Monday, January 27, 2020

Methods Used to Evaluate Investment Projects

Methods Used to Evaluate Investment Projects Evaluation of the attractiveness of an investment proposal, using methods such as average rate of return, internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), or payback period. Investment appraisal is an integral part of capital budgeting (see capital budget), and is applicable to areas even where the returns may not be easily quantifiable such as personnel, marketing, and training Average Rate of Return (ARR) Definition: Method of investment appraisal which determines return on investment by totalling the cash flows (over the years for which the money was invested) and dividing that amount by the number of years Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Definition: One of the two discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques (the other is net present value or NPV) used in comparative appraisal of investment proposals where the flow of income varies over time. IRR is the average annual return earned through the life of an investment and is computed in several ways. Depending on the method used, it can either be the effective rate of interest on a deposit or loan, or the discount rate that reduces to zero the net present value of a stream of income inflows and outflows. If the IRR is higher than the desired rate of return on investment, then the project is a desirable one. However, it is a mechanical method (computed usually with a spreadsheet formula) and not a consistent principle. It can give wrong or misleading answers, especially where two mutually-exclusive projects are to be appraised. Also called dollar weighted rate of return Net Present Value (NPV) Definition: NPV is the difference between the present value (PV) of the future cash flows from an investment and the amount of investment. Present value of the expected cash flows is computed by discounting them at the required rate of return (also called minimum rate of return) For example, an investment of $1,000 today at 10 percent will yield $1,100 at the end of the year; therefore, the present value of $1,100 at the desired rate of return (10 percent) is $1,000. The amount of investment ($1,000 in this example) is deducted from this figure to arrive at NPV which here is zero ($1,000-$1,000). A zero NPV means the project repays original investment plus the required rate of return. A positive NPV means a better return, and a negative NPV means a worse return, than the return from zero NPV. It is one of the two discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques (the other is internal rate of return) used in comparative appraisal of investment proposals where the flow of income varies over time Payback Period Definition: Time required to recover an investment or loan. INVESTMENT APPRAISAL One of the key areas of long-term decision-making that firms must tackle is that of investment the need to commit funds by purchasing land, buildings, machinery and so on, in anticipation of being able to earn an income greater than the funds committed. In order to handle these decisions, firms have to make an assessment of the size of the outflows and inflows of funds, the lifespan of the investment, the degree of risk attached and the cost of obtaining funds. The main stages in the capital budgeting cycle can be summarised as follows: Forecasting investment needs. Identifying project(s) to meet needs. Appraising the alternatives. Selecting the best alternatives. Making the expenditure. Monitoring project(s). Looking at investment appraisal involves us in stage 3 and 4 of this cycle. We can classify capital expenditure projects into four broad categories: Maintenance replacing old or obsolete assets for example. Profitability quality, productivity or location improvement for example. Expansion new products, markets and so on. Indirect social and welfare facilities. Even the projects that are unlikely to generate profits should be subjected to investment appraisal. This should help to identify the best way of achieving the projects aims. So investment appraisal may help to find the cheapest way to provide a new staff restaurant, even though such a project may be unlikely to earn profits for the company. Investment appraisal methods: One of the most important steps in the capital budgeting cycle is working out if the benefits of investing large capital sums outweigh the costs of these investments. The range of methods that business organisations use can be categorised one of two ways: traditional methods and discounted cash flow techniques. Traditional methods include the Average Rate of Return (ARR) and the Payback method; discounted cash flow (DCF) methods use Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return techniques. Traditional Methods Payback: This is literally the amount of time required for the cash inflows from a capital investment project to equal the cash outflows. The usual way that firms deal with deciding between two or more competing projects is to accept the project that has the shortest payback period. Payback is often used as an initial screening method. Payback period = Initial payment / Annual cash inflow So, if  £4 million is invested with the aim of earning  £500 000 per year (net cash earnings), the payback period is calculated thus: P =  £4 000 000 /  £500 000 = 8 years This all looks fairly easy! But what if the project has more uneven cash inflows? Then we need to