Wednesday, July 31, 2019

International: Economics and Australia

A PESTEL analysis of the Australian market Australia is the 15th richest nation in per capita terms and is the 6th oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world. Australia has the 14th biggest overall economy in the world and the 9th biggest economy. Australia’s economy is open and innovative. Over the past decade solid productivity gains have been accompanied by low inflation and interest rates. Also Australia has low barrieirs to trade and investment .Australia foreign and trade policies promote the security and long term prosperity of Australia in a global context. Australia’s economy is highly susceptible to the impact of climate change. In 2008 the Australian Government committed to create an organization called â€Å"Infrastructure Australia† to provide a new national approach to planning ,implementing and funding the nations future. Being a safe, stable and prosperous country Australia is an increasingly attractive hub for international and region al business and business operations.According to recent survey it can be said that Australia’s economic success in the last century was based on its abundant agricultural, mineral and fuels resources. Numerous factors have contributed to this development Informations and communications technology is a key driver in economic growth,other factors such as advances in travel,exchanging of ideas,broader accces to standards to educations etc have also contributed to this success. Australia’s ICT market is worth an estimated $89 billion with more almost 25,000 companies employing 236000 IT specialists Political environmentIn Australia, it is a liberal-capitalistic democracy. The state keeps interfering substantially in the economy through the use of various roles; for instance the parliament might decide to set up importation taxes aimed to protect the national economy, or it might create environmental protection laws aimed to protect the natural heritage of the country. This affects international business because when taxes keep varying and increasing especially there will be an impact on the economy which in turn will affect the exchange rates and currency rate.Also according to the present situation as mentioned in The Australian Financial Review 2010: there is  fear that the hung parliament will negatively affect the economy. Australia's rate of economic growth slowed down between July and September as the high value of the Australian dollar dug into export earnings. The country's gross domestic product rose just 0. 2% during the third quarter period, down from growth of 1. 1% between April and June. Analysts deduced that Australian consumers were also hit by higher interest rates. However, the Australian economy is set to continue to grow, led by demand from China for its raw materials.According to Michael Blythe, chief economist at the Commonwealth Bank, the latest economic growth figure was a â€Å"disappointing outcome . Since Australia is he lped by its vast exports of iron ore and other raw materials, it has avoided recession for 19 years. One of the country's largest iron ore producers is the Anglo-Australian group Rio Tinto, which is increasing production, has announced $7. 2bn in new investment in the region since July 2010. According to surveys Australia's economy continued to gather pace in March as world demand for commodities boosted the nation's coffers.However due to recent uncertainty from the European debt crisis could lower expectations of economic growth in the future. Economic Environment Australia is an island continent in the Southern Hemisphere, lying between Antarctica and Asia. It is surrounded by the Indian Ocean to the west; the Timor, Arafura, and Coral Seas to the north; the Pacific Ocean to the east; and the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean to the south. In other words its placement is a added advantage to business because when it comes to export and import, Australia is like a commuting place.Much of the continent is low, flat, and dry. The area of the continent is 2. 97 million square miles and the population is roughly 20 million Due to the harsh physical environment has encouraged people to remain close to the fertile coastal areas as a result urban and rural dwellers articulate different economic and social interests. Personal home ownership is a common goal, and the nation has one of the highest home ownership rates in the world. Therefore architecture and real estate business has a good scope in Australia.Australians are among the world leaders in fast-food consumption, fast food outlets are a plenty, beverages snacks and fast food companies have a recognized name in Australia and other countries because Australian chefs are known worldwide for their â€Å"fusion cuisine† Australia is a major regional financial centre and a vital cog in the global financial system. The Australian Stock exchange and the Sydney Futures exchange merged in 2006 to form the worldâ₠¬â„¢s 8th largest listed exchange. Australia has one of the highest percentages of shareholders in the world.Share market is one of the main aspects in international business and since the amount of people who invest in shares in Australia is high international business is also promoted really well. Trade has always been a vital component in Australia’s economic prosperity. The hallmarks of its trading success have been strong infrastructure and stable institutions. A skilled workforce, rich resources and a good agricultural base are added benefits. The goods and services tax (GST) is levied at 10 percent and applies to almost all goods and services transactions across the economy. Besides that there is only a flat corporate tax of 30 percent.When there was little scope for industrial or commercial enterprises, the pastoral industry became a key force in economic development. In particular, growth in the wool advanced rest of the economy. Gold surpassed wool as the nation's m ajor export in the 1850s and 1860s, resulting in a rapid expansion of banking and commerce. A move toward privatization at the state and commonwealth levels of government has been gaining momentum since the early 1980s. Some states, such as Victoria, have embraced this move much more than others have. Australia is highly integrated into the global capitalist economy.The economy is strong in the service sector in relation to goods-producing industries which include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, construction, and energy. It contributed around 31 percent of gross domestic product during the mid-1990s, whereas on the other hand the services industries contributed 60 percent. Goods-producing industries provided around a quarter of employment, with the rest provided by service industries. In 1996 and 1997, manufacturing was the most significant sector. In 1996 and 1997, manufacturing was the most significant sector.Another major contributor was the property and bu siness services industry. Primary industries in mining and agriculture are of key economic importance. The development of large mines in some remote regions has been associated with the establishment of towns and increased employment. In order of economic significance, Australia's current major trading partners include the United States, Japan, China, United Kingdom, , and New Zealand. Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of wool, meat, and wheat. Australia is a major supplier of sugar, dairy products, fruits, cotton, and rice.The above being the export of Australia the imports are passenger motor vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and crude petroleum oils. Australia is increasingly shifting toward an information economy that relies on a high-skill base. Thus, the workers most at risk of unemployment are laborers, factory workers, and those who learn their skills on the job. Highly skilled managers, medical practitioners, teachers, computer professionals, and elect ricians have the lowest risk of unemployment. Social environment Australia is a nation officially committed to ethnic and racial inclusiveness.For much of the nation's history, there has been a focus on assimilating different cultural groups into the dominant British Australian traditions. Australia is a collectivity of diverse peoples living in a relatively young society. However, the divisions within the nation continue to find expression in public life, arising from social differences in race, ethnicity, social class, and gender. Although the impact of environmental variation is highly evident in the traditional cultures of indigenous Australians, it has not been as strong a factor in immigrant cultures.The most significant lifestyle differences are affected primarily by variations in climate. Australia has six states ,Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, and two territories ,the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territo ry, majority of the population lives in urban areas around the coast. . The dominant language since colonization has been English, with little multi-lingualism among the majority population. Australia’s culture can be more likely said to be cosmopolitan.Factors that have shaped the national culture include the early small female population relative to that of men, which is said to have laid the foundations for a widespread ideology of mateship. The involvement of Australian and New Zealand troops in World War I has been characterized as the symbolic birth of the nation. Australia is a modern trading nation and it is a diversified and reliable supplier of high quality goods and services to over 200 countries with a sophisticated import market for products from all over the world.The main reason for all this is the due to Australia’s dynamic and efficient sea and air ports along the extensive coastline which allows massive amounts of iron ore, coal and array of other nat ural resources to be shipped. Technological Environment; The benefits of e-commerce to the economy in terms of reduced costs, higher quality, new products and larger markets are significant highlights in a country’s international business. Recent surveys show an increase in national output, real investment, consumption, real wages and employment.Australia is one of the world’s most connected countries, estimated revenues of business-to-business e-commerce in Australia for 2000 was over US$2. 3 billion, ranking higher than Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. Regions or regionally based businesses are more likely to succeed in the global market if they are major investors in new technology, export focused and competent in the use of IT and e-commerce. Mobile banking. Information and communications technology is a key driver of Australia’s strong economic growth and innovation. Based on this technology is most of Australia’s high budget business.Si nce in today’s world time factor is one of the most important factors in man’s life and time management is one of the key factors that most business magnets fail. Information technology is like a boon to all these people because it does half the work a particular individual has to do, man power is substantially balanced whereas if a man had to do each and every thing in a international business it would take ages for him to get through to all of that. For eg†¦In Australia and most European countries computerized systems are looming up in supermarkets, petrol stations, malls, banks etc.The technological background in Australia is one of its advantages when it comes to international business according to reports and business publications. Internet and e-commerce have boosted the international competitiveness of Australian businesses. Many Australian firms are now using internet technology to expand into new foreign markets, almost all of the enterprises are increasi ngly using e-commerce because it only requires low overheads and comparatively less initial outlay of capital but leading to a fast turnover on investment.According to surveys about 94 per cent of large businesses and 60 per cent of medium businesses in Australia had a website in 2006, while there was over 37 per cent of online purchase in all types of business. The percentage of all businesses receiving orders online in the same period was 21 per cent. In 2006–07, out of the 11. 