Pepsi Saudi Arabia

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) was developed by Kaplan and Norton in the 1990's, it is a management system designed to measure the entire performance of a company by measuring all relevant angles of the company’s operations. BSC requires the company to retain its core financial measurement, but it goes further and expands the measurement to other important business areas. The BSC looks at the entire business from four perspectives, the customer perspective, financial perspective, the internal business process and the learning and growth perspective. It collects and analyzes data relevant to the company.And it helps managers to get clearer more meaningful picture of their company, which in turn enables them to plan, improve and execute operational goals. The objective of this paper is to advocate the adaptation of BSC by Pepsi Saudi. The strength and economic advantages of BSC and why it would be beneficial to Pepsi Saudi will be extensively discussed in this presentation. PEPSI SAUDI ARABIA: The Pepsi company of Saudi Arabia is comprised of two key divisions based on the western region of the country, one the Saudi International Project Company (SIPCO) and the other is Saudi Fruit Juice and Beverage Industry (SFJBI).This paper will look at this merger and how it could use the BSC methodology to elevate its entire operation and increase its profit margin. BALANCE SCORECARD (BSC). Developed in the 1990's by Kaplan and Norton, balanced scorecard is a business management system that uses measurement to verify strategic plans. It tries to align business operations to the strategies of the business, by measuring the performance of the business in relations to its goals, usually for a given time period. It relies largely on the premise that a business principle or a business function that could be measured could also be improved upon.â€Å"What gets measured gets done†. If a company can establish a measurement system to analyze its performance, then that c ompany can find a way to improve on its performance based on the result of the measurement. Experts generally agree that the companies that take the time to measure their own performance usually does better than the companies who do no possess the tools of measurement. Based on the outcome of a business measurement BSC encourages managers to prioritize their efforts. The BSC does not focus on financial measurements alone, because financial measurement alone can not reveal all the important data neededfor long term performance. The balanced scorecard incorporates such business elements based on the customers needs, employees, technology, and other critical elements that could help the company emerge stronger in the future. Essentially BSC takes stock of the whole business. It uses the â€Å"feedback loop† to pinpoint all problematic areas and then it develops solutions for them. Managers and employees can then learn from those points that had been identified by the loop. It lo oks at the company’s current position then initiates the necessary strategies for correction. It uses learning, technical innovations and appropriatebehavioral shifts and cultural identities to accommodate essential actions for the benefit of the company. BSC also sets aside time to study the applications that have been implemented, and then analyzes the results for effectiveness of those mechanisms or lack of effectiveness. THE FOUR PERSPECTIVES AT A GLANCE: The BSC uses data to articulate performance management with the primary objective being the implementation of corporate strategy. The BSC methodology primarily employs four perspectives: financial, customer, business process perspectives and learning and growth perspectives.It calculates present performance without ignoring the importance of future performance. (1) FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE: The BSC recognizes the importance of financial data, but it does not want the emphasize on financial data to overshadow the other neces sary perspectives that deserve equal amount of attention. In BSC adequate, timely and accurate funding are seen as key business requirements. But the BSC methodology goes a little further, it emphasizes that financial data be included in the corporate data base and be available by automation. The BSC method also explores financial risk assessments and cost benefit analysis as partof the data collection in the financial perspective. (This will be discussed in detail in the main body of the study) (2)CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE: The BSC methodology advocates customer focus and satisfaction, it insists that the company must not only satisfy its customers but it must do so without losing money in an attempt to provide superior services or products to those customers. According to the BSC, the customer perspective is a key indicator of the functional health of the company. Poor customer performance is usually an indication of corporate performance in the future.If the customers are not satisfie d they will take their businesses somewhere else, and that is an indication of poor business performance in the future. BSC mandates a satisfaction metric to measure the customer satisfaction. The aim is to identify all customer groups, analyze their needs and provide services to them accordingly. But the company cannot afford to lose profitability in an attempt to satisfy its customers. ( This will be discussed in detail in the main body of the study). (3) BUSINESS PROCESS PERSPECTIVE: The BSC defines this as the internal process. It enables the managers to become familiarwith the functions of the company, and it services and operations. It makes sure that the products and services meets the requirement of the customers. This is highly internal, i. e the process is preferably developed and handled by corporate managers and workers as who have intimate knowledge of the company, as opposed to consultants who are essentially corporate outsiders. The mission oriented process refers to the functions of government offices, and they could present some unique problems. On the other hand, the support process is more repetitive and generic and therefore easier to measure. (Thiswill be discussed in detail in the main body of the study). (4) LEARNING AND GROWTH PERSPECTIVE: The BSC describes this perspective as employee training in corporate culture as well as individual training and improvement. It sees employees as the mainstay of the corporation. The training would be regular and continuous. The idea is to avoid â€Å"brain drain† from the company. So employees would be trained in all new and relevant technologies. Kaplan and Norton emphasized that â€Å"learning is more than training†, it includes mentors and tutors in the organization. (Kaplan&Norton 1996). (This will be discussed in detail in the main body of the study).CAN PEPSI SAUDI BENEFIT FROM BSC? To answer that question it is important to know where Pepsi Saudi came from in terms of business it s identity and then analyze the reasons it chose to adopt the BSC management module, and then superimpose the analysis on the reports of other corporations that have adopted the BSC. It is worth noting that Pepsi’s decision to join the ranks of companies that have chosen to implement BSC was not made in a vacuum. The fact is that BSC had become a familiar and efficient working module for many successful companies. Also Pepsi Saudi has had its own incredible business and financial success, and byadopting BSC it chose to follow many world class businesses. With the implementation of the balance scorecard methodology, Pepsi Saudi have joined ranks with such business heavyweights as Exxon mobile, British telecommunications worldwide, Hilton hotels, IBM, UPS, Volvofians of Sweden and much more. These are impressive list of companies, and again the decision for them to adopt the balanced scorecard system was not made in a vacuum, because the stakes are too high. On February 2nd 200 2 the AME-INFO reported the merger of Saudi industrial projects company (SIPCO) and Saudi FruitJuice and Beverage industry (SFJBI) in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The reasons for the merger were many, they wanted to expand their command of the beverage industry, and they wanted to remain the best manufacturing operation in the industry. It is not difficult to imagine that Pepsi Saudi would adopt BSC in order to maintain its dominance of the industry. Before the merger it introduced the Pepsi twist (Pepsi taste laced with a twist of lemon) â€Å"in order to satisfy customers demand for something extra in their soft drink† AMEINFO October 8th 2001. It unfolded many ad campaigns designed to capturenew customers and retain old ones. The ad campaign targeted all major social events of the kingdom, including football games that featured the stars of the popular sport. As this study will show continue the company has continued to grow under BSC. FRAMEWORK: Because of the succ ess of balance scorecard, there are enormous volumes of information on the practice of BSC, but this study will examine the phenomenon of balance scorecard with Saudi Pepsi as the reference agency. The study will review the book (Translating strategy into action) by Kaplan and Norton as well as many relevant literature on the subject.It is the position of this study that BSC is a genuine business elevator, so this project will make the necessary efforts to present authentic evidence in support of that position. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to outline and analyze the fundamental principles of the Balanced Scorecard system. The paper will trace the formulation of the system and review some of the available data on its effectiveness. Also the paper will make an objective judgement on the advantages and disadvantages of its application. Since this is designed to ascertain the adaptability of BSC to Pepsi of Saudi Arabia, the paper will concludewith a critical in sight on how Pepsi could benefit from BSC, based largely on data from the performance review of other corporations that have implemented the BSC management system. QUESTIONS EXPECTED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THIS STUDY: Though questions abound on this study, but this discourse will focus greatly on the matters that address the application, and the structure of Balance Scorecard. The major perspectives as advanced by Kaplan and Norton will be presented and analyzed in depth . It must be emphasized that the system is an objective, responsive system. Itcould be followed with appropriate data analysis, and adjustments could be made when desirable. The paper will provide the necessary steps that could be followed in order to attain a desired result. Because this dialogue has taken sides in favor of the BSC, it will clearly present the known benefits of implementing the system. But it must be emphasized that there are some drawbacks in the BSC system. Those drawbacks would equally be outlined. All the important steps in the implementation of the BSC will be discussed, and the different roles that different levels of a corporate entity would need to play will be enumerated as well.All of the team members must not only make a commitment, they must participate in the process. Every department must know its participating role in the implementation of BSC, and this work will detail what those roles ought to be, and how to ensure that they are diligently executed. It should also be recognized that it is not enough to design and construct a BSC, the question is would it be used? No benefits would accrue if the built BSC is not used. Of course the most important question is that of the applicability of the system by Pepsi Saudi, that question will be adequately addressed in this process.CHAPTER TWO: BOOK AND LITERATURE ANALYSIS. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT: Before the advent of BSC, a questionnaire by the national association of accountants indicated that about 60% of accountants wer e â€Å"not satisfied by their performance measurement system†, primarily because of its reliance on purely financial metrics. But since the implementation of BSC that dire view is turning around. (Nevin 2003). Performance measurement technique is used to compile data on many subjects, high school academicians use performance measurement to keep record of behaviors of students whose behaviors required to improvement.The significant point here is that the actual behavior improvement could be measured empirically, scientifically and with discerning accuracy. So it is not surprising that corporations would also adopt performance management system. Corporations use performance measurement to keep record of its effectiveness, and its efficiency. It is used to tabulate quality and productivity. It is also used to keep records of timeliness and safety. (Nevin, Paul 2003). With an effective performance measurement system, companies can a develop a sustainable structure for its strate gic planning, and its goals.It helps companies assemble a clear mission, with appropriate resources, on long term intervals. With it companies can maintain accountability for its performance or lack of performance. By using performance measurement companies are better able to analyze and validate its results. It can also use it to acquire timely feedbacks, which could be used to change the direction of a given project or to move a project forward. So in total, performance measurement could help and organization to make informed decisions, to appraise its performance and to initiate an improvement as needed. (Nevin, Paul 2003). I suppose we can say thatperformance measurement is a close â€Å"cousin† of BSC. However a performance measurement system could limit its benefits if it loses sight of key performance drivers. And it could be quite expensive to set-up a performance measuring unit, but most companies seem to agree that the cost is worth it at the long run. (Kaplan & Nor ton 1996). BALANCED SCORECARD, â€Å"DEFINITION† What is scorecard, how can we define scorecard, is it possible to provide a total comprehensive meaning? Scorecard is not a one word definition system, so in order to do justice to the question, what is scorecard, it is necessary to take a comprehensiveapproach to that question. â€Å"If you can measure it you can manage† that is the guiding concept behind the BSC management philosophy. The balanced scorecard system was designed by Kaplan and Norton in the 1990's with the objective of giving managers the tool to look into the long term prospect of their organizations