work out the payback period on the cumulative cash flow over the duration of the project as a whole. Payback with uneven cash flows: Of course, in the real world, investment projects by business organisations dont yield even cash flows. Have a look at the following projects cash flows (with an initial investment in year 0 of  £4 000): The payback period is precisely 5 years. The shorter the payback period, the better the investment, under the payback method. We can appreciate the problems of this method when we consider appraising several projects alongside each other. But, here we must face the real problem posed by payback: the time value of income flows. Put simply, this issue relates to the sacrifice made as a result of having to wait to receive the funds. In economic terms, this is known as the opportunity cost. More on this point follows later. So, because there is a time value constraint here, the payback method can become complicated. In this case, the earlier flow of revenue is a key factor. Also if post-payback revenues occur earlier in the lives of competing projects, that can be a decisive factor. OK, so its clear that the payback method is a bit of a blunt instrument. So why use it? Arguments in favour of payback Firstly, it is popular because of its simplicity. Research over the years has shown that UK firms favour it and perhaps this is understandable given how easy it is to calculate. Secondly, in a business environment of rapid technological change, new plant and machinery may need to be replaced sooner than in the past, so a quick payback on investment is essential. Thirdly, the investment climate in the UK in particular, demands that investors are rewarded with fast returns. Many profitable opportunities for long-term investment are overlooked because they involve a longer wait for revenues to flow. Arguments against payback It lacks objectivity. Who decides the length of optimal payback time? No one does it is decided by pitting one investment opportunity against another. Cash flows are regarded as either pre-payback or post-payback , but the latter tend to be ignored. Payback takes no account of the effect on business profitability. Its sole concern is cash flow. Payback summary It is probably best to regard payback as one of the first methods you use to assess competing projects. It could be used as an initial screening tool, but it is inappropriate as a basis for sophisticated investment decisions. Average Rate of Return: The average rate of return expresses the profits arising from a project as a percentage of the initial capital cost. However the definition of profits and capital cost are different depending on which textbook you use. For instance, the profits may be taken to include depreciation, or they may not. One of the most common approaches is as follows: ARR = (Average annual revenue / Initial capital costs) * 100 Lets use this simple example to illustrate the ARR: A project to replace an item of machinery is being appraised. The machine will cost  £240 000 and is expected to generate total revenues of  £45 000 over the projects five year life. What is the ARR for this project? ARR = ( £45 000 / 5) / 240 000 * 100 = ( £9 000) / 240 000 * 100 = 3.75% Advantages of ARR As with the Payback method, the chief advantage with ARR is its simplicity. This makes it relatively easy to understand. There is also a link with some accounting measures that are commonly used. The Average Rate of Return is similar to the Return on Capital Employed in its construction; this may make the ARR easier for business planners to understand. The ARR is expressed in percentage terms and this, again, may make it easier for managers to use. There are several criticisms of ARR which raise questions about its practical application: Arguments against ARR Firstly, the ARR doesnt take account of the project duration or the timing of cash flows over the course of the project. Secondly, the concept of profit can be very subjective, varying with specific accounting practice and the capitalisation of project costs. As a result, the ARR calculation for identical projects would be likely to result in different outcomes from business to business. Thirdly, there is no definitive signal given by the ARR to help managers decide whether or not to invest. This lack of a guide for decision making means that investment decisions remain subjective.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

The Transformation of Psychology

The Transformation of Pyschology From the 1920s to today, psychology has surely developed. Technological advancements as well as new ideas and ways of thinking about the subject helped to reform what psychology is today. Rather than completely changing, psychology has actually built up more and more through the decades. New branches were added to the field as those who studied it made new breakthroughs. Over the years many scientists and psychologists have contributed to the transformation of psychology. Up until the 1920’s, psychology was defined as the science of mental life.It wasn’t until then that the idea of behaviorism became more prominent in psychology. During the time period between the 1920’s and the 1960’s, American psychologists led by John Watson redefined the meaning of psychology into a science of mental life and observable behavior. Not only did Watson redefine psychology, he also started the psychological school of behaviorism. It was als o around this time that Watson