3 million people who accessed the internet in Australia, 61 per cent used the internet to for online purchase or to order goods and services. Income for Australian business from internet increased from $24. 3 billion in 2002-03 to $56. billion in 2005-06 Legal Background Australian assistance gives priority to law enforcement, intelligence cooperation,transport security ,legal frameworks,countering terrorist financing and preventing terrorists access to nuclear materials. Australia has a sound and pr actical structure of financial regulations and institutions that provides certainty for business and is open to investment without undue delay. This is a advantage when it comes to international business because it makes investors more comfortable in relying and in turn make large investments.Even for investors and businessmen from other countries Australia’s business law is flexible and makes the procedure of opening up a business simple and easy to achieve for one and all. There is a strong, transparent governance system along with business oriented regulation and insolvency regimes. According to the World Bank a new business can be established in Australia within two days compared with an average of 20 days in most of the other countries. Need an essay? You can  buy essay help  from us today! IntroductionThe country analysis report on Australia provides a wide array of analytical inputs to analyze the country’s performance, and the objective is to help the reade r to make business decisions and prepare for the future. The report on Australia analyzes the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) structure of Australia. The report provides a holistic view of Australia from historical, current and future perspective. Insightful analysis on critical current and future issues is presented through detailed SCPT (strengths, challenges, prospects and threats /risks) analysis for each of the PESTLE segments.In addition, the PESTLE segments are supplemented with relevant quantitative data to support trend analysis. The PESTLE country analysis report series provides an in-depth analysis of 50 major countries. Features and Benefits – Understanding gained from the country analysis report on Australia can be used to plan business investments or market entry apart from a holistic view of the country. – Political section on Australia provides inputs about the political system, key figures in the country, an d governance indicators. Economic section on Australia outlines the economic story of the country to provide a balanced assessment on core macro-economic issues. – Social section on Australia enables understanding of customer demographics through the income distribution, rural-urban segmentation and centers of affluence, healthcare and educational scenario in the country. – Technological section on Australia provides strategic inputs on information communications and technology, technological laws and policies, technological gaps, patents data and relevant laws. Legal section on Australia provides information about the legal structure, corporate laws, business set-up procedures and the tax regime. – Environmental section provides information on environmental policies in Australia and the performance in terms of important environmental indicators. Highlights PESTLE analysis of Australia identifies issues that affect the country’s performance through the pr ism of current strengths (strengths), current challenges (weaknesses), future prospects (opportunities) and future risks (threats). The political landscape discusses the evolution of the political scenario in Australia in different periods.The economic, social, foreign and defense policies are considered in the political landscape section. It also discusses the performance of the country as per World Bank Governance Indicators. The economic landscape describes the evolution of the economy of Australia in different periods. It also examines the country’s performance in terms of GDP growth, composition by sector (agriculture, industry and services), fiscal situation, international investment position, monetary situation, credit disbursement, banking sector and employment.The economic landscape also explains the financial system in the country, especially with regard to financial authorities/regulators. The social landscape covers the demographics, education and healthcare scena rio in Australia. The social welfare policies of the government along with the country’s performance in terms of healthcare, income distribution and education are also provided. The technological landscape discusses the structure and policies in terms of Intellectual property, research & development, technology agreements/pacts; and policies related to the promotion of technology in Australia.The legal landscape examines the structure of the judicial system, legislation affecting businesses, tax regulations, labor laws, trade regulations and corporate governance in Australia. The environmental landscape in Australia discusses the environmental regulations and policies of the country. The performance of the country in terms of in terms of environmental indicators and impact of environmental policies is also examined. â€Å"The Australian economy grew at a CAGR of more than 3% a year during 1991–2008, but then slumped to 1. 3% in 2009. The economy was unaffected by the global slowdown in 2001, and grew at a significant rate of 2. %. The economic growth rate did not significantly decline even when the country was hit by the worst drought in its history in 2003, as it dropped from 3. 6% in 2002 to 3. 5% in 2003. The buoyant growth was driven by sound macroeconomic policies and fiscal prudence. The growth rate increased to 3. 8% in 2007 from 3. 0% in 2006. However, the growth momentum decelerated to 2. 3% in 2008 because of the global financial slowdown, and then slowed further to 1. 3% in 2009. Following this, 2010 saw the economy rebound with growth of 3. 0%. According to Datamonitor's forecast, the economy is expected to grow by 3. 5% in 2011. â€Å"Your key questions answered – What is the outlook in terms of political stability, policies towards businesses, external front and popularity of government in Australia? – What is the economic performance of Australia in terms of GDP growth, fiscal situation, international investment pos ition, monetary situation, credit disbursement, and employment among other economic indicators? – What is the performance of Australia in terms of healthcare, income distribution and education? – What is the performance of Australia in technology intensive sectors like telecommunications and information technology, patents and R&D expenditure trends? What is the legal structure in Australia and are the laws conducive for investment? – What is the performance of Australia in terms of environmental indicators and impact of environmental policies? ————————————————- How to Create a Pestle Analysis Template 15DEC The  PESTLE analysis  is the analysis of the environment as a whole in which abusiness  operates or tends to offer its trade. These are systematic factors that are beyond ones control and businesses need to chart out strategies keeping the re sults in view to peacefully coexist and keep on gaining revenues despite the concurrent situation.It is of utmost importance to understand in depth the meaning of  PESTLE  and how every letter of the acronym represents an important aspect of the environment your business is in. PESTLE stands for: * P for Political * E for Economic * S for Social * T for Technological * L for Legal * E for Environmental The political factors account for all the political activities that go on within a country and if any external force might tip the scales in a certain way. They analyze the political temperament and the policies that a government may put in place for some effect.For example, the fiscal policy, trade tariffs and taxes are those things that a government levies on traders and organizations and they greatly alter the revenue that is earned by those companies. The economic factors take into view the economic condition prevalent in the country and if the global economic scenarios might make it shift or not. These include the inflation rates, foreign exchange rates, interest rates etc. All these can affect the supply and demand cycle and can result in major changes of the business environment. Social factors have to do with the social mindset of the people that live in a certain country.This sums up the aspect of culture, age demographics, gender and its related stereotypes, at times this analysis has to include the religious factors (when pertaining to products or services of a different kind). Technological factors take into consideration the rate at which technology is advancing and how much integration does a company needs to have with it. Legal factors have to do with all the legislative and procedural components in an economy. Also, this takes into account certain standards that your business might have to meet in order to start production/promotion.Environmental factors have to do with geographical locations and other related environmental factors that may i nfluence upon the nature of the trade you’re in. For example, agri-businesses hugely depend on this form of analysis. PESTLE analysis template This is a  template  that allows a company to understand what basics are required to conduct the analysis onto the environment. It combines all the representative factors in one table, and then you need to analyze based on the current market situation. Here is a comprehensive list of headings that one must look toward while carrying out the analysis on a market. . Political factors: * Trading policies * Government changes * Shareholder and their demands * Funding, * Governmental leadership * Lobbying * Foreign pressures * Conflicts in the political arena 2. Economic factors: * Disposable income * Unemployment level * Foreign exchange rates * Interest rates * Trade tariffs * Inflation rate * Foreign economic trends * General taxation issues * Taxation changes specific to product/services * Local economic situation and trends 3. Soci al factors: * Ethnic/religious factors * Advertising scenarios * Ethical issues * Consumer buying patterns Major world events * Buying access * Shifts in population * Demographics * Health * Consumer opinions and attitudes * Views of the media * Law changes affecting social factors * Change in Lifestyle * Brand preferences * Working attitude of people * Education * Trends * History 4. Technological factors: * Technological development * Research and development * Trends in global technological advancements * Associated technologies * Legislations in technological fields * Patents * Licensing * Access into the technological field * Consumer preferences * Consumer buying trends Intellectual property and its laws * How mature a certain technology is * Information technology * Communication 5. Legal factors: * Employment law * Consumer protection * Industry-specific regulations * Competitive regulations * Current legislation home market * Future legislation * Regulatory bodies and their processes * Environmental regulations 6. Environmental factors: * Ecological * Environmental issues * International * National * Stakeholder/ investor values * Staff attitudes * Management style * Environmental regulations * Customer values * Market value

