Balancing Penn Foster Studies Essay

Balancing Penn foster studies with work and family Being a full time working father of one, I have the responsibility of taking caring of my mother, wife and son. However this doesn’t hinder me to continue my studies, though it has some difficulties on adjusting the life in between my studies and family life. The hardest part for me in balancing my studies, work and family demands is just how to set up the time so everything is balanced out. I guess that we all must have to make personal sacrifices in order to be successful and have a fulfilling life. With proper planning however the balance between work, family, and collage studies is possible to obtain. Everyday I must make choices on how I will manage my time so I can keep the balance of my studies, work, and family demands. Maintaining the balance between everything is an everyday process. This is where the real task of balance takes place. While attending the Penn foster online courses and sitting time back for my studies, I also have a family to take care of, which requires most of my time. I also have    a full time job that requires me to work on the grave yard shift. Despite the fact that each of the responsibilities need more time on their own I have to set specific times up in a daily planner and discuss these set of specific times with my family and friends so that they can help me keep the balance between work, family demands, and my collage studies. I know that people struggle everyday to balance their studies, work, and family demands. However, I also believe that each person must come up with their own way of balancing things out in their life, so they are happy and successful. Keeping the balance between work, family demands, and college can be a very difficult process to do, but with the support from family and friends it can be done. Generally speaking, nothing is in possible in this world. Many people think that once they have their own family they ignore their studies and focus on their work. This is all because they think they will not get enough time to concentrate on their studies while looking after their work and family. I was also of such kind of people for long time until I got the advice from friends and families and got the courage to continue my studies. The difficulties of adjusting time cannot be denied however, managing ones time will solve all the difficulties. The idea of online studies has also contributed a lot in encouraging many working people who have family as well to continue their studies at their convenience time and place. Besides, going through the difficulties of attending your studies while taking care of your family and work is also worth as it will lead you to a better and successful life in the future.

Improving Quality to Improve Profits

Improving Quality to Improve Profits XXXXXXXX BUS 642: Business Research Methods & Tools Prof. Donna Wall September 10, 2012 ? Improving Quality to Improve Profit Public companies continuously experience pressure to increase profits for shareholders. One method of increasing profits is to reduce expenses. One expense Schlumberger management believes is totally within the company’s control is the first pass yield of their products. Specifically, Schlumberger management believed that raising the first pass yield of their product to at least 99% would result in at least a 1% increase in profit.As Fawcett & Calantone (2000) point out â€Å"quality’s relevance extends to its ability to reduce costs of defective work. Crosby estimated that the cost of quality are equivalent to 15 to 20 percent of sales revenue and argued that if quality were improved, total cost would inevitably fall, increasing firms profitability† (par. 22). As a result, Schlumberger management autho rized a study to validate their hypothesis and determine specific focus areas to place resources that will maximize the effort for achieving results.To start the validation, the research team decided to utilize the specific research process charted in Business Research Methods written by Cooper and Schindler. As Cooper and Schindler (2011) point out â€Å"good research generates dependable data that are derived by professionally conducted practices and that can be used reliably for decision making† (p. 12). Cooper and Schindler (2011) go on to state â€Å"good research follows the standard scientific method: systematic, empirically based procedures for generating replicable research† (p. 2). As a result, this particular study will follow the process of clearly define the purpose, provide process details, thoroughly plan the research design, provide high ethical standards, reveal any limitations honestly, provide adequate analysis for the decision makers, present findin gs unambiguously, justify the conclusions, and reflect the researcher’s experience. The first step in the overall process is to clearly defined purpose. To complete this step we need to answer the following questions.Question one is what is the management dilemma? Question two is what are the management questions? Question three is what are the research questions? And the forth question is what are the investigative questions? In this case, the management dilemma is how to increase profit margin. The management question is if we increase first pass yield to 99%, will profit margin increase by at least 1% given everything else stays equal? The research questions are what areas of the business should management allocate resources to improve first pass yield?The investigation questions are 1) what is the current first pass yield of our manufacturing facilities? 2) What is the first pass yield of each manufacturing facility? 3) What is the first pass yield of each product group? 4) What is the first pass yield of our incoming material from all suppliers? 5) What is the first pass yield of each active supplier? 6) What is the current profit margin? Next in the overall process is to create an operational definition for the study. In this particular study specific definitions are needed.For consistency, we will utilize the Association for Operations Management (or APICS) definitions for operating profit and first pass yield. APICS defines profit margin as â€Å"the difference between the sales and cost of goods sold for an organization. † According to APICS first pass yield is defined as â€Å"the ration of products that conform to specifications without rework or modification to total input. † This definition will be used in our manufacturing facilities as well as incoming material from our suppliers.Other terms that need to be defined for clarity include Schlumberger manufacturing assembly site facility, supplier, approved supplier list, and cu rrent active suppliers. Schlumberger manufacturing site will be defined as any manufacturing or assembly site Schlumberger owns. A supplier will be defined as any company delivering components, sub-assemblies, or final products that are not owned by Schlumberger. Approved supplier list will be defined as the list of suppliers approved by Schlumberger through the Quality Manufacturing and Safety (QMS) Audit and first article processes.Current active suppliers will be defined as any supplier that has supplied components, sub-assemblies or end products to Schlumberger within the last year. Part numbers will be considered active if Schlumberger has ordered or received a part number in the last year and has a forecast or purchase order placed for delivery within the next two years. Items that are considered out of scope for this study include software, services, facilities contractors, and transportation services. Any new products not released prior to the start of this study will also b e considered out of scope for this research.The primary method of gathering data will be to analyze and consolidate the raw information currently in the corporate databases. These databases include Approved Supplier List, eQuality, Incoming Inspection, Quest, and Finance. The research team does not plan to conduct any formal surveys at this time. The research team will consist of at least one person from each of the potential stakeholders. These stakeholders will include Finance, Quality, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Information Technology (IT).Schlumberger has several databases with significant raw data in each. The team realizes that obtaining and consolidating this information in a usable form might require the help of IT resources and potentially delay the overall results of the study. The research team plans to obtain the following information from the data available in the databases. The team will begin gathering data closest to the end customer and move upstream in the process flow to analyze the major process points along the supply chain.As a result, the team will review the current overall first pass yield for all Schlumberger manufacturing sites, each individual manufacturing site, and each product line. In addition, the research team will analyze the first pass yield at incoming inspection from the suppliers. This information will be analyzed at a global level, by supplier, and by Schlumberger manufacturing site location. The team will also determine how many suppliers are in the approved supplier database and compare this number to the current active suppliers.Since Pareto Analysis is such an important data analysis tool, this research team plans to utilize this approach as the primary method of organizing the data. As Karuppusami & Gandhinathan (2006) point out a Pareto Analysis is a QC tool that ranks the data classifications in the descending order from the highest frequency of occurrences to the lowest frequency of occurrences. The total frequency is equated to 100 percent. The â€Å"vital few† items occupy a substantial amount (80 per cent) of cumulative percentage of occurrences and the â€Å"useful many† occupy only the remaining 20 per cent of occurrences† (par. 2). Utilizing Pareto Analysis will provide an easy way to determine where to focus resources for maximum benefit. Analyzing the resource allocation and budget needs to support this study reveals we need a core team of six people, a budget of $350,000, and four months to present the teams findings. At least one team member will represent the following functions in the company. These functions include Finance, Quality, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Manufacturing, and IT. The Finance Vice-president will be the champion of the study.Other employees will be involved as needed to complete the research. The budget includes salaries of the team members for four months, researching internal databases, potentially developing IT scripts to extract needed data and potentially visiting manufacturing facilities and suppliers to validate data or obtain additional detailed information. As in any research project, handling the study with the highest ethics is extremely important. As Cooper and Schindler (2011) point out â€Å"the goal of ethics is to ensure that no one is harmed or suffers adverse consequences from research activity† (p. 2). Cooper and Schindler (2011) go on to state â€Å"unethical activities are pervasive and include violating nondisclosure agreements, breaking participant confidentiality, misrepresenting results, deceiving people, using invoicing irregularities, avoiding legal liability, and more† (p. 32). Although this research team does not plan to conduct ‘official† surveys, the team will conduct interviews with various participants to verify the data. In each case, the research team will disclose the nature of the study before engaging participants. Although Schlumberger has a strict no retaliation policy in the company, the final research report will not include the specific employee names of Schlumberger or suppliers employees. The primary focus of the study will be following and presenting the data related to product quality and increasing profits. The research team will honor all nondisclosure agreements and report the overall facts honestly. Consistent with company and standard research policy, the highest safety practices will be used throughout the study.Consistent with the research approach, the research team analyzed the data for the company owned manufacturing sites, first. This raw data revealed Schlumberger has a total of twenty-seven company owned manufacturing sites located in nine different countries. To review the first pass yield of these facilities, the research team reviewed a total of 4,376 quality records posted during 2012. The overall first pass yield for all twenty-seven facilities is 82 percent. The thr ee facilities with the lowest first pass yields are all located in the Houston area.The three product lines with the lowest first pass yield are Pressure and Sampling (59%), Seismic (67%), and Drilling (71%). Next, the tea m began to analyze the information regarding our supplier performance. Based on the raw data, Schlumberger has a total of 5,778 approved suppliers. Of these suppliers 63% (or 3640) are considered active suppliers by definition. Of these active suppliers, twenty suppliers account for 61% of the line items delivered to the twenty-seven facilities. Three specific suppliers have the lowest first pass yield. These three suppliers are Freeport (46%), Harrison (61%), and Tenaris (63%).Based on public financial records, the current profit margin is recorded as $0. 98 per share in Q1FY12 and $1. 02 per share in Q2FY12. This translates into $1. 303 billion in Q1FY12 and $1. 40 billion in Q2FY12. A one percent increase in profit would increase earnings by just over $13 milli on per quarter. To validate the first pass yield data, the research team visited four company owned manufacturing sites each in North America, Europe, and Asia. Two of the facilities visited in each region recorded the highest first pass yields in that region.Two of the facilities visited in each region recorded the worst first pass yields in that region. During these visits, the research team took a tour of each facility, conducted an audit of the quality records and interviewed key members of each manufacturing team including the Process Engineers, Quality Engineers, Incoming Inspection and Finished Goods Inventory Warehouse Managers. During the audit, the research team reviewed each facilities documented processes, actual processes utilized and the data recorded in the quality database.To the research team’s surprise, the methods utilized in each of the facilities were not consistent – either documented or in actual practice. The North American and European faciliti es utilized and practiced the definition of first pass yield consistent with the research team’s definition. However, the Asian manufacturing facilities did not record the actual first pass yield per our definition. Instead, if a product failed testing, the Asian facilities would retest the product. If the product passed testing during the second or even the third test and passed, they recorded a positive first pass quality yield.The finding of inconsistent data records in the Asian facilities weakened the confidence in the raw data analyzed previously. However, it did uncover an opportunity to strengthen the company’s overall processes. In summary, the raw data suggests Houston manufacturing facilities have the three low yields of the twenty-seven in total. However, these facilities might not be the lowest yields because the research team uncovered inconsistencies in the data collection definition and process between the Asian manufacturing facilities and the European or North American facilities.As a result, a further study is recommended of the Asian facilities to determine how significant the overall raw data is skewed by them utilizing a different process to collect and record first pass yield. At the same time resources should be placed in the Houston facilities to raise the first pass yield from the current low level to 99%. Since the data and process for collecting and recording the data for the supplier first pass yield is consistent, the research team is confident in the results achieved.It is the recommendation of the research team to focus resources on the three lowest yielding suppliers. These resources should conduct a more detailed analysis to uncover the Pareto Analysis of the top defects. Once the top three defects are determined, the root cause and appropriate corrective actions can be determined to raise the first pass yield to the appropriate levels. Reviewing the financial evidence suggests a 1% increase in profit is achievab le if the overall first pass yield of Schlumberger manufacturing facilities rises to 99%.To achieve this high yield levels quickly, the company will need a systematic and consistent approach across all facilities and suppliers. One such process to consider is implementing a combined Lean and Six Sigma continuous improvement approach in each manufacturing facility and with our suppliers. Since determining the cost of implementing Lean and Six Sigma process is out of scope for this research team, a further study would be needed to determine the cost of implementing significant process improvement verse the potential 1% benefit per quarter.Throughout this research the team worked well together. Having a process to follow made the overall activities much easier to accomplish in a systematic way. All members believed the success of this study was largely due to the planning at the beginning of the process. To keep the project on track, it was important to define exactly what activities w ere in the scope of the project and what was considered of of scope. When the team uncovered inconsistencies, in data collection or processes, we were able to document the information an continue progress toward the overall goal.Now that this study is complete the information will be recorded in our company Quest database for future reference. References APICS deifinitions First Pass Yield http://www. apics. org/dictionary/dictionary-information? ID=1543 Profit Margin http://www. apics. org/dictionary/dictionary-information? ID=3188 Cooper, D. R. and Schindler, P. S. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed. ). New York : McGraw-Hill Irwin Fawcett, S. E. , & Calantone, R. J. (2000).Meeting quality and cost imperatives in a global market. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 30(6), 472-499. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/232588532? accountid=32521 Karuppusami, G. , & Gandhinathan, R. (2006). Pareto analysis of critical success factors of total quality management. The TQM Magazine, 18(4), 372-385. doi: 10. 1108/09544780610671048. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/227643251/fulltext/13911EA989455E63FDD/3? accountid=32521

