our own secret fears; the fear of the unknown. â€Å"We inhabit the corrosive littoral of habit† is presented with geological features of by a secluded beach. In which a man’s facial features and woman’s naked torso dissolve, revealing hollowness inside the figures. It was painted in 1940, just after joined Sydney’s Contemporary Art Society, where Gleeson became fascinated with the writings of famous psychologists, for which became major intellectual influences for his works. â€Å"We inhabit the corrosive littoral of habit† is in a traditional subjective context, with a historical form, as Gleeson’s metaphor for the dissolving figures in this piece, represents the corrosion of the world and the human mind between the world wars. Gleeson, like in almost all of his pieces, uses the method of abstraction to increase the sense of his altered reality and reawaken his audience to his subject matter. He has achieved this through his geometric composition of shapes, for which the placing of the objects is deliberate, yet absurd. The large scaled landscape and close up confrontation of figures attract the viewer. He has used a saturated balance of colours as a visual sensation for his viewers, heightening a realistic feel, but destroying it with the corroded figures. This is a direct relationship in the work between Gleeson’s subjective context as well as the terror of his historical outlook. This painting is an example of how Gleeson encourages his viewers to look through the painting and into the depths behind his altered reality of the horrors of war and the human fertile mind. We inhabit the corrosive littoral of Habit 1940 oil on canvas 40. 7 x 51. 3 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Anonymous gift, 1941  © Courtesy of the artist In Gleeson’s piece â€Å"The Arrival of Implacable gifts,† he quotes that ‘The sea deposits all these things that were longed for, that turn out to be things that blind us or even destroy us’. Gleeson’s underlining message lies with the reintroduction of a subject in a particular sense of what draws from the subconscious mind for depicting reality. While a seascape rocky shore is represented, it is juxtaposed with human-like organisms presented in this artwork. This painting was painted in 1985, oil on canvas, in the stage where Gleeson had moved to making large scale ‘Psychoscape’ paintings. These workings had been a way of showing liquid, solid and air coming together directly implying the interface between the conscious and subconscious mind. â€Å"The arrival of implacable gifts† represents a range of distorted rocks, monsters and shells in a twisting state of metamorphosis. The imagery of this painting is abstractly beautiful yet horrific, denoting a feeling of uncertainty for the viewers, and promotes a dialogue with the unimaginable. He achieves this through the use of variance in contrasting colours of earthy tones. The deep space of softened green clouds hovering over the horizon juxtaposed with the swarming mass of rocks and monsters, of diluted earthy reds and browns, allowing his audiences eyes to drift throughout the painting into the imagination of the viewer. He has used a rhythmic texture in the piece; helping to heighten and guide the surrealistic feeling of a dreamlike scenario. Instead of engaging his viewers to look at or in the painting, he creates a strange and illogical scenario to reawaken his audience to look through his altered reality. The Arrival of Implacable Gifts 1985 oil on canvas 198 x 245 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney  © Gleeson/OKeefe Foundation My Body of Work has and will continue to explore the concept of looking through. Studying the altered realities of dreams, fears and imaginative has helped shaped my artist practice. Through James Gleeson’s outstanding talent of juxtaposing symbolic objects with the use of rhythmic texture, contrasting colours and abstracted landscapes, Gleeson has effectively helped influence in shaping my body of work. The use of juxtaposing objects with landscapes through the representing of these images with a range of gentle contrasting colours and translucent layering also has heightened the altered reality feeling in my works. The wide use of abstraction has also been an effective tool when creating more emotive works for my Body of Work. This has been a Direct influence from Gleeson, and he continues to inspire people all around the world with his outstanding reintroduction of a subject with the use of Surrealistic techniques. Gleeson has reawakened my views of Surrealism, to help paint from the subconscious mind and see way beyond what is seen with your eyes, but what lies within the imagination. â€Å"Surrealism is a word that is applied to those forms of creative art which are evolved, not from the conscious mind, but from the deeper sense of the subconscious†. (James Gleeson) The subjective context denotes works that strongly reflect artist’s experiences, imaginings, feelings