Corporal of Marines Essay

Corporal of Marines BY Jkid43 What It Means To Be a Corporal of Marines A Corporal of United States Marine Corps had duty and responsibility that they carry out and sever on a day to day base. A Corporal is the lowest as a Noncommissioned Officer in the Marines Corps. A Corporal helps establish good order and discipline for their Marines. Corporals are held accounted for their and their Marines action. As Corporal of Marines they lead their Marines with firmness, fairness, and dignity. Corporals should have confidence, communicate, and good decision making. Corporal makes timely decision not only in combat, but in garrison oo. A Corporal is responsible for their self, along for their Marines. As Corporals their actions and decisions reflects the mission and welfare of their Marines. As NCO, Corporals must accept the responsible of their leadership roles. Corporals as leaders must understand his roles and Marines. For Corporal they must know their Marines comparability, weakness, and effeteness. Corporal is also responsible for their Marines actions. As NCO, Corporals hold accountable for the action their Marines do good or bad. Corporals serve as mentors for theirs Marines and should know their Marines. Which allow Corporal to make decisions base on their Marines abilities. Corporals also are responsible for the well-being and welfare of their Marines. Corporals should insure that their Marine is taken care on and off duty. To ensure if a Marine have an issue that they take the necessary action to ensure marine problem is resolve. Corporals needs to ensure that their Marines have necessary things need for accomplish the mission that their tasks with. Corporals are also responsible for the development and mentors for their Marines. Corporals should ensure that their Marines are challenged and motivated to the best of ability. A Corporal duty as a NCO is to enforce the rules and regulations on a daily base in the Uniform Code of Military Justice UCMJ. Corporals must understand, follows, and enforce the IJCMJ for their Marines. Corporal have a wide range of Jobs among the very wide range of thing Marines do, but their essential duty is to supervise their work and maintain discipline for their Marines. Corporal must ensure that they understand any tasks giving to them. Corporal should also ensure that they have the necessary plan and executing to accomplish the mission. Corporal should get feedback from their senior leader for guides and development to ensure they can leads the Marines better. Corporal’s duty is to ensure that their Marine is properly trained for any type of mission given to them. When training the Marines, Corporals should ensure that the Marines have their proper equipment, food, water and mind- set when training. Corporals must understand the safety and well-being of their Marine. Ensure that their Marine is healthy mentality, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Corporal duty is also establish good communicates with their Marines. Corporals need to ensure that their marine understand and can accomplish any tasks give to them and supervise to the standard set by the Corporals. The Corporal superiors. This includes the health of each Marine, supply requirements and any other need to ensure the Marines are prepared for any situation. Overall Corporals have a lot of responsible and duties that they must carry out. That core values honor, courage and commitment is emplaced in their Marine, and along themselves. Corporals are to set the example for their Marines emulate. Corporals are to hold themselves to a high stand also.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Other Side of Email

