Software Quality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Software Quality Management - Essay Example The requirement elicitation process for this set of work products was done through several methods like, interviewing end users, conducting workshops on identifying requirements, brainstorming, use cases, role plays and developing a demo of the final product. Additional work products were found for each main product of the basic set and were detailed on how they contribute to the achievement of the outcome. The report is structured with the detailed description of how the requirement analysis for each work product attributes to the successful implementation of each attribute of the outcome. This is followed with the findings of additional work products and their relationship with the basic set. Finally the report is concluded with the analysis of additional characteristics, if any, for each of the work products in the basic set. The first of the basic set of work products that was analyzed was the Spreadsheet software. One of the examples of spreadsheet software was Gnumeric. This deliverable was chosen since it was able to meet the expectations of the end users. The software was able to perform the required functionalities at par with other existing software of same kind. The requirement elicitation of the Gnumeric software was done through brainstorming technique and conducting a research on the requirements of the user needs. The analysis on the post-requirement elicitation process shows that the attributes of the outcome were met successfully. The process of how it met is explained below. (n.d. ,2009) Initially the planning was done among the management levels. The planning was ultimately divided into business, program and project. Once the planning was done, the requirement analysis was documented. The clients were interviewed and brainstormed to identify all possible requirements that they want the software to do. These include the conversion of any kind of data files to CSV or ledger based accounting table format. These requirements were base lined and were documented. They had a version control manager associated with the development team. This had the control of updating the software as and when any changes are done. The software had a help feature which would send the reports of any errors or runtime exceptions to the change management group. This ensured that customer faced bugs are fixed. The online help care associated with the software development team ensured that the customer's needs and future updates are done at the earliest time. (Demiriirs, E. et. al. 1998) The additional work products that help in achieving the entire functionality of the Gnumeric are histogram tool and Image filling work product. These work products helped to achieve the baselined requirements of creating charts from source data. Their special characteristics are that they are easily updatable and platform independent.Requirement Elicitation of Calculator software. The basic criteria for the selection of FreeCalc software in Calculator category, was that it was able to exceed the functionalities and expectations of other work products in the same category. This product detailed on the requirements category, met with the

Truth in Media Essay Example for Free

Truth in Media Essay The omnipresence of pornography in today’s society has increased extramentally over the past few decades. What is available over the internet is remarkably unrestricted and available to anyone who looks for it. This paper will cover how and what the messages on sexuality that are being conveyed to today’s society, Open sexualities vs. purity Which is better is an article written by Michael in 2012 regarding finding the truth about how our society views sexuality in the past and currently. He discusses how we Americans have evolved from a society of purity to complete sexual freedom to what is described as a loose society today. He questions the thought process of completely educating our youth. whether it is a good decision to overloading the impressionable minds of out children. He continues to describe the loss of the family unit in America. How this loss has devastated the fabric of society. We have become slaves to our labeto never thinking about what that truly means. The article gives clear statistics on abortion, marriage, STDs, and unwanted births throughout our history to back up what he calls the loss of the family unit. He then gives information on pornography, prostitution, rape, and human trafficking, which gives a complete picture of how human sexuality really looks like in this country. He ends with the encouragement of the old fashioned art of the conversation. He says to continue talking about subjects and maybe things will change. Manipulation The power of subliminal persuasion is an article from mens health magazine in July 2013 edition. It is an article describing how to get you wife or girlfriend to have sex with you through subliminal persuasion. It starts out with this quote â€Å"Money worries have increased marital arguments by 59%, but getting your own way need not mean blood and thunder†. The article does into how certain substances like coffee can increase the effectiveness of subliminal persuasion on the female mind. How if a man starts introducing his wish for sex early in the morning but after her morning coffee his chances increase. The article describes step by step how to introduce his wishes into her subconscious mind throughout the day then finally ending with either the man successfully manipulating the female or with the question of why not and the debate is on. The whole article is on how to get what you want by manipulation and corwersion Conception What if Women are offered contraception for free is an article by Valerie Tarico on May 16, 2013 in Ms. Magazine. The article covers an overview of a research project that was conducted last fall in Missouri on free conception. This research project was conducted with 9000 women and covers how the birth rate, abortion rate, and financial obligations of that state were reduced significantly. The author asks the question on if this trial was to become a fixed solution what would have to be done to implement it ant would it work. The article goes into a complete breakdown of the statistical information of Washington state and how those numbers could be affected by implementing such a program here and what that would mean in the long run for tax payers and families. She continues to describe the financial obligations of not having such a program in place today. This is so astronomical that it is hard to believe we spend that much money on unwanted pregnancies and childcare expenses for as she puts it â€Å"go-with-the-flow babies†. Common views What Are Americans Doing Beneath The Sheets These Days? An article by Dr. Justin Lemiller posted on November 28, 2012 in the Chicago times is a brief expose on what Americans are actually doing in the privacy of their own beds. This article covers masturbation, oral sex, and anal sex and includes at what age people are doing what. Teen pregnancy Teenage pregnancy: High US rates due to poverty, not promiscuity an article written B Stephanie Hanes, Correspondent May 22, 2012 in Modern Parenthood magazine discusses how that statistically it has been proven that teen parenthood has been significantly higher among those with a lower socioeconomic status than any-other bracket. The article goes into detail regaurding the satistical information across countries and within America as well. The article continues to outline the difficulties in correcting such a problem due to the fact that no campaign against teen pregnancy would even effect the overwhelming nature of the lack of options for the lower classes. The lack of options creates a kind of circular motion that seems to offer hope of a better life but doesnt. Extramarital affairs The Truth About Why Men Cheat an article written by M. Gary Neuman for Redbook magazine in 2012, informs readers of why men cheat. The article goes over the reason a man cheats is not for sex. Men according to the ones serveyed cheat do to emotional dissatisfaction rather than