Automobile Safety Essay

Intro Automobiles! You just have to have one in this fast paced world! In the United States, or maybe just in a popular city such as Los Angeles or New York, automobiles are necessary. People need to move from point A to point B. These points can be as close as a few hundred feet or even range up to a few hundred miles! When making these trips safety is a priority. There are hundreds of thousands of automobiles on the roads across the nation and if safety was not considered, thousand would be injured or even killed daily! Automobile safety has come a long way over the years and as every day goes by more and more new ways are created to keep drivers, and their passengers, safe on the road. Thesis Since the automobile was first created, more and more safety precautions have been taken to make an automobile ride as safe as possible. I will provide information on how to keep you and your car up to date with some precautions to ensure safety on the road. Preview. We will begin with examples and tips on how to choose the safest automobile on the road, then we will look at precautions automobile companies are taking to keep you safe, and finally we will see some issues that are still to be taken care of as the automobile industry soars. Point 1 There are many different automobile companies providing buyers with many styles of cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles. Toronto Star January 14, 2005 present ways to approach the automotive buying process. There are many different surveys, crash reports, and rating systems comparing different companies and their vehicles. Things you should look for when reading these published articles are who conducted the study? Who paid for it? Who gains from it? Who loses? These are all things to keep eye on as some automotive companies will run their own surveys making their products seem overpowering against the competition. Some prove their products are safer then the competition where the competition has been proven time and time again to make that survey seem inaccurate. The consumer is the biggest target for these falsifying surveys. The act of choosing the right size, shape, and color all have their own place in the process, but choosing the make of the automotive is the real hurdle some people get stuck on. Country Living November 2005 presents to the consumer what new options are available on GM automobiles and trucks. They state that, â€Å"Only GM is committed to offering a full range of cars, trucks, and SUVs that offer GM continuous safety protection before, during, and thanks to On-Star technology, after vehicle collisions. † This is a prime example of how vehicle manufacturers sell their product to the consumer before the consumer steps foot into a dealership. The consumer, relying on this ad, will step foot, in this case, in a GM dealership and then decide what vehicle to chose depending on the models they offer. The consumer has now disregarded all other vehicle manufacturers just by relying on an ad. Almost all vehicle manufacturers have their own way of selling to consumers before consumers even see the line of vehicles they offer. Catchy slogans and ads are things all manufacturers use to gain their consumers attention. Transition from 1 to 2 Now that we saw what vehicle manufacturers are doing to get your attention, lets look at the statistics on which manufacturer actually provides you with the safety that they claim. Point 2 Newswire US February 9, 2006 states valuable information about automotive safety. Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis of active and passive safety systems in the US and consumer’s desirability and willingness to pay for such systems recognized Volvo as the recipient of the 2005 U. S. Consumer Choice of the Year Award for Brand Offering the Best Overall Automotive Safety. This particular survey was conducted using over 1,000 U. S. consumers. What this survey tells the consumer is valuable in making a decision. By stating that Volvo has received this award doesn’t mean other manufacturer’s vehicles are unsafe. This survey only states that you get the safety you pay for with Volvo vehicles and also that Volvo customers are satisfied with their vehicles. One of the things that helped Volvo achieve this award is that they provide standard three-point safety belts, which is one of the industries most cost effective vehicular safety features. Volvo was also one of the first brands to adopt padded dashboards, ergonomic seats, disk brakes, crumple zones, split steering columns, integrated child booster cushions, and side airbags. Recent additions to Volvos signature safety features are whiplash protection seating systems, rollover protection system, roll stability control, and their intelligent vehicle architecture. Volvo has been around for over 75 years and they been amazing their customers with better and stylish vehicles every time they renew or introduce a new model. Transition from 2 to 3 Now that we seen how advertisement and research studies on safety can help the consumer make their decision, let us look at some issues vehicle manufacturers have and what precautions can be taken to avoid danger on the road. Point 3 Tires. No matter what vehicle manufacturer you chose, there is always the fear of getting a flat tire or even having a tire explode while the vehicle is in motion. Tire manufacturers design all kinds of tires such as Run-Flats, which are basically thicker tires with insulation that allow the vehicle to be driven even though the tire is flat. Just like vehicle manufacturers, there are many different tire manufacturers. This is where the safety issue comes in. Tires can reach high temperatures while in motion. As the tire is turning even a small nail can cause it to explode. Keep in mind that the tire has air in it. The faster the tire rotates the more pressure it has being exerted outward from the center of the rim. To think a little hair pin or paperclip can have no affect on a tire as it is still, this is not the case as the tires are under higher pressure and are prone to damage or explode when any sharp or pointy object is present to the tire. Fleet Owner February 1st, 2006 present an article to the consumer about Automatic tire inflation systems. Some newer vehicles, such as the Cadillac Escalade, offer this new mechanism. There is an automatic pressure gauge in each tire. When the tire is deflated past the minimum psi needed for the tire to operate properly, an on-board air compressor is triggered to bring the pressure inside the tire to proper level. This new mechanism can help reduce tire damage due to driving with deflated tires, which also results in the tire exploding, but you must still be cautious yourself as there might be many objects on the road that can still cause damage to any tire. Restated Thesis Now you have better knowledge on Vehicle and road safety. Summary We began looking at what consumers should look for in a vehicle when purchasing it in regards to safety and advertising flaws. Then we moved on to the statistics that proved Volvo to be the safest automobile manufacturer of 2005. And finally we were informed about conditions that automotive manufacturers have no control over by using the tire pressure and road conditions as examples. Conclusion Safety is the number on thing automobile manufacturers have in mind no matter what type of vehicle they design. Different manufacturers have different safety standards, but there is one overall manufacturer that is awarded with the safest line of cars award. In 2005 it was Volvo. The Volvo automotive group has succeeded in meeting their safety goals. But at the same time there are other conditions that still lie between point A and point B. As safe as your car can be, always take caution when driving no matter where u may be. Keep your eyes on the road and be safe everyone. Works Cited – â€Å"Vehicle safety has come a long way over the years,† The Toronto Star, 14 January 2006, Pg G06. – â€Å"Road to progress paved with potholes,† USA Today, 15 November 2005, Pg 3B. – â€Å"Volvo Cars receives Frost & Sullivan’s U. S. Consumer Choice Award; Volvo Brand Named Best Overall Automotive Safety,† PR Newswire US, 9 February 2006. – â€Å"More complex cars and more stricter rules lead to more recalls,† The New York Times, 26 October, 2005, Pg. 32. – â€Å"Road transport: Safety remains a major problem,: European Report, 18 February, 2006, Pg. 323. – â€Å"What’s new in: Tire Inflation,: Fleet Owner, 1 February, 2006 – â€Å"Going the extra mile: your guide to continuous automotive safety,† Country Living, November 2005, Pg. 96A.

DNA Extraction Essay

Much can be learned from studying an organisms DNA. The first step to doing this is extracting DNA from cells. In this experiment, you will isolate DNA from the cells of fruit. Materials (1) 10 mL Graduated Cylinder(2) 100 mL Beakers15 cm Cheesecloth1 Resealable Bag1 Rubber Band (Large. Contains latex pleasewear gloves when handling if you have a latex allergy).Standing Test TubeWooden Stir StickFresh, Soft Fruit (e.g., Grapes, Strawberries, Banana, etc.) ScissorsDNA Extraction SolutionIce Cold EthanolYou Must ProvideContains sodium chloride, detergent and waterFor ice cold ethanol, store in the freezer 60 minutes before use. Procedure If you have not done so, prepare the ethanol by placing it in a freezer for approximately 60 minutes. Put pieces of a soft fruit into a plastic zipper bag and mash with your fist. The amount of food should be equal to the size of approximately five grapes. Use the 10 mL graduated cylinder to measure 10 mL of the DNA Extraction Solution. Transfer the solution from the cylinder to the bag with the fruit it in. Seal the bag completely. Mix well by kneading the bag for two minutes. Create a filter by placing the center of the cheesecloth over the mouth of the standing test tube, pushing it into the tube about two inches, and securing the cheesecloth with a rubber band around the top of the test tube. Cut a hole in the corner of the bag and filter your extraction by pouring it into the cheesecloth. You will need to keep the filtered solution which passes through the cheese cloth into the standing test tube. Rinse the 10 mL graduated cylinder, and measure five mL of ice-cold ethanol. Then, while holding the standing test tube at a 45 angle, slowly transfer the ethanol into the standing test tube with the filtered solution. The color has been enhanced by dying the fruit with a substance that glows under black light.DNA will precipitate (come out of solution) after the ethanol has been added to the solution. Let the test tube sit undisturbed for 2 – 5 minutes. You should begin to see air bubbles form at the boundary line between the ethanol and the filtered fruit solution. Bubbles will form near the top, and you will eventually see the DNA float to the top of the ethanol. Gently insert the stir stick into the test tube. Slowly raise and lower the tip several times to spool and collect the DNA. If there is an insufficient  amount of DNA available, it may not float to the top of the solution in a form that can be easily spooled or removed from the tube. However, the DNA will still be visible as white/clear clusters by gently stirring the solution and pushing the clusters around the top. Post-Lab Questions What is the texture and consistency of the DNA DNA is viscous and greasy. Why did we use a sa lt in the extraction solution High salt makes DNA less soluble in water. In order to dissolve, the water needs to interact with the DNA. Since DNA is quite large, it needs to interact with lots of water for this purpose. When you add salt, the water preferentially interacts with the salt (its small, and can move around in solution easier than the DNA can). This makes it so there is less water available to interact with the DNA and it becomes less soluble. Is the DNA soluble in the aqueous solution or alcohol DNA is less soluble in an alcohol such as isopropanol than it is in water. This is because alcohols are non-polar, whereas water is polar. The polar water molecule is much better at distributing the negative charge on DNA, causing it to remain in solution. However, since alcohol is non-polar, the negatively charged molecules of DNA tend to group together, forming clumps, which precipitate out of the alcohol solution. What else might be in the ethanol/aqueous interface How could you eliminate this When you precipitate the solution with cold ethanol 70 you would have a mix of DNA, RNA and some soluble salts. You should be able to centrifuge again so the DNA/RNA forms a pellet and drain the liquid out. Which DNA bases pair with each other How many hydrogen bonds are shared by each pair How is information to make proteins passed on through generations Watch the following Virtual Lab demonstrating DNA Extraction. In this experiment, how do the Lysis Solution and the Salt Solution vary by function Identify one step which was included in the Virtual Lab which was not required in the hands-on experiment. Then, identify one step which was included in the hands-on experiment, but not the virtual lab.