The Other Side of Email Electronic communication has become a part of every aspect of our society and is recognized as being one of the most important and influential aspects of the way we carry out business. The days of anxiously waiting by the mailbox for news from a long distance relative or lover are over. We no longer send cute, labor intensive, hand written letters to relatives, and close ones. Instead, they are sent via e-mails. Email-type technology has made it much easier to contact other people in the same city, and even others around the world. In other words, instead of actually taking the time to write a letter to a friend through the mail, one can send an e-mail that takes about three seconds opposed to three or more days. In the article â€Å"The Other Side of E-Mail,† author Robert Kuttner explains the other side of email and technology, the dark side. Kuttner says that although, technology offers us many conveniences, such as being able to send and receive messages instantly, it brings along many drawbacks, such as privacy infringement. I agree with Kuttner’s thoughts on these downsides of technology. In my opinion, internet and email technology has definitively made our lives easier, but it has put our personal information at risk, significantly limited privacy, and leads to a waste of our time on a daily basis. Kuttner describes several negative effects of messaging technology. First one is that we might waste too much time in the E-mail and our privacy might be compromised. Social networking sites, like Facebook, have gotten users hooked on to the internet as if it were a drug. Almost every person I can think of has a Facebook account now days. A recent survey estimates that more than 85% of all college students use Facebook and more than 30 million users update their status at least once each day. Although, Facebook is a marvelous communicating media, hardly anything gets accomplished there. From personal experience, I have found it to be a massive waste of time that has people from all around the world addicted to it. The new, fancy technology in general is a waste of money and time. College students get caught up in the sweet talks of salesmen, and buy tablets, and other expensive gadgets to allow them to take notes in class etc. however, none of that note taking ever takes place. Most end up playing video games and texting in class, which is a step backward, not forward. Statistics also show that there is a relationship between divorce rates and Facebook, as it conveniently allows couples to stalk one another. Gary Traystman, a divorce attorney in New London, Conn. , said that of the 15 cases he handled in 2011 where co mputer history, texts and emails are admitted as evidence, 70% exclusively involve Facebook. The biggest problem with internet and messaging technology, however, is security. The fact that every bit of information about us is stored on the internet and can easily be stolen is nerve-wracking. Communication sites like Facebook, MySpace have the user’s full name, their date of birth, email ID, and even their phone numbers. All of that information can be accessed with the click of a button. The consequences of that can obviously be extremely dangerous. The internet is also filled with email scammers, and hackers. My uncle was recently scammed via the email. He made an online deal to purchase a car, which turned out to be a scam that took away $15,000 from his bank account. The clever scammer was never caught. That’s just one instance of how upsetting, and demoralizing the internet can be. Email is the main communicating media of the 21st century. When you register for banking or gaming accounts online, or even make online purchases, you are required to enter an E-mail address. If that email account is hacked, which happens frequently, all of your personal information can be stolen. In 2011, Sony’s online gaming servers were hacked, and â€Å"Hackers may have stolen the personal information of 24. 6 million Sony Online Entertainment users†, the company said. More than 20,000 credit card and bank account numbers were also put at risk. † There are many other demoralizing aspects of internet based technology, such as pornography. Children that learn how to use a computer at a young age are introduced to such content at an age that they shouldn’t be. This significantly hinders their future progress and affects their morals. Children adapt a lifestyle of sitting at home, playing with their iPods, Laptops and other internet devices, as opposed to playing sports, spending time with their relatives and family. This has led to a social disaster, especially in the U. S. , where we are so consumed by technology. As final remarks, I believe that the internet and emailing technology have completely revolutionized the world, however, it also led to many serious problems, such as infringement of privacy, wastage of time, and aiding in the leakage of personal information to online hackers. These concerns along with many others make emailing and internet not as divine and marvelous as we may think. Works Cited â€Å"Does Facebook Wreck Marriages? † – Real-Time Advice. N. p. , n. . Web. 31 Oct. 2012. . Haisha, Lisa. â€Å"Is Your Facebook Addiction a Sign of Loneliness? † The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 13 Apr. 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Sony Hacked Again; 25 Million Entertainment Users’ Info at Risk. † Wired. com. Conde Nast Digital, 30 Apr. 0011. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. .

Monday, July 29, 2019

Law ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Law ethics - Essay Example A business involves financial and non-financial costs. Labour and equipment are financial costs that any business entails. On the other hand, an ethical business also incurs non-financial costs of environmental impacts like noise. Thus, such ethical businesses also strive to minimize non-financial costs by taking up the responsibility of causing little or no harm to the people and environment (Kreng 11). The case of product default as explained to me by Doug is of great concern to the general public, and even the employees at Green Moves. The products of the company have to be environmental friendly. I fully understand as a new employee that I should abide by the policies of this given company. However, my position should not be compromised by intimidation. In business, ethical responsibilities include actions and activities that are certainly not systemized in the law, and do not directly serve the company’s economic needs. The moral incentives that guide the business are ass ociated with doing the right things and prevent any harm without any external force or legal restraints. Every organization should have the responsibility of taking part in society in a cooperative manner. Business people recognize their self-presence in the society based on the fact that, business and societies go hand in hand. Business cannot progress without society and society cannot move ahead without business. Hence, every company must realize the presence of the society, which will in turn be important in increasing demand for amorally responsible business. For being ethical, organizations need to have good decision makers who perform their duties with justice, equality, fairness, neutrality, and value the rights of other people. Ethical behaviour requires the organization to treat individuals with fairness in their dealings relevant to the goals and objectives of the organization. Immoral and unethical actions take place when a decision leads a person or firm to benefit at t he cost of another person or the society as one. Ethical responsibilities comprise of those practices and actions that are prohibited by the society even if the law has not stated it. It represents the standards, norms and criterion that invoke a thought of concern for the customers, employees, shareholders, and all stakeholders including the community. Therefore, ethical responsibility should be carried out in line with the desired ethical standards and the expectation of the societal customs and values. It is also important to accept and acknowledge the new, dynamic and developing ethical norms and values that have been adopted in modern societies today. However, companies should not in any way use the ethical norms to achieve their own goals. Ethical standards should not be negotiated or compromised in any way for the achievement of corporate goals (Kreng 45). Organizations also need to ensure they do not cause greater damage to the environment they are operating in, as well as e mploy strategies for minimizing any sort of damage to the societies. This is referred to as the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), with many of the businesses today adopting its use in achieving their long term goals. Henceforth, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be best defined as a business obligation to contribute towards prolonged economic development, operating with workers, their families, the immediate communities, and society as

Sunday, July 28, 2019

War Propaganda Produced by Democracies and Totalitarian Regimes Essay

War Propaganda Produced by Democracies and Totalitarian Regimes - Essay Example In this respect, democracies and totalitarian regimes have emerged to serve diverse and dynamic purposes across the globe. War involving states or countries within and across national borders has been a common concept since time immemorial. Countries and continents have engaged other countries and continents in war. The first and second world wars serve as critical examples in this respect. Both democracies and totalitarian regimes have been involved in wars, the only difference being the way they conduct their business in every aspect of the war they engage in (Sondrol, 2009, p.157). War propaganda has and still is specifically notable in both democracies and totalitarian regimes. However, differences emerge in respect to the war propaganda produced by democracies and that produced by totalitarian regimes. To understand the principles of war propaganda in both democracies and totalitarian regimes, it is vital to consider the basis upon which democracies and totalitarian regimes oper ate and function within power and authority of governance and leadership. Governing the people entails critical decision making on behalf of the people (Clark, 1997, p.259). To aid this process, different political systems are adopted, with each system depicting aspects of democracy or totalitarianism. For example, different countries around the world exhibit aspects of socialism, capitalism, or communism. Democracy in governance and leadership embraces the difference between all persons involved. The power and authority of governance rests in the people. In other words, the people are treated as equals by the law, and their fundamental rights and freedoms that pertain to voicing their opinions in legislative processes are observed. In democracies, constitutions are vital in ensuring a smooth flow of governance and leadership without oppression by the tyranny of the majority players in the political system (Welch, 2001, p.105). Britain, for example, is governed under monarchism, wit h its constitution being unwritten. However, the country is a democracy, just like the United States among others. The constitution is the supreme law that guides leadership and governance in democracies. Any decisions that intend to affect people’s lives must significantly involve the people before they are upheld. People practice their freedom of speech within the provisions of their democratic rights. Democracy also encompasses press freedom by allowing press autonomy. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press provides for support or critique of the current regime in democracies, allowing the people to have a given level of control over their lives (Kershaw, 2004, p.14). On the other hand, totalitarian regimes are the complete opposite of democracies. The United Kingdom today cannot compare to the Hitler regime that oppressed the people. The power and authority of a totalitarian regime is not limited, and the personal and private life of the people is controlled by the to talitarian regime in every aspect. People governed within totalitarian regimes have little or no say to any decisions made regarding their lives. Propaganda in totalitarian regimes is a critical concept due to the fact that the popularity and the public favour those totalitarian regimes seek rests in propaganda. This is the primary basis of retaining power and authority in totalitarian regimes. In order to critically capture the difference be