sexual dissatisfaction. The article the goes into how to create an atmosphere of mutual reward and respect. Men have trouble asking for pats on the back but need encouragement just as much as women. If we set the stage for a give give relationship we have a better chance at staying faithful. Homosexuality Understanding females sexual fluidity is an article written by Ian Kerner, for the New York Times on February 9th, 2012 discusses an interview with a famous actress and how a slip of the tounge can revel much. The actress said that being a lesbian was a choices she made not something that she was or wasnt. Having said such a thing sparked much debate and consideration of choice. The article talkes about how women are much more fluid in whom they choose to fall in-love with, that women ten to fall in-love with a person not a gender. The article also goes on to show information regarding a study done on heterosexual and homosexual men how they were both turned on my both gay and straight pornography. This study gives a lot of credence to the premise that gays can choose to be not gay. Casual sex  Do You Want More Than a Hookup? Written by Angela Ledgerwood for cosmopolitan magazine discusses how todays young people are not as interested in just hooking up as they once were. The article goes into a question answer format and talks about how todays young people are afraid of dating and not sure even how. The article give a clear description that people today have no idea how to even get someone to go out on a date so it gives some starting points. Then the article goes into some dating tips and encouragement. I found that these articles are well written but lack any sense of morality. I found it so very difficult to find articles that were not how tos or so close to pornography that I would not even use the. This to me seems to be a funny thing for I am a very open person regarding sex. I do not have any inhibitions and from a Christian view point I would be a huge sinner. With that being said as I was doing my research on this topic I found it way to easy to learn how to give a blow job and how to perform anal sex. This was at the common sites like cosmopolitan and Redbook there was no safe guards like even Facebook has regarding sexually explicit stuff like are you 18 to look at that kind of things. Therefore comparing what I have found on the internet with what we were taught thought this class was so completely different that I feel like a prude. Saying that seems a bit off and I have to chuckle a bit. But I feel that honesty is truly the best policy, therefore I must say that I am an ex-prostitute and have had so many partners that I cannot even count. God has forgiven me of this sin and now the rose colored glasses have completely been taken off. Throughout this course we have learned all about what being authentic in our sexualities means and how to have a healthy God centered relationship. It is hard to imagine how these to completely different views can merge into one complete view. I feel compelled to try for we are the sum of all parts. God has given us such a wonderful gift of sexuality and I for one am very grateful. I think that if we try to educated ourselves on how to be fully honest with ourselves, God, and our spouses we will have a great chance at fulfilling ourselves and our marriages. We need to be educated every-way with what and how to do and what God expects of how we are to behave. Finding this balance is not easy in todays society of we are bombarded with explicit material every second of everyday. We must therefore have some kind of outline for us to follow that is where the scriptures come in to play. Our text talks of unhealthy sexual behavior as â€Å"Inauthentic sexual behaviors (that) are organized around using power to control† (Balswick Balswick, 2008, p. 86). this type of behavior is viewed as common place in today’s society by evidence of the article The power of subliminal persuasion by Alex Young. In this article he states just how to manipulate the opposite sex into getting what he wants. He states that â€Å"The power of subliminal persuasion means you can tug in the right direction without her feeling the pinch† (Young, Mens Health, 2012). This however subtle manipulation is all about power and control. Our text tells us that we are to be committed to God and to one other person by saying â€Å"God created for us to be sexual beings, in a spiritual way with one who we have decided to spend our life with† (Balswick, p 68). But society tells us that sex can be freely given to whomever we choose whenever we choose. This is not without its consequences however as stated in the article Which Is Better – A Society With Loose Sexuality Or A Society With Strict Rules For Sexuality? By Michael Snyder. In the article Snyder give information and the destruction of the family unit with â€Å"According to the Pew Research Center, only 51 percent of all Americans that are at least 18 years old are currently married at this point. Back in 1960, 72 percent of all U.  S. adults were married†. This directly shows that we are not coupling the way God has intended. In our presentation Teens and sex: Taming the drive Chap Clark, M. Div. , Ph. D. explains that it is important to explain to our youth responsible sexuality by the statement â€Å"When teens struggle with their sexual feelings, urges and drives, it is important that the church help them to understand what is behind the physical drives and to see people’s bodies, souls and relational choices as God sees them. His call is to holiness, but that calling is about caring for the best of others as people develop their attitudes and make choices. Chap Clark gives Clear explanations as to the different types of love in-order to inform teens of what is healthy and what not healthy love is. By doing this he sets the stage for responsible choices unlike the responsible choices made by teen mothers. In the article Teenage pregnancy: High US rates due to poverty, not promiscuity by Stephanie Hanes we find that in has been discovered that people with fewer options financially have higher birth rates. Hanes states that â€Å"anthropologists and social workers explain that teens who experience â€Å"despair† are more likely to turn to motherhood as a way to find meaning in a world where they see few other options† which seems to correspond very well with the hypothesis. Our presentation on Restoring Marital Intimacy: After the Affair by Mark Laaser and Deb Laaser informs us how to overcome the sin of infidelity by grace through repentance, honesty treatment, and forgiveness this is a hard road nd takes a lot of faith and commitment. In the article The Truth About Why Men Cheat by M. Gary Neuman we discover that it is not necessarily sex that causes men to cheat but rather a loss of intimacy in the relationship. Neuman states that â€Å"48% of men rated emotional dissatisfaction as the primary reason they cheated†. This seems rather strange considering we are all told that men and women think differently when it comes to sex. I am a grandmother if two wonderful little girls and when I think of the material that they will shortly be exposed to I cringe. As a counselor I would want to keep my eyes open and take a look regularly at what we are being exposed to in-order to be fully informed as to where my clients would be coming form. It would not be enough just to stay up-to-date with the current techniques and treatment options. I would need to keep my eyes open to the current beat of your world as well. I have to say that writing this paper has at least taught me that. Having a wide knowledge base and commitment to biblical principles needs to be the foundation of my counseling process, for without this foundation I would lose my way. God has given me the gift of being able to help others through sharing my pain but in-order full understand someone else’s pain there will be times that I have to educate myself in how they see the world and having this knowledge will enable me to do so. Counselors need to have a full tool box and sometime that tool box has things in it that we have had to learn from others. Having an open mind will make that possible.

