International Business Strategy Hill

International Business Strategy FALL 2010 Course Outline 1. motivation and description of the course Companies today confront an increasing array of choices regarding markets, locations for key activities, outsourcing and ownership modes, and organization and processes for managing across international borders. This course focuses on the international dimensions of strategy and organization, and provides a framework for formulating strategies in an increasingly complex world. The goal of this course is to provide the foundations for taking effective action in the multi-faceted world of international business. 2. ourse structure The structure of this course follows a logical sequence where first the international environment is analysed in relation to the international strategies of firms. Next, we study the optimal scope of the firm across geographic markets, and whether a firm should diversify – or expand its scope across different geographic markets. Such a scope economy can either be demand side, when the firm can replicate a strategy that works well domestically in a country that was previously missing that product or service, or supply side, when a firm seeks to exploit a valuable resource from within a new market. In the first case, a firm arbitrages a product or a strategic capability into a new market whereas, in the second case, it arbitrages the factor cost advantage of a new market. We will also see that in order for the firm to extend the scope of activities under its own management to a foreign country, there has to be some market failure present preventing that firm from simply licensing or selling its valuable resource to an indigenous firm – or buy it from an indigenous firm in the case of supply-side scope economies. As most cross-border expansion of significance currently occurs through M&A or alliances, we look at the particular hallenges such operations entail for the firm. Finally, we examine how the off-shoring of activities may help firms to better compete in the global economy. Method The course proceeds through a combination of lectures, readings, and making use of the case method. You should have completed the set readings prior to a class and be prepared to answer t he case questions in class. This means that you should have read the assigned case for a class and be prepared to answer the questions on that case. Some classes have Optional Readings, which are simply listed in case you have particular interest in reading further on a topic. Case analysis involves an enhanced role for class discussion, supplemented by lecture material. Generally, the goal of class discussion is to arrive at a collective analysis of the issues presented by the materials. Analysis of international strategy issues is not accomplished through the routine application of formulas, but rather through reasoned analysis under conditions of limited information, uncertainty, by individuals and groups from different backgrounds and with particular schemas and ways and structures of organizing knowledge. With a case, you should be able to identify the key issues, problems, and opportunities facing the central protagonists, to articulate and evaluate alternative approaches to tackling the problems, and to describe the course of action that you recommend and the reasons for your recommendation. Case selection criteria in part includes variation across contexts and you should be able to port and apply the frameworks, concepts and tools from one case, context and part of the course to another. Course Readings The principal textbook for the Course is: Hill, Charles W. L. 2011. International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. NY: McGraw-Hill International Edition (Eighth Edition). Readings from this textbook are supplemented by cases and other readings. 3. assessment Individual grades for this course have two components: – Class attendance + assignments(25%) – Written exam (75%) 4. course overview and materials 27 September Introduction and course structure Globalization and regional integration Learning Objectives: †¢ Explain the phenomenon of globalization; Explain why managers today need a global perspective; †¢ Describe the effects of globalization on markets and production; †¢ Explain how technology and innovation support globalization; †¢ Globalization versus regional economic integration; †¢ Business strategies and regional integration. Reading: Hill, Chapter 1. Globalization Chapter 8. Regional Economic Integration. Optional Reading: P. Dicken. 2007. Global Shift mapping th e changing contours of the World economy, 5th edition, London: Sage Publications. October What makes countries and regions different? The role of culture, institutions and political and economic systems. Learning Objectives: †¢ Identify the business and economic implications of differences in culture; †¢ Understand differences in political and economic systems of countries; †¢ Discuss the role of public policies in relation to the competitiveness of a country; †¢ Explain how indicators of a country’s competitiveness can help firms decide where to locate production activities. Reading: Hill, Chapter 2: National Differences in Political Economy. Chapter 3: Differences in Culture. Optional Reading: E. Thompson, National Competitiveness: A Question of Cost Conditions or Institutional Circumstances, British Journal of Management, Vol. 15, 197–218 (2004). 11 October International trade theory, foreign direct investment and competitiveness Learning Objectives: †¢ Explain the evolution of different trade theories; Discuss the relevance of the New trade theory and Porters diamond; †¢ Discuss the importance of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world economy, and the changing patterns of FDI over time; †¢ Present different theories that explain why a company would undertake an acquisition rather than a Greenfield investment; †¢ Explain horizontal FDI, and suggest the conditions under which it may be most applicable; †¢ Explain vertical FDI, and suggest the conditions under which it may be most applicable. Reading: Hill, Ch. 5, In ternational Trade Theory, Ch. 6. The Political Economy of International Trade Ch. 7. Foreign Direct Investment . Optional Reading: Dunning, John. 2009. Location and the multinational enterprise: A neglected factor? (+ Comments). Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 40, No. 1, 5-41 The Global Competitiveness Report, 2010-2011, World Economic Forum, Geneva 18 October Successful FDI promotion: how regions seek to influence corporate FDI For corporate FDI to be successful, it should pre-empt or be aligned with the FDI priorities of the host country and region. International businesses cannot achieve durable advantages if it is out of sync with the aspirations of policy makers in the ‘go-to’ locations. Hence executives should seek to understand such aspirations and the related strategies. This module explores how policy makers seek to make their constituencies more attractive for FDI. It addresses the challenges that both National Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) face to develop successful strategies and to see these through to implementation. In this context, the module will cover both the offer that IPAs and RDAs can provide to corporate FDI decision makers, as well as the delivery thereof. Real life examples will be used to understand what works and what doesn’t work today – both for mature economies (e. g. Western Europe), transforming economies (e. g. Central Europe) and emerging economies (e. g. Asia). Learning Objectives: †¢ Understand the prevailing economic development concepts and FDI promotion strategies; †¢ Explore the pro’s and con’s of the strategies; †¢ Understand the prevailing incentive schemes that regions use to attract corporate FDI; Understand the EU’s policies towards incentives; †¢ Distil common guidelines for policy makers; †¢ Understand what corporations can and should do to capitalize on local economic; development concepts and FDI promotion strategies. Optional Reading: Michael E. Porter, 1990. The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Free Press 25 October The Strategy of International Business: Creating value from internationalisation Learning Objectives: †¢ Understand how internationalisation can create value; †¢ Measure the contribution of an internationalisation strategy; †¢ Assess the business model of the firm in an international context. Discuss how firms should handle the complex international environment; †¢ Suggest the reasons why firms may decide to enter international business, and identify the benefits from international strategies; Case: CEMEX Reading: Hill, Ch. 12, The Strategy of International Business, pp 419- 447 Extra note: â€Å"The value of a global strategy: the ADDING framework†. Extra note: â€Å"Adapting the business model to international markets†. Discussion Questions: 1) What benefits have CEMEX and the other global competitors in cement derived from globalization? Use the ADDING framework in answering this question. 2) What explains the better than average performance of CEMEX? How does this relate to industry specific factors and the competition within the industry? 3) What makes CEMEX’s internationalization process so effective? What procedures and techniques are used? 4) In what other countries could CEMEX profitably expand its business? What are important factors to be considered for entering new markets. 1 November Holiday 8 November The Strategy of International Business: Design and implementation Learning Objectives: †¢ Outline the basic strategies undertaken by MNEs, and specifically focus on how they relate to the needs for local responsiveness and cost minimization; †¢ What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a global strategy? †¢ Discuss how firms should handle the complex international environment. Reading: Ghemawat ,P. â€Å"redefining Global Strategy, Chrossing Borders in a World Where Differences Matter†, Harvard Business School press, Cambridge, MA, 2007. Chapter 3 – Global Value Creation. Case: BRL Hardy Discussion Questions: ) What are the driving forces behind BRL Hardy to become a global company? 2) What is the source of tension between Stephen Davies and Christopher Carson? How effectively has Steve Millar handled the differences? 3) Should Millar approve Carson’s proposal to launch D’istinto? Why or why not? 4) What recommendations would you make to the organization concerning the conflicting proposals for Ke lly’s revenge and Banrock Station? What would you decide to do as Carson? As Millar? 15 November The Organization of International Business: Organizational architecture of the International firm. Learning Objectives: Identify the different kinds of organizational structures and internal control mechanisms that international businesses can use to manage global operations; †¢ Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of centralized and decentralized decision systems; †¢ Present the basic types of organizational forms that multinational firms use; †¢ Describe the control systems and integrating mechanisms available to multinational firms; †¢ Show how the organizational architecture, control systems, integrating systems, and decision making choices multinational firms have available must be consistent with their strategy and industry environment. Case: BRL Hardy Reading: Hill, chapter 13, The Organization of International Business, pp 449-484. Optional Reading: Verbeke, Alain, Kenworthy,. Thomas. 2008 . Multidivisional vs metanational governance of the multinational enterprise, Journal of International Business Studies, 39( 6) : 940-956 22 November Growing internationally to become a world leader. The case of AB InBev. Invited lecture by Mr. Beni Roos, former executive director Interbrew 29 November Entering foreign markets Learning Objectives: †¢ Present the advantages and disadvantages of six different modes of entering new countries and markets; †¢ Bring together the issues of FDI theory and the issues of strategy and organization to better understand why different firms may make different decisions regarding the best modes of entry; Case: Lincoln Electric Reading: Hill, chapter 14, Entry Strategy and Strategic Alliances, pp. 487-518 Optional Reading: Kim, W. Cha, Hwang, peter. 1992. Global Strategy and Multinationals’ entry mode, Journal of International Business Studies, 23, 29-53. Discussion Questions: 1. Put yourself in CEO John Stropki's shoes. Should Lincoln Electric expand into India by investing in a major production facility there? 2. If you were to expand into India, would you enter through acquisition, a greenfield site, or some type of joint venture? Which factors would inform your decision among these entry mode choices? 3. In which countries is Lincoln Electric likely to be most successful or least successful? Why? How would this guide your own choice of where to place Lincoln Electric's production facilities abroad? 4. When Lincoln Electric goes to India and other countries, what factors should determine how much it adapts its core incentive pay-for-performance management practices to local labour market norms? Should Lincoln Electric follow the adage â€Å"when in Rome, do as the Romans do,† or should it seek to always replicate the recipe behind its success in the home plant in Cleveland? 6 December Cross-Border Arbitrage and Outsourcing Learning Objectives: Understand cost, resource, and market-based advantages of on-shore, near-shore and off-shore locations and their implications for â€Å"roles† of operating units, and how to exploit differences across countries to directly create value; †¢ Present the phenomenon of outsourcing jobs from â€Å"advanced nations,† such as the United States or Western Europe; †¢ Understand that while much attention is paid to t he economic differences across countries – such as through offshoring and outsourcing – there may be important arbitrage differences based on cultural, administrative, and geographic differences. Reading: Hill, chapter 16, Global Production, Outsourcing and Logistics, pp 562-586 Optional Reading: Ferdows, Kasra, 1997. Making the most of foreign factories. Harvard Business Review (March): 73-88. AT Kearney, 2009. The shifting geography of offshoring Lewin, Arie Y. e. a. , 2009. Getting Serious About Offshoring in a Struggling Economy, Shared Services News (February): 19-23 Discussion Questions: 1) What are corporate risks associated with outsourcing, and what can be done to mitigate these risks? 2) Are wage arbitration based outsourcing tactics soon to become redundant as result of global wage cost escalations? 3 December Setting up international strategic alliances Learning Objectives: †¢ Discuss the role of strategic alliances, their advantages and disadvantages, †¢ Highlight the factors critical to making alliances work Reading: Hill, chapter 14, Entry, Strategy and Strategic alliances, pp 487-518 Optional Reading: Reuer, Jeffrey. (2004). Strategic alliances: Theo ry and evidence. New York: Oxford University Press. Case: Lasserre, P. ; Flament, A. ; Fujimura, S. ; Nilles, P. , Renault and Nissan – A marriage of reason. INSEAD (2001) 20 December Review session