and psychological experience. For Gleeson, his artworks tends to explore his mood and imagery of the darker aspects of the world. Exploring the subconscious mind, and for that an altered reality in his eyes; Gleeson’s work is considered so significant because he allows his artworks to have an emotional impact on his viewers. In relevance to the quote; â€Å"Surrealism! What is surrealism? In my opinion. It is above all a reawakening of the poetic idea in art, the reintroduction of a subject but in a particular sense, that of strange and illogical. † (Paul Delvaux), James Gleeson works with his poetic side to create a reintroduction to his altered realities for his viewers. References Art Gallery of New South Whales. (2000). James Gleeson- The arrival of unplaceable gifts. Retrieved 08 15, 2013, from New South Whales Art Gallery: http://www. artgallery. nsw. gov. au/collection/works/225/1985 Donald WIlliams, C. S. (1970). Art Now- Contemporary Art. McGraw-Hill Book Company. Israel, L. (2000). Senior Artwise. Jacaranda.  http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/gleeson3.html

The Impact of Increased Domestic Abuse Rates

The Impact of Increased Domestic Abuse Rates INRODUCTION 1.1Background of study According to the United Nations secretary, the general Ban Ki – Moon (2008) highlighted: one universal truth which always prevails in all countries, cultures and communities is that violence against women has never been accepted, will never be excusable and in any circumstance will be tolerated. Violence against women is an international concern since it is a national phenomenon that influences women of all races, ages, religions and economic statues. Every year as a result of violence, more than one million people lose their lives and many suffer from non- fatal injuries which are mostly women kids. Moreover, it is a huge expense for the economy since it erodes billions of US dollars worldwide mainly in health care expenditure and much more in national economies in terms of workforce absenteeism, new law enforcement or even loss investment. In 2012 there was an estimation of 475 000 deaths which was recorded as a result of homicide. Furthermore 1 in five women have been sexually abused when she was a child and 1 in 3 women have been victims of either physical or sexual violence by their intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. According to the late Nelson Mandela in the health organization in (2002:12) which emphasize in the world report on violence and Health that: ‘Many who live with the violence day in and day out presume that it is an innate part of the human state’ Brutality against women is a violation of the human dignity, the right to life and considered as an extreme inequality towards the women. According the world Health organization, 2004 in Europe North America nearly 3.9 men die from suicide for every 1 women they killed and in Asia the sex ratio are about 1.1. Unfortunately Mauritius, our small paradise is not to be left, the figure is even higher here where 1 women out of 4 are been battered. Between January to September, in 2013 nearly 1376 cases of violence against women were reported even though the ministry of gender equality had already allocated 12.8 million (320, 000 Euros) to combat against intimate partner violence declared by the Defi Quotidian. The Family Violence Prevention fund (2008) with the American Association of University Women announces that more than 1,200 women are been killed every year by their husbands or boyfriends. Violence is associated with health problems and it affect the person in all dimension, physical, sexual, mental. In UK it affects both the child and the mother’s health which often result in maternal mortality. In addition to it, 70 out of 295 women in UK (24%) died during their pregnancy or within 6 weeks they given birth and 19 of them were murdered according to the review saving lives: Maternal deaths to make motherhood safer in 2003. Last but not the least, 30 to 66% of the same abusive offender exploits both the mother and the child. In India, they used to beat their wife and death caused by means of fire was very common that is women were been douse with kerosene and then it was claim that she died as a kitchen accident. Public officials in 1980’s reveal that women who were mostly aged between 15 to 44 in Bombay or other urban areas of the Maharashtra where 1 out of 5 women were associated to accidental burns[S1].