Interbrand Brand Valuation

Interbrand Brand Valuation The Interbrand method is extremely popular for valuation of brands and has been adopted in several practical purposes such as brand valuation of various food-related and beverage brands such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Kelloggs, Cadbury, Wrigleys and Nestle. This method majorly discusses about the extra earnings an associated brand can generate for a company or companies over a considerable period of time. The brand value is then calculated to be the present value of these discounted additional earnings which the brand generates. The method indicates the need for choosing the target markets by segmentation of the markets through various parameters such as geographic, demographic and psychographic variables. After analysing the markets and performing a proper financial analysis in the form of estimated revenues, units of sales, associated costs and forecasts, we need to analyse what are the demand drivers of the brand. For example, in this case of evaluating the Kingfisher brand, some of the parameters of demand drivers would be related to the level of need of the brand, the elasticity of pricing the brand, the number of competitors and substitutes in a given geographical region, etc. A competitive benchmarking analysis is done to recognize the gaps associated with the branding processes and strategies adopted by Kingfisher in comparison to its competitors. Finally, the brand earnings are calculated and the brand discount rate in different specific periods for the relevant time horizon to find the brand value which is the net present value of forecasted brand earnings of Kingfisher. Determination of Kingfisher brands weighted average differential EBIT We will calculate the additional EBIT by using the formula:- Differential EBIT = (EBIT) branded (EBIT) unbranded Where EBIT i.e. Earnings before interest and taxes is the operating profit of the company. It is equal to Net Sales Total Expenditure. In order to calculate the differential EBIT, we have used a similar brewery company in India, called Mount Shivalik Breweries Industries (MSBL), which is a public listed company which has been in existence since 1972. The company is primarily into the business of manufacturing and supplying draught beer in the Union territory of Chandigarh. It caters to both the strong beer segment as well as the mild beer segment, with the flagship brands being Thunderbolt and Golden Peacock. Although, 95% of the beer supplies to the pubs and bars in Chandigarh are being catered from MSBL, it still doesnt match to the brand quality of Kingfisher which is globally recognized. Hence, we have preferred to use MSBL as an unbranded company. Hence, Kingfishers differential EBIT is:- (EBIT) Kingfisher (EBIT) MSBL We have calculated the differential EBIT for the last three fiscals and then the present value has been found out by compounding them with the discount rate used as average inflation rate. The calculations are shown below:- We have taken a conservative approach of considering the brand horizon to be around three years because efforts of brand building like heavy investment in marketing of the brand, R D efforts for inventing new technologies, etc have an effect of at least 3 years after which there is a need for change in business process restructuring. The EBITs are proportionately weighted according to the standard amortizing schedule of 1:2:3, with the most recent year getting the highest weightage of 3. The relevant calculations are shown below:- Average Inflation Rate for the past 3 years = 10.5 % Determination of brand differential earnings The formula for brand differential earnings is given below:- Brand differential earnings = Weighted differential EBIT capital charge Tax The capital charge is estimated by multiplying the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) with the amount of capital employed by the Kingfisher brand (part of United Breweries Limited group). The average WACC is estimated by using a period of past five years and forecasting the data for next five years. The WACC calculation for the United Breweries Limited (UBL) company is shown below:- The Beta for the United Breweries industry has been taken from capital for the years 2005 to 2010. The forecasted years data i.e the beta for years 2011 to 2015 has been estimated by using the 3-year moving average method, wherein the beta for year 2011 is the average of the betas for the preceding three years 2008-2010. Similarly, the D/E ratio for future years has been calculated by using the 3-year moving average method. The cost of equity for each year has been calculated by using the CAPM formula given below:- Ke = Rf + Beta*Market Risk Premium The average WACC is calculated by using the 3-yr moving average method of the forecasted years 2013-2015. The calculations are shown below:- The brand differential earnings calculations are shown below:- Determination of Brand Strength and Brand Multiplier The assessment of brand strength takes into account the following factors:- Leadership ability to influence the market Stability ability to maintain a consumer franchise Market vulnerability of market demand to changes in tastes or technology International Scope cross national/cultural potential Trend long term appeal to consumers Support strength of communications Protection security of the brand owners legal or property rights The greater is the brand strength of a company, the higher is its associated brand multiple. Typically, brand multiple ranges from 6 to 20. We have tried to quantify the factors of brand strength by relating each factor with the quantifiable variables related to the operational performance of the UBL company in general and the Kingfisher brand specifically. They are shown below:- Leadership factor of the brand can be estimated by looking at the market share, net profit margin (NPM) it generates, market capitalization (Mkt. Cap.), and investor returns (ROE), estimated revenue growth (Rev. CAGR) and estimated profit growth (NP. CAGR) over the years. Stability factor can be measured by the volatility of the net profit margin (NP Var%) of the Kingfisher brand over the years We have compared the Kingfisher brand to its top ten competitors in the breweries industry and hence we did not incorporate any distinguishing factor of the brand in terms of distinct market conditions. International scope of the brand can be measured by the level of exports it generates The Trend factor of Kingfisher brand or any brand in general can be estimated by correlating with the change in return on assets. Typically, return on assets would be higher for high-quality assets. Brands tend to perform better with quality assets available for production, sales and marketing and consistent research and development. The level of Support for a brand would be reflected by additional investments to maintain the goodwill of the brand. The brands Protection could be quantified by analysing its threats against acquisition, bankruptcy and other financial distress costs related to management. The most efficient measure we could use to quantify