with some measure of reliability. So the BSC is both a management and a measurement tool that when fully and accurately implemented will enable businesses to develop their own vision, and their own strategy, and then translate those business elements into business actions.It is a system that can give businesses an authentic feedback about their internal and external results. And that in turn would enable them to develop a genuine strategy. Since a company with superior strategy and a way of measuring the results of its performance functions do better than companies that do not posses similar tool. (Kaplan & Norton 1996). With BSC managers are able to a maintain a clear insight into the operations and management of all business units. It gives the manager the picture that he needs to see how the business is performing when it is compared against the plans, and stated objectives of the business.If a discrepancy is observed between the goals and the actual results, BSC enables practitioners to delve in and correct the noticed discrepancy. And when corrections are made effectively, the business would then redirect the necessary efforts and resources back to the expected reports. It has been abundantly documented that companies that use BSC have a highly accurate and generally dependable view of their entire operations and its performance. BSC does not simply employ financial metrics in its measurements, but it uses customer satisfaction, technical and intellectual innovations, market share and market competition to garnerbetter more reflective and more comprehensive results of company operations and performance. And there are very little doubts that this system is effective for those companies that have designed and executed the system. (Nevin 2003). A comprehensive survey/questionnaire conducted by CIO. Com, Balancedscorecard. org, and Microsoft. com revealed that companies that employ BSC â€Å"have improved their financial and future position in the market place†. (Studentweb. tulane. edu). A study by Nevin 2003 indicates that about 50% of fortune 1000 corporations now have employed some form of BSCmanagement performance metrics. (Nevin 2003). That alone means that all of these companies have used the BSC system to position themselves on a better financial and management future. With BSC organizations are a ble to articulate a comprehensive strategy towards desired performance, and implementation success. On the whole the BSC system employs tree main systems in order to accomplish its objectives. It uses the measurement system, the strategic management system, and the communication tool. (Nevin 2003). These three factors present only as translation tool to the entire strategy of the BSC business system.The measurement system of BSC uses the â€Å"lead indicators† to forecast future business environment. It reveals the strategy via long term management that focuses on customer satisfaction, innovation and recognition of potential market competitors. It seeks out innovation for the benefit of superior products. It deploys essential resources in order to capture customers that it would retain for the long run. It looks for realistic ways to retain its customers. And it combines all of those factors for both effectiveness and efficiency. It is the measurement aspect of BSC that full y engages the four perspectives, so theseperspectives will be discussed here in a little more detail. The four perspective as have been mentioned on this discourse include the customer perspective, the internal process perspective, and the learning and growth perspectives. CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVES REVISITED: When a business loses the drive to pursue and retain customers, it loses its soul and therefore the right to exist. No business can function, thrive or prosper without a reliable customer base. In the customer perspective theory BSC makes it clear that it is not only essential to know who the target customers are and how a business can better servethat customer base. The BSC identifies three primary ways of providing services to customers in the Balance scorecard system. Operational excellence emphasizes low prices, and convenience ( Nevin 2003). Product leadership focuses on providing the best product in the market. In customer intimacy the business stresses the development of lon g term relationships with the customer, doing whatever is necessary to know what it is that the customer truly wants. It does so while maintaining as much knowledge as possible of its customers. The reason for these efforts in acquiring superior customerknowledge comes down to the point that the businesses are attempting to provide as much satisfaction to the customers as possible. The other reasons include customer loyalty and the need for more market share. (Balancedscorecard. org. ) INTERNAL PROCESS PERSPECTIVE REVISITED: This area focuses on identification of the things that would need to be done in order to continue to add value to the customers and ultimately to the shareholders (Nevin 2003). The internal process aims to serve the customer and increase the total value of the organization, as well as keep record of the companies progress. The team’s objective isprimarily to develop better products, to find better ways of manufacturing better products. To find better ways of delivering their products, and to find better ways of delivering better services after the products had been delivered. LEARNING AND GROWTH PERSPECTIVE REVISITED: This may actually be the most important aspect of the entire process. Organizations would get as far as their employees could take them. A team that lacks knowledge may not be able to provide the necessary services required by the customers. Therefore genuine effort must be made to keep employees abreast of necessary information. And that is what the learningand growth perspective tries to define. It emphasizes that information be made available to the employees. It requires the employees skills be as sharp as necessary. It does not want employees to be ignored. Again the key here is that any organization would only go as far as the employees could take it. With adequate care and education, employees can only do better for the company. It is important to point out that the BSC system does not ignore the financial persp ective. But the key is that when a company has satisfied the other objectives, that company stand a pretty good chance of doing well financially.BALANCE SCORECARD AS A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Obviously putting a business and management strategy is important, but no strategy will function if it does not actually get implemented. So the first step in resolving the issue of non-implementation, is to identify what the potential problems towards implementation may be, and then address those issues. According to fortune magazine (1999) about 70% of strategies are poorly executed, so how can it be executed better. Both the team and the management must pay attention to the four barriers: the vision barrier, the people barrier, the resource barrier, and the management barrier.(1) VISION BARRIER: To overcome the vision barrier, employees must not be kept in the dark. The BSC wants management to be very clear as to what the vision is. When possible place a figure on the vision . For insta nce if the goal is to manufacture products without defects 90 % of the time, then it may be made clearer by stating exactly that. That figure of 90% translates the vision to a level that could not be misunderstood. Give the employees the appropriate knowledge base and strategic structure, that makes the entire strategic objective easier to follow. Management should facilitate a total understanding of the strategy and the wholestructure in order to enable all the team members to fully understand the strategy and therefore work towards achieving it as a unit. (Kaplan & Norton) (2) PEOPLE BARRIER: In order to overcome the people barrier, BSC outlines a system known as cascading. Essentially it give all of the team members or all of the employees a chance to actually demonstrate exactly how they contribute to their teams objective. The entire system is driven from the top to the bottom. Management would be able to have â€Å"direct line of site† to all levels by implementing the cascade system. the management would need toredesign how it awards incentives. When the focus is on rewarding long term achievement as opposed to short term, employees tend to respond with long term focus, as they work towards achieving the goal. So if long term objectives are created and proper values and incentives placed on them, then the rest of the team would naturally follow. This is an important point because, when employees are rewarded based on short term expectations, then the entire effort would be based on attaining that short term incentive. (3) RESOURCE BARRIER: For the resource barrier, an organization that is genuinely concerned about achievingBSC must allocate adequate budgetary resources to it. To do otherwise would simply be folly. No strategy would get off the ground without real financial commitment. Human and financial resources should be part of the consideration during the planning of the strategy. It just would not make sense not to allocate the necessary re sources. (4) MANAGEMENT BARRIER: The last barrier is the management barrier, there is really no doubt that management participation about the importance of an earnest management participation in order for the strategies to work. If management would not show true commitment, then whywould the rest of the team. If the team leader is absent why would any one else pay attention. (Nevin 2003). When learning is prescribed as part of the strategy and when accurate evaluation are made based on the numbers from the scorecard, then its easier to read the results and compare them to the original hypothesis. If the report does not measure up to the hypothesis, then a different approach would be necessary. The point is that if all of these four strategic elements are implemented, and the required evaluations are made regularly, the company gives itself stands an excellent chance of reversing courseif the numbers indicate so. CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS: It would be unrealistic to think that the entire system would not have some criticisms, and there are some legitimate questions on how effective the system really is. For sure it is an expensive proposal to implement. It requires that management and team leaders must have hands on approach in order to achieve the stated goals. But it is not always easy to have that kind of high level participation. So it could be a problem. (Molleman 2007). Some have argued that it is difficult to relate one measurement to the other.For instance, how could a change in one perspective have a direct correlation to another. It is not quite clear how change in a particular measure would affect another measure. Others have argued that BSC does not address what the appropriate balance ought to be when addressing the stakeholder value. Davidson 2002, reports that the BSC correctly anticipates the value for the shareholders and the customers, but it does not articulate the needs of the employees. It also asserts that the requirement for top management pa rticipation centralizes the methodology on the high level management.In a project that requires a good degree of knowledge, Davidson argues that the top-down approach may not be the best. But on the issue of management participation, if the commitment is high enough, then management ought to be able to find the time to allocate to the idea, because the long term benefits could be enormous ,if the system is followed correctly. The point is that the benefits negates the shortcomings. All indication is that BSC is a business method that is worth pursuing, and there are definite measures that could be taken in order to mitigate some of the shortcomings. If an organizationfollows the directives that were outlined by Kaplan an Norton, then they would have significantly elevated their chances for success in their endeavor. First Kaplan and Norton insists that on the question of wether an organization is applying the right measure of perspectives, they recommend that a stable BSC should hav e a good balance of both lagging and leading indicators. That would enable them to see a clear picture of not only past efforts but also the plans of the future. A company should not implement too many indicators. Organizations should focus on those indicators that clearly addresses their strategy.So with the correct combination of lagging and leading indicators as well as the correct mixture of the most critical indicators, Kaplan and Norton belief that the organization would do just fine. (Kaplan & Norton 1996). They also advised against making a â€Å"quantitative link† between non financial indicators and financial indicators. Since lag time may be influenced by many factors, it is not advisable to link non financial indicators and financial indicators. Also Kaplan and Norton observed that failure would almost be guaranteed if senior management simply dump the system to middle management. Therefore it emphasizes that senior managementmust remain engaged, it must define th e performance measurement, thereby making the objective clear to all levels of the team. It is not enough to have a senior leadership, if the senior leadership is not working with the rest of the team to achieve the objective. All segments of the company or organization would need to be involved in order for the BSC to work as designed. Developing the process does not have to be protracted, because if implementing it becomes too long then strategies may change during this period, and that would not be a good for the process. Therefore they recommend that the development process ought to be short.(Kaplan & Norton). It would be inadvisable to use the BSC just for compensation purposes, therefore it is recommended that compensation be linked only when it is involved in translating strategy. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BALANCED SCORECARD. The two main phases of BSC are the planning phase and the development phase. Because different organizations operate differently, it may not be realistic to expect companies to follow one particular route to the implementation of the system. But Nevin 2003 drew an implementation â€Å"map† that could aid any organization as it plows through the difficulty of planning and implementation.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 16

