Microsoft Write Up Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microsoft Write Up - Case Study Example There are further opportunities for the company because Microsoft has sought enterprise customers who can sign large deals to long-term commitments and provide a stable cash flow. For example, the Microsoft Azure Cloud offers consulting services to enterprises (Hoffmann, 2013). These opportunities, if utilized appropriately can benefit the company by providing a competitive edge. On the other hand, Microsoft faces some external threats. For instance, many of the users of Microsoft’s products have not shifted to start using the upgraded, newer products. By mid last year, half of the users and companies were still using Windows XP, and a large percentage of the market did not seem likely to buy upgrades (Cox, 2012). Therefore, the company has a lot of work to do in giving a reason to clients to purchase its new products. Secondly, the emergency of mobile devices and the increase in reliance on the Internet poses a threat to Microsoft. Customers and businesses have realized that personal computing can be done without using any of Microsoft’s products (Brodkin, 2013). The introduction of newer and efficient browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Google chrome has posed stiff competition to Microsoft’s Internet explorer. Other competing products include Android and iOS. Many users have opted to use them because Microsoft’s platform lacks user reach-motivator for developers to invest in it. Therefore, the company has failed to increase mindshare, whereby developers can work with its own platform or technology. The company faces further competition, and struggles to convert developer interest in the platform into adoption. The company’s lack of commercial has led to its inability to convert windows phone into adoption. Finally, the market is currently dominated by-products from Apple and Google. These are iPhone and iPad, and Google’s Android platform that many manufacturers such as Samsung and LG use to power their devices (BBC , 2013). Google became a threat to Microsoft because it used its revenue from search to fund software-development projects, such as business productivity applications, while Apple focused on the consumer more than Microsoft did (Hoffmann, 2013). These threats are not favorable for the company because Microsoft’s market share has been hurt significantly. External Environment and Financial Performance Analysis of Microsoft Microsoft’s internal strengths lie in its corporate culture. It allows any employee to submit an idea, which is then voted by other employees. Ideas that are not adopted are normally archived for future reference. The company has two yearly Think weeks during which employees can suggest innovative ideas (Koulopoulos, 2009). The company’s integration with Skype to enhance its existing business provides further strength. This is because the company can add voice and videoconferencing services to its enterprise offerings. The company has already cr eated a huge reach to customers with its most successful products, and can access both Internet and mobile platforms (Lunden, 2011). The company has invested in innovation opportunities, and this provides it with an opportunity to improve market share. Further the company’s rigorous recruitment process, which ensures that only the best and the brightest are given the opportunities, enables the company to have an excellent work force. For instance, the

Assisted Suicides Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assisted Suicides Paper - Essay Example The debates over the right of patients to shorten their lives with the help of physicians will continue and there is probably no right or wrong side. Assisted suicide is a crime because it involves the death of the person who would live otherwise. Not a single person should be eligible to take away the life of another person, even though this other person is not willing to live. Drugs and medical devices are development to be safe and effective - the intended usage of drugs is to help patients to overcome diseases. Nevertheless, patients who physical and emotional pain caused by the diseases that cannot be cured, do not want to suffer and should be granted the right to stop their sufferings. For example, if the patient is unconscious and there is no hope that the condition will ever improve, the relatives might want to make a decision to stop his/her life. From the religious point of view, any assistance in this direction is a murder. From medical point of view, assisted suicide is wrong as well - the objective of healthcare is to make people healthier, not to kill them. However, from ethical standpoint, it is almost impossible t o label assisted suicide as murder or as a good deed because the rights and obligations of each side need to be taken into account. Moreover, the competent people should have the right to choose death - for example, through allowing to hasten death by treatment refusal. Suffering is not merely the physical pain, there are also psychological burdens and assisted suicide is the only possible way to relieve sufferings. Even though it is the human nature to have the interest in preserving life, the terminally ill individuals lack this interest and acquire the desire to die - the prohibition of assisted suicide might limit the personal liberty. From the other side, it is unethical to take the life of other people and morally wrong because of religious beliefs. It is also worth to make the distinction between two important concepts - active killing (assisted suicide) and passive (letting die). Assisted suicide is, therefore, equated to active killing. The most important point of argument is that assisted suicide has the potential to be abused - some groups of people who lack access to care might be forced to chose assisted death as the cost-saving strategy. In 1990, Dr Kevorkian has invented the Mercitron - the machine with improvements over the noose, shotgun and barbiturates which allowed the patients to choose the time and place of death and ensured the painless demise. He did not test the machine on animals or human beings until he assisted the suicide of Janet Adkins in June 1990. Afterwards, he was prohibited to assist suicides for eight months. Dr. Kevorkian's machine and assistance has caused debates in the whole country regarding the right of the physician to help people die and usage of medical devices and drugs not to cure but to kill people. The act he has done has led to the overview of existing laws. Michigan has become the first place in the world to legalize the assisted suicide. After the criminal trial of Dr. Kevorkian the Commission on Death and Dying has reached the conclusion that the practice of assisted suicide should be legalized (Walsh, 1994). The number of restrictions has been set to safeguard against the abuse. Oregon has developed the "Death with Dignity" which came into effect in 1998. Since that

