Evaluation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care...

The foundation during the Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency was the health care reform of the U.S. health care system. It was not until a month later into his presidency in the year 2009 that President Obama addressed the issue of the high rising cost of health care and the millions of people in the United States being uninsured. It was not until March 23th 2010, after much debate that President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the U.S. health care reform legislation. The primary objective of the PPACA act is to â€Å"provide quality affordable health care for Americans† (Centers for Medicare Medicaid). Furthermore, the PPACA has the potential to â€Å"improve the role of public programs, improve†¦show more content†¦If this bill becomes a law Americans will have to obtain health insurance since there is a clause in the bill that would mandate them to do so. The consequences of not obtaining health insurance and violating the clause could result in penalties, fines, and even jail time. But some states are using Police Power as a weapon stating that â€Å"States wield what is called police power: the authority to make laws for the health, safety and morality of their people. The federal government, on the other hand, has limited jurisdiction. If the Constitution does not grant a specific power to the federal government, then the 10th Amendment reserves it to the states or the people (Klukowski, Ken).† The government is in no position to make an individual purchase a service. If we compare the PPACA with car insurance, which is required, there is a big argument as to why the government is mandating health insurance. In the case of car insurance, by the act of driving you have other people lives in your hands in the sense that if you get in an accident someone could result dead. Car insurance requirement makes sense because you are and other are covered in case of an accident. Then it get even more justifiable to mandate car insurance because an individual may chose to drive while under the influence an hurt someone, then it makes a lot of sense that people should not be out there driving without protection. But even in the case of autoShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act1331 Words   |  6 PagesHR 4872- HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION RECONCILIATION ACT This bill makes a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and modifies higher education assistance provisions (â€Å"HR†¦2010† 2010). TITLE SEC. 1202. PAYMENTS TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. IF ANYTHING IS HAPPENING IN THIS AREA CURRENTLY CY 2017 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule with Comment Period This was placed to be presented at the Federal Register on July 7, 2016. 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The Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) - 1531 Words

The Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Introduction HIV, also known as the human immunodeficiency virus attacks and destroys the CD4 cells of the immune system. The CD4 are a type of white blood cell that have the role of preventing disease, when the level of these cells reduces due to the HIV virus the ability of the body to fight and prevent disease also reduces; at this stage a person is said to have the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDs). Epidemiology According to the world health organisation (WHO) there were 35.3 million people living with HIV in 2012. In the same year WHO had reported that 1.6 million had died due AIDs associated illnesses. (WHO, 2014) The country most affected by HIV is Sub Saharan Arica, it was reported†¦show more content†¦(AIDS.gov 2012) Transmission of HIV HIV can pass from person to person, there are many ways in which this happen, the main way in which HIV is transmitted is through sexual contact; according to the Health Protection Agency in 2011, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV acquired the virus through sexual contact. Other ways In which HIV is transmitted include sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, a child can obtain the HIV virus from the mother during child birth or during breast feeding, a less common way is which HIV is passed on in the UK is during blood transfusions however this way of transmission continues to remain a problem is less developed countries. Clinical presentation When the HIV virus first starts to develop, most people experience flu like symptoms such as sore throat, headaches, rash and swollen glands. It’s been reported that about 80% of people that infected with HIV experience this. As the immune system responds to the virus, the level of the CD4 cells start to increase again and because of this many people don’t experience any symptoms for several years. However as the virus continues to spread the CD4 cells continue to be destroyed. Eventually the immune system will be completely damaged if HIV is left untreated. At this stage immunity is lost making a

Clarence Thomas Essay Research Paper Clarence Thomas free essay sample

Clarence Thomas Essay, Research Paper Clarence Thomas is a Supreme Court Justice, who has been under unfavorable judgment since the twenty-four hours that he was appointed. Thomas has been chastised for his positions on Affirmative Action and his positions on Afro-american s development into the mainstream of our society. Chief Justice Thomas, since his assignment has been marked as a far right conservative. In the beginning of his term of office he was labeled as Chief Justice Scalia s, 2nd ballot. Since so Thomas has removed himself from this shadow to demo penetration on his ain conservative thoughts. Clarence Thomas was born on June 23, 1948 in Pin Point, Georgia. Thomas is a kid of Mr. M.C. Thomas and Leola Anderson. He grew up in a single-mother family. Thomas s father abandoned him and his female parent, Leola, when he was two. Timess were difficult for his household, and his female parent subsequently sent him and his brother to populate with his gramps, Myers Anderson in Savannah, Georgia. His gramps instilled in Clarence that instruction would be his key to unlocking the door to a successful life. He wanted him to get the better of the colour boundaries that were present during this clip in America s history. Clarence Thomas has an extended educational background. Thomas attended an all black high school in Savannah before dropping out and inscribing at St. John Vianney Minor Seminary. Thomas withdrew at his grampss pressing to go a curate. After his graduation signifier St. John Vianney Minor Seminary he was accepted to Immaculate Conception Seminary. However, he one time once more withdrew, this clip because of the racial events that had occurred while go toing. At this clip Holy Cross University began enrolling black pupils and he was accepted. Thomas worked difficult to non merely win and graduate, but to stand out in his categories. He graduated 9th in his category at Holy Cross, in 1971. While at Holy Cross, Thomas met Ms. Kate Ambush and they subsequently married. Thomas merely kid ( Jamal ) was as a consequence of this matrimony ( Clarence and Kate subsequently divorced in 1984. He has since married to Virgina Lamp, in 1987 ) . Clarence Thomas decided that he wanted to progress hi s instruction and applied to Yale Law School. Again, Thomas applied to a university were a minority plan was implemented merely a few old ages before, and he was accepted. After graduating from Yale Law School Thomas s hereafter looked bright. While at Yale his accent dealt with revenue enhancement and anti-trust jurisprudence. Upon Thomas graduation from Yale he went to work for John Danforth, the lawyer general of Missouri. While working for the lawyer general Thomas worked in the revenue enhancement division. In 1977, Danforth was elected to the Senate and Thomas went to work for Monsanto Company as a corporate attorney in the pesticide and agribusiness division. After a twosome of old ages of work for Monsanto, Thomas became a legislative helper on energy and environmental undertakings for Senator Danforth. During this clip Thomas attracted much attending from the Reagan disposal, which landed him a occupation as helper secretary for civil rights in the Education Department. President Reagan so promoted Thomas to caput of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. While at the EEOC, Thomas put the bureau in place to implement jurisprudence. He besides changed disposal, policies, and implemented new processs to better the bureau. Thomas success as caput of the EEOC led to a President Bush assignment to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. as a Judge in 1990. He merely served 17 months before being nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bush after the retirement of Thurgood Marshall. An assignment to the United States Supreme Court is for a life term. Therefore, it makes since that the procedure used to name the justnesss is complete and thorough. The assignment of a Supreme Court justness is made by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There can be many grounds why a individual is to be chosen as a justness to the highest tribunal in the land. Presidents have appointed certain people because of their political political orientations, judicial doctrines, gender, faith, or race. The latter ground played a large function in the assignment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall, appointed by President Lyndon Johnson as the first black-American to function on the tribunal, retired in 1991. ( Infoplease.com encyclopedia ) Then President George Bush, felt force per unit area to replace this well known minority figure with another Afro-american. Marshall had served the tribunal from 1967 to 1991, and many minority and political groups, including the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus felt that another minority should take his topographic point. Clarence Thomas was the obvious pick for President Bush, but the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus, who tend to be more broad, did non needfully desire Thomas to be nominated because of his conservative positions. Preside nt Bush nominated Thomas for his legal makings, and backed his run on assuring to merely appoint persons who will construe the jurisprudence, instead than make it. After the President made this determination, all that was needed was the Senate blessing. However, it was non that easy. Possibly no other recent assignment to the Supreme Court was more controversial than that of Clarence Thomas. The Senate was ready to corroborate Thomas assignment when the Senate Judiciary Committee reopened the hearings to look into charges of sexual torment blamed on Thomas. A colleague named Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexual torment while they worked in two different federal bureaus, the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) . ( MSN Encarta.com encyclopaedia ) Suddenly, many jobs surrounded Thomas command for the Supreme Court. The timing of the accusals could non hold been worse. Although the timing cast a inquiry upon Anita Hill herself. If the supposed torment took topographic point in the 80 # 8217 ; s, why was she merely now coming frontward? Ms. Hill s reply was that she could non acquire herself to speak about the subject until she felt obligated to make so. In the Senate hearings Ms. Hill, a jurisprudence professor, h ad this to state: I thought that by stating no and explicating my grounds, my employer would abandon his societal suggestions. However, to my sorrow, in the following few hebdomads he continued to inquire me out on several occasions. He pressed me to warrant my grounds for stating no to him. These incidents took topographic point in his office or mine. They were in the signifier of private conversations which would non hold been overheard by anyone else. ( Hill Testimony Transcripts ) This statement makes the accusals his word versus hers. Thomas denied any incorrect making and called the televising of the Senate hearings a hi-tech lynching. ( MSN Encarta.com Encyclopedia ) Finally, the arguments ended and Thomas nomination was confirmed on October 15,1991. Thomas would win because the Senate did verify his assignment to the United States Supreme Court by the narrowest avowal ballot for a Supreme Court Justice in this Century. ( O Connor A ; Sabato, 238 ) The ballot was 52 in favour and 48 against. The Thomas-Hill dirt instantly made Thomas a good known and a closely watched justness. At first, people and the imperativeness watched his actions for other grounds than his race or judicial doctrine. More late, nevertheless, people have come to detect his judicial determinations and doctrine more than his actions. Although Thomas assignment was amidst contention, he is now stepping out on his ain on his thoughts. Thomas has come a long manner from his childhood that started in Pin Point and Savannah, Georgia. He is now a Justice on the highest tribunal in the United States. Thomas term has been brief compared to the term of office of his collogues, but in his head he has unlocked the door to success, and is walking through it.

