The Smartphone Industry Analysis 2012 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Smartphone Industry Analysis 2012 - Essay Example (Cromar, 2010) The smartphone market is characterized by perpetual innovation and constant new product development. No one company has considerable market share so all the companies are constantly evolving technology in order to remain competitive and not to be driven out. (Brownlow, 2012) Smartphones and tablets have very short product life-cycle due to constant improvement in technology, aggressive pricing and rapid imitation. The barriers to entry in this industry are very high due to patents, high start-up cost, regulations and economies of scale. In the smartphone industry there are many drivers which deliver success and in order to stay in business and maximize value for the company it is important to know what factors guide the company towards excellence. The smartphone industry is very fleeting, therefore companies need to be on their feet and constant research and development is needed to come up with the most innovative features that would appeal to consumers. This should b e in line with the market demand, but innovation is a key competitive force in the smart phone industry. Secondly, the product needs to be reliable and should deliver on its promises. Having a reasonable battery life is important along with good reception. This would make the consumer brand loyal if their expectations are met. Also, good customer support service is mandatory to be competitive. Thirdly, the product created needs to expandable such that it allows third party applications to run and is not very restrictive in nature. Timely software updates also reinforce a brand’s image. Another competitive force would be that the product should be user friendly, and the interface should be designed in order to facilitate consumers and should not be time consuming. Lastly for a company to remain competitive they should have great financial capability in order to respond to the fleeting market demand and have the finance for product development shifts, marketing and acquisitions as well. (Gartner, 2010) One of the best ways of evaluating the attractiveness of an industry and gauging its performance is through the Michael Porter's five force model. This model ensures that a holistic analysis is performed which considers all the possible threats and provides a true picture of the external environment of an industry. The industry according to this model is quite profitable as only two threats are strong and can be removed via good coordination. The smartphone industry is marked with the threat of rival sellers. All the major competitors have pretty much the same strategy and use innovation to excel and make promising products. Also, these companies are financially strong and stable and have immense budgets for promotional campaigns and intense research and development. Another common feature of this industry is the greater ability for acquisitions which dirty dig the share quickly off the android. Because the industry is progressing at a fast rate, some shift ing in market share without long term results can exist. (Analysys Mason, 2012) The threat of new entrants is moderate because the barriers to entry are many. The global distribution of technology is limited to the leading technology companies and they have patented their hall of fame products. The only

My History with Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My History with Language - Essay Example However, my mother has been my role model towards speaking some sort of English before I even joined in an elementary school. In most cases, some elementary schools use first languages to teach students in order to enable them understand well something that contribute to some difficulties in learning second language effectively for many international students. Therefore, my history with language begins from earlier childhood life to adulthood and the way I have encounter varied problems in reading, writing and speaking. One of the greatest mentors apart from my mother is my high school English teacher because he had molded my attitudes towards English language. I always viewed English as a language for the Americans people only but I have realized the advantages of reading, writing and even speaking fluent English. My high school teacher’s greatest complement to me was that I had a good accent in English and this enabled me to work hard in class in order to perform well in my studies. I have always wanted to be one of those students who learn other people’s languages easily; however, I can say without any disbelief that I am not since my learning especially my speaking and reading is slow. I have assimilation problem and learning foreign language is challenging because learning is a process and it takes times for one to acquire adequate knowledge or experience. It took me two years to get to the point of conversing or socializing with my friends in my own language while living in a foreign country. I have been living with foreign family friends for more than five years but I have never been able to speak nor read fluent in foreign language. I am not linguistically gifted and one can be able to picture my literacy when learning foreign languages. Gass and Larry (3) assert that many graduate programs have made significant efforts of training students in second language acquisition unlike a generation ago and this has become significant in the contem porary learning environment. Many people have come to realize that in case one has to develop effective language teaching strategies, he or she has to develop a solid basis for those strategies in language learning. Despite some challenges, I understand that it is because of the efforts of my mother and my teachers in an elementary school, which enabled me to develop a bit of some accent in English. However, I also thank my high school English teacher for employing effective language teaching strategies for helping me to meet my education demanding needs efficiently. For instance, the use of language teaching strategies which are based on translation and memorization exercises has played significant roles in improving my English language. I have always wanted to read, write and even speak fluent foreign languages because I wanted to become a tourist; thus tour all places across the globe. One of the most prominent and salient type of critical learning experience is concerned with tr avel. This is either traveling to a country where English or French language is spoken; thus travel experience can enable learners to see the value of speaking English, Spanish or French as a way of communicating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds (Mercer 148). I recall when I was 11 years old, I and my family made a trip to Hawaii during a holiday. I was amazed to see many people