Human Resource Management & Organisational analysis MSc Personal Statement

Human Resource Management & Organisational analysis MSc - Personal Statement Example My goal is to practice the best Human Resource in the organizations I will work for. I am a graduate from Hult International Business School in London where I studied Bachelor of International Business Administration and specialized in Management. I have worked in the bank of Respublika as an accounting specialist and I enjoyed my role as I got to interact with customers and making transactions for them. I have also worked for Look magazine in the UK and I was glad to share ideas on how to redo their Website and journal to make accessibility for customers easy as well as sharing ideas on how to increase profits. I trust that my decision to purse the course in King’s College is one of best decisions I have made in my life. This is because of professional lecturers, state of art equipments, the conducive learning environment, and the good reputation of the institution. I am confident that as I undertake the course in King’s College, I will accomplish my goals and I will be in a better position to face the Human Resource practices in any organization. I intend to work hard and in the end achieve the best results and be marketable

Historical Development of Graphic Design and Animation Theories Essay

Historical Development of Graphic Design and Animation Theories - Essay Example From the research it is clear that early specimen of graphics manifested in the form of symbols, signs and writings on any surface. A myriad of graphic designs were developed through time applying different techniques to capture the attention of the admiring audience. It was not until the 1920s when a group of German psychologists namely: Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler and Kurt Koffka, devised a systematic approach in graphical design perception. They based their interpretation of graphical design on the notion of completion, where audiences sub-consciously view separately arranged entities as a single item. According to the paper finding colors were incorporated into graphics. This was so because colors were able to convey emotions and moods unlike previous monotonous colors (black and white). From the latter events, it can be presumed that colors breathed life into graphics. Most people’s initial knowledge on color, seem to suggest that all colors are simple mixture of three primary colors; green, red and blue. The color theory vehemently disputes this notion. It is crucial to understand the basics of color formation so as to accurately utilize those (colors) in graphic design to imply various moods. The contentious issue of color formation dates back to the 15th century where a number of disciplines were used in explaining the concept, namely; chemistry, mathematics and physics. Not all yielded to viable conclusion.

Stages in the Model of Planned Organizational Change Essay

Stages in the Model of Planned Organizational Change - Essay Example Before going to discuss stages in the model of planned organizational change, let us get a better understanding of what organizational change actually is. Organizational change refers to those changes that occur in the organization due to the influence of various external and internal forces. Rasing (2010) states, â€Å"The key to organizational change and development lies in the understanding of people's requirements and work towards it†. External and internal forces of change not only affect organizational policies but also but also affect organizational structure. Organizational change is a very important process related to roles and cultural management of a company. It refers to the changes in overall behaviors and roles of the employees of a company for bringing improvement in the overall productivity of the company. There are four main activities involved in the model of planned organizational change, which include entering, diagnosing, planning and implementing change, and evaluating and institutionalizing change. Let us discuss all of these activities in order to know what role they play in bringing change in any specific organization. Stage 1: Entering and Contracting Entering and contracting is the first set of activities involved in the planned organizational change. In this stage, managers decide whether they need to enter into the activity of organizational change or not.