Hotel and Information Systems free essay sample

It has been accepted for inclusion in Communications of the Association for Information Systems by an authorized administrator of AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). For more information, please contact [emailprotected] org. 102 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 OUTRIGGER HOTELS AND RESORTS: A CASE STUDY Gabriele Piccoli School of Hotel Administration Cornell University [emailprotected] edu ABSTRACT This case describes the history, strategy, and current information systems infrastructure of a midsize, privately owned hospitality firm. The case is designed to provide the substantial background information needed to engage successfully in setting direction for IS resources and their use at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts headquartered in Hawaii. It enables students to analyze the firm’s strategy thoroughly and to assess its current use of information systems resources. With this assessment as a starting point, students can develop an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. The case was originally designed to use the process of setting direction for IS resources as described by Martin and colleagues [2005], but is flexible enough to adapt to the structure of other approaches to planning for information systems use. Keywords: IS planning, IS assessment, IS visioning, infrastructure, hospitality. Editor’s Note: A teaching note is available from the author to faculty so requiring it that are listed in the MISRC-ISWorld Faculty Directory. I am involved with every decision that senior management takes. They look to me for an IS slant to it – whether an IT solution can capitalize on opportunities or eliminate threats. They also expect my team to independently develop an IS strategy that will further the business. Joe Durocher, Senior Vice President CIO Every manager must have an IT strategy. You can’t delegate to technologists and only worry about your allocated cost or what training your employees need. You must understand how to be master of your own destiny and make IT work best for you. Too many managers still don’t get that. Rob Solomon, Senior Vice President Sales Marketing Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 103 I. INTRODUCTION Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, a mid-size lodging firm focused on leisure travel to the Hawaiian Islands and the South Pacific, uses Information Technology (IT) in numerous aspects of its operations and therefore must carefully engage in the information systems planning process. After analyzing Outrigger’s strategy and assessing the firm’s current use of information systems resources, we can develop an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. On Black Friday, September 13, 1929, Roy C. Kelley arrived in Hawaii with his wife Estelle. An architect by training, Mr. Kelley joined the firm of C. W. Dickey and was responsible for designing many of Honolulus landmark buildings, including the main building of the old Halekulani Hotel and the Waikiki Theater on Kalakaua Avenue. Nine years later Kelley set out on his own, building numerous homes, apartment buildings, and hotels on the island of Oahu. In 1963, Kelley took over the land occupied by the old Outrigger Canoe Club. Outrigger Hotels then became a reality with the mission of bringing the dream of a vacation in Paradise within the reach of the middle-class traveler. Included in the agreement were leases on three Waikiki lots that later became the Outrigger East, Outrigger West, and Coral Reef hotels. The Outrigger Waikiki Hotel was built on the site of the old canoe club, arguably the prime spot on Waikiki beach, in 1967. Throughout the next two decades, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, as the company was named, continued its expansion in Waikiki. When in the 1970’s the zoning authority put a cap on new construction in Waikiki, Outrigger began to expand through acquisition rather than construction, ultimately becoming the largest chain in the State of Hawaii, with over 7,000 rooms and a total of 15 properties concentrated in Waikiki. Thanks to its clustered configuration, with all of its hotels located within one square mile, Outrigger was able to maintain a centralized management structure fitting Mr. Kelley’s ‘management by walking around’ style. In 1989, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, now under the leadership of Roy Kelley’s son Dr. Richard Kelley, took over management of The Royal Waikoloan Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii. When hurricane Iniki, heading for Waikiki in 1992, barely missed Honolulu and ravaged the island of Kauai, it provided further impetus for Outrigger’s geographical diversification strategy to and beyond neighboring islands. The firm, expanding into management agreements with third party owners, added properties on Maui and Kauai and ultimately grew to a total of 26 locations in the Hawaiian Islands. In 1996 the firm made its first international foray, opening the Outrigger Marshall Island Resort on Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Through partnerships, joint ventures, acquisitions, and new developments the firm continued to grow internationally, adding properties in Guam, Fiji, Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand. While growing geographically, in 1990 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii began to diversify its product portfolio by adding condominium resorts. Because of ts geographical and product diversification, in 1995 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii changed its name to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, and in 1999 re-branded fifteen of its hotels in Waikiki to launch a new hotel brand called OHANA Hotels of Hawaii. We had an identity crisis because the market moved up, we upgraded the onbeach properties where we had higher demand and bought some nice properties in neighboring islands. But we had huge variation in the portfolio—if you stayed at a budget property vs. a beach front property, you’d be very confused as to what an Outrigger was. President and CEO, David Carey Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 104 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Figure 1: Outrigger Properties in Waikiki Figure 2: Outrigger Properties in the Hawaiian Islands Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 105 Figure 3. Properties Managed by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts (International) The on-beach properties became upscale full-service hotels under the Outrigger brand. The condos, also typically on-beach upscale locations, maintained the Outrigger brand. Conversely, the OHANA brand was positioned to cater to the budget traveler looking for value on off-beach properties. Condominiums represented an increasingly important share of the total portfolio of properties, even though the firm stumbled upon the opportunity that condominiums offered. Condominiums appealed to independent travelers who would do much research and planning on their own. Condominiums were also complex, non-standard products that travel agents and wholesalers found hard to sell. Because condos were rarely built as business ventures, but rather were designed as primary or vacation homes for the tenants, they offered little office or staging space for management companies to operate in. They also lacked many of the typical hotel services and departments such as food and beverage, room service, laundry, and daily maid service. These difficulties notwithstanding, Outrigger found the condo business appealing because it provided a means for expansion through management contracts without the need to acquire expensive properties. By 2005, Outrigger was a sizable firm, with about 3,600 employees (of whom about 230 were at corporate headquarters), a portfolio of properties exceeding US $1. 4 billion, and approximate revenues of US $45 million [Hotel On-Line, 2003]. But at the heart of its strategic positioning a commitment remained to providing a ‘sense of place,’ an experience attuned to the culture and the characteristics of the destination, and to avoiding a cookie cutter approach. Our business is really about being a â€Å"window† to an experience, not the experience itself. We are the enabler through which people can engage in the leisure experience they desire. We don’t try to export Hawaii when we go elsewhere, but we do honor the same values in the places we operate hotels and resorts. David Carey Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 106 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Outrigger’s senior management believed that its key competencies resided in providing hospitality to guests visiting their properties and marketing those properties successfully through leisure distribution channels. To complement these basic competencies, Outrigger’s management developed what it believed to be a superior capability to manage in a multicultural environment, including multicultural and multilingual employees and guests. Aided by a turnover rate in the single digits and an average of 25 years of employee tenure with the company, Outrigger managed to be a mostly non-union shop in the heavily unionized Hawaii labor market. We operate properties that have good locations, we have a strong travel distribution network, and our employees really provide hospitality from the heart. That creates a differentiated product making price less important. David Carey Outrigger was wedded to the success of its destination markets and to the well-being of airlines serving its destinations. If Hawaii does well, so do we. I spend a lot of time working with local tourism authorities to improve the appeal of the destinations we operate in. But airlines can be a bottleneck. We may not have available lift at times when we need it. If the airlines are full or they have decided in their yield model that they are going to only sell their top fares, there is nothing we can do. From purely the hotels’ perspective, the best thing for us is an airline price war to Hawaii. David Carey III. THE HOTELS AND RESORTS INDUSTRY As the 21st century dawned, the global lodging industry was estimated to exceed $295 billion in sales (about 11% of the world’s economic output) and employed more than 250 million workers [Encyclopedia of Global Industries, 2003]. The leisure travel segment accounted for about 45% of total volume [Horwath International, 2002]. THE HAWAIIAN HOTEL MARKET In the Hawaiian market, which was Outrigger’s traditional stronghold, 2004 data showed performance levels above the average of the global industry. Being quite isolated from any large population pool, Hawaii was a classic destination market with an exclusive fly-in customer base. The major feeders were U. S. westbound traffic and Japanese eastbound traffic. These markets were thought to yield very high return rates1—estimated by some to be around 50% westbound and over 65% eastbound. This trend made for a very location-savvy customer base. Peculiar to this market was also the trend of multi-island stays, with guests visiting more than one destination during the same trip. Table 1. Performance of Hawaii Hotel Market Occupancy Avg. Number of rooms Average Daily Rate2 Revenue* * Amounts per available room 72. 1% 706 $198. 41 $78,488 In the hotel business, return rate is used to refer to the percentage of visitors who come back again for more than one visit to the same location. 