Decisions in Paradise, Part III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Decisions in Paradise, Part III - Essay Example As the Business School in Kava can surely cover ARS Corp’s CSR and also has the Kava’s market is optimal for a Business School with good number of target customers, it can surely go ahead with its plan. In addition, there is good support from the Kava Government as well as its people for the establishment of the Business School because it fulfills their key necessity in relation to education. Although, these favorable points can push the ARS Corp to initiate the establishment, starting with the flow of needed funds from its headquarters, there are some key factors which need to be analyzed. These key factors could impact the establishment process, and so to positively and beneficially manage those impacts, apt resources has to be considered and implemented. Even then, there could be ethical issues, which need to be managed aptly for the success of the Business School. Factors affecting decision implementation and the proposed solution The factors that may affect ARS Cor p’s decision to go for a business school can be seen in both its internal environment and also its external environment. Both these factors could impact or even negatively affect the decision of ARS Corp to go for a Business School. When one focuses on the external environment, the main factor is the continuing problems with natural disasters in Kava. Kava is located precariously in the Pacific Ocean and is facing most of the natural disasters known to man. That is, Pacific Ocean countries or islands will always face heightened natural disasters because of its problematic geographical location, with major tectonic plates passing through and with many hurricanes and tornadoes arising and passing through that region. Island nations in the Pacific Ocean experience natural disasters associated with typhoons, and because of their proximity to the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire" – (the term refers to the Pacific region where high numbers of earthquakes as well as volcanic eru ptions occur). (Przyborski and Platnick, 2008). On the same lines, in Kava, many natural and even man-made disasters happen quite often and that includes Tornadoes, Floods, Earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, Fires, etc. These natural disasters could very well destroy ARS Corp’s Business School if it crosses the location of the school, or if the epicenter of impact is near to the school. â€Å"That’s why the mess all around here. Some disaster hit this place. Right?† (Case Scenario). Although, ARS Corp could try building its Business School, incorporating various inbuilt protections, based on structural techniques and other technologies, skeptics still point out it cannot be foolproof. If this skepticism spreads to ARS Corp hierarchy both in the Kava as well as in the headquarters, then there will be big question mark over the project. Resources and actions required The decision to build the Business School can be carried forward with confidence as there are quite few resources to counter the natural disasters. One of the first steps to counter natural disasters is finding a somewhat safe or even strategic location inside Kava, where there will be minimum impact of natural disasters. Although, Kava is fully exposed to natural disasters, there may be some locations, even deep inside the Island, where the impact of the natural disasters could be toned down. The first duty of ARS Corp is to search and corner in on such a location, even while taking into

Michael Porter's Five Forces Framework Research Paper

Michael Porter's Five Forces Framework - Research Paper Example KFC is has 44% of the total fast food market share in Malaysia and is the leading company. On the other hand, McDonald’s has 18% of the fast food market share and Burger King, Wendy’s, and other local companies take 18% of the market share. There are more than 365 fast food companies in Malaysia. The companies have opened many branches across the main cities. The availability of many companies in the market markets the competitiveness in the industry very stiff. Stiff competitiveness is very unhealthy for the new entrants in the markets as well as for the existing firms (Wilk, 2006). Highly time-constrained lifestyles in Malaysian have led to the food industry growth with many people having limited dining time. This has led to many eastern fast food companies from Dubai, China and Japan considering venturing into the industry. Many firms are entering the market because Malaysian has managed recovered from the meltdown of global financial market and its economy is performing well. The government policies are very good for the investors. Malaysia has also cultivated good relationship with other eastern countries such as China and Japan creating more trade between the two countries. This creates a threat for new entrants to the existing companies (Jargon, 2012). New entrants in the Malaysian Market have eaten away the share of some companies market share, for example, the market share of McDonalds was 20% in the year 2011 while in the year 2013 it reduced to 18%. On top of the first food companies that are many local hotels and food companies which act as substitutes to fast food. The demand for a fast food is increasing at 3.9% annually making the customers bargain to be very low (Jargon, 2012). The suppliers are facing high demand for their products increasing their bargain, which is a disadvantage to the fast food companies. In overall, the Malaysian food industry is very

Human Resource Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource Management - Research Paper Example The unions have grown from local associations that fought to maintain status quo of craftsmen and were dominated by men to national unions representing employees nationwide through amalgamations. The unions have a lot of influence on workers from public and private sector though union membership has been on the decline since the installation of Thatcher conservative government that is aggressive to the unions (CIPD, 2009). Due to globalization and technological advancements as well as change in employee dynamics, unions have changed drastically and become friendly to employers and work in partnership with them in order to help workers. Their relevance is also on the decline due to changes in workplace management practices especially after emergence of human resource management which appreciates workers and views them as partners. In order to understand the future of trade union movement in the 21st century in public and private sector, we need to appreciate the history of the movemen t especially the legalities that have shaped the movement ever since and continue to guide the unions today. According to Hyman (2001), British trade unionism dates back to two centuries. The earliest trade unions were formed by skilled workers or craftsmen with the aim of guarding their trade and establishing wage levels and followed the laissez-faire form of market control hence voluntarism characterized by low legal regulation and no government intervention (The national archives, 2010). Workers were free to organize collectively and so did employers have freedom to dismiss union members. Although unions bargained collectively, employers had the right to refuse to negotiate with the union. Strikes were legal but workers had the right to dismiss striking workers if they breached their contracts (Hyman, 2001). The craftsmen prevented entry of other members into their trade so as not to increase supply and hence

Choose one element that you notice in (Agamemnon, Hamlet, The Love Essay

Choose one element that you notice in (Agamemnon, Hamlet, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock). Explain the similarities and differences as you compare the development in each work of your chosen element - Essay Example To adequately enjoy and gain insights into these works, the reader should endeavor to discern all the notable similarities and differences in these pieces of literature. Hamlet is a story line made famous by William Shakespeare who wrote the plot of the story to be depicted as a play, which makes it a world acclaimed piece of literature and theatrical prose. Hamlet is bent on avenging his father’s death, and this exposes the reader to other aspects of the protagonist’s character that can be construed to be part of the author’s intention and insight to the reader. Hamlet’s vengeance exposes his insecurity leading him to commit incestuous acts with his kin in an effort to secure his dominance and authority. This is an aspect that is present in the ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufock’ in the sense that his insecurities lead him to reveal his inner-self unconsciously. The difference between the two is that in Hamlet, Prince Hamlet quest is fulfilled with the murder of his Uncle the focus of his revenge and hatred. Unlike Hamlet, J. Alfred Prufock’s insecurities and inadequacies haunt him for the rest of th e poem, and the reader is left wondering or yearning to know the outcome or the true end of the story. Agamemnon as a play also presents a dilemma, which is also present in all the literal works under discussion (Aeschylu, Raeburn and Thomas 118). Hamlet is in a dilemma on how he is going to redeem himself in the eyes of his people as their king in the presence of his overbearing uncle. He is also unsure of his mother’s involvement in the murder of his father due to her speedy remarriage to his uncle whom he suspects as his father’s killer (Crowl 169). Agamemnon is in a dilemma as to the future of his position upon his return from the Trojan War, an aspects he battles with till his ultimate death or murder. The

Answer questions on the economy with the explanation and examples Essay

Answer questions on the economy with the explanation and examples - Essay Example With increasing income, the demand for a luxury goods increases sharply as compared to necessity goods. In this case, there is a larger proportionate change in the quantity demanded when a change in price of the good occurs. When the price of the good rises, the demand will fall proportionately more; hence, the total revenue will fall. But when the price of the good falls, the demand will rise proportionately more; hence, the total revenue will rise as well. In this case, there is a smaller proportionate change in the quantity demanded when a change in price of the good occurs. When the price of the good rises, the demand will fall proportionately less; hence, the total revenue will rise due to the higher price. But when the price of the good falls, the demand will rise proportionately less; hence, the total revenue will fall as well. It refers to the maximum price that has set by the government or an agency. The concerns cannot rise above this maximum rate but can fall below it. For Example: Maximum price of the oil fixed by the government in Third world countries. It refers to the minimum price that has been set by the government or an agency. The concerns cannot fall below this minimum rate but can rise about it. For Example: Minimum wage rates fixed by the government. An economic law that states that, as the quantity of a variable factor is increased, the marginal product of these additional units will, at a particular point, start to diminish and be less than the marginal product of the former unit. In the short run of the firm’s production, a few of the input factors are considered to be fixed in nature. Whereas in the long run of the firm’s production, there are no fixed factors as the company can vary the quantity being used over the period of time. The profits are maximized when MR=MC: at an output level of Q as shown in Figure 3. If the output is less than Q, the MR exceeds MC. This