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Reflection - Essay Example The story is about how one needs to move on in life, to be more specific, how one need to adapt to changes that come their way. And Christopher did not want to change the way things were. A story based on symbolism, it focuses on the adaptations one needs to pursue in life. Symbolism is the use of language in order to give away two or more meanings; using things to depict real life situations. In â€Å"Christopher, the fisherman† the readers can observe the details about the river and the protagonists attachment with it. He finds the river inspirational and treats it as a living being. As a matter of fact, the symbolism is used to show how even nature changes itself or its course to a new thing that comes along the way. For e.g.: â€Å"The salmon’s migration had ceased, and it had become extinct in the river because its habitat had been destroyed.† (Page 649) This event was rather difficult for Christopher, as his sole means of living were gone, but it surely sho ws how even fish change their course when their habitat was gone. They left the place to live somewhere else. The story progresses with how each generation of farmers prospered with their way of fishing styles and their area of expertise regarding Salmon. The â€Å"Christopher’s† as they might be termed, were extremely satisfied with their lives: a simple, small hut, fishing for a living, and living far in the farms in isolation. The fisherman wanted no change and he wished for nothing either. But as time progressed, industrialization started to take place. This meant that the huge acres of farm land were being used to construct power stations, factories and what not. The forests were being cut down, as the wood was needed in the construction as well as raw materials to the factories. This caused great despair to Christopher, and he wanted nothing else but the fact that his river, which his family used for fishing, and his fishing rights remain with him. Slowly, the in evitable happened, and the power station required a wall to be built in the river. Christopher remained in denial and he wasn’t ready to accept this proposal at all: â€Å"They could not build, never, he thought calmly; I have my rights, I and my son† (Page 648) This shows the real theme of the story, which is failing to accept and adapt to changes in life. The river is the greatest use of symbolism in this story. Rivers in general are stubborn and do not change course easily unless they are forced to. A river can flow smoothly for centuries without any changes, but once a dam or a reservoir is built in it, it has to change its course. Just like the river Christopher was also forced to change his lifestyle and adapt to the industrialization that was taking place. â€Å"Even before he set foot in the hut, he went to the village and bought a vineyard located by the rich fishing grounds, along with a small house that stood guard over the vines.† (Page 652) Finally after a lot of resistance, stubbornness and a personal quest, Christopher realized that he could not stop what was happening but he could take matters in his hand and act maturely. His long journey to the city made him realize that development was something that was bound to happen and nobody can stop that. But he could stop the misery of his family. So he came back and shifted to a place he liked and left the place that belonged to his family for generations. This short story is a commendable read. The reader will easily understand the literary elements that the writer has tried to portray, symbolism being one of them. The use of nature to explain a man’s mistake, who is fighting for nature itself is a rather brilliant approach. Everything and everyone needs to change, no matter what. It is inevitable and a

Analyzing Global Products through the example of the H & M and Zara Essay

Analyzing Global Products through the example of the H & M and Zara industry - Essay Example This is done to avoid delays and over dependence on a particular country and less production within the system. The firm works with middlemen to offer the best to its consumers. The organization also considers the consumers using the product, and then it considers the middlemen who are the retailers and wholesalers that sell the products to consumers, and get feedback from the consumers. H&M level of product adaptation- packaging, pricing, promotion and ways of distribution Using the middlemen, the firm buys the right items from the suppliers and the right market. H & M has a creative experience in design and markets that considers fashion and textile. The company aims at working with the economical minds of its consumers. Distribution is the process of getting the organizations products to the consumers, and a channel of marketing that distributes the products around the market. The firm has a well distribution channel, and that it depends on the IT system to enable it work efficien tly in that it makes use internet strategies to improve on its production and development of garments. Lastly, the firm has a cooperate culture that works in harmony to make sure efficient sales of its products (Saminather, 2007). The firm distributes its products through direct sales that include those made to the beauty therapists, beauty pallor, supermarkets, and shops in town. Direct selling to the consumers allows the organization to be in charge of its prices, get responses from the clients, and take charge in the presentation of the products to the consumers. These direct sales make them sell their products to different consumers from different background. When the organization sells to retailers, they sell product directly to the retailers and the... The H & M industry is a Swedish industry that outsources the non core operations. The firm, a clothing industry, does not own any factory. The industry buys its products from a chain of suppliers that supply them with cloths. The Zara Company is the contradictory of H & M Company that also deals with cloths, and it is the first growing industry in Spain. The firm is owned by Spanish Inditex group. Zara has developed a unique business model and it has vertically merged the retailers; controls every step of the value chain, and it mainly outsources garments with a longer shelf/ fashion life. H&M business model focuses on outsourcing and Zara Company uses in-house model to increase its production. The business level entails the management directors, panel of directors, and business staff. The management function is to classify the delegation and goals of the business, establish what roles the company must be in charge of apportion of assets to the different enterprise areas of the company, and devise and execute strategies that extend over the businesses. The business level entails the leaders of the particularized business. Company leaders’ responsibility is to explain broad statements of intention at the business level into tangible strategies for particularized businesses. The two companies used the business level to implement their strategies that led to their success. The practical level consists of the business leaders of exact production operations. They build up practical strategies that aid the execution of the company and company -level strategic aims. They offer nearly all the new ideas that make it likely for the company and business -level wide-ranging managers to prepare strategies.

The Effects of Globalization on the Sultanate of Oman Economy, Society Essay

The Effects of Globalization on the Sultanate of Oman Economy, Society and Policy - Essay Example As the report stresses globalization is the current trend of the major countries joined within the process of development of the entire human society today based on the international trade. What globalization is actually based on is the ideal thought of making the entire human society operatively connected to each other through the development of worldwide economy. It could be observed that the most affected countries in this particular process are those that are most connected to their cultural standing and traditions as a country which has an identifiable status in the international sense. The main focus of this research shall be addressed on the different developments and adjustments that the sultanate system of Oman should and already have undergone for the sake of being able to cope up with the challenges of global trade. Through this research, deciphering the different effects of globalization in the different aspects of social, political and economic systems of the country. By doing so, it is expected that understanding globalization in a more balanced perspective shall be given way in this research. To be able to come up with a considerable result for this research, the researcher plans to handle the study through basing from the combined perspectives of other researchers in the field of understanding how the sultanate government of Oman tries to cope with a more liberalized system of economy in the world at present.

