My Alert Case free essay sample

Was the first to see the business opportunity in the mobile alerts. The idea was already working well in another channel (Internet). The mobile phone market was growing very quickly. They offered a wide range and tailor-made services. Besides as MyAlert will be the first in the market, the technology investment could became a strength and turn it in an entry barrier, thing that actually happened. For these reasons we can assert that MyAlert was a good business idea. Which is the competitive advantage of MyAlert when it is launched? How the competitive advantage and business model evolves? Why? Is it sustainable? The competitive advantage of MyAlert at the begging was its own technological platform (MAGO). The platform was Valuable because was the core of the business also it was Inimitable, Rareness and Original due to they developed it from the scratch and was the first in the market specifically designed for its business model. We will write a custom essay sample on My Alert Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Content Production Design Packaging 1- Corporate Customers Distribution Sales 2- Other Customers Provision of Infrastructure (Mobile Operators) Looking at the value chain of MyAlet we can see highlight in red their core activity, their platform allowed them to distribute the content throw the network to the final customers, the key was that the platform has a great scalability able to distribute data throw different technology enablers (GMS, GPRS†¦) From the beginning they realized that text alerts could be used to provide customized services for corporate partners exploiting new business opportunities and here we can see a new competitive advantage because the company was able to introduce their investors into its own value chain getting content and a solid customer portfolio. This is a win win situation, the investors provide contents and the MyAlert provides them a new innovative service for them increasing the company revenues as well as turn over for the shareholders, this business model provides feedback itself being able to maintain it in the long run. After the merger MyAlert, which started providing data services for the mobile industry, changed its product portfolio and business model providing technology and mobile marketing services. Thanks to MAGO platform MyAlert was far superior technologically than Buongiorno!. On the other hand appeared a new product â€Å"consumer services† (ring tones, logos†¦) the new company had to adapt its business model including consumer services which soon produced benefits. Also they were able to keep creating new business models as â€Å"Digital Marketing Project†. As we have seen MyAlert is a good example of how a company is able to adapt and survive in a really dynamic environment what changes pretty fast, adapting and creating new business models and investing in technology in order to keep its leading position. Is the merge with Buongiorno! a must or just a good idea? Definitely the merge was a MUST, MyAlert had become a world leader and to keep this status they needed to remain this position in every market, soon they realized that it was impossible to achieve through organic growth. The economical environment was unstable due to the dot com crisis, investors become more demanding looking for positives results in the short term, competitors started to appear and revenues from advertising and m-commerce were reduced due to the economic crisis. All this factors push to Mr. Jorge and his team to look for a similar company with the same goal to join forces and survive in the long term, and this is how they found Buongiorno! And merge in order to keep growing in a very competitive dynamic market.

recruit, select and induct staff Essay Example

recruit, select and induct staff Essay Example recruit, select and induct staff Paper recruit, select and induct staff Paper 1 . What is a selection report, how is compiled, what is included in a selection report and why is it an important piece of documentation in the recruitment and selection process? The selection report is the official record of the selection process. The main purpose of the selection report is to convey the panels recommendation, and provide enough information for the delegate to make an informed and fair recruitment decision. The final decision to select an applicant or take other action rests with the delegate. The selection report should also be used when providing eedback to individual candidates who request post-selection feedback. The selection report must demonstrate with rigour how the selection panel used an evidenced base selection process to arrive at its conclusion, and will be used in the case of a review. Documents to be attached to the selection report include: 0 referee checks 0 a copy of the interview questions (interview guide and selection options matrix) 0 the short-listing grid 0 any other evidence gathered which supports the recommendation 2.. Recruitment is one of the functions that HR practitioners are responsible for. What is recruitment nd what does it involve? How does recruitment fit into the HR life cycle? Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, selecting, and onboarding a qualified person for a Job. At the strategic level it may involve the development of an employer brand which includes an employee offering. Human resource management (HRM), also called personnel management, consists of all the activities undertaken by an enterprise to ensure the effective utilization of employees toward the attainment of individual, group, and organizational goals. An organizations HRM function focuses on the people side of management. It consists of practices that help the organization to deal effectively with its people during the various phases of the employment cycle, including pre-hire, staffing, and post-hire. The pre-hire phase involves planning practices. The organization must decide what types of Job openings will exist in the upcoming period and determine the necessary qualifications for performing these Jobs. During the hire phase, the organization selects its employees. Selection practices include recruiting applicants, assessing their qualifications, and ultimately selecting those who are deemed to be the most qualified. How does an interview panel will assess each applicant and select the preferred candidate? After the final interview, panel members should compare their ratings and judgements amongst themselves. It is preferable to review candidates and their performances immediately after the interview process whilst the information is still fresh in the minds of the panel. All discussion should be s upported by assessment evidence not Just personal impression. Candidates should be rated against the agreed and specified criteria and not against each other. Further information from ny additional sources should be included in these discussions. Time to review and discuss should be timetabled into the interview/selection planning. However, it is not essential that recommendation for appointment has to be made on the same day as the interviews. Every appointment is a serious investment and the selection decision considered an option and is preferable to making what could prove to be a poor appointment due to a hasty decision. 4. What is discrimination? What can organisations do to ensure that they comply with anti discrimination and equal opportunity legislation in the recruitment process? Direct or overt discrimination is any action that specifically excludes a person or a group of people from a benefit or opportunity, or significantly reduces chances of obtaining it because a personal characteristics, irrelevant to a situation, is applied as a barrier. National and state laws cover equal employment opportunity and anti- discrimination in the workplace. Youre required by these laws to create a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Its important that as an employer, you understand your rights and responsibilities under human rights and anti- discrimination law.