The Efficient Market Hypothesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Efficient Market Hypothesis - Essay Example In this way, only information bears the power to move market prices. There happens to be three levels of market efficiency as delineated by Fama (1970) viz. weak, semi-strong and strong. According to Fama (1970), weak form of market efficiency that market prices are affected by a stock's past performance and previous returns. The semi strong form of market efficiency suggests that market prices reflect all the available information. This degree of market efficiency exists when there are no under or over valued securities in the market and when new information affects market prices very rapidly. The strong form of market efficiency elaborates that all types of information, whether public or private, affects market price of securities. Despite the importance of the Efficient Market Hypothesis, its validity is highly debatable in the literature which is discussed in this essay. According to the Efficient Market Hypothesis, stock prices move in negative and positive directions while responding to information and announcement of events. However, there has been staunch concern owing to market anomalies that indicate deviations from Efficient Market Hypothesis such as Holiday effect [e.g. Ariel (1990)], Monday effect [e.g. French (1980)], November effect [e.g. Bhabra, Dhillon and Ramirez (1999)], January effect [e.g. Bhardwaj and Brooks (1992)] and P/E ratio effect [e.g. Basu (1977)]. Critics are also of the view that movements in stock prices also reflect psychological factors and irrationality on the part of investors [e.g. La Porta, Lakonishok, Shliefer, and Vishny (1997), Shleifer and Summers (1990) etc.]. There has also been significant evidence that economic conditions great affect stock returns [e.g. Schwert (1989)]. The following paragraphs examine the Efficient

Leadership Theories Essay Example for Free

Leadership Theories Essay One of the earliest approaches for studying leadership was the trait approach. This approach emphasizes attributes of leaders such as personality, motives, values, and skills. Underlying this approach was the assumption that some people are natural leaders, endowed with certain traits not possessed by other people. Early leadership theories attributed managerial success to extraordinary abilities such as tireless energy, penetrating intuition, uncanny foresight, and irresistible persuasive powers. Hundreds of trait studies conducted during the 1930s and 1940s sought to discover these elusive qualities, but this massive research effort failed to find any traits that would guarantee leadership success. One reason for the failure was a lack of attention to intervening variables in the causal chain that could explain how traits could affect a delayed outcome such as group performance or leader advancement. The predominant research method was to look for a significant correlation between individual leader attributes and a criterion of leader success, without examining any explanatory processes. However, as evidence from better designed research slowly accumulated over the years, researchers made progress in discovering how leader attributes are related to leadership behavior and effectiveness. A more recent trait approach examines leader values that are relevant for explaining ethical leadership. Behavior Approach The behavior approach began in the early 1950s after many researchers became discouraged with the trait approach and began to pay closer attention to what managers actually do on the job. The behavior research falls into two general subcategories. One line of research examines how managers spend their time and the typical pattern of activities, responsibilities, and functions for managerial jobs. Some of the research also investigates how managers cope with demands, constraints, and role conflicts in their jobs. Most research on managerial work uses descriptive methods of data collection such as direct observation, diaries, job description questionnaires, and anecdotes obtained from interviews. Although this research was not designed to directly assess effective leadership, it provides useful insights into this subject. Leadership effectiveness depends in part on how well a manager resolves role conflicts, copes with demands, recognizes opportunities, and overcomes constraints. Another subcategory of the behavior approach focuses on identifying effective leadership behavior. The preferred research method involves a survey field study with a behavior description questionnaire. In the past 50 years, hundreds of survey studies examined the correlation between leadership behavior and various indicators of leadership effectiveness. A much smaller number of studies used laboratory experiments, field experiments, or critical incidents to determine how effective leaders differ in behavior from ineffective leaders. Power-Influence Approach Power-influence research examines influence processes between leaders and other people. Like most research on traits and behavior, some of the power-influence research takes a leader-centered perspective with an implicit assumption that causality is unidirectional (leaders act and followers react). This research seeks to explain leadership effectiveness in terms of the amount and type of power possessed by a leader and how power is exercised. Power is viewed as important not only for influencing subordinates, but also for influencing peers, superiors, and people outside the organization, such as clients and suppliers. The favorite methodology has been the use of survey questionnaires to relate leader power to various measures of leadership effectiveness. Other power-influence research used questionnaires and descriptive incidents to determine how leaders influence the attitudes and behavior of followers. The study of influence tactics can be viewed as a bridge linking the power-influence approach and the behavior approach. The use of different influence tactics is compared in terms of their relative effectiveness for getting people to do what the leader wants. Participative leadership is concerned with power sharing and empowerment of followers, but it is firmly rooted in the tradition of behavior research as well. Many studies used questionnaires to correlate subordinate perceptions of participative leadership with criteria of leadership effectiveness such as subordinate satisfaction, effort, and performance. Laboratory and field experiments compared autocratic and participative leadership styles. Finally, descriptive case studies of effective managers examined how they use consultation and delegation to give people a sense of ownership for decisions. Situational Approach The situational approach emphasizes the importance of contextual factors that influence leadership processes. Major situational variables include the characteristics of followers, the nature of the work performed by the leader’s unit, the type of organization, and the nature of the external environment. This approach has two major subcategories. One line of research is an attempt to discover the extent to which leadership processes are the same or unique across different types of organizations, levels of management, and cultures. The primary research method is a comparative study of two or more situations. The dependent variables may be managerial perceptions and attitudes, managerial activities and behavior patterns, or influence processes. The other subcategory of situational research attempts to identify aspects of the situation that â€Å"moderate† the relationship of leader attributes (e.g., traits, skills, behavior) to leadership effectiveness. The assumption is that different attributes will be effective in different situations, and that the same attribute is not optimal in all situations. Theories describing this relationship are sometimes called â€Å"contingency theories† of leadership. A more extreme form of situational theory (â€Å"leadership substitutes†) identifies the conditions that can make hierarchical leadership redundant and unnecessary (Chapter 8). Integrative Approach An integrative approach involves more than one type of leadership variable. In recent years it has become more common for researchers to include two or more types of leadership variables in the same study, but it is still rare to find a theory that includes all of them (i.e., traits, behavior, influence processes, situational variables, and outcomes). An example of the integrative approach is the self-concept theory of charismatic leadership (see Chapter 9), which attempts to explain why the followers of some leaders are willing to exert exceptional effort and make personal sacrifices to accomplish the group objective or mission.

Foreign Literature Essay Example for Free

Foreign Literature Essay Last night I was at the presentation of the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, at the National Portrait Gallery, where a young Angolan writer, Josà © Eduardo Agualusa, was announced the 2007 winner for his novel The Book of Chameleons, translated from the Portuguese by Daniel Hahn. Set in contemporary Angola, the book is particularly notable for being narrated by a lizard. The judges this year were the poet David Constantine, writer and editor Jennie Erdal, Arts Council Literature officer Kate Griffin, novelist Ali Smith and the literary editor of the Independent, Boyd Tonkin. Admirably the prize is shared between the translator and author, thus honouring an art that often goes unsung. The book was evidently a popular choice and Agualusa received his award in person, accompanied by whoops and cheers. Tonkin extols the prize as a unique bridge between writers abroad and readers at home. As thrilled as I was that this talented newcomer beat such literary heavyweights as Ismail Kadare and Javier Marà ­as, however, I was even more delighted that the award honours a small literary publisher, Arcadia, who recently celebrated their 10th anniversary. The dedicated team at Arcadia are worthy recipients of this prestigious award, not just for bringing this imaginative young writer to an English readership, but overall for their championing of cultural diversity and for widening our literary choice 50% of their 2007 lists are books in translation. Given the effects of globalisation elsewhere, it seems astonishing that we dont translate more foreign literature in this country. Apparently, translated fiction accounts for only 3% of fiction sales in the UK, compared with 30-40% in France or Spain. The British are voracious readers, so why are we so insular? Dont we welcome unusual voices and different perspectives? How can we exert pressure on publishers to produce more translated fiction? For those interested in foreign literature, an excellent resource is Words Without Borders, an online magazine dedicated to promoting international exchange through translation and publishing works/extracts on the web. And if youd like to see Josà © Eduardo Agualusa and Daniel Hahn, theyll be reading from The Book of Chameleons this evening at Foyles bookshop, London, 6.30pm 8.30pm.