â€Å"Georgina?† â€Å"I'm still here.† â€Å"Pretty fucked up, huh? I guess this kills your angel theory.† â€Å"I'm not so sure.† My initial feeling of dismay was being replaced by a new idea, one that had been percolating in the back of my mind ever since I read the biblical passage at Terry and Andrea's. I wondered now†¦ wondered exactly what we were dealing with, if it was an angel after all. The words in Genesis came back to me: There were giants in the earth in those days†¦ the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown†¦ â€Å"What's Jerome saying about all of this?† â€Å"Nothing. What'd you expect?† â€Å"Everyone else is okay, though?† â€Å"Fine, last I knew. What are you going to do? Nothing stupid, I hope.† â€Å"I have to go check on something.† â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh warned. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Be careful. Jerome's in a terrible mood over all of this.† I laughed harshly. â€Å"I can imagine.† An awkward silence hung on the line. â€Å"What else aren't you telling me?† He hesitated a moment longer. â€Å"This†¦ this is a surprise to you, right? This Lucinda thing?† â€Å"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?† Another pause. â€Å"It's just†¦ well, you've got to admit it's kind of weird, first Duane†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hugh!† â€Å"And then, I mean, when no one could contact you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I told you, my cell phone broke. You can't be serious about this.† â€Å"No, no. It's just†¦ I don't know. I'll talk to you later.† I disconnected. Lucinda dead? Lucinda, with her plaid skirt and bob? It was impossible. I felt terrible; I'd just seen her the other day. Sure, I'd called her a sanctimonious bitch, but I hadn't wanted this. Any more than I'd wanted Duane dead. Yet, the connections Hugh had drawn were weird, weirder than I liked to admit. I'd argued with both Duane and Lucinda, and they'd died shortly thereafter. But Hugh†¦ how did he fit in? Some friend. From what I heard, he received a great deal of amusement telling anyone that would listen about your little whip and wings getup. I remembered Luanda's jibe. I had indeed had a small flare-up with the imp just before his attack. A small flare-up and a small attack, considering he had lived. I shivered, unsure as to what this meant. Doug walked in. â€Å"You get everything straightened out?† â€Å"Yeah. Thanks.† We stood there uncomfortably for a moment until I finally unlocked the floodgates of my guilt. â€Å"Doug, I-â€Å" â€Å"Forget it, Kincaid. It's nothing.† â€Å"What I said, I shouldn't have. I was – â€Å" â€Å"Wasted. Trashed. Flat on your ass drunk. It happens.† â€Å"Still, I had no right. You were trying to be nice, and I turned complete psycho bitch on you.† â€Å"You weren't that psycho.† â€Å"But definitely a bitch?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hid a smile, not meeting my eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry, Doug. I'm really sorry.† â€Å"Quit it. I can't take much more of this sentimentality.† I leaned over and squeezed his arm, resting my head slightly on his shoulder. â€Å"You're a good guy, Doug. A really good guy. And a good friend. And I'm sorry†¦ sorry for a lot of things that have – or haven't – happened between us.† â€Å"Hey, forget about it. It's nothing between friends, Kin- caid.† A pregnant pause hung between us; he was still clearly uncomfortable with this exchange. â€Å"Did†¦ did everything turn out all right? I lost track of you after the show. That outfit you have on doesn't reassure me any.† â€Å"You'll never believe whose shirt this is,† I teased, subsequently telling him the whole tale of getting sick with Seth and the follow-up birthday party. Doug was pushing hysterics by the time I finished, albeit in a relieved sort of way. â€Å"Mortensen's a good guy,† he finally said, still laughing. â€Å"He says the same thing about you.† Doug grinned. â€Å"You know he's – oh, man. I forgot, what with all those phone calls.† Turning to the desk, he sifted through papers and books, finally producing a small white envelope. â€Å"You got a note. Paige said she found it last night. I hope it's good news.† â€Å"Yeah, me too.† But I had my doubts when I saw it. I took it gingerly, like something that might burn me. The paper and calligraphy were identical to the last one's. Opening up the envelope, I read: So you're interested in fallen angels, are you? Well, there'll be a hands-on demonstration tonight. It should prove more informative than your current endeavors and won't require you screwing your boss in order to get help with extrapolation – not that watching you make a whore of yourself didn't have its moments. I looked up, meeting Doug's curious eyes. â€Å"No worries,† I told him lightly, folding the note up and placing it in my purse. â€Å"This is old news.† Hugh's report implied Lucinda had been killed last night, and this note had been slipped to me beforehand, according to Doug. The warning had gone unheeded. This person apparently didn't have a good grasp of my schedule, or they hadn't wanted me to actually act beforehand. It was more like a scare tactic. Whatever their point in giving me a heads-up on Lucinda, it was nothing compared to the other reference in the note. The thought that someone had watched me have sex with Warren made my skin crawl. â€Å"Where are you off to now?† Doug asked. â€Å"Believe it or not, I need to find a book.† â€Å"You're in the right place.† We went back out to the information desk, where Tammi stood. It pleased me to see Doug training her in this post; we'd need people available for all jobs when the holidays came. â€Å"Practice time,† I told her. â€Å"Tell me where we keep this book.† I gave her the name, and she looked it up in the computer, frowning at the results. â€Å"We don't. We can order it for you.† I scowled, suddenly understanding why people seemed so pissed off when I told them that. â€Å"Great,† I muttered. â€Å"Where am I going to get it tonight?† Erik probably stocked it, but he'd be closed by now. â€Å"I hate to recommend this,† joked Doug, â€Å"but a library might have it.† â€Å"Maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I eyed a clock, unsure how late the local branches stayed open. â€Å"Um, Georgina?† began Tammi carefully. â€Å"I know a place that has it. And that's still open.† I turned to her in surprise. â€Å"Really? Where – no. No. Not there.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† Her blue eyes pleaded with me to forgive her for such tidings. â€Å"But there were three copies in stock the last time I was there. They couldn't have sold out.† I groaned, rubbing my temples. â€Å"I can't go in there. Doug, you want to run an errand for me?† â€Å"I've got to close,† he admonished. â€Å"What place are you avoiding?† † Krystal Starz, home of ‘freaky witch woman.' â€Å" â€Å"You couldn't pay me to go there.† â€Å"You could pay me,† noted Tammi, â€Å"but I'm closing too. If it makes it any easier, she's not there all the time.† â€Å"Yeah,† added Doug helpfully. â€Å"No manager is always on-duty. She must have other staff to cover her.† â€Å"Unless they're short-staffed,† I muttered. The irony. I left the store and got into my car for the journey to Krystal Starz. As I drove, I reflected on the two pieces of information I'd gleaned today. First, the nephilim reference. The King James translation had mentioned angelic offspring, even mentioned them as being abnormal, but I had never considered the possibilities half-angel children might present. The annotation in Terry and Andrea's translation had elaborated only slightly more on such creatures, but it had been enough to spring a lock in my head. Who better, I thought, to take on both angels and demons than some sort of bastard demigod? Of course, the whole discovery of the nephilim had come about as a spin-off to the verse Erik had given me about fallen angels. I could be running away with a blind lead here when really the culprit was just a regular immortal, albeit an unstable one, slaying members of both sides. After all, I still hadn't ruled Carter out of the realm of suspects, nor had I figured out why said killer would finish the job with Duane and Lucinda but let Hugh live. My other piece of data today, the new note, offered little I hadn't already known. I'd simply found it too late for it to be of preemptive use. And if some voyeur was following me around, there was nothing I could do about that either. Yet, it led to the obvious question: Why was this person following me around? Evidence suggested I was the only one receiving such attention, the only one receiving notes. And again, there was the niggling truth: Everyone I'd fought with had later become a victim†¦ When I had almost reached Krystal Starz, I pulled off onto a deserted street. Unbeknownst to Tammi and Doug, I already had a simple solution for facing Helena. Stripping out of the dress and Seth's shirt, lest they be consumed, I shape-shifted, taking on the guise of a tall, willowy Thai woman in a linen dress. I sometimes used this body to hunt in. The New Age bookstore was quiet when I entered, with only a couple of browsing customers. I saw the same boyish acolyte from before manning the register, and blessing upon blessing, I couldn't see Helena anywhere. Even disguised, I still had no desire to run into that nutcase. Smiling at the young man behind the counter, I approached and asked where I could find the book. Grinning back like an idiot – this was a very attractive form, after all – he led me to a certain section in their cryptic cataloging system, immediately finding the book. As Tammi had said, the store stocked three copies. We returned to the register to cash out, and I sighed in relief, thinking I was going to make it out of here unscathed. No such luck. The back door leading to the conference room opened, and Helena glided out as though conjured, clad in a flowing fuchsia gown, laden with her usual ten pounds of necklaces. Damn it. It was like the woman really did have a sixth sense or something. â€Å"Things are well, Roger?