the protection is interest coverage ratio (ICR). We have assumed that all the above seven parameters have an equal weight to the brand strength of Kingfisher, except the market factor which we have taken as zero. Brand Strength = Leadership + Stability + Market + Internationality + Trend + Support + Protection The operational performance of the top seven companies (current data available for seven companies only) of the breweries industry in India has been compared to that of Kingfisher in order to estimate the brand strength of Kingfisher. The relevant data has been extracted from Capitaline. The columns highlighted in yellow contain negative values and needs to be normalized as shown by the data below. The remaining columns have already been normalized. The seven companies have been ranked from top to bottom on the basis of market share they hold which is equal to company net sales as a percentage of industry net sales. Similarly market capitalization has been normalized as a percentage of total industry market capitalization. Export revenues and S A (Selling and Administration) expenses are a percentage of the total net revenues and total expenses of the company respectively. The Revenue CAGR and NP. CAGR are calculated by averaging the growth rates of revenues and net profit respective ly for the past three years i.e. 2008-2010. The columns in yellow are normalized by the process of assigning highest weights to the maximum value and assigning lowest weights to the minimum value. For example, in order to normalize the net profit margin (NPM), we have assigned a weight of 6 to Globus Spirits followed by a 5 to Mount Shivalik and finally going on assigning weights of 4, 3, 2 and 1 in the descending order to the remaining companies with a weight of 0 being assigned to SKOL Breweries, which has the minimum NPM of -10.39. All the other negative values are also given weights ranging from 0 to 1 depending on their proportion i.e. a higher negative value of -3.93 would be given a lower weight of say 0.1 compared to a lower negative value of -2.54 which would be given a weight of say 0.5. The method of assigning weights to negative values has been purely done on a subjective basis and there is scope of further improvements. The other columns have also been normalized in the same fashion. The normalized table is shown in the next page:- We can now calculate the consolidated brand strength based on the measured values of the quantifiable variables which relates to the seven factors responsible for brand strength. The consolidated values of each of the seven factors are shown in the next page below. The brand strength factors such as leadership and trend which are measured by more than one quantifying variables are consolidated and then the average of the consolidated value is taken to reflect the corresponding factor. This is shown in the next page. The next step which we need to incorporate is to find out the relationship between brand strength and brand multiplier. The Interbrand S-curve is shown below. The S-curve function is approximated using a sigmoid function wherein we have the relation, brand multiplier = f (brand strength). From the paper Valuation of Brands and Intellectual Capital written by Pablo Fernandez, we have estimated the brand multiple of Kingfisher brand by interpolating its corresponding brand strength using the source as the four values of brand strength and corresponding brand multiples mentioned in the paper. From the S-curve above, we can roughly estimate that the brand multiple for a brand strength of 1 would be equal to 0.7. A brand strength of 38 has a brand multiple of 6.3 as shown in the table beside. Hence, the brand multiple of Kingfisher brand for a brand strength of 16.63 % would be equivalent to:- Brand multiple = 0.7 + {(6.3 0.7)/ (38-1)}*16.63 = 3.217 Hence brand value of Kingfisher brand is estimated to be equal to:- Brand Value of Kingfisher = brand multiple*Kingfisher brand differential earnings = 3.217*72.87 = 234.42 crores Royalty Relief Brand Valuation Method This method is one of the most efficient methods currently used for brand valuation as per industry practises. In this approach, a royalty rate is estimated by the brand owner/licensor, which needs to be paid by the third party/licensee for using the brand defined under the guidelines of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) usage. The brand value would then be determined by the present value of the royalty stream after taxes. The methodology used in the royalty savings method or the royalty relief method comprises of the following steps:- Estimate the branded net sales for the planning horizon (generally three to five years) Determine a reasonable royalty rate that the two unrelated parties would have set for the transfer of comparable brands in an arms length transaction Multiply the estimated royalty rate by the projected sales of the brand over its economic life. The result represents annual royalty savings Apply a fiscal charge in each period to estimate the after-tax royalty savings for each Estimate the brands perpetual growth rate, economic useful life and discount rate Discount the royalty stream after taxes at present value The royalty rate used for estimating the future royalty streams in the planning horizon, depends on several factors. They are:- The brand strength The duration and termination provisions of the agreement The licenses exclusivity The parties negotiating power The products life cycle The local market conditions, particularly the margins earned in the local market The level of operating margin or licensees sales. Generally, the 25% rule and the 5% rule are associated with this factor. The 25% rule states that the royalty rate is estimated to be 25% of the operating profit of the licensees sales whereas the 5% rule states that the royalty rate is estimated to be 5% of sales. We have tried to estimate the royalty rate by comparing with the brand strength we obtained from the Interbrand brand valuation method. The relationship table between brand strength / brand scores between 0-100 and royalty rates has been taken from a paper whose source is mentioned below the table:- The formula for calculating the royalty rate for brand strength of 16.63 from the above table is shown below. It is a basic method of interpolation. Royalty rate = 1.0 + {(7.0 1.0) / (50 0)}*16.63 = 2.996 % of net sales We have assumed that the economic life of a brand is approximately around three years after which the branding of the product (in this case Kingfisher) needs to be changed in the form of better RD efforts, operational excellence, advanced innovative campaigns, etc. The calculations of brand value using the royalty rate method is shown below:- Thus, using the royalty relief method we see that the brand value of Kingfisher is 224.52 crores which is almost equal to the brand value we have obtained from the Interbrand brand valuation method. Here we have assumed that the economic life of the Kingfisher brand is 3 years. Its a subjective assumption; however the assumption is based on the industry practises of brand valuation methodologies used.