Case Study Of Johnson And Johnson Commerce Essay

Case Study Of Johnson And Johnson Commerce Essay For many Chinese people, they could buy some foreign products since 1980s, because many foreign companies have set up in China at that period, and huge amount of imported products were sold in Chinese market, which means the effect of the globalization can be seen in our daily necessities. In 1982, the first Johnson Johnson operating company was opened in China, then a series of products of Johnson Johnson entered Chinese market. Why Johnson Johnson would like to enter other foreign market, especially in developing country like China? This report will examine whether Johnson Johnson is an international corporation or a global corporation through two concept, corporate structure and geographical expansion. Although in previous studies, there is no sole definition of internationalization and globalization, this report will analyze Johnson Johnsons characteristics to support that it is a successful example of global corporations. Contents Introduction In todays competitive business environment, there are a lot of multinational enterprises. Like Johnson Johnson, it could be found in every country. However, in some studies, there is no clearly concept or explanation on whether the corporation is international or global. Many international corporations have been influenced by globalization where they would turn into global corporations. Therefore, the aim of this report is to analyse whether Johnson Johnson is an international firm or a global firm, and discuss what global characteristics it possesses. In order to do a case study of Johnson Johnson, its corporate structure will be described and geographical expansion will be analysed. To summaries when and how did Johnson Johnson become a global corporation? By using a corporate geography perspective, this report will include the analysis of whether geographical expansion is a good way to enhance firms scale or not and if it could change international corporations into global cor porations. However, globalisation might be constrained somehow. Globalisation might also bring corporations more challenges, which could be seen in long run. In the world economy, the use of globalisation might be exaggerated. Internationalization and Globalisation There is no unequivocal definition of what is globalization. According to David DeBry (2001, p. 42), who pointed out that internationalisation is like creating a round-toed shoe that fits people with all types of feet. It is not as comfortable as a perfectly fitted shoe and doesnt fit snugly, but can be worn by many people. Whereas globalization refers to the trend of a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Dicken, P. (2011) mentioned that the concept of globalization became familiar gradually in the past 30 years. Globalization is the method to solve the worlds economic issues (Dicken, 2011). Globalisation might influence the form of companies, which leads to the changing from trade to Foreign Direct Investment (Dicken P. , 2003). Trade volume has increased by the progress of globalisation (Dicken P. , 2011), for example, Chinese people could barely purchase foreign products in China before 1980s until the government approved the reform of Chinese economy approaches. Whi lst the volume of import and export of China reaches a really high amount. Figure 1 Source from Dicken P. 2011 table 2.1 Figure 2 Source from Dicken P. 2011 table 2.2 Nowadays, people witness the establishment of international corporations and global corporations. The worlds largest 500 corporation are usually being classed multinational enterprises (MNEs). An example of global brands is Johnson Johnson. However, how to identify the difference between international corporations and global corporations? First of all, being international corporations, the quantity of branches and subsidiaries are limited, it could be in only one country. But global corporations have many branches and subsidiaries among all over the world. International corporations have some investment in at least one country, they search profitable opportunities, whereas global corporations use the world as an opportunity. For most global corporations, they need to build a global brand, a successful reputation built should link the name, products and logo to many people. For instance, people could hardly find substitute for many Johnson Johnson products, and the majority people have heard this name. According to Giorgio et al. (2002), there are two reasons to why a company should change from international to global company. On the one hand, a company could open its market worldwide. On the other hand, the company could lower its cost. Dicken (2003) demonstrated that a global corporation would be a firm that has the power to coordinate and control operations in a large number of counties (even if it does not own them), but whose geographically dispersed operations are functionally integrated, and not merely a diverse portfolio of activities. The background of Johnson Johnson The concept of corporate structure is the arrangements whereby the firm motivates, coordinates, appraises, and rewards the inputs and resources that belong to its coalition (Caves, 1980:66). Many successful corporations would establish famous branded products and develop different type of products (Caves, 1980). A firms corporate structure is depended on many issues. For example, when one company start up for only 5 years, its corporate structure would be less complex than company which founded 50 years ago. In Johnson Johnson, their board of directors is a group of people who meet a set of General Criteria for membership and are elected to the Board by our shareholders each year. We currently have 14 Board members, 12 of whom are independent under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. (Johnson Johnson, 2012). Many large corporations tend to have the same corporate structures. It includes about five departments, which are Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Human Resource and IT. Usually corporate structure are four types as following (Dicken P. , 2011): Figure 3 (Source from Dicken P. 2011 Figure 5.8) It can be seen that global corporates structure is more complex than international corporates structure. For Johnson Johnson, the executive committee is the main management team, which is responsible for the operations. The corporate governance is formed by accounting controls, independent auditor, audit committee of their board of directors and business results. Figure 4C:UsersREDesktopConcept2.jpeg This figure shows the board of directors of Johnson Johnson. (Johnson Johnson, 2012) 3.1 A strategy of Johnson Johnson The reason why Johnson Johnson achieves such great success is that it has strict operating mode. (Johnson Johnson, 2012) 1. Market penetration Johnson Johnson has improved the share of market by increasing the quality of products, meanwhile, offering discount is an appropriate way to influence consumers habits and purchasing. 2. Market development It developed new markets to provide the same products for consumers who have the same requires in different countries. 3. Product development It developed new products to old consumers, which would expand popularity. 4. Diversification It provide new products to new markets. 5. Consolidation This step is to retain its stable relationship with consumers. Chandler stated that a firms growth is always through three strategies as following (Chandler, 1962): 1. Expansion is to widen the existing line to the same kinds of consumers. 2. New markets and sources of supplies are very important factors. 3. Developing a wide range of new products for different types of consumers As one of the largest and most comprehensive health care corporation in the world, Johnson Johnson has experienced vital growth in recent years. Johnson Johnson was founded by Robert Wood Johnson with two brothers in New Jersey in 1886. With the expansion and development of its business needs from the 1920 of the 20th century, Johnson Johnson has set up a lot of branches and acquired many companies among Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. By today Johnson Johnson has established and acquired more than 250 branches and companies in over 57 countries, and has about 129,000 employees. Johnson Johnson is Ranked 42nd in fortune 500 list in 2012. (Johnson Johnson, 2012). In 1924, the first overseas operating company was set up in the United Kingdom, which indicated Johnson Johnson has started its foreign company period. In 1944, Johnson Johnson joined the New York Stock Exchange. (Johnson Johnson, 2012). Revenues of JJ has increased from only $7 billion in 1987 to more than $65 b illion in 2012. Profits increased at an even faster rate, from $329.5 million in 1987 to $9672 million in 2012. (FORTUNE 500, 2012) 3.2 Corporate Structure of Johnson Johnson For every MNE, as key driver of globalization, has its unique corporate structure on a wide variety of market, which influence the corporations management in marketplace. The main sector is the number and size distribution of sellers and buyers, height of barriers to enter and exit (Caves, 1980). Why Johnson Johnson can be called a global corporation is that it has complicated structure. It depends on the development and innovation, because Johnson Johnson has three business divisions: 3.2.1.. Consumer products Baby Care Skin and Hair Care Wound Care and Topicals Oral Health Care Womens Health Over-the-Counter Medicines Nutritionals Vision Care Online store The consumer products chain retail outlets are widespread all over the world, these products are sold to general public and both to wholesalers and directly to individuals, while Pharmaceutical products and Medical device Diagnostics are depend on acquisition of other companies. 3.2.2. Pharmaceutical products Janssen RD LLC Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Janssen Healthcare Innovation Janssen Diagnostics Veridex, LLC These products offer medicines that treat widespread diseases. 3.2.3. Medical device Diagnostics Advanced Sterilization Products Animas Corporation Cordis Corporation DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson Johnson Ethicon,  Inc. Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. Johnson Johnson Vision Care, Inc. LifeScan, Inc. Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. These products might be used in professional fields, such as physicians, nurses, hospitals, and diagnostic laboratories. It has gained the competitive advantage through knowledge of recognition and integration in the world, and achieved implementation and operation. With the development of Johnson Johnson, it has shaped a very complicated company. There are approximately more than 200 different type of products are formed in three departments. To what extent the success of Johnson Johnson could achieve is depends on the relationship between three departments and other business departments. In the past 10 years, Johnson Johnson has purchased more than 60 small firms. It focus on managing the knowledge. Usually, corporation has the following ways to grow: internal expansion, exporting, licensing, franchising, mergers and acquisitions, and geographic expansion. (Bruce R. Barringer, Daniel W. Greening, 1998). These strategies support corporations to enter new markets, as well as develop corporations resources through different countries or regions. Previous studies have revealed that geographic expansion is a new operation in a different area. (Hsien-Jui Chung, Chun-Chung Chen, Tsun-jui Hsieh, 2007). It might form international supply chains, which firms would purchase components, raw materials and services. It was significant to gain growth and enhance performance when Johnson Johnson has set up the first foreign firm in 1924. Geographic expansion would bring a lot of advantages (Farok J. Contractor, Sumit K. Kundu and Chin-Chun Hsu, 2003) Global market often give more scope for economies of scale, which in this case study, has changed Johnson Johnson into a global firm. As Dicken (2011) mentioned that global economy are connected with geographical and organizational structure. He (2011, p. 96) pointed out closely related to the issues of geographical scale and organizational loci is the importance of territoriality in networks. Findings To sum up, from what is discussed above, Johnson Johnson is a global corporation. As a result of some literature, there would be two measurements to determine whether the corporation is globalised or not, which is from organizational and geographical scale. Firstly, Johnson Johnson has complicated corporate structure, it has executive committee to manage and operate Johnson Johnson. Compared with its geographical scale, Johnson Johnson has more than 250 branches and subsidiaries all over the world. Then corporations earn profits from the globalisation economy, which is why many international company would like to expand their subsidiaries and branches to other different countries or regions. Discussion Globalisation plays an important role, it changes the world economy. Firstly, it increases the trade from one country to another. Apart from that, globalisation makes economy prosperous because it raised foreign direct investment while there might be some limitations. When a company is already a global company, what should be their next steps or strategies? Is globalisation the destination for one company? In accordance to some literatures, globalization is end of geography (OBRIEN, 1992). Increasingly companies have gained more profits from globalization, in other words, the progress of globalization gets advantages for enterprises. Conclusions So far, for many people, it is hard to explain what are international corporations and global corporations, because internationalization and globalization cannot be easily distinguished, but actually there are different. Consequently, they can be differentiated by the geographic scale and corporation structure. Globalized companies often owns similar structures. It is easier to understand from some literatures. In this report, a case study of Johnson Johnson has determined that it is a global corporation by analysing its corporate structure, different product lines and company strategies. In competitive business circumstance, globalisation is an inevitable trend, not only for companies, but for the macro-economy. Globalisation makes the whole world look like borderless, it might boost international business.