2 Average Daily Rate (ADR), is the average of all rates charged on a given date for all rooms sold that day. A yearly ADR can be computed by averaging ADRs for all days of the year. 1 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 107 PRICING Because the Hawaii and Pacific Rim markets were exclusive destination markets, the use of packages – including air and accommodations – was pervasive. Historically, packages were assembled and sold by wholesalers and tour operators who purchased both air and hotel rooms in bulk and re-marketed them to the traveling public. With the widespread adoption of the Internet, a new type of package was emerging under the leadership of large online travel agencies: dynamic packages. A dynamic package was one that enabled the guest to choose air, hotel, car rental, and even activities, ticket them independently, and then price them out as a bundle. Dynamic packages were appealing to suppliers because the price of each item was not disclosed, making price comparison difficult and alleviating commoditization fears. They were appealing to prospective travelers because they increased choice and fostered flexibility. Finally, they appealed to online travel agents because they built upon their value proposition—customer choice—and could potentially improve their margins. COMPETITORS As a mature destination, Hawaii had been entered by many of the larger branded hospitality and resort companies. The largest hospitality firms, such as Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, and Starwood, developed a significant presence with eight, five, and eleven properties respectively. But the largest operators in Hawaii were geographically- and leisure-focused players such as Outrigger, ASTON Hotels Resorts Hawaii (with twenty-eight properties), and Marc Resorts Hawaii (with eleven properties). IV. OUTRIGGER CUSTOMERS AND THE COMPETITION THE OUTRIGGER HOTELS AND RESORTS CUSTOMERS Outrigger’s original mission was to bring the opportunity for a vacation in Paradise within the reach of middle-class families. As the firm began to diversify its portfolio, the profile of its customers and the competition also changed. The typical guest staying with the premium brand – Outrigger – was often a multigenerational customer with a sense of loyalty to the brand (about 25% of guests were returning to Outrigger) and an annual income exceeding $75,000. Outrigger guests were almost exclusively leisure travelers. This customer base created seasonality, with winter and summer being the high seasons when properties like the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach reached an ADR of $260 and an overall occupancy around 90%. Our customers are independent-minded and look for an experience that is more regional and attuned to the destination, but still within their comfort zone. They may stay with big brands in their road warrior capacity, but that’s not what they are looking for in a tropical destination. Rob Solomon Table 2. Outriggers Portfolio and Sample Competitors Location Properties Rooms Lowest Rate * Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 2 1,383 $160 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 4 4,132 $150 Marriott International Waikiki 1 1,297 $209 Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Waikiki 1 1,230 $210 Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Guam Fiji 2 895 $203 Starwood Hotels and Resorts Guam Fiji 3 995 $145 Hilton Hotels and Resorts Guam 1 587 $110 *Rates for comparable rooms as they appear on the company website, December 2004, for January 2005 stays Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 108 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Competing for these customers, Outrigger went head-to-head with major brands that enjoyed name recognition amongst the traveling public, a flow of customers redeeming points, available capital, and availability of programs for employees such as discounted travel beyond Hawaii and the Pacific region. In response, Outrigger leveraged its assets: some of the premier locations in the markets in which it competed, strong name recognition, long-term relationships with the travel distribution network, a strategic focus on vacation destinations, a deep local knowledge and community ties, and good employee relations. THE OHANA HOTELS CUSTOMERS The typical OHANA guest was a value-minded and Hawaii-savvy leisure traveler with income below $100k a year. Typically, OHANA guests had visited Hawaii multiple times, stayed longer than average, and visited more often. Business travel was mainly military personnel and employees of corporations who operated on multiple islands. Groups accounted for less that 10% of OHANA’s overall traffic. We have about 50% return guests. Your first trip you want a beach front hotel, the atmosphere, the ambiance—you want the full Hawaii experience. When you come more often, you still want the experience, but you look for more value and instead of spending $250-$300 a night for a beachfront you can stay longer offbeach for $70-$80 a night. Chuck Shishido, OHANA Hotels VP of Operations With seasonality similar to that of the full service Outrigger Hotels, OHANA Hotels typically achieved an ADR around $66 and approximate occupancy levels of 75% over the year. A number of small regional chains (such as Marc Resorts and Castle Resorts) and many off-beach independent hotels existed in the Waikiki market. Pricing for off-beach properties was much harder to manage because of the commodity nature of the hotels not enjoying a premium location. OHANA was the largest operator in Waikiki and the largest Hawaii-owned operator. Table 3. OHANA’s Portfolio and Sample Competitors Location Properties Rooms Lowest Rate * OHANA Waikiki 13 4564 $76 Marc Resorts Waikiki 4 314 $74 Castle Resorts Waikiki 6 N/A $75 * Rates for comparable rooms as they appear on the company website, December 2004, for January stays CONDOMINIUMS CUSTOMERS Two types of customers typically stayed at the condominiums. On the low end of the $90,000 to $160,000 income bracket were families visiting during school breaks, looking to control expenses, and control their vacation experience. They valued the full kitchen – a standard in every unit – and the two bedrooms and two baths. This assessment was substantiated by the fact that condos had four times as many reservations coming direct from the Internet and tended to recover faster after a soft economy. On the upper end were ‘newlyweds’ and ‘nearly dead’ couples who liked the privacy and space afforded by a condo. Because of the need to convince individual owners to join the pool of Outrigger managed units, the firm competed with small local management companies and individual owners’ beliefs that they could do a better job alone. This idiosyncrasy of condominium operations amounted to dealing with two customers—the unit owners and the guests. The guests were unaware of the workings of condo operations and looked for the same level of service they would receive at a resort. On average, a condominium with mostly two bedroom units would achieve an ADR around $175, while properties with mostly studio and one bedroom units would go for around $140. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 109 MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION Outrigger operated a Central Reservation Office (CRO) in Denver, Colorado with anywhere from 40 to 70 reservationists (FTEs), mainly depending on the volume of business. A corporate marketing staff of 12 people, allocated about 6% of revenue, was responsible for managing the brand and for going to market. An additional 2% of revenue was used to fund reservation and other distribution costs. Reservations were centralized for all properties in Hawaii; beyond Hawaii reservations were only taken at each property. Outrigger’s executives believed that distribution was a cornerstone of the company’s success, with about 50% of the business coming from wholesalers. Consumer direct (via voice or the Web), travel agents, government and military, and corporate clients made up the rest. For international properties, the source of business percentage from wholesalers was close to 80% and almost all reservations were faxed to the property. V. OUTRIGGER’S ORGANIZATION Outrigger Hotels and Resorts was a management company wholly owned by a holding corporation called Outrigger Enterprises. Reflecting its real estate development roots, Outrigger Enterprises also owned a real estate ownership company called Outrigger Properties. Figure 4 shows the Outrigger organization. Figure 4. Organization Chart Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 110 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Outrigger Properties wrote and managed real estate contracts with third party owners and supervised the owned assets (accounting for about a third of all properties in the Outrigger portfolio), as well as the development, acquisition, and sale of properties. Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, the operating arm of Outrigger Enterprises, was responsible for the writing of new management contracts, and for overseeing property renovations and operations of the managed hotels, resorts, and condos. Outrigger Properties generally negotiated a base rent and a 3 percentage of revenue with tenants; revenues from leased space were assigned to the hosting property’s own PL. Room revenue made up the bulk of each property’s revenue. Income from leased space ranged from as low as 5% in hotels with little retail space to as high as 20% in some of the most appealing locations. Other more marginal revenue was derived from parking, in-room entertainment, telecommunications, and kids’ clubs operations. Outrigger Hotels and Resorts historically maintained a highly centralized organizational structure. As the firm grew in size and geographical distribution a more distributed structure emerged, but, reflecting its roots, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts remained consolidated where possible. We have centralized services – accounting, IT, finance, engineering, purchasing, special projects – that support all the properties on Oahu, as well as indirectly the neighboring islands. There is also one executive housekeeper in charge of all properties. We run the OHANA Hotels like a 4,200 room distributed hotel. It is very efficient. Chuck Shishido As the firm expanded internationally it became more decentralized, with resorts in the Pacific Rim working much more like independent operations and organized like traditional resorts. Recognizing the significant advantages offered by its centralized structure, Outrigger was looking at the possibility of integrating its international resorts better. However, distance presented new challenges: We need a reservation solution for Australia, a real-time coordination with a central reservation service. They are operated as individual hotels; the central 800 number today is just switched to the correct hotel. A centralized system would offer tremendous value because we get drive-in business and substantial potential cross-property traffic. Executive VP and COO Perry Sorenseon, VI. OUTRIGGER IT INFRASTRUCTURE Joe Durocher, the CIO of Outrigger Enterprises, was hired by David Carey in 1986. Mr. Roy Kelly was a hands-on manager. He once told me he hated two things: computers and vice presidents. As the VP of IT, I had two strikes against me. Yet, in 1986 I was brought in to overhaul Outrigger’s IT infrastructure and we built Stellex—our integrated CRS/PMS. At the time all our properties were in Waikiki, within one square mile of each other. Joe Durocher In this type of agreement the landlord receives a fixed payment plus a percentage of the total sales made by the tenant business (e. g. , restaurant, shop). 4 The CRS, Central Reservation System, is the computer system used by a hotel chain to support call center operations and, generally, its web site. The CRS holds chain-wide inventory and allows reservationists to sell room inventory at all the hotels affiliated with the chain. The PMS, Property Management System, is the â€Å"brain† of hotel operations. It is the computer system that is used to manage the inventory of hotel rooms at an individual property. 3 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 111 Figure 5. Timeline of Major Infrastructure Developments at Outrigger OUTRIGGER’S SOFTWARE Stellex, to which Durocher refers, was introduced in 1987 as a COBOL application that guaranteed complete redundancy and 24 x 365 uptime. These two properties are particularly important in the hotel business, which depends on being able to make reservations at any time during the day and wants to make sure that its computer system is always operational. For the technically minded, the application ran on a Tandem NonStop platform and a proprietary Enscribe database management system. 