Microsoft Essay -- Windows Computers Technology Essays

Microsoft There have been many arguments and issues that have been raised with the controversy over Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Justice’s claim against Microsoft and its founder Bill Gates of monopolistic practices in bundling its internet browser â€Å"Internet Explorer† into its popular Windows computer operating system. By doing this, Microsoft would effectively crush its competitors (it’s main rival being Netscape Navigator), and acquire a monopoly over the software that people use to access the Internet. I recently heard a listener on NPR (National Public Radio) comment about the monopoly issue between Microsoft and the U.S. D.O.J. that â€Å"Intellectual endeavors are vastly infinite and thus cannot be monopolized.† I wonder if the person who said this has ever tried telling that to Bill Gates. More importantly, is such a statement true? Does computer software constitute an intellectual endeavor that cannot be monopolized? To answer this issue, an inductive argument can be applied to determine if Microsoft truly has a monopoly over the computer industry. To say that something is infinite implies that there is an endless supply of it. Is this the case in terms of the Internet and the software that is used to â€Å"navigate† or â€Å"explore† the Internet as the two leading Internet Browsers have been dubbed by their makers? The resources of the Internet may seem infinitely vast, but it is wholly finite. There is an abundance of information out there on th e Internet that it seems unlikely that any one company or even a country like the U.S. could ever monopolize this vast data network. By the nature of how the Internet works and how information is stored and shared on the network, it is true that a monopoly cannot be held over the intellectual information stored within the Internet. On this point I will accede to the original author’s claim that intellectual endeavors cannot be monopolized, but this is vastly different from the issue that stands before Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Justice. The question that must be distinguished is not if Microsoft will gain a monopoly over the Internet, but if it will acquire a monopoly on how people access the Internet. These two are wholly separate issues. This is not a question of control of intellectual information, but the means by which people gain *access* to that information. Even if the inform... ...l by bundling its browser into its operating system which already controls 90% of the worlds’ market. The ubiquitous nature of Microsoft in our everyday computing lives is seemingly subconscious, yet when we realize the broad influence of this computer giant upon our life it becomes a frightening possibility. Thoughts of Orwellian â€Å"Big Brother† comes to mind at times. The question of whether Microsoft has a monopoly over the computer industry is a resounding yes. It is a near virtual monopoly in the computer industry. The question thus becomes not whether Microsoft is a monopoly, but why it has taken so long for the government to intercede into the affairs that would regulate this ever growing computer giant. It would be wise to follow the lesson of Jack who cut down the beanstalk in a fable that has all too real applications in our modern-day computerized world. Bibliography Gleick, James. â€Å"MAKING MICROSOFT SAFE FOR CAPITALISM† The New York Times Magazine. William Morris Agency, May 18, 1995. Nader, Ralph and Love, James. â€Å"What to Do About Microsoft?† LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE, November 1997 NPR News. May 5 1998 (Station KBRW 89.9 FM) 8:00 AM â€Å"Morning Edition†

American and Chinese Business Cultures

The American and Chinese business cultures have vast differences that interfere with the way business is carried out. The business people in the two regions have certain practices and values that are considered as norm. The differences in the two business cultures have led to some viable and successful business ventures to be turned down due to a misunderstandings or conflicts that were experienced based on the business cultural differences. There are various similarities found between the two business cultures and one similarity is the strict adherence to schedules and time management.The two business cultures value their time and they ensure that it is spent wisely. Failure to manage time in both cultures is seen as an insulting gesture and a sign of disrespect. Moreover, another similarity is the art of appreciation that is highly regarded and the respect given to the senior business men in meetings when they are being addressed. There are several outstanding differences that clea rly exist between the two business cultures and they influence the manner in which business is carried out in these countries.For instance in the Chinese business culture, businesses are owned and managed within the family regardless of their qualifications and experience. Information regarding the performance of the businesses is treated as confidential and when they need funds for their businesses they search for it from their friends and family or within the private sector. Americans on the other hand, seek funds from both the private and public sectors to finance their business. They also reveal all the information about their companies making it public for the public to scrutinize and analyze it.In addition, their businesses are run by qualified professionals. 1. 0 Introduction Culture is a complex way of living that is developed by many people all over the world. It is passed on from one generation to the next over the years for it to be maintained. It is worth noting that cul ture is entails the values and norms followed by a group of people in a society and it describes the way those people should behave and treat each other as they live together harmoniously (Bucknall, 2000). It equally defines the nature of the people in that society and how they relate to the rest of the world.The culture of a particular people characterizes how they can relate to another group with a culture that is quite different. The more the differences that exist between the two cultures the more difficult it is for the two societies to live together and interact. On the same note, the chances of misunderstandings increase when two cultures differ greatly in their values, norms and other characteristics. Additionally, conflicts also increase exponentially when the two societies have not had any interactions among them (Gertmenian, n. d).The American and the Chinese business cultures are a good example of cultures that are different and that continually interact with many challe nges and misunderstandings facing them. Business people who have been trying to venture into the two economies have been faced with several challenges. Some of these business people have gone into business ventures with little or no information about the cultural differences between the two business cultures (Chen, 2003). Their business ideas and ventures have failed despite their capabilities and promise of success and profitability.The reasons that have been cited for the failure of such profitable ventures are the lack of understanding of the differences in the culture between the Americans and the Chinese. Business opportunities continue to increase in the Chinese region and this is attracting a lot of Americans to take up these opportunities. This business people need to understand the different aspects that lie between the two cultures and the business etiquette that is required from them once they are in China.It bears noting that the Chinese community also needs to understan d the American culture with regard to the business practices in order to minimize the chances of misunderstandings and disagreements. Knowledge of the two different cultures is very important to the success of the business. In light of this view this paper will objectively discuss four similarities and four differences between the American and Chinese business cultures. 2. 