† she asked the clerk, using her raspy show voice. â€Å"Yes, yes.† He bobbed his head eagerly, apparently thrilled that she'd call him by first name. Turning to me, she gave me one of her diva smiles. â€Å"Hello, my dear. How are you this evening?† Remembering that this persona had no grudge with her, I forced a smile and answered politely, â€Å"Good, thank you.† â€Å"I imagine so,† she told me gravely as I handed cash to the boy, â€Å"because I sense excellent things about your aura.† I widened my eyes in what I hoped was a laywoman's awe. â€Å"Really?† She nodded, pleased at an appreciative audience. â€Å"Very bright. Very strong. Lots of color. You have good things in store for you.† This message was a far cry from the one she'd given me at Emerald City, I thought. Seeing my book, she eyed me sharply, probably because it was dense and filled with research, as opposed to most of the fluff she sold. â€Å"I'm surprised. I would have expected you to be reading up on how to focus your gifts more. Maximize your full potential. I have several titles I can recommend if you're interested.† Didn't this woman ever stop with the sales pitching? â€Å"Oh, I'd love to,† I oozed back, â€Å"but I only brought enough cash for this.† I gestured to the bag now in hand. â€Å"I understand,† she told me gravely. â€Å"Let me show you anyway. So you'll know what to come back for next time.† Torn, I contemplated which would cause me the most discomfort: going along with her or starting a feud in yet another body. Noticing a clock, I saw that the store closed in fifteen minutes. She couldn't waste that much of my time. â€Å"Okay. I'd love to.† Beaming, Helena led me across the store, another victim in her thrall. As promised, we looked at books on utilizing the strongest parts of the aura, a few books on crystal channeling, and even one on how visualization could help bring about the things we most wanted. This last one was so painful, I wanted to beat myself in the head with it to end my suffering. â€Å"Don't underestimate the power of visualization,† she whispered. â€Å"You can control your own destiny, set your own paths, rules, and stakes. I can sense great potential in you, but following these principles can help you unlock more – all the things you'd want for a happy and fulfilling life. Career, home, husband, children.† An image of Seth's niece curled in my lap suddenly came unbidden to me, and I hastily turned away from Helena. Succubi bore no children. No such future waited for me, book or no. â€Å"I need to go. Thanks for your help.† â€Å"Of course,† she responded demurely, handing me a list she'd conveniently written the titles – and prices – upon. â€Å"And let me give you some brochures for our upcoming programs and events.† It didn't end. She finally released me once I was sufficiently laden with paper, all of which I dumped into the trash bin in the parking lot. Lord, I hated that woman. I supposed Helena the schmoozing con artist was better than Helena the raving lunatic who had been at Emerald City, but really, it was a tough call. At least I'd obtained the book, which was all that mattered. I pulled off at one of my favorite Chinese places on the way home, back in my normal shape. Carrying Harrington's book in, I ate General Tso's chicken while reading the entry on nephilim : Nephilim are first referenced in Genesis 6:4, where they are sometimes referred to as â€Å"giants † or â€Å"fallen ones.† Regardless of the word's translation, the nephilim's origin is clear from this passage: they are the semi-divine offspring of angels and human women. Genesis 6:4 refers to them as â€Å"mighty† and â€Å"men of renown.† The rest of the Bible makes little reference to the nephilim's angelic siring, but encounters with giants and men of â€Å"great stature† are frequently recorded in other books, such as Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua. Some have speculated that the â€Å"great wickedness† prompting the flood in Genesis 6 was actually a result of the nephilim's corrupting influence on mankind. Further apocryphal readings, such as 1 Enoch, elaborate on the plight of the fallen angels and their families, describing how the corrupted angels taught â€Å"charms and enchantments† to their wives while their offspring ra n wild throughout the earth, slaughtering and causing strife among humans. The nephilim, gifted with great abilities much like those of the ancient Greek heroes, were nonetheless cursed by God and neglected by their parents, consigned to wander the earth all their days without peace until eventually destroyed for the sake of mankind. I looked up, feeling breathless. I had never heard of anything like this. I had been right in telling Erik practitioners were the worst to ask about their own histories; surely this was something someone should have told me about before. Angelic offspring. Were nephilim real? Were they still around? Or was I really just chasing a dead end here, following a distracting lead when I should have restricted my search to immortals of my caliber or above, like Carter? After all, these nephilim were half-human; they couldn't be all that powerful. After paying the bill, I walked out to my car, opening my fortune cookie as I went. It was empty. Charming. A light rain misted around me, and fatigue crept in around my edges, not surprising considering the last twenty-four hours. I couldn't find a parking spot when I arrived in Queen Anne, which indicated some sort of sporting event or show going on nearby. Grumbling, I parked seven blocks away from home, vowing to never again lease an apartment that only had street spots. The wind Seth and I had felt earlier was fading, normal since Seattle was not a wind-prone city. The rain picked up in intensity, however, further darkening my mood. I was halfway home when I heard footsteps behind me. Pausing, I turned to look back but saw nothing save slick pavement, blearily reflecting streetlights. No one was there. I turned back around, starting to pick up my pace until I did a mental head slap and simply turned invisible. Jerome was right; I did think like a human too much. Still, I didn't like the street I'd chosen back; it was too deserted. I needed to cut over and walk the rest of the distance on Queen Anne Avenue itself. I had just turned the corner when something impacted me hard on my back, knocking me forward six feet, startling me so much that I shifted back to visible. I tried to turn around, flailing at my attacker, but another blow hit me in the head hard, knocking me to my knees. The sense I had was of being struck by something hand and arm shaped, but it packed a punch, more like a baseball bat. Again, my attacker hit me, this time across one of my shoulder blades, and I cried out, hoping someone would hear me. Another strike swiped the side of my head, the force pushing me over onto my back. I squinted up, trying to catch sight of who was doing this, but all I could dimly discern was a dark, amorphous shape, bearing down on me fast and hard as another blow made contact with my jaw. I could not get up from that onslaught, could not fight against the pain descending on me harder and thicker than the rain around me. Suddenly, brilliant light filled my vision – light so brilliant it hurt. I was not alone in my assessment. My attacker recoiled, letting me go, and I heard a strange high-pitched scream emitted above me. Attracted by some irresistible lure, I looked toward the light. A white-hot pain seared my brain as I did, my eyes taking in the figure moving toward us: beautiful and terrible, all colors and none, white light and darkness, winged and armed with a sword, features shifting and indiscernible. The next scream I heard was my own, the agony and ecstasy of what I had seen scorching my senses, even though I could no longer see it. My vision had gone white-whiter-whitest until all was black, and I could see nothing at all. Then, silence fell. I sat there sobbing, hurting physically and spiritually. Footsteps came, and I felt someone kneel beside me. Somehow, despite my blindness, I knew it was not my attacker. That person had long since fled. â€Å"Georgina?† a familiar voice asked me. â€Å"Carter,† I gasped out, throwing my arms around him.