How to Use Focus Groups in Marketing Research

How to Use Focus Groups in Marketing Research Focus groups are a form of qualitative research that is commonly used in product marketing and marketing research, but it is a popular method within sociology as well. During a focus group, a group of individuals- usually 6-12 people- is brought together in a room to engage in a guided discussion of a topic. Lets say youre beginning a research project on the popularity of Apple products. Perhaps you want to conduct in-depth interviews with Apple consumers, but before doing that, you want to get a feel for what kinds of questions and topics will work in an interview, and also see if consumers might bring up topics that you wouldnt think to include in your list of questions. A focus group would be a great option for you to talk casually with Apple consumers about what they like and dont like about the companys products, and how they use the products in their lives. The participants of a focus group are selected based on their relevance and relationship to the topic under study. They are not typically chosen through rigorous, probability sampling methods, which means that they do not statistically represent any meaningful population. Rather, participants are chosen through word-of-mouth, advertising, or  snowball sampling, depending on the type of person and characteristics the researcher is looking to include. Advantages of Focus Groups There are many advantages of a focus group: As a socially oriented research method, it captures real-life data in a social setting.It is flexible.It has high face validity, meaning that it measures what it is intended to measure.It generates quick results.It costs little to conduct.Group dynamics often bring out aspects of the topic or reveal information about the subject that may not have been anticipated by the researcher or emerged from individual interviews. Disadvantages of Focus Groups On the downside: The researcher has less control over the session than he or she does in individual interviews.Data can sometimes be difficult to analyze.Moderators require certain skills.Differences between groups can be troublesome.Groups can often be difficult to pull together.The discussion must be conducted in a conducive environment. Basic Steps In Conducting a Focus Group Some basic steps should be involved when conducting a focus group, from preparation to data analysis. Preparing For the Focus Group: Identify the main objective of the focus group.Carefully develop your focus group questions. Your focus group should generally last 1 to 1 1/2  hours, which is usually enough time to cover 5 or 6 questions.Call potential participants to invite them to the meeting. Focus groups generally consist of six to 12 participants who have some similar characteristic (e.g., age group, status in a program, etc.). Select participants who are likely to participate in discussions and who don’t all know each other.Send a follow-up invitation with a proposed agenda, questions up for discussion, and time/location details.Three days before the focus group, call each participant to remind them of the meeting. Planning the Session: Schedule a time that is convenient for most people. Plan the focus group to take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Lunchtime or dinnertime is usually a good time for people, and if you serve food, they are more likely to attend.Find a good setting, such as a conference room, with good airflow and lighting. Configure the room so that all members can see each other. Provide nametags as well as refreshments. If your focus group is at lunch or dinnertime, be sure to provide food as well.Set some ground rules for the participants that help foster participation and keep the session moving along appropriately. For example- 1. Stay focused on the subject/question, 2. Keep the momentum of the conversation going, and 3. Get closure on each question.Make an agenda for the focus group. Consider the following: Welcome, review of agenda, review of the goal of the meeting, review of ground rules, introductions, questions and answers, and wrap up.Don’t count on your memory for information shared at the focus group. Plan to record the session with either an audio or video recorder. If this isn’t possible, involve a co-facilitator who takes good notes. Facilitating the Session: Introduce yourself and your co-facilitator, if you have one.Explain your need and reason for recording the focus group discussion.Carry out the agenda.Carefully word each question to the group. Before a group discussion, allow everyone a few minutes to carefully record his or her responses or answers. Then, facilitate discussion around the answers to each question, one at a time.After the discussion of each question, reflect back to the group a summary of what you just heard. If you have a note-taker/co-facilitator, he or she may do this.Ensure even participation among the group. If a few people are dominating the conversation, then call on others. Also, consider a round-table approach in which you go in one direction around the table, giving each person a chance to answer the question.Close the session by thanking the participants and telling them that they will receive a copy of the report generated as a result of the discussion. Immediately After the Session: Verify that the audio or video recorder worked throughout the entire session (if one was used).Make any additional notes on your written notes that you need.Write down any observations you made during the session, such as the nature of participation in the group, any surprises of the session, where and when the session was held, etc. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