Human Trafficking Essay

Human trafficking is a very prevalent issue in today’s societies throughout the world. Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor. The extremely high demand for sex and cheap labor are two of the leading factors in the expansion of human trafficking. Despite efforts from various individuals and organizations, millions and millions of men and women are illegally traded each year. Many agree that human trafficking is a horrific injustice but fail to acknowledge the underlying conditions that enable the growth of this industry. The various reasons most individuals fail to think deeper than the surface issues to address the underlying issues are discussed in depth in The Sociological Imagination by C.Wrighr Mills. Until the underlying issues are acknowledged and corrected, more and more humans will be illegally traded. According to The Sociological Imagination, many problems of society are overlooked because the issues do not directly impact the individual’s life. Many individuals do not make the connection between their own life and the big picture, in this case the relevance of human trafficking. They fail to see that although human trafficking may not directly impact one’s life, the illegal trade of humans may indirectly impact their life. The humans illegally traded, not only face sexual and labor exploitation but many are forced into marriage. Others are forced to become street beggars or child soldiers. In some of the worst cases the humans trafficked are killed and their organs are sold on the organ black market. Individuals not aware of these alternate forms of human trafficking usually fail to see how common it is and do not see the indirect impact human trafficking may have on their life. Another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking on the global scale are the efforts to stop human trafficking are being concentrated on the wrong principles. Organizations like SafeHorizon, Called to Rescue, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Deborah’s Gate all focus on rescuing individuals from trafficking or helping individuals assimilate back into society after being trafficked. I acknowledge these are very useful tactics but these organizations are only addressing the victims after they have been traumatized instead of addressing the underlying issues of why there is human trafficking and developing ways to prevent it. Some of their efforts should be transferred to implementing procedures or strategies that prevent individuals from becoming victims instead of for after they become victims. The corruption of government officials and police force in countries where human trafficking is most prominent, also play a large role in the growth and expansion of human trafficking in certain regions. Bribes are taken so certain businesses are not investigated or raided. These businesses are known to illegally trade human beings but they are allowed to continue their illegal actions. Authorities are aware certain individuals are partaking in human trafficking but merely look the other way. Until this changes or the corrupt government officials and police officers are removed from power, the number of humans illegally traded will continue to rapidly grow. But even honest government officials and police officers face difficultly in combating human trafficking. Human trafficking is such a lucrative business because of the high demand for sex that even when authorities are able to apprehend individuals who are trading humans illegally, new individuals pop up and pick up where they left off. Another obstacle authorities face is that many individuals who are involved in human trafficking operate at such a small scale, it is very difficult to know about their actions. Numerous individuals illegal trade humans in small rural homes or small businesses and keep their actions very discrete. Authorities trying to end human trafficking face almost insurmountable odds. The Sociological Imagination touched on the idea that individuals feel trapped by the problems of today. They are unable to look beyond the immediate troubles and issues. Humans are too consumed with the struggles off everyday life to invest time in correcting large-scale social injustices. Individuals feel as if their vision and powers are limited to the smaller scale of their jobs, family and neighborhood. This idea is another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking on a global scale. If one feels as if they are powerless and cannot change or do not have the time to change large scale issues, then change is not brought about. One individual can make change no matter how big or small the injustice they are trying to combat is. Until one internalizes and begins to believe they can make a difference, their efforts usually are consumed by irreverent problems of everyday life. Another condition enabling the construction and expansion of human trafficking is that many individuals are distracted from the larger social injustices. The media chooses which stories to shed light upon and in turn decide the importance of issues. If an individual is exposed to the same story numerous times, they are inclined to believe that story is more relevant and important than a story that receives less coverage. Some forms of media purposely give more coverage to celebrity drama or irreverent issues to distract individuals from the larger issues. The larger issues can more easily be swept under the rug if â€Å"the people† are not addressing them. If the horrors and alarming statistics of human trafficking where displayed in the media more often, people would be more inclined to correct the conditions that enable the construction and expansion of human trafficking. The Sociological Imagination opened my mind to the conditions that prevent individuals from dealing with the troubles and issues that matter. Individuals are seldom aware of the intricate connections between the patterns of their own lives and the course of the world. Because they do not make this connection most individuals cannot cope with their personal troubles in an efficient enough way to be aware of the structural transformations that lie beneath them. Sociological Imagination is having the ability to grasp reality by putting everything into perspective to make sense of the non-sense by thinking below the surface. Until more individuals possess this sociological imagination, things will not change.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms One charter of Right I feel passionate about is the one that talks about each and every person having freedom to live, to have liberty, and to have security. This charter states, â€Å"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. â€Å" This charter protects all citizens of Canada from any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment from others.People who do not treat others to the standards will get punished by the judicial system. Another Charter of right I feel strongly about says, â€Å"freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication† Not all counties are lucky enough to have this freedom and so I cherish this one. Because we have this freedom, Canadians are able to be very social and more connected throughout communities. We have the freedo m to express our ideas, and I like this a lot because we can be a stronger, more collected country.My final charter I have chosen is the democratic right. This rights enables every individual the right to vote and the right to hold office. (become a politician or an elected representative) Everyone has an equal say in our communities, provinces, and our federal government. We get to choose a leader that will befit us where and when we need him or her. With these Charters I am free to live my life the way I want, and I'm free to think what I want. This article, When rights collide with freedoms talks about what happens when religion and human rights collide.

DHL supply chain security analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

DHL supply chain security analysis - Essay Example Disruption in supply chain management can negatively impact the overall value chain performance of companies. In such context, Closs and McGarrell (2004, p. 8) elaborated the concept of supply chain security management as â€Å"application of policies, procedures, and technologies to protect supply chain assets (products, facilities, equipment, information, and personnel) from theft, damage, or terrorism, and to prevent the introduction of unauthorized contraband, people, or weapons of mass destruction into the supply chain.† Considering the mentioned definition, Thai (2009) stated that supply chain companies need to coordinate with government bodies in order to improve security measures to prevent issues like counterfeit, theft, terrorism, missing of merchandises etc. Sarathy (2006) also pointed out that security related threats can occur at any point of supply chain activities including freight carriers, people associated with the transportation facility, factories, goods, v ehicles. Occurrence of any security threat can cause both financial and physical loss to companies hence companies logistic companies like DHL, FedEx and others provide significant importance to improvement of security in supply chain activities. ... conomic Operator (AEO) and Customs-trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) in order to increase security measures of international supply chain management and movement of cargo. Consideration of the research works of Gutie?rrez and Hintsa (2007) reveals six attributes of supply chain security analysis such as cargo management, information management, facility management, management of human resources, disaster recovery & crisis situation management and business network of the company. Up to this point, the essay has used theoretical arguments of various research scholars in order to prepare the background for conducting supply chain security analysis of DHL. As DHL is the focus organization in the paper, the research will cover pertinent issues regarding supply chain security in context to business operation of the company. In the next section, the essay will analyze five areas of supply chain security in context to business operation of DHL such as 1- supply chain policy, 2- Se curity Policy, 3- Technology Policy, 4- Government Regulations and 5- Sustainability. However, Yang (2011) suggested that supply chain security analysis should include issue like personnel control, inventory control, transportation root map analysis but covering these issues is beyond the scope of this paper. Supply Chain Policy-DHL According to report published by Asian Development Bank Institute (2013), DHL uses certain customer centric policies not only to improve supply chain efficiency but also achieve forward and backward value integration. In case of DHL, supply chain policy is not derived in overnight manner rather the company customizes supply chain policy in accordance with underlying business issues and needs of customers. DHL (2013a) reported that DHL generally integrates issues

Watsons Theory Of Human Caring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Watsons Theory Of Human Caring - Essay Example In addition, it allows for phenomenological forces and open expression of both positive and negative feelings. This paper will discuss the application of Watson’s theory of human caring to nursing scenario. Watson’s theory of human caring Introduction The nursing scenario involves Mr. Peter, aged 65 years who is admitted in a hospital with severe depression. His wife died 6 months ago, aged at 55 years and his children are living miles away. Mr. Peter was diagnosed with prostate cancer few years ago and has a leg injury that he sustained after he was involved in a car accident during his teenage years. He is not used to quad cane that his children brought for him. Although prostate cancer has been managed for some time, his eating habits have gradually changed and his children have noticed signs of behavioral changes such as lack of sleep, poor eating habits, locking all bedrooms and cabinets in the house. In addition, Mr. Peter is ever complaining about his finances. I the above nursing scenario, Watson’s theory of human caring is useful in enhancing the patient nursing care (George, 2002). The theory assumes that caring is only practiced interpersonally and human caring entails certain curative factors that ultimately lead to human needs’ satisfaction (Daniels, 2004). Accordingly, caring practice is central to nursing practice since it promotes the health and individual growth (Watson, 1999). The theory is based on ten carative factors that include the formation of humanistic-altruistic value system, installation of faith and hope, and promotion of interpersonal teaching (Daniels, 2004). Accordingly, it entails cultivation of sensitivity to others and development of trust relationships with patients. In addition, the carative factors entails acceptance of both positive and negative feelings, assistance with the gratification of human needs, and use of scientific methods in decision making (George, 2002). Accordingly, the theory ent ails allowance for existential-phenomenological factors and providing a supportive and protective environment that enhances the physical, social and spiritual development of the nursing patient (George, 2002). The theory can be used in nursing care since it entails enabling hope and faith and being sensitive to others through cultivating patient’s own individual practices (Daniels, 2004). Accordingly, the nurse and patient development loving, trustful and caring relationships that enable the patient to express both negative and positive feelings freely (Watson, 1999). Watson’s theory entails formation of the humanistic-altruistic value system that entails kindness and caring consciousness (Daniels, 2004). In this regard, the nurse reviews the values development between the interaction of the patient and the parents, the values developed through life experiences and values that promote altruistic behaviors towards others. Accordingly, faith-hope is critical in curative and carative processes since the nurse promotes a sense of well-being through highlighting beliefs that are meaningful to the patient (Wills and McEwen, 2002). The third carative factor entails cultivation of sensitivity towards others thus the nurse develops own feelings towards others especially feelings that encourage self-growth and actualization of the patients (Watson, 1999). In this regard, the nurse will promote higher well-being if only he or she establishes person-to-person relationship with the client (Daniels, 2004). The theory also entails the establishment of helpful and trust relationships through constant rapport and efficient communication with the patient. In this regard, empathy and non-verbal communication must be entail empathetic

PRODUCTION AND COST Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PRODUCTION AND COST - Term Paper Example ystems continue to drive costs of cross-border flows down, local and national economies continue to integrate, gradually or in shocks, into global economy. Clearly, present increasing integration into global economy in developing and developed nations alike is not a simple and direct result of communication and technological advances. This is, rather, a complex mosaic shaped by processes, institutions, and, more significantly, players. In present argument, a statement is made about globalization as a historical process which has immensely shaped international trade and global economy. Globalization is first discussed as an integrating process for national economies, leading to further integration of world’s economy as a whole. Then, a discussion of wider implications for globalization follows. Yet, since processes are not independent but are created, driven, or motivated via institutions and governing laws and rules, significance of international law, more specifically international economic law, is explored. Rules, laws, and regulations of World Trade Organization (WTO), as a unique international trade body, are given particular focus. [T]he process of greater interdependence among countries and their citizens. It consists of increased integration of product and resource markets across nations via, trade, immigration, and foreign investment – that is, via international flows of goods and services, of people, and of investment such as equipment, factories, stocks, and bonds. It also includes noneconomic elements such as culture and the environment. Simply put, globalization is political, technological, and cultural, as well as economic. (Carbaugh 2) As such, globalization accounts for increasing integration of national economies and, further still, for greater efficiencies in production as more and more jobs are outsourced globally (Carbaugh 6) and as more products are increasingly manufactured abroad (Carbaugh 14) for a host of reasons, not least lower

