Organisational and strategic management project Essay

Organisational and strategic management project - Essay Example 4 1.3 Analysis of Factors Affecting Strategic Plan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 2.1 Strategic tools to audit process............................................................................ 8 2.2 Review of stakeholders and their influence........................................................ 9 2.3 Analysis and evaluation of strategic position...................................................... 9 3.1 Alternative strategic options................................................................................. 10 3.2 Justification of Strategic Options for Revised Strategic Position†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...... 11 References THE ACQUISITION OF A COMPETING BUSINESS A. Background This strategic management project identifies the strategies, organisational restructuring, auditing practices and potential strategic alternatives required to acquire a competing business in the airline industry. This is industry is con sidered an oligopoly, in which there are few firms, significant dependency on marketing to achieve competitive advantage, and significant rivalry between firms in terms of pricing and service delivery processes (Javanmard 2009; Boyes and Melvin 2006). In order to maximise competitive position, acquisition of existing companies on the market reduces risks to the business and further provides for consolidation of existing processes and services for cost recognition and value chain efficiency. In order to make an airline acquisition successful, the business must identify its key stakeholders, determine the specific aims and objectives for the long-run plan, establish a quality control and evaluation system post-acquisition, and analyse the entire value chain related to operations, supply chain, information technology and human resources. A well-constructed strategic plan includes all dimensions of business processes, systems and culture that will impact the potential synergies achieved through acquisition such as cost, efficiency and productivity. The report highlights all dimensions of a strategic acquisition of a competing airline company in the oligopolistic market with an emphasis on evaluation of strategic plan. 1.1 Current strategic aims and objectives The business acquiring a competing firm is a low-cost carrier with a no-frills service concept with lean characteristics related to supply, service and staffing, and fleet procurement. It is modelled after RyanAir and its low cost model that provides low prices to customers through similar philosophy. The business, by being able to reduce dependency on luxury services in flight and eliminating airport lounge operational costs, gives the ability to offer customers dynamic pricing that outperforms large airline carriers in the market. The aim is to expand the brand presence of the airline to new markets for higher sales revenue through the acquisition of new human capital and fleet availability. The objectives are: Create synergies in cost related to consolidation of existing maintenance crews in relation to training and knowledge sharing of expertise Expand service capacity by incorporating acquired human capital in information technology to improve booking and ticket sales services Improve cultural development through diversification efforts to enhance corporate image, corporate social responsibility, and improve opportunities for external investment through human capital development and culture. In order to make this a success, the airline must devote considerable short-run capital into developing a competent human resources system,

Case Brief, U.S. V. Clemons, 32F.3d 1504(11th Cir. 1994) Research Paper

Case Brief, U.S. V. Clemons, 32F.3d 1504(11th Cir. 1994) - Research Paper Example Althouse was murdered late in the night while driving toward a colleague’s house, to discuss the next day’s arrest warrants The court relied on the law stating that any individual who kills or attempts to kill federal agents while they are engaging in their official duties can be convicted of murder. In cases whereby an individual is found guilty of an attempted murder, a jail term of not more than twenty years is issued. The court was convinced that the federal agent (Althouse) was engaging in official duties when he was murdered. Clemons argued that the evidence presented to the judge was insufficient to show that the federal agent was on official duties at the time of the murder. In addition, he argued that the court broke the law by relying on similar cases and evidence to make its decision. Smith argued that the use of Clemon’s confessions in implicating him is against the law. The court argued that Althouse was trying to prevent the theft of FBI property when he was murdered. Even though the duties were being carried out late in the night, the court still believed that Althouse was performing his duties. The way in which Clemons carried out the carjacking led to murder. Any individual who kills or attempts to kill federal agents, or any officer or employee working in the secret service or drug enforcement administration, is punishable under sections 1111 and 1112 of the United States’ Constitution. Individuals found guilty of attempted murder are given jail terms of not more than twenty years. The court made its decision based on the argument that the federal agent was performing his official duties. Althouse was trying to prevent the theft of a federal car when he was killed. In such circumstances, the judges were convinced that the agent was performing official duties. The court also relied on the evidence presented by Althouse’s colleagues. Althouse had