and his partner Rosalie Rayner conducted their conditioning experiment. The idea of classical conditioning came into play when behaviorism became a major branch of psychology.Between the 1950’s and 1970s, the mental perspective of psychology came back, producing another new branch. This new branch was called cognitive psychology. Cognitive psychology focused mainly on mental processes such as thinking, problem solving, memory, decision making, and language. The term â€Å"cognitive psychology† was first used in 1967 by the American psychologist named Ulric Neisser. To go along with cognitive psychology is the topic of cognitive development. This theory was concerned with the development of a person’s thought process.Jean Piaget published The Moral Judgment of Children which began his popularity as a theorist in cognitive development. As a reaction to behaviorism and psychoanalysis (a type developed by Freud, before the 1920s) , ano ther new type of psychology called humanism arose. Humanistic psychology stressed the importance of self-actualization and growth, and focused mainly on one’s potential. This new view on psychology was created by Abraham Maslow in the 1950s. He published Toward a Psychology of Being, in which he described humanistic psychology as â€Å"the third force† in psychology (behind behavioral and psychoanalysis).After the emergence of these new branches, psychology started to become more technologically advanced. Scientists and psychologists became interested in exploring the brain without removing it from subjects. They started to develop new technology. An example of this was in 1981, when a team developed the PET scan, which enabled doctors to view a computer generated image of the brain and when it is most active during certain mental activities. Today, technology continues to improve, which help psychologists discover more. Through the decades, psychology has undergone so me great changes.As new ideas came into play, new ways of thinking molded and shaped psychology into what it is today. Not only did psychology become a science of behavioral and mental life, but it also gained new branches that go even deeper. Psychology will most likely continue to grow and develop over the years. As technology advances, scientists and psychologists will discover even more and psychology will continue to expand as it did from the 1920’s until now.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Literary Technique in “The Story of an Hour” and “A Rose for Emily”

The protagonists of â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† by Kate Chopin and â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† by William Faulkner long for a freedom withheld by the heavy hand of their surroundings. At the presentation of both these stories, it is easy to see how this could become a classic telling of the Southern condition but the skillful use of foreshadowing and symbolism creates irony in a series of seemingly ordinary events. Both women in these stories were bound by the strict expectations of their society.Louise and Emily not only feel but also live by the demands that society and their families have placed on them. When they finally realize their sovereignty, they attempt to maintain it in the most unconventional manner. In Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Emily endures the push and pull of social graces and the strict expectations of a lady well into her life. After her father, and last attachment to pre-war decencies, passes, Emily confines herself to her home. She eventually begins to date a young man, Homer Baron, a day laborer and heavy drinker who is far from the accepted suitor. Emily seems to have achieved her purpose as a true Southern lady when she marries Baron. For reasons unbeknown to her ever-prying town, she then boards up her home and never leaves again. Upon her death the town realizes that Baron died, or rather had been killed, shortly after the wedding while his corpse lay in the marriage bed ever since.This absolute preservation of a thriving time was the only way Emily could maintain freedom in her mind. Emily had become so engrossed in the norms of her culture that her world became too small to live in. Caught in the societal transition of Civil War aftermath) and with the constant vigilance of Emily by the townspeople, we can see there is no option for complete fulfillment in her life. Her choice to live in a â€Å"snapshot† of her life becomes the only adequate one. Like Emily, the protagonist in â€Å"The Sto ry of an Hour,† Louise, feels inhibited in her life.When Louise Mallard is told of her husband's death, she rejoices seeing the possibility for a new course in life, free from the obligation of marriage. In the early moments of her new venture, it is discovered her husband is in fact alive. She was imprisoned in her husband's life, free in his death, and then entombed by the realization of the misinformation. Brently Mallard's death symbolizes the end of obligatory formalities on Louise; the loss of her new found freedom stops her heart from beating.It is clear that the expectation of Louise is so overwhelming that her body literally cannot sustain its pressure any longer. In the beginning of the story the reader is warned of Louise’s heart troubles, it is then discovered this â€Å"trouble† may have manifested because of her conformation to social practices. This story initially leads the reader to a presumption of a typical reaction by a genteel Southern woman, but with the admission into the true thoughts of Louise, the reader may see what is customary is not always what is natural.The characters of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† personify women who have been lost in a world cultured by society, inhibited by its demands and mistaken by its perceptions. These stories force a more critical reading of what could be seen as â€Å"typical† behavior. The controversies of the Southern tradition are personified in both characters, representing larger ideas that would perpetuate the downfall of a culture. As these stories employ foreshadowing as a literary tactic, the stories themselves aim to suggest an unfavorable end if reconsideration is not given to the status quo.