SUMMARY South African Opposition Picks New Voice Essay

SUMMARY South African Opposition Picks New Voice - Essay Example To entice black voters, the party will have to strive for new policies that address the needs of low income young blacks. Because the next national vote is not until 2014, Ms. Mazibuko must try to place pressure on the government through parliamentary sessions. The previous leader of the party, Athol Trollip, did not appeal to the wider voting public because he is a 47 year old white farmer. In choosing a new type of leader, the Democratic Alliance is attempting to turn over a new page in politics and offer themselves as a viable alternative to the ruling African National Congress. Although the party will focus specifically on blacks’ issues, it is a party that will stand for South Africans are all races. Historically, the Democratic Alliance has been thought of as a white-dominated party. This decision to appoint a black leader is a step into the future and will hopefully result in the Democratic Alliance making more of a difference on the South African political

America's involvement in international affairs in the late 19th Term Paper

America's involvement in international affairs in the late 19th century - Term Paper Example These goals were sought after industrial revolution brought in new set of challenges for the economy and general social and political attitude for the nation as a whole. The America hence figured a well of potentials at seeking to expand and acquire further internal progress with international relations in order to address the increasing necessity for the means to produce goods that directly varied with the demand growth of the period which consequently implied the inevitable requirement for greater number of resources or raw materials most of which are normally found in abundance beyond the country. At a point, American investments focused on mining and sugar operations in Cuba and for several grounds, American interventions were evident in providing aid for Cuban rebellion at the aim of obtaining independence especially when the U.S. saw how such event drastically affected its economic conditions when campaigns to support demolition of American road structures and milling companies became intense. Similarly, though without much success, the United States expressed an intent to settle dispute of 1895 between Venezuela and British Guiana.

Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Design Essay Example for Free

Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Design Essay A supply chain is the process of moving information and material to and from the manufacturing and service processes of a firm (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Two components encompass the focus of the supply chain: the production, planning, and inventory control process and the distribution process. The supply chain is part of daily business operations and directly affects productivity, efficiency, and financial profitability. Proper management of the supply chain ensures a business delivers quality, cost-efficient products to customers while remaining competitive in today’s global market. Team B provides a review of Riordan Manufacturing’s (RM) production strategy and describes supplier relationships and how they affect the supply chain. Finally, Team B explores how lean production principles and inventory requirements can be used to determine appropriate supply chain processes. Electric Fan Manufacturing Strategy RM uses the level production planning strategy of maintaining a stable workforce to produce electric fans at a constant output rate (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Shortages and surpluses are absorbed with inventory levels, order backlogs, and potential lost sales (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Employees benefit from stable work hours at the cost of increased inventory levels, increased potential of lost sales, risk of obsolete products, and decreased customer service (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Electric Fan Supply Chain RM’s supply chain process flow in Figure 1 provides raw materials to the manufacturing plant and warehouse at the input end and the supply of  completed plastic fans to the customer on the output end of the supply chain (Jacobs Chase, 2011). The supply chain for the individual manufacturing processes is detailed in Figure 2. Figure 1 Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Figure 2 Manufacturing Department Supply Chain Process Supplier Relationships and the Supply Chain RM uses vertical integration as the framework for structuring supplier relationships. A vertically integrated process allows RM to control supply chain activities. Strategic activities are a key source of competitive advantage. Instead of outsourcing non-core activities and maintaining only core competencies under management control, RM evaluates each activity using required coordination (the difficulty of ensuring how well activities integrate with the process), strategic control (degree of loss that would result if supplier relationship were severed), and intellectual property techniques (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Other types of losses important to consider include specialized facilities, knowledge of major customer relationships, and investment in research and development (Jacobs Chase, 2011). RM does not outsource activities requiring frequent information exchange but instead outsource highly standardized, well understood, and easily transferrable activities to specialized business partners. Such strategic planning led to RM offshoring their entire fan operation from Pontiac, Michigan, to Hangzhou, China in 2000. This decision allowed RM to operate in a more feasible location, expand exponentially, and maintain financial stability (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Electric Fan Supply Chain Metrics A performance measurement system is vital for businesses to operate efficiently and effectively. According to Jacobs and Chase (2011), â€Å"process performance metrics give the operations manager a gauge on how productively a process currently is operating and how productivity is changing over time† (p. 116). Two metrics used to evaluate the performance of the RM’s electric  fan supply chain are utilization and productivity. Utilization measures the rate at which resources are used compared to time available for use by calculating time activated divided by time available (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Productivity metrics determine the amount of output per unit of time by calculating output divided by input (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Metrics used by consumers to measure supplier performance are also the strategies suppliers use to improve their services. Examples of metrics include improved quality through lower product defects, cost-efficiency, timely delivery, and shorter order fill time. Globalized businesses must not only have capable supply chain partners that support global market initiatives but also have the capability to lower supply chain costs (Handfield, 2012). Lean Production Principles RM can adopt Toyota’s lean principles by using the just-in-time inventory approach that emphasizes elimination of waste (Jacobs Chase, 2011). The lean process is essential for inventory management to reduce manufacturing cost and increase productivity. Inventory is controlled using the lean principles by eliminating extra processes and ordering supplies just-in-time based on value streaming. Value streaming involves understanding â€Å"the value-adding and non-value-adding activities required to design, order, and provide a product or service from concept to launch, order to delivery, and raw materials to customers† (Jacobs Chase, 2011, p. 421). RM’s electric fan production system uses a push system for input from a number of specialized departments such as receiving, molding, trimming, and assembly. Implementing a pull system for its production process helps master the lean production principles through more efficient inventory management and shorter lead time by focusing on building what customers want, when they want it versus producing too many goods that sit in inventory or become obsolete (Turner, 2013). Sales Forecast Forecasting sales provides necessary information to determine inventory needs, production plans, and resource needs to create customer value. Sophisticated statistical analysis, cyclical and seasonal factors, and historical data are important factors in creating a sales forecast for RM. Forecasting Technique Forecasting techniques can be subdivided into two major groups: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative techniques use subjective data that is difficult to represent numerically. It is based on the opinion and judgment of key persons, specialists in products and markets. Quantitative techniques involve numerical analysis of past data unbiased by personal opinions or judgment. This technique employs mathematical models to project future demand. Quantitative forecasting is subdivided into two major groups: time series techniques and causal techniques. RM forecasts future sales based on an average of the previous three years production with the idea that history repeats itself. A quantitative forecasting using the time series technique results in the forecast in table 1. This demand forecast provides information management needs to make decisions on production planning, inventory, and marketing activities. Electric Fan Production Planning Aggregate Production Plan RM’s electric fan aggregate production plan in Table 2 specifies the optimal combination of fan production rate, workforce level, and inventory on hand to minimize the total production-related costs over the planning horizon (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Because RM uses the level production planning strategy, inventory is a cost of business that RM accepts. RM will continue to employ a stable workforce at the cost of inventory. This results in level production of 96K units per month. Fluctuations in demand shown in Figure 3 are absorbed by inventory levels, order backlogs, and potentially lost business (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Figure 3 Riordan Manufacturing Electric Fan Demand and Production Master Production Schedule RM’s master production schedule in Table 3 is the time-phased plan specifying how many and when RM plans to build each electric fan model. Materials Requirements Plan Materials requirements planning (MRP) is essential to manufacturing organizations for calculating and maintaining optimum inventory levels to meet production requirements. Material requirements planning (MRP) is a computer-based inventory management system designed to assist production managers in scheduling and placing orders for dependent demand items. Dependent demand items are components of finished goods—such as raw materials, component parts, and subassemblies—for which the amount of inventory needed depends on the level of production of the final product (Reference for Business, 2nd ed., 2013). A proper MRP puts the organization in a proactive position rather than reactive. MRP assists in reducing inventory levels and component shortages and ensures the right materials are in the right place at the right time, which increases productivity. Other benefits include improved plant efficiency, reduced overtime, higher production quality, and less scrap and rework. RM uses MRP to optimize production based on forecasted sales. Table 4 provides a forecast of finished goods inventory based on the forecasted demand. With this data the  organization can forecast and plan for future production requirements and use materials requirement planning to coordinate accurately inventory, shipping, and production. Riordan Manufacturing uses a fixed order system or meeting its materials requirement needs. They procure the assembled motors for the fans from local manufacturers in quantities adequate to meet its order requirements. They also purchase the plants plastic polymer requirements from local suppliers. To assure consistent operations and quality control, Riordan manufacturing has a set of procedures developed for the management of receiving raw materials, tracking products during manufacturing, accounting for the finished goods inv entories. Conclusion The supply chain is an integral part of an organization’s manufacturing process. A successful supply chain is able manage production costs, increase efficiency and effectiveness, and control inventory flow while averting financial impacts from unexpected supply chain disruptions. Last, an effective supply chain is easily integrated into a business’s production planning, scheduling, and forecasting strategies to achieve maximum results. Reference Handfield, R. (2012). Supplier Development Strategies and Outcomes. Retrieved from http://scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/supplier-development-strategies-and-outcomes Jacobs, F. R., Chase, R. B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Reference for Business, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. (2013). Materials Requirement Planning. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Mail-Op/Material-Requirements-Planning-MRP.html Turner, C. (2013). Pull System. Retrieved from http://leanmanufacturingcoach.com/pullsystem.htm