(world Report on violence and health, 2002) According to Durkheim (1800); Kushner, Sterk et al., (2005) which is disclose in Davis et al., (2011) research uncover that women were less expose to violence when they were residing in the protective domestic sphere, however it was when they started to undertake non traditional roles, according to Levinson (1999) that is been engaged more in the men’s role which lead them been more susceptible to violence. However, women are now emerging greatly in the world of business, thus they have a more independent lifestyle compared with their partner whereas some time back they were heavily depending on their partner causing them been more vulnerable to abuse and victimization. Culture depicts norms that women need to respect his husband thus if the women made a mistake at any level, the partner had the right to punish her. An Anon Pakistan (n.d) notes were publish that beating a woman is to chastise or to discipline her as it was culturally and religiously justified because men are t he owners of their wives and it is very much necessary to show them who is the boss so that the future transgressions are discourage[S2]d. The gender based violence is rooted in gender inequality, characterized by unequal power relation and the social structures are like factories which yields it to the society. The concept of masculinity has been integrated since civilization which is the main entrance for violence. The media also plays an important role in the sexualisation of women, portraying a negative image of the women to the society. Religion engage in the production of discrimination violence against the women, the speech, scared text and their meaning , the practice of exclusion and the sexist un equality in church for instance contribute to maintain violence against women Stroher 2009, p.101 mention in Krob and Steffen article in 2015. Authorities’ responses are crucial to domestic violence calls. However police officers are often reluctant to intervene, often performing their job in a leisurely manner in serious cases and most surprisingly they side with the offenders than been with the victims. Parnas 1967 and Browne 1995 disclose that police hesitation to deal officially with domestic assaults is due to insufficient law enforcement in response to this major concern. Rather than been part of the solution they been increasing the problem. The police officers categorized simple assaults as been of low importance thus the victim will have to wait for the officer’s availability or seek assistance with other agencies from Buzawa 1993 and Buzawa 1996. According to Waaland and Keeley in (1985) Â ½ of a sample of the survey they conducted indicated that the police officers did not give any arrest in cases of illegal assault. Thus it is been added to the debate of addressing violence against women and the intervention strategies of the officers 1.2 Problem statement According to the domestic violence Homicide Report (2003); the human death toll is grossly underestimated. In 2001, intimate partner violence against women account for 20% of all non fatal violence that is 600,000 crimes overall. (Matthews, 2004) In spite of women’s emancipation in the modern society, through its equal contribution at home and in society, we still perceive[S3] that women are been treated unequal to their husband or to other man in various settings. Domestic violence influence the women’s ability to participate in the world where they are unable to take care of their children due to various health problems that they experienced and pursue job careers normally. The government lost billions of money each year because of the enormous burden that violence leaves on the society. Mathews (2004), reveal that medical expenses from domestic violence range from $3 to $5 each year and this excludes the $100 million which are been lost by businesses from sick depart ure, lost salary, non productivity. No action is without meaning, Mahmood, 2001 stated that a women which is making use of a veil might be viewed in certain contexts as an oppression whereas in another might be a women’s resistance. Domestic violence also sends messages to the women that you must not breach this barrier. According to the European Parliament, 2006 violence is an exhibition of the historical unequal power relations between men and women leading to domination over and discrimination against the women by men preventing women’s full advancement. For example, the concept of the male honor is associated with purity of the women, if the women was raped or have sexual intercourse voluntarily outside marriage thus she was disgrace by the family. A study was conducted in Egypt where 47% of women were been killed by their relative after been raped. Women are unable to protect them from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. We note that the situation have become beyond control intern ationally. Children who witnessed violence have many health problems like behavioural, anxiety, depression and poor school performance. In North America, children who witness violence exhibit antisocial behavior due to psychological disturbances. Moreover, a research in Leon and Nicaragua (2013) shows those children of abuse women were 6 times more likely to die at age of 5. Children are dearly affected, 3207 cases of child abuse reported to the women’s Aid national Free phone Helpline (2013) and based on the women’s aid annual report (2013) 1,204 children were present at home during intimate partner violence. Unfortunately most of the authorities techniques are far of been protecting the victim. Ferraro (1989) disclose that despite having serious policies only 18 % of offenders are been arrested, they often very lenient in domestic violence incident by Eigenberg et al. However, it is far to be a simple issue, fault in the system is indeed contributing in the nurture of domestic violence where it create a need to address this issue. 