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Dub Poetry in and from Jamaica - 9895 Words

Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 2 History and Development of Dub Poetry 3 2.1 The Development of Jamaican Creole – Short Overview 3 2.2 The Oral Tradition 4 2.3 From the B-side of a Record via â€Å"Toasting† to Dub Poetry 6 3 The Correlation of the Rastafarians, Reggae and Dub 9 3.1 The Rastafarians 9 3.2 The Peculiarity of Dub 10 3.3 Artists and Scenes 12 3.3.1 The Jamaican Scene 12 3.3.2 The British Scene 13 3.3.3 The Canadian Scene 14 4. Structural Characteristics of Dub Poetry 15 4.1 Patois – the Language 15 4.2 Rhythm 15 4.3 Performance 17 5 Linguistic Analysis of Dub Poetry Lyrics and Performance 18 5.1 Linton Kwesi Johnson 18 5.2 Wat about di Workin Claas? 19 5.3 Tings an Times – Performance Aspects in Comparison 21 6 Reflection 23†¦show more content†¦It is closely connected to the period of massive slave importation and the miserable circumstances of the slaves during the period of British colonisation in the West Indies. The developmental history of language in British colonies like Canada or Australia is extremely different from that of the West Indies. The settlers predominantly from the British Isles spoke English and automatically passed the language on to their descendants and to others through close contact, whereas in the West Indies slaves from divergent African regions were imported to work on sugar plantations, with most of them stemming from different linguistic backgrounds. People were hardly able to communicate among each other and therefore it came to â€Å"a restructuring of English that resulted in Creole, a distinct language system with words derived from English but with phonology, semantics and morphosyntax influenced by African languages and other forces† ( Holm 1994: 328). The slaves were hardly in contact with the white English speaking population but had to communicate with the other slaves and the white overseers. The Creole phoneme system is modified to accommodate the West African languages and the lexicon contains many English stemming wordsShow MoreRelatedOral Traditions or Spoken Word in the Caribbean1557 Words   |  7 Pagesessential in promoting effective communication, family life, togetherness of the community and conflict resolution. The telling of stories, playing of games, poetry, oratory and debating were critical for disseminating information, passing on traditions and educating a people about themselves. The telling of stories, playing of games, poetry, performance and oratory are still a large aspect of who we are. Even regionally too, we see these traditions manifested in the richness of the nation languagesRead MoreEssay about Jamaican Patois4705 Words   |  19 Pagesp . I 1) Creole languages are actually not unique to Jamaica, they are found on every continent although their speakers often do not realize what they are. The rest of the terms refer strictly to Jamaican Creole. Creoles are languages that usually form as the result of some human upheaval which makes it impossible for people to use their own languages to communicate. What people often refer to as the bad or broken-English of Jamaica are actually local Creoles that usually come about throughRead MoreHip Hop: The Method of Expression1099 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the impoverished section of Bronx, New York arose a youth culture that spread throughout the community like wild fire. Within the gang-ridden, drug-infested streets, a depravation of creativity forced underprivileged African American youths onto the streets in search of an output for their imagination. It was within these streets that hip-hop appeared as the product of independence, self-realization, creativity, and pride. Hip-hop began between the transformations from the late 1960’s toRead MoreThe Youth Oriented Hip Hop Movement1498 Words   |  6 Pagesgang activity was eventually replaced by local dance and music crews such as Zulu Nation, which was led by one of the early fathers of hip-hop, Afrika Bamaataa. An immigrant from Jamaica, DJ Kool Herc was one of the first to bring dub music to New York City in the late 1960s. According to Toop (1991) and George (1998), â€Å"dub music evolved into different genres including reggae and dancehall and would eventually evolve into hip-hop† (referenced by Persaud, 2011, p. 5). Soon, by the late 1970s, hip-hopRead MoreWhat Is The Types Of Music?1587 Words   |  7 Pages What is the types of music? Music became an important thing since i was really young.It grew up with me together and it brings me a lot of things that other things can’t give me.Now,let me tell you all about what i learned from music,and my feeling