Big Time Toymaker V. Chou Essay Example for Free

Big Time Toymaker V. Chou Essay 1. At what point, if ever, did the parties have a contract? I believe that there were two contracts made in this scenario. The first one was the verbal contract that sated that the stipulations of price and the fact that there needed to be a written contract before distributing the product. The email, since it was in writing can also count as a written contract; both parties had knowledge that there would be some sort of written agreement. Chou was in the right to think that the email stating the key terms and agreements counts as a contract. 2. What facts may weigh in favor of or against Chou in terms of the parties’ objective intent to contract? The facts that Chou was in a verbal agreement with BTT will be helpful in proving that they had a preliminary agreement pending a written one. The fact that an email was sent to him with all the key terms, price, time frames and obligations is also helpful in proving that Chou had a valid agreement with BTT. I believe that that email would count as a binding contract since both parties had a promise pending performances. This was a mutual assessment in which there was an offer by BTT and an acceptance by Chou. 3. Does the fact that the parties were communicating by e-mail have any impact on your analysis in Questions 1 and 2 (above)? In a way it does because when I think of an agreement I think of it as a written and signed agreement by both parties. However BTT did not specify in what kind of writing this contract needed to be. They did not specify if there was need to sign, notified or have witnesses for the contract. Email communication between two people describing the key terms of a contract and having both of them acknowledge the key terms to me serves a contract. While there was no signature, it had both parties’ names on it, it could be said that it was an E-signature. Also we have to keep in mind that the terms were also discussed verbally prior to the email being sent. 4. What role does the statute of frauds play in this contract? I believe that this email communication meets the statute of frauds and the fact that it had the named of the people in business counts as a contract. There have been cases were the name at the end of an email counts as a signature, example Stevens v. Publicis, were the publicis won because the name of both parties were in the written emails. In this case both parties names are on the emails and that signaled both parties intent to do business. 5. Could BTT avoid this contract under the doctrine of mistake? Explain. Would either party have any other defenses that would allow the contract to be avoided? I think that BTT might have a chance to void the contract under the doctrine of mistake because they can claim that Chou misunderstood the fact that the emails meant that he was able to go ahead and distribute the product, making it a bi ding contract. However it was clear that the email stated the facts of the contract and BTT did not specify that Chou should in fact continue to draft the contract for both parties to sign. I think that BTT would have a hard time voiding the contract under the doctrine of mistake. I think that fact there was no specification to how the contract would be written leaves a lot of vague results. BTT should have been more specific in their emails saying that Chou should still have to draft a contract agreement and that the email was not enough for the contract. In this scenario BTT would have a ch ance at voiding the contract. 6. Assuming, arguendo, that this e-mail does constitute an agreement, what consideration supports this agreement? The fact that BTT promised distribution rights to Chou pending an agreement counts as consideration. In this case, something of value was put on the line by both parties, entering them into an agreement to exchange mutual performances. In this case there was also a value that we can determine, and that was $25,000 paid to Chou in exchange for exclusive negotiation rights. I think that consideration was present in this agreement, making a valid contract. At the end of the scenario, BTT states that it is not interested in distributing Chou’s new strategy game, Strat. Assuming BTT and Chou have a contract, and BTT has breached the contract by not distributing the game, discuss what remedies might or might not apply. In this scenario the remedies that would apply would be, compensatory damages because in this case Chou suffered a loss of potential profits that he would have made by his new game. It would also repay him as if BTT had not breached the contract. I think that if he could not claim compensatory damages then he would also be able to claim consequential damages because it states that it compensates the non-breaching party for foreseeable indirect loses. It also states that it involves a unique circumstance beyond the contract. In this case the contract BTT made was taken over by someone else who at the end did not want to do business with Chou. Restitution and Liquidated damages do not applied to this because there was no unjust enrichment by BTT due to the breach of contract. BTT and Chou did not agree to any damages ahead of time there fore liquidated damages does not apply.