1.3 Aim and objectives of the study The purpose of the study is to analyze the consequences of an increasing rate of domestic violence on the women and the responsiveness of the police authorities towards this major concern. The study will mainly focus on the impact that domestic violence have upon women kids, the forms of violence, sources, causes and how the authorities response to this alarming social phenomenon accordingly. Therefore, it will be interesting to know till what extent a women is been victimized in the 20th century. The objectives of this research are as follows: An insight of the different forms of domestic violence To disclose the voice of the stigmatized To investigate the effectiveness of the intervention strategies of the authorities upon violence To locate solutions to combat against domestic violence 1.4 Research Questions What are the forms of domestic violence and how does it impact women? What is the consequence of domestic violence upon the women? Are authorities’ intervention techniques effective in response to violence? What are the reasons for difficulty in combating against domestic violence? 1.5 Outline of the study Chapter 1: introduce the subject matter under study, how violence greatly influences the women, children and society and the response of the authorities towards this issue. The problem statement give a more in depth description how domestic violence has an impact on women, children and drawbacks of the police strategies. The aim and objectives and a brief picture of each chapter accordingly. Chapter 2: literature review Chapter 3: Methodology Chapter 4: Results and Discussions Chapter 5: Recommendations and conclusions REFERNCES World Health Organization (2013) Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non- partner sexual violence. Switzerland: WHO publications. World Health Organization (2002) World report on Violence and Health. Geneva: WHO publications. World Health organization (2014) Global status report on violence prevention. Switzerland: WHO publications. European Union Agency for Fundamental Right (2014) Violence against women an EU –wide survey. Europe. Publications Office of the European Union. Devries k, watts C, Yoshihama M, Kiss L, Schreiber L.B, Deyessa N, Heise L, Durand J, Mbwambo J, Jansen H, Berhane Y ,Ellsberg M. and Moreno C.G. (2011). ‘Violence against women is strongly associated with suicide attempts: Evidence from the WHO multi –country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women’, Journal of social science and medicine, Vol. 73, pp. 79-86. Indian Ocean Times. (2013). Mauritius: 1,376 domestic violence cases recorded between January and September 2013, from: en.indian-ocean-times.com [accessed on the 12 April 2015 British High Commission Mauritius. (2015). Help and support available for victims of domestic violence in Mauritius from: www.gov.uk [ accessed on 12 April 2015] Women’s Aid. (2015). National and international statistics from: www.womensaid.ie [accessed on 12 April 2015] Council of Europe (2014) PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: ARTICLE 12 OF THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION A collection of papers on the council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Europe: Council of Europe publications ([emailprotected]). Krob D.B and Steffen L. (2015). ‘Religious influence on education and culture: Violence against women as common sense’, Journal of Social and Behavioral sciences, Vol. 174, pp. 2374 -2379. Peter G; Sinder B and Stephens J. (1999), ‘Police perceptions of domestic violence: the nexus of victim, perpetrator, event, self and law policing,’ International journal of police strategies management, Vol.22 Iss 3, pp. 313-327. Chhikara P, Jakhar J, Malik A, Singla K and Dhattarwal S.K. (2013), ‘Domestic Violence: The Dark Truth of our Society’, Journal of Indian Academic Forensic Medicine, Vol.35 (1), pp. 0971-0973. Davis, R.L. (2010), ‘Domestic violence related deaths’, Journal of Aggression ,conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 2, Iss 2. Davis, D.M. (2013). Rehabilitation Counseling Master’s Students: Beliefs and Attitudes about Domestic Violence toward Women. Published PhD dissertation. Lowa: University of Lowa, 167 pages. Grovert, A.J. (2008). Domestic violence against women: A literature Review. Published Masters Literature review. Forest Grove: Pacific University, 41 pages. Rojas, L.D.A. (2010). Men and Domestic violence/Partner Violence in Santiago, Chile: the meaning of violence in masculinity. Published Master Dissertation. Gothenburg: Gothenburg University, 76 pages. 1 [S1]Source? [S2]discouraged [S3]percieve