with music.I found there are many different types of music.And every type of music brings listener different feelings.Types makes music totally different. If i am a narrator,then music is like a main character in my life.ActuallyRead More Jamaican Patois and the Power of Language in Reggae Music Essay4989 Words   |  20 PagesMost Creole languages are based on one language. In Jamaica the African slaves were thrown into a situation where the only common means of communication was English, or at least broken English, therefor Jamaican Creole has a majority of its roots in English (Sebba 1, 1996). Essential words which people could not find an English name for, such as people, things (like plants and animals) and activities (especially religious ones) were taken from a variety of West African languages. As a resultRead MoreHip Hop And Its Influence On The Culture Essay2067 Words   |  9 Pageswithin the framework of equal temperament) with those of African origin which employed the natural harmonic series and blue notes† (Wikipedia, 2016). Also, explain the exceptions are hip hop, house, and techno, which were formed in the late 20th century from earlier forms of African-American music such as funk and soul. All modern-day music is heavily influenced by previous and present African-American music genres. My purpose is to give you a clear understanding on how Hip-Hop music not only changed theRead MoreThe Golden Era of East Coast Hip-Hop2032 Words   |  9 PagesThe Golden era of east coast hip-hop This piece will demonstrate an understanding of the golden era of East coast hip-hop, from 1986 to 1993, focusing and analysing the historical roots, influences and inspirational individuals, giving reference to musical examples that shaped East coast hip-hop. Attention will also be centred on the legacy left, concentrating on the music that was influenced as well as the resulting change in fashion and political views. Historical roots influence TheRead MoreHip Hop : A Whole New View2776 Words   |  12 Pagesgeneration that are new and have never been seen before. Social media is a huge one. However, there is a specific aspect of our generation that started from the generation before us. This is a huge part of the culture of young adults today and means a lot to many teens. That part of the culture is music. Music has this weird way of bringing together people from all walks of life. Music sensation, Rihanna, has her own song titled â€Å"Please Don’t Stop the Music†, which talks about how music gets people grooving

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Benefits of School Uniforms - 703 Words

The benefits of school uniforms are countless. Uniforms can help eliminate peer pressure among students and can also help students and parents save time and money. Violence can also be greatly reduced simply by wearing school uniforms. Although the wearing of uniforms has been widely practiced throughout European, African, and South American public schools, the practice has primarily been within private schools systems throughout the United States until recently (West). All public schools should be required to wear uniforms in order to promote a better all-around environment for students and administration alike. Students have a desire to â€Å"fit in†. They feel the need to be accepted by their peers. Fashion is one of the most important†¦show more content†¦Media coverage about nationwide school epidemics, in which assaults on teachers are frequent and students are routinely killed over designer clothing, have been constant over the past few years (Wilkins). School uniforms produce harmony within the walls of a school. When students and administration dress alike, it is very easy to spot outsiders. Because they are not dressed in uniform, it is immediately known that they do not belong there. It also diminishes gang related violence andShow MoreRelatedBenefits Of School Uniforms1640 Words   |  7 PagesAre school uniforms benefitting or discouraging children? School uniforms has brought up a rather large controversy of how they are either positive or negative. Uniforms made people talk about two sides to this dilemma. They can show community and equality as well as a bad s ide where children are brought to tears because they do not have a choice to show who they really are. What about the children’s emotions? There are various opinions that lead to the outcome of having school uniforms. Student’sRead MoreBenefits Of School Uniforms In School798 Words   |  4 PagesBeneficial Clothing for Schools Around the world, several schools require their students to wear school uniforms. Many students do not adore this idea, but do they truly know how it benefits them. Some wonder if these uniforms actually improve their learning and experiences in school. Numerous questions have arisen when schools consider this idea. The debate today is growing, as schools try to figure out how they can enhance their school. There are various improvements in school systems when they reachRead MoreEssay on The Benefits of School Uniforms in Public Schools2132 Words   |  9 Pagesstudents’ attend public schools and face some sort of violence that is associated with that school. It can be gang related or just simply bullying in the school. Because of these rising issues, parents are being forced to pull their children out of public school and home school them for their safety. Is this the best action for the children? Will they be missing out on many life