Nikola Tesla Essays -- Tesla Coil Science Electricity Electron

"Nikola Tesla is the world's greatest inventor, not only at present but in all history...His basic as well as revolutionary discoveries, for sheer audacity, have no equal in the annals of the intellectual world." (Hugo Gernsback, science editor and publisher.) Father of Alternating Current and AC induction motors, Nikola Tesla is known best for the high voltage generator that bears his name- the Tesla Coil. But this limited recognition hardly does justice to his legacy as an inventor. His name should be placed besides Thomas Edison, perhaps his biggest rival, for his contributions to electronics. But while electromagnetism was Tesla's primary focus during his life, the scope of his work and ideas were not so limited. He had many strange inventions and discoveries, many of which where not realized because of his opponents or for personal reasons. Others, as we will see, were simply too far-fetched or ambitious. But much of that story's been told before, just as it has been for countless other great scientists and inventors. Here I hope to focus more on the nature of the man that gives birth to the idea of a global night-light or a mail tube beneath the Atlantic, and the other radical ideas that such a mind could create. It's difficult to say why some of the more abnormal, and perhaps more interesting, details of history are forgotten or conveniently left out. Perhaps for simplicity, or perhaps to make history look more noble and admirable. Personally, I believe it's similar to people trying to forget their mistakes and the times they were "less than bright," in order to create an exaggerated image of themselves. Similarly, history tries to forget its more embarrassing moments, so that it may create a more more noble... ...If she needed me, nothing else mattered. As long as I had her, there was a purpose in my life. Then one night as I was lying in my bed in the dark, solving problems, as usual, she flew in through the open window and stood on my desk. I knew she wanted me; she wanted to tell me something important so I got up and went to her. As I looked at her I knew she wanted to tell me- she was dying. And then, as I got her message, there came a light from her eyes- powerful beams of light...Yes, it was a real light, a powerful, dazzling, blinding light, a light more intense than I had ever produced by the most powerful lamps in my laboratory. When that pigeon died, something went out of my life.Up to that time I knew with a certainty that I would complete my work, no matter how ambitious my program, but when that something went out of my life I knew my life's work was finished."