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Hero's Journey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hero's Journey - Essay Example Pericles and Alexander the Great are two historical figures that are exemplary of the culture from which they came. Pericles was an influential statesman, speaker, and general during the Persian and Peloponnesian war. Much of the reputation of Athens for being a place of learning and culture came from Pericles’ promotion of the arts and literature. Though he did not record his speeches himself, the Greek historian Thucydides recreated many of them in his works. In Pericles’ funeral oration, he uses the occasion to not only praise those that died in the war, but to â€Å"celebrate Athens and its democratic ideas† (Western 865). He was such a prominent figure that this time period was referred to as the â€Å"Age of Pericles.† Being the prominent figure that he was, his main interest was in promoting the society of the Greeks: â€Å"Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called democracy† (867). As we can see, Pericles takes pride in his country and the ideals which he believes in and is trying to instill in other people. Alexander the Great was more ambitious than his fellow Greek Pericles. Indeed, he went undefeated in battle and conquered most of the world that was known to the Greeks by the age of thirty-two. Alexander also did not record his own life; once again the fellow Greek Plutarch took that task upon himself. As was often the case in the ancient world, if someone was to accomplish an amazing feat, then it was considered that the gods must be somehow involved and favoring the individual. This idea is present in Plutarch’s history: By this means, as it would seem, it was suggested to Dareius from Heaven that the exploits of the Macedonians would be conspicuous and brilliant,

Friday, July 26, 2019

The role of retailer branding strategies within retail stores Essay

The role of retailer branding strategies within retail stores - Essay Example Talking in a more elaborate manner, it can be said that the high-level communication technologies have helped in the process of diffusing the globalization trends around the world. As a result of the fast spreading of trends of globalization in various markets, it can be said that the consumers located in various regions, countries and continents around the world have started demanding a more enhanced category of products and services, which should necessarily follow the standards of global quality. As a result, this has led to the process of creating a significant pressure on the economies and markets around the world with regard to the demand for globally popular brands of products and services. Moreover, besides the growing demand for various kinds of globally popular products and services in various markets, the governments of countries around the world have realised the fact that, for the purpose of promoting significant amount of growth and development in their individual natio ns, opening up of the economy is very important. The governments of many countries have now realized that by opening up their previously closed economies, the markets of their respective countries will immediately start developing and growing because of considerable amounts of investments made by various business organizations around the world. It is relevant, in this particular context, to state the fact that many companies, which are present in various markets around the world, will look forward to entering the newly emerged markets of the growing and developing economies for the purpose of consolidating their growth prospects. Talking on this note, it can be said that the international, transnational and multinational companies will focus on the process of making a considerable amount of investment in the new markets in the form of foreign direct investments (FDIs) and foreign institutional investments (FIIs). Talking on the same lines, it can be said that the companies in the in ternational arena will be making significant amounts of large scale investments in terms of FIIs and FDIs for the main purpose of developing the market as well as the business infrastructure in the new markets. This will automatically lead to the emergence of new and large scale job opportunities, which will contribute towards creating a high rate of growth for the emerging economies. Now, with the development of the economies around the world in both the developed as well as the developing markets, it can be said that a significant amount of development will happen in the society and lifestyle of the masses living in those countries. The accumulation and growth of wealth complemented by the factor of an evolving lifestyle of the masses will contribute towards opening of new kinds of services. It is important to quote in the same context that the evolution of new lifestyle trends in the society of the developing economies will lead to a significant change in the consumer behaviour o f the masses. This will also present a significant amount of opportunity with regard to the evolution of new shopping trends of the masses and, as a result, will require significant amoun

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Dieting in America and Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dieting in America and Obesity - Essay Example "The evidence from observational studies is conflicting: some studies have shown weight loss to be associated with increased mortality, but this could be because differentiation was not made between intentional and unintentional weight loss. Mechanistic hypotheses can be raised for both beneficial and harmful effects of weight loss." (Ryan) Therefore, the medical, psychological and social risks of obesity and dieting offer an important point of comparison between the two and there are various views on this question. Analyzing the risks involved in obesity, it becomes lucid that there are numerous diseases and health risks caused by obesity which include hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancers, gall bladder disease, glucose intolerance, respiratory diseases, osteoarthritis etc. However, it is important realize these risks in the context of the social and psychological aspects, along with the medical aspects. "Despite the risks related to obesity, it is a mistake to exaggerate those risks.

Managing a Multi-cultural Workforce Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing a Multi-cultural Workforce - Coursework Example Modern transport and communication, along with political structures like the European Union, have simply increased the diversity of people working on any one site. Health and Safety is a major concern in the construction industry, and there is a vast international literature on the subject, partly because this type of work is inherently more dangerous than many other types, and partly also because of the complex and often project-based nature of the working environment, involving many different participants, often coming with very different backgrounds, experience and culture. One of the difficulties of researching multicultural workforce issues is the fact that there is a huge spectrum of practice across the world: â€Å"The way in which OHS (=Occupational Health and Safety) is dealt with in different countries is a function not only of legislation, but also of the underlying culture, the attitudes of those involved, and, more importantly, the social, economic and political environ ment... Systems that may work well in, say, the United Kingdom, may not work well at all in Australia or Hong Kong.† ( p. 88) An important implication of this diversity across the world, is that migrant workers moving from one country to another bring with them a knowledge base, a set of attitudes and tendencies, and a whole world view that may be very different from those of their fellow workers. The problem for managers is how to ensure that a multi-cultural workforce shares important values and knowledge, especially in the area of Health and Safety, and follows the requirements of the particular site that they work in. 2 Literature review on SHE challenges faced in respect of multi-cultural workforce. One noticeable feature of a multi-cultural workforce is the fact that the workers may have very different linguistic backgrounds, while the situation on a construction site is usually such that one particular language is officially used for work related communications. This of ficial language of the site in question may or may not be the language of the location where the project is running, and problems can arise when a proportion of the workforce does not have adequate language skills in the main language of communication. This results in sub-groups within the workforce who communicate with each other in their native language, but struggle to join in with the official and or local language context. These groups can become isolated, and vulnerable to being left out of the loop of company planning, training and information processes. A study conducted on a multi-cultural workforce in Australia analysed the safety implications of this â€Å"ghettoization† and found that there are often distinct patterns in the workforce so that for example â€Å"Italians tend to concentrate in concrete trades, Croations in carpentry trades, Koreans in tiling trades, Maoris in steelwork and scaffolding and Irish in labouring etc† (Trajkovski and Loosemoore, 20 06, p. 1) This tendency means that there is often a three way professional, cultural and also linguistic demarcation in the workplace, and this presents a significant challenge for managers who are responsible for the Health and Safety of these workers. In theory there could be several conflicting models of behavior, supported by their own language and culture, operating simultaneously, and this has an obvious potential for misunderstanding and system failure when these areas interact with each other. Trajkovski and Loosemoore conducted a survey on multicultural construction workforces in

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The Growing Representation Gap in the United States How to Fill It Essay

The Growing Representation Gap in the United States How to Fill It - Essay Example All these, in turn, had an effect of widening the representation gap. Employees are very much aware of this gap because they always believed that filling in this gap will â€Å"directly improve the quality of their working lives and †¦make their firms more productive and successful.†5 But the ground realities in US are not very conducive for the solution of this problem. Studies have shown that â€Å"only one out of six US employees†¦ have access to the independent representation of their individual and collective interests.†6 It is also a proven fact that though employees want representation, it is the employers who prevent them from accessing such opportunities.7 A major area of concern associated with the problem of representation is the changes that have happened in the composition of the workforce. The workforce scenario is greatly changed in US in the context of global migration of labor. Global alliances that are emerging in labour sector, the increased presence of women, and ethnic minorities in the global work force, and the new forms of workers organisations like the ‘worker centres’ of USA, have been some indicators of change. America has been depending more and more on immigrant labourers to meet the nation’s workforce needs. But these laborers have never been assimilated into the mainstream unionism. The race, ethnicity and nationality have come to play a great role in determining the group formations among workers. Organizing simply on a class basis has become a thing of the past, at least in the unorganized sector. There are attempts going on to assimilate the migrant workers into the mainstream work force of US by trade unions. This is very crucial when we see that in the United States, one in five people is from another nationality.8 The situation of the migrant workers have been pathetic as, â€Å"low-wage immigrant workers exist within industries in which there are few or no unions or other organis ational vehicles through which they can speak and act.†9 Hence, the key to filling in the representation gap also lies in understanding the challenges faced by this totally different work force mix and also the changes brought about by the extreme corporatization. The dominance of service sector over the primary production sectors has also presented a new set of problems regarding representation. When the rise of service sector in combination with the technological changes that accompany it is considered, it can be realized that the representation issue is at its worst in this area.10 The increase in part-time and temporary work clubbed with the increase in the percentage of woman workers in the total work force also create new challenges on the representation front.11 All these changes in the labor force composition is supposed to have enhanced the bargaining power of the corporate companies.12 Anti-union tactics of corporations in the United States Around 32 million civilian workers in US lack â€Å"collective bargaining rights under any law, either federal