Literature Review on Preconception Counseling and Education

Literature Review on Preconception Counseling and Education Review of literature is an essential step in the development of a research project. It helps the researcher to design the proposed study in a scientific manner. So as to achieved the desired result. In this chapter the researcher will present the review of literature in the following heading. Section-I: Studies related to Importance of preconception counseling and health education. Section-II: Studies related to Knowledge and attitude regarding preconception care. Section-III: Studies related to Use of vitamin supplements prior to pregnancy. Section-IV: Studies related to Health awareness and promotion on preconception care Section-V: Studies related to Betty Neumanns system model SECTION-I: STUDIES RELATED TO PRECONCEPTION COUNSELLING AND HEALTH EDUCATION Bastani, Hashemi, Bastani, Haghani., (2010) conducted a study, among the women attending premarital clinics in Iran which was aimed to assess the impact of a health education workshop on their health locus of control and self-efficacy in physical activity. Randomized controlled trial was used as the design for the study. A questionnaire was used before and after the intervention. There were significant increases in scores of internal health locus of control and self-efficacy in the experimental group that is among the 109 samples in the post-intervention. Compared to the control group that is among 101 samples. Short-term health education can empower the women to adapt to the healthy lifestyles. Berghella,Buchanan, Pereira, Baxter., (2010) conducted study on the available literature, on preconception care. They have searched in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and PUBMED from 1966 until January 2009. The target audience was Obstetricians Gynecologists, Family Physicians and adolescence. When they completed the educational programme, the participant was having knowledge to assess the potential benefits for women and their baby that which results from the preconception care. Jong-Potjer LC de, Elsinga, et.al., (2006) conducted a study on Preconception counselling can reduce negative pregnancy problems by finding the risk factors before pregnancy in Netherlands. Randomized trial of women aged 18-40years were used as sample in the study. The anxiety level was assessed among the women. After the Preconception care there was found an average decrease of 3.6 points in anxiety-levels (95% CI, 2.4 4.8). Mean scores of the STAI-3 were 38.5 (95% CI 37.7 39.3) in the control group (n = 1090) and 38.7 (95% CI 37.9 39.5) in the intervention group (n = 1186). Study proved that anxiety reduced after participation due to the effect of counselling. Therefore the offer of Preconception counselling to the general population is effective to reduce anxiety. SECTION-II: STUDIES RELATED TO KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING THE PRECONCEPTION CARE Coonrod, Bruce, Malcolm, Drachman, Frey., (2009) conducted a study to find out the knowledge and attitudes regarding preconception care in a low-income Mexican American population. A cross-sectional survey was used and the sample size was 305. 89% agreed that improving preconception health benefits pregnancy. 77% expressed some interest in preconception health care. Areas of high knowledge included were the folic acid use in pregnancy; use of alcohol; and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. The samples showed interest in the preconception education and agreed that preconception health will have positive effect on pregnancy outcomes. Maria , Morgan Debra Hawks, et.al., (2006) conducted a study to describe obstetrician-gynecologists opinions regarding preconception care. The Questionnaire was mailed to 1105 ACOG members. 60% was the response rate. 87% of the gynecologists think that preconception counselling is important and 94% think that it should be always recommend to the women planning for pregnancy. Around 34% thought their patients do not plan for their pregnancies and 49% said very few pregnant patients came for preconception counselling. Of those who obtain preconception counselling, 83% were believed to assure a healthy pregnancy because of an elevated risk for birth defects (20%). Janis Biermann, Anne Lang Dunlop, et.al., (2006) conducted two program focusing the urban African-American women which has included the interconception care also. Project was aimed to reduce the key risks in the women of childbearing age. 7 out of 21 women in the IPC were identified as having a previous chronic disease. 21 out of 21 women have developed a reproductive plan for themselves, and they didnt become pregnant within 9 months. The success rate of the project was greater than 70% among the participants. Preconception care appeared to be effective when specific risk factors were identified and interventions were given appropriately. SECTION-III: STUDIES RELATED TO USE OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS PRIOR TO THE PREGNANCY Carl J, Hill, DA., (2009) did a study that womens diet should be supplemented with 400 mcg folic acid every day which helps in reducing neural tube defects in their babies up to 72%. Blood glucose should be controlled prior to conception helps in reducing the birth defects and pregnancy loss. Reducing the caffeine consumption can reduce the risk of miscarriage. Counselling was given for women in these areas and found to be effective. Morgan LM, Major JL, Meyer RE, Mullenix A., (2009) proved that use of 400 mcg of folic acid among non-pregnant females of childbearing age in the Western North Carolina reduced the risk of neural tube defects by 50%-80. To the non-pregnant women free bottle of multivitamins was given to increase the consumption. The daily use multivitamin was increased after receiving a free three month supply. Weerd de, Sabina Thomas, Chris, Cikot, Rolf, Steegers, Eric., (2002) conducted a study to assess whether counselling the women who plans for pregnancy to start or to continue the folic acid supplementation can improves folate status. Women and their partners who have reported folic acid supplement intake were categorized as users or nonusers of supplements. The use of folic acid intake was addressed at a subsequent preconceptional consultation. Differences between reported supplement users and nonusers before counselling as well as between assumed users and nonusers of folic acid were analyzed. A total of 111 eligible women participated. Preconceptional folic acid use can improves the folate status among women planning to conceive. SECTION-IV: STUDIES RELATED TO HEALTH AWARENESS AND PROMOTION OF PRECONCEPTION CARE Vause, Jones, Evans, Wilkie, Leader., (2009) conducted a study whether counselling before conception is important. After completing the knowledge survey the woman was sent for initial assessment. 