Read a case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Read a - Case Study Example The objective was to encourage as many people as possible to refer their friends and family such that they could have a significant number of free customers. They were hoping that since on average 20 percent of free customers turn premium, they could increase the potential customer base. The method was immensely successful in and in 2010; there was an increase 2.8 users who were referred by the 4 million paying customers. It is approximated that the Dropbox accounts each yielded a 12% referral rate, which was likely understated given the fact that many people target even non-acquaintances. In 2013, the company’s conversion from free to premise rose from 1.4 to 4%, which boosted the revenue to between $200 and $240 million dollars of annual income. The success rate was so high that other internet firms began to copy the freemium model as a way to get new clients without significant cost in their marketing budget. Another positive impact of the strategy was that it was copied by other firms outside the cloud storage business with the 100 top rating apps in Apple store using it in 2013. While there are no precise figures for how many of the firms using the technology were successful, there is no doubt that many of those that did have substantively grown their cu stomer base. In fact, the model was so successful that some firms like Spotify, an online radio channel had a conversion rate of 20%. There were nevertheless some disadvantage to this strategy; some of the companies that tried to model it ended up going bankrupt since the bulk of their clients did not convert to the premium service. In addition, given that Dropbox’s clients were mostly free, it means that much of their attention had to go to them while they may have been better off servicing the paying ones. Moving forward, it is hard to determine if the company can expect to make any more progress from the method since the firm is already a market giant and

Constructivism and social constructivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Constructivism and social constructivism - Essay Example Based on theoretical approaches that work on the basics resultant from studies and observations, constructivists believe novel concepts of knowledge are acquired (Philips, 2000). Through constant encounters with new channels of knowledge, learners are able to not only alter what they know, but also modify what they have also learnt in the previous classroom settings. In relation to this aspect, the educators must ensure that they ask learners questions on what they had previously be taught, so as to refresh their memories and assess the levels of understanding for these learners. Through weighing this kind of information, the educators are able to understand what areas to improve on the learners. In the case of early year's education, constructivism can be applied when the educators attempt to make sure that the learners answer questions relating to their environment, based on the practical lessons that they had gone through in the course of the week or the previous lessons. Exposure to the real world is vital in the early childhood education since the learners have to have a one on one touch with reality. Subjection to theoretical exams based on the practical given in the learning environment. Through this, the learners are able to relate concepts taught in the past, apply them in the present, and preserve the new information for the future. This is an elucidation of the fact that learning is a step by step process of building up information, based on reflection of the past experiences.

Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Marketing Management - Essay Example The company employs about 55,000 people in over 200 countries around the world. In India, Cadbury has been operating for more than 55 years as Cadbury’s India, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cadbury’s Schweppes. It has been ranked 5th in he FMCG sector in a survey conducted by Business World magazine (Scribd, 2009) In India, the company caters to three main segments: 1. Chocolates – Cadbury’s are the market leaders in India in this segment with over 70% market share. The leading brands in this category include the Dairy Milk, Crackle, Fruit & Nut, Temptations, 5 Star, Perk & Celebration Gift Boxes. The company has been able to change the cultural habits of the Indian that has traditional not eaten chocolates (Leahy, 2009). While the company has about 70% share of the chocolates market and about 15% of the food drinks market in India, as far as the sugar confectionery is concerned, Cadbury’s share is a mere 4% share in this category (Value Notes 2009). The sugar confectionery category contributes mere 12% to the company’s revenue and the company is not expecting any major success in the short run. Competitive brands such as Hershey’s of the US are tying up with well known brands such as Godrej in India (Gopalan, 2007). This would give tough competition to Cadbury’s. This report would evaluate the marketing mix of Cadbury’s in India and recommend the marketing mix to augment the sales of sugar confectionery in the Indian market. The confectionery industry is highly competitive in any market and each company has to compete with many multi-national, regional and national brands (Scribd, 2009). Competition revolves around taste, quality, price, packaging and advertising and promotional programs. Globally the chocolate confectionery market is very strong but the sugar confectionary market is fragmented. The Indian sugar confectionery market includes products such as sweets, jellies and

A Concise History of Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Concise History of Latin America - Essay Example The term Latin America was first used during the 19th century as a way of reaching a compromise. The Latin America region consisted of all the countries that were colonized by the Spanish administrators and authorities; the only exception of these large parts is Brazil because it was colonized by Portugal. The term came into force when almost all the regions that lie south of North America started using Spanish or Portuguese as their official languages. The settlement of Spanish administrators was preceded by the voyages of Columbus who discovered the new land as part exploration and conquest. His made the Spanish monarch at the time to struggle in an effort to seize its newfound opportunities. By 1500, the Spanish had explored the entire region that spans the Caribbean shore. After the 14th century, the speed of the Spanish conquest, expansion and consolidation was fast considering the vastness of the region. By the year 1516 all, the islands of the Caribbean were under Spanish admi nistration, therefore, acting as the launchpad for further expansion in the region (Rosenthal 78). Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Latin American democracies, flourished, economies grew, and republics were established. This paper focuses on the political, social and economic transformations that were characterized in Latin America during the 19th century. The paper seeks to highlight the formation of republics that ended the imperial rule of monarchies across the region (Holloway 89).The early years of the 19th century witnessed a period of radical transformations on the Spanish dominated territory of Latin America. Latin America was characterized by monarchies that collapsed as republics started being formed. The regimes that were in power became disregarded or dismembered as colonial Latin America split into numerous parts. This split was followed by revolutions that established new politics and [political territories.

Business Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Management - Essay Example The discount products of large retailers like ASDA and Wal-Mart’s etc are also alluring this segment. The competition is growing along with the growth of various consumer segments. The intensified competition also puts a pressure on the players to offer the customers from every window to sale or market their products and services. The paper covers literature review of the Retail Clothing Sector. The organisation studied for this purpose is asos.com. Various factors of the growing online fashion retailing have been covered in this study. Retailing sector particularly Fashion retailing has attracted attention of various researchers and scholars. Studies have covered various aspects of retailing from organisation structures to advent of technology within this sector and its impact on overall industry. Davies 1993; McGoldrick 1990 state (as cited in Gillooley and Varley, 2001 pg. 7) According to Gillooley and Varley (2001 pg.7-20) emphasis is on the role of technology, technologist in clothing industry and distribution system. They feel that the dominance of manufacturers brands and the emphasis on product/price promotions is higher in retail clothing industry as compared to food or other retailing. Retailers are often classified on the basis of amount of service they offer, depth and breadth of the products and services, relative price changes and their organisation structure Retailer may offer self, limited or full service to the customer. Based on category these can be classified as Specialty stores, Department stores, Supermarket, Convenience stores, Superstores and category killers. The latest concept is online retailing or e-tailing that has replaced the need of personal visit, bricks and mortar to a certain extent. Due to the increase in the number of Internet users the traffic towards online marketing is increasing. This is due to two major factors. One that consumer wants conveniences in terms of effort, money spend and quality assurance and the

Basketball and Favorite Club Essay Example for Free

Basketball and Favorite Club Essay Club My favorite club is the FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America). It really is a nice experience to help others and give advice. I like being in a club that is dedicated to helping others. We also go on field trips which are pretty fun. It gives us a chance to have a good time with friends. The FCCLA is hands down my favorite club. When we get to help others it really makes me proud. We took a trip to an elementary school and read to some kids. The kids really enjoyed us coming. We read to them and helped them with arts and craft. We also helped the needy by giving them canned goods. FCCLa gives us a good chance to show our caring side. Field trips are another reason The FCCLa is my favorite club. This year we have a chance to go to King Dominion. I have only been once, and Im really looking forward to going. They give us chances to do fundraising to reduce the price, which really helps us. We also have a chance to go to a basketball game. IVe always wanted to go to an NBA game, but I never had a chance. All these reasons make the FCCLA my favorite club. The fccla helps us grow as a person, unlike some other clubs. Giving us situations to help others and providing for those in need. There is no other club that does that. This makes me proud to be in the FCCLa.

Los Angeles Lakers: A history

Los Angeles Lakers: A history The Lakers were founded in 1948 and named after Minnesota. They were named after Minnesota because it was the land of ten thousand lakes. The Lakers have become a great franchise because of their player and their great sportsmanship. Pro Basketball has been around since 1898, only seven years after the game was invented. The Lakers hired John Kundla as their first coach from Saint Thomas College. The Lakers then won the 1948 NBL Championship. The next year the team moved to BAA (which is another basketball league) and also won the Championship. In 1979 they moved to California. The old Lakers owner traded the team, The Forum and the Kings to Jerry Buss for a 70 million dollar deal. After the purchase, Jerry Buss wanted the Laker games to be the most exciting event in Los Angeles, so he introduced the Laker girls dance team. This attracted many viewers. In their half century of basketball, the Lakers have had many outstanding players and many memorable games. This has made many Los Angeles residences die hard fans. Their team colors are, purple gold and white. They have played in many world wide arenas. The following arenas are, Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis Armory, L.A. Memorial Sports Arena and the Los Angeles Forum. The Lakers currently play at the Staple Center located in down town Los Angeles. Which can hold up to18,997 people per game. The NBA was formed in 1949 and the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers is Phil Jackson. The Lakers have 14 championships, 29 conference titles and 28 division titles. They are currently in the Pacific Division, also in the Western conference. The Lakers are currently in the NBA finals vs the Boston Celtics. Some of the Lakers best memories began on, November 5th when the Lakers beat Baltimore and went onto winning 32 more games in a row. They lost their first game on January 9th to the Milwaukee Bucks ending their 32 game winning streak. In one of the many playoff games. In the playoffs the Lakers swept the Bulls. In the finals the Lakers played the Knicks. New York won the first game but that was it. The Lakers reeled off 4 straight victory wins. In 2000, 2001 and 2002 the Lakers wons back to back Championships. The Laker bacame the NBAs first Champions in the 1949 -50 season. In 1984 through 1985 Lakers finally beat the Boston Celtics in the finals. Over the years the Lakers have had many all star players on the team. The Lakers have one of the most exciting players, who is known as now MVP player Kobe Bryant. Bryant rose to national prominence in 1996 when he became the first guard in league history to be drafted out of high school. Bryant and then-teammate Shaquille ONeal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Since ONeals departure following the 2003-04 season, Bryant has become the cornerstone of the Lakers franchise, and was the NBAs leading scorer during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. In 2006, Bryant scored a career high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest number of points scored in NBA history. He was awarded the seasons MVP in the 2007-08 NBA season after leading his team to the 2008 NBA Playoffs as the first seed in the Western Conference. In 2003, Bryant made headlines when he was accused of sexual assault at a ski resort in Eagle, Colorado by a hotel employee. Bryant admitted an adulterous sexual encounter with the accuser, but denied the sexual assault allegation. In September 2004, prosecutors dropped the case after his accuser informed them that she was unwilling to testify. Bryants accuser brought a separate civil suit against him that was ultimately settled out of court. Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006-07 NBA season. Bryants first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33. After the Lakers season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers. During the 2006-07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy. Here are some of the well known players in the Laker history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlin, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Jerry West. Jerry West became the only player in the NBA on the loosing team of the finals to win the MVP award. This is to show you how good the players were on the team, even though they lost. Jerry West picture is the NBA logo. It was taken when he was in college. The Los Angles Lakers are the 2nd most valuable team in the U.S.A., valued at 568 million dollars. They also have the 2nd most Championship following Boston. The Lakers are notable for having (at the end of the 2005-06) the most wins (2,905), the highest winning percentage (61.5%), the most finals appearances (28) of any NBA franchise, Lakers are still continuing their legacy and keeping their fans happy and proud. Im proud to say that Im a die hard Laker fan. Sources www.wikipedia.org The Los Angeles Lakers Basketball Team By William W. Lace www.nba.com/lakers/history/history.html#36