5 In 1992, Outrigger introduced its first major update to Stellex, Stellex 2. 0, which ran on a Sun Microsystems UNIX platform and provided revenue management functionality and reservation center support. Because of its unique need for substantial wholesale interaction, Outrigger engaged Opus, a software company specializing on revenue management systems,6 to build their revenue management module for Stellex 2. 0. Outrigger retained control of Opus’ source code7 and over the years made substantial enhancements, mainly to manage wholesale relationships. Outrigger implemented JD Edwards ERP as the cornerstone of its back-office operations in 1990, years before the ERP craze swept the business world. JD Edwards ran on an IBM AS 400—widely considered to be a mature and stable platform. The firm felt that its centralized IT infrastructure was a source of competitive advantage. Durocher discussed the trade-offs associated with centralized IT: Decentralizing IT would decrease our capabilities while increasing overall costs. But centralized IT creates friction at times. When a hotel is sold for example, the IT allocation may increase for other properties. 8 Joe Durocher Stellex provided the anchor to which all other operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. All of the properties in the Hawaiian Islands had access to Outrigger’s centralized IT systems, served from the Honolulu-based data center, through the firm’s proprietary Wide Area Network. Stellex, for example, was accessed using an ASP model by all the properties in the Hawaiian Islands, the firm’s Denver-based Central Reservation Office, and the Portland, Oregon-based Web servers, thereby greatly simplifying the achievement of single image inventory, disaster recovery, and overall IT management. This configuration enabled the properties to operate with PCs (as few as 12 in a 5 Tandem Computer Systems was bought up by Compaq in 1997. Compaq, in turn was purchased by HP. Enscribe is still in business in December 2004. 6 Opus was subsequently bought by Micros-Fidelio, the dominant hospitality-focused software company. 7 ‘Source code’ refers to the original, human readable computer program. By owning it, Outrigger could change it as they saw fit. Note that Microsoft, for example, guards its source code jealously so that others can’t change Microsoft’s programs. 8 In many companies, such as Outrigger, IT costs are allocated to users, such as hotels, on an annual basis. IT cost is relatively fixed and not affected much by the number of units it supports. If a property is sold, the fixed cost allocated to all other properties must therefore go up. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 112 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 Figure 6. Outriggers IT Infrastructure typical 500-room property) and networking equipment. The Point of Sales (POS) systems9 were not centralized, since Outrigger leased retail and restaurant space. This state of affairs generated some friction at times: The POS is the computer software used to support retail and restaurant operations. It enables operators to keep track of sales and accurately bill customers. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 113 We offer to interface their POSs to Stellex and pay for interfaces to automate room charges. But many of those POS ar e old and can’t interface, they must be upgraded first. Restaurants have to write a manual charge voucher and walk it to the front desk for input. It’s not a popular or efficient way to do it. VP of Property Technology, Allen White Due to the need for local support, the high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii, and the unacceptable reliability of international networks, Outrigger did not extend this centralized model to its operations in Australia and the Pacific. The properties in Australia and New Zealand, all condominiums, used a highly specialized PMS particularly well suited for their condominium properties and their unique tax code requirements. None of the properties in Hawaii has a server on property. In the outer regions we have standalone PMS’s and on-property reservations. We don’t even try to keep Stellex in sync, they just open and close. If a date is getting full, they issue a stop-sell. Reservations that are taken centrally are automatically emailed. Joe Durocher APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT Beyond maintaining and upgrading Stellex, Outrigger’s IT professionals engaged in minimal application development—mainly writing customized reports, and configuring and interfacing offthe-shelf applications. The use of outsourcing was limited to the Web site, developed and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. Yet, in order to maintain the integration of direct channels, Stellex served as the booking engine behind Outrigger’s Web site. A key initiative for Outrigger was the development of electronic interfaces with wholesalers. These interfaces were customdeveloped by the firm’s IT group using XML. 10 With many wholesalers we have real-time electronic interfaces—they can check availability and we get their reservations instantaneously. Without the interface, if they create a reservation six or three months out, we don’t see it until reporting time, ten days out, when we receive a fax and manually input it. It is virtually impossible to revenue manage like that. Many big brands have great revenue management systems, but don’t have real-time wholesaler data. Moreover, we can write wholesale contracts brand-wide. Joe Durocher Outrigger felt that its electronic interfaces afforded it a competitive advantage and preferential treatment from interface-enabled wholesalers, a relationship that proved particularly important during slow periods or a soft economy. Electronic interfaces generated substantial efficiencies, including automatic billing and invoicing without human handling, lowering estimated costs for these functions to $0. 75 from an estimated $10 for manually handled ones. But not all wholesalers were able or interested in automating reservation processing. This lack of interest was particularly true for small operations or those for whom Hawaii and the Pacific represented a small percentage of business. The industry is a mess from a connectivity standpoint. We are fortunate that we have the in-house expertise and the recognition from senior management of how important this is. Even the big companies often don’t understand the conditions for success. The dirty little secret of the travel industry is that the fax machine still rules. Rob Solomon 10 XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language. It is a language used to create a protocol enabling computer applications of partnering firms to exchange information easily. Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli 114 Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005) 102-118 I spend 30-40 hours a week working with wholesalers on interfaces. There are many legacy systems out there; the fax is state of the art. We have made great progress with the more advance wholesalers or those that upgraded recently. Alan White Outrigger found the Open Travel Alliance (OTA) XML standards, specifying common message format and common content, of great help. But being able to pick the right partner, and avoid costly failures, remained the major challenge. While Outrigger felt it had been successful to date, with an estimated 33% of total reservations received electronically through the various channels, it still handled more than half a million faxes a year—about eight hundred a day from its largest wholesaler alone before that wholesaler migrated to the electronic interface. The firm felt that it had been able to capitalize on the use of technology to increase distribution efficiencies in the face of ever rising labor costs. Conversion rates at the Central Reservation Office improved from 20% to 45%-50% with widespread consumer adoption of the Internet. The firm estimated that as much as 60% of callers had already researched the Outrigger website and made a purchase decision but, as Solomon put it, â€Å"had one more question. † In an effort to provide support right on the website, the firm introduced live chat functionalities and offered email confirmation for significant savings in labor and postage costs. DATA MANAGEMENT In 2001, Outrigger acquired business intelligence software, a data mart, and analytical tools from 11 E. piphany running on a Windows 2000 platform. The data mart held detailed data for three years, enabling analysis down to the individual guest folio. Data were consolidated afterwards, enabling only aggregate analyses. While E. piphany was a recent purchase, Outrigger had been disciplined in collecting data for some time. We had 10 years of high quality data from Stellex; we are very rigid about data capture standardization like room category, naming conventions, request codes, [and] what goes where. For example, postal and country codes are mandatory fields. Our employees’ long tenure helps, and peer pressure is a great asset— nobody wants to be the one that ruins the value of these reports for all. Alan White The data collected by Stellex, including source of business, stay information, and consumption, were extracted every night by load programs that scrubbed (i. e. , cleaned) them, and transferred them to the JD Edwards ERP system for accounting and to the E. piphany system for analysis. Feeding historical data and forward looking availability and reservation activity, Outrigger learned to harness the analytical power of E. piphany to do forecasts and generate business intelligence both at the source of business and at guest levels. We want the marketing data. It is stupid to have a treasure trove like that and not use it. We mine it. We send thank you letters to recurring guests, we can give you history on who visited, how they got here, what in-flight magazine we should hit. We sold a resort once and they figured they would have to hire 3 people to achieve manually what our reports gave them automatically. They even set their rates based on E. piphany forecasts. Alan White The IT group served as custodian of the data, but any user with security clearance had access to E. piphany data though a web interface; the data was used for marketing and operational analysis (e. g. , analysis of call patterns to evaluate the appeal of Voice over IP solutions). Incorporating the information into daily operations was more challenging. Definitions of technical terms such as Business Intelligence, Data Mart, Data Mining, and many others used throughout this case study can be found free of charge at http://www. whatis. com. 11 Outrigger Hotel and Resorts: A Case Study by G. Piccoli Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Volume 15, 2005)102-118 115 Outrigger found it hard to justify a frequent guest program—with an average repurchase cycle for returning guests of three years, a once a year purchase was considered very high in Hawaii resort operations. Speaking about recognition programs, Individual properties have their own customer database and a strong informal recognition system. We haven’t been able to justify the investment technologically to do it brand wide. It would be a natural extension of the recognition we give our return guests, but it must be cost-effective. Perry Sorenson If a guest did not tell us he is returning when making the reservation, our current system does not have a database with guest history. Many times we recognize our frequent return guests only at the door, or during check in at the front desk. We have special programs (e. g. , for honeymooners, wedding anniversaries), but we need to know their history to appropriately acknowledge these returning guests. VP of Operations for Outrigger’s Waikiki Beachfront Hotels Kimberly Agas, a 20 year veteran with the company, IT STAFFING AND ORGANIZATION Outrigger’s IT staff consisted of 26 full time employees. Of these, 4 data entry operators and 3 developers were housed in a separate limited liability company to help Outrigger take advantage of tax incentives offered by the state of Hawaii.