Disadvantages of Globalization Essay Example for Free

Disadvantages of Globalization Essay One of the disadvantages of globalization is the over-standardization of products through global branding. Using Emirate Airline to illustrate this point, globalization will means that their services are standardized which aim to serve all customers. They would lose their uniqueness of the business culture after they go global. Also, the over-globalization will result in the lack of creativity and product diversity Hongladarom (2002), Zekos (2004). Moreover, globalization can also create diseconomies of scale as not all countries have the same growth and economic cycle. For example, Emirate may operate very well in the Middle East and Europe market but expanding into Asia or America market will reduce their profit. This could be due to difficulties of coordinating activities in those new markets or the culture differences. It is also important to note that globalization will cause de-industrialization and high unemployment in the domestic market. Empirical evidences included: Mello (1997), Rodrik (1996), Fagerberg (1994).

The Consequences Of Melting Polar Ice Caps Environmental Sciences Essay

The Consequences Of Melting Polar Ice Caps Environmental Sciences Essay The polar ice caps that we see today have taken centuries to form and they ve been melting from time to time in order to form lakes and rivers that are essential not only for animal and plant life, but for humans as well all over the world. Furthermore, as precipitation takes its toll the ice caps that melt gets replaced by fresh snow that is later on over time converted to ice. Thus it is safe to say that the melting of the polar ice caps is a normal occurrence, however it becomes a problem when the ice caps melt at a fast rate and turning into water faster and in more quantity than the fresh snow replacing it. This is the current situation of most of today s polar ice caps all over the world. As they reduce in size, stability, and strength they eventually break off and melt away thereby increasing sea levels among other things. The major consequences of melting polar ice caps can be said in the following order below: 1. Global Warming. We are currently experiencing warmer temperatures all over the world today as temperatures have gone high, and global warming is becoming more alarming day by day. This rise in temperature helps polar ice caps melt faster than it should be. Ice caps have even disappeared in certain parts of the world due to this. The melting of the polar ice caps increases global warming because ice glaciers deflects or bounces off about 80% heat from the sun and retain or absorb about 20% of it. However, when sunlight falls on earth, only 20% of the heat is deflected and 80% is absorbed. This in turn increases sea water temperatures, melting ice faster causing the earth to get warmer. 2. Shortage of Fresh Water. Earth looks sort of enveloped and covered with water when seen from space which causes people to think that we are self-sufficient with water. However, this is just the opposite as most of the water that we can see from space in pictures is just salt water that is not good for human use and only 2% of it is considered as freshwater good enough for human use in which 70% of it comes from ice caps and glaciers. People in certain parts of the world depend on this fresh source of water for not only drinking but for agricultural purposes as well. There are certain areas around the Himalayas that are currently in crisis due to this especially in dry months as populations rise. 3. Reduced Agricultural Output. To begin with, for the areas where agriculture mainly depends on rain, they won t be effected by melting of the ice caps. However these areas are few around the world. Areas that are affected are those that depend on fresh water coming from ice caps and glaciers. When ice caps keep on melting there will be lesser fresh water for agriculture which will make the lands dry and not suitable for agriculture thus reduce the total output leading to a shortage in harvest. 4. Excessive Flooding. There are ice caps all over the world and it should be understood that the difference between polar ice caps and ice caps is that the later are present also on lands. Melting of these ice caps causes excessive flooding which is very dangerous for the people and animals that are living in those areas as it would destroy homes, habitats, and lives. Furthermore, polar ice caps and ice glaciers on higher altitudes melt faster which form new lakes and raise river water levels as well causing floods. This is also a cause of concern as when these river water levels rise and lakes burst, they lead to major disasters destroying everything crossing its path. 5. Rise In Sea Level. As the polar ice caps melt at a faster rate, the more the sea levels rise. The consequences of this will be of dire magnitude and people living in coastal regions all over the world will have to relocate and live somewhere else, thereby decreasing amount of living space, due to soil erosion, flooding, and their fresh water being contaminated with salt water of the sea. It has been estimated that the sea level rising 1mm to 2mm per year. It has also been estimated that in the U.S there will be a 3-foot rise in sea level in the Gulf coast which will lead to the deluge of more tha 22,000 square miles of land. 6. Habitat Loss. There are plenty of animals, birds, and even fishes that depend on the polar ice caps and its temperatures for their survival. There are fishes depend on food such as phytoplankton and sea-plants that are underwater near the ice caps and there are birds such as snow owls that depend on these fishes near the ice caps and animals and humans who depend on certain birds for food. They are all connected. As sea water temperatures get warmer and sea levels rise, the sea plants in which these fishes feed off n live on will eventually die out n disappear and this in turn will lead to the increase in the death toll of fishes and birds will reduce due to lack of fishes to feed on, making survival for birds very difficult. Thus disturbing the whole ecosystem. Furhtermore the reduction of fishes has an impact on the polar bear as they have much less to feed on forcing them to take long journeys away from their habitat which also forces to eat what they don t normally eat. This journey is a risky one as some of the polar bear don t make it alive an die on the way as there are many threats as starvation and threats underwater such as killer whales and sharks. Seals, whales, and walruses are also adapting to this change to migrating patters which makes hunting for them by natives very difficult thus leaving the natives without food as well. In addition to the melting of the ice caps, blocks of ice are breaking off forcing seals to give bith underwater which causes many of the pups to die by drowning. Also separation occurs due to breaking of the ice at young ages leading to higher mortality rates. 7. Coral Reefs Will Vanish. Coral reefs need sunlight for photosynthesis not only for their own survival but also for the survival of the various types of fishes that depend on it. As sea levels rise higher making waters deeper, the presence of sunlight under water becomes lesser as the sunlight becomes harder to reach the coral reefs. This in turn corrupts the quality of corals and may even kill them. Certain fishes won t survive as they depend on the reefs for food and this will later have an impact on people who depend on fish for survival. 8. Recontamination Of Earth. Most people today have never even heard DDT and such pesticides as they were banned all over the world years ago. These substances were airborne and eventually wounded up in cooler areas near the ice caps and polar ice caps. Unfortunately the story doesn t end there as most of these harmful airborne chemicals got trapped inside the polar ice caps and glaciers, which later chunks of ice melt and break off, the chemicals, are then released back into the environment in seas, rivers, and lakes containing glaciers. 9. Melting Of The Polar Ice Caps Affects The Whole World. The melting of the polar ice caps is not only limited to specific parts of the world. The rapid melting of the ice is a global concern and its consequences affect the whole world in every continent, especially when it comes to global warming. Conclusion In conclusion, the consequences of the melting polar ice caps are not only limited to specific areas of the world but rather are a global consequence and one that has many concerns and should be dealt with immediately because the polar ice caps are still melting and sea levels are rising, effecting us all over the world as mentioned above. Unfortunately nothing can be done about the rapid melting of the polar ice caps at the moment but global warming is a major factor in the rapid decrease of the ice caps and everyone should contribute to reduce global warming as a first step.