skills that are learned while attend ing schools with peers their own age? How can the schools make our children feelRead MoreGraduation Speech : Benefits Of School Uniforms1144 Words   |  5 Pages8, 2016 Benefits of School Uniforms School uniforms are a hotly debated topic among parents of school-age children. Some schools and school districts require them, some don’t. There are also school districts in which students in certain grades are told to wear uniforms whereas other students are not. Regardless, parents are in an uproar over the issue, and there are several key reasons. First of all, many parents speak on the cost factor involved in requiring school uniforms. DependingRead MoreBenefits of School Uniforms for American High School Students855 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican high school students being compelled to wear uniforms while attending school is very contentious. The role of uniforms in the lives of a student is a very difficult topic to approach. The school authorities have been at an impasse when the decision whether students should wear uniforms is brought up. Uniforms for high school students are purposefully designed to identify a child as a student to a particular school. A single unique design of garments will play the part of the uniforms. The factRead MoreEssay on The Benefits of Uniform Adoption in Public Schools1278 Words   |  6 PagesNowadays, public school and many districts are discussing the possibilities of enforcing the uniform policy. In most places, many private schools already require students to have their mandatory uniforms; however, there are only a few public schools adopting this mandatory school-uniform polices as one of their enrollment requirements. The reason why not all public schools participated was because people believe that they are violating the freedom of choice when enforcing this mandatory uniform policy; yetRead MoreSchool Uniforms859 Words   |  4 Pages24 September 2017 School Uniforms Should Be Used In Schools School uniforms should be utilized within schools. There are plenty of benefits, including they cost less than buying regular school clothes would, as well as drastically decreasing peer pressure and bullying in the student body. Uniforms give students a sense of respect and responsibility. They create the ability for students to succeed in areas without the hassle of what they’re wearing. School uniforms improve school spirit, and createRead MoreShould School Uniforms be Mandatory? Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pagesopinion of whether schools should require students to wear uniforms. Some schools go through the same argument annually of whether to enforce school uniforms the following school year. A number of people argue that uniforms take away from the students’ individuality, while other people concur that uniforms generate unity within the school. Even though many people disagree with school uniforms, countless reasons are evident that uniforms should be mandatory. School uniforms provide schools with many positiveRead MoreShould Schools Uniforms be Manadatory? Essay1090 Words   |  5 PagesOne social benefit school uniforms are responsible for is providing Many debates form over the opinion of whether schools should require students to wear uniforms. Some schools go through the same argument annually of whether to enforce school uniforms the following school year. A number of people argue that uniforms take away from the students’ individuality, while other people concur that uniforms generate unity within the school. Even though many people disagree with school uniforms, countlessRead MoreShould School Uniforms Be Mandatory? A School Setting?1071 Words   |  5 PagesTopic: Enforcement of uniforms should be mandatory in a school setting Thesis: School uniforms in private and public schools are very beneficial to the educational institution to help promote better learning and positive social skills. I. Introduction: Allowing school uniforms into an educational environment, whether it be a college, university, or elementary, or high school setting would be a benefit to the entire institution. In short, uniforms have many positive benefits: preventing violence,

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Value Chain as Competitive Advantage - 1295 Words

Value Chain as Competitive Advantage Unit 3 Assignment Christine Washington GB570 Managing the Value Chain Jerry Haenisch, Professor Kaplan University November 12, 2012 Value Chain as Competitive Advantage Effective value chain as a competitive advantage can contribute significantly to the prosperity of a firm in the competitive arena, but it can cause dire situations if not operated properly (Guy, 2011). However, there are conflicts among companies as to how stakeholders think they gain competitive advantage. Porter (1996) suggests: A company can outperform rivals only if it can establish a difference that it can preserve. It must deliver greater value to customers or create comparable value at lower cost or do both.