400 surveys were used for the data analysis. Patients were informed about the health optimization, consumption of folic acid, exposure to infectious disease, use of medication and use of recreational drug. Nulliparous women were found less knowledgeable. The more educated women had more knowledge. It was suggested that the women need their physicians to educate about pre-pregnancy lifestyle. Delvoye, Guillaume, Collard, Nardella, Hannecart, Mauroy., (2009) conducted a study regarding preconception health promotion. The study results showed that preconception care was not able to provide when pregnancy was unplanned. The study proposes flour fortification with folic acid; timely immunization, continuous training of health care providers in the provision of preconception cares. Delgado CE., (2008) done a study to assess undergraduate student awareness regarding preconception health. In the study 241 students were included as the sample. A questionnaire was designed to assess awareness related to preconception health and pregnancy. By answering 64% the students showed a mild to moderate level of awareness regarding preconception care. Individual student scores varied a great deal, ranging from 33% to 89% correct. Students who had previous such course containing information on pregnancy and/or child development correctly answered a greater percentage of items than those who had not taken such a course. Females had statistically significantly, higher awareness scores than males. Students demonstrated a high level of awareness for use of substance, a moderate level of awareness for sexually transmitted diseases and preconception care, and lower levels of awareness for folic acid, prenatal development, health, and pregnancy spacing. SECTION-V: STUDIES RELATED TO BETTY NEUMANNS SYSTEM MODEL Deepa Thomas, (1998) conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of instructional module on knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in selected schools in Trivandrum. In her study she used Betty Newmans System model (1989) for creating awareness regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls. Stressors in her study were hormonal, physical and psychosocial changes and the existing superstitions and lack of knowledge of adolescent girls and the reaction was poor menstrual hygiene and maladjustment. She used two interventions in her study. The primary prevention was done by using the instructional module for providing education to the adolescent girls regarding menarche, development of secondary sexual characteristics and menstrual hygiene. In her study the secondary prevention was detection of unhygienic practices and education to correct the practices. The reconstitution in her study was the better adjustment and better hygiene. Alpha.G., (2008) conducted a study to find the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude regarding changes related to puberty and menstrual hygiene among prepubertal girls in selected schools, at Salem. In her study she used Betty Newmans System model (1989) for creating awareness regarding menstrual hygiene among prepubertal girls. Stressors in her study were the physical and psychosocial changes related to puberty. She used one intervention in her study. The primary prevention was done through structured teaching programme on changes related to puberty and menstrual hygiene. The reconstitution in her study was the better knowledge and attitude towards pubertal changes and menstrual hygiene.

Why are computers important in todays world :: Computer Science Technology

In todays world computers are very useful because there is weather forcasting and many other things. People can forcast weather by this process by computers . Advertising is one of the most progressive field these days . Computer animation is the art of creating moving images by this use of computers . We can use use internation network (internet) to check mail, play games, find other's addresses , etc. Scientists also use computers for their experiments . There are some documents to type. For example MS Word , MS Exel , etc . We can do our school project also by using computers. There is one thing which is very conveinient for us it is that we can talk or chat with people who are in another country by using google talk , yahoo messenger , etc . It is not at all expensive . It is better than using a telephone or a mobile . We can also send voicemails through google talk , yahoo messenger , etc . We can play many games using a computer . For example pinball , soltaire , spider soltair e , etc . Believe it or not, but the age of computers is upon us. I believe Computers are not only here to stay, but in my opinion computers are the wave of the future. Only a device like the computer can change the way we work, live, and think. I see computers taking us places where no man has gone before. students can receive an education from their own home Taking classes online is an option that a growing number of students are taking advantage of. These classes are making a college education available for students who are not able to attend a traditional university or college. Computers are taking us places where a lot of us thought was not possible. Truly it is my belief and opinion, the computer is one of the most incredible inventions of this time period or any other.