Audio Format Wars :: essays research papers fc

Audio Format Wars Before buying a new car, getting married, or adopting a new audio format it is wise to ask a few questions, peer under the hood, and ask the advice of someone you trust. Will the new format satisfy your needs not only now but, also in the future? Will it look (and sound) as good on all the mornings after you first met? The analogue cassette is an old and trusted versatile friend that went with you on those morning jogs and cruised in the car with you on Friday nights. However, the powers that be, have declared our trusted friend to be in the last phase of the life cycle. It's successor must sound better, work better, and have new features such as a digital display for song titles. There are currently two formats competing to be the consumers next choice for sound on the go. They are Philips' Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) and Sony's Mini Disc (MD). What exactly is digital recording? The definition is, "An electronic format that is designed to duplicate sound, while affording extremely accurate control over any changes you might wish to make in the recording" (Mclan & Wichman,1988). In simple terms it means that the digital circuitry samples the signal and then reproduces what it has seen. The quality of the recording depends on the sampling rate of the machine. The sampled signal is then encoded to the tape or disc in 1's and 0's, just like a computer disk drive would encode information. However, the biggest advantage of digital recording is the fact that it eliminates tape "hiss" that is usually found present in analogue recordings. In the Eighties, a Philips invention captured the limelight. The Compact Disc introduced us to a new era of digital sound, or "perfect sound." In the nineties another Philips invention has taken centre-stage, the Digital Compact Cassette (DCC). DCC is the marriage of the analogue cassette to Digital Audio. Together they form a union that combines perfect sound, high convince and greater versatility. " DCC is a medium on which audio information is digitally encoded and which reproduces CD quality sound" (Philips Electronics, Sound & Vision, 1995). A number of features have been incorporated into DCC tapes and decks to achieve CD like sound and convince. DCC decks can locate a chosen track on either side of the tape because track and time codes are recorded on the tape. This combined with autoreverse, which is standard on all DCC decks, makes track access effortless but, not as fast as a CD. Another attractive feature of DCC is the text mode.