Clan-X Essays - American Folk Songs, English-language Films

Clan-X There's a new kid at school, his name is Leigh, he thinks he is such a big shot-know all. When he rocked up at school on his very first day, he tried to do a fancy bunny-hop on his crappie, smashed up old bike and stacked it. It was hilarious, especially when he tried to get back on. He just fell straight over it again and broke three of his spokes and started to cry. He walked around school the entire week, showing off in front of everyone, telling them how good he was, trying so hard to be everyone's friend, but we made sure nobody liked him. We were part of a Clan I started called Clan-X. My gang members were: Rene, Grant, Mark, Trent, Tim, Daimien and myself, Cameron. We basically just pushed people around for kicks. Usually people that were half our size and walked around by themselves. We liked to blow up people's letter boxes the most, usually just at random. Whenever any new kids came to our school, we used to tease and make fun of them, so they felt unwelcome and had no friends. Usually they left the school, we loved it when they did that. Anyway, back to the story... On Friday afternoon, just after school, we were all walking home talking about how much of a loser this new guy was. By the time we got to the end of the street, we had all agreed that we should do something totally outrageous to his cat because he had been bragging about it all week. On Saturday, we all met up at the local park and brought along little tools which we thought might come in handy for this sinister exercise. Grant and Rene brought some rope and a switch-blade. Trent and Mark brought a bottle of methylated spirits and some matches. Tim and Daimien brought a voice scrambler and a mobile phone and I brought some explosives, which I got from the local markets. We thought about what we were going to actually do. Finally, I stood up and said, "Okay, First, I will jump Leigh's back fence and grab the cat. I'll take Tim and Daimien with me just in case I can't find it. Grant and Rene can then tie it up to a tree and cut it's whiskers off. Then Trent and Mark can saturate it with methylated spirits, (making sure not to drown it, as we want it to burn alive). You guys can start to run down the street and I'll call up Leigh on the mobile phone and say "Madness takes it's toll, please have exact change." Then I'll throw a K0205 at his front door. When it goes off I'll light the cat up and run. We'll all meet back at the school. Oh, and don't forget, if you get caught, I'll take the heat, my parents couldn't care less if I was at the cop shop." Everyone was silent, Grant and Rene gave me sick grins. Tim quickly stood up and said, "Sure, we toast his cat, and scare the crap out of him, but what does he learn from it?" and then Daimien butted in, "Yeah, his right, we should like leave a note or something." I thought for a second and said, "Okay, when I get home I'll write him a note out of news paper clippings. We'll leave it under his door-mat or something. Everyone put your stuff in my bag here and then we'd better get back to our homes. Be back here at 10:00pm tonight." As I was walking home, I was thinking how funny the look on Leigh's face would be when I lit up that helpless cat, and how confused he would be when he heard the words "Madness takes it's toll, please have exact change." I simply couldn't wait. When I finally got home, I went through all the news papers and all the magazines I could find. After about an hour I had finished the letter. It read: IF YOU DON'T LEAVE THIS SCHOOL BY THE END OF THE WEEK, IT WILL BE YOU THAT BURNS. BUDDY... - LOVE CLAN-X. When I got to the park at 10:00pm everyone was already there, waiting for me. It was dark and everything was silent. Leigh only lived around the corner from the park. I found his address from the very helpful Telstra operator. When we arrived at Leigh's house Daimien and Tim, without saying a word jumped the fence, I followed. We found the cat asleep on the

victomolgy essays

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Discussion broad - Essay Example The author has rightly proposed practicing and preparing as two of the important strategies to control meeting stress. I am a Chinese and was recently interviewed in Shanghai. My interview went well because I had thought about the possible questions and prepared answers for them in advance. I also practiced the interview with my friend before the actual interview which gave me a fair idea of the interview. This topic is mentioned in the course book e.g. while preparing for a meeting or an interview, an individual should at least prepare four Ps i.e. â€Å"purpose, product, participants, and probable issues† (Wilkinson, 2012, p. 590). I find this article very informative and useful. It contains very useful pieces of advice that are easily practicable. The author has not only suggested what to do in a meeting to control stress and boost performance, but has also clearly indicated what not to do e.g. not to overprepare or have a crafted and premade answer for every question. I discovered the article recently over the