Wired and Wireless Network

Wireless Vs Wired Networks| There are two kinds of network technologies: * Wireless  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ communicates through radio waves * Wired  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ communicates through data cables (most commonly Ethernet-based)| Why choose a wireless network? | Wireless networks don't use cables for connections, but rather they use radio waves, like cordless phones. The advantage of a wireless network is the mobility and freedom from the restriction of wires or a fixed connection.The benefits of having a wireless network include: * Mobility and freedom – work anywhere * No restriction of wires or a fixed connection * Quick, effortless installation * No cables to buy * Save cabling time and hassle * Easy to expandAlso known as Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, wireless networks allow you to use your network devices anywhere in an office or home, even out on the patio. You can check your e-mail or surf the Internet on your laptop anywhere in your house. There is no need to drill holes in the wall a nd install Ethernet cables.You can network anywhere – without wires. Outside your home, wireless networking is available in public â€Å"hotspots,† such as coffee shops, businesses, hotel rooms, and airports. This is perfect for those of you who do a lot of traveling. Learn more about hotspots†¦ Linksys wireless routers are also equipped for wired connections – giving you the best of both worlds – connect wirelessly when you'd like to roam around your house, and connect wired when the utmost speed is important to you. For convenience and ease of use, wireless networking is the answer. Learn more about how wireless works†¦ Why choose a wired network? | Wired networks have been around for decades. Wired networking technology found today is known as Ethernet. The data cables, known as Ethernet network cables or wired (CAT5) cables, connect computers and other devices that make up the networks. Wired networks are best when you need to move large amo unts of data at high speeds, such as professional-quality multimedia. The benefits of having a wired network include: * Relatively low cost * Offers the highest performance possible * Fast speed – standard Ethernet cable up to 100Mbps. Faster speed – Gigabit Ethernet cable up to 1000Mbps. | omputer networks for the home and small business can be built using either wired or wireless technology. Wired  Ethernet  has been the traditional choice in homes, but  Wi-Fiwireless technologies are gaining ground fast. Both wired and wireless can claim advantages over the other; both represent viable options for home and other  local area networks (LANs). Below we compare wired and wireless networking in five key areas: * ease of installation * total cost * reliability * performance * security About Wired LANsWired LANs use Ethernet cables and networkadapters. Although two computers can be directly wired to each other using an  Ethernet crossover cable, wired LANs genera lly also require central devices like  hubs,  switches, or  routers  to accommodate more computers. For dial-up connections to the Internet, the computer hosting the  modem  must run  Internet Connection Sharing  or similar software to share the connection with all other computers on the LAN. Broadband routers  allow easier sharing of cable modem or DSL Internet connections, plus they often include built-in  firewall  support.Installation Ethernet cables must be run from each computer to another computer or to the central device. It can be time-consuming and difficult to run cables under the floor or through walls, especially when computers sit in different rooms. Some newer homes are pre-wired with  CAT5  cable, greatly simplifying the cabling process and minimizing unsightly cable runs. The correct cabling configuration for a wired LAN varies depending on the mix of devices, the type of Internet connection, and whether internal or external  modems  ar e used.However, none of these options pose any more difficulty than, for example, wiring a home theater system. After hardware installation, the remaining steps in configuring either wired or wireless LANs do not differ much. Both rely on standard  Internet Protocol  and  network operating systemconfiguration options. Laptops and other portable devices often enjoy greater  mobility  in wireless home network installations (at least for as long as their batteries allow). Cost Ethernet cables, hubs and switches are very inexpensive.Some connection sharing software packages, like ICS, are free; some cost a nominal fee. Broadband routers cost more, but these are optional components of a wired LAN, and their higher cost is offset by the benefit of easier installation and built-in security features. Reliability Ethernet cables, hubs and switches are extremely reliable, mainly because manufacturers have been continually improving Ethernet technology over several decades. Loose cab les likely remain the single most common and annoying source of failure in a wired network.When installing a wired LAN or moving any of the components later, be sure to carefully check the cable connections. Broadband routers have also suffered from some reliability problems in the past. Unlike other Ethernet gear, these products are relatively new, multi-function devices. Broadband routers have matured over the past several years and their reliability has improved greatly. Performance Wired LANs offer superior performance. Traditional Ethernet connections offer only 10  Mbpsbandwidth, but 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet technology costs little more and is readily available.Although 100 Mbps represents a theoretical maximum performance never really achieved in practice, Fast Ethernet should be sufficient for home file sharing, gaming, and high-speed Internet access for many years into the future. Wired LANs utilizing hubs can suffer performance slowdown if computers heavily utilize the net work simultaneously. Use Ethernet switches instead of hubs to avoid this problem; a switch costs little more than a hub. Security For any wired LAN connected to the Internet, firewalls are the primary security consideration.Wired Ethernet hubs and switches do not support firewalls. However, firewall software products like  ZoneAlarm  can be installed on the computers themselves. Broadband routers offer equivalent firewall capability built into the device, configurable through its own software. About Wireless LANs Popular WLAN technologies all follow one of the three main  Wi-Fi  communication standards. The benefits of wireless networking depend on the standard employed: * 802. 