Economic recession Essay

Economic recession is a period of economic decline; it means that there is a drop in the stock market, and an increase in unemployment but also a decline in the housing market. It also means that in Tourism, the residents of UK will have to will choose to holiday at home as the http://www. independent. co. uk infers ‘’ Grounded by the diminishing value of the pound and fears about the recession, record numbers of Britons will choose to holiday at home this summer. ‘’ Source – http://www. independent. co. uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/its-an-ill-wind-uk-tourism-finds-recession-is-so-bracing-1522542. html Additionally, the research by Visit Britain, the tourism authority, has shown that 74 % of people are trying to reduce their holiday spending, and are spending more time planning their trips to maximize value, a cottage in Britain where you can just pack the car up and take all your own food suggests that you’ve got greater control. However reducing the holiday spending is not the major problem, as there has been a big change in visits to Britain – official figures have revealed that the number of tourists who visited the UK from overseas in 2009 suffered a 7% decline on the previous year to 29.57 million. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also showed that the number of UK residents who made trips abroad fell 15% last year to 58. 53 million. But visitors to the UK spent around ? 16. 48 billion, or 1% more last year than they did in 2008, a contrast to UK residents’ expenses while abroad, which amounted to ? 31. 85 billion – a 14% fall on figures from 2008. The recession also had an impact on the number of trips UK residents took abroad last year. The figure fell 16% to 38. 44 million, while business trips were down 22% and visits to friends and relatives (VFR) abroad fell 7%. By contrast, more foreigners visited the UK on holiday, with the numbers rising 3% last year, although the overall total suffered with business trips falling 20%. The ONS also recorded a fall of 10% in the number of VFR trips to the UK last year. Records also reveal that UK residents took 21% fewer trips to North America last year and 15% fewer trips to Europe. Source – http://www. statistics. gov. uk/hub/index. html Source – http://uk. reuters. com/article/2009/07/16/us-britain-travel-idUKTRE56F3FX20090716 QUALITY OF GOOD AND SERVICES Most visitors that come to United Kingdom have clear expectations about what they must pay for, but most of all; they are hoping that the quality of what they pay for is worth their money. The concept of value for money is closely related to price but also involves other quality criteria. The English Tourism Council’s has set up star rating that let the visitors to be informed before they book accommodation to recognise quality and to differentiate levels of facilities and services which as potential guests they can expect, so that it can help them to match their needs and ensure they are not disappointed. The star rating gives an overall judgement of quality including comfort, space, facilities, and cleanliness, and can be used by both domestic and inbound tourits. One star indicates that the place is acceptable overall of quality. There is also adequate provision of furniture, furnishings, and fittings. Hotels that have only one star are usually small, and privately owned. Dinner may not be offered. Two star hotels are also usually small, and privately owned, including resort hotels, and commercial hotels. Accommodation offers a good degree of space and convenience. Furnishings may be simple but are well maintained in all the bedrooms. Breakfast is offered daily to residents and their guests. Dinner is available at least five nights per week. Three star hotels indicates that it is a more formal style of hotel with a greater range of facilities and services such as colour television, telephones, radios, desk etc. There are also public areas including lounge seating, restaurants or bars. Dinner will be provided seven nights per week and light snack lunches are available in the bar or lounge, together with a wide range of drinks. Additionally, there’s also laundry service available. Four star hotels infers that there is a luxury quality with services to match, for example, there is a selection of catering options all offering cuisine and service of the highest international quality. There is also highly trained, professional staff providing exceptional levels of anticipatory service. Source – http://www. britainexpress. com/oxford-hotels/star-ratings. htm EXCHANGE RATES The value of one currency against another currency is known as the foreign exchange rate. Exchange rates are an important factor in determining patterns of holiday taking, as any rise in the value of the pound will encourage outbound tourism, particularly if it involves the leading destinations countries. The value of the pound, or sterling, against another currency affects the cost of coming here for inbound tourists. It can affect negatively if it is more expensive to visit UK, but also can affect positively it is cheaper to visit UK. It is more likely that the appeal to tourist will increase when sterling is weak, as they will get more pounds for their money. Conversely, if sterling is strong, overseas visitors get less pounds in exchange for their money and are less likely to want to come here. In recent years sterling has been very strong against the dollar, or the dollar has been weak against sterling – which amounts to the same thing. This has meant that it has been relatively cheap for UK outbound tourists to visit the United States and more expensive for Americans to come to the UK. As VisitBritain. org have suggested that due to the dollar being weak against sterling, America perceived United Kingdom, as an expensive place to visit – the cost of accommodation, transport, and food has been highlighted by Americans as being really high priced. If the pas is riding high against most other currencies, it allows the British to budget for their holidays abroad with unusual freedom of choice, because the UK holidaymakers get much more for their money. For example, the rate of exchange with the Spanish peseta, the French franc, and the US dollar influences over 60 % of the holidays taken abroad by the British. The exchange rates depend on the strength or the weakness of sterling but they are also affected by the internal strength of currencies in main destination countries like France or Spain. At the moment the strenght of the pound sterling against other currencies looks as following Source  http://fx-rate.net/