Free College Admissions Essays: Passion for Economics :: College Admissions Essays

My Passion for Economics    The crucial importance and relevance of economics related disciplines to the modern world have led me to want to pursue the study of these social sciences at a higher level. My study of Economics has shown me the fundamental part it plays in our lives and I would like to approach it with an open mind - interested but not yet fully informed.    Having spent half of my life in India I have direct experience of two very different lifestyles making me more eager and enthusiastic to investigate other ways of life from a macro perspective. After completing my A-Levels, I hope to travel to Germany with a few friends in order to find out more of this culture and improve my German. Due to my different experiences, I am multilingual and can speak fluent Hindi and Gujarati.    In the Sixth Form, I regularly attend the school Debating Society, where I jointly hold the senior most position and organize many school charity events in my Senior Prefect role of Charities Coordinator. In the past, this has included raising nearly  £3000 on the behalf of an Indian Cultural Society Fashion Show for the Indian earthquake. I was involved in the establishing of the first ever Student School Council in which I was Year Representative.    Last year, I was involved in designing a roof for a proposed Tate Modern extension in a project sponsored by architecture firm Ove Arup. For this, I gained a Crest 'Gold' Award but more importantly the opportunity to investigate something from a technical point of view, thus branching away from my mainly unscientific subject base.    The demanding nature of the work has given me an added sense of responsibility but also of pride, fulfilment, and greater appreciation for hard work, ultimately making me more mature and dependable.    My other hobbies are equally varied, including Badminton, Club Cricket, and helping in the production of plays such as Bugsy Malone and The Threepenny Opera at school. Thanks to my love of reading, I have in the past written book reviews for The Asian Age newspaper.    I take pride in and put effort into all my work, whether academic or not.

jurassic park :: essays research papers

Iteration Seven & Epilogue Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malcolm and Hammond engage in an argument. Hammond is relieved that the animals did not get free and overrun the world. Malcolm says that the world cannot be destroyed. It will always survive whatever disasters take place. The park seem finally to have been brought under control. There are now fewer animals, because some have been killed by other animals. Since the fences were down for so long, all the animals have mingled. Grant and Muldoon decide to search for the animal nests, especially the raptor nests. They have to account for every animal born on the island before they let the Costa Rican National Guard destroy the entire place. Grant explains the mystery of how the dinosaurs were able to breed. Under certain conditions frogs can change sex, and the dinosaurs all have frog DNA.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Malcolm is going into a coma, and Hammond blames everyones else for the failures of the park. Hammond is met by a juvenile tyrannosaur. He tries to run away, but falls down in a stream. It appears that he broke his ankle. Ellie and Gennaro join grant in the dinosaur nest and hide behind some boxes. They see two adult raptors and some babies. Grant concludes that there are thirty-four raptors have been born. Ellie notices theat when the raptors stand still they all face a certain direction. She thinks that it is some kind of ritual. Grant thinks that it is a form of communication.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hammond tries to climb the hill. He is tired, dizzy, and in pain. He sees some compys approaching. He tries throwing rocks at them to ward them off, which only works for a while. The compys soon attack him, poisoning him with their bites. Hammond feels relaxed and peaceful when he dies. Grant and the others watch the raptors on the edge of a swamp, near the beach that looks out onto the Pacific Ocean. They are all lined up together, starring south. A ship appears from the south and the animals watch it. Grant observes how they all behave as a group, and decides that they are organized around a matriarchal pecking order. He concludes that they are starring at the ocean because they want to migrate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Grant, Ellie and Gennaro are picked up by a helicopter.

Contrasting the Court of Miracles and Notre-Dame Essay -- comparison c

Contrasting the Court of Miracles and Notre-Dame "No one had yet remarked, in the gallery of royal statues..., a strange looking specter who until then had been observing all that passed... All at once, at the moment that the chief executer's two assistants were preparing to execute,... he strided up to the two sub-executioners, knocked them down, carried off the gipsy girl, and leapt at one bound into the church, lifting the girl above his head and cried out in a formidable voice, 'Sanctuary!'" Notre-Dame, an intimidating edifice in the heart of fifteenth century Paris, bears many different faces for those residing in and near it. Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer dwells in the church after being adopted by the archdeacon, Claude Frollo, when the hunchback was an infant. The empathetic monster lives in complete servitude to Frollo, his savior, and spends his days ringing his beloved bells which repay his altruism by causing him to go deaf. The highly adept archdeacon, Claude Frollo, also resides within the walls of Notre-Dame, and after filling his head with every piece of knowledge he can find, he begins to dedicate his life to alchemy. The two men, besides their relationship and common habitat, have one other item in common. They both have fallen in love with La Esmeralda, a compassionate, orphaned gipsy girl who earns her living on the streets with her fluid dancing and droll tricks her goat, and best friend, Djali performs. Quasimodo's love is pure and fresh and he lives in awe of La Esmeralda after she offers him a drink of water when the townspeople deny him this request while he is being tortured as punishment for the sole crime of being deaf and not understanding the judge. Frollo's... ...ts walls are not as strong as the building. The archdeacon, Claude Frollo, a holy man, gives way to the sin of the flesh and tries to rape as well as kill La Esmeralda. Phoebus, a man who worships God within it's walls, single-handedly could save La Esmeralda's life, but chooses not to because of his own vanity. The entire town closes its eyes to the truth, and condemns an innocent girl to death without any proof, just for the fact that she is different from them. The structures of the Court of Miracles and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame are very different structures. Notre-Dame is a symbol of strength and God while the Court of Miracles represents the filth of the Earth. Yet, as Hugo's theme suggests, one cannot judge places, or men, by their appearances and the Court of Miracles proves to be the stronghold, while Notre-Dame houses the iniquity of the city.

Health and social unit Essay

Outcome 1 – understand the importance of equality and inclusion 1.1 Diversity- Diversity literally means difference. Diversity recognises that though people have things in common with each other, they are also different and unique in many ways. Diversity is about recognising and valuing those differences. Diversity therefore consists of visible and non-visible factors, which include personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality and work-style in addition to the characteristics that are protected under discrimination legislation in terms of race, disability, gender, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. Equality- Equality means treating people in a way that is appropriate for their needs. For example, if someone with a disability wanted to board the plane and was in a wheelchair, it would be no good saying to them, â€Å"you have to take the stairs like everybody else†. What is needed is a way of getting on the plane that will suit everybody’s needs without showing them up and treating them in a way that is worse than other people. Inclusion- Inclusion is about equal opportunities for all pupils, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment and background. It pays particular attention to the provision made for, and the achievement of, different groups of pupils within a school. Discrimination- Giving preference over one kind of people over another because of race, color, creed, national origin, disability, sexual preference, age, maritial status, looks, etc. 1.2 In a work place discriminatin can diliberatly occur, I.E for example if you celebrate christmas and make everyone get involved with secret santa or christmas gifts but not everyone may not celebrate christmas some may have differant religions and beliefs,this is why you should see things with an  open mind and not discriminate anyone just because of your own beliefs. 1.3 By supporting a person’s equality you are treating them as equal and including them in all activities, you will be reducing the likelihood of discrimination Outcome 2 2.1 Equality Act Humans Rights Act GSCC = The General Social Care Council.

Ethnography Essay

The late night diner is one of the many staples of urban areas – they act as beacons to all those with no place better to be. Whether the bar has long since closed, or staying home just isn’t an option any more, 24 hour eateries are the place to be when all else fails. I recently made an educational trip to a 24 hour IHOP for some middle of the night hash-browns and ethnographic field notes. I was escorted to one of the largest tables in the room by a tired looking but albeit enthusiastic young man, and was surprised by how many people were actually there. It was three in the morning, so I’d half expected to not see a soul, but there were always at least four tables being served. Among the clientele was a couple; a group of hoodlums whom I could only guess had been band geeks in another life; and, my personal favorite, a group of middle aged drunken sushi connoisseurs. Being seated closest to the sushi lovers, I got to eavesdrop on their conversations – and creepily bond with them, unbeknownst to them. Unsurprisingly, almost everyone in the room was varying shades of inebriated. The conversation was fairly educational in the sense that they were all very proud of their sexual endeavors and had decided to meticulously compare notes. They were surprisingly comfortable with themselves, as well as those within ear shot. It was sort of a contagious comfortable-ness – there was almost a community in the grungy little IHOP. Every one there had probably been kicked out of somewhere else because of closing time, or discontentment – all of us came together not only for diner eggs and pancakes, but for a place to be. Closing time had become the great equalizer, bringing people from all walks of life – from star crossed lovers to raucous sushi lovers – into their local IHOP, more for a place to be than anything else. Many forces were at work in that IHOP. The waiters were trying to make as much as they could off of tips, iHop stayed open late to facilitate all those who just weren’t ready to go home yet during the witching hour, and the establishment’s patrons were filling many societal expectations. All of these worked together to create a very different aesthetic than one would see in the daylight. People were more uninhibited because of the late hour and whatever they’d been a part of earlier, yet certain societal standards and ideals were being held up – while others, such as quietness, were generally thrown to the wind. Meanwhile, my incredibly exhausted waiter worked to be as professional as possible while exerting the least amount of work possible – granted, that isn’t necessarily that different from the daytime. This reflected the corporate values of IHOP that were at play. It caters to a very specific demographic – the less wealthy, and very hungry. IHOP is also one of the only places in its suburban zip code that offers 24-hour service. Which, I admittedly found surprising – I would have assumed there would be more places to go in the middle of the night, but realized very early into my pre-dawn adventure that there wasn’t much for one to do past midnight. This proves not only that nothing good happens after 2am, but also that nothing interesting will happen either. IHOP was the only place with its doors open after last call, after the kitchens had closed, and after the kids still couldn’t head home but had to something anyways. It’s interesting how so few places were there for the people who weren’t ready to head home for the night – and how many people stubbornly refused to go home. All the factors played together to set the scene for a bad Romantic Comedy (which undoubtedly could have been playing itself out in the corner booth, where the very young and very passionate couple were paying more attention to themselves than to their pancakes. All of the behaviors in the restaurant came together to form a cultural idea of the late night scene that one might get from the movies. People were far more uninhibited whether from lack of sleep, or intoxication, but they all still played their roles in the scene. There was a delicate balance between outlandish behavior and the rules of interaction between wait-staff and customers at play. Multiple expectations came together to form a very unique dynamic. It is worth saying that people were in the IHOP at that ungodly hour to be seen. They at least subconsciously knew that they were performers in very large scale production, and decided to stay out because of their role in social norms. They chose not to hide away in their homes until dawn, because someone needed to uphold the night owl character. Mumford argues in What is a City? That the city requires and creates drama, unlike the suburbs – which is interesting in regards to the very slim options one has in the suburbs past midnight beyond just going home. The percent of the population who want drama and tension (which in this sense are played out through late night excursions) is far lower in the suburbs, not because of the difference between structures in the city and the suburbs but because of the difference in mindset between these two areas (which also yielded the different structures). The characters in the story at hand are therefore outliers, in a sense. They seek out an experience that one generally only sees –though is not exclusively- in the city, and have a more unique experience because of it. There was a surprising amount of diversity in the demographics that night (really, no matter what tax bracket you’re in, you’re not going to find a place open in Aurora at 3am beyond Wal-Mart and the very occasional late night eatery), which created even more forces at play in the room. With every now demographic came a new set of ideas that were being prescribed to and upheld. Many sponsors played into the behavior of the performers. Societies’ concept of morality is a very large factor here. Many of the patrons had ducked in to iHop as a way to pass the time while sobering up and moving on with their life – which was caused by society’s laws and idea of moral behavior. While having a night out, they also were influenced not only by their preconceived notion of behavior that one is to have in the night, but also by the behavior that is not acceptable in society generally. Being overly drunk in public is generally frowned upon, as well as driving under the influence, which explains why many people ducked in to the restaurant – it was the best place to go so their night out wouldn’t have to end, but so they could also start to sober up. A variety of laws are in place that work to discourage public intoxication and bad behavior that might happen during intoxication, but there are at the same time a plethora of ideas at play constructed by the media about youth and the role of alcohol and late nights into the youth culture. It all plays into an equilibrium between two different sets of expectations and guidelines for behavior. The economy is also a sponsor of the performance. It is in the economy’s best interest that every performer takes on the role of the consumer, and consumerism is marketed from every angle possible so that every person will feel the need to participate. The need to stay out and continue the adventure is an idea partly concocted by the economy and media to influence people to connect the idea of leading an interesting life with products and experiences that can be profited off of. By staying open all night, IHOP offers an experience to a select group of customers, who for whatever reason need to stay up late and have eggs and coffee. Performers, for a variety of reasons, all take part in consumerism as a means to the experience of staying out late, or getting away from something. The late night patronage of IHOP is indicative of much larger forces and ideas that influence society as a whole. Customers from all walks of life participate in a late night performance that reveals influences from the economy and society as a whole. Each performer has a different reason for being there but plays into the greater whole of societal norms and expectations. A suburban 24 hour restaurant seems at first like an unlikely place for big ideas to be at play – especially when the place is sort of dead, and the customers look worn-out and inebriated, but every component of the large whole has meaning in its own way – and is essential for the bigger picture to exist.