Anti Virus Uses And Benefits Computer Science Essay

Anti Virus Uses And Benefits Computer Science Essay This report presents antivirus protection, its definition and different types of. It shows how it is important of this program to protect computer. Because attacker spread viruses around the world, people need strong and effective antivirus program to prevent their computers from these viruses. In this report, will be mentioned the idea of antivirus protection types, how its work and which methods use and benefits of this program. Introduction A  computer virus  is a  computer program  that can copy itself and infect a computer. It is also used to refer to other types of  malware, including to  adware  and  spyware  programs that do not have the reproductive ability. In fact, the world has witnessed great development in the computer world and most of businesses have become highly dependent on the computer. Since most computers are now connected to the Internet it is increasing the chance for spreading these viruses which necessitated the presence of powerful software to protect computers from these threats. Antivirus software is a simple tool to use, but it has a large effect. It search on your computer for malicious files, viruses and spyware that are hidden somewhere. Definition and Types of Antivirus The Antivirus (or anti-virus) software is a program that used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Such programs may also prevent and remove adware, spyware, and other forms of malware. These software scan throw the PC of the computer looking for viruses to remove it before the virus start to damage the computer files. There are different types of Antivirus software that have been developed over the years to keep up with the current virus issue such as Conventional Disk Scanner, Memory Resident Scanners, Behavior Based Detection and Start up Scanners. Some of this software can be run upon the users request and others are designed to be run every time the PC id booted up (types of antivirus). 1 of 4 Top Antivirus There is a lot of Antivirus software, but they are not built with the same power. The most powerful Antivirus software is the Shield Deluxe 2011- Antivirus Protection. This antivirus company protects tens of millions of home and business users across the globe. You can set your computer to update viruses weekly and run a complete virus scan. The system can be restored after malicious activity. It controls the status of the system registry and notifies users of any suspicious objects. The second powerful antivirus software is the Trend Micro Titanium Antivirus 2011. It provides complete and easy to use protection from Internet-threats. Then the Norton Antivirus 2011 come after which provide fast, responsive defense against all types of malicious software. The new Norton Protection System employs a multilayered set of security technologies that work to detect, identify, and block attacks. There is also the Panda Antivirus 2011 which is a good choice for windows that keeps the computer protected from any Internet threats. More over there is the Zone Alarm Antivirus software which is the best virus protection with significantly enhanced detection and removal capabilities. There are also the ESET NOD32 Antivirus and mthe Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011 which are good on protecting (best antivirus software). How antivirus program work 2 of 4 Antivirus programs are designed to protect computer systems from viruses. These programs provide two levels of functionality when protecting against viruses which are real time protection and scanning of files stored on computer drives or disks (Anti-virus). Antivirus programs can detect viruses by two ways. First way is Footprint of virus program and this method is a common method that used to identify viruses. Footprint is the pattern of data that include file. The purpose of this method is comparing the virus footprint with a library of known footprints that match viruses. Also when using this method, viruses must be as viruses and then added to the library of footprints. Footprint of virus program has a one disadvantage. There is a time period when the virus is released to when the library of known footprints is updated.  Virus will not be recognized during this period and it could affect computer. In addition, Characteristics of program is the second way to detect virus es from computer. This method called heuristic scanning and it examines the actions that the program attempts to take or may attempt to take.  