11b  was the first standard to be widely used in WLANs. * The  802. 1a  standard is faster but more expensive than 802. 11b; 802. 11a is more commonly found in business networks. * The newest standard,  802. 11g, attempts to combine the best of both 802. 11a and 802. 11b, though it too is more a more expensive home networking option. Installation Wi-Fi networks can be configured in two different ways: * â€Å"Ad hoc† mode allows wireless devices to communicate in peer-to-peer mode with each other. * â€Å"Infrastructure† mode allows wireless devices to communicate with a central node that in turn can communicate with wired nodes on that LAN.Most LANs require infrastructure mode to access the Internet, a local printer, or other wired services, whereas ad hoc mode supports only basic file sharing between wireless devices. Both Wi-Fi modes require wireless network adapters, sometimes called WLAN cards. Infrastructure mode WLANs additionally require a central device called the  access point. The access point must be installed in a central location where wireless radio signals can reach it with minimal interference. Although Wi-Fi signals typically reach 100 feet (30 m) or more, obstructions like walls can greatly reduce their range.Cost Wireless gear costs so mewhat more than the equivalent wired Ethernet products. At full retail prices, wireless adapters and access points may cost three or four times as much as Ethernet cable adapters and hubs/switches, respectively. 802. 11b products have dropped in price considerably with the release of 802. 11g, and obviously, bargain sales can be found if shoppers are persistent. Reliability Wireless LANs suffer a few more reliability problems than wired LANs, though perhaps not enough to be a significant concern. 802. 11b and 802. 1g wireless signals are subject to interference from other home applicances including microwave ovens, cordless telephones, and garage door openers. With careful installation, the likelihood of interference can be minimized. Wireless networking products, particularly those that implement 802. 11g, are comparatively new. As with any new technology, expect it will take time for these products to mature. Performance Wireless LANs using 802. 11b support a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 11 Mbps, roughly the same as that of old, traditional Ethernet. 02. 11a and 802. 11g WLANs support 54 Mbps, that is approximately one-half the bandwidth of Fast Ethernet. Furthermore, Wi-Fi performance is distance sensitive, meaning that maximum performance will degrade on computers farther away from the access point or other communication endpoint. As more wireless devices utilize the WLAN more heavily, performance degrades even further. Overall, the performance of 802. 11a and 802. 11g is sufficient for home Internet connection sharing and file sharing, but generally not sufficient for home LAN gaming.The greater mobility of wireless LANs helps offset the performance disadvantage. Mobile computers do not need to be tied to an Ethernet cable and can roam freely within the WLAN range. However, many home computers are larger desktop models, and even mobile computers must sometimes be tied to an electrical cord and outlet for power. This undermines the mobility advantage of WLANs in many homes. Security In theory, wireless LANs are less secure than wired LANs, because wireless communication signals travel through the air and can easily be intercepted.To prove their point, some engineers have promoted the practice of  wardriving, that involves traveling through a residential area with Wi-Fi equipment scanning the airwaves for unprotected WLANs. On balance, though, the weaknesses of wireless security are more theoretical than practical. WLANs protect their data through the  Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)  encryption standard, that makes wireless communications reasonably as safe as wired ones in homes. No computer network is completely secure and homeowners should research this topic to ensure they are aware of and comfortable with the risks.Important security considerations for homeowners tend to not be related to whether the network is wired or wireless but rather ensuring: * the home's Internet firewall is properly configured * the family is familiar with the danger of Internet â€Å"spoof emails† and how to recognize them * the family is familiar with the concept of â€Å"spyware† and how to avoid it * babysitters, housekeepers and other visitors do not have unwanted access to the network Wired vs Wireless | Wired| Wireless|Installation| moderate difficulty| easier, but beware interference| Cost| less| more| Reliability| high| reasonably high| Performance| very good| good| Security| reasonably good| reasonably good| Mobility| limited| outstanding| ad]There are two ways to connect a computer to a network: wired or wireless. Sometimes this will determine the kind of router you purchase, but fortunately today most offer both options. A wired connection requires an Ethernet cable be run between the router and your computer.In a wireless connection, you use hardware in your computer to communicate with the router without that cable. Both have advantages and disadvantages so to help you pick the right one for y ou, here are 5 things to consider when deciding on a network connection. 