Short answers Written assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Short answers Written assignment - Essay Example Environment affects the health status of a person because it is space where activities take place that are necessary for development; hence, a person living in a well-situated environment more often than not defines a well- being of an individual. Lifestyle determines the health status through the way a person lives his life. As such, a person who has vices and bad habits are more likely unhealthy and vice versa. Health belief affects the health behaviors because what a person thinks is seen physically. If a person believes that he or she is sick, then worries will just arise and start to develop into stress (DePoy and Gilson, 2004). Biological basis of ageing can be a senescence which is a result of damage to the organism. Free radical theory and hormonal theories are just two of the biological theories of ageing. Free radical theory states that different reactive oxygen metabolites are able to cause a broad damage to organisms and shortens lifespan. It could affect a health behavior of a person through the physical changes in the body. Free radical diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis can also be the major effect; though the discovery of antioxidants are said to help decrease the effects of radical reactions in the body (Rattan, 2006). On the other hand, hormonal theories suggest that eminent levels of steroid hormones produced mainly by the adrenal cortex can cause a fast aging turn down. The two theories are different in such a way it affects living organisms. Free radical theory shortens the lifespan of an organism while hormonal theory controls the stage in which ageing occurs (Rattan, 2006). However, both theories suggest a process in which ageing occurs to living organisms and how it affects the health behavior. As people age, hormones are becoming less capable of maintaining our bodies like the younger days and one effect is menopause (for women). Erik Erikson proposed the concept of development in

Iphone 6 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Iphone 6 - Article Example New outstanding features like the Reachability allow the user to interact with the larger part of the screen in many different ways. By just double touching the Home button, the entire screen magically shift down closer to user’s thumb (Apple, pp 2). Beyond that, there is easily to navigate mail or safari, one need to just swipe left to right and the screen will tend to flow backwards or just swipe right to left and the screen will tend to flow forward. With the new devised smooth and continuous surface, all the gestures certainly feel smother than ever imagined. To make such a large iPhone extraordinary light, Apple pioneered the display technologies. Every material used was carefully selected, each detail meticulously devised, engineered and crafted until iPhone 6 was unbelievably thin and continuous form. From the stainless steel and anodized aluminum to the curved of the glossily polished glass, iPhone 6 is intuitively worth its every weight in silver, gold, and space gray. Apple has created another human like creature that assists human in every possible way (Apple, pp

MOZARTS REQUIEM Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOZARTS REQUIEM - Term Paper Example He started composing music from the age of five and also played before the royalty. He travelled widely, with a penchant for performing. He had also performed before the European royalty at a very early age. There was always a search for a better position, leading him to change places and compos with a lot of regularity. While on a visit to Vienna in the year 1781, he faced dismissal from the position at Salzburg. He stayed on at Vienna, but the financial security was much lesser. The final years in Vienna were extremely productive, with the composition of a number of pieces. The part that we would concentrate on is the Requiem. It was one of his most important works, but was left in an unfinished state for most part. The situation that led to his death has been a subject of folklore, with a number of interpretations doing the rounds. Mozart learned the art from a lot of the other musicians, with the compositions straddling both worlds. Some of the compositions are very light in the constitution, while some of the others are extremely dark. The body of his work is very elaborate, with over six hundred pieces, and many of them have been taken as the best in symphony, concert ante and other forms of music. He had been an inspiration to some of the other leading lights, including Beethoven; who was inspired by him. He was the youngest one among seven, children; five of whom had died in infancy. His father, Leopold Mozart was a minor composer in the court of the Count of Salzburg. It can be noted that Leopold was a devoted teacher to his son, the young Mozart. It can be also said, that Mozart wanted to progress beyond the teaching given by his father. Alongside conventional music, he also taught Mozart academic subjects. He and his sister were considered to be child prodigies. All of the concerts began with the concerts at Munich, going on to the courts of Vienna and Prague. The tour lasted for almost three and a half years, ending through the cities of Zurich. Moz art was influenced by a number of composers during that period. Some of the most famous names include the individuals like Bach. The trips of the family were often done in the conditions, which were not conducive for travel. In the year 1769, Mozart and his father again left for travel, which took them through many places. They finished the travel by the year 1771. Leopold, his father had hoped for some kind of appointment in the courts of Italy, but it never materialized. In the year 1777, Mozart resigned from the position at Salzburg, and went in to travel in different parts of Europe like Munich and Paris. Mozart fell ill in the year 1791 during the premier of an opera, which was written as a part of the responsibilities for the emperor’s coronation. But, he kept on performing most of the functions, and also had the premiere of the play. The deterioration of health became more evident on the 20th November of same year, making him bedridden. He started to suffer from pain, vomiting and swelling in the joints. Mozart was looked after in the final times by his wife and her sister. He was also attended by the family doctor Thomas Franz Closset. During that period, he was occupied with the creation of Requiem, which was the last of his seminal works. This is one of the reasons, why it has been chosen for writing this paper. THE REQUIEM The Requiem written by Mozart was one of the finest works by the composer. The fact that it was written during the final years of his life, further makes it more important. It was left in an unfinished state by the composer, and was finished after the death of the composer on December 5. The completed copy was sent to Count

Analysis of Cross Cultural Management of Ericsson Company Assignment

Analysis of Cross Cultural Management of Ericsson Company - Assignment Example The different countries have different beliefs, traditions, and religions giving rise to a wide array of the cultures. The management of the companies has grown keeping in view with the culture of the different countries giving rise to the cross-cultural management. It has become a prime concept in the context of the modern business environment for the development of the business. The corporate culture today is involved in understanding the essence of the different cultures of the countries. It has become important for the companies to understand the cultures of the countries they operate and influence the operations of the companies. The companies in the different countries employ the people of the country who are influenced by the domestic culture. It is important to understand the culture to understand the operations and the activity of the employees in the countries. The management has to get a hold over the culture to influence the change in the organization and to look into the development of it. It has become an integral part of the organizations in the world over and it is not merely an â€Å"add-on†. (Lakomski, 2005, P. 42; Tjosvold & Leung, 2003, P. 156)   The paper will deal with the business case of Ericsson. Ericsson is a Swedish telecommunications company and a firm in the industry that can offer end-to-end solutions in the sector. The company has been successful in its operations in the world over and India, as a market held a good proposition for the country. In fact, about 40% of the total calls made in the world are routed through the networks of Ericsson.  This underlines the size of the company and the prospect, which the company possesses. In the case of India, Ericsson has entered the market at the start of the 20th century. The company dealt in the switches in the electric board. India, as a market of the mobile technology, took a giant step in the decade of the 1990s

The Best Way for Women to Survive Essay Example for Free

The Best Way for Women to Survive Essay â€Å"I hope that she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool†, Daisy says in the book The Great Gatsby written by F.Scott Fitzerald (20). In her mind, to be foolish is the best way to survive in the 1920’s in America, an era when women are not treated as fairly as men. Based on Nick’s narration, Daisy is an extraordinarily charming, desirable, but careless and selfish character who is married to a wealthy and, powerful, young man named Tom Buchanan. Daisy breaks the promise with Gatsby, as a smart and subtle woman, who only concerns herself with her own benefits. However, she acts superficially as a poor fool since she always lives in her own illusion, and doesn’t know what is she really wants. When Daisy confronts a situation that she needs to make choices between things, she always runs away from them and prefers to keep everything unchanged and controlled, in order to get rid of the pressure, insecurity and conflicts in her deep inside. None but a fool would do such a thing since everyone knows that nothing lasts forever. To marry Tom is what Daisy has to do because she is tired of waiting, waiting for Gatsby to come back. She feels satisfied and secured when she decides to marry Tom. However, on the night before her wedding, Daisy pulls out â€Å"a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars†, and wants Jordan â€Å"tell’em all Daisy’s change her mine†, and she â€Å"cried and cried† (91, 92). Finally, â€Å"the pearls were around her neck and the incident was over† only â€Å"half an hour later† (92). After Daisy receives a letter from Gatsby, she does try to change her mind for Gatsby. However, this sudden letter breaks Daisy’s plan. Daisy can’t accept this change because she wants a steady life out of her illusion, which is in her control. As a result, she is married to Tom to finish what she plans to. After the marriage, even though Daisy suffers from the betrayal and abandonment from Tom, she still stays with him. She puts her real feelings away and walks into her â€Å"well-designed†Ã‚  illusory world. For instance, when Tom receives a call from his mistress, he goes inside to pick up the call without a world, Daisy then â€Å"suddenly threw her napkin on the table and excused herself and went into house† (17). In other words, Daisy clearly knows the affair of her husband. She just buries her miserable emotion inside and doesn’t complain. Moreover, on the day when Daisy’s daughter is born, Tom is â€Å"God knows where† (20). This implies one of the causes why Daisy feels â€Å"cynical† about everything and becomes more careless (19). It is torturing that her husband does not stay with her even on the day her daughter was born but what Daisy does is just turning away her head and weeping hopelessly. There is no doubt that Daisy understands her marriage is based on the money. She doesn’t gain happiness even though she gets her so called security and wealth from Tom. Ironically, she pretends that everything is going well and doesn’t face the problems in her life. Isn’t she a fool? Apparently, she just tries to obtain what would make her life easier, without realizing what she really wants. Daisy knows about her life as a certain way: calm and stable. Therefore, she would never choose Gatsby before she met Tom nor after her marriage. When Gatsby requires Daisy to tell Tom she never loves Tom, Daisy cried to Gatsby, â€Å"You want too much. I love you now—isn’t that enough?† (158). The word â€Å"cried† vividly exhibits how scared and nervous Daisy is at that time, which also reveals that she doesn’t even know how to deal with the problems that happens beyond her illusion. Additionally, she â€Å"sobs helplessly† and says to Gatsby, â€Å"I did love him once—but I loved you too† (159). To keep her marriage with Tom and affair with Gatsby at the same time definitely is a silly, bad idea, which foreshadows that Daisy would have chosen one of them eventually. What’s more, Daisy runs away with Tom after the car accident. After all Gatsby is the one who takes the blame of killing for Daisy, but she neither calls Gatsby nor goes to his funeral. Once again, from the beginning to the end, Daisy never thinks about to elope with Gatsby because she can’t accept the truth: the appearance of Gatsby is about to ruin her life which is supposed to be stable. Daisy realizes that she is living in her illusion, but she is still unwilling to face the truth. After struggling with the conflicts in her mind, she always chooses to escape from the reality. She gets what she wants from Tom, but at the expense of losing her morality and the ability and right of enjoying the true love and pursuing  what she wants. As a woman living in 1920s when women are tend to be ignored, Daisy’s destiny can be said as a misery, or tragedy. When Daisy is being lured to go away from husband and family by Gatsby, her marriage is put into the edge and, she is blamed for the affair. Being a product for which the men are fighting further emphasizes that, Daisy’s sadness and all her careless, foolish actions are resulted from the cruel society. From all of Daisy’s sufferings, it is not hard to understand that why she says she wants her daughter to be a little fool at the beginning of the book. Truly, only being a fool can she avoid herself from a ll the unnecessary problems. Work Cited Fitzgerald, F S. The Great Gatsby. 1st ed. Toronto, Ontario: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, Print.