Argumentative on the Existence of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative on the Existence of God - Essay Example Religions across the world embrace the tradition of worshipping a supreme power, which people know as God. The concept of a supreme power is popularly known as God, and this power is perceived to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Different religions worship different deities, attributing different qualities and traits to each. However, the educated elite in Europe subsequently came up with the idea of rationalism, which upheld a view that no such power existed and challenged the concept of God. However, the people who argue against the existence of God has never been able to provide any substantial evidence to disprove it. Thus, it transpires that those who merely refute the existence of God simply wants to stake a claim without actually dwelling on the philosophy of effect of the belief in God on humans. The existence of God has been the first doctrine of the Theo-philanthropists. They considered Bible as the universal philosophy of God and they claimed that the messages in Bible are those of God. Thus, the belief in the existence of God dates back to earlier ages in the history of mankind. People worshipped God in different religious institutions such as churches, mosques, temples and so on. When a study on the emergence of the universe and the whole system of creation arises one must surely be aware of the fact there are a million concepts for which no proof exists about their founder. In philosophy, especially in the natural philosophy, it God is considered as a divine entity. Through the development of science, the belief of God’s existence is challenged but no one can disregard the existence of a supreme power. Discussion: From the early stages of evolution, humans have harbored the faith in a superpower. Primitive humans worshipped natural forces such as water, fire, an d wind. Subsequently, as human civilization evolved, they began to worship God in the name of various religious faiths It becomes relevant here that all religions and the resultant faith in God, intends the good of humans. The belief in God, without doubt, instills confidence in humans and encourages them to follow certain ethical and moral values. Thus, humans gain a certain level of spirituality by believing in God. Basically, the concept of God relies on the premise that God is a benevolent being that guides humans to the path of kindness, love, and compassion. Thus, if faith can bring positive outcomes in humans, such results in them constitute the God. Therefore, it can be construed that the presence of God is evidenced by the good traits in humans. However, with the emergence of science, the existence of God has been challenged and the issue became a controversy. Many characteristics have been attributed to God and it transpires that God is a positive and benevolent power. All the religions in the world have developed through the concept of God. However, some people take the concept of God as a mere thing, but it is a universal truth that there exists a supreme power. The existence of the universe and various mysteries in it rather tend to validate the theory that God exists. There have been philosophers in the ancient periods who were great thinkers also. They believed that there is a supreme power. Philosophers such as John Locke, Nyaya, Plato, Zhuangzi, Descartes, Nagarjuna, Ganges, Thomas Reid, Edmund Burke, and Sextets Empiricus have postulated various theories about God. Of these philosophers, most support the theory of the existence of God. Plato developed the theory of Republic, emphasizes the existence of God. He also argues that God is intangible. â€Å"In Republic, Plato’s point is not to establish an idea of God, but instead to determine what is right, good, just, and true; however, in his journey, Plato has implicitly brought forward a vague, abstract notion of God† (Plato’s Philosophy in Republic Implies a Concept of God p.1).

How can we make the roads safer for those who share the road with Thesis

How can we make the roads safer for those who share the road with bicyclists - Thesis Example Bicycle is emerging as a popular mode of transport and it gives its hundred percent to the owner. The question can be answered by addressing the psychology of the road users of different types of vehicles and better traffic education by the controlling authorities. The roads must be safer for all those who share them with bicyclists. Every life is precious, that of the rider on the bicycle or the gentleman driving the car. An accident is an accident and we know that it is an accident only when it happens! Deaths and injuries from car-bike collisions are common. It’s a human problem: The blame game-the motorists claiming the exclusive rights on the road, and the cyclists demanding equal rights-- is no solution to the issue. For road fatalities, cyclists are not alone responsible. The reasons are varied. Carelessness of the adventurous rider, mechanical problems, and bad road conditions are some of them. The cyclists demand their right on the road along with safety. An individua l must first live to exercise the right! It is not a posthumous award! The argument that if there is no bicycle lane, the road should be out of bound for the cyclists, may be technically correct, but it defies solution. The motorists need to give up the How can we make the roads safer for bicyclists AND those who share the road with bicyclists? stand that they are born to race the car at 100-120 km per hour, from the moment it is out of the garage till the final destination, is a greedy and one-sided approach. Limit the speed and accommodate the bicycle riders, instead of going ballistic over them. While tendering the advice I would address the session for the bicyclists first and urge them to follow the rules scrupulously. It is not a circus performance. Never zigzag to challenge the oncoming cars. Self-discipline is the life-saver. Cyclists demand rights on a city road, and that underlines perfect regard for the traffic rules. The end-results should be a win-win situation for all. The argument of the motorists that they have the exclusive rights to use the roads, for which they pay tax in dollars, is not perfect. Cyclists too have paid taxes at the time of purchasing the bicycle (though indirectly) and they are citizens of the country subject to all other tax laws and rights guaranteed under the Constitution. Motorists have not been conferred with special rights. Not legal arguments, it’s the question of smooth flow of traffic No traffic law can be applied strictly under all circumstances. The question needs to be addressed prudently from the point of view of flow of traffic in a particular area/city. For example, the traffic rules for the cyclists in the heart of the New York City and its distant suburbs needs to be different. The traffic police, with their expertise and experience, frames well-meaning rules for motorists and cyclists and it is in the interest of both to follow the rules. How can we make the roads safer for bicyclists AND those who s hare the road with bicyclists? Saving precious lives is more important than winning legal points in arguments. The one, who travels on bicycle, does so, not necessarily on account of non-affordability of a motor vehicle due to economic considerations, but may be due to the reality one has to face about the traffic congestion on city streets. Cycling the distance has turned out to be an alternative mode of transport, and the issue has to be understood in that perspective. It is in the best

Essentials of Sports Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Essentials of Sports Law - Essay Example While at a pre-draft meeting, bob sugar signs a written contract with Frank Cushman and SMI. This automatically means Maguire no longer represents frank Cushman who is then drafted overall the next day. Element2: matt Cushman makes a contract by word of mouth accepting Maguire as his sons (Frank Cushman) agent. This makes both frank and bob aware of Maguire’s contract with franks father but is still the contract is not legal. Element 3: bob sugar makes a written contract with Frank Cushman and signs with SMI just like Maguire’s previous clients who bob talked to have them drop Maguire and sign with SMI. This contract is legally binding but with prior knowledge of Maguire’s unbinding contract with franks, dad makes it intentional interference of contract by bob. In this case, Maguire case will prevail in court for intentional interference in the contract but not for breach of contract. This is because first of all, Frank Cushman did not make any legally binding contract with Maguire directly, his dad did. However, even franks dad contract with Maguire does not hold since there was no written and signed the contract of bobs contract with Frank. Conversely, the box will be charged with intentional interference of contract because he knew that Maguire had kept frank as his agent. Tyson Walker, an NFL player for the Ravens is arrested by the police and charged with solicitation for sex. He was also previously charged with criminal assault after hotels camera caught him shoving Teresa, a woman he just met at a Las Vegas hotel while he was out gambling with his friend and teammate Eric Adams. Tyson shoved Teresa out of his room after she demanded $5000 dollars for his sexual acts which he refuses to pay and the police are involved. The issue here is supposed the NFL and Ravens decide to punish Mr. Tyson by suspending him in two games and six games respectively, is there a breach of contract and does the collective bargaining agreement of NFLPA breached (Wong, 400)?

External and Internal Environmental Analysis For Barnes and Noble Term Paper

External and Internal Environmental Analysis For Barnes and Noble - Term Paper Example Barnes & Noble Inc. regarded as a fortune 500 company is one of the largest book retailers created form the basic ideas of Charles M. Barnes; who started the business with a small printing establishment in Illinois in 1873. The company merchandised in textbooks and scholarly books and became famous in the whole Manhattan and New York, but with the increase in fame, came the need to meet the high demand. This prompted Leonard Riggio, one of Barnes & Noble competitors into buying the company in 1971 and later transforming it into the world largest bookstore; the famous name it earned until to date (Morgan, 2010). Having attained the highest success rate Riggio decided to expand it again through incorporation of a broader selection of commodities, which has seen the Barnes & Noble Company’s expansion all over the United States with accomplishments in the internet e-book services, shipping and mailing systems. The company has recorded remarkable sales turnovers, but they still fai l in the area of conforming to the environmental impacts of the market. Therefore as part of sourcing out a long-lasting solution and defining the future of the company, the management has to carry out an external and internal environmental analysis for the company (Barnes & Noble, 1997). The success of this analysis relates directly to the strategic plan that the company formulates and puts into practice; which forms the basis of this paper that seeks to plot out a workable strategic plan for Barnes & Noble Inc.... The company has the best locations characterized by their excellent choice of location, for example, in cafes like the Starbucks. Through the high success turnover rate, they enjoy the capability of having enough capital for expansion. They have a wide clientele base emanating from the extra program such as the children book club and the publishing programs Since the company bases its work on creativity, they attract the biggest clientele number of Americans who value art. The technological advancement and the increased need for a computer literate generation boost the numbers of clients that utilize the company’s eBook service benefiting company in return. Strong team to lead and manage the company. Growth of the online product. Added equity when it comes to the brands. Stable financial position. Weaknesses: They have the highest internal operating costs due to the many locations they have opened their stores. Sluggish in keeping up with the divergent change in issues and tre nds. The company lacks proper preparedness when it comes to dealing with change and competition. Diseconomies of scale. Over estimated economies of scale. Weak chain of managers. Threats: The competition from other online libraries and online businesses such as the Amazon. The economy that continues to slow down. External changes such as the politics, the government and taxes. Existence of cheap but effective technology.. Competitors who offer low-cost products The rampant growing product substitution such as the eBooks. Fluctuations in exchange rates. Competition. Conflicts relating to the varied competitor prices. Opportunities: A rich marketplace because of their a unique business strategy of penetrating the most profitable markets; selling scholarly books, movies, textbooks, coffee,