Hum Week

It also states that from 2002 to 2011 Divergence had approximately $250,000 charged to his arsenal credit card, which was paid with the campaign account, but never gave any explanation as to what the charges were for. The strategy for applying creativity that would best be used for this issue would be to devise or modify a process or system. Apparently, the laws that are in place for this matter are not specific enough, and there is a lack of enforcement.These laws need to be modified to make their requirements more detailed, and there needs to be improvement of the enforcement of these laws. ) How might you use the strategies for promoting curiosity In addressing this topic? Why do you think these strategies might be effective? In order to promote curiosity in addressing this topic I think that the best thing to do would be to get more people involved in the process of change. When doing this, opinions can be heard and used to heighten the levels of curiosity. By allowing more peopl e to be involved, it will bring better solutions as well.I feel this strategy would be very effective, because the most effective way to promote curiosity and devise a new yester of laws to avoid any further discrepancies would be with questions. The answers to these questions will provide better Ideas for the changes that are needed. It will also provide ways to change the way the laws are enforced. In my opinion, If the penalties for breaking the laws became stricter, there would be less of a chance that the laws would be broken. A possible solution could be to employ unbiased workers to keep track of what Is being spent and why It Is being spent. ) How might you use the various methods for producing Ideas to eliminate the blabs from the original article and still present a factual and persuasive case? Using the various methods for producing Ideas can eliminate the blabs direction In this article by using forced uncommon responses, using free association, and constructing pro and con arguments. By using forced uncommon responses, the common and familiar (bias) Ideas can be avoided or dismissed. This will give way for the more open minded (non-blabs) Ideas. The use of free association will allow for a more relaxed and controlled responses.Constructing pro and con arguments can be done, but only tit the safeguard of going out of your way to construct arguments and Ideas that can malignant a neutral outlook. It Is very Important to always keep In mind that there Is more than one side to the Issue or problem. Both sides need to have the same attention In order to come up with the most effective solution. Having biased opinions and Ideas will only add to the problem, and make the solution more difficult to achieve. BY Hottentots Essex County Executive, Joe Divergence, was using his campaign funds to pay for of these laws. How might you use the strategies for promoting curiosity in answers to these questions will provide better ideas for the changes that are neede d. It will also provide ways to change the way the laws are enforced. In my opinion, if workers to keep track of what is being spent and why it is being spent. 3) How might you use the various methods for producing ideas to eliminate the bias from the methods for producing ideas can eliminate the bias direction in this article by using ideas can be avoided or dismissed.This will give way for the more open minded (non-bias) ideas. The use of free association will allow for a more relaxed and with the safeguard of going out of your way to construct arguments and ideas that can maintain a neutral outlook. It is very important to always keep in mind that there is more than one side to the issue or problem. Both sides need to have the same attention in order to come up with the most effective solution. Having biased opinions and ideas will only add to the problem, and make the solution more difficult

Film Analysis – Blade Runner

MAC 170: INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDIES ASSIGNMENT ONE – FILM ANALYSIS FILM CHOSEN: Blade Runner (1982) EXTRACT: INT – Sebastian’s Building, starting with the shot of Deckard climbing up the wall. Duration: 9 minutes (Chapter 30, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, 2007) The following essay will be a close analysis of an extract from the 1982 film Blade Runner, which was directed by Ridley Scott. Blade Runner is a science-fiction film based on the book ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ which was written by Phillip K. Dick.This essay will also explore how Ridley Scott’s use of mise en scene and editing in Blade Runner can exhibit him as an auteur. An ‘auteur’ is known as the ‘author’ of the film; a director that uses recognisable and similar traits and themes throughout a number of their films. The ‘auteur’ was created through the ‘auteur’ theory, which argues that the director is the most importan t person behind making a film. It was first established by an establishment of film makers in 1950’s Paris. Some of these film makers were Francois Trauffaut, Jean Luc-Goddard and Jacques Rivette.They were angered by a critical establishment in France that lauded a film’s fidelity to a screenplay or novel and regarded the film director as merely a translator of material from the verbal medium to the cinematic. For this view Trauffaut and company substituted a notion of personal cinema – a cinema in which the director, not the screenwriter, could be seen as the controlling force behind the film. (Allen & Gomery, 1985: 71-72) This quote explains how the auteur theory was established, and how Trauffaut created la politique des auteurs, which is a policy in which the director is the main creative force when making a film.Ridley Scott can be classed as an auteur for his repeated use of strong female characters, which are present both in Blade Runner, Alien (1979) and Thelma & Louise (1991), the future and the unknown, and the ‘created’ human. This essay will explore these points using the close analysis of Blade Runner, whilst also comparing Blade Runner to Alien. Ridley Scott can be classed as an auteur for his use of setting in his films; he tends to create a post-apocalyptic setting, mainly set in the ot-so-distant future. This can be seen in the extract of Blade Runner, from the wide angle, long shot of Deckard on the roof. The tall buildings, which are close together, help to connote an industrialised city, and the lack of organic matter helps to show the futuristic world as very bleak, old and dirty. The use of space surrounding Deckard when he is hanging from the roof help to establish that the city lacks people and is very de-humanised and an almost dystopia, which is very similar to Alien.Alien and Blade Runner warn us against a capitalist future gone wrong, where such feelings and bonds are so severely truncated that a qu ite literal dehumanization has become perhaps the gravest danger. (Byers, 1990: 39) This dehumanization feature which Ridley Scott has placed into both Blade Runner and Alien gives both films a sense of fear to the audience when both films were first released, that the possibility of the earth being dehumanized is quite great.The shot of Deckard hanging from the roof also shows how high the building is, with the audience barely being able to see the floor, which helps to connote a sense of uncertainty from the audience, as they are unsure as to whether or not Deckard will fall. The use of rain in this scene is very powerful, as it makes the scene feel very depressive, creating a bleak aspect to the film whilst also creating a ‘bad feeling’ for the audience, as it connotes to the audience that something bad is going to happen.This helps to establish a bleak, industrialised future, a one in which there are little humans on earth in Blade Runner, similar to Alien which can help to describe Ridley Scott as an auteur. Ridley Scott can also be defined as an auteur for his use of strong and determined protagonists, especially in Blade Runner and Alien. In this scene extract, Deckard can be seen as a strong protagonist due to his determination to ‘retire’ Roy. This scene however, also shows the audience the similarities between Roy and Deckard.The cross cutting editing used at the start of the scene when both characters are dealing with their similar hand injuries helps to show the similarity between Roy and Deckard as they are both dealing with the same sort of pain. Deckard in this scene seems very determined to retire Roy, however when Roy does die, the audience seem to get the feeling that Deckard seems sad about this. The editing in this extract is quite slow at first, using long shots before cutting helping to create a slow pace to the scene.The extract then changes pace however, when Roy is ‘hunting’ Deckard, the editing b ecomes quite fast and rapid making it exciting for the audience to watch. The shot when Roy smashes his head through the wall helps to show the slow pace turning fast. The way the editing is quite slow and then there is a jolt – the point where Roy smashes his head through the wall – the editing then speeds up a little after this shot, until Roy’s death where the editing slows down rapidly, using slow-motion to evoke sadness from the audience.The Roy smashes his head through the wall helps to show a sense of power from Roy, which creates a sense of danger toward Deckard from the audience, making them feel like he is not safe. There are a lot of cross-cuts between Roy and Deckard, which helps the audience to see the similarities between the two characters, almost hinting that Deckard could be a replicants too. The fading between the dead Roy and Deckard, and the use of close ups on Deckard’s sad face makes the audience feel quite sad too.In this scene we l earn that Roy just wanted to live and not be a ‘slave’ which creates empathy from the audience. The significance of the dove which is released when Roy dies connotes that the bird was almost a representation of Roy – and the shot of the bird flying away is a symbol of Roy finally being ‘free’ which leaves the audience feeling sad and almost regretful that they saw Roy as the villain, especially when we see him jumping in and out of the shadows at the beginning of the scene, as if this was almost a game to him.In this scene, Roy can be seen as the anti-hero. The use of lighting surrounding Roy when he has died makes him appear almost god-like, signifying him as powerful, which he has been throughout this scene. The long shot of Roy and Deckard, when Roy has just pulled the dangling Deckard from the roof to safety signifying that Roy can be seen as an anti-hero, connotes that Roy has more power over Deckard. The way Deckard is lying on the floor at Roy ’s feet shows Deckard in a submissive way, that human’s are powerless against replicants.The close up, low angle on Roy’s face after this, makes the audience feel quite scared of Roy. His eyes are big, almost ‘crazy’ and the way Pris’ blood is running down his face make the audience feel scared of Roy. Ridley Scott’s lack of lighting in this extract can help to identify Ridley Scott as an auteur, as he also uses a lack of lighting in Alien. The shot of Roy behind the barbed wire, almost signifying a caged animal which replicants have shown similarities to throughout the film, creates a sense of fear and uncertainty for the audience.The way the light is shining behind him creating a lot of shadows, makes Roy seem a little mysterious as the audience are uncertain as to what is going to happen next. The way the lighting throughout the extract creates a lot of shadows, making the extract feel bleak and dark, creating almost a Film Noir fee l to the film, creates a bleak, and dark feel for the audience. Throughout the extract, the only lighting we see is artificial, as the only light comes from lamps, bright lights from a ‘Spinner’ advertising the new world or bright neon billboard’s which helps to give the film an artificial and futuristic tone.Ridley Scott’s use of dark colours in this scene, such as grey, black and blue, creates a sinister feel to the scene making the audience know something bad is going to happen. This is similar to Alien, as all the lighting in that film is artificial too, coming from the lights from the ship, and the 1984 Mac advert which Ridley Scott directed, can define him as an auteur. The way Ridley Scott continually uses similar features and themes among his films helps to exhibit him as an auteur.Blade Runner and Alien are very similar in terms of editing and mise en scene, the use of this in Blade Runner helps to establish Ridley Scott as an auteur as he uses th ese themes and effects in many more of his films. Word Count: 1505/1602 Bibliography Allen, R. C. & Gomery, D. (1985) Film History: Theory and Practice, McGraw Hill Byers, Thomas B. (1990) ‘Commodity Futures’ in Kuhn, A. (ed. ) Alien Zone, Cultural Theory and Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema, London: Verso. Caughie, J. (ed. ) (1981) Theories of Authorship, London: Routledge Nelmes, J. (ed. ) (2003) Introduction to Film Studies, London: Routledge