Sports Psychology Techniques, Research Design and Methods

Sports Psychology Techniques, Research Design and Methods Show a Critical Awareness of the Theoretical Basis to Applied Sport Psychology Techniques; Research Design, Methods and Procedures Used in This Domain, and Practical and Ethical Issues in the Delivery of Sport Psychology. In the research article relating to sports psychology, in particular the achieving of excellence, we can see that an attempt has been made by the researchers to asses the role of certain psychological phenomena related to positive performance to see if they could determine whether or not these factors played a significant part in the success of highly acclaimed professional sportspersons, in particular tour golfers. The research involved key concepts such as imagery, goal setting, focus, distraction control and evaluation techniques that all pertained to fundamental concepts outlined in findings from sports psychology theory and research. The study itself used a questionnaire from which an interview was conducted in the hope of extracting some of the mental processes and preparations of top golfers that were believed to have become evident in their responses. These interviews were tape recorded and transcribed according to qualitative research method processes and conventions. The in terviews were conducted at the convenience of the sportsperson as it was believed that this would make the process more free flowing as the interviewee would be more focused and inclined to cooperate with the questions. The findings of the research suggested in conjunction with former findings related to the field of sporting excellence that their was clear evidence of the usage of imagery, goal setting, focus distraction control and evaluation techniques in the interview answers put forward by the sportspersons. It was concluded that an integral part to the psychological phenomena detailed was the role of commitment and suggestion was made for subsequent research to be conducted into this area. Some of the areas that were drawn out and critiqued within the interview pertained to goal setting. Goal setting techniques can be understood as being set by psychologists to put in place the achieving of high levels of endurance in sport (Orlick Partington, 1988). Goals are generally set to focus the individual on desirable target behaviours or performance actions. The focusing on goals or targets is believed to take away extraneous and undesirable distractions from the sportspersons conscious perception and produce a well defined path towards achievement. This can be seen being evident in some of the interview responses as being a ‘clearly defined’ target. In Bandura’s model he suggests that there are three major factors at work in the acquisition of a behaviour or performance. Three key factors are believed to inform the intention towards a desired target in this model. It was suggested that manipulation of these factors could change the intention of a person and consequently change, or shape, their behaviour to a more desirable one (Bandura, 1997). In accordance with other factors a positive attitude towards a desired behaviour would essentially increase the intention towards any goal. To function successfully, the intended goals would have to be clearly defined. This notion of clearly defined goals is included and incorporated throughout the methodology of the research article and forms an essential part of the findings according to the model of excellence proposed by Orlick Partington (1988). Another factor indicated in research on goal setting is that of unrealistic goal setting and the effects of negative mental attitudes when the goals do not relate to the desired outcome. For instance, unrealistically high goal settings from pressures such as media and peer pressure may lead to a high percentage of failure. This can have a very negative effect on the individual’s mental state. For example, in the model proposed by Baumeister (1990) the destructive effects of unrealistic goal setting can be understood in three steps. The first step is a mismatch between circumstance and expectation, leading to unrealistic goal setting. The second stage highlights the negative outcomes of this phenomenon. The third and final step indicates the importance and fragility of the mind if it is not focused. Essentially, to avoid disturbing ideas of failure, the individual negates responsibility for the outcomes of their actions altering their logic in a very negative and destructive ma nner (Baumeister, 1990). That is to say, that if the perception of realistic goals is not adjusted then the mind of the individual will begin to apply severely disturbing logic patterns to the process of goal achieving. This is not regarded in the condition of club professionals. Rather than them being simply uncommitted as is concluded, it could be that the negative effects of unrealistic goal setting has disturbed their focus or commitment. For instance, the individuals may begin to apply the successful achievement of goals to external factors such as luck, and take responsibility for only failed goals (Abramson et al, 1978). Another key concept in achievement is learning. Essentially, objectives are considered to manage goals and goal setting. Fontana (1993) suggests that these objectives can be split into five mental processes. He defines these categories as ’identifying clearly what needs to be done, plan how we are going to do it, monitor our progress while we are doing it, assess the extent of our success when we have done it, learn more effectively from the experiences it has offered us’ (Fontana, 1993). This learning model shows of how goal setting and achieving goals can be utilised through the introspection of the experience gained. We can see from the research article that this idea of learning rather than focusing upon error is incorporated in the findings. The effects of learning can be seen in the formulation and use of educational objectives (Pearson and Tweddle, 1984). This research indicates the benefits of evaluation, reflection and consideration within the domain of sportin g achievement. The notion of learning can also be seen in the role of imagery and the imagination, highlighted within the findings of the interviews. This notion is concerned not only with the role of understanding and the learning of psychological processes after the event, but also the role of psychological processes before the event. Imagery is considered as being directly associated with the pathways of the imagination. This field of research has highlighted the importance of pre-conceived and pre-empted eventualities within the thought processes of the individual. Essentially, it focuses upon the actualisation of possibilities and outcomes within the mind. This would indicate the need for the individual to think in a certain way to achieve the best results. The imagination of sporting techniques is considered a cognitive pathway that can be honed and lead to more confidence and a more successful outcome. For instance, if the individual can visualise success then it is presumed that he/she can gain confidence in the achieving of a successful goal without the actual physical experience usually required in confidence acquisition (Kohler, 1925). We can see that this core idea has been implemented into the methodology of the research. For instance, there is an indication of imagining the ideal put before practising it. Imagery is also believed to help in the preparation for events that can not be prepared for with physical training alone. For instance, improvisation and the applying of insight into extreme circumstances can be utilised in ways that cannot be accounted for in normal physical training. In this sense the imagination and imagery is a key component in the conceptualising of an ideal action involved in a sporting technique. We can see from the methodology of our study that this notion has been incorporated. For instance, the ideal technique of a swing can be seen in the account that indicates that once the ideal stroke has been accomplished there is no longer a need to practise physically. This imagery can be seen as being indicated by the pro in the success of his action that is then carried out against the imagined goal in the learning manner put forward by Fontana. Imagery and the imagination seem to be manipulated by the golfers to hone their focus techniques as the methodology of the research article suggests. Focus is understood as being not something that is physically learned, but that is important to success. As we have seen, extraneous variables from the environment can have negative effects on the performance of actions. However, it would seem from the accounts of the tour pro’s that these extraneous factors have been removed from as they have attained focus. It would seem that this research has backed up the findings of former research. Although, some problems may arise from its use of a confined and pre-determined model of closed questions, it can be said to be valuable. Although this may arouse critical questions of validity, it can be said this research has brought to our attention some of the psychological dynamics associated with achievement, excellence and success within the sporting domain. Bibliography Abramson, L, Y., Seligman, M, E, P., Teasdale, J., (1978) Learned Helplessness in Humans: Critique and Reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 49-74. Bandura, A. (1997) Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Self Control. New York: WH Freeman. Baumeister, R, F., (1990) Suicide as Escape From Self. Psychology Review, 97. 90-113 Fontana, D., (1993) Managing Time: Personal and Professional Development. Leicester: BPS Books (British Psychology Society). Kohler, W., (1925) The mentality of Apes. New York: Harcourt Brace (Reprint ed., 1976. New York: Liveright.) Orlick, T., Partington, J. (1988). Mental Links to Excellence. The Sport Psychologist, 2, 105-130. Pearson , L. and Tweddle, D., (1984) The Formulation and Use of Educational Objectives. In Fontana, D. (ed.) Behaviourism and Learning Theory in Education. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.

Detrimental Affects of Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentaive

Detrimental Affects of Affirmative Action Beginning in the 1960's several government programs were introduced in order to ensure equality in the job market. However, these programs accomplished the exact opposite by judging potential employees by their race and gender and excluding possibly more qualified persons. This is not the plight of women or African-Americans, but that of the white male. Affirmative Action is not only an ineffective method for compensating for past disadvantages, but also widens the racial and gender gaps in today’s society. President John F. Kennedy was the first person to use the words â€Å"Affirmative Action† in a speech in which he expressed desire to create equal rights. Later, in 1961, he created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that explicitly states that employers, specifically construction businesses employed by the government, must use a system that ensured workers would be hired â€Å"without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin† (Eisaguirre 29). Though a step in the right direction, this vague definition left it open to further debate and thus Affirmative Action was allowed to change. Over the next decade, through influence from the former President Kennedy, several new bills and laws were passed that gave minorities more protective rights concerning employment, housing, and voting. Such bills included the Civil Rights Act in 1964, the Voting Rights Act in 1965, and the Fair Housing Act in 1968. Finally, in 1969, then President Richard Nixon implemented the first actual Affirmative Action plan, called the Philadelphia Plan, requiring exact percentages of minorities hired (Eisaguirre 31). Though there were several smaller cases concerning this new governm... ...erican incomes were skyrocketing and becoming closer and closer to that of Caucasians. In 1970, incomes reached its highest percentage and since then has fallen dramatically. Also during the 1960s, African-American enrollment in colleges was increasing significantly in comparison to the population. Since then, it has been stagnant (Sowell 130). Affirmative Action must be stopped immediately if our society wishes to become a utopia for all walks of life. Hiring people based on such information not only hurts those who are not hired in the short run, but it also damages the new employee even more. Besides teaching one person they are not good enough because of things they cannot control, it teaches the other that sub-par work is good enough. This begins the snowball affect, thus causing millions to learn values that are not beneficial for society as a whole.

Conflicts in the Opening Act and Resolutions in the End of Harold Brigh

How does Harold Brighouse present the differences and conflicts in the opening act and what resolutions are shown in the end? Hobson’s Choice is a play written by Harold Brighouse based in the Victorian times. This may be a reason why there were so many differences and conflicts presented in the play because it allows you to look at the historical issues and the social issues. The opening act is brimming with differences and conflicts, some obvious and some subtle. The conflicts were based upon people crossing the social boundaries and going against expectations that the Victorians had set upon us. The differences were mainly believing whether those boundaries should be crossed or not. The differences caused the conflicts. The beliefs caused different actions and those actions caused conflict. The play has two main characters, both strong willed father and daughter, Hobson and Maggie. Hobson is a prosperous Salford boot maker but also an ineffectual tyrant and spends most of his time drinking whilst his three daughters run his home and his shop. Maggie is his eldest daughter, who is immensely efficient and a lot more strong minded then her father. These two characters show the most difference between each other and any other conflict caused was mainly because of their differences. Conflict was not just between Maggie and her father but also between other characters too. For example, Willie and Maggie, Jim and Hobson, Ada and Maggie and even Alice and Vickey against Maggie. You can see that these conflicts had either Maggie or Hobson in them, the strongest characters in the play. Alice showed the first sign of conflict in the first page of the play. Alice had problems with her father drinking and returning home late eac... ...ed right at the end and it was a huge leap shown in Willie by Brighouse to show that Hobson really had lost his authority to be disobeyed by his own worker who was lower class and then Willie to be supported by Maggie showed that Hobson had lost all his support. Harold Brighouse created such an atmosphere to show how people were in the Victorian times. He created characters that could represent many types of people at that time. For example, Hobson represented the middle class man, Maggie the strong willed daughter, Mrs Hepsworth the upper class woman, Ada the lower class women, Willie the timid, hard working man and so on. These characters had many differences and attributes which collided with other personalities. This difference between the characters was why the conflicts occurred and Brighouse managed to change some personalities to make some conflicts die.