SEE Business Services Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SEE Business Services - Literature review Example However, various factors might result to this kind of scenario. For instance, the ever-changing business environment will push many business people and entrepreneurs to seeking more information on how they can utilize the business opportunity effectively. Because of this, the membership will increase because one of the objectives of the organization is to develop members. Additionally, the members have a forum to share their experiences and educate each other on various business and entrepreneurial ventures. Another major cause of increase in membership is favorable business environment that will encourage business hence the need for people to join the organization in order to gain knowledge. The driving force for this is that the organization provides an environment of sharing between members. Moreover, the organization encourages and celebrates outstanding business practices. Similarly, a favorable business environment will lead to an increased number of businesses and as a result, more people would want to join the organization in order to benefit and improve their business (Franz & Huemer 2007, p.6). Consequently, a favorable business environment will also lead to an increased number of entrepreneurs hence increasing the number of people who want to join the organization. ... Furthermore, the organization is bridging an information gap that exists in the market hence many want to join and benefit from the services that it offers. Another reason for the sharp increase in the number of people wanting to join the organization is the few number of organization that offer similar services. These are some of the courses for the increasing number of people that want to become members of the organization. However, for the organization to manage this increase effectively without negatively affecting the value of services it provides then it needs to develop smaller business development teams at the regional level that will deal with all the needs and concerns of members. These business development teams will perform a similar function as those in the head office in order to, effectively, manage the rising number of members without having a breakdown. However, they will not be in a position to make decisions. The management of the organization will be the sole cust odians of all rights and privileges. Additionally, these development teams will work as the head office directs. 2.0 Change Facilitation (a) Force Field Analysis Diagram +10 +5 0 -5 -10 \\\\\ The size of the arrow signifies strength i.e. the longer the arrow the stronger the force the shorter the arrow the weaker the force (Harris, 2002, p. 20). However, looking at the Field Force Analysis Diagram, there are several forces that the organization is facing. These forces are from all involved parties in the organization. For instance, the regional officers are advocating for decentralization in the organization so that more members can get services closer to them and faster than when the head office

THE ATOMIC BOMB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

THE ATOMIC BOMB - Essay Example At the end of the study, reasons are provided as to why standing armies’ war cannot be similar to war waged by small armed groups. On the 6th day of August 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped two atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, bringing the Second World War to an end. The dusk of the war, however introduced a new dawn of controversies regarding deliberate attack of civilians in wars, whether the use of the atomic bomb was necessary, and whether war is a practice only reserved for standing armies and nations as opposed to small armed groups. Concisely, America transformed the style of war on the planet in that prior to the Nagasaki/Hiroshima bombings; civilians had never been portrayed as participants or targets in war. Further debates emerged that the atomic bomb claimed fewer lives than what the actual War could have cost had it been allowed to extend beyond 1945. Owing to the new style of warfare introduced by the atomic bombs’ use, warfare on the planet has taken different paths in which case civilians are now part of wars, terrorism is portrayed as a justifiable practice by some, and war is now split between standing armies and small armed groups. In the light of these, the following discussion text will argue why deliberate attacks on civilians are illegitimate acts of war, that terrorism will never be a justified act, and that the practice of war should remain a preserve of nations and standing armies only; contrary to what the post-Hiroshima/ Nagasaki bombings implied. No definition of war would ever make sense if the terms â€Å"armed† or â€Å"weapons† did not feature anywhere in them. This is because war is a form of struggle against rivals as they strive to exercise victory over the other. As such, war has to be against an armed rival with another armed rival. In the event that one rival is unarmed, whatever struggle ensues thereafter takes an overly different definition from war. It may be

My Alignment with the Values of the Bank Essay Example for Free

My Alignment with the Values of the Bank Essay According to Business Dictionary 2010, values can be defined as the important and enduring beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is desirable and what is not. Each person has his or her own individual values and so does organizations. The values of organizations dictate its actions and behaviors. Corporate values can be said to play an important role in an organization and is imperative to success. And Access Bank PLC is known for its core values which are Excellence, Leadership, Empowered employees, Passion for customers, Professionalism, and Innovation. These values can be said to be responsible for its excellence and continuous strive to be the best both locally and globally. To attain a successful alignment between individual and organization values, there needs to be a synergy between the employee and the organization he or she works for. My alignment with these values are in no doubt because I as an individual always strive to be the best and these values should be cultivated by any individual or organization that strive to be the best. Firstly the value of Leadership, I as an individual that strive for excellence always want to be the leader. I strive to acquire all the necessary knowledge and expertise that makes me stand out as a leader that others look up to. So in this vein, contributing and believing in the Leadership value of Access Bank PLC is something that will come as second nature to me. Then there is excellence. This being part of my daily mantra is a value that aligning with will also come as second nature. I and Access Bank both believe in the value of excellence. As someone who strive to be the best and excel. Excellence is a watch word that applies to everything I do. I recognize the importance