0 Similarities between the American and the Chinese Business Culture The American and Chinese business culture though depicted in two different countries, share some similarities in the way they operate.These similarities are shared through their strategies and focus that they both have in carrying out business successfully. The similarities that they share are independent and are not influenced by the behavior or culture of the each other. These similarities are however grounded in the way their other cultural practices that they have developed and maintained over the years. a) Business Meetings This is one of th e similar features in the sense that the two business cultures hold business meetings to discuss business relationships between the companies.The business meetings may take the form of lunches or dinners or they may sometimes be carried out in the offices. The meetings are usually arranged in advance and they sometimes require some form of literature that is forwarded to each of the invited guests (Kwintessential, n. d). The meetings are usually arranged on normal working days to avoid inconveniencing the different parties attending and the dress code is usually implied by different factors but in most cases it is formal. The right relationship is first made in both cultures to allow for the development of the business deal.It is worth mentioning that in both cultures business meetings usually involve the shaking of hands when they are being introduced to each other and it shows that they are in agreement. The shaking of hands is taken to be a sign of respect between the two parties . Business cards are exchanged during the meeting either at the start or end of the meeting. It is viewed as a polite gesture in both cultures to take a minute and view the business card before putting it away. When business is being carried out between the two cultures it is important that the business cards are made bi-lingual to ensure that the recipients are able to read them.Refreshments are also offered during the business meetings. In the Chinese culture green tea is usually offered in most of the meeting though some of the international companies also offer coffee as refreshment. In the American culture refreshments usually consist mostly of coffee or tea. During the meeting exclusive sitting arrangements in both cultures are made and each person who attends the meetings has to sit at a precise position allocated to them. There is usually a host in the meetings who ensures that the meeting goes on smoothly and that the guests are well hosted (CBBC, n.d). b) Managing Time In both business cultures time is of the essence case in point. Among the Chinese business meetings start on time and they take the scheduled time needed to ensure that the purpose of the meeting is achieved. Time is not wasted during the meetings and they remain focused to the agenda of the meeting. Punctuality is emphasizes and considered to be very important in both cultures and the attendants are actually encouraged to arrive early. Besides, in the Chinese business community arriving late to any business meeting is seen as an insult to the other members.When the meeting is a Chinese banquet, the guests are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before the banquet starts (Chinese Business Culture, n. d). The Americans on the other hand usually work with tight schedules and they equally value their time. They do not take it kindly when the guests who are supposed to be in the meeting arrive late. It is a common practice to be asked to wait after arriving early for a meeting in the Ame rican culture as the host finishes preparing for the meeting. In both cultures business meeting are carried out within normal working hours that are between 8 am and 5pm (â€Å"Chinese Business Culture,† n.d) and is mostly for the meetings carried out within the offices. Other meetings that take place in the evenings like the dinner meetings are not extended late into the night. c) Protocol In both cultures the seniority levels are strictly followed. The most senior person is introduced first and is usually referred to by their surnames and their positions such as Mr. or Director (CBBC, n. d). This is usually very important and is regarded as a sign of respect for them. Their position may be given when they are being introduced and each person in the meeting is expected to address them according to their titles and position.Protocol is also expected to be maintained in the seating arrangements with the senior person given the front seat. The host normally takes the seat that is placed in the middle of the table and faces the door. The most senior person in the meeting seats on the left side of the host at the middle seat. The rest of people in the meeting get their seating positions according to their status in a descending manner. Seniority in the Chinese business culture is very important especially when the meeting involves state or government officials. When the introductions are being made the senior person is introduced first then the rest follow.When business cards or gifts are being offered, it is polite in both cultures to offer the senior person in the meeting first (Saxon, 2007). In the American culture the same is expected of the government and state officials. They need to be addressed according to their title and their positions. They also get introduced first in the meetings and accorded the respect that they deserve. d) Appreciation Both cultures have a way of appreciating the other parties especially after a successful business deal. Th e appreciation method normally takes place at the end of the meeting when the deal has been finalized.In the Chinese business culture the business people take a lot of time and effort in appreciating their business partners and their clients as a way of supporting and developing their business relationships. They normally give them gifts as a sign of appreciation for the business, celebrating the success of a business deal, a way to encourage future business and to strengthen the relationship between them (Thompson, 2007). In the Chinese business culture the business people may decide to ask the other business people what they would like as a gift. The giving of gifts is usually carried out with a certain intended purpose.When it is given in the absence of a good reason it is usually construed differently. The recipient of the gift in most cases is expected to reciprocate since the gift is seen as a debt. The choice of the gift is usually considered wisely and cash is never accepted as a gift in the Chinese culture (CBBC, n. d). In the American business culture appreciation is a common practice within companies doing business together. The art of giving gifts is however restricted by some of the business companies. Most of these businesses normally prefer giving a note that is gracious and which is very appropriate and acceptable among the companies.For the companies that offer gifts, the gift is given in such a way that it does not appear to be a bribe to the receiving company. In most companies an invitation to a meal is the most common method used among business people. 3. 