Global Credit Availability Essay -- essays research papers fc

Global Credit Availability:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s world of personal finance and economics, with the global perspective being the primary focus. Corporations, just like individuals, are looking at expanding their horizons and saving or making as much profit as they can. How do they accomplish this gigantic and often expensive proposition? The answer to this is through credit. However I poise a question to everyone. Is the ease of which to receive credit today a hindrance and detriment to all of us, or is it the answer we have all been looking for? I will show you both sides of this situation and you are the judge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term credit according to the 1992 issue of New Webster’s Dictionary is; a transfer of goods, etc†¦in confidence of future payment, to enter on the credit side of an account; to procure credit or honor to (â€Å"Credit†). The term domestic credit in the Dornbusch Microeconomics book is the monetary authority’s holdings of claims on the public sector – government debt – and on the private sector – usually loans to banks (â€Å"Domestic Credit†). According to our Personal Finance book;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Consumer credit dates back to colonial times. While credit was originally a priviledge of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the affluent, farmers came to use it extensively. No direct finance charges were imposed;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  instead, the cost of credit was added to the price of goods†¦ All economists now   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  recognize consumer as a major force in the American economy†¦ To paraphrase an old   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  political expression, as the consumer goes, so goes the U.S. economy (164).† These terms all mean one thing, as we the public, government, and businesses receive credit, we must be responsible with it and ensure that we repay our obligations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s global economy credit is the single most important tool most consumers and businesses have. Credit when used properly allows us to grow and purchase items we might not otherwise have the funds for. The United States has had credit reporting information and accounting since 1956, and with all of this available information global models are now being created for other countries to follow. It is said that without the use and availability of credit the global econo... ...l. Macreconomics. 9th ed. Ed. Lucille Sutton. New York: NY, 2004. Kapoor, Jack R., Les R. Dlabay, and Robert J. Hughes. Personal Finance. 7th ed. Ed. Michele Janicek. New York: NY, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2004 References Cole, R., â€Å"The importance of relationships to the availability of credit.† Journal of Banking and Finance. 1998 Fisman, R., â€Å"Trade credit, financial intermediary development and industry growth.† Journal of Finance. 2003 Kennickell, Arthur B., Martha Starr-McCluer, and Brian J. Surette, â€Å"Recent Changes in U.S. Family Finances: Results from the 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances,† Federal Reserve Bulletin. January, 2000, pp 1-29. Scott, J., â€Å"Small business and the value of community financial instituations.† Journal of Financial Services Research. 2004 United States. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 10 Nov. 1999   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/general/1999/19991110/default.HTM United States. Federal Reserve Board. 10 Sept. 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.federalreserve.gov/BoardDocs/Press/bcreg/2003/20030910/default.htm.