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Problem Solution for TerraTech Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Problem Solution for TerraTech - Case Study Example The company is now at a point where they need to determine how they will move forward to meet not only the current, but future demands of the clients. In order to do this it will be important for the company to carefully implement a strategy to accomplish their goals. There is always the alternative to do nothing, but if TeraTech wishes to survive this is not an option. The current issues that have been identified are poor customer satisfaction reviews, slowing growth, and staffing concerns. Moving forward, the company will have to decide how to best address these issues. TeraTech is a major player in the CRM solutions arena for the pharmaceutical industry. However, after receiving feedback from their customer base they have found that their customers are overall unhappy with the level of support provided for their current CRM technology, nor are they satisfied with the results that the software is producing for them. It has been identified that the current technology lacks the analytical capabilities that their customers need to realize a return on their investment in the technology. TeraTech has the opportunity to develop a new technology that would better meet the needs of their clients and help them to obtain a competitive advantage. Proper execution of a new product development and launch is imperative to the success of the product (Kerin, 2006, ch. 10, pp. 15-20). It is evident that in order for TeraTech to remain competitive they will need to implement a new technology that will meet the needs of their customer base. There is a major issue facing the company at the present time in the area of staffing. Management feels that they do not have the necessary talent and skills available in order to "develop and support an analytical product" (UOP, 2008, Scenario). In fact, with the resources available at the current time they are not able keep up an acceptable level of customer satisfaction and stand to lose business. Since the human resource department is insisting that the company does not recruit any new talent within the next year, TerraTech has an obvious staffing issue that must be addressed. Maximizing current human resources capital will prove to be quite a challenge. Perhaps the most important issue facing TerraTech is the fact that their customers are not satisfied and that they stand to lose the customer base that they have worked so hard to acquire. As mentioned above the first issue is that the current technology is not meeting their needs, but in addition to this a good percentage of customers are reporting that they are not happy with the level of support and customer service that they have received from the company since they have began using the CRM system. TeraTech must address this issue and they have a good opportunity to improve the level of service and support they are providing their customers. Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas Anytime that a company seeks to make changes or branch out into unknown territory, there will be doubt and conflict within the organization. A lot of this comes from the tendency of human nature to resist change coupled with the fear of failure. According to the UOP, Scenario One - TeraTech, research has revealed that most new products fail and this fact "increases anxiety amount the different groups who must

Monday, July 22, 2019

Learning and education Essay Example for Free

Learning and education Essay Learning and education are some of the most prized assets any person could have. Many parents consider these assets to be the primary treasure which they can give to their children to face the challenges of the future. However, there are some instances in which education becomes unreachable due to some hindrances like learning disabilities. It may become a concern not only for the individual but for the family as well.   Fortunately there are still some available steps in order to combat the possible dilemmas learning disabilities might bring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the part of Tony, it seems that he is not really that ready enough to become a part of the larger scope of education structure. He used to have a separated domain of learning which highlighted his interests to accommodate knowledge. The one-on-one teaching method provided by Ms. Brumbley became the most comfortable realm for Tony to achieve success. However, in order to develop more, he needs to take a few more steps of the education ladder. In middle school and beyond, school works are more complex and require more diligence in following directions. Add to that the extremely dynamic social nature of the class where students will tend to stabilize their roles and projections towards other members of the society. Because of such factors, Tony may have a hard time adjusting to the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to accommodate Tony to perform his ultimate best, what can be done is to at least set some modifications in the classroom. First is to introduce the basic foundations of new lessons for discussion. For example, a lesson in Math can first take a course of simple arithmetic to fraction computations. This may seem too easy relative for the whole class but exampling to them the importance of the strong math foundation will not impose an obvious aspect that the procedure is intended for Tony to refresh what he has previously learned. It is also possible to provide Tony a separate customized textbook and assignments so that he can gradually adjust to the lessons involved in middle school education. This approach is not intended for a long term basis so that he can actually progress to entertain newer and more complex lessons in middle school subjects. Lastly, as a concerned teacher, he will be provided with at least an hour of academic assistance everyday after class. A consultation form of conversation is best for him so that he could provide any feedback about the class procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to support the standing of Tony in middle school through high school, coordinating with his other teachers would be the best practice to do. This will help the whole learning sector to have a single approach in fulfilling the special needs of Tony. Even if after he has completed the year level in a particular class, a complete coordination between his previous teachers and the ones who will be handling him should be initiated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Basing on some studies and personal observations, individuals like Tony do not simply experience learning problems. The nearest dilemma apart from education concerns is the social interaction aspect of the person. Primarily, if one is not able to acquire the supposedly pace of learning rates in education, then most probably there will be a certain problem within his core interactive capabilities. Of course, it was noted that he exemplifies a certain degree of fondness in dealing with people in a comical way but deep inside, Tony might also have some concerns in having an interaction with people in a serious manner. If he will realize his disadvantages over the people he will constantly interact with, he might experience a sense of inferiority or discrimination. Compassionate encouragement and kindness can minimize the inferiority factor this dilemma might induce (Kentucky Education Cabinet).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Helping the students to explore their capabilities is one way to nurture their personalities. But for individuals who have a relative disadvantage in learning, utmost assistance and care is needed beyond teaching. References Kentucky Education Cabinet. N.D. Learning Disabilities. Kentucky.gov. Retrieved February 4, 2008 from http://ada.ky.gov/learning_dis_def.htm.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Development and History of the India-Pakistan Space Program