0 Differences between the American and the Chinese Business Culture There are vast differences that exist between the American and Chinese business cultures that continually affect the way business is carried out. Both countries have had different backgrounds that have led to these differences.These differences are clearly established when it comes to the communication level between the t wo sides duet to the language barrier. Consequently, these differences have led to the failure of successful business ventures between the two countries and the loss of a lot of money. a) Relationships in Business This is a major difference because in the Chinese business community, a lot of emphasis is put on establishing and maintaining relationships. Moreover, the main objective put in most business meetings is the development of business relationships between the parties involved.The relationship in the Chinese culture is seen to be more of cooperation other than just business relationships. For them to do any business, the parties involved need to be friends. They exchange gifts during meetings and host each other in various places to establish their relationships. Most of their business meetings are carried out during meals such as dinners or lunch as they talk about life in general. Such encounters are seen to strengthen their business relationships and develop trust among th em (Chinese Business Culture, n. d). In America however the purpose of business meetings is to close a deal.There is little or no emphasis in maintaining relationships. The American’s keep a certain attitude that business is business and hence there is no need for them to be friends or even remain friends after the business deal is closed. The business meetings are carried out in formal environments and are characterized by concepts and features that are focused on business. The talk in these business meetings also focuses on business and the deal that is supposed to be made with the party that is proposing the deal highlighting gains that the other party will acquire once they accept the deal (Saxon, 2007).b) Availability of Information Another difference that exists between the Chinese and the Americans lays in the way they handle information about their business and the performance. It is considered rude and inappropriate among the Chinese for one to ask about the performa nce of another’s business. The Chinese only reveal this kind of information to their close friends and families and other people that are very close to them. The information is also not publicly available and they do not discuss the performance of their companies. They never volunteer their business information to other people (CBBC, n.d). The business plan is also considered to be an inappropriate document and is not used in the Chinese business world. They do not make such documents since they are considered to portray distrust among them. They prefer to believe each other when doing business and not ask for documents or information that will show the performance of the company or business. Many of the Chinese business people have been known to enter into business opportunities that are worth millions when they know very little about the other company. They rely on trust and they sign these deals by a mere handshake (Thompson, 2007).American business people on the other han d require a lot of detailed information about the companies that are involved in the business. They normally require a detailed company profile and other information that is essential in proving the performance of a company before they even start negotiating a business deal. This information may include the financial statements, the sales figures, marketing strategies and even business plans. For them to make decisions about any business opportunity they need to gather facts and data that will help them support the decisions that they make.Their business information is also made publicly available as they produce quarterly and annual reports that are availed and openly discussed. c) Business Ownership According to the Chinese culture, the businesses are normally family owned and they practice a lot of nepotism. Also, the businesses are controlled and operated by the family members and this is the norm in the country. The business is inherited within the family members despite their qualifications and their job experience and as such it is one of the strongest cultural practices in the business world among the Chinese.The businesses are usually carried out based on the family obligations rather than the pursuit of riches (Thompson, 2007). The owner of the business who is mostly the head of the family carefully makes decisions regarding the business and how it is operated. This individual hires new employees and executes changes that are needed. Besides, the individual in question selects the family member that will take over the critical role of running the business. Other family members and even some close family friends are given other top roles in the business.This practice is usually carried out because of distrust and social status among the Chinese people. The practice tends to lead to them overlooking the qualifications that are needed for the top positions held. In America however the business is usually carried out from a totally different perspective. Nepotism in the American business environment is considered illegal and highly discouraged within the business environment. When one is suspected or found guilty of having practiced it by hiring or favoring a family member in the business rather than a qualified a stranger or an employee of the company, serious legal charges are made.Further, one may end up in the middle of very serious legal charges that may lead to high compensations and legal damage fees arising from the act. Businesses tend to therefore hire employees in terms of merit and qualifications. Decisions are made by the management of the business rather than the family members. They tend to do what is right for the business rather than what might be appropriate for the family (Saxon, 2007). In the American business culture the purpose of the business is to make money rather than to provide for the company.The businesses normally have a purpose that they follow and strive to achieve. They also have a purpose and a cle ar and organized chain of command within the business. The protocol has to be followed in the businesses especially when issues are being raised and during the decision making process. For example middle level managers are not allowed to question the authority at the top. They must follow protocol at all times and direct their issues to the other managers above them before they can get the issue to the top management. d) Future of the BusinessBusiness in the Chinese culture is normally centered on the long term profitability and investments rather than the short term (Thompson, 2007). The business also strives to increase the family honor as status is an important element in the business environment in the culture. The family honor is measured according to the status that the family is given in the community. The higher the respect and status, the more the family honors. The family needs to have the ability to command respect and trust from the society. It is equally notable that th e future of the business is usually focused on ensuring that the family honor is maintained.Each transaction of the business is carefully considered and implemented in a way that invests into the future of the company. Relationships are also maintained and kept for the long term benefits. When acquiring finances to start the business or expand the business to facilitate its growth, the Chinese businesses normally search for funds among the family members. The businesses are largely financed by the family members. They also use family connections to acquire loans from their friends and sometimes use the family investments to act as collateral for these loans.It is very rare for the Chinese businesses to look for methods of finances from the public sources. They restrict themselves to the private sources since they prefer the confidentiality that the method brings (Gertmenian, n. d). They also use these methods since they operate on a trust basis to carry out their business and this m ethod does not require them to provide any documents regarding the performance of the business. When developing their businesses, the Chinese people use the family connections and their friends to make and increase the sales of their businesses.They develop personal connections with all their customers and clients and to ensure that these relationships maintained even in the long run. To maintain these relationships they go to great lengths and incur huge expenses as they stay connected to the customers and the business people who are influential and who make huge decisions. They give tokens of appreciation for services that are offered to them and to their customers (Chen, 2003). It is not unusual for the large Chinese corporations to incur extensive costs in international travel when they have clients from overseas.The American culture of carrying out business normally focuses on the profits that the business makes and achieving the targets and goals made. They take little concern on the relationships that are needed to ensure the future of the business. They rely on several methods to increase the profitability of the business and its future. A lot of marketing and advertising is carried out as they concentrate more on the monetary gains and having the most effective practices that will contribute to the goals of the company in the future.They take sales and marketing activities seriously to boost the company’s performance in the short term and also in the long run. When seeking finances to expand their business or even start off the Americans are used to seeking public sources of finances and selling securities (Thompson, 2007). They prefer such methods as they are able to cater for the financial needs and targets. Most of the companies and corporations are usually publicly owned and therefore they provide their financial information to the public. They are also publicly scrutinized for every decision that they make.4. 