Storm Born Chapter Twenty-Five

â€Å"I know what you're thinking.† I stretched my arms above me, tucking my hands between my head and the pillow. Sunlight poured over me from the giant window but did little to help my troubled mood. I'd been sullen and quiet all morning. â€Å"Not likely.† Dorian reached over to a tray of assorted pastries and sweets that had been sitting by the bed when we awoke. That and the newly built-up fire were only a couple of signs that tidying servants had been up and around in here. Their presence shouldn't have bothered me; everyone had already believed Dorian and I were sleeping together. Yet, knowing others had moved around us while we slept still felt odd. He popped a marzipan-stuffed tartlet into my mouth. I made a surprised sound but ate it anyway. He had excellent cooks. â€Å"Well, then, let me guess anyway. I do so love trying to reason out your thoughts.† He grinned at me, every inch the lighthearted and frivolous man I usually knew. He bore almost no trace of the impassioned lover from last night, the one who'd repeatedly told me in explicit detail exactly what he could do to me if he wanted – and then proved that he could. I rolled to my side, putting my back to him. â€Å"Knock yourself out.† â€Å"All right. You're now realizing you did the unthinkable. You made love to me – one of the shining ones. You crossed over that invisible line, and now the horror and regret of that is eating you up.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"No?† â€Å"No, that's not what I'm thinking.† â€Å"Oh.† I heard him shift again and then felt a cookie balanced delicately on my arm. I snagged it and munched on it, getting crumbs on the sheets while he reconsidered. Lemon sugar. â€Å"Very well. How about this: You're thinking about the kitsune. About Kiyo. You miss him and lament what happened. Being with me makes you feel guilty.† I hadn't been thinking about Kiyo, but mentioning him suddenly brought him to mind. I did miss Kiyo. I missed the easy way we interacted, his solid and steady presence. I missed the way he held me and made me feel safe. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Hmm. Well, then. My perception appears to be off this morning. It has been known to happen once or twice before.† I stared out the window, unsettled emotions turning over and over in me. Finally, I said, â€Å"I'm bothered by†¦how it was last night. How rough it was.† â€Å"Truly? I really don't know you so well. I thought you enjoyed it.† â€Å"I did.† He waited a beat. â€Å"Forgive me, then, but I don't quite grasp your concern.† I rolled back over toward him, and it all spilled out. â€Å"Don't you get it? All this time I've been trying to avoid hordes of gentry and monsters from raping me. And yet†¦that's essentially what happened last night. I let you†¦I let you be aggressive and possessive. And then I liked it. What's that say about me? What's wrong with me?† Dorian's face shifted to that rare and serious concern that sometimes seized it. He reached out and cupped my face with both of his hands. â€Å"Oh, gods, no. Is that what's upset you? Eugenie, Eugenie. That's not rape. Rape is brutal. Rape is done against your will, usually with someone you hate – or at least like a little less than me. What we did last night†¦that was a game. I believe it initially helped you get over a mental stumbling block, but after that†¦there was nothing violent or bad. It was a†¦novel way of approaching sex. You consented. There's nothing wrong with you for liking it.† Maybe he was right, but it still made me feel strange. â€Å"I've just never done anything like that. I've had rough sex before but never anything so†¦kinky.† â€Å"Kinky. Fantastic word. It always takes us awhile to catch up with your world's slang.† â€Å"It makes things weird between us. I mean, weirder than usual.† He ran his hand over my cheek and through my hair. â€Å"Then tell me how to make things right.† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"Perhaps this will cheer you up: We're ready to go to Aeson's now.† â€Å"What?† That didn't cheer me up so much as surprise me. Where had this come from? â€Å"We can go whenever you wish.† â€Å"You're giving in because I have morning-after regrets?† â€Å"I'm ‘giving in' because you crossed the point I wanted you to with your magic.† I scoffed and rolled away. â€Å"Bullshit. I can make water drops appear in the air. Somehow I doubt that's the life-or-death difference needed on this mission.† â€Å"The life-or-death factor here is that you can control a fine portion of your magic now. I needed that to happen before I felt comfortable on this venture. I couldn't risk your emotions flaring and creating a storm that might kill us. Now, you may very well still have some sort of magical breakdown, but I believe your current skills will go far to at least minimize the impact.† â€Å"Then what you said before – about it being protection in case I was defenseless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes. I'm afraid that was a ruse. I'd hoped the thought might spur you on to try harder.† Typical Dorian. His absurdity made me half-smile. â€Å"You're happier now?† he asked. â€Å"I don't know if happy is the right word, but I will be when the Jasmine thing is over.† â€Å"Excellent. Come here.† He motioned me into his outstretched arm, and for a moment, I expected an advance. Like a Hey, baby, I'll make you happier type thing. I moved over tentatively, and he only put his arms around me. Just that simple. No jokes. No kinkiness. Just a simple embrace between two people, two people close enough to have rattled the headboard last night. I took comfort in it, relaxing into his warmth and security. He wasn't Kiyo, but he felt nice. At last he moved his face away so he could look at me. â€Å"Very well, then. Tell me how you would like this to unfold.† Staging another heist turned out to take a fair bit of planning and didn't actually unfold until later the next day. We assembled all three of my minions in one of Dorian's lounges. They waited patiently for orders, each watching me as their minds undoubtedly stirred with their assorted neuroses. As Volusian had once pointed out, they had little to lose. They couldn't die. When Dorian called in Shaya to join us, I couldn't help an exclamation of surprise. â€Å"Remember the distraction we discussed?† he asked me. I did. Before getting out of bed, we had come up with the tentative outline of a plan. Part of it had included a major distraction near Aeson's home, enough to draw the attention of his guard so we could enter undetected. My spirits had long since verified that the siege tunnel had been blocked off. Shaya, he explained, would be our distraction. She had the power to command small ranges of vegetation. In particular, she could summon and order around trees – something she'd apparently done before to great effect. Dorian's thought was that Shaya would have a small regiment of said trees attack the western side of Aeson's hold. On the eastern side, we knew there was a servants' entrance we could slip into. Normally, that would be too exposed but not if the castle's security was preoccupied elsewhere. I nodded, thinking it was a good plan. Shaya crossed her arms and looked thoroughly displeased. â€Å"You got a problem with it?† â€Å"I don't think it's our place to interfere with Aeson's affairs, nor do I feel this is worth risking my king's life over.† I glanced between her and Dorian uneasily. â€Å"So you won't do it?† â€Å"Of course I will. My king gives a command, and I obey. I am merely expressing my honest opinion first. I would be doing a disservice otherwise.† Dorian touched her cheek, smiling at her stern expression. â€Å"And that is why you are so valued.† â€Å"It's a bad idea,† said Finn suddenly. We all turned to him. â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked. â€Å"What's a few trees? It screams, ‘Hey, look at our obvious distraction.' It'll make them suspicious. You want to really get their attention, send him in.† He inclined his head toward Dorian. â€Å"A little bit of that rock mojo, and they'll think there's an all-out assault going on.† â€Å"We can't. I need him as my backup,† I argued, â€Å"and protection for Jasmine. Shaya can do her thing and get out of there quickly. If I go in without him, then we're in exactly the same situation as before.† â€Å"Except without the army waiting for you,† said Finn. Shaya shook her head, glossy black braids swinging. â€Å"I don't like the idea of my king left alone.† â€Å"He'll be in and out, no problem. And if he has to face off, he can take anything Aeson's people throw at him.† â€Å"Unless it's Aeson himself,† mused Dorian. â€Å"Is he stronger than you?† I asked. â€Å"We're very evenly matched.† â€Å"Huh. That surprises me. I mean, Kiyo walked away alive from a fight with him.† â€Å"King Aeson wasn't using his full power then,† said Nandi. â€Å"Most likely he feared burning down his home.† Seeing my startled look, she continued. â€Å"It would have created a terrible inferno from whence you would not have escaped. Your skin would have melted, only your bones left behind.† â€Å"So you're saying he wouldn't have to worry about that outdoors. He could unleash as much as he liked.† Something struck me, and I turned back to Dorian. â€Å"What about you? Are you limited indoors?† â€Å"Hypothetically, no. Realistically? Well†¦I still have to operate in a way that won't bury us alive.† He smiled, seeing my consternation. â€Å"Don't worry, my dear. I'll still be of use to you.† â€Å"More use outside,† said Finn. â€Å"We won't even need extra backup, not if nobody's inside to find us.† I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I'd walked into Aeson's with a lot less planning last time, and foolish or not, it had been a hell of a lot simpler than this. I turned to the room's darkest corner, which had been silent thus far. â€Å"Volusian?† He straightened up from where he'd slouched in the shadows. â€Å"I will be very surprised if we emerge from this without any sort of confrontation, regardless of who creates the initial distraction. If I must honestly answer what will keep you alive† – he sighed, obviously unhappy about that outcome. I suspected Nandi's horrific description of my death by fire had kindled warm and fuzzy feelings in him – â€Å"then yes, bringing the Oak King affords more protection for you and the girl, mistress.† â€Å"Then it's settled.† Finn pouted and turned his back on us, pacing around sulkily. After that, it simply became a matter of waiting. We wanted to go under cover of darkness. Dorian and Shaya left to pursue household duties, and the spirits flitted off to do whatever it was they did. This left me with a lot of downtime. I paced the castle's grounds, ruminating over the same old things: Kiyo, the upcoming raid, and the prophecy. The appointed time came, and our strike team reassembled for a few last-minute details. Most of it was simply a repetition of what we already knew. The spirits drifted along, but the rest of us set out on horseback. Shaya rode with the physical grace that permeated her normal movements, but I was surprised to see how agilely Dorian rode as well. He seemed so languid and comfort-oriented in his day-to-day affairs that I never thought of him as having athletic abilities, his feats in bed notwithstanding. We crisscrossed the assorted kingdoms. It seemed to take longer than last time, and Volusian affirmed as much for me. â€Å"The land has shifted its layout,† he explained. â€Å"It does that,† said Dorian, seeing the panic on my face. â€Å"It's normal. We're on the right path.† â€Å"Yeah, but will we make it there before sunrise?† â€Å"Certainly.† He smiled too broadly, and I could tell he didn't know for sure. I looked up. Right now we had perfect blackness, lit only by stars. The moon was dark tonight. Persephone's moon. I could feel the tingle of the butterfly on my arm and felt reassured. Before, I'd needed Hecate to escape back to my own world. Here, that wasn't an issue. Staying alive and sending my enemies on to death was the issue now, so I didn't mind the boost to my connection with the Underworld. â€Å"How much farther?† I asked a little while later. I felt like a kid on a road trip but couldn't help the anxiety tickling my brain. I might have imagined it, but I swore the eastern sky now looked deep purple rather than black. â€Å"Not far,† said Shaya, voice calm. Sure enough, we pulled off and secured the horses, going the rest of the way on foot, traveling through trees and undergrowth. I couldn't see anything, but we soon reached some significant point. Shaya split off from us to do her thing. Dorian squeezed her arm before she left, and she made a solemn bow of acknowledgment. I watched her disappear before I turned and joined the others to continue straight ahead. Aeson's fortress finally loomed up before us as we reached the edge of the tree line. It could really be perceived only through its blockage of the stars. Otherwise, it appeared almost as black as the sky beyond. We stopped just before the terrain cleared, staying under cover. Studying the building further, I could make out small black figures moving back and forth in front of the wall. Guards. Presumably there were lookouts on the towers too. â€Å"Now we wait,† I muttered. I was tired of waiting. I wanted action. Almost opposite us, on the other side of the forest, Shaya should have been preparing to summon her tree warriors. She and Dorian swore it would be a noisy affair, so there'd been no need for a secret countdown or anything like that. The castle was too far away for me to make out any identifiable features, but the spirits indicated the spot containing the side door. Minutes dragged by, and I imagined all sorts of horrible fates for Shaya. Oh, God. What if they caught and killed her? She'd come here out of loyalty to Dorian, and no matter what else had happened, I'd come to respect her immensely. I didn't want her to die because of this. Dorian approached my right side and put an arm around me. â€Å"Don't worry. This will be finished before you know it. Ah – there we are.† In the distance, we heard it. Wood crackling and splitting. A low roar. Faint shouts of alarm carried over the air, and the guards in our view took off running toward the noise. We waited until they'd cleared the area. â€Å"Now is our time,† murmured Volusian. â€Å"Go.† We streaked across the open area, toward the doorway. I could hear the noise on the other side. The sound of something breaking. More shouts. Shaya's plan had been to send about a dozen massive trees to beat on the walls over there. What a wake-up call that had to have been. â€Å"W-wait! Hold it!† I suddenly cried. The spirits stopped instantly. Dorian took a moment longer to slow down and gave me an odd glance. â€Å"What's wrong?† I peered around. My senses tingled. I could feel water, lots of it. The way I felt in crowds or at Dorian's. Water in numerous condensed clusters. The water sources were people. Lots of them. We'd been set up. Again. â€Å"Fuck!† They seemed to come out from everywhere, though I knew they all had to have been hiding in the castle's vicinity or else I would have felt them sooner. They came down from the roofs, out the door we'd been staking out, from around the corner. And somehow I knew the ones who ostensibly had run off would return. I heard Dorian yell, â€Å"They won't kill you – not if they don't have to!† Then, the side of the castle exploded in a downpour of huge black rocks, causing those above and still scaling to fall down to death or at least serious injury. Others standing nearby were buried by the fallout. My spirits had standing orders to attack anyone attacking us, and I saw them flare up for battle. As for me, I'd come packing two guns tonight, again courtesy of Lara. Both had steel cartridges, and my pockets held more clips still, plus a few silver ones. I kept what distance I could from the thick of the fray and fired, aiming for heads and faces if I could, but mostly happy if I could bring anyone down at all. Regular range practice paid off, and I hit almost everyone I fixed on. No one ever managed to get too close to me. The spirits I ignored. They couldn't die, and only another shaman or Dorian-caliber magic user could banish them. After his spectacular wall demolition, Dorian had resorted to a more conventional method: a copper sword he'd worn sheathed under his cloak. It glowed red in the darkness, and I realized he could enhance its power since copper came from inside the earth. He didn't fight with brute force, but he moved with speed and skill, surprising me as much as the horse-riding had. I wouldn't have minded another show of that earth power, but all magic took its toll. It would do no good for him to burn himself out yet. Suddenly, I saw one of the guards moving up on him, just out of Dorian's line of sight. I started to cry out a warning, and then a large, four-legged form ran forward, snarling as he threw his weight into the guard. Dorian gave a quick glance of surprise but quickly returned to fighting. I couldn't recover so quickly and could only stare as Kiyo, in what I had jokingly dubbed the â€Å"superfox† form, clawed and ripped at his victim. The man did manage to slice Kiyo's side, making me wince, but the fox seemed unaffected. Shaking my head, knowing I could neither wonder how he'd shown up nor worry about his safety, I returned to my own battles. A few victims later, I had my aim on someone when I sensed another form sneaking up behind me. I turned but wasn't quite fast enough. He grabbed my arm and bent the gun away from him, forcing me to the ground. With my left hand, I managed to drag out the other gun. It was more or less smothered as his body tried to pin mine down, and I had no real target. It didn't matter. I just sort of aimed in an upward direction and fired. He screamed and recoiled enough for me to push off and fire again with more precision. Someone else took advantage of my distraction and grabbed me from behind. I'd stuffed the extra gun back in my pants and now struggled against him with the first gun when suddenly it grew hot in my hands. Burning hot. I yelped and dropped it, staring as it lay sizzling on the ground, glowing faintly orange. I didn't have to hear his voice in my ear to know who held me. â€Å"Eugenie Markham, lovely of you to pay me a visit.† â€Å"I'm going to kill you,† I hissed. â€Å"Yes, yes, you told me that before, and yet, I see it's not really working out. You should have taken me up on my earlier offer.† He barked out a command to a nearby guard who ran up to us. â€Å"Disarm her before she kills anyone else.† With all the confusion, none of my other allies noticed what was happening. I opened my mouth and began chanting the ritual words to bring the spirits. They were currently too far out of range to simply hear me shout. Realizing what I attempted, Aeson threw me onto the ground, using his body weight to hold me while one hand covered my mouth. â€Å"Hurry!† The guard removed my athames and wand. For the extra gun, he wrapped his hand in the folds of his cloak to retrieve the weapon and then hastily tossed it away. â€Å"You're a damned nuisance – and a deadly one,† muttered Aeson. â€Å"Keeping you alive for nine months may be more trouble than it's – ow!† I didn't see what happened to him but heard a thunk above me. â€Å"You used your power to toss one rock at me?† he exclaimed, an almost comic note of incredulity in his voice. â€Å"On the contrary,† I heard Dorian say pleasantly. â€Å"I didn't use magic for that. I just threw it.† Aeson tossed me toward his guard, just as flames rose up from the ground. In the darkness, the bright light hurt my eyes, forcing me to glance away. Heat rolled off that scorching orange wall, instantly heating up my skin. The guard attempted to scramble back and hold me at the same time, doing a half-assed job at both, though he still managed – just barely – to keep me restrained. My gaze stayed on the fire's flickering colors until I suddenly felt the ground shake. Jerking my head up as much as my restraint allowed, I saw a cloud of darkness rise above the flames. It crashed down, like the palm of one's hand, and the fire abruptly went out, extinguished as pounds of dirt slammed it to the ground. Without missing a beat, Dorian gestured to the spot Aeson stood on. I felt shaking again and saw the earth ripple, like a wave of water moved under the surface. It knocked Aeson off-balance, and then a storm of rock shards – much as I'd seen with the nixies – swirled around, taking aim. Still on the ground, Aeson lifted his own hands. Waves of heat blasted away the rocks, scattering them in different directions. Some of them melted, dripping back to the earth in a molten shower. Ashes filled the air, and I could hear Aeson coughing as he stumbled to his feet. The ground trembled again, pushing him back to his knees. He supported himself with one hand and gave a shaking, raspy laugh. â€Å"It didn't have to come to this,† he said. â€Å"If you would have just shared her, she might already be with child.† A shower of rocks spattered Aeson as Dorian strode forward. They weren't razor sharp, but they looked like they hurt. The Alder King winced and shielded his face. â€Å"I don't share,† Dorian said flatly. The earth near Aeson coalesced into ropes of dirt, winding their way around his limbs. Score one for bondage fetishes. â€Å"Too bad. You might have lived had you felt differently.† Aeson suddenly burst up, breaking through the bonds of earth. As he did, fire blasted from all around him, outlining him and then shooting forward. My scream was smothered in my captor's hand as I saw Dorian fly backward. Aeson charged forward, his hands controlling and shaping the flames into a ring around Dorian's crouching form. The walls flared up high and thick, so hot they gleamed blue and white. I wouldn't have thought Dorian could survive that inferno, but Aeson kept talking to him as though he were still alive. â€Å"Too many theatrics, Dorian, and not enough strength left now to free yourself.† I looked around desperately. There weren't many guards left. In the distance, I saw Kiyo nail some guy pretty handily – the man's pain-filled scream affirmed as much – but he was too far to help, just like the spirits. I realized then my guard's hold had slackened; he was apparently transfixed by his master's showdown. Others, just as captivated, stopped and stared. Taking advantage of the guard's lack of attention, I shoved my elbow back into his stomach and attempted to spring free. I didn't really expect to achieve that goal, but it did uncover my mouth. I spoke the summoning words, and Nandi and Volusian appeared. â€Å"Get Aes – † I began, just before the hand slammed on my mouth again. Another guard joined mine to help with the confinement. The spirits shifted from humanoid form to something else, still vaguely anthropomorphic but more like a cloud of energy. They swooped toward Aeson, one shining and blue, the other black and silver. He deflected them with flames while still holding the walls on Dorian. An instant later, I saw a wand in one of his hands. No. He couldn't – He spoke banishing words, and I felt the surge of power in the air as he tore open a hole to the Underworld. The form that was Nandi trembled and then exploded, disappearing in sparkles. She'd found her peace at last – and without another two years of service to me. â€Å"Call the other one off,† snapped Aeson, â€Å"unless you want to lose him too.† The hand on my mouth lifted. I hesitated. I had nothing to lose if Volusian won or lost. In fact, Aeson's request likely indicated he couldn't banish the spirit to the land of death. Gentry rarely had that kind of power anyway, so Aeson probably couldn't do what I had been unable to do. But if he fought Volusian, it was possible he could have enough strength to break my control and enslave him as a minion. That was not an option. Better for the spirit to be destroyed than turned against me. â€Å"Hold, Volusian.† He retreated immediately, coalescing back into his normal shape. Aeson returned to Dorian. The Alder King held up his hand and brought his fingers together in a fist. The burning walls contracted, resembling more of a cocoon than a cylinder now. Through the crackling of flames, I heard Dorian scream. Helplessness choked my heart. Just like with the mud elemental. Just like with the nixies. I had no weapons and no freedom. This was exactly the kind of situation Dorian kept speaking of. The time magic would be handy. I couldn't use it, however. My abilities included only miniscule water manipulation and out-of-control storms and their consequences. Yet, suddenly, I didn't care about the consequences. I wanted to summon a major storm, a storm to devastate this whole area. Maybe it'd kill my friends and me, but things didn't really look good for us anyway. Focusing my mind on that, I tried to recall the angry tempests I'd created before. Only†¦it didn't work. Maybe it was because I'd never consciously done such a thing before. Or maybe it was because I could no longer see storms as a whole. They were pressure and charged particles and – most importantly – water. Dorian had taught me to compartmentalize the elements, and that's all I could do now. I thought about storms, but all my mind did was reach out and touch all the water sources nearby. Damn it. Finding water did no good, not unless I could move a whole lake and douse the fire. I doubted I could command that much water, even if I had a source like that nearby. But I didn't need one that big. I only needed to summon a smaller water source, one my powers could manage. I refocused. My magic reached out, grasping and connecting with the water molecules I wanted. They recognized me, and I called them forward. They resisted a little. There were more of them here than had been in the pitcher. Obey me! I shouted to them. Come to me! I am your mistress. Only a few seconds passed while I struggled for control of the water. Meanwhile, Aeson was still holding his arms up, collapsing the walls slowly in what was probably a sadistic effort to prolong Dorian's pain. Still, I needed the delay as I pushed and pulled the water more fiercely. A funny look crossed Aeson's face just then, and he glanced around, as though trying to find something. Yet, he didn't know what that was. Come to me! I could feel the water breaking free, unable to resist my command. A look of horror twisted Aeson's face. His hands dropped and clutched his head, almost as if he would claw it off. Behind him the flames around Dorian abruptly faded and disappeared, almost as if a lake had dropped onto them after all. But as I'd noted, I hadn't needed a lake. I'd only needed a smaller source. I'd needed Aeson. The water in him was a size I could manage, the source I'd called out to and commanded. After all, the human – or gentry – body is 65 percent water. And a moment later, all of it came to me. The other 35 percent didn't.