Development and History of the India-Pakistan Space Program HISTORY OF SPACE PROGRAM OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN:- Pakistan space program started in 1961 when Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission were established. Its come under the strategic Plans Division. It is the only research establishment of its own type in Pakistan. The main purpose of SUPARCO is to research and make up new development in the space sciences technology and the application related to the upper space for peace full purposes. Suparco has made two institutes when in Karachi and one Islamabad where it gives training to its employee about aerospace, communication systems and on material engineering and sciences. It offer special course on bachelors and master levels in IST (institute of space technology). Pakistan has launched its first satellite from china in 1990 that was name is BADR1.There is a ground station for satellite of Suparco in Rawat near Islamabad. It is developed mainly for the timely satellite remote sensing for the relevant department like envir onmental department wheatear forecasting and other things like that mainly for peace full purposes. Suparco has program of satellite remote sensing from the last thirty years. In 2001 Pakistan launch another satellite that name is BADR2. It was the earth observation satellite and it is the mile stone towards the making of more satellite. In 2002 Pakistan first geostationary satellite launch by Pakistan that is name as PAKSAT1.It is more efficient then the pervious satellites and it age life is about eight to ten years. Suparco is planning to replace the existing PAKSAT with the with the new satellite with advance feature name as the PAKSAT1-R that is to be replaced in the coming year 2011.  [1]   Relevant to Pakistan Indian space program started in 1963. The Indian space program started by the making of the Thumba Equatorial rocket station and the development work start then after. In 1972 the space commission of India formed and progress towards making of efficient system for space program start the after word. India has get lot of advancement in the field of the space technology. India has the capability of the fabricating of the all types of the satellite and also well enough in the launching the low earth orbit satellite. The most important thing about the Indian program is that it ranks among the six in the world in space program and it capability. The Indian Space Research department set up and gets the responsibility of executing of the space program. India budget for the space increase every year as of the successful progress in this field. There are two type of systems that India has first on is the IRS Indian Remote Sensing system that is basically for the monitorin g and management. It get commission in 1998 with the launch of the IRS-1A. There are about ten IRS satellite of India in space. The second type of the system is INSAT Indian National Satellite system that gets commission in 1983 with the establishment of the INSAT-1B.India has make up successfully launch vehicle fleet that includes LEO, SLV-3, ASLV, and GSLV.  [2]  Indian space program produces both the satellite and the launchers. The direction of the Indian space program has changed as in man and lunar program. As India program is dual use program now mean using the technology for military and peace full purpose both usages. IMPACT OF SPACE PROGRAM ON CONVENTIONAL FORCES OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN :- Using the space and the satellite there are lot of benefit that can be provided to the national security. It can enchase the defense of a country and it is a force multiplier for the conventional forces. If both countries India and Pakistan enchase their space program this must be have more impact on the conventional forces. The satellite can b very help in for conventional forces as for weather prediction, strategically and the technical type of communication. Both India and Pakistan has the capability to use the GPS system to synchronize timely and placement of the military operations. As there is a conventional, military imbalance between India and Pakistan. The intelligence activity and perfection is also the result of the progress of space technology. Satellite can have the positive impact on the war fighting capacity and the war fighting capability. Conventional forces can be over to each other by over lapping the adversary surveillance and communication. By blocking the commun ication line of the enemy it can effect on warfare nation life of enemy.  [3]  Satellites are very effective for the Naval and Air forces and both countries using GPRS system for the allocation of the ships and aircraft. As these type of advantages are more towards India because of going of the on progress of India. The progress of Indian military space program may have a effect on both the conventional and strategic forces of Pakistan. India has total fifty six number of satellite out of them ten are the military satellite. The whole operation of war fighting now depends upon the satellites. Pakistan is only counterpart Indian one satellite that in air surveillance and space that is 3-4 Atantique opposite to Indian 19 Dornier-228.  [4]  The quantitative conventional imbalances give India an edge over Pakistan. As Pakistan progress towards space program is very less and it is not a strengthen as of the Indian space program. As the 21st century security treats and changing of situation after 911 space command is important for coordination with the conventional forces. As overall situation in the world there are about ten countries that are Appling there space capability to military operations, India is one of them. UAV are good example of the use of technology and more in conventional warfare now. Space had militarized when first satellite went into space. The impact of satellite on the conventional forces is that it makes them strengthen. Both India and Pakistan have a special program for Imaginary of the targets and about the signal intelligence for effective communication. In military operations the signal intelligence and telecommunication system are very effective as far between the front line and the strategic command. Another impact that after communication is that of the meteorology. It is important in the conventional war fighting about the assessment of the weather. As last year the president of India addressing to Indian Air Force fleet said that I visualize the Indian Air Force of 2025 to be based on our scientific and technological competence in the development of communications satellites, high-precision resource mapping satellites, missile systems, unmanned supersonic aerial vehicles and electronics and communication systems,.  [5]  There is difference of opinion between the political and the military leadership of India. The military leadership setup there objective towards space system as the critical military space system where as the political leader ship are of the view of the peaceful intension of the outer space. Suparco is working on anti-satellite system. Indian Defense Research and Development is also working on the anti-satellite system and most probably it launch in coming years. Pakistan aeronautical complex is working on UAV and RPV. One of the big advantages to the conventional forces is of information. Space series are the force multiplier for the square forces. It can be help full for both count ries India and Pakistan to improve the capability and performance of these forces. Space program of military nature are helpful in assessing the treats and then providing warnings. Radar and sensor are attached to the satellite system for more efficiency .As due to the large scale progress India has advantage over Pakistan. Satellite plays a very important role in both the strategy and the operations. Pakistan sensing satellite is under process India already has it. It provides data in operation field about the strength of the forces and for assessing the damage of battle by giving the target information. It can also be help in the deployment of the conventional forces and for the logistic support to the troops deployed at operational areas. The better space awareness environmental monitoring, geospatial information the enchase the capability of conventional forces. Pakistan and India both are focusing on the satellite programs for the national security and military purposes. India is investing a lot in the space program as compare to Pakistan. Due to lack of sources Pakistan program is far behind of Indian space program. As the speedy progress by India it will be in the line of the leading space power in the coming years. The space controlled is based the surveillance negation and protection it can cause more effeteness to conventional force THE IMPACT OF SPACE PROGRAM ON STRATEGIC FORCES OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN The impact of the space program on strategic forces is at large scale. Different country is using the satellites for the monitoring of the launch of ballistic missile from the adversary. Early warning system infrared satellite sensor can detect the missile launches. In case of India and Pakistan both the countries strategic forces has the capability to distorted target outside the country by means of nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and air crafts. India has 30 to 35 nuclear yield most of the Indian nuclear weapons are confined as the aerial bombs.  [6]  India has Agni II that has range up to 3000 to 3500 km. while not in weapon or delivery system India has frequently improve it satellite contribution to its strategic capability. Indian system of satellite network of communication has the capacity of the one meter can provide India with strategic early warning capability that could help and ensure the survivability of its nuclear forces. Satellite can be useful in the command and control improvement also.  [7]  On the other hand Pakistan posed about 24 to 48 nuclear weapons that include both the aerial and the missile war heads. Shaheen II or Hataf 6 has range up to 3000 km.  [8]  The implication of the satellite on the strategic forces is to guide the missile exact pin point the target. India and Pakistan are developing two type of ASAT. Both countries are modified defense system to intercept satellite. This technology examine for both countries and able to intercept satellite by making effecting missile defense interceptor. As compare to India Pakistan has much smaller space industry base but Pakistan has long attempted to balance and match the Indian deployments. Pakistan is likely to emulate Indian ASAT effort and given the entity between India and Pakistan and the advantages that India drives from the use of the space for military operations. As India is among the major space actor in Asia with China Japan and Russia. India is planning towar d anti satellite testing as done by china in 2007. The strategic forces can get faster victory then the conventional forces as airborne over the enemy armies destroying the economic hubs, communication channels weapons factories the way of transport can bring victory very fast. India is making aero space weapons can influence the war on earth heavily. By using a satellite both countries India and Pakistan can be make perfection in their targets, it can provide more accuracy results. As from strategic point of view India is focusing on the two things. Firstly to integrate aerospace defense command and second is to improve the satellite reconnasise ability. India has launched the three stage rocket that has capability to convert into intermediate range ballistic missile. The technology progress of atomic energy and space program is very important concerned for both the countries India and Pakistan as it has important aspect in the regional strategic balance. India has bought a satellite that has day and night capability it is called as the spy satellite.  [9]  Pakistan shaheen missile has a 1 warhead stage that have antenna that is to projected to service very accurate satellite navigation system. however these type of system provide efficiency in target system and gives data about objective and target to missile commander. Pakistan showing great interest in its own ATBM capability ant tactical ballistic missile, A future missile capable version of china FT2000-A In the strategic forces India has a clear superiority in the development of the indigenous electro optical and future radar satellite that can be help in aiding missile satellite. If acquiring of the HQ-9/FT-2000A ATBM   it will be help against the short range Indian like Dhanush and Prithvi. India is purchasing Awacs radar system from Israel it can upset the balance of power in south Asia.  [10]  Pakistan also have the offer for Awacs system but United States retraced the offer that time in 1980 India raised the question that by introducing this type of strategic technology it can change the strategic arm balance between India and Pakistan. The space surveillance system is important for the strategic forces of both countries; India is investing a lot on this technology. It includes the system for analyzing and the detecting of the object in space and a special feature with the warning system that that detect and warns about the ballistic and outer space launchers. The making of the anti satellite devices by India also have the impact on the balance between India and Pakistan strategic forces. Pakistan should have to make progress towards space program so as to have counter space capability against India. Space related research and defense is of high bud get thing and Pakistan is lacking behind to India in this field. As Pakistan is facing the worst time situation of the security and economical graph of Pakistan has come down. So investing a lot in this type of situation is a difficult task. The new advent in technology automatically make as misbalance between the strategic forces of both the countries. India has also built up a missile shield defense system that can counter any ballistic missile defense in four mints. Both the countries focal point towards the program is that for the desperate strategic technology. The missile program is similar to the Pakistani missile program but advantage India get in the advancement in the space program. That India is using for the dual purpose peaceful and achieving the military objectives. Strategic forces of both countries are focusing also on the development. EFFECT OF ARMS RACE IN SPACE BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT Both the countries India and Pakistan focusing on commercial and military satellite, the dual purpose satellite. As the advancement in the technology and enchasing the space program after the nuclear explosion in 1998 start up a arms race between India and Pakistan. Asia there are five major space actors in which there are US, Russia, China, Japan and India. But Pakistan is of important concern as because of the nuclear weapon state in the region. Korea is also coming in the space race with cooperation with Russia. India space program is well establish program and have a assemble range of the military space capability. Pakistan progress is low as compare to India. Pakistan is in corporation with china on ATBM and china is very helpful for Pakistan in assisting it. As India launch Anti satellite after 2007 of china. India is facing challenges from the higher technology advancement by China so it investing a lot on its program. It effect directly on Pakistan. The international environm ent linked with the advancement made by one country to counter other. In this way the arms race increase, China is of the way that to progress in the space program to peer United States and Russia. As India moves to internationalized its space explosion. So the United States continue to isolate in International traffic in arms reduction. The ongoing corporation with United States and Russia on space explosion will have effect on over the entire international environment. Especially in concerned to the Asia and especially for Pakistan and china. The ration behind arms race to make the defense of a country more strong and to have an edge over the adversary. Using of new method and techies in the warfare is old concept. The percentage of GDP of India on it space program is second in the world just after United Sates. Stability in south and south west Asia lays between India and Pakistan the two major power of the region. Space Arms race and the military advancement of both the countries have impact on other countries of the region and also the neighboring countries. India is capturing the international market also by making the low cost launch services. As parity of the nations changes as in the start both India and Pakistan are for peace full purpose that changes with change in the international environment. Country military advancement can effect on the balance of power of the other country so other country also try to accrue that technology. The balance of power the region depends upon one country to counter other and susta in and mentain the strategic balance in the region. Space warfare is the fourth way of war after land air and sea. Many countries are focusing of enhasment of their program. India is getting help In there program from countries like Israel, US, Russia and on the other had Pakistan is getting its support from china. India developing it program as to counter china, as china and India share the border and the strategic consequence of India in future concerned about becoming a economic and military power. Most important concerned for Pakistan is to counter the Indian technology that is increasing day by day. As space has became the fourth medium of military operation so both countries are making effectors towards enchasing there programs to get the strategic advantage out of this. The region of South Asia has been greatly influenced by these two nuclear power states. CONCLUSION:- Space has become the fourth mode of warfare as the rapid growth in technology made it so. Pakistan and India space program has almost start at same time but India has a much advance space program that of Pakistan. As India has been investing a lot on it space program and day by day it enchasing it space program. Pakistan progress towards the space program is slow but it is effective and qualitative. As a new medium has it implications both on the strategic and on the conventional forces a well. After the Iraq war and us using the satellite technology it alert other countries of the world also to center their focus on the space program for the military use. Indian forces as compare to Pakistani are superior in both the context of the strategic and the conventional. The strategic forces can get faster victory then the conventional forces as flying over the enemy armies destroying the factories, communication channels and there way of transport can bring victory very fast. It increase t he efficiency make the operation speedy. As Pakistan is facing the worst time situation of the security and economical graph of Pakistan has come down. So investing a lot in this type of situation is a difficult task. The new advent in technology automatically make as misbalance between the strategic forces of both the countries. The anti satellite technology laser weapon and missiles has great effect on the strategic forces of both the countries. Technological advance whether in weapon or in technology can influenced upon directly the balance of power in the region. Asia there are five major space actors in which there are US, Russia, China, Japan and India, except Japan others are the nuclear weapon states. India is getting help in it program from unites states, Russia and Israel and on the other hand Pakistan is getting help from china. By using a satellite both countries India and Pakistan can be make perfection in their targets, it can provide more accuracy in targeting consequ ences. Pakistan have to increase it budget in this field as if it want to counter china, rapid and effect progress is needed in this field. IST (Institute of Space technology) is important foundation towards the vocational education and making man power from space program. More institution of that type should be built so as they can play an effective role in strengthening the space program of Pakistan. As fourth medium of warfare there is possibility that next wars would be fought in outer space. The militarization of space has become more reflective. As now India has edge over Pakistan but Pakistan has been availing all possible measures to counter Indian technology. Indian and Pakistani balance of space technology important for balance of power in the region mainly in South Asia. Pakistan has to work on serious notes if it wants to counter India space program as it is lot of gap in the two countries program.