The Heroes of Lord of the Flies Essay -- Lord of the Flies Essays

The Heroes of Lord of the Flies    There are many possible interpretations of the word 'hero': sometimes it simply means the main character of a story, sometimes it denotes a person with a strong character who acts decisively, and sometimes it can mean the person we most admire in a story or who is the greatest force for good. Golding's Lord of the Flies has no clear hero but there are three major characters that could be seen as the heroes of the book.    The first possible hero is Ralph. He is perhaps the most obvious candidate as, at the start of the novel at least, he is a 'golden boy'. The second possible hero is Jack. This might seem unlikely, as Jack is in some ways also a possible villain, but Jack is a better leader than Ralph and is able to act decisively in a crisis. The third possible hero is Simon, the only one totally untouched by the boys' descent into savagery.    Ralph qualifies as a hero on several counts. Firstly, of all the characters in the book, the narrator follows Ralph most closely. It is Ralph we meet at the opening of the story and a description of Ralph ends the book. Secondly, Ralph performs heroic actions. He bravely explores the unknown island, attempts to stand up to the beast, and when the going gets tough he does not give up in despair. But above all of his physical bravery, Ralph shows moral bravery when he insists that the death of Simon is 'murder'. However, despite Ralph's physical and moral bravery, he is not untouched by sin and evil. Ralph was involved in the death of Simon and failed to provide clear leadership for the boys who put their trust in him. As readers we have the most sympathy for Ralph but we also have a clear understanding of ... ... as its hero. Ralph is the closest to a hero in the literary sense of the word as the narrative follows him and it is his story. Jack, although he has heroic qualities, is perhaps too close to being the story's villain to be considered a hero but he is by no means a character with only one side. In my opinion, the only person in the book who is a true hero is Simon as he is courageous, brave and kind. He is also the only boy to remain uncorrupted by the island. In writing a novel without a clear hero, Golding emphasises its pessimistic message. Before the Second World War, Jack and Ralph, like their counterparts in Coral Island would probably have been allowed to show the stuff that made them potential heroes but, in the context of a world that had witnessed genocide and the atomic bomb, Golding suggests that the ordinary concepts of heroes are not enough.

The Newport Coast Structure :: Architecture Architects Building Essays

The Newport Coast Structure The Newport Coast structure that sits on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Newport Coast Dr. is one of many examples of Mediterranean-inspired architecture in Southern California. The building is clearly influenced by Roman architecture and stands out among the standard Spanish-looking villas and mission-type buildings. The structure lies near one of California's wealthiest neighborhoods, Newport Beach and acts as sort of a grand entrance to Newport Coast Dr. There are two of these structures which sit on opposite sides of Newport Coast Dr., framed by only a few palm trees and evergreens. Drivers passing along Southern California's coastline can catch a quick glimpse of these impressive buildings. The Newport Coast structure is constructed of concrete and painted a light beige. Eight thick columns support the extremely large entablature-like face of the structure. As architecture in a typically conservative Orange County, the Newport Coast structure dominates its surroundings. The Newport Coast structure is clearly a representation of Roman architecture in general, but more specifically, the sturdy columns and enlarged entablatures are reminiscent of the Tuscan order. Although the simplified columns may at first glance appear to be rather doric in their style, upon closer inspection they prove to be more similar to the less renowned Tuscan order. This in fact, does not diminish the influence the doric temples of Greek architecture had on the Etruscan invention of the Tuscan temple, but rather demonstrates yet again how one culture can inspire another artistically. The Tuscan order refers to "the variation that resembles the doric order, with an unfluted shaft and a simplified base, capital, and entablature" (Stokstad, 227). Like architecture of the Tuscan order, the Newport Coast structure's entablature is very plain and geometric in its form. The Tuscan order was originally used by the Etruscans around the time of 700-509 BCE and was later adopted by the Romans. Even though the Newport Coast structure and the Tuscan temple function differently in terms of public use, for the Tuscan temple was used by the Etruscans for religious purposes, their appearances prove to be strikingly similar. Not only does the Newport Coast structure resemble architecture of the Tuscan order, it makes use of the Roman round arch as well. The round arch in the Newport Coast structure has elements that are very similar to the Roman round arch. Outlined by wedge-shaped voussoirs, it looks like a simpler, more modern version of the Arch of Constantine.

American Well Case Writeup

American Well, a pioneer in online healthcare is at the crucial stage where the business opportunities look propitious at the same time it could make the company lose its perspective. It has the first-mover advantage with strong core competency. But still, some of the questions concerning the future of the company do needs to be addressed. Some of the main questions that American Well faces are 1. Introducing the product to new customer segments 2. Capturing the international market 3. Pushing the products beyond health care industry.American well is currently serving the connectivity between patients and physicians. The new product â€Å"Team Edition† will serve the connectivity between primary care physicians (PCPs) and the specialist. They are also considering the prospect of online health care to Hospitals, Retail clinics and Pharmacies. The adverse effect is it could be too soon for American Well to launch a new undertaking, given their core services has not yet been adop ted widely. Furthermore, this requires new hiring and additional funding. Stepping back has its own drawback of failing to capture the opportunity when there was demand.Meeting real-time excess demand with real-time excess capacity is a whole new world to be explored not only in health care but in many other industries. Also, the need for online health care has a great demand oversees too and American Well can explore its business in these new countries and can become a world leader in delivering virtual healthcare services in a many-to-many platform. Even though it is true that American Well has all the ideas and advantages – the main disadvantage is the lack of infrastructure and the awareness of an internet-based health service.There is still a lot of opportunities and work needed to be done with its present venture and stepping big foot too soon cannot be as beneficial for the company as it sounds. The â€Å"Team Edition† is an innovative product and the American W ell should concentrate on its existing customer base i. e. the payers. They should probably do extensive market research on all these new opportunities. A research team could be formed including members from American Well and personnel from top insurance companies to explore the scope of extending its services to hospitals and pharmacies.They should wait for the â€Å"spending freezes† to be over and need to analyze on how the new health reforms will affect the existing organization. Another conceivable strategy could be a hybrid of Direct-To-Customer model and Business-To-Business model. American Well can establish a DTC model where they would directly sign up patients and doctors to a nationwide system along with their existing B2B model. This will cover more customer base. The short term goal

Mandatory Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients Essay

Thesis Statement Overall, mandatory drug testing initiatives have noble intentions such as: providing medical care to the abuser, preventing lifelong dependency, and saving taxpayer dollars, however, states should choose to not implement the intrusive testing because it is unconstitutional, costly, and ultimately detrimental to the child, not the parents. Through this presentation you will.. †¢ Learn about how widespread welfare usage is, and the history behind welfare reform. †¢ Understand why some legislators advocate for mandatory drug testing †¢ Look at the facts and realize that it is not only unconstitutional but also not an efficient means of spending allocated funds. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. Reasons Why Supporters Believe in Mandatory Drug Testing Overall good of youth dependents Zero tolerance policy Some buy drugs with welfare Tax payers have a right to know That their funds are spent well employed people must take drug tests Overall well being of invidual All reasoning lead to their overall stance, pro-testing. Reasons Why They Don’t Believe in Mandatory Drug Testing th amemmendment) Unconstiutional (4 Cost Prohibitative Embarassing and untimely Potential false positives or false negatives This is why CPS etc. exists Kid gets punished; not the adult All reasoning lead to their overall stance, against testing. Florida Welfare Drug Testing Graphic- DO THE MATH. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. Conclusion Mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients is unconstitutional, because no just-cause to search and seize. We must trust that although it isn’t constitutional or affordable to drug test all people, other agencies are other there to protect the children, if abuse or neglect is occurring Correlation does not imply causation. Work Cited Amundson, Kalynn, Anna M. Zajicek, and Valerie H. Hunt. â€Å"Pathologies Of The Poor: What Do The War On Drugs And Welfare Reform Have In Common?.† Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare 41.1 (2014): 5-28. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 May 2014 Gupta, Vanita. â€Å"Should Welfare Recipients Be Tested For Drugs?.† U.S. News Digital Weekly 3.46 (2011): 14. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 May 2014. Lyle, Lindsey. â€Å"Florida’s Legislation Mandating Suspicionless Drug Testing Of TANF Beneficiaries: The Constitutionality And Efficacy Of Implementing Drug Testing Requirements On The Welfare Population.† Tennessee Journal Of Law & Policy 8.(2012): 68-85. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 May 2014. Work Cited Rhodes, Tim, Sarah Bernays, and Kathrin Houmoller. â€Å"Parents Who Use Drugs: Accounting for Damage and Its Limitation.† Social Science & Medicine 71.8 (2010): 1489-497. Web. 6 May 2014. Vitter, David. â€Å"Should Welfare Recipients Be Tested For Drugs?.† U.S. News Digital Weekly 3.46 (2011): 14. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 May 2014. Vitter, David. â€Å"Should Welfare Recipients Be Tested For Drugs?.† U.S. News Digital Weekly 3.46 (2011): 14. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 May 2014. Wurman, Ilan. â€Å"Drug Testing Welfare Recipients As A Constitutional Condition.† Stanford Law Review 65.5 (2013): 1153-1193. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 May 2014.