It looks at the type of system function calls that included in the executable code. It looks if this calls too suspicious, may flag the program as a possible virus and ask for user intervention. As footprint method, characteristics of program have a disadvantage which is that there is no time period when the computer is not protected after specific viruses are released (Anti-virus, n.d). Benefits of Antivirus Protection Downloading or buying any antivirus software program give chance for people to buy any desktop or laptop. Antivirus program is the best safe measure to stop and minimize risk and any effects. There are various levels of security protection for PCs and they depend on the particular antivirus program offered by trusted vendors. However, there are many benefits that all antivirus programs offer. First of all, it thwarts any virus that related damage. Any antivirus program helps to prevent damaging operating system and other functionalities of the PC from any virus that PC attached. Second, antivirus program maintains PCs security. This happens by updating antivirus package or creating a firewall to improve a PCs overall security. It helps to keep operation system running and internet resource  accessing and browsing experience. Third, all antivirus programs protect data and information. All information, critical data, presentations, files, documents, photos, and other material stored in the computer are secured from virus attacks infections. Finally, antivirus programs protect financial saving. Any unprotected or less protected PC is easy to attack from viruses. With effective antivirus program that protect the PC, you dont need help from technical support and loss a lot of money (Benefits of Antivirus Protection, n.d). Conclusion In sum up, the use of antivirus program is protecting computers from viruses attack. It helps to prevent data and information to be attacked. Antivirus program is software that installing to computer and use to scan PC to search any viruses can damage the computer. There are different types of Antivirus software that developed to use for production. There are many powerful antivirus programs that built with high quality of protection like Norton and MacAfee. Furthermore, this program can detect any virus by two ways which are footprint and characteristics. This kind of program has many benefits of using, it helps to prevent any virus that related damage to computer maintain CPs security and protect data and information. 3 of 4

Hawksmoor :: English Literature

Hawksmoor - There are many puzzling features in this novel - Discuss three in detail, looking at the way they are communicated. 'Hawksmoor' as a novel is on the whole, puzzling. As it is a detective story, Peter Ackroyd uses different techniques of involving the reader in his plot so that even if the beginning is not fully understood, we have to go on reading it just to see what happens next. These different features, for example, the juxtaposition of the time periods between the chapters; the post-modernistic aspects of Ackroyd's writing; and the conflicts between reality and fiction all make the novel puzzling. Time in this novel is very confused, with two time periods (the modern day and the eighteenth century) being juxtaposed in alternate chapters throughout the novel. The theme of time is continued on this premise and there are many references to time by the characters themselves. For example at one point, Nicolas Dyer says: "..how do we conclude what time is our own." Nicolas Hawksmoor also asks: " 'Well, Walter, what do you make of that timing?' 'It's impossible, sir.' 'Nothing is impossible. The impossible does not exist'" Not only are there direct referrals to time, like this but also there are tenuous links and suggestions to it as a dominant theme. For example, Hawksmoor is looking for the zero meridian when he is in Greenwich and there are many others. The changes in time are highlighted by the interesting use of language for the chapters narrated by Nick Dyer. Many spellings are different from modern English, for example, corpse is spelt 'corse'. Ackroyd also uses capital letters for nouns in these chapters. The eighteenth century writing is a constant reminder to the reader of which time period is being read about and is particularly prominent when the chapter and therefore the time period changes. Furthermore, it means that the reader has to concentrate more and because of the different formation of sentences it is difficult for the reader to follow at times, which is consistent with the detective story theme. Ackroyd wants the reader to be actively involved in the plot and they need to pick up on any small threads that he drops. As the novel progresses, there is an increasing confusion with time, so much so that at points it seems barley present. Ackroyd highlights this with the abundance of flashbacks that both the main characters have and because of this the time is changing not only between the chapters but also within them. Dyer has many flashbacks to his past and they often come without warning or relevance to what was previously talked about.