†¦show more content†¦A company’s success in developing and sustaining its competitive advantage does not depend on its own value chain but on its ability to manage the value system on which it is a part. An example would be an automobile manufacturer that may have its suppliers set up facilities in close proximity in order to minimize transport costs and reduce parts inventories. Customer Delight Steve Denning (2011), states that customer delight is the firm’s new bottom line and delighting the customer from outsets to outcomes. By focusing on delighting the customer the firm makes a lot more money than they would if they set out to make money. Delighting the customers make a lot of money. Customer delight = providing a continuous stream of additional value to customers and delivering it sooner. It is measurable and means a different way of running the company. Delighted customers are those where the needs are anticipated, solutions are provided to them before they ask and observations are made to determine if new and/or additional expectations are ready to be required. Delighting the customers keep them coming back for more and causes new customers to come. Customer delight distinguishes a company from the rest, allows the company to make more return on its investment, and allows the employees to be rewarded (Customer Delight). Inter-relationship of Concepts Having inter-relationships amongShow MoreRelatedValue Chain Competitive Advantage1627 Words   |  7 PagesValue Chain as Competitive Advantage Unit 3 Assignment Katherine Moore GB570 Managing the Value Chain Jerry Haenisch, PhD. Kaplan University December 27, 2012 Value Chain as Competitive Advantage Industries have in the earlier years concentrated on enhancing the supply chain activities in search of creating value. Nonetheless, optimizing these activities, only can lead to operative proficiency and not structural effectiveness. Contritely, when an organization, focus on growingRead MoreValue Chain : Competitive Advantage1444 Words   |  6 PagesValue Chain as Competitive Advantage If a firm sustain profits that exceed the industry average, said firm is said to have a competitive advantage. The goal of any given business strategy is to achieve a competitive advantage. Moreover, the goal of a successful business strategy is a sustainable competitive advantage. The question is how does a firm create that competitive advantage? According to Michael Porter, to achieve a competitive advantage, a firm must perform one or more value creating activitiesRead MoreValue Chain : Competitive Advantage1492 Words   |  6 PagesValue Chain as Competitive Advantage The idea of a value chain was first proposed by Michael Porter (1985) who identified that the more value an organization creates, the more profitable it is likely to be. Porter describes the value chain as the internal processes or series of activities a company performs â€Å"to design, produce, market, deliver and support its product† (Porter, 1985). John Shank and V. Govindarajan (1993) describe the value chain in broader terms than does Porter, affirming â€Å"theRead MoreValue Chain as Competitive Advantage1024 Words   |  5 PagesValue Chain as Competitive Advantage Unit 3 Assignment Bobby Young-Mentgen GB570 Managing the Value Chain Pricilla Aaltonen Kaplan University September 25, 2012 Value Chain as Competitive Advantage Customer-centric businesses focus on consistently delivering a differentiated experience designed to satisfy the customer. The ultimate goal is to sustain competitive advantage in the marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate why an effective value chain creates competitive advantageRead MoreValue Chain : Competitive Advantage1300 Words   |  6 PagesValue Chain as Competitive Advantage If a firm sustain profits that exceed the industry average, said firm is said to have a competitive advantage. The goal of any given business strategy is to achieve a competitive advantage. Moreover, the goal of a successful business strategy is a sustainable competitive advantage. The question is how does a firm create that competitive advantage? According to Michael Porter, to achieve a competitive advantage, a firm must perform one or more value creating activitiesRead MoreValue Chain for Competitive Advantage6510 Words   |  27 PagesCorporate and operational managers strive to create more value by optimizing the supply-chain activities. Optimization of supply chain activities means competition from other firms, primarily on cost-efficiency. However, optimization of supply chain activities alone cannot always yield a source of competitive advantage. This is for the simple reason that value chain not only seeks to do away with the activities that do not add value, but establishe s the importance of other support activities, includingRead MoreCompetitive Advantage And The Value Chain1400 Words   |  6 Pages Competitive Advantage and the Value Chain Unit 3 Assignment Trecia Grimes Kaplan University GB570: Managing the Value Chain Dr. Rita Gunzelman September 25, 2017 â€Æ' Corporate Social Responsibility and the Value Chain It is difficult for an organization to remain competitive in today’s market without taking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into consideration. In today’s market consumers are more aware of how businesses develop their products and service. A few major concerns for consumersRead MoreDell Competitive Advantage and Value Chain Analysis1544 Words   |  7 PagesStrategic Management: Dell Value Chain Activities Analysis INTRODUCTION According to Porter the value chain is defined as the complete flow of products from the suppliers to the customers and management of the information flow in a way that maximizes the consumer satisfaction with the increase in the profit margins of the company.(ivythesis,2009) Dell’s value chain is one of a kind, they outsource all there components across the world and then assemble and sells it directly to the customers. DellRead MoreCompetitive Advantage Through Value Chain And Vertical Integration1072 Words   |  5 Pageswhat are they doing to maintain competitive advantage? Rise of technology has given birth to competition by giving companies new ways to perform at higher levels and this has also led to the ways companies are producing their products and services. Technology has affected several sections of an organization by having an impact on business communications, company’s HR practices, and organizational changes. Therefore, in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage, a company must do one of the two;Read MoreUsing Porter’s Value Chain Framework, Explain How Technology Can Help an Organisation to Gain a Competitive Advantage1967 Words   |  8 PagesIn order to analyse the various types of activities which would help in the creation of competitive advantage he use of Porter’s Value Chain Analysis are done. The value chain analysis will help in order to perform two main activities such as primary support activities. The primary activities in the value chain analysis takes into consideration inbound and outbound logistics, marketing and sales after sales service. Whereas the support activities takes into consideration, procurement of raw materials

Monday, December 9, 2019

Influence of Internet on Students Academic Performance free essay sample

Introduction The Internet is one of the greatest recent advancement in the world of information technology and has become a useful instrument that has fostered the process of making the world a global village. It is the source of information that plays a significant role in the society especially among students. Based on the Merriam-Webster (2012), Internet is an electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world. It provides an environment in which millions of people participate and engage in the creation and exchange of information (Rose amp; Fernlund, 1997). SEGi College Kuala Lumpur (SCKL) is one of the private colleges in Malaysia owned by SEGi Group. Strategically situated at the capital city of Malaysia, SCKL has nurtured and groomed thousands of graduates. The college has more than 6,000 students studying full-time and part time modes. As to encourage the use of Internet at the college it has provided 200 computers at computer lab for students’ use. We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of Internet on Students Academic Performance or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There has been an impact or perhaps an influence of the Internet among the student of SEGi College. Internet is important but we do not know how important it is to the student of SEGi College. We can see many of these students spending their time mostly on the Internet in the SEGi College’s computer lab itself. The computer lab will always be crowded at all times. It is important for us to study the advantages, disadvantage and the need of the internet towards these students. The usage of internet is very wide and it is impeccable to see this student without the internet. Therefore, it is very vital for us to study the influence of Internet for these students. 1. 2 Problem Statement It is very hard to get information by using books and there is also limited info that can be found in books. The internet is universal perhaps if we put it that way. We can get lot of information from it very easily and this has save our time from looking into books. Internet can also be over exposed because there is some student who uses the internet for unnecessary stuff and also to get some unbeneficial material. They go on the internet not to look for information but to go on social network sites to chat with friend and also to play games on the internet. Even if it helps them to communicate but certain people spend most of their time on these sites without studying and doing nothing. Some people also have lack of knowledge on using the Internet. . 3 Research Objective The main aim of the study is to examine the influence of the Internet on students’ academic performance in SEGi College. 1) To determine the purpose of using Internet by students 2) To investigate the positive impact of Internet towards their academic performance 3) To investigate the negative impact of Internet use towards their academic performance 1. 4 Significance Of The Study The research is to study how the internet works among these students. Moreover, this study is to observe whether the Internet is able to improve their academic performance with the wide information on the Internet. The student can find Internet as a source of entertainment because there are many things that can be done for example to play games and listen to music. Thus, it would be beneficial to determine whether Internet is able to help these students loosen up or perhaps release their stress towards their daily lives. From this study, it can be concluded whether parents agree with their kids being on the Internet most of their time. This is because Internet has already become part of their lives. Not only that, Internet can also be used as a means of communication. Thus, this study would be beneficial as to understand whether the Internet is a good form of communication between these students. The impact of the Internet towards the Y generation is crucial because it will help them to develop in such ways so that they will be able to adapt.