Integrating the Philosophy of Socrates into the Engineering Curriculum

Academic institutions in America have a difficult task, being primarily responsible for the education of the population. Higher education institutions play the largest role in developing individuals and helping them find their roles within society. It is then necessary to look into how the best institutions in the country are educating and developing the minds of the next generation of leaders. In particular, a great focus should be placed in the rising responsibility of STEM (Science Engineering Technology and Mathematics) graduates and their education due to the growing demand of STEM professionals in this era. Engineering curriculum's, for the majority, follow specific criteria to define what is necessary and important for an engineering student to learn. This criteria is set by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, which has identified eleven (11) student outcomes upon graduation of an engineering Baccalaureate level program. Among these eleven outcomes, are three outcomes that involve something broader than technological knowledge, design and methods, and they are: (1) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context (2) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning (3) a knowledge of contemporary issues. In order to accomplish these outcomes, it is necessary to implement ancient philosophies from one of the greatest philosopher that ever lived, Socrates. Socrates had a lot to say about knowledge, wisdom and education. He is famously known for the ideas that â€Å"the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,† â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living, † and â€Å"education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. † Many students and professors in the school of engineering do not realize how little they know. For students, when accepted into a high ranked four-year institution, they might believe they are already among the best and the brightest, and this happens more often in the school of engineering. Students tend to think they have four more years of education left (typically) since they've made it so far already and don't realize that their learning has just begun. For professors at top higher institutions in Engineering, many have earned at least Master's degree or better. It is common that most professors hold Ph. D's at top research universities. With vast amount of knowledge these professors gain, they feel as if they know more than the students. Professors readily admit that they don't know everything. There are not many opportunities to question the curriculum that is assigned. More professors can benefit the student's learning experience by providing an environment to learn beyond what is required. Both professor and students are at fault for not acknowledging their own ignorance, which hinders the students in their intellectual growth. Moreover, once students and professors can come to realize how much more there is to learn this can open a world of knowledge for them. Socrates highly valued curiosity and wonder stating that life should not go unexamined. So how does one go about ensuring the outcomes ABET outlines? They implement a philosophical approach to technical education. Although this is present in some courses it is not enough. Most syllabi outline in detail what you are going to learn from concepts to chapters to homework problems to exams on day one. Learning is structured and more about following the rules. There is not a lot of encouragement to seek knowledge in other disciplines. The importance of concepts and ideas about other topics such as philosophy, politics, and education is not usually taught in engineering courses. Yet it is required by ABET for students to have that board exposure to be great engineers. For example, the an aerospace student who is looking to work in the industry after college needs to study the economy and politics. That student needs to understand how the economy stands regarding consumer spending and analyze the possibility of their country going to war. These factors can determine whether or not there is a need for commercial airplanes and/or a demand for defense airplanes. That student can then have a better understanding of what real engineering problems he will encounter and start thinking of ways to provide solutions by studying more applications of such problems. It is also important to know where that industry is head and looking into trends from the past to predict future ones and have a clearer vision of where to seek employment. This education, however, is not covered in your typical engineering course. Faculty and staff needs to put a bigger emphasis and link to education outside of STEM. It is the curiosity and wonder of the students that will lead them to self-educate themselves on these broader topics outside of their curriculum that they are expected have learned upon graduation. This leads to the issue that higher education has developed as a compartmentalized learning system, seen more evident in the engineering schools. In my experience at a leading four-year, private, research university, it felt as if the engineering professors were concerned about what the students know as opposed to how they processed thoughts and ideas. This is contrary to the belief that Socrates had, â€Å"education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. † With the focus to memorize formulas and problem solving methods students are just being filled with information and are then tested on how well they can recreate what they learned in lectures and texts in an exam. When asked, most alumni admit that they have retained very little from the concepts and formulas they learned in class. They state what they really acquired out of engineering school was the problem solving ability. This makes sense, since books and the internet are available to an engineer as a professional; there is no need to memorize the content. Practice with concepts and methods are necessary yet it is more important to understand how these concepts came to be. Socrates would encourage students to ask more about the who, what, why, how, and when in the midst of their learning experience. Developing a critical mind should be the focus of teaching not how well a student can memorize. Engineering programs across the nation don't place enough of an emphasis on critical thinking and self-education of concepts outside of engineering. Engineering education is not just about the practice of engineering methods; it's about recognizing hidden principles, patterns of learning and developing a desire for lifelong learning. With the teachings of Socrates, students will realize what they don't know and start to become more curious and begin to self-educate themselves outside of the classrooms to become individuals that live fulfilling lives as professionals and members of society community.