East Asia Essay Example for Free

East Asia Essay China is considered one of the largest countries in term of land area. This fact causes China to be the most populated nation in the world with over 1. 29 billion of people. Chinese is know for its great civilization and in fact had led the world in the development and progress of the society and economy quite a short time. The Chinese people had also experienced afflictions and sufferings from foreign assaults and chaos within China for a century before the People’s Republic was founded. After the chaos, China had started the national reconstruction and made remarkable development in the first twenty years of economical and social reform. For decades, Chinese was dreaming of Modernization and eventually this dream will suddenly be materialized with the help of Deng Xiaoping who serve as the architect of China’s reform. A three-step strategy was established which includes the doubling of GDP of 1980, quadrupling the GDP by the end of 20th century and finally the realization of modernization for another 30 to 50 years. Since the implementation of the strategic plan, China got a rapid progress. From 1978 to 1998, the rate of economic growth of China averaged to 9. 7 %. Gradually, China has gained its power to become the next super power. In fact, during 2000, China’s GDP leveled up by 8 % which is amazingly exceeded $ 1 trillion US and became a record in the history. The first objective in the modernization plan was achieved in 1987. It was three years ahead of time. In 1995, the second objective was reached which is 5 years earlier. China really made a great leap in terms of economic status. The GDP of China in 1998 is 6. 38 times during 1980. China has continuously moving in the top. According to World Bank, China ranked 6 in with respect to economical level and the trend says that it is expected to be in the 4th place before 2006 ends. In addition to this, China’s annual steel output has increased 700 times in the period of 50 years only which places China in the top when it comes to steel production. China also leads the coal, cement, and cotton and television industry. China’s modernization and great leap have a great significance and contribution not only in China but also in the world. China’s progress is a great help in maintaining global stability. Imagine if China is poverty-stricken and disordered then it would likely to be a disaster to the world. A progressive nation just like China provides a largest market in the world. Also, Chinese people love peace and China has proven how they campaign for world peace. As a permanent member of the United Nations, China is always exhibit fairness, stands for rules and laws and strongly against aggression and dominion. If China became Super Power then it will be big help in promoting world peace and stability. China has reached this kind of development through hard works and discipline. Hopefully this must serve as a good example for other nations which are suffering from economic failure and instability. Once a poor country just like China bounces back and suddenly made it great leap in the world. It seemed that those countries in East Asia have become our leaders. Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China all belong to East Asia are very progressive countries. Just like China, they once experienced chaos but eventually recoiled from this fall and stood firmly to prove that they can rule the world. China, although experienced a defeat and failure in the past, did not stop to pursue their dream; to become economically and socially stable and progressive. With the correct attitude and perception in life, China has gradually reaching their goal. Yes, China is now on the road of becoming the Super Power and we all hope that this would bring prosperity to other nations in the world.

Biography of Audrey Hepburn Essay Example for Free

Biography of Audrey Hepburn Essay Although her film career came to an end in the late 1980’s, Audrey Hepburn is considered to be one of the most long-lasting on-screen icons of all time. During her 41 year acting career, Hepburn won several awards including an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1953, and was ranked third on the American Film Institutes list, â€Å"50 Greatest Screen Legends† (Jackson). In addition, Hepburn has been widely acknowledged as a timeless beauty and fashion icon. Several years after her death, her image continues to be used in advertising campaigns. Most recently, a clip of Hepburn dancing from the film â€Å"Funny Face† was used in a 2006 Gap commercial to advertise the company’s black pant (Msnbc). However, it is undeniably the actress’s later work with UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, that has had the greatest impact on society. Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium on May 4, 1929. Although she experienced great success later in her life, Hepburn faced much adversity as a child growing up in Europe during World War II. In 1939, four years after her father’s abandonment, Hepburn, her mother, and her two half-brothers moved to the Netherlands as the threat of a Nazi attack continued to increase (Pettinger). However, one year later, Germany gained control of the country and