Library management system Essay

In one of the first papers on library management systems (LMS) in the UK to be published during the review period of 1991-2000, Arfield 1 describes how the changing economics of computing resulted in staff at Reading University Library wishing to move away from a system shared between various libraries to an integrated library management system under local control. Reading had been a member of the SWALCAP (originally standing for the South Western Academic Libraries Co-operative Automation Project) which had provided shared cataloguing and circulation services to a number of academic libraries in the UK since 1979. However, ageing equipment was becoming increasingly unreliable and staff at Reading felt that the SWALCAP service was unable to cope with the increasing number of terminals that were required for the users. This situation was replicated in other academic and public libraries at the start of the 1990s and many moved over, or migrated, to integrated library management systems (in Reading’s case the LIBS 100 system from CLSI was chosen). Jones 2, of the House of Lords Library, describes how the decline in the number of customers of the shared services resulted in the decision by SLS (SWALCAP Library Services) to withdraw this service. Following a study undertaken by an external consultant (when it was recommended that a multi-user integrated LMS be chosen) a decision was made to implement the ADVANCE system from the company Geac in the House of Lords. Another reason for libraries choosing to replace their LMS during this period was the fact that some LMSs were not designed to cop e with dates in the 2000s –i.e. they were not Year 2000 (or Y2K) compliant. Many of the integrated LMSs, such as CLSI’s LIBS 100 and Geac’s ADVANCE, were developed during the 1980s so that by the 1990s these comprised a number of modules to cover the general library housekeeping functions of: Cataloguing – creating records for material held in the collection Circulation – keeping track of who has what item from the collection on loan Providing access to the catalogue – via an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) Acquisitions – selecting and ordering items for the collection and maintaining the accounts Serials control –managing the acquisition of serial publications and so dealing with challenges such as claiming for missing issues. Interlibrary lending – to enable books and serials to be borrowed from different libraries. Most LMSs are now integrated, i.e.data is only held once by the system and is then used by all the modules and functions. This has an obvious benefit as a search of an OPAC can inform the user as to the number of copies of the title are held, where they are housed, as well as whether or not they are out on loan, and if so when they are likely to be returned. The libraries of the early 1990s, be they public, university, college, medical, government, legal, industrial, or school, dealt primarily with printed materials such as books, reports, scholarly journals and so on, as well as what were referred to as non-book materials, such as films, videos, tape-slide productions, CD-ROMs and so on. However, by the end of the 1990s the huge impact of the Internet and the World Wide Web meant that staff in libraries increasingly were involved in not just managing the collections housed physically within the four walls of their library building but were also involved in providing access to a vast range of digital information sources of potential relevance to their users which were housed outwith the library building. This mixture of providing access to print and digital collections caused some writers, e.g. Oppenheim and Smithson 3 , to refer to the development of the hybrid library. For staff working in libraries in the early 1990s the LMSs were, for many, their first experiences in using computers. By the end of the 1990s though, following much training in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as part of the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib) in the UK’s academic libraries (Rusbridge4) and the People’s Network in public libraries ( Library and Information Commission 5) staff became much more familiar with using computer systems. The functionality required by LMSs inevitably evolved during the 1990s and some suppliers kept pace with technological developments whereas others failed. Another development of the 1990s was that many smaller libraries were able to afford to buy LMSs as systems began to cost thousands (or in some cases hundreds) of pounds rather than hundreds of thousands of pounds. A number of books appeared during the decade providing, inter alia, advice to librarians involved in selecting and managing LMSs. Examples include Clayton with Batt6 , Harbour7, Rowley 8 9 and Tedd 10. Managing the Electronic Library 11 covers a wider area than LMS with 40 contributors, mainly from the UK academic community. The main theme of this book is change and how staff in university libraries were responding in the 1990s to the rapidly changing higher education system in the UK with its increasing student numbers and greater diversity and requirement for flexibility of access to information. For many libraries the challenge relating to LMS was not necessarily choosing a new system ‘from scratch’ but migrating from one system to another as described earlier. Muirhead’s book12 includes a number of case studies written by library staff from a range of different types of library describing their experiences in migration. Muirhead also edited the British version of a book13 on planning for library automation which was written in the US. Brief descriptions of some of the LMS available In this section brief descriptions will be given of some of the LMSs used in UK libraries between 1991 and 2000. Further details are provided in the excellent directory of 30 LMS compiled by Leeves with Russell 14 through funding from the British Library Research and Development Department (BLR&DD) under the auspices of the Library Information Technology Centre (LITC) at South Bank University in London. The LITC was a centre which, in 1991, moved from its former base at the Polytechnic of Central London to the then South Bank Polytechnic. LITC was funded by the BLR&DD to offer impartial advice on LMSs and general automation projects to librarians and information professionals. Staff at LITC were involved in a number of activities related to LMSs including the production of briefing documents, guides (e.g. 15 16) , introductory packs (e.g. for special sectors, such as school libraries17), providing consultancy advice to individual libraries choosing a new LMS, being involved in funded research work and publishing the journal Vine. The Leeves with Russell directory was based, in part, on an earlier directory (Leeves et al. 18) of some 29 LMS in Europe; of these over 50% referred to LMS used in UK libraries at that time. Other references to case studies describing particular implementations have, in the main, been taken from the journals Program: electronic library and information systems and Vine. ADLIB This LMS was initially developed in the 1980s by Lipman Management Resources of Maidenhead and in the 1990s was supplied by Adlib Information Systems. Leeves with Russell record 11 users of ADLIB in the mid-1990s most of which, ten, were special libraries. An example of a library and information service implementing ADLIB is provided by Wilsher19 who describes the decision made by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) to choose the catalogue, OPAC and acquisitions modules of this system to replace the previous BookshelF system used when ACAS was part of the UK government’s Department of Employment. ALEPH 500 Ex Libris developed its first LMS, the forerunner of the ALEPH 500 system, for the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in the 1980s and it became a popular system in Europe. The first customer for ALEPH 500 in the UK was King’s College London (KCL) which, in 1996, was looking for a new LMS to replace the soon to be defunct LIBERTAS system. Sudell and Robinson 20 describe that procurement process and explain how its use of industry standards (Unix, Oracle, Windows, SQL etc.) was one of the major reasons for its being chosen for King’s. Many other academic libraries followed KCL in choosing ALEPH 500 including Bristol, as described by King21. ALICE This LMS originated in Australia and was introduced into the UK market in 1992. It is primarily aimed at school libraries and has proved to be popular with Leeves with Russell recording some 320 users in special, college and prison libraries as well as in schools. Darroch 22 provides a brief description of the place of ALICE in the LMS marketplace in the late 1990s. ALS Automated Library Systems (ALS) is a British company that has been involved with computer-based library systems since the late 1960s when it developed a special device based on punched paper-tape for automatically recording details of books and borrowers at a library’s issue desk. During the 1990s the suppliers developed a version of the ALS System 900 which would run on open systems platforms (as opposed to the previous proprietary hardware and software solution) as well as dealing with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) developments in the acquisitions module. Ashton23 describes how EDI with ALS was used at Hertfordshire Libraries Arts and Information Service. BookshelF/Genesis BookshelF originated as a microcomputer-based software package developed in the 1980s for the Cairns Library at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. However, by the 1990s the multi-user system of BookshelF became known as Genesis and was marketed by the Specialist Computer Group (SCG). Rowley 24 describes how this LMS was one of the first to run as a Windows product with a graphical user interface (GUI). Further details of BookshelF are provided by Fisher and Rowley 25. Leeves with Russell report that takeup of this new LMS had been quite rapid during the early 1990s with there being 37 customers (mainly college or small academic) including both previous BookshelF customers which had upgraded to the new improved system as well as new customers. CAIRS-LMS The Computer Assisted Information Retrieval System (CAIRS) was initially developed as an inhouse information retrieval system for the Leatherhead Food Research Association in the mid-1970s. CAIRS-LMS was developed to complement this and was used by those libraries in the 1990s which typically had sophisticated information retrieval requirements and comparatively low numbers of loans. Perrow26 describes the upgrade from the microcomputer version of CAIRS (MicroCAIRS) to CAIRS-LMS at Templeton College. Leeves with Russell record 218 users of CAIRS-LMS, the vast majority of which were special libraries. Bennett and Tomlinson27 describe the use of the interlibrary loans module of CAIRS-LMS at the library of the Institutions of Electrical Engineers. DataTrek This LMS originated from software developed in the US but by the 1990s some UK special libraries were using it. Hoey28, for instance, describes its implementation at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). As similar learned societies, the RSC had been using online information retrieval system since the 1980s and by the 1990s realised the need for a complementary LMS. In 1996 DataTrek, by then part of the Dawson Holdings group, acquired Information Management and Engineering (IME) the producers of the Tinlib software. Dynix/ Horizon The history of Dynix up to the early 1990s is provided by Gilmartin with Beavan29 who were responsible for implementing this LMS at Glasgow Caledonian University. The original Dynix LMS was developed in the US in the 1980s and Leeves with Russell state that there were 68 users of this LMS in the UK in public, university, small academic/college and special libraries. During the 1990s a client-server LMS, Horizon, was marketed by the firm Ameritech Library Services, which had merged with Dynix during the 1990s. Hackett and Geddes30 describe the Horizon LMS noting that it was truly scaleable with installations in small special libraries as well as large multi-site academic libraries, although they also note that it might have been argued that Horizon was marketed too early in the UK in 1995, when the product lacked depth of functionality required to deal with the needs of large multi-site universities. However by 1998, when universities including Huddersfield, Middlesex, Staffordshire, Strathclyde and Birkbeck College, University of London had implemented Horizon the feeling was that customers were â€Å" beginning to reap the benefits of its fully graphical, client/server construction†. In 2000 Ameritech Library Services became known as epixtech Inc.and continued to supply existing products as well as web-based solutions and services. Galaxy The Galaxy 2000 LMS, from the British firm, DS proved to be a popular system, particularly in public libraries, during the 1990s. Neary31 describes how Birmingham Library service, the biggest metropolitan library authority in the UK with 40 community libraries and the busiest lending library in Europe installed the Galaxy 2000 LMS in 1994 and the upgraded it  to a newer version in 1999. Galaxy 2000 offers the usual LMS modules but also has a separate issuing function for use of the Birmingham’s housebound service. The OPAC module of Galaxy is known as ViewPoint and there have been some 230 ViewPoint terminals located throughout Birmingham since 1994. Geac This Canadian firm Geac first installed its Geac Library Information System in a UK library in 1979 and this software ran on proprietary hardware and was used in several UK libraries in the 1980s. In 1988 Geac acquired an American company, Advanced Libraries, and developed its software, ADVANCE, to run under the Unix operating system and this became its main LMS offering in the 1990s. For instance, in the mid-1990s Edinburgh University upgraded its previous Geac (Geac 9000) system to ADVANCE, Newcastle University chose this system as did the public library at Hamilton District Libraries in Scotland, the National Library of Wales and the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. A history of library automation at the Bodleian, including the implementation of the DOBIS/LIBIS system in the late 1980s is provided by Crawshaw32 and Burnett 33 describes the 1995 decision to migrate to ADVANCE along with an assessment of the impact