1. Ease of Set-Up Wired connections are easier to set up. With most modern computers you can simply plug in the cable and get on the Net. Wireless requires configuring the router and at least one extra step on the computer’s side: searching for the correct network to connect to.If you live in an apartment building in the city and go to connect to your network, you’ll probably see a dozen or more different possibilities. 2. Reliability and Speed Everybody who has used both wired and cordless home telephones knows how much more likely the cordless varieties are to pick up interference and experience problems of quality. The same can be true for wireless Internet. While hardware has improved over the years, other electrical devices can still potentially interfere with your Internet, in some cases causing disconnections and delays.And like cordless phones, problems increase as you get farther away fro m the router. There are devices to fix such problems, but they can be costly and may require some trial and error. 3. Speed Wired is almost always faster than wireless, and never slower. This is due to the reliability issues mentioned above and to the technology itself, which simply hasn’t caught up to Ethernet-level quality. 4. Convenience Clearly wireless is more convenient on a day-to-day basis. Once it’s been set up, you can access the Internet from any computer in the vicinity of the router.If you can run Ethernet cables throughout your house you can achieve a similar level of convenience while keeping the reliability and speed, but it’s a huge undertaking and may not even be possible if, for example, you rent an apartment. 5. Security This is arguably the most important of these points and the one too few give much thought. A wired network is fully contained. In order to connect to it, you must have physical access to the router. On the other hand, a wirel ess network is not contained. Your neighbors, people on the street, or those in the restaurant next door can all potentially find your network on their computers.There are two reasons this should concern you. [ad#r]First, you don’t want people you don’t know using your Internet connection. It’ll be slower to you and any questionable actions they take online will be traced back to you, not to them. Second, it’s not difficult for a hacker to intercept data sent through an unsecured network. All of the banking, purchasing, and communication you do online could potentially be maliciously saved to a computer. You can imagine the possibilities for identity theft, credit card fraud, and so on.

Dick Spencer Case Analysis Essay

Dick Spencer In this case Dick Spencer, a well-known employee of an aluminum producing company worked his way up the ranks from being a successful salesman to a plant manager. However through his transition of roles Dick experienced some pitfalls. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the main contributing factors to Dick’s success as a salesman and the issues he faced as a plant manager and provide informed alternative solutions. Dick knew the business well which played a vital role in his success as a salesman. Fresh out of college and with a Master’s degree in Business Administration attributed to his knowledge of the business world. According to Foster-Pedley (2013), individuals with a MBA apply their new expertise and fresh talents in their jobs and towards the advancement of the organization. â€Å"They use resources better, applying their imagination and creativity more effectively, and dare to transform and make progress† (Foster-Pedley, 2013, p. 13). Individuals who attained a MBA credit their promotion, field change or pay increase to the degree (Ainsworth, 1995). We’ve all heard the adage,† knowledge is power† and Dick certainly had the potential and prevailed as a salesman. Dick had the ability to sale and according to his coworkers he was personable which amplified his sales ability. Effectively communicating and connecting with customers is an important aspect of the buyer-seller relationship (Hung, Lin, 2013). Whether it’s on a personal level or professional level making that relation is the key. Through his easy to talk to personality, Dick built relationships and gained trust. Research indicates â€Å"higher levels of trust are expected to result in more positive attitudes, higher levels of cooperation and other forms of workplace behavior, and superior levels of performance† (Dirks, Ferrin, 2001). Additionally in order to sale a product you have to know your product. Product knowledge directly correlates with how customers will respond to your product (Sangtani, Murshed, 2013). Once you’ve established a connection with the customer you want to listen and understand your customer’s needs. Having product knowledge is important so you can identify what your product(s) can do to serve your customer’s needs. According to Feiertag (2006), â€Å"It is just not enough to simply mention the feature; it needs to be presented as a value to the prospective buyer.† Successful individuals working in sales are enthusiastic and highly motived about  se lling their product (Stevenson, 2004). Dick was able to signed several large contracts by applying these fundamental sales skills. Dick was confident in his abilities to get the job done. Shortly after being employed Dick secured a single, large contract deal, placing him high on the sales leader board. Dick was confident in his abilities and took pride in getting the job done. It’s important to have confidence at work to professionally grow and advance your career. Dick’s confidence as a salesman later helped him get a management position. Dick enjoyed being a salesman and was pretty good at it. The study performed by Gyllensten and Palmer (2014), found participates were happier on the job and outside of work when their confidence levels increased. They also reported improvements in employees completing their work duties and a willingness to make decisions (Gyllensten and Palmer, 2014). Again we can also give credit to Dick’s MBA degree as providing self-assurance in his job performance abilities (Simpson, 2005). Confidence gives you the courage to do things you normally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. In sales there are plenty of circumstances where the ordinary sales pitch just won’t seal the deal. Dick was also very committed to the job which reflected in his sales volume. In a review of the research on organization commitment and job performance, researchers identified there is a direct correlation in commitment to the job and achieving favorable results (Myer, Paunonen, Gellatly, Goffin, Jackson, 1989). Consistent with this prospective, Shore and M artin (1989) found that â€Å"better performance was shown by employees with higher commitments.