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Creation of a Versatile Computer System: CPU and RAM Jay Kybert I have tried to create a versatile computer system that everyone can use, with a few exceptions. The CPU, RAM, Motherboard, etc. remains the same throughout each system, however certain people require different inputs, outputs etc. In these cases, I have changed the computer system slightly and recorded the price. Link to website used: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/dG7cBP All prices were accurate at the time this was created. This CPU is an older generation but remains a great CPU. I could have chosen an i7 model for the hyper-threading but, along with the increase in price; other components may need to be upgraded to avoid a bottleneck. The 2.7GHz should provide a good level of speed, but overclocking is an option in case it is not fast enough however, this is not recommend for general work use due to the risk. Its power consumption is fairly low for a CPU, at 65 watts. The PSU is fully capable of supplying power to all of the components. It uses the socket 1151 (meaning 1151 pins). However, on this CPU, the motherboard houses the pins instead of the CPU itself. This cooler has a moderately sized heatsink and a fan to push (or pull) air around the CPU. It is compatible with the motherboard the computer will have too. Since I went with a mid-tier CPU, I needed a good level of cooling but nothing massive. This is why I settled for a heat sink and fan, compared with a higher tier water-cooled system. Another reason I chose a traditional heat sink of water-cooling is because of the possibility of water leaking and the management/replacement of water, which can be a difficult task to carry out safely. I chose this specific thermal paste simply due to its cost. There are more efficient compounds available but for a much higher price. In addition, this thermal paste will last a long time if used correctly, which provides a great value for money. This motherboard is a standard ATX motherboard, which fits the chipset on the CPU. In addition, I decided to spend a little more on this motherboard for its newer features. Since it is more modern, there is always the option to upgrade components. This motherboard does fit inside the computer case I have selected with enough room left for cable routing. It has four available RAM slots, which will be more than enough memory for everyone. I chose to go for 16GB since some designing software stresses the memory. In addition, this memory is DDR4, the newest but only type of memory that the motherboard I chose supports. It runs at 2133 MHz, which should provide a good level of performance and allow for upgrades since it only uses two of the four RAM slots on the motherboard. There are lots of different HDDs available but I chose Western Digital since it is a well-known company. I opted for a 3.5 HDD since they spin faster than laptop drives and my case has space for it. This means that the HDD will be able to read and write data slightly faster than other models. Furthermore, I chose 1TB which should be enough storage for a single work computer. This graphics card is part of the newest generation of NVIDIAs GPUs. Although it is one of the lower-end cards, it can run intensive stress tests and benchmarks at a steady usage at 1080p. It is more than enough for designing software at HD resolution, with 4GB of VRAM it should be able to render and load these designs with ease. It is compatible with the motherboard and has room in the case to fit. I chose this case since it can fit an ATX motherboard (The Z170 I Chose is an ATX). Also, there is lots of room for expansion within the case. There is room for an optical drive which may be useful. Furthermore, there is a lot of room for 120mm/140mm fans that will keep the computer cool and running stable. Finally, there is enough room inside the case the house the GPU. I chose this PSU since it supplies 500W of power which is more than enough for the current system. In addition, it is an ATX PSU which is compatible with the case. It also is certified (even though it is only bronze) which shows its efficiency and that it doesnt produce much heat. I chose to spend a little more money than what was necessary on the PSU since faulty or poor quality PSUs can destroy other components. The total wattage of the computer is   ~235 watts. This means I could have bought a 300w PSU but along with that being barely enough, a 500w PSU also allows the computers to be upgraded without having to worry about power consumption. Modern optical drives are compatible with most computers. I made sure my case supports an optical drive so there will be no compatibility issues or lack of space for this component. I couldve spent some more money on the optical drive and chose a different model that may have been more reliable or come with warranty but I decided to save money since the optical drive wont be used frequently anyway. The only time this will see use is when using older software that requires a disc installation. Even though Windows 7 isnt the newest Windows OS, many people are comfortable using it and grew up with it (or similar versions). The jump to 8/8.1 and 10 have drastically changed the layout and general use, making it harder to use. This is why I chose an older version that people are happy with. It is also 64-Bit which supports more applications and has more advanced compatible hardware. I chose a standard HD (1080p) monitor. Asus is a reliable brand so the image quality should be great; this is especially good for designing software. I couldve gone for a 1440p or 4k monitor but, for the price, they werent worth it. It has several ports that the graphics card supports so it can easily connect. In addition, if I chose a higher resolution monitor, I would also need to upgrade the graphics card due to the amount of pixels. The keyboard didnt require a specific model, I chose from a well-known brand that produced a well-received keyboard. It uses a USB 2.0 connection between the motherboard (which is compatible with the current motherboard). I chose this mouse because it is from a trusted brand and the fact that it is wireless. This means that there will be fewer wires running across desks. This mouse works by using USB wireless transmitter. As a result, there may be a little latency between movement and it appearing on the screen, but I believe that having a wired mouse may cause problems as it can catch on objects and tear over time or even break the motherboard port if ripped out. I chose to buy a total of six fans (3 dual packs) since the case I purchased supports this many. The front of the case supports 2x120mm or 2x140mm fans, the top supports the same and the back has a 120mm fan as well as the bottom. The front fans can be intakes, along with the bottom, while the top and rear fans can be exhaust fans, blowing air out. Having the same amount of fans blowing in and out make the case have neutral pressure, compared with positive or negative pressure, which can lead to dust build up, or higher temperatures. I chose to purchase a wired network adapter using a PCI-E connector that will allow the computer to have internet access using a wired (Ethernet connection). The motherboard I chose supports this type of connection. Type of Work: Designs kitchens in 3D * Wants a brand new computer built from scratch. * Has RSI. *Requires scanning in documents. *Two mobile devices for communicating. *Fully networked computers system. I chose to stay with a mouse even though Mr Ramsey has RSI and this may affect his ability to use it. A mouse is this optimal choice for an input device due to its versatility across a number different uses, especially in design software that requires accuracy. However, I chose a vertical mouse since this might prove to be a great substitute rather than a normal mouse. A vertical mouse reduces the strain in the arm and keeps the arm in a relaxed state; this could reduce the pain from RSI. This All-in-One printer can print, scan, copy and fax which should be enough options. As well as being wireless, the printer can print up to 22 pages per minute in black and 18 per minute with colour with a DPI resolution of 12001200. Again, this proves that this machine is fast as well as efficient. The only reoccurring cost is the ink that needs to be replaced occasionally. I chose this phone for communication since it is from a respected brand that has good customer service. This means that if there were any faults, it should be easy enough to resolve, it also means that the build-quality and specifications of the phone are competitive with other brands, meaning the phone has good internal hardware. Since Mr Ramsey requires two mobile devices for communicating, I chose to buy two of the same model since it makes it easier for him to use both as he doesnt have to learn to use two different OSs. Deals with the customers and take down the requirements and measurements of the customers kitchens. *Needs brand new complete computers. *Aadi is left handed. * Require to take photographic evidence of the customers kitchens. I chose this mouse because of its left-handed design. This means that Aadi can use this mouse normally. Even though the mouse is expensive, it comes from a well-known company that specialises in peripherals. Also, the mouse has a variety of adjustable settings, an example being DPI which can be changed to what Aadi prefers. Petra, Aadi and Soolin all required a camera for their work; I decided on this CANON EOS. It is a DLS camera with 18 megapixels, which will provide a 1080p photo. In addition, this model has a sharp LCD screen to change the settings to what is preferred. Another reason I chose this camera is its wireless feature. Once Petra/Aadi/Soolin has taken photos, they dont need to transfer them via a USB or SD card. Instead, the camera is a wireless storage device as well, meaning that the photos can be accessed from their computers without any physical, wired connection. Confirms the order with the customer and looks after the payments. NOTE: The cost of this Microsoft package is  £11.30 monthly. A year of this works out at  £135.60. The reason I chose this package was that it included both the communication software (Skype) and the recording information software (Excel). In addition, this package comes with office essentials like Word, PowerPoint, etc. Since this is a subscription, Brian will be given an email needed to use this software; this means that the software can be used anywhere, as long as the email is provided. In addition to this, there are other benefits to the business premium package like 50GB for emails, 1TB Cloud Storage, HD Video Conferencing and more. Contacts suppliers when stock is low and maintains the stock levels. Sends out the kitchen units and supplies to the customer with a delivery note. * Has a slight visual impairment. * Requires software to look after the records. * Each package has a barcode so it can be tracked. Due to Tsais visual impairment, I thought I higher resolution screen could help him see the screen more clearly. Also, I decided on a 27-inch screen that is larger than a standard office monitor, which should help with his visual impairment. Furthermore, I decided against getting a higher refresh rate monitor. There were choices of 120Hz or even 144Hz but this wouldnt really affect the visual impairment, it would just make transitions smoother and they are more expensive. NOTE: The cost of this Microsoft package ( £11.30) is a monthly recurring payment. A year of this works out at  £135.60. Like with Brian, the Office 365 Business Premium is a subscription-based software which will allow Tsai to look at records. Using network-attached storage (NAS) or a central server, Brian can wirelessly share any excel spreadsheets or databases with Tsai and vice versa. Also, Tsai is a warehouse manager which could mean he isnt always sitting at a desk. Therefore, he can use the Office 365 software on a phone or tablet. This printer will allow Tsai to create and print off any barcodes to track packages. It has an Ethernet and USB port, the Ethernet being for a connection to the internet to print of barcode designs and the USB for a connection to the computer itself. This barcode scanner can identify barcodes and the package assigned to it. This will make managing a warehouse easier as rather than using serial numbers or other methods of recording lots of information, a barcode can be applied to all packages. This means that in the future, a database can hold all of the information and by scanning a barcode, information is given about the item.