0 Conclusion It is true that t he American and Chinese business cultures are different and they interfere with the business development. Most of the failure of the ventures in business in the region is attributable to the neglect by the multi-national companies to understand the cultural differences that exist between the two business environments. It is worth noting that there is need for these companies to understand these cultures to ensure that they are able to successfully develop business opportunities that are continually emerging. Word Count: 3400 Reference ListBucknall, K. (2000). Chinese Business Etiquette and Culture. California: C&M Online Media, Inc. CBBC. (n. d). China Guide. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from China Britain Business Council: http://www. cbbc. org/china_guide/b_culture. html Chen, M. -J. (2003). Inside Chinese Business: A Guide for Managers Worldwide. Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press. Chinese Business Culture. (n. d). Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center: http://chinese-school. netfirms. com/business. html Gertmenian, L. W. (n. d). Cultural Insights on Doing Business in China .Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Pepperdine University: http://gbr. pepperdine. edu/982/china. html Kwintessential. (n. d). Doing Business in China. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Kwintessential: http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/etiquette/doing-business-china. html Saxon, M. (2007). An American's guide to doing business in China:. Massachusetts: Adams Media. Thompson, S. (2007, October 29). American Vs. Chinese Business Culture: In the Family. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Associated Content: http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/421642/american_vs_chinese_business_culture. html

Economic Issues Real and Nominal Variables

Economic Issues Real and Nominal Variables In Economics, there is a difference between Real and Nominal variables. In general, a real variable is the one where the effects of inflation on the economy are factored. Contrary, a nominal variable is the variable where the impacts of inflation do not take care of the. Gross Domestic is defined as the value of all goods and services produced in a country (Borland, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Economic Issues: Real and Nominal Variables specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Nominal Gross Domestic Product is a concept that is used to measure the value of all goods and services produced in a country in current terms/prices. It is used to measure the value of services and goods per a definite period of time, while, as opposed to this, Real Gross Domestic Products concept is used to evaluate these issues, it is shown in prices of a base year. For example, suppose in the year 1999 the economy of China produced $200 billions worth of goods and services based on the year 1999 (Kym 2010).Thus, the year 1999 is used as a foundation at the same time, the nominal and real are the same (Kym 2010). Then, Year 1999 Nominal GDP=$200B,Real GDP=$200. In the year 2000, the nominal GDP=$210B and Real GDP=$205B.Thus, Nominal GDP Growth Rate is 10% where as Real GDP growth rate is 5%. Hence, the difference between the two concepts is used to measure the rate of inflation in statistical terms. These statistical terms are referred to as the GDP deflators (Maddison 2005). Hence, from this analysis, Real Gross Domestic Product is the best measure of economic growth because it estimates the cost in terms of production, and this is what the economy needs. RGDP can not result into both higher prices and higher outputs. Thus, real gross domestic product is the best measure of economic situation and not the best measure of the living standards. This is because it does not provide any room for black market econom y or profitability gained in a result of illegal goods; secondly, it does not measure aspects of well being, such as happiness for example. Furthermore, it ignores the gap between the poor and the rich in terms of resource distributions. In addition, RGDP omits efforts put into household productions, for example, work done by house wives. Moreover, our leisure time is not valued in real domestic product. Finally, it Country 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 China 7 8 8 8 9.1 9.1 10.2 11.9 9 9.1 10.3 does not take into account environmental destructions such as pollution caused during production (Eastman 2008). Below is an excel sheet for RGDP for China.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This illustration is a representation of China RGDP as Compared to Australia for ten years as adjusted for inflation. This data has been retrieved from Ch ina Economy watch statistics. The above business diagram explains the business climate of China. The real gross domestic product for china was high in the last year which is 2010.In a similar understanding, the business climate was low in the year 1999 and 2000.This is represented by the trough in economic recession. The economy and business climate was at peak in the year 2010 with a growth of 10.3%.Note that this information has been extracted from Australia economy watch 2009. Country 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Australia 4.3 4.7 3.6 3 3.5 2.7 2.7 4.3 2.3 1.2 2.7 NB.economy watch.com The illustration below represents business cycle diagram for Australia. The diagram highlights the year 2000 as the peak of the economy and the year 2006 as the tough economic times of severe recession of the continental economy and business climate. NB.economy watch.comAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Economic Issues: Real and Nominal V ariables specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The use of the Philips theory is the most suitable to explain the economy of China for ten consecutive years since 2001 to 2010, as illustrated in the below diagrams. In the year 2000, the rate of inflation was high, and hence there was little or no employment. Philips theory explains that the high rate of inflation results into lack of employment (Borland 2010). Hence, from the diagram, it is apparent that inflation has led China to low rate of employment as a consequence of inflation (Fairbank 2010). Thus, in conclusion, inflation leads to unemployment and this retards economic growth and development. References Borland, J (2010), Unemployment in Reshaping Australias Economy: Growth and with Equity and Sustainable Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Eastman, E. (2008), Family, fields, and ancestors: constancy and change in Chinas social and economic history, New York: Cambridge Uni versity press Fairbank, J (2010), East Asia: The Modern Transformation, London: University of England Kym, A, (2010), Australia in the International Economy: In Reshaping Australias Economy, Growth with Equity and Sustainability, Cambridge: Cambridge University PressAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Maddison, A, (2005), The World Economy: Historical Statistics, Paris: OECD