NCSOFT Corporation Essay

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NCsoft had achieved massive success and brand recognition after it had launched its initial games like Lineage 1, Lineage 2 and Guild Wars. But since then the tastes of its customers had been gaining diversity, therefore, the company needed to look out for ways to fulfill the demand for its products. The company later also developed other products within its simple product portfolio to increase its customer base and also to expand its company to acquire chunks of market share. Play NC was also one of the products it had launched which gained little success, almost negligible. Since then, the company has been focusing on its key issues which were also considered by its CEO. The first issue related to maintain the top position of the company in the leading game market. For this, the company needs to expand, especially by acquiring new subsidiaries in other parts of the world where it had not previously marketed its products. The company’s second most important issue is to counterattack the global competition coming from the gaming industry and also other related industries, which might threaten NCsoft indirectly. The company needs to create customer oriented products that feature their personal lives, so that they are attached to the product and to the company itself. The company needs to formulate a globalization strategy. They need to increase its customer base. They also need to  diversify to increase the range of its offerings and by including elements that emotionally attach the customers to its products, NCsoft could fulfill its long term dream of becoming a leading player. CASE OVERVIEW NCSOFT, founded in March 1997, launched its first game with the name of Lineage in September 1998. Lineage, was Korea’s first role playing game. Although, NCsoft, began as a systems integration business, but soon it was transformed into a full game company. After the release of the first game, it gained a lot of success and was soon listed on the Korean Stock Exchange. Just after its creating in 1997, NCsoft was earning about KRW5.5 billion. It was only in 2007 that its revenues increased by 170 times and its people increase from just 17 to 16,000. This case presents us with a contribution of NCsoft in the Korean Gaming market. NCsoft had faced many challenges and was yet to face. Since the year 2000, the PC game market has declined by over 30%. Also the mobile game market began to experience declining growth rates. Apart from this the video game market experienced negative growth in the year 2004, due to economic stagnation. Nevertheless, the Korean game market started to show high annual growth rate of around 50%. By 2006, NCsoft had earned its 43% of its revenue from its overseas market. The company had an advantage of a first mover in the initial years of its operations in the gaming industry. However, this was no longer its first mover advantage. With the advent of new technologies, development of various profit models, diversification of accounting methods and building an online platform for online games, the company is now forced to reinvent new ways to reach the market. CASE QUESTIONS NCSOFT has a great growth potential both inside and outside of Korea. The president of the company is facing a number of issues. As the founder of the company, he wants to maintain a strong position in the Korean market. He wants to find out how to diversify into the global market in the area of, for example, casual games. He wants to deal with the negative perceptions that have been developed in the minds of many people regarding the side effects of playing online games. Also the company wants to formulate strategies to counter attack the competition that is coming from competitors developing digital-content online games. 1. MAINTAING ITS TOP POSITION NCsoft has achieved success in the gaming industry and maintained its number 1 position in the Korean market for a long period. It has released a variety of gaming services such as, Lineage 1 and 2, massively multiplayer online role-playing games, blade and sword and also other casual games. The company has developed globally and has grown in diversity within its customer base. The company had so far maintained its top position in the Korean gaming industry. However, it was still needed to raise the quality of its gaming services to meet the changing expectations of its people and also mitigate the competition coming from the global market. – value drivers? One of the ways for the company to maintain its top position was to occupy the niches in the game industry. For this, the organization needs to focus on its core capabilities and capitalize on them. So far the company had achieved success in the area of digital content company. The company needed to grow its business through the integration of wired and wireless networks to become a global online development and publishing company. Since its inception, NCsoft was differentiated in the perception of its games. They focused on, to make the lives of the customers more joyful and make them a part of their entertainment culture. The company needs to introduce new games into the market to further increase its market share. It is known that online games were going to create a nearly infinite potential because they were internet based. The company needs to further expand in this area by targeting niche markets. NCsoft also had the dream of becoming the worlds’ best digital content company and had three major mottos, â€Å"Fun, Creativity and Quality.† The company needs to expand but it also needs to formulate such strategies and positioning plans that prevent cannibalization of the company’s other successful products. It has been seen that a new market within the gaming industry has been emerging. This was the development of game portals for the people of 30 or above and also some other casual games which were very popular with the people from all the ages, including the  elders and the children. NCsoft can also target this area to maintain its brand image and top position not only in Korea but in the global market too. 2. MITIGATING THE WORLD COMPETITION NCsoft was now giving considerable attention to the emerging competition that was going to increase in the distant future. It was known that the future competition in the gaming industry, especially in the online games area would not be just dependent upon the games of other competitors. The competition was about providing the entertainment. People are beginning to search for games on the internet. Therefore, NCsoft needs to prepare itself for competition with other online companies, such as portals, communities and shopping malls. The online service of the company will not help the company survive in the future environment of the competition. The company needs to introduce more and more games to survive in the online environment, where users have a limited time to use the internet. The online games on the internet can be described in various forms. These will include all such content which provides entertainment to the customers. Most important along with this is that the company needs to launch such new games that will provide its customers the true perceived value. It could launch other products just like Lineage 1, Lineage 2 and the Guild Wars because of online games the customer was not just a customer but it is now considered as an asset. Therefore, the company needs to apply the Porter’s Five forces model to look at the emerging competition and analyze its position. The company should conduct this analysis when entering new markets. The company needs to examine the micro-environment as well as its macro-environment, before entering new markets. When the company has analyzed the new markets, especially the niche markets where it is planning to penetrate, they should expand on their core competencies and expertise and the areas where the company has achieved proficiency to create a competitive advantage and sustain it for the long term. NCsoft has always ruled the online game market in Korea, but since the Internet had appeared, most of the companies were transformed, to online gaming companies and first movers appeared in different fields. Everyone was looking for fully realizing the new market potential coming out of the online games. NCsoft  was also one of them. From all of this, NCsoft came to enjoy brand recognition in the year 2007. 3. DIVERSIFICATION OF ITS GAME OFFERINGS The company began in 1997 and since then the company has focused on adding new elements and updated when it first launched Lineage in 1998. The company has focused emphasis on the games as a work of art which was completed over several sessions of trimming and molding done through many hands. The main motive of NCsoft was not just to invest its capital in the business and generate a required rate of return on that investment, but the company always wanted to and had examined it’s all new games to identify what areas were falling short of the highest standard of quality. Since the beginning, the company has always been criticized for its dependence on the success of Lineage alone. Looking at its simple product portfolio, the goal of the company of becoming a global company in the game industry it does not match. Therefore, later NCsoft had diversified and had increased, a new product to its simple product portfolio. The name of this product was play NC. This product provided a number of games, but its performance was not good. But still NCsoft has been focusing on developing new products through most of its subsidiaries. Garret brothers have given NCsoft the title of becoming the next-generation online game. NCsoft needs to focus on diversifying its portfolio further. It needs to identify niche markets and penetrate its products in those markets. This would not only increase the market share of the company, but it would also give the company opportunity to become the most leading players in the game industry. The CEO of the company, T. J. Kim himself enjoyed playing games and he had also spent sleepless nights playing these games just like his own customers. This was all due to the hard work of developers of NCsoft. They always tried to put their complete efforts and souls into the development of the games which always was a NCsoft’s advantage. The company needs to use these elements and the element of aiming for perfection to leave its competitors behind and diversify into new overseas markets. NCsoft needs to now look further than just generating revenues. It should search for new avenues to diversify its games in order to cut the completion  and better monetize its products throughout the world. NCsoft needs to formulate a monetization strategy to create a new strategic advantage. It needs to create games that are more addictive. People should feel that the games have been developed keeping in mind their personal lives. The unpredictability of the gaming industry is the only reason why diversification should be on high on the game developer’s side. The company on the other hand needs to also search areas where its business has grown to the maximum potential. These are the areas from where the company can think of further diversification into different areas. Diversifying into new areas does not simply mean increasing the revenue for the whole business. It also means reducing costs by achieving economies of scale in the business. NCsoft can acquire new subsidiaries in different parts of the world where it wants to promote its most successful games. This could be done for all online games or internet based games. The company has a very good opportunity to diversify into the area of casual games. Casual games are basically a type of video games which could be played by a huge audience at the same time. The rules required to play these games are simple and are different from one another which distinguish these games from one another. These are simple games and not so much tough like the other hardcore games. These types of games normally play on the personal computers that have internet on them. But now these types of games are becoming popular on mobile phones and game consoles as well. 4. GLOBALIZATION OF NCSOFT’S PRODUCTS If we look at the gaming industry in Korea, it is always seen that active marketing of the online games in overseas country has always contributed to the development of the online game industry. This was also proved by the fact that a forecast showed that the export market share of online games would exceed 82% among all other export games that are sold overseas. This online game industry was further expected to develop in the areas of various profit models and diversification and accounting methods. These online games were then beginning to be exported to Japan. These online games occupied 80% of Korean game exports. So on with the use of its superior technology and wide range of offerings, NCsoft had grown into a global online game company. It had entered countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Europe and the United States. The most important thing to note about NCsoft’s globalization strategy is its speed. The company should adopt a different payment policy with regard to country to country, despite its domestic payment policy based on monthly charging fee scheme. NCsoft had promoted its first role playing game, Lineage, in the world market. It had signed a licensing contract with a Taiwanese based company names as Gamania. This game was then launched in Taiwan with the name of Tiantang. The company needs to also develop new product offerings and promote those products through other licensing contracts with other companies including Japan, China and America. It has been seen that the major contributor in the success of NCsoft, so far in its profitability is through its game Lineage 1 and Lineage 2. The company has other games that are not much successful in these markets. Therefore the company has the opportunity to win its foreign users’ hearts by differentiating its other games and updating their previous versions in these markets to win margins and create brand recognition. A large portion of the world market today is occupied by the arcade games industry, video games industry and also the console games industry. Although these industries, except the video games industry, are not a direct threat to the online games industry, but still they could become a very credible threat in the future when the console gets connected to the online games. Therefore, it is becoming more and more important for the online games industries to prepare strategies against the console game makers for the future and to also develop such content in their games so that they have a very strong hold of their future. Apart from this, Microsoft has established a center known as an online game innovation center in Korea. It has also announced that soon it would be investing in it about 100 million dollars and will be going to put extra efforts in the online game related  technologies. Therefore, the company needs to develop strategies for its future so that it could remedy its over-dependence on the heavy user based MMORPGs and also to pursue its globalization industry. The task of the personnel involved in the manufacturing of console games is ended when a game has been purchased and installed. The transaction ends here. However, the task of the personnel involved in the online game industry starts right here and this stage provides an opportunity for online game companies, like NCsoft, to provide customer oriented services with respect to each individual country and market characteristics. 5. DEALING WITH NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS & SIDE EFFECTS OF PLAYING ONLINE GAMES. The negative perceptions regarding playing games online could be dealt by counseling the parents of young children. They should be motivated by telling them about the positive effects that online games could bring to children, such as problem solving skills, logic, hand-eye coordination, spatial and fine motor skills, resource management, planning, logistics, multitasking and managing multiple objectives. Given all of these benefits the parents could be motivated and their wrong perceptions regarding playing online games could be easily removed. Also, they should be guided that excessive use of anything would surely be harmful, therefore, children as well as the adults should divide their time between leisure and other activities. CASE SUMMARY/CONCLUSION This case study presents us with the success story of NCsoft as the leading game company in the online game industry. The case focuses on how it emerged from Korea, as a systems integration business and becoming a full gaming company. It diversified its simple product line into a number of successful products after the release of Lineage 1 & Lineage 2. The company now wants to diversify its products further in other overseas markets. It is looking for niche markets to target them with its those games that have not gained much popularity in other markets. The company also will have to formulate a new globalization strategy to meet its long term goal of becoming the world’s leading game player and promote its brand. The company also needs to  formulate strategies to overcome the competition coming from other online game players. It will also need to deal with competition coming from console game and video game developers. Ncsoft needs to develop strategies and perform detailed five forces analysis before entering the new world markets. One of the areas where the company had the opportunity to develop and create its market is the area of digital media gaming. The company could occupy this segment of the market also. It could develop a variety of product offerings in this area and capture the sales of this segment to churn a bigger market share of the global gaming industry. The company also needs strategies and their immediate implementation to maintain its top position in the world market. The company can do so by making its games more thrilling, joyful and reality based. They should include such elements in their games that reflect the personal lives of the people. Finally, they should also give people complete guidance regarding the positivity created by playing these internet based games.