American Off-Shore Drilling: Crisis or Fortune Essay

Living within a country that thrives off of technology creates an infinite demand for power. From the extensive automobile power structure to the agricultural industry that America is reliant on, oil and natural gas are specifically necessary to make this part of the â€Å"go ‘round†. Within the gulfs, seas, and oceans that surround the United States of America lies illimitable amounts of natural oils, which are nestled in the crust of the earth. Over the years, the retrieval, refining and use of this natural resource has been controversial for a mass variety of reasons, both sides presenting substantial reasoning as to the pros and cons to off-shore oil and natural gas drilling. Each American must determine their opinion once reviewing both sides of this issue. What cost is America willing to pay to grow in power at the world’s expense, or what amount of power is America willing to do without in order save the earth? Off shore drilling is too vital to America’s economy to be done away with and due to advances in technology, it has become safer for both the environment and its inhabitants, more reliable, pragmatic, and affordable to both the manufacturers and consumers. Oil and natural gas companies such as Chevron, BP, and PennEnergy support the lives of millions upon billions of people through the natural gas and oil they drill from below the water of the oceans surrounding America. These companies are essential to let America be self-reliant in terms of power. As stated by Gingrich, the U. S. spends $700 billion dollars each year on foreign oil imports. (148) The United States are more than capable to support themselves through the amount of natural resources available within it’s territory. â€Å"America is suffering from an artificial energy crisis that is also a dangerous national security crisis- artificial, because America is gifted with enormous reserves of energy; dangerous, because it makes us vulnerable to unreliable and potentially hostile countries. † (Gingrich, XI) Statistics show that there is an estimated 18. 2 billion barrels of oil and 85. 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that could safely extracted from US area. (Gingrich, 139) The resources are readily available and by keeping commerce within national borders, a country will continue to support its economy. Becoming dependent on other countries for items that are readily available within the borders is a complete waste. The United States government has put an extremely severe lock on more than eighty percent of all available area to conduct off shore drilling within the federal borders. Gingrich, 14) With rising prices, off shore drilling would be an intuitive choice on congress’ part that would create more job opportunities, more products available to export, and certainly more stability in the energy crisis. The Scotsman newspaper published a statement that said that the off shore drilling industry would supplement â€Å"enormous opportunities† worldwide. With advances in technology, â€Å"Subsea processing, separating, compressing, and pumping are on the leading edge of offshore production technology, especially for deep and ultra deepwater and also harsh environments. (Kliewer, 1) The last major oil spill to occur within the Gulf of Mexico was in 1980. It is also fact that ninety-five percent of the oil that is found within the gulf is not caused by human activity at all. Being that oil is a natural resource and readily available right below the surface, the majority of all oil comes naturally from the earth’s crust on its own. (Gingrich, 99) From the late twentieth century to today, companies have made it a personal goal to make their business as environmentally safe as possible, which benefits all parties involved. There are still continuous efforts to perfect this industry. Oil and natural gas companies believe that the use of technology and innovation and incentives will make it unnecessary to raise taxes to clean up the environment. (Gingrich, 145) These companies want to work with conservationists and environmentalists to properly balance the extraction of natural resources with the wellbeing of the environment. This mindset portrays how maturely, sagaciously, and efficiently the oil and natural gas companies wish to continue their business. Conservationists and environmentalists believe that offshore drilling is nothing but detrimental to the natural occurrence of earth. Offshore oil drills are immutably harmful to both the flora and fauna of the sea, land, and air from a conservationist’s point of view. Within the northern most division of the United States, Alaska, polar bears are at serious risk that could lead to extinction if and when an oil spill was to occur. â€Å"†¦Oil covered polar bears have little chance to survive spills, because the oil the bears ingest while trying to clean themselves could cause death. † (Polar†¦) Deep offshore drilling projects have been said to lead to the emission of lethal gasses. Drilling in water depths greater than 500 feet releases methane, a greenhouse gas at least twenty times more potent than carbon dioxide in its contribution to global warming. † (Juhaz, 311) When a company goes into an area to drill for oil they must first evaluate the area with sonar machines to determine if there is any amount of oil to be obtained. â€Å"Seismic survey devices and military sonars have been implicated in numerous whale beaching and stranding incidents, including a mass stranding of sixteen whales in the Bahamas in December 2001. (Juhaz, 313) Marine animals and fish have much more sensitive hearing than humans and therefore the sonar machines can damage their ability to attract mates and fend against predators. Environmentalists also scrutinize oil companies for the number of injuries that employees suffer while working on offshore oil rigs. The HSE inspects all oil rigs throughout the gulf. Within the past few years, the number of injuries has dropped a considerable amount. It is believed though, that the only reason these numbers were lower is due to the fact that a smaller number of actual injuries were reported. Low†¦) Seaside communities can also feel the negative effects of oil spills. These communities have no choice in what washes up on their shores, where the majority of their popularity can come from. If an oil spill were to occur, it is not a guarantee that they would receive any compensation for the damages. Costal tourist communities would especially suffer. â€Å"‘If there’s one spill or one disaster, you could destroy us for a very long time. ’† (Juhaz, 314) Not only would their homes and communities be affected, but also their livelihood. Offshore oil and gas companies have exemplary motives, standards, and hopes for their business. Environmentalists constantly attack these companies with verbose denunciation that is often not valid. For instance, Juhasz wrote in his book The Tyranny of Oil that somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 tons of waste material is released into the water annually. This is misleading and obscure considering that the â€Å"waste material† consists of rock, mud, and minerals, all of which are overly abundant in the oceans without any human interference. 312) Many environmentalists also choose to ignore the fact that oil rigs have become essential and permanent habitats for marine life. â€Å"†¦A growing debate is emerging between those who wish to see the rigs disappear entirely and the ones who believe that doing so would destroy an important habitat. † (Rothbach) Even non-intentionally, the owners of oil rigs are benefitting the environment in which they conduct business. It is very possible that they are doing more good than harm to the fish and plants that they first intruded upon. It seems that environmentalists can be somewhat hypocritical in their attempt to extol their platform. It is clear that environmentalists will fight against offshore drilling no matter what strides are made or facts are presented. The key is working to make a situation that benefits the consumers, companies, communities, and of course the environment. This is a very difficult task at hand but manageable. As mentioned before, oil and gas companies are making noticeable strides in â€Å"going green† to benefit the environment. â€Å"Through creative decision making, solutions can be present themselves in a way that all parties will find reasonable, even if not ideal. (Rothbach) In order to prevent the dispersing of dangerous drilling fluids, companies are working to develop a water based, high alkaline solution of silica-based solutions called silanes. (Nowak) Companies are also working to â€Å"set tight standards on carbon dioxide emissions, it will drive more fuel efficient vehicles, which will in effect reduce our dependence on foreign oil. † (Martin) Also, â€Å"subsea facilities are viewed as a path to bring production to market faster while extending life in the field. † (Kliewer) The country of America is most definitely reliant on energy. With each household having an average of two cars each, fuel is a considerable necessity. (Marlin) Environmentalists try to belittle the need for power that America has. This cannot be done. Power is a need that should be on the top of the list to be addressed. The process of which to obtain it is something that should be done with the environment in mind. With the steps already being taken to create an ideal balance, success is visible on the horizon. With advances in technology it is more than possible for the oil industry to be clean, efficient, and environmentally friendly. â€Å"America could rival-even exceed- the world’s biggest energy powerhouses. † (Gingrich, 39) The offshore oil industry is a gold mine just waiting to be taken advantage of. America has just scratched the surface of its potential below its oceans and seas. Considering the fact, that the advances in safety and efficiency have recently been perfected, the timing is perfect to really dive into the fortune that will take America to the top of the power chain in the world.