of automation on such a large organisation and a catalo gue of some eight million items. Geac ADVANCE was the basis for the Oxford Library Information System (OLIS) that provided library housekeeping services for many of the Oxford colleges, academic libraries within the university as well as the copyright library. During the 1990s Geac also acquired CLSI and its LIBs 100 LMS and marketed this for some time. Heritage Heritage, like Genesis, was developed from the original BookshelF software although Heritage was initially a single-user system, and was marketed by Logical Choice (which became known as Inheritance Systems during the 1990s) in Oxford. Alper 34 describes the implementation of Heritage in a small one-librarian medical service and concluded that this LMS had proved to be a great time-saver in issuing and claiming books and had excellent statistical reporting facilities. In 1997 the library at the Central School of Speech and Drama, having outgrown its previous LMS, needed a new system. Edwards 35 describes the selection process for this new system which resulted in a short list of four LMS ranging in price from  £3,000 –  £27,400. Heritage was chosen ( at a cost of  £11,350) and the paper describes some of the innovative features of this LMS. INNOPAC/ Millennium Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) is an American company which started to market the INNOPAC LMS in the UK in the early 1990s with the first customer being the library at the University of Wales, Bangor. In 1995 staff at the University of Hull, as described by Leeson 36, chose INNOPAC to replace the previous Geac 9000 as it had improved functionality. In 1997 III acquired the UK company SLS and its LIBERTAS software. Towards the end of the 1990s III started to develop its Millennium system which, inter alia, provided a web-based interface for each module. Users of Millennium in the UK included Sheffield Hallam University, St. Andrew’s University, and St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham. The School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London chose Millennium because of its proven ability to deal with Chinese, Japanese and Korean material. Myhill37 provides a personal insight into the challenges faced at the University of Exeter in migrating from th e LIBERTAS LMS to Millennium. LIBERTAS The stand-alone LMS LIBERTAS, of SLS, was designed with assistance from many of the systems librarians who were working in the libraries of member universities of the SWALCAP co-operative. LIBERTAS was launched in 1986 and initially incorporated modules for cataloguing, OPAC, and circulation control. Leeves with Russell report 46 users of LIBERTAS in UK libraries by the mid-1990s. Bradford38 outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using the ILL module of LIBERTAS at Bristol University, which was an original member of SWALCAP. In 1997 SLS was sold to III and support for the LIBERTAS system declined. OLIB Smith39 describes how the Bar Library in Belfast which serves all practising barristers in Northern Ireland implemented the OLIB LMS from the British  firm Fretwell Downing in 1996. The requirements for this special library included the need to provide a document management/delivery service for members as well as an efficient system for managing the library. Initially the Bar Library used the cataloguing, circulation and OPAC modules of OLIB with the intention of implementing the acquisitions and serials modules at a later date. Talis The other early co-operative for library automation in the UK was BLCMP- or Birmingham Libraries Co-operative Mechanisation project. Like SWALCAP it had developed stand-alone software for its members which, in the early 1990s, was known as BLS – BLCMP’s Library System- and included modules for acquisitions, OPAC, circulation control and serials control. In 1992 BLCMP announced a new Unix-based system known as Talis. Like LIBERTAS, Talis had been designed in conjunction with the co-operative’s member libraries. It was based on a modular principles using computing industry standards for an open systems design. Among the early users of Talis were the John Rylands Library of the University of Manchester and the public library of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Leeves with Russell report 30 users of Talis in the mid-1990s, most of which were university or public libraries in the UK. Wilson 40 describes the experiences of migrating from BLS to Talis at Nene College, the first institution to undertake this migration and produced a lengthy list of ‘morals of migration’. In 1999 the organisation supplying Talis ceased being a co-operative of member libraries and became a commercial company. This decision followed much consultation with the members of the co-operative and the new company stated that strong customer relationships and customer focus would remain central to the culture of the business. Tinlib Tinlib, also known as the Information Navigator, was developed by the British firm IME in the 1980s. It was one of the earliest systems to offer a navigational facility and to make use of Windows for display and selection of data. Leeves with Russell report that there were 315 users of Tinlib in the mid-1990s in the UK although a full customer list was not supplied.  Chappell and Thackeray41 outline the need for an automated system to replace the existing manual systems at the library of the Arts Council of Great Britain and how the use of Tinlib had increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the library and made its collections much more accessible. Unicorn Haines42 describes her experiences during 1990 in attempting to negotiate the acquisition of an American system, Unicorn, from the Sirsi Corporation, which was previously not available in Europe, for use in a British independent health fund, the King’s Fund. Sirsi was determined not to enter the European market without a partner with expertise in library software support and with the necessary technical skills in Unix systems. This was finally achieved and the system was successfully launched in the UK in 1991. Leeves with Russell reported some 37 users of Unicorn most of which were medical, legal or government libraries. Cree43, for instance, outlines how Unicorn was introduced into the UK government’s Department of Health library where it needed to be integrated with the Department’s office information system and added to a large network with multiple applications. By the end of the 1990s Unicorn was used in a variety of libraries including the Cheltenham and G loucester College of Higher Education, the London School of Economics, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal Veterinary College, and the library at the Natural History Museum. Voyager Endeavor Information Systems was formed in the US in 1994 and its first product was its Voyager LMS. The WebVoyage module of Voyager allows web browsers to query the Voyager database, which is based on the Oracle relational database management system. Voyager became the LMS of choice for a number of libraries looking for new systems following the demise of LIBERTAS. In Wales , for instance, the university libraries of Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Lampeter and Swansea as well as the Welsh College of Music and Drama were all faced with choosing a new system and they decided to approach the selection process in a consortial way, as described by West44. Each institution was free to choose its own system following the selection process. In the event all chose Voyager from Endeavor and these systems were  implemented, with differing OPAC interfaces in 1999. Knights45 outlines the procurement and migration experiences at Hertfordshire University Library in moving also from LIBERTAS to Voyager. Inevitably not all the LMSs offered all modules in a way that satisfied all staff in libraries. In the 1990s there were some examples of libraries which had one LMS for most of its applications but used another for a specific function. For instance, Edwards46 describes that although Croydon Libraries had automated its circulation and stock control procedures for many years a decision had been made to delay the automation of the acquisitions processes as the LMS in place (CLSI’s LIBS 100) did not satisfy the needs of the acquisitions staff. In 1997 the acquisitions module from ALS’s Meritus LMS was used, in conjunction with a network solution for EDI ordering and invoicing was implemented. The requirements for interlibrary loans (ILL) within the UK which for many libraries involves the use of the centralised British Library’s Document Supply Centre have not always been met by LMSs, particularly those developed outside the UK. Leeves47 describes solutions for autom ating ILL in the early part of the 1990s and Prowse 48 describes the process of developing an ILL module for the ALEPH 500 LMS that had been installed at KCL. Reports in the literature of overviews of LMS during 1991-2000 Apart from the Leeves with Russell directory which includes details of users of the different LMS there have also been other studies and surveys undertaken during the period. In 1991 Blunden-Ellis49 reported on an update to a previous survey and aimed to provide an analysis of the UK market for LMS in a form that complemented the US annual LMS marketplace survey (e.g. Bridge50). The data for this market analysis was retrieved from questionnaires sent to LMS suppliers including ALS, BLS, CLSI, DS, Dynix, Fretwell Downing, Geac, IME and SLS. He concluded that DS was the overall market leader and that there was plenty of evidence of suppliers enhancing their products. In conclusion he stated that â€Å" This market will become increasingly competitive on economic, geographic and technological levels and so no vendor, even with a good current share, can confidently expect a ‘blue skies future. Investment in research and development and customer satisfaction remain the key activities for the immediate future.† By 1992 Blunden-Ellis51 reported that BLS had the market share with SLS as second. These were both established major forces and newer suppliers in the market at that time, i.e. Dynix and IME were performing well. In the final survey in this series Blunden-Ellis and Graham52 extended the coverage of their questionnaire as it was sent to 38 suppliers identified by the LITC and 29 responses were received. Previous surveys had concentrated on larger LMS suppliers and since this survey included many smaller LMS suppliers a total of nine market segments was identified. The Web was just beginning to impact on libraries at the time of this last survey and the final point made was that library housekeeping systems will become just one of a suite of services designed to deliver packaged information quickly and effortlessly. A different perspective on the use of, and growth of, LMS in public libraries in the UK has been provided in other surveys. In 1991 Dover53 reported on a survey undertaken through funding from the UK government’s Office of Arts and Libraries through the BLR&DD. Questionnaires were sent to 109 public library authorities and 95 responses were analysed. Batt, then of the London Borough of Croydon, carried out a series of six surveys of information technology in public libraries between 1984 and 1997. Comparisons year on year though are problematic given various local government reorganisations, such as that in 1997. In the sixth edition54 he reported that 95% of the 168 authorities surveyed had some form of automated circulation system in at least one service point. This compared with 82% in the previous survey of 1993. He also found that 38% has an automated circulation system in all their libraries. Table 1 shows some of the LMS used. Table 1 LMS used in public libraries as reported by Batt in 1997 1993 1997 ALS913 BLS1532 CLSI/GEAC PLUS119 DS2836 Dynix1520 Genesis8 Unicorn1 Availability of an OPAC had featured on Batt’s questionnaire since 1985 and his report shows the shift from seven authorities with some form of OPAC in 1985 to 143 in 1997 – a considerable shift. Automated acquisitions were reported in 76% of the authorities and 26% (44 of the 168) were also using EDI to communicate with a range of suppliers. An intriguing view of LMS in the 1990s is provided by Heseltine 55 who outlines the history and current state of the LMS market using the stages through which Christian passes in Pilgrim’s Progress. The ‘delights’ to be found at the end of the journey were described as: improvements in the user interface. He noted that many of the LMSs were developed from systems of the 1970s and 1980s which had rudimentary user interfaces access to a wider range of information  improved management information  systems designed for end users and not library staff implementation of standards. Yeates56 also wrote about how the LMSs of the 1990s reflected a conservative view of the library as a passive repository which took little account of the needs of the users and of the possibility of dynamic interaction. However, in a study of 10 libraries from the academic, public and special sectors which had purchased library management systems in the mid-1990s Murray 57 found that some of Heseltine’s ‘delights’ had come to pass as he noted the following: New generation LMSs are more flexible (portable and easier to use, more powerful in terms of connectivity) and incorporate industry standards. New LMSs are less staff intensive (in terms of support and backup). More suppliers now offer software only packages. Client/server systems and Windows-based LMSs have yet to become a mandatory requirement in the procurement process. Some of the libraries had taken the views of their end users into account when having systems demonstrated. The production of management information remained an area of difficulty for some systems. There was unanimity in the belief that Web developments in terms of software being provided by sippliers and the ability to link from the LMS to the Internet would dominate the marketplace. Raven 58 provides a very general review of the LMS marketplace for academic libraries in 2000 and notes that â€Å"Deciding on a new library management system has become much more difficult for universities in the UK in the last two years. The range continues to expand rapidly and if you’ve grown with your present system for the last ten years or so , change can be a frightening prospect.