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence began in the 1960s, the first attempts were game playing (checkers), theory proving a few simple theories and general problem solving. General problem solving was much more difficult than originally anticipated. Researchers were unable to tackle problems routinely handled by human experts. Artificial Intelligence can be defined in many ways as it depends from which point of view you look at it from. From the intelligence point of view artificial intelligence is to make machines intelligent thus making them act as we people would act. However artificial intelligence from a research perspective is how to make machines do things people are currently doing better in other words making machines do what we humans can do. Now from a business point of view artificial intelligence is a combination of powerful tools, and methods for using those tools to solve business problems. As for the programming point of view artificial intelligence is the study of symbolic programming, search and problem solving. Expert Systems: Expert systems are defined on bases functional and structural. Expert systems from a functional perspective are defined based on what the system does rather than how it does it. A computer program that behaves like a human expert in some useful ways. (Winston Prendergast, 1984) Nevertheless we can define expert systems on the bases of their structure in many ways depending on which angle we look at it from Problem area â€Å"Solve problems efficiently and effectively in a narrow problem area. (Waterman, 1986) typically, pertains to problems that can be symbolically represented (Liebowitz, 1988) Problem difficulty apply expert knowledge to difficult real world problems (Waterman, 1986) solve problems that are difficult enough to require significant human expertise for their solution (Edward Feigenbaum in Harmon King, 1985) â€Å"Address problems normally thought to require human specialists for their solution (Michaelsen et al, 1985). Performance requirement the ability to perform at the level of an expert (Liebowitz, 1988) â€Å"Programs that mimic the advice-giving capabilities of human experts. (Brule, 1986, p.6) â€Å"Matches a competent level of human expertise in a particular field. (Bishop, 1986, p.38) â€Å"Can offer intelligent advice or make an intelligent decision about a processing function. (British Computer Societys Specialist Group in Forsyth, 1984, pp.9-10) â€Å"Allows a user to access this expertise in a way similar to that in which he might consult a human expert, with a similar result. (Edwards and Connell, 1989, p.3) Explain reasoning â€Å"The capability of the system, on demand, to justify its own line of reasoning in a manner directly intelligible to the enquirer. (British Computer Societys Specialist Group in Forsyth, 1984, p.9-10) incorporation of explanation processes (Liebowitz, 1988) Expert Systems from a structural perspective are defined on the bases of how the system functions. â€Å"Using the programming techniques of artificial intelligence, especially those techniques developed for problem solving (Dictionary of Computing, 1986) However we can define expert systems on the bases of their structure in many ways depending on which angle we look at it from Use AI techniques using the programming techniques of artificial intelligence, especially those techniques developed for problem solving (Dictionary of Computing, 1986) Knowledge component the embodiment within a computer of a knowledge-based component, from an expert skill (British Computer Societys Specialist Group in Forsyth, 1984) a computer based system in which representations of expertise are stored (Edwards and Connell, 1989) The knowledge of an expert system consists of facts and heuristics. The facts constitute a body of information that is widely shared, publicly available, and generally agreed upon by experts in the field. (Edward Feigenbaum in Harmon King, 1985) Expert systems are sophisticated computer programs that manipulate knowledge to solve problems (Waterman, 1986) Separate knowledge and control â€Å"Make domain knowledge explicit and separate from the rest of the system (Waterman, 1986). Use inference procedures an intelligent computer program that uses knowledge and inference procedures (Edward Feigenbaum in Harmon King, 1985) The style adopted to attain these characteristics is a rule-based programming style. (British Computer Societys Specialist Group in Forsyth, 1984) Exhibit intelligent behavior by skillful application of heuristics. (Waterman, 1986). The heuristics are mostly private, little rules of good judgment (rules of plausible reasoning, rules of good guessing) that characterize expert-level decision making in the field. (Edward Feigenbaum in Harmon King, 1985) incorporation of ways of handling uncertainty(Liebowitz, 1988) Model human expert â€Å"Can be thought of as a model of the expertise of the best practitioners of the field. (Edward Feigenbaum in Harmon King, 1985) representation of domain-specific knowledge in the manner in which the expert thinks (Liebowitz, 1988) â€Å"Involving the use of appropriate information acquired previously from human experts. (Dictionary of Computing, 1986) Components of an Expert System An expert system consists of 4 main components which are listed below: Knowledge base a representation of the expertise and is usually inputted in IF THEN rules, and are usually put into a database for easy access by the system. Working storage Data which is specific to a problem being solved by the expert system. Inference engine the code at the core of the system which derives recommendations from the knowledge base and problem-specific data in working storage. User interface the code that controls the dialog between the user and the system. People and they consist of: Domain experts the individual or individuals who currently are experts in solving the problems the system is intended to solve. Knowledge engineers the individuals who encode the experts knowledge in a declarative form that can be used by the expert system. Users the individuals who will be consulting with the system to get advice which would have been provided by the expert. Furthermore there are some other optional components that might be added to the system as sub systems and which try to make the expert system more efficient thus making it more powerful and they are. Explanation sub system is used to explain the logic or reason of recommending a solution. Justifier is another name of explanation sub system. Justifier also explains why a solution is recommended or not recommended. Knowledge refining sub system is used to refine the knowledge in the knowledgebase after working every time over a problem. It works exactly like human beings who analyze their actions and learn from their mistakes to perform better in the future. Programming Languages Used to Develop Expert Systems Here are some of the programming languages used to develop expert systems. 1. LISP, developed in the 1950s, is the early programming language strongly associated with AI. LISP is a functional programming language with procedural extensions. LISP (LISt Processor) was specifically designed for processing heterogeneous lists which is a list of symbols. Features of LISP that made it attractive to AI researchers included Run- time type checking. Higher order functions (functions that have other functions as parameters). Automatic memory management (garbage collection) and an interactive environment. 2. The second language strongly associated with AI is PROLOG. PROLOG was developed in the 1970s. PROLOG is based on first order logic. PROLOG is declarative in nature and has facilities for explicitly limiting the search space. 3. Object-oriented languages are a class of languages more recently used for AI programming. Important features of object-oriented languages include: concepts of objects and messages objects bundle data and methods for manipulating the data sender specifies what is to be done receiver decides how to do it inheritance (object hierarchy where objects inherit the attributes of the more general class of objects) Examples of object-oriented languages are Smalltalk, Objective C, C++. Object oriented extensions to LISP (CLOS Common LISP Object System) and PROLOG (LO Logic Objects) are also used. The Difference between these programming languages and procedural programming languages. According to an article in the Information and Software Technology journal by Alexander Chatzigeorgiou of the Department of Applied Informatics, at the University of Macedonia, the object-oriented approach is known to introduce a significant performance penalty compared to classical procedural programming. For instance, profiling results for embedded applications indicate that C++ programs, apart from being slower than their corresponding C versions, consume significantly more energy (mainly due to the increased instruction count, larger code size and increased number of accesses to the data memory for the object-oriented versions). Example of an Expert System One of the most recognized expert systems used today by the general public is the online doctor due to the fact that many people use it daily. In brief this expert system is used to diagnose people by asking them what the problem is and then suggesting the actions that they should take which sounds very similar to an expert system where the illness is the problem the recommended actions are the solutions. In this example the website that was studied is www.yourdiagnosis.com In this expert system there are main components of the expert system and they are: The people The people are separated into three categories and they are: The domain experts who are actually the doctors who provide the data for the system. The knowledge engineers are the engineers who enter this system in a rule based input for example giving multiple choice questions to diagnose a cold. Do you feel cold.[ ] Do you feel hot? [ ]. Do you feel normal? [ ] System engineer who is the person in charge assembling and managing the system. The user who is the person asking for the diagnoses. The user interface The user interface is the website used by the user to find the diagnoses. Example: The inherence engine The inherence engine which in this case is made by the engineer using a web based programming language like ASP or PHP in the website from the last example we see that the programming language used is ASP and we can see that from the address bar. http://www.yourdiagnosis.com/yourdiagnosis/Yourdiagnosis.ASP?WCI=WorldMapHTMWCE=ClickWCU The knowledge base The knowledge base in this case is where all the rules that the knowledge engineer inputted them in this case the engineer used Microsoft SQL SERVER 2008. The knowledge in this case is the medical knowledge given by the doctors. The working storage The working storage in this case is a storage area on the server where each users data is stored in a relational database The benefits of using artificial intelligence The main benefits of using artificial intelligence are: Provide answers for decisions, processes and tasks that are repetitive Hold huge amounts of information Minimize employee training costs Centralize the decision making process Make things more efficient by reducing the time needed to solve problems Combine various human expertises. Reduce the number of errors caused by humans. Provide strategic and comparative advantages that may create problems for competitors Look over transactions that human experts may not think of Even though the benefits of artificial intelligence is more than the above we find that the main advantage to using artificial intelligence is to maximize the efficiency of a business thus giving the business the edge it needs to over throw its competitors. Why Artificial intelligence is hard to include in information systems The difficulties in including artificial intelligence in information systems are due to many facts one of which is the expense. Furthermore there are multiple factors why its so difficult to include artificial intelligence in information systems from which is the human acceptance to Artificial intelligence especially in the older groups another factor is that domain experts will be threatened by the fact that they are giving their expertise to a company and the fear of being redundant. From the technical point of view the implementation of artificial intelligence is quite hard due to the if rule conversion of the expertise. And the integration with old systems will require an effort especially for established companies with legacy hardware and software. Which brings us to the expense part of the problem? There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is an expensive approach as it is time consuming as it requires a lot of time and human resources. Furthermore developing artificial intelligence relies heavily on having the correct expert information and having something wrong in the knowledge base might cause damages which will lead to costly error and problems. Reference Anonymous. Dictionary of Computing, 1986, New York: Oxford University Press. Bishop, Peter. Fifth Generation Computers Concepts, Implementations Uses, 1986, Chichester, England: Ellis Horwood Ltd. Brule, James F. Artificial Intelligence: Theory, Logic and Application, 1986, Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books. Edwards, Alex and Connell, N.A.D. Expert Systems in Accounting, 1989, Herfordshire, UK: Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd. Forsyth, Richard, Expert Systems: Principles and Case Studies, 1984, London: Chapman and Hall Computing. Harmon, Paul and King, David. Expert Systems: Artificial Intelligence in Business. 1985, New York: Wiley. Liebowitz, Jay, Introduction to Expert Systems, 1988, Santa Cruz, CA: Mitchell Publishing, Inc. Michaelsen, Robert H.; Michie, Donald and Boulanger, Albert. The Technology of Expert Systems Byte; April 1985 Rich, Elaine and Knight, Kevin. Artificial Intelligence Second Edition. 1991, New York: McGraw-Hill. Waterman, Donald A. A Guide to Expert Systems, 1986, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Winston, Patrick H. and Prendergast, Karen A. (Editors). The AI Business: Commercial Use of Artificial Intelligence, 1984, Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Ruth A. Palmquist, Asst. Professor, AI and Expert Systems, 1996, http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~palmquis/courses/ai96.htm Dan E. OLeary, University of Southern California, 1994, http://accounting.rutgers.edu/raw/aies/www.bus.orst.edu/faculty/brownc/es_tutor/bus_ai.htm Robert S. Engelmore, May 1993; WTEC Hyper-Librarian, http://www.wtec.org/loyola/kb/c1_s1.htm Carol E. Brown, Oregon State University, Dan E. OLeary, University of Southern California, 1995, http://accounting.rutgers.edu/raw/aies/www.bus.orst.edu/faculty/brownc/es_tutor/es_tutor.htm#1-AI