† Dick was so committed to the job that it cost him his first marriage. He was serious about reaching his sales goals and each of these factors previously described played a part in his success as a salesman. However after a few years as a salesman, Dick wasn’t getting the satisfaction from the job as he had in the past. Therefore he requested a transfer out of the sales department and into a management role. Dick was named plant manager at Modrow. He came in at a hectic time when a lot of changes were being implemented. In his efforts to familiarize himself with the daily operations, Dick first struggle as a manager was micro-managing. He had his hand in everything possible which made his employees feel very un-easy. According to Dr. White, Dick possessed many symptoms of a Micromanager. For example, Dick interest in cutting costs required the expert knowledge of the accounting group. Knowing that  accounting wasn’t his strongest subject he still spent numerous hours burying himself in details that he just could not understand. Micromanagers don’t allow any decisions be made with their approval (White, 2010). Dick had also taken on too many tasks at once making it almost impossible for any of them to be implemented successfully. Being the micromanager that he was, Dick didn’t delegate tasks very well, another symptom of a micromanager (White, 2010). Another example of Dick’s micromanaging is when he insisted on changing the disposal process of scraps. When discussing this change with his foremen, Dick didn’t listen to the foreman’s thoughts as to why the change wouldn’t work. Micromanagers tend to have the mentality; it’s my way or the highway. Traditional micromanagers will completely disregard new concepts offered by their subordinates (Weyand, 1996). Work-related stress affected Dick’s job performance. It also was creating issues with his family as they felt abandoned while he spent countless hours at the office. Through trying to prove himself to leadership and to his new employees, Dick lost focus on other important matters. His management position required him to take on more responsibilities which demanded more of his time. â€Å"In order for supervisors and managers to excel and be a dynamic force in organizational life, job stress must be harnessed† (Stanley, 2014). As Dick noticed processes that needed to be changed he was unsuccessful in communicating those changes. As a manager being able to successfully communication is essential. Communication failure could potentially become a serious problem in an organization. Information is lost causing confusion reducing productivity and increases costs. In an article published by Jost (2006), he discusses several situations where failure to communicate resulted in some hefty financial costs to many companies. Dick was so focused on cutting costs that he forgot to look at the big picture. If he had effectively communicated his interest to cut costs with his supervisors and foreman, he could have potentially found a solution. Additionally, his relationships with his employees weren’t the best, which is another consequence of ineffective communication (Tunk, 2014). Now I’d like to focus on the following recommendations that could resolve Dick’s  micro-managing style, work-related s tress, and ineffective communication. To address Dick’s micro-managing style, he needs to be flexible in how the job gets done. Dick can delegate tasks that can be handled without his supervision and give them ample time to complete each task. He can do this by building trust, empowering his employees to be a part of the decision making process (White, 2010). Making rounds within the plant had a negative impact on employees. They were worried about what he was up to and why he kept coming around. There was a lack of trust. His presence caused everyone to be less productive in their jobs. The second recommendation is time management to address Dick’s work-related stress. It’s important for Dick to find a balance between work and family for the sake of his marriage and kids but also for his well-being. If Dick continues operating this way it could potentially lead to some serious health problems (Heikkia et al., 2013). To help him find this balance he needs to reevaluate what’s most important to him. Review his job duties that need to be completed and prioritize them. Identify the tasks that can be done by someone else and delegate those tasks (McDonald & Hucheson, 1998). Dick should also try to engage in outside activity that requires his complete attention. Research supports â€Å"that a psychological detachment from work effectively mitigates some of the negative effects of work-family conflict† (Moreno et al., 2009). My last recommendation is improving his communication skills. Dick was not successful in trying to implement a change in the process to discard scrap siding. The keys to effective communication is listening and learning. Effective communication improves work performance and productivity within the business. It also builds trust and creates transparency which is something Dick is currently lacking within the Modrow plant. Communication promotes collaborative work where everyone has an opportunity to share information (Tunk, 2014). 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