† Some developments in LMS between 1991-2000 Akeroyd59 provides an overview of integrated LMS towards the end of the decade in his introductory paper to a special issue of Vine on LMS in 1999. His developments have been used as a basis for this section although other aspects have also been added. Technological developments Many of the early LMSs used their own specially developed operating systems. However, during the 1990s many suppliers moved to developing systems that ran on the Unix operating system. Similarly many of the early LMSs were designed around specially developed database management systems. During the 1990s there was a move away from these to industry standard relational database management systems such as Ingres (used by Galaxy 2000), Informix (used by Unicorn), Oracle (used by ALEPH and Olib) and Sybase (used by Horizon and Talis). Another technological development of the 1990s was the adoption of the client-server architecture. In this model a split is made between the applications software (which runs on a computer known as the client) and the database software (which runs on a computer known as the server). The two communicate with each other over a network using a communications protocol (or set of rules). Processing which involves data manipulation or aspects of screen display can be carried out on the client computer and only database queries from the client and responses from the server need to be communicated across the network. Self service An important development during the 1990s was the installation of self-issue and self-renewal machines in libraries so that users can issue and return their own books. The library at the University of Sunderland was one of the first to use machines from the 3M company for this purpose. Stafford 60 describes this service and highlights the four Ps (preparation, publicity, position and persuasion) necessary for a successful implementation. In 1996 a conference was held at Sunderland on self-issue systems and its proceedings61 contain a number of case studies. A special issue of Vine was published in 1997 on self service in libraries and Cookman62 describes the introduction of a 3M self-issue terminal at Maidenhead public library. The general experience was that library staff accepted the benefits of the new terminal and that on busy days queues had reduced noticeably. However, when the issue desk was quiet it appeared that users preferred the human approach to issuing and returning mat erials. Messages to users by e-mail or text With many users having access to e-mail and/or mobile telephones some LMS have incorporated the facility to use these technologies for sending overdue notices, alerts for reserved items or other communications. Sudell and Robinson63 note that the reader record in the ALEPH 500 system at KCL can hold a variety of addresses. If an e-mail address is entered then that will be first in line, if not the system can handle multiple postal addresses so that an appropriate address may be used depending on whether it is term time or vacation. Improved accessibility via the OPAC and use of the Z39.50 protocol OPACs have always been designed with end users in mind and so the interfaces that have developed over the years from the command-driven and menu-based systems at the start of the decade to the form filling on Web pages have all been intended to be straightforward to use. However the information that is searched i.e. the records in the catalogue database are often stored in MARC format which has little information to support elaborate subject searching. The 856 field of MARC allows the inclusion of a URL into the bibliographic record by the end of the 1990s some OPACs were using this to provide links to digital objects.. A further development of the 1990s related to OPACs was the Z39.50 standard. As defined by Dempsey et al.64 Z39.50 is â€Å" a retrieval protocol which allows client programs to query databases on remote servers, to retrieve results and to carry out some other retrieval-related functions.† The main impact of this is that it enables users to, say, search the OPAC of a neighbouring library (which might perhaps use the Horizon LMS) using the same user interface as the local library (which might be based on the Talis LMS). For this to happen the relevant LMSs need to have appropriate software to make them Z39.50 compatible. A list of LMS with this capability is provided by Dempsey et al. and includes: ADVANCE, ALEPH, DataTrek, Dynix, Horizon, INNOPAC, LIBERTAS, OLIB, Talis, Tinlib and Unicorn. Brack65 describes t he RIDING Project which resulted from one of the eLib Programme’s large scale resource discovery (clumps) projects and which provided a Z39.50 Search and Retrieve facility for all the Yorkshire and Humberside university OPACs, plus the British Library Document Supply Centre databases and the Leeds Library and Information Service OPAC. Catalogue record provision Most LMS allow for original cataloguing of bibliographic records as well as for allowing the import of, usually MARC, records from external sources. Although not all LMSs use the MARC record for internal processing of records they usually do include the ability to input or output records in this format. The early UK co-operatives of BLCMP and SWALCAP developed large databases of MARC records which proved valuable to the cataloguers of their respective member libraries. Many of these records have now been incorporated into the OCLC database in the US and made available internationally. Retrospective cataloguing of materials held in libraries continues and Bryant’s report66 outlines the issues, opportunities and need for a national strategy in this area. Examples of consortial working Although the BLCMP and SWALCAP co-operatives had disappeared by the end of  the 1990s there were several examples of other consortial projects and systems related to LMSs. Some of these consortia were formed as part of the eLib Programme, others, such as the Welsh academic libraries already mentioned were linked with the sharing of resources for the procurement of a new LMS. COPAC COPAC is the OPAC of the Consortium of University Research Libraries which provides free access to the merged catalogues of 20+ major university research libraries in the UK and Ireland. Cousins67 describes the development of COPAC and its launch in the mid-1990s. COPAC is an example of a physical merged catalogue i.e. all the records from all the libraries are combined into one database and checks are made to identify duplicate records. During the 1990s COPAC was available via a text interface as well as a Web interface. M25 consortium The M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries was formed in 1993 with the aim of fostering co-operation amongst its London-based, higher education member libraries in order to improve services to users. In 1998 the M25 Link project was funded as part of the eLib Programme and aimed to establish a pilot virtual clump to provide single search access to the library catalogues of six members of the M25 Consortium. The project consisted of a seamless search tool, using the Z39.50 protocol, to the OPACs of the six pilot partners which between them had a range of LMSs including: Horizon, INNOPAC, Libertas, Talis and Unicorn. An overview of the work undertaken by the M25 Consortium is provided by Enright68. Foursite consortium Froud 69 describes the Foursite consortium of four public libraries in the South West of England which came together to identify replacement computer requirements and which subsequently went on to share a single LMS operated by one of its members, Somerset. The Foursite consortium demonstrated that significant cost savings could be achieved at all stages in the process of specifying, selecting and implementing an LMS provided: political support and enthusiasm by members of the consortium flexible management in all authorities who were prepared to make sacrifices in the interest of the consortium’s objectives, coupled with an openness that precluded any hidden agendas tight project management clear terms of reference for individual groups and clear ground rules good communication systems  expert technical advice. Use of project management methodologies There was some evidence during the 1990s of project management methodologies being used for the procurement and implementation of LMSs. Lewis70 describes the use of the PRINCE (Projects IN Controlled Environments) methodology at the University of Wales Bangor for the procurement, in conjunction with the North East Wales Institute, of a replacement LMS. PRINCE is a project management methodology used within government departments. Chambers and Perrow71 report on a questionnaire carried out as part of a study on the sue of project management methodologies generally in university libraries in the UK. Of the 80 university librarians who responded, 28% had used project management software – and the most popular software was Microsoft Project. Closer links between LMSs and archives Suffolk County Council’s Libraries and Heritage is an example of an organisation which covers public libraries, record offices, arts and museums. Suffolk had installed its first LMS (a batch system to deal with circulation in conjunction with a microfiche catalogue) in 1980. By 1987 this had been replaced with an LMS using proprietary hardware, software and communications which managed circulation, acquisitions, cataloguing, community information, the OPAC, e-mail, dial-in facilities and management information. In 1995, when the time came to replace this LMS, the aim was to provide a system which would use generic hardware, software and communications which would provide a networking infrastructure to bring Internet access to all branches and which would also serve the needs of Suffolk’s archives and museums. Pachent 72 describes the procurement process which resulted in the acquisition of DS Ltd’s Galaxy 2000 and the CALM 2000 systems. Closer links between LMSs and archives in the public sector was enhanced during the decade by the formation of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) ( and its forerunner Re:Source) as the strategic body working with, and for museums, archives and libraries. Fitzgerald and Flanagan 73 describe the implementation of the Unicorn system at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew for managing its collections of archives as well as books. Human aspects One of the core texts related to the human aspects of the use of computers in libraries is that by Morris and Dyer74. In the introduction to this work the authors note that there are many pitfalls on the road to the successful implementation of any computer system, such as an LMS, in a library and that if people respond badly to the introduction of the new system, the anticipated effectiveness will not be achieved. They also note that poor workstation and job design can result in poor health and can induce, or increase, stress and that poorly designed user interfaces can result in under-used systems and a decrease in accuracy. The book provides much advice as to how to overcome such challenges and to design systems that are human-friendly. The role of the systems librarian developed during the 1990s. Following research funded in the early 1990s by the BLR&DD Muirhead75 reported on the result of a questionnaire aimed at identifying the education, qualifications, previous experience and so on of staff who were involved in the day to day running of LMSs in libraries in the UK and also edited a book76 containing a series of case studies. Stress related to technology, or ‘technostress’, emerged as an identifiable condition during the 1990s. Harper 77 noted that with UK libraries undergoing increasingly rapid technological change at the end of the 1990s this change would have consequences at every level of an organisation, all of which must be managed. He advised that managers need to adopt solutions which range from addressing technical and health issues to being prepared to review job descriptions and roles. Further information on how the implementation of an LMS has effects on job design and staffing structures is provided by Dyer et al.78 whereas Daniels 79 looks on the effect the implementation of an LMS has had on non-professional staff in three college libraries. Some final thoughts Inevitably there have been many changes and developments related to the provision and availability of library management systems during the 1990s. Much appeared in the literature on experiences of libraries in choosing and implementing particular LMSs. One aspect that was promised in LMSs and that probably was not used greatly during the 1990s was the management information delivered from LMS. By the end of the 1990s some LMSs incorporated interfaces to standard tools such as Microsoft’s Excel for the presentation of statistical data. During the 1990s there was an almost total lack of reporting on ways of evaluating LMSs once they had been installed. Given the large amounts of resources, in terms of time and money, invested in procuring LMSs it is perhaps surprising that libraries have not carried out a post-implementation review, although there may well be reasons for this including, for instance: no-one requested in  not enough time,  no money ,no suitable staff to carry out the evaluation  fear of drawing attention to an LMS’s defects soon after large amounts of time, money and collective energy ahs been expended lack of a baseline for comparison of improved service. However, there are many reasons why a post-implementation evaluation of an LMS should take place. Such reasons include to: determine if the broader goals of the library are being met by the LMS determine if the particular goals of implementing the LMS have been met determine if the system as delivered satisfies the contract enable others to learn from the experience  provide an account to the funding body of the money spent on the LMS  investigate complaints from the staff or users about the system establish a benchmark showing at what level of performance the LMS is operating. Akeroyd 80 concluded his overview of LMSs with a description of some of the functionality required by future systems and which were beginning to be investigated in some research projects at the end of the 1990s. These included: the integration of multiple sources and systems, both of bibliographic information and the full-text of documents the simplification of access to sources  the personalisation of systems  a change in the way that software is created and maintained. Only a review of the next years would provide an overview of such future developments.