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks Essay -- The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

â€Å"The Wedding† by Nicholas Sparks The novel â€Å"The Wedding† by Nicholas Sparks is a sequel to the love story, The Notebook. The characters in this novel are facing pretty much one big problem. The setting in this story is taken place in the year 2003 in a little place called New Bern, where the lives of the Lewis family would change in many ways. Wilson and Jane Lewis; a married couple for many years, are the main characters in this novel. They are facing a very difficult time in their lives. It seems as if Jane has fallen out of love with Wilson. Wilson is the kind of guy who spends far too much time at work. He knows he should be spending more time at home, but just never could find the time to do so. During the course of their life, they had kids and did everything a normal f...

Exploring the Chinese Distribution Strategy for Gallo

According to China Research and Intelligence (2010), distribution channels are still the key factor to success. Since the Chinese and Hong Kong markets show a slight preference for on-trade channels, especially concerning exclusive products such as wine, E&J Gallo Rose concentrates on them (China Research and Intelligence, 2010). According to Hollensen (2011), given that Gallo Rose is a high quality product selective distribution would be the appropriate form of distribution as Gallo Rose would be targeting a specific market. Gallo would depend on Chinese and Hong Kong wholesalers to distribute the wine to hotels and supermarkets, preferably those whom the competitors are not currently using. Therefore, a range of intermediaries has to be chosen carefully: mid to high price restaurants offering Western food, international pubs and lounges build a trading base. Once the wine is established, cooperation with high class Chinese and Hong Kong establishments could be considered. However, a presence in high segment supermarkets will be obligatory to make the product accessible. Jenster and Cheng (2008) stress the rise of other off-trade channels, such as specialty wine stores and online wine-sites. The former is particularly important for new Chinese wine drinkers. The latter will be a part of Gallo’s distribution chain as soon as it reaches a higher market share. As outlined by Bretherton and Carswell (2001), the Chinese distribution system is improving slowly. To set up in Hong Kong and coastal areas of China is relatively easy, as the infrastructure is excellent. Direct exports with the support of an executive office are sufficient. Nonetheless, further expansion will conflict with trade barriers and local protectionism. Areas have to be treated separately and high transaction costs are necessary to build own distribution channels. However, the advantages of higher reliance and lower control costs are obvious. Import taxes in China are lowered according to WTO agreements (9), but still 14% (Yu and Sun et al, 2009) plus value-added and consumption tax. On the other hand, Hong Kong tries to create a wine trading hub with the exemption of import taxes since 2008 (Winechina. com, 2010).