Activision Blizzard

Company History and Profile Activision and Blizzard Entertainment have been longstanding brands within the gaming industry for some time. Activision started out in 1979 as the world’s first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles such as Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, in addition to developing both gaming and business applications for personal computers. One of their earliest major hit games was Pitfall, which was designed for the Atari 2600 series gaming console. This project was so successful; it resulted in the production of several clones, including stand-up arcade games. After losing a multi-million dollar judgment on damages involving a patent infringement, Activision went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and reorganization in 1991. It was during this time when they decided to concentrate solely on a video gaming production strategy, eventually developing popular games such as Sonic, Guitar Hero and the current Call of Duty Series. From 1997 to 2007, Activision acquired multiple companies geared towards strengthening their position relative to their gaming strategy, but have also kept their foot in the door for expanding their market into other entertainment ventures. Beginning in 1998, Activision launched strategic partnerships with comic and movie producers Marvel Entertainment, Disney Interactive, and LucasArts Entertainment. In 2001, Activision acquired the rights to the Columbia Pictures’ feature film Spider-Man, and had signed a multi-year publishing agreement between DreamWorks SKG in 2003. Blizzard Entertainment began in 1991 as a company called Silicon & Synapse, also designing games for Sega-Genesis, Super Nintendo, and DOS- and Mac- compatible games for personal computers. The company established the Blizzard Entertainment label in 1994, when they became one of the most popular and well respected makers of computer games. Blizzard’s main focus is on creating well-designed, highly enjoyable entertainment experiences, and by doing so, has maintained a reputation for quality within the gaming industry. Released in 1994, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans became their first in a series of role-play strategy games to win accolades as one of the best games of that year. Multiplayer computer games were still relatively new at this time, and Blizzard began to take advantage of the opportunities that this niche had to offer. They are now the leader in the field of massively multiplayer online games (MMORPG), with more than 11. 5 million monthly subscriptions. Blizzard has additionally developed a trio of popular PC games, including the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series, creating a culture that champions both productive and experimental creativity which inspires devoted players. Jeff Green, editor-in-chief of the online gaming magazine 1Up. om notes, â€Å"[Blizzard people] are essentially design geniuses, making games easy enough for casual players and deep enough to attract and hook hard-core players. Simple to learn, difficult to master is the holy grail of game design, and Blizzard does this every single time. † In late 1998, Blizzard Entertainment became a subsidiary of the French conglomerate Vivendi, grouped into its Vivendi Universal Games division. From 2000 to 2007, Blizzard Entertainment released several games under their trilogy series, consistently exceeding sales projections and becoming the unprecedented leader within the gaming industry. On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Activision would be acquired by Vivendi, with Vivendi contributing its gaming division plus a cash investment, in exchange for a majority stake in the new group. In 2008, Vivendi Games merged with Activision, using the Blizzard brand in naming the resulting company, Activision Blizzard. SWOT Analysis Strengths Activision Blizzard’s balance sheet was initially considered to be its most valuable strength when the merger between the two companies transpired; however, this was not necessarily the case. The apparent strategy was to rely on Blizzard Entertainment as a cash cow to finance the merger. With Blizzard Entertainment having more than $3. 3 billion in cash and short term investments, and no debt at the time, it had the flexibility to obtain more intellectual property and talent, and thus further help to strengthen the new company. Reeling from a series of legal actions against them, and suffering income losses in both 2008 and 2009, Activision Blizzard has finally begun to turn around their financial status, and is beginning to gain ground relative to their balance sheet. More on this matter will be discussed in the financial section of this paper. The revenue stream should only be getting smoother with the merger of Blizzard and Activision. The combined company is not as dependent as other gaming companies on console upgrade cycles for generating the majority of its revenue and earnings. Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, as a subscription service, helps to also keep the revenue stream smoother than normal. With a large and popular range of titles, Activision Blizzard can ask for, and receive more shelf space than competitors at retail outlets that sell their products, such as GameStop and Wal-Mart. Getting the product in front of consumers with favorable shelf placement is just as important in the gaming industry as it is in the grocery industry, and Activision Blizzard uses this strategy to their advantage. Weaknesses Activision Blizzard has had a previous history of difficult relations with developers. The recent firings and defections of product developers from Infinity Ward, producer of the hit release â€Å"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2† is a primary case in point. Also, legal issues have been a tremendous weakness and liability for the company. Who owns what, and what is agreed upon at times are contentious issues. The ex-Infinity Ward executives claim control of the â€Å"Modern Warfare† brand line. Additionally, the musical group No Doubt sued Activision Blizzard, claiming that their images were being used for any song in â€Å"Band Hero†, contrary to what they said had been agreed to. Opportunities At the past E3 conference for the gaming industry, current Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick noted that â€Å"There is a $3 billion used game market that we do not participate in. The only true competition within this realm is GameStop, who would potentially suffer losing a large portion of their current market status if Activision Blizzard decided to enter this segment of the market. Activision Blizzard also has strong franchising capabilities. Even in the middle of a recession, gamers are willing to pay for the newest releases and additions related to their games. A winged horse â€Å"pet† for World of Warcraft, priced at $25, was estimated by some reports to be bringing in as much as $2. 5 Million per hour for a period last spring. Activision Blizzard has the capabilities to take advantage of this phenomenon through franchising markets. The mobile gaming medium is wide open; Activision Blizzard successfully released a mobile version of â€Å"Guitar Hero† for Apple’s iPhone. It would appear that scaled-down versions of their most popular games are on the horizon to be produced for smartphones and iPads. With Activision Blizzard’s branding, they have a tremendous repertoire of brands and licenses that can be franchised or published for various markets, including clothing, toys, collectibles, comics and books, and even syndicated movies or cartoons. Threats Mobile gaming is probably their biggest threat, due to small studios being able to reach a multitude of people through inexpensive downloads to smartphones. This will certainly create a more competitive atmosphere in the very near future. Games with long franchise lives can also be a burden on the company. A good case in point would be their â€Å"Guitar Hero† game, which is getting old, with sales beginning to drop and stall. Consumer Affairs cites a â€Å"continued decline in the music genre† as the primary reason given by the company for dropping the game. Activision Blizzard, as a quality control measure, is retiring some of their lesser grossing games to concentrate on more revenue productive and newer versions of such games as â€Å"Call of Duty†, â€Å"World of WarCraft†, and â€Å"Diablo†. SWOT Conclusion When looking at the collective elements contained within the SWOT analysis, it is apparent that Activision Blizzard began their merger rather sluggishly. This could be attributed to differences in corporate cultures or their need to address and resolve pending legal issues as quickly as possible, so that finances are readily available to fund future ventures. Opportunities abound in the realm of on-line gaming, franchising, and partnerships or joint ventures with various companies in a diverse range of markets, and it would be in their better interest to take advantage of these given opportunities in utilizing a differentiation strategy that delivers both tangible and intangible attributes. Blizzard Entertainment has been at the forefront of this type of strategy long before their merger, with such features as Battle. net forums for its customers to chat, exchange ideas and strategies, and submit feedback on given games. Each day hundreds of gamers post new ideas and petitions in Battle. net forums while there are always assigned personnel on Blizzard’s behalf to read and respond to them. By infusing a culture of having gamers as employees, coupled with the feedback it gets from its Battle. net forums, they are capable of using this data in designing or making improvements on their current games in real time as well as future games. They additionally hold several events annually for their gaming customers to interact with and launch new products. BlizzCon (in the United States) and the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational (held in various other countries) are major events that showcase their talent and customer oriented initiatives. With Activision coming on board, they have taken a major step in creating a company that is virtually one with the gaming community on both a consumer level as well as a personal level, which should be a viable recipe for success, regardless of which direction they choose to go. Five Forces Analysis Barriers to Entry †¢There are little to no barriers to entry. Popular games are being developed at a rapid pace throughout the industry. †¢Activision Blizzard posses an advantage, however, with their scale and catalog of games, in addition to third-party developer relationships. †¢Their main advantage relative to this issue lies in their manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Threat of Substitutes †¢There are currently no close substitutes for games such as â€Å"Call of Duty† and â€Å"World of WarCraft†, however, new games always have a potential of becoming popular, depending upon their format, story line, and general audience appeal. Other types of entertainment could also be classified as substitutes, such as music and movie videos, but it is unlikely that they would surpass the popularity of Activision Blizzard’s more popular games. Power of Buyers †¢With on-line distribution capabilities becoming the norm, buyer power is diminishing. †¢Activision Blizzard allows for â€Å"real time† consumer feedback through various forums, which gives them a differential advantage when developing new games due to the uniqueness of the industry. Power of Suppliers †¢Activision Blizzard relies primarily on in-house talent to design and evelop their games. †¢Supplier power is medium, primarily because developers and console game producers need Activision Blizzard as much as it needs them. Rivalry Among Sellers †¢Activi sion Blizzard is the leading MMORPG developer relative to on-line gaming, and they will continue to focus on this platform as a primary revenue stream. †¢They also lead the console gaming market, and have begun a quality control model to ensure a consistent and sustainable competitive advantage through innovation and development of quality products. Gaming is not the only business within the entertainment industry, but it serves a well-proportioned demographic, to say the least. With making a distinction between gaming and entertainment, one can see a more obvious picture developing relative to the merger between the two companies. In joining two major players with hit franchises together, Vevendi is expecting to realize a major coup within the entertainment side of this merger by taking advantage of Activision’s relationships with major motion picture production companies. And with social gaming on the rise with the launch of smart phones, there is another consideration to make within the gaming realm. With the trend towards digital distribution growing, this should continue to drive down costs, which will also open the field to potentially more on-line players. Activision Blizzard faces numerous hurdles when speaking in terms of their competitive advantage in both the gaming and entertainment industries, but to be the dominant player in both industries, one must be resourceful and innovative by nature. This is truly where both companies have dominated in the past by comparison, and will most certainly be the catalyst for a rebound performance in the future, or even a new entry into other markets as well. Key Success Factors †¢Diversified partnerships with licensing or franchising companies †¢Large inventory of product, which in turn gives them a larger portion of retail shelf space †¢New product releases (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) †¢Leader in on-line gaming subscriptions (MMORPG) Corporate culture of gamers throughout company structure, coupled with collective talents of game designers †¢Designs and develops their own gaming platforms †¢Interactive consumer portals for input and feedback on their products (Battle. net, BlizzCon, Blizzard Worldwide Invitational) Financial Analysis Despite Activision Blizzard experiencing a couple of net losses in 2008 and 2009, the company is doing well when compared to its competitors. Its operating margin was 10. 