The Partridge Family :: essays research papers

If you were alive 30 years ago you probably can recall those Friday nights when you were sitting in front of the television set during prime time watching a widowed mother and her five children who charmed America and broke a generation gap with their groovy, bubble gum sounding tunes. You probably would also know that "The Partridge Family," with its something for everyone cast and groovy tunes, took over America as an instant success in the fall of 1970.The Partridge Family was the 70s successor to the Monkees who were a mid 60s hit. Both the Monkees and the Partridge Family were fictional rock/pop bands produced by a television branch of Columbia Pictures called Screen Gems, but unlike the Monkees, the Partridge Family strictly was about wholesome and traditional family values. (UBL.com)The famous cast included screen and stage veteran Shirley Jones who played the mother, Shirley Partridge. Shirley Jones had been in numerous plays and movies including Rodgers and Hammerstien’s "Oklahoma!", "The Music Man", "The Big Slide", and the 1960 film version of Elmer Gantry which won her an Academy Award for her role as a prostitute. In 1956, Shirley Jones married actor Jack Cassidy who was the father of her future co-star David Cassidy. Born April 12, 1950 in New York City, David Cassidy grew up in the show business atmosphere with both his father and mother being avid performers. After he graduated from Rexford, a private school in Beverly Hills, he worked with the Los Angeles Theater Group and was featured in the Los Angeles theater production of "And so to Bed" (members.tripod.com). After that he moved to New York and back to Los Angeles while starring in several plays and TV shows including "Mod Squad" and "Bonanza", but David Cassidy didn’t get his big break until he returned to his first love, music, when he was cast as Keith Partridge. Other cast members who played Partridge siblings included Susan Dey, a popular New York fashion model who played Laurie Partridge, and the red headed and freckled Danny Bonaduce who played Danny Partridge and to many people’s surprise actually came from an 100 percent Italian background (The Partridge Family Deluxe Souvenir Album). The youngest partridges as you may know were Chris and Tracy. Chris was first played by Jeremy Gelbwaks during the first season, but his parents soon became uncomfortable about his acting with the mania that surrounded the show and took their son out of the cast.

Need for Change

Orma Corporation has been in business since the late 1800’s, beginning with heating and air conditioning product lines. It then slowly expanded into other product lines over time, including Automation, Control Systems, Aerospace, and Transportation Systems, which are currently Orma’s main product segments. The products for aerospace segment produce products that support military defense systems, space exploration and commercial airplanes. The Need for Change: Believing in the Need for Change in business made Orma Corporation grow and expand as a company over time. Their solution was diversifying its product lines from heating and air conditioning products to its three main product segments that deal exclusively with technological changes. They realized that there was a need for industries operating in these sectors and, by using their strengths in some areas and gaining strength in others, Orma was able to expand into product segments that they had not operated in prior. Every company benefits from recognizing the need for change in its operations, particularly regarding changes in technology to meet demand for technological advancement of its target market. Technology is always evolving through time, thus any company that does not keep up with technological changes will eventually lose its hold on its market. It is necessary, therefore, to change with the times. Accordingly, Orma Corporation’s segment of aerospace technology, for example, changes every few months to keep up with new technological advances in that particular industry through Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). ERP As Orma Corporation’s Response to the Need for Change: ERP is a multi-module, integrated computer system that helps in the management of the aerospace segment using a common approach to business process: information access, global allocation and resource utilization. It uses multiple software modules that provide various business functions to different areas of aerospace operations. Adapting the ERP system helps organize inventory of factory operation since it ensures unified communication between the factory and the overall enterprise. What is the future of Orma if they do not implement ERP?: ERP is essential to the success of Orma because without careful planning to ensure success in new business ventures the corporation will not be able to expand and break into new markets. Without ERP, Orma would be limited in what they could accomplish, and could not even keep up with the technology essential for competitiveness in today’s market. ERP responds to the goal of Orma Corporation to stay as a leader in this particular industry and maintain its hold on its current market, or even expand it by providing unified and systematic information, responding to clients needs; therefore, service is quicker and technologically driven. It clearly makes sense for Orma Corporation to keep up with the changing times in terms of technological innovations to provide high quality service to its clients. Adapting this need for change particularly for its aerospace segment is a must to improve the level of competitiveness of Orma Corporation in that particular industry. It started with one product segment expanding into its current three product segments primarily due to its willingness to adapt changes in its operation over time. It is then logical for Orma Corporation to continue expanding and growing.