Environmental Science Report essay

Environmental Science Report essay Environmental Science Report essay Environmental Science Report essayIt is not a secret that water pollution is one of the major environmental concerns today. Water plays an important role not only in human consumption, irrigation and transportation system, but also it plays an important role in providing support to life chain functioning. The problem that will be addressed in this paper is water pollution. The Gowanus Canal, in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the locations that generate serious environmental problems. The Canal is 1.8 mile long and 100 foot wide. A wide range of pollutants are found in this location. The Gowanus Canal once was a significant industrial passageway, which symbolized prosperity of the nation, but now it is a health hazard for the nation (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014).   The Gowanus Canal is bounded by Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. The canal flows into New York Harbor. The construction of the Canal was completed in 1869 in order to make the Gowanus Canal the key transportation route for New York City. There are many industrial facilities operating along the canal, including â€Å"manufactured gas plants, mills, tanneries, and chemical plants† (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The major goal of this report is to investigate current environmental concerns learning more about Superfund or landfill sites in designated areas in and around NYC. The research will be focused on the study of water pollution of the Gowanus Canal Superfund site.ResearchDescription of the historical perspective on the problem/issueThe Gowanus Canal was built in 1869 to perform the functions of the major industrial transportation route in NYC. Contamination of the Canal is caused by harmful substances or industrial wastes from three manufactured gas plants, several paper mills, tanneries and chemical plants, which are operating along the Canal. In addition, contaminati on is caused by overflows from the local sewer systems that bring domestic wastes from homes and rainwater from storm drains (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The problem of water contamination is not a new environmental concern. If not properly controlled, the issue of water contamination may lead to ecological disaster in the region. Undoubtedly, this environmental concern should be minimized by means of effective strategies. The problem of water contamination has been addressed by different environmental organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency.Realization of the problem/issueIt is known that the problems of the Gowanus Ð ¡anal have been identified on March 2, 2010 by the Environmental Protection Agency, when the Gowanus Canal was added to the Agency’s Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The contamination of the Gownaus Canal has been properly investigated at the site in order to develop effective ap proaches to address current environmental problems.The types of risk assessments done in order to realize the problem/issueAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, â€Å"actual or threatened releases of hazardous substances from the Site, if not addressed by implementing the response action, may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health, welfare or the environment† (Record of Decision, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). To assess the risks, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted a Remedial Investigation, which helped to characterize the nature of contamination in the Canal, its extent, the major human health and ecological risks from exposure to contamination, the major sources of contamination, and the key physical and chemical characteristics of the site that will affect the selection of the proper cleanup strategies (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). The main types of risk assessment included a à ¢â‚¬Å"bathymetric study, sediment, groundwater, surface water, air, fish tissue sampling, and an investigation of hundreds of pipes that lead to the Canal† (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). During the investigation, more than 500 samples of sediment from the Gowanus Canal were collected by the ecologists, as well as more than 80 water samples, which identified the presence of various contaminants. Besides, the ecologists collected about 200 fish, such as striped bass, blue crab, eel and white perch in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of their tissue for the presence of contaminants. In addition, they collected air samples at the site where people would breathe while boating and fishing in the Canal (Gowanus Canal, New York Environmental Protection, 2014). The sampling has shown that water pollution water in the Canal is heavily contaminated.The major potential toxins that may have affected a communityThe potential toxins that may have affected the local community have been properly investigated by ecologists. Actually, the Gowanus Canal as an industrial canal, and many pollutants have been found in its waters, based on recent studies (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014). As a result of continual discharge operations, regular storm water runoff, current sewer outflows and a wide range of industrial pollutants, the Gowanus Canal has turned to the most extensively polluted water body. The major toxins include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), coal tar wastes, heavy metals (mercury, lead and copper) and volatile organics (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014). Thus, the contamination of the canal poses a serious threat to the local communities, including the people who use the Gowanus Canal for various activities, such as fishing and recreation activities.The media toxins travelled throughThe media, tox ins travelled through, include three major sources of water contamination of the Canal: first, the sewage; second, the adjacent industries, and third, the growing local community. For example, the Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) is one of the major sources of contamination of the Canal (Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY 11231, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2014).The major direct effects from toxic poisoning in a communityToxic poisoning has direct effects on humans, flora and fauna of aquatic life. For example, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have harmful effects on aquatic organisms and humans. This toxic substance has caused tumors in people and animals when they have long periods of skin contact with it. People exposed by skin contact to PAHs and other compounds in water can also develop skin diseases (Public Health Statement for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1995).   Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have harmful effects on immune system and nervous system. Co al tar wastes, heavy metals (mercury, lead and copper) and volatile organics have harmful effects on reproduction function and lead to poisoning of organs (e.g. kidney dysfunction, liver toxicity, lung and respiratory diseases) and immune function disorders.The scientific data used to verify the problem/ issueThe scientific data that can be used to verify the problem/ issue discussed in this paper includes data charts and graphs provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.Policy and RecommendationThe major policy and economic developments that took place in order to remediate the problem/issueThe major policies and economic developments took place in order to remediate the problem of the Gowanus Canal contamination. According to Pearsall (2013), â€Å"municipal governments have incorporated brownfield redevelopment programs into urban sustainability plans to encourage the redevelopment of the site into productive uses† (p. 2293). Due to joint actions of the government and environmental institutions, effective initiatives have been developed to reduce the risk of contamination. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Clean Water Act govern the waters discharged to the Gowanus canal. In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency completed the development of Cleanup Plan for the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site. The policy requires spending $506 million for cleanup procedures to remove contaminated sediment (Rodriguez, 2013).The actual remediation procedure used to address this problemIn order to remediate the problem, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed the proper methods to address the issue of contaminated sediment. Some of the components of the actual remediation procedure include dredging of accumulated substance-contaminated sediments stored above the natural sediments of the canal, the so-called soft sediments; construction of a specially developed multi-layered capping in order to prevent the movement of polycyclic aromatic hy drocarbons (PAHs) and residual NAPL from natural sediments, dredging of the soft sediment found in the lower reach of the Gowanus Canal, providing off-Site thermal treatment of dredged sediments and turning basins, maintenance and control of the site, and other effective remedies. In general, in December 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency developed the draft of Feasibility Study, which assessed the best alternatives for reducing all risks to human health and the natural environment from exposure to contaminated water and sediment in the Gowanus Canal (Feasibility Study: Gowanus Canal, 2011).Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the problem of water pollution has been widely discussed by ecologists as the Gowanus Canal represents not only increased industrialization rate, but also neglect of the local authorities and the U.S. government. Today the Gowanus Canal is perceived as an important industrial canal that causes ser ious damage to local communities and the natural environment.   Today local communities, authorities and the U.S. government understand the problem of the Gowanus Canal, which requires using the proper strategies, such as the removal of contaminated sediment and providing the capping of dredged areas. It is necessary to control the sewage overflows and other sources of contamination. The remedial alternatives for the Gowanus Canal sediments can help to reduce risks to human health and the environment from considerable exposure to contaminated water and sediment. In order to personally help to change the problem like this in the future, I can participate in various environmental programs and public meetings aimed at preserving the natural environment, and take action providing donation or be involved in volunteering work. I realize that the immense water pollution that can be found in the Canal violated the established rules and regulations, including the Clean Water Act. It is our major goal to save the environment and improve human health through effective initiatives developed not only by the local authorities and the U.S. government, but also by ordinary residents.

College websites of all types can make a huge difference

College websites of all types can make a huge difference Technology is a beautiful thing. It can keep you in touch with your parents (especially when you need money); it can keep you in touch with old friends from high school; it can help you study, manage your money, and find all sorts of information to make your college life easier. Below are listed the most popular websites for college students, divided by category. Keep it handy for those times of need! Use College Websites Themselves Most students dont think about going onto their own colleges website, but heres the thing. These sites are managed by students themselves, in cooperation with the campus IT department, and they are updated almost daily. Here you will find loads of stuff about campus services, activities, coming events, and posts that relate to studying, writing, and time management all very helpful. Check out Unigo. This site provides reviews and information on virtually every college and university in existence. If you are still in high school looking for a college or a current student looking to transfer, this is straight talk from actual and former students. Study Sites for College Students Heres a listing of great sites that will help you study or organize yourself for study. Ice Cream Apps: this is cloud software that helps students take screen shots, prepare slides, make videos for presentations and convert from one media genre to another. Very cool site! Pocket: this great little app lets you save articles and other stuff you find as good resources for essays and papers but dont have time to read right now. Save them and read them on your own time in the comfort of your own room or apartment. Study Blue: You can make flash cards from your lecture notes and readings and save them for when you have to study for exams saves going through your text and lecture notes all over again! Copyscape: Use this little app to make sure that what you have written doesnt contain any plagiarism. Yu just paste that essay or paper in and let it do its thing. Grammarly: If you want a more comprehensive app for plagiarism heck and for grammar checking as well, this app is great. There is a one-time fee, but then you have it forever. Open Study: Cant get a study group together on campus? Thats okay. This site lets you find other students from anywhere who want to collaborate on course study. Join any of this huge number of groups, all categorized by academic field and course. AssignmentReview.com: If you need to use an academic writing service, make sure you find a good one. This site publishes great reviews about online writing services, so you can pick one that you know is reputable. Sites for College Students Who Need to Take Control of Their Finances Mint: Running out of money toward the end of each month? You can track your spending, item by item and see where you can cut expenses. Then set up a budget for yourself. Great for now and in the future. Photius: Heres a site that gives you the lowdown on sales, special pricing and discounts and coupons everything from clothes and food to music and entertainment. Overdrive: this app works with your local library (yes, get a card its free) so that you can download any book you need to read, free! Post Your Book: Heres a site where you can sell you used textbooks to other students who are looking for a bargain. Search for used books too! LifeHack.org: Need some extra cash? Check out blog posts on this site for great ideas for freelancing while in school. General Websites for College Students Here are a couple of favorites for just general hacks for college life: HackCollege: This is a type of survival guide for virtually any need you have from dealing with crap roommates to eating on $10 a week. Everything is organized by category for easy navigation. LifeHack.org: Yes, his one was mentioned previously, but it is also a great site for just general student lifestyle challenges. Again, everything is categorized. Go forth! Use these sites and get control of your life.

Market orientation and sales management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Market orientation and sales management - Essay Example will be coupled with asking customers for opinions as they want to identify what it is that current and potential customers are looking for in goods and services. 2. Create a thrill for their services and products: picture company A has come up with a prototype of a product. Unless they monopolise the market, there is an almost absolute chance that a similar product exists in the market. So, how does company A work towards ensuring their product finds a niche in the market? They can build anticipation for this new release by communicating the unique features while coupling this with the benefits to be accrued by the potential consumer (Kumar, Weitz & Harish, 1994). More excitement can be built by differentiating their products and providing more than is expected. Returns on these investments will be realised because when the clientele is satisfied with the performance of one product, they will be excited for the next release (Jeffrey, 1992). 3. Response to the market feedback: when market oriented organisations have a blueprint of the present and future needs of what the customers want, they meet and exceed those desires. Apple, which seeks to understand what customers want and delivers, for example, when its customers ask for gadgets with sleek designs. Apple responds with beautiful devices that are attractive and sophisticated (Deshpande & Webster, 1989). Benson P. Shapiro, a professor at the Harvard Business School proposes that market oriented is not only about getting close to the customer, it is much more (Shapiro, 1998). Deshpande and Webster (1989), Narver and Slater (1994), Shapiro (1988) assert that the importance of a market oriented business culture is very crucial to scholars and managers alike. They indicate it is valuable because it focuses organisations on continuously collecting information about target-customers’ needs and their competitors’ abilities and applying this information to create continuously superior customer value. A thin line