Analysis of Information Technology Role for Global Retailer

Analysis of Information Technology Role for Global Retailer PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of report: This report has been requested by Mr Frank Hedge, the CEO of Myer Department Stores- Australia. The reports purpose is to investigate and analyse the strategic role of information technology (IT) to Myers business, including an IT infrastructure audit. Cloud computing is evaluated, and recommendations made for its partial adoption. 1.2 Limitations: This report is limited by the lack of IT infrastructure details provided by Myer. Assumptions were made when required, to enable completion of the report. 1.3 Scope of the report: This report focuses on Myer and the potential use of cloud computing within its IT infrastructure. Divided into four main sections, the report covers Myer; IT infrastructure challenges; cloud computing costs/ benefits and recommendations for cloud computing adoption. It has been compiled from research literature and phone/email interviews with two Myer store managers. 1.4) Myer and its industry Homepage URL; http://www.myer.com.au/ Myer is Australias largest department store group with 65 stores and approximately 14,000 employees. It is present in 25 of Australias top 30 retail centres and attracted 185 million customers in 2009 (Myer 2010). Myer generated net profits of $106.8 million for the first half of the 2011 financial year (AAP 2011). Myer operates across major segments of the Australian non-food retail industry as a department store chain. This industry consists of four segments; household goods, clothing soft goods, department stores and other (eg newspapers, books) (Myer 2010). Myer competes with other department stores, discount department stores, and single store operators as well as internet retailers and direct retailers. Within the department store segment, David Jones is Myers main competition though the former targets a slightly higher income group (Myer 2010). Competition exists with other retailers on price, store location, product range and customer service. Additionally, consumer demand hinges on factors such as disposable income which are sensitive to macroeconomic conditions eg interest rate rises (Myer 2010). The industry has struggled recently, due to weak consumer confidence and increased competition from cheaper overseas internet retailers (GST free and strong Australian Dollar) (Brooks 2010). 1.5) Myers products services: Myer offers approximately 600 000 product lines from 800 suppliers globally including categories such as; clothing; beauty and cosmetics; electrical and homewares (Myer 2010). Myer provides additional products and services such as; Myer One customer loyalty program, over 3 million members. Gift cards Myer corporate sales- eg corporate gifts, office fit outs, VIP nights Insurance (home, contents, travel, car) Bridal gift registry Myer Visa Card (Myer 2010). 1.6) Myers corporate mission corporate structure: ‘At Myer we strive to offer customers a wide and relevant choice of brands, rewards and ideas in a way that makes them feel both welcome and inspired, (Myer 2010, p.3). Myers corporate structure is shown in Figure 1.1. Head office operates under a hybrid of divisional (eg apparel, electrical division) and functional groups (Finance, marketing etc). A national retail store manager oversees regional store managers, who oversee individual store managers. Head office functional groups, directly manage their particular function (eg HR) in the individual stores (Myer 2010; S Johnson 2011, pers. comm., 20 April). (Adapted from: Myer 2010, pp. 25-7). 1.7) Myers major business processes: Laudon and Laudon (2010), note business processes are sets of activities to produce a product or service. Due to its variety of offer, Myer has many business processes such as; Sourcing product to offer in store. Automating administrative processes. Reducing stock theft. Creating visual merchandise displays. Analysing potential sites for new stores. Refurbishing existing stores. Making sales (Myer 2010). 1.8) Myers business strategy Myer has invested substantially in its business since 2006 ($500 million) realizing a world class supply chain, improved retail execution and focused customer service (competitive advantages) (Myer 2010). Myer aims for additional margin and sales growth using specific strategies of; Opening 15 new stores in next five years. Revitalizing instore environments for a better customer experience. Expanding the Myer One program. Implementing a new point of sale system (POS) improving productivity customer service. Implementing a CCTV system to reduce losses (Myer 2010). 1.9) Myers relationships with external entities: Myer has significant relationships with a variety of entities which include; Its 800 global suppliers (Myer 2010). Global sourcing offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai (Algar 2011). Partnership with Melbourne Institute of Technology for paid internship for students (RMIT 2011). Myers involved with philanthropic and community programs including children and womens charities and Melbourne Christmas Carols (Myer 2010). PART 2: IT INFRASTRUCTURE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES(727 words) 2.1) Description of Myers IT infrastructure: Laudon and Laudon (2010 p. 191) describe IT infrastructure as, ‘the shared technology resources that provide the platform for the firms specific information system applications. It includes investment in hardware, software, and services†¦that are shared across the entire firm†¦. Myers IT infrastructure was analysed according to Laudon and Laudons (2010 p. 203) model which comprises of seven components. The required information was obtained from Myers Head Office IT department and interviews with two store managers (Appendix 1). A summary of each component is presented in Table 2.1. The IT infrastructure differs between head office and individual stores, due to centralization (Slotty 2009). TABLE 2.1 Summary of Myers IT infrastructure ecosystem. (Adapted: Myer IT department; Interview with two Myer Store managers 2011). The key findings from the analysis of Myers IT infrastructure presented above, are as follows; Computer hardware platforms: Client machines (desktops) are not standardized across Myer. A small number of servers exist at multiple locations (65 stores) doing replicated tasks (localized data storage, networking etc). Operating system platforms: Client and server machine software is licensed per computer with Windows variability on client machines. Large information asymmetry exists between managers and sales staff due to their limited access to software (Laudon Laudon 2010). Enterprise software applications: While an intranet portal exists to link to Myers applications, only newer applications (eg Mymerch- merchandising, POS) are fully integrated. Many legacy systems remain isolated and not integrated. Networking/Telecommunications: Myer operates both analog (phone system) and digital (data) networks using two providers (Telstra and IBM). While Myer accesses the internet, it also operates private networks (intranet) in the form of LANs and WANs. Networking is not possible between individual stores. Consultants System Integrators: Integration and implementation of new IT infrastructure is outsourced to IBM, including training. Data management storage: While the majority of Myers data is stored with a third party vendor, localized data storage occurs at individual stores (65). Internet platforms: Physical infrastructure and maintenance of Myers website is outsourced to third parties. Information asymmetry exists, with very limited access to internet for individual stores. Myers network infrastructure is further illustrated in Figure 2.1, which outlines information flows. Note information does not flow between stores, only between stores and head office. (Adapted: Myer IT department; Interview with two Myer Store managers 2011). 2.2) The issues and challenges of managing Myers IT infrastructure: Myer faces several challenges and issues in managing its IT infrastructure. Laudon and Laudon (2010) identify challenges arising from platform and technology change, management and governance and investing in infrastructure prudently. These challenges are also influenced by the strategic role of IT to the business and the impact of the industry in which the organization operates. By revisiting section 1.8 it can be seen that IT plays an important strategic role in achieving Myers medium term goals of increased operating margins and sales growth by; Facilitating increased supplier and sales volumes from new store initiatives (eg hardware and software required). Optimizing productivity, cost savings and customer satisfaction via implementation of new applications (POS system and CCTV loss prevention system). Catering for an expanded Myer One loyalty program (increased data storage and analysis needs for targeted marketing) (Myer 2010). As a result of ITs important strategic role, the challenges of managing Myers IT infrastructure are intensified. This is best demonstrated by specific examples; The challenge of platform and infrastructure change: To best accommodate expected future growth, improved productivity, cost efficiencies and increased data needs, infrastructure components need to be easily scalable (Armbrust et al 2010). This will be particularly true with regards to Myers hardware software platforms, its enterprise software applications and its networking, internet and data storage platforms. Currently, significant pressures exist within Myers industry. Consumer spending is down and offshore internet retailers are offering cheaper prices due to the strong Australian dollar and absence of GST (Brooks 2010). This poses further challenges to Myer to adjust components of its IT infrastructure quickly to generate database driven marketing programs or improve its operating efficiencies (Myer 2010). If cloud computing platforms are considered as future components of Myers infrastructure, then appropriate use guidelines and practices will be needed. Service level agreements (SLAs) for example would commit cloud computing vendors to minimum levels of performance and reliability for Myers systems (Hinchcliffe 2009). The challenge of management and governance: The management and governance of Myers IT infrastructure is significant, considering its strategic role, further evidenced by the commitment of $500 million to its IT program since 2006 (Myer 2010). Aspects to be considered include the location of IT control (centralized or decentralized model), the allocation of IT costs to functional groups or stores, the strategies and policies for using IT and measuring effective return on IT investments (Laudon Laudon 2010). The challenge of investing in IT infrastructure prudently: Considering the significance of IT infrastructure for Myer as it seeks its business goals, this is a crucial challenge. Whether Myer should rent or buy its infrastructure components will be further investigated in section 4 of this report. (Laudon Laudon 2010) PART 3: CLOUD COMPUTING ITS BUSINESS BENEFITS COSTS(986 words) 3.1)An overview of Cloud Computing: Zhang et al. (2010) note cloud computing is not a new idea. While many definitions abound, from an organizations perspective, ‘Cloud computing is an architecture in which companies consume technology resources as an internet service rather than as an owned system (Brandel 2009, p. 1). Most people have already experienced cloud computing through the use of Hotmail, Gmail or Facebook (Wyld 2009). Recent improvements in internet bandwidth, virtualization of servers and storage, open source software, adoption of Web 2.0 standards, has pushed cloud computing strongly into the business sphere (Kennedy 2011). Mell and Grance (2011) claim that cloud computing consists of five crucial characteristics, three service models (software, platform and infrastructure as services) and four deployment models (private, community, public and hybrid clouds) which are outlined in Tables 3.1 and 3.2. Potentially cloud computing can deliver to a business most of its IT needs (from computing power to collaboration tools to software) as an on demand service, wherever and whenever required. As long as an internet connection exists, computing becomes location and device independent (Agger 2009). TABLE3.1 The crucial characteristics, and service models of cloud computing. (Adapted from: Mell Grance 2011, pp. 2-3; Department of Finance Deregulation 2011, pp. 12-3) TABLE3.2 The deployment models of cloud computing. (Adapted from: Mell Grance 2011, pp. 2-3; Department of Finance Deregulation 2011, pp. 12-3) 3.2) Current trends in Cloud Computing: Present studies suggest, ‘†¦the number of organizations using cloud computing to rise to 43% within four years as they continue to cut their costs (Cross 2011 p. 1). In addition to greater cloud computing use in general, there are several trends within cloud computing concerning areas such as; User type deployment models- ONeill (2011), notes small to medium enterprises using cloud computing are typically accessing public clouds for cost savings compared with private clouds. Alternatively larger enterprises use private clouds (third party or onsite) for greater control. Governments (federal level) are trialing SaaS and Ouellette (2011) believes state and local governments will soon follow. Purposes for using cloud services- Its principal use remains as a testing/developing environment and/or as a platform for less critical services and applications (Knorr Gruman 2010). Synder (in The Australian 2010) believes moving core applications to the cloud is still to come. ITs changing role- Hakala (2009) believes the need for IT workers performing maintenance tasks will contract as cloud computing is embraced and employees can ‘self serve directly from the cloud. Innovation- Cloud computing will continue to be a conduit for business innovation due to its low costs and rapid scalability of IT resources (Kennedy 2011; Information Age 2011) Pricing- Cloud computing pricing (especially commodity) continues to become cheaper and simpler for users. Thibodeau (2009) suggests models utilizing a set number of hours for a range of cloud services. SLAs improved security- Improving cloud computing reliability via strong service level agreements (SLAs) continues (Hinchcliffe 2009). Colley (2011) Violino (2010) expect most businesses will demand independent certification of cloud providers reliability in next few years. Cloud providers are targeting improved security to allay user concerns. Working groups such as the Cloud Security Alliance are focusing on this issue (Thibodeau 2009). Violino (2010) noted a need for better access control and identity management within and across clouds. Improved performance and service- The performance of cloud services rises, as more managed service providers enter the market (Ouellette 2011) and performance monitoring standardises (Thibodeau 2009). Typically IT staff connect cloud services individually, though cloud aggregators and integrators are emerging to smooth this barrier (Knorr Gruman 2010). 3.3) The business benefits of Cloud Computing: Cloud computing offers many benefits to business. Leighton (2009 p. 5) asserts, cloud computing will ‘transform the way IT is consumed and managed, promising improved cost efficiencies, accelerated innovation, faster time-to-market, and the ability to scale applications on demand. Sagari (c. 2010) notes the level of benefits cloud computing brings to an organization will vary dependant on the types of services utilized, the business processes evident and the degree of integration achieved. Major business benefits can include; Reduced costs (set up ongoing) * Increased flexibility response times Scalability increased efficiencies * Increased business focus. Increased innovation * Improved mobility Armbrust et al (2010) maintains, one of the most impressive benefits of cloud computing is scalability (elasticity of resources). The business pays for its hardware needs (servers, storage) on demand with the cloud providing great elasticity. Business needs can be scaled up or down as required, saving time, money and improving revenue in peak periods (Zhang et al. 2006; Waxer n.d.). Additional business benefits offered by cloud computing include; Smoothed cash flow * Increased strategic role for IT Reduced business risk * Improved sustainability. Greater computation power * Improved business continuity These benefits are further expanded in Appendix 2 with business examples and their references. 3.4) Cloud computing solutions for Myer: Section 4 details specific cloud computing recommendations to be adopted by Myer. In contrast, Table 3.3, outlines cloud computing solutions best suited to Myer for the aspect identified in column one. The reasons for these choices are as follows; Servers for serving applications- Amazon EC2 has been the market leader in this area and for good reason (Huang 2010). It exceeds Microsoft Azures new offering and it has a superior range of operating systems to use (eg Linux, Myer using), compared with Googles App Engine (Amazon 2011). Servers for storage- Amazon S3 was preferred over Microsoft Azure and Nirvanix for the reasons noted in Table 3.3 eg a price leader, very easy to use and highly reliable, SLA exceeding 99.99% (Huang 2010). Client productivity software- Microsofts new Office 365 retains the known office layout of which Myer staff are familiar. Additionally it incorporates email, calendar collaboration tools. Superior in features to Google Docs or Zoho (McAllister 2010). Private cloud- If recommended to Myer, Amazons virtual private cloud is a good solution. It integrates easily with a firms existing IT infrastructure, including firewalls and security systems (Amazon 2011). Applications- As an application development platform, Force.com has been suggested for its long history of business application development. Furthermore, to use this environment, subscription to Salesforce.com CRM applications are required, which may be beneficial to Myer (Force.com c.2011). TABLE 3.3Most suitable cloud computing solutions for Myer. (Adapted from: Amazon 2011;Force.com c. 2011; Microsoft 2011) 3.5) Costs of cloud computing to Myer: Typically the IT industry uses ‘Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to determine the total cost of a technology implementation (Laudon Laudon 2010). Table 3.4 provides an estimate of the costs to Myer in implementing the cloud computing solutions listed in Table 3.3. As can be seen, support, maintenance, space and energy costs pass to the cloud provider and hardware and software acquisition costs are essentially avoided. Some training costs of the IT staff involved in implementing and/or the staff using the cloud services would be incurred (Aggarwal McCabe 2009). A small amount of ongoing support to Office 365 users may also be required. Integration issues and costs are not expected, as the servers and software to be sourced via the cloud will not be critical systems. Additional infrastructure costs (eg bandwidth) resulting from cloud computings greater internet reliance, may occur. Downtime estimates from providers SLAs are less than typical IT departments of large companies ie 44hrs/yr (Mann 2010). Moving data into and out of Amazon S3 storage, will incur costs (Amazon 2011). Finally, Aggarwal and McCabe (2009), reported TCO savings of some 50% over four years, for medium sized businesses implementing CRM software from the cloud, compared with on-premise deployment. TABLE 3.4 Total cost of ownership (TCO) for Myers cloud computing solutions. (Adapted from: Laudon Laudon 2010, p. 224; Amazon 2011; Microsoft 2011; Force.com c.2011 ) PART 4: RECOMMENDATION OF CLOUD COMPUTING ADOPTION/ ADAPTION(785 words) 4.1) Competitive forces model for IT infrastructure Investment: Specific recommendations for the adoption of a cloud computing strategy by Myer will soon be made. These recommendations will be based on the preceding analysis and also take into account the ‘competitive forces model for IT infrastructure as described in Laudon and Laudon (2010 pp. 222-3). Table 4.1 summarises the main points of this model as it relates to Myer. TABLE 4.1: Competitive forces model for IT infrastructure investment of Myer Model components Outcome 1) Market demand for Myers services (eg customer, supplier enterprise): Myers point of sale (POS) system supply chain improvements are based on extensive research of their services. These systems improved efficiency speed, and are satisfying customers, suppliers staff (Tindal 2010) Information asymmetry especially with sales staff is affecting performance.