55% in 2010, with a 5 year margin of 9%, versus its average competitor earning 9% in 2010 and average margin of 12% (according to wikiwealth. om). The 2010 net deficit in retained earnings shows that Activision Blizzard has not been profitable over its existence. While cash flow margins have been higher than its competitors at 15% over the past 5 years, versus its competitors 11% average value, there is not a large amount of cash flow for which the company can pay its operating bills, as its working capital was negative both in 2009 (at $423 million) and $1,030 million in 2010, and its liquidity ratios were less than 2. Within operations, the company has begun to manage its inventory and accounts receivable better, as its days of inventory decreased from 30 to 19 days, resulting in a better turnover from 12 in 2009 to 19 in 2010; along with the average collection period going from 63 days in 2009 to 52. 5 days in 2010. Blizzard Entertainment, one of the three segments within the company, earned approximately 35% of its total net revenues, but yielded over 60% of operating income from operations, making it the most profitable segment of the company. Keeping that in mind, it would be beneficial for them to concentrate on increased sales within this given department (on-line subscriptions) to facilitate a greater increase in revenues. As a side note, a lot is riding on Activision Blizzard’s release of their new Call of Duty console game for the holiday season. With last year’s Black Ops having sold a record $360 million in its first day, this new release could make or break their holiday season revenues. If sales do well for this holiday season, the company has the potential to enter the new year having a much greater advantage over their competition, by far. Analysis of Competitive Position Although the merger of Activision Blizzard got off to a slow start, things now appear to be on track for the current year, and their outlook seems to be in a much better financial and competitive positioning than for their three previous years. The ability to generate a sustainable and consistent revenue stream, while also keeping costs down, is one of their greatest strengths, and should continue, considering their rapidly diversifying portfolio of partners and strategic alliances. Given Activision’s partnerships and alliances prior to their merger with companies such as Marvel, Disney Interactive, LucasArts, and Dreamworks; coupled with Blizzard’s partnerships with various vendors in the apparel, toy, and collectible markets, Activision Blizzard has built a strong foundation through their broad differentiation strategy, which affords them a greater advantage of maintaining their number one position within not only the gaming industry, but opens the doors to other venues as well through licensing and franchising opportunities. The company’s diversity is a critical advantage, because it allows them room for expansion and cross-selling opportunities across various platforms or markets. Additionally, Activision Blizzard is beginning to increase their presence in China, partnering with Netease, which is considered to be one of the best eastern on-line gaming companies to date. This opportunity will allow them to distribute their StarCraft, World of WarCraft, and Call of Duty series games to an eagerly-awaiting population within that country. Activision Blizzard’s new release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 this past week resulted in the biggest launch of any console game ever, and is seen as crucial to their strategy of releasing fewer, better quality game titles each year. CEO Bobby Kotick commented that within the first 24 hours of release, 6. 5 million units were sold within North America and the U. K. , for a total of $400 million dollars. He is noted as saying, â€Å"We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories†. This surpassed last month’s release of Electronic Arts’ five million units of Battlefield 3 by 1. 5 million units, which is their closest competitor to date in the console gaming industry. The above noted quality control strategy is just another addition to their value chain activities, in conjunction with the previously mentioned Battle. net and BlizzCon forums, which affords them a real-time advantage when designing and launching games or addressing consumer issues and concerns. By doing so, Activision Blizzard maintains a proficiency in performing their core competencies, and continues to build and evolve their competitive advantage in this area. This is one of the primary reasons that Activision Blizzard has consistently held the top ranking, in addition to their model MMORPG platform that grows in subscriptions monthly. Activision Blizzard’s portfolio of digital and console games usually attracts more hardcore gamers than casual gamers. This is a decisive advantage in an economic downturn particularly, because Activision Blizzard’s sales are not as profoundly affected when there is a decrease in consumer spending. When potential customers have limited disposable income, they need to be assured of the quality of what they are spending their hard-earned dollars on. The Activision Blizzard brand is quite often strong enough to convince a repeat customer of the quality of a new game. Additionally, with upgrades in digital distribution, the ability for companies to offer their products and services in digital form is becoming a necessity. Activision Blizzard is well aware of this occurrence, and has continuously been moving towards this higher-margin business model for quite some time. In fact, they already derive a good portion of their income as a percentage of revenues from this model, which is a great advantage over their competitors. They continue to broaden their subscription model, with an emphasis on direct distribution of its products to consumers. This also reduces income loss through having to pay out royalties to retailers and on-line gaming hosts. Project Beachhead, a new group formed within Activision Blizzard, will be bringing their hit series Call of Duty franchise into a subscription-based service in which consumers will pay Activision Blizzard directly to use a premium content that is included. Activision Blizzard is in a leading position to take advantage of this business model, considering that they have some of the most popular franchises in the world. As a point of reference, World of WarCraft currently has 11. 5 million subscribers paying fifteen dollars a month to play. Add to that the 7 million daily Call of Duty users, and one should be able to derive their true profit-making potential in this forum. Over the past twelve months, Activision Blizzard has generated just under $4. 8 billion in revenue and $800 million in operating profit, for an operating margin of almost 17% (according to Gurufocus. om), but this is actually an understatement of just how much money they are currently generating. Their growth through acquisitions and partnerships is likely to continue well into the future, where they continue to buy key franchises. As part of these acquisitions, they place a value on intangible assets (such as brands) that they purchase. They then expense these intangib les, which have no basis in accounting circles, but most certainly impact their cash flow. After adjusting for these â€Å"non-cash† expenses and other write-offs, Activision Blizzard has actually earned $1. 4 billion in operating profit, for an operating margin just under 30%. Relative to disadvantages, Activision Blizzard stands to lose some market ground due to new â€Å"casual† and social games coming out, such as Angry Birds and Farmville, but it is actually the ease of distribution from tablet devices such as the iPad (digitized games) that could cause their competitive advantage to erode somewhat. This is particularly why they are concentrating on their current business model. Recommendations Activision Blizzard’s marketing strategy is more a model for the industry, as they have partnered extensively, but selectively, with various companies and brands to diversify and expand their exposure and profitability. They have a proven track record with their on-line (MMORPG) gaming capabilities, and generate a large percentage of revenue from such. As a result, they should actively pursue this growing segment of the gaming industry, to which they are already the leading model. They should also continue their broad differentiation strategy relative to partnerships and strategic alliances, as this has proven to be quite successful for them since even before their merger. Our group recommends stepping out of their â€Å"comfort zone†, so to speak, and to begin looking at new ways to expand their brands and licenses. With this in mind, we recommend that they explore what we consider to be a â€Å"natural† transition for their gaming brands in particular, that of producing animated movies and syndicated cartoons. This actually aligns with a comment made by CEO Bobby Kotick not too long ago, in that he noted the potential of there being a StarCraft movie in the near future, which is based on one of their more popular MMORPG games. As of 11 November, their parent company (Vivendi SA) purchased EMI music group for $1. 9 billion dollars. Already owning a 26 percent market share of the music industry with Universal Music Group, Vivendi now owns an additional 9 percent, not to mention the rights to songs by such groups as the Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Not only is this considered a coup within the music industry, but it could also play out relative to our recommendation, as it now gives them a solid foundation in choosing a select grouping of soundtracks for movie productions that can be targeted for various demographics ranging in ages from Baby Boomers to Gen X’ers. Our research indicates that to produce a movie, it would take an investment of approximately $200 million in revenue to do so (Negative Cost = Development Cost + Pre-Production Cost + Production Cost + Post-Production Cost). This is generally an accepted estimate of the total production cost, from the planning and development phase, to pre-production, into production or filming, and then to post-production (which includes marketing and advertising). Naturally, this estimate varies, according to several factors such as where the movie is filmed and produced, who stars in it, distribution, etc. Not only does Activision Blizzard maintain such a potential to take on a project such as this, their parent company (Vivendi) as well as several alliances and partnerships would be more than willing to share such a project cost with them, much like their current gaming model. Keeping that in mind, it would be another transition (still) to follow such companies as Pixar, Amblin, LucasFilms, and Dreamworks, which all began as production companies from one or two major film hits. Whether StarCraft would be a box office smash is anybody’s guess, but if it were, the residual revenue alone from merchandising and franchising toys, clothing, and other products sold could potentially offset the initial cost considerably, not to mention the interest it would draw from a new generation of gamers. In developing their own production company, Activision Blizzard is ensuring that their brands stay marketable well into their more mature phases, while also maintaining control of production costs and opening the door once again for profitable partnerships in future endeavors within one more market niche of the entertainment industry. References Blizzard Entertainment Inc (2010) http://blizzard. com/us/inblizz/profile. html Cavelli, Earnest (December 23, 2008). â€Å"World of Warcraft Hits 11. 5 Million Users† http://www. ired. com/gamelife/2008/12/world-of-warc-1 Coleman, Freddie (2010). Why Blizzard is a Renowned Game Developer. http://ezinarticles. com/? Why-Blizzard-is-a-Renowned-Game-Developer&id=3584114 Consumer Affairs (2 Feb 2011) The Tour is Over for â€Å"Guitar Hero† Fans. www. consumeraffairs. com/news04/2011/02/the-tour-is-over-for-guitat-hero-fans. html Morris, Chris (2008). â€Å"Blizzards Perfect Storm† http://www. forbes. com/2008/06/30/videogame s-blizzard-morris-tech-personal-cx Moser, Jason (2011). Activision Blizzard’s Edge May Be Smaller Than You Think† http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2011/01/31/activision-blizzards-edge-may-be-smaller-than-you-. aspx The Motley Fool- Activision Blizzard: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2010/06/15/activision-blizzard-strengths-weaknesses-opportuni. aspx The Cost of Making a Hollywood Movie (2010) www. anomalousmaterial. com/movies/2010/03/the-cost-of-making-a-movie Vivendi Will Buy EMI Recorded Music Unit for $1. Billion (Bloomberg Businessweek 11 November 2011) http://news. businessweek. com/article. asp Magic Formula Stock of the Week: Activision Blizzard (10 October 2011) http://www. gurufocus. com Universal’s $1. 9 B EMI Deal: In a Digital World, Market Share Counts for Less (Reuters. com 13 November 2011) http://www. reuters. com â€Å"Call of Duty’ Sales Hit $400 Million (The Wall Street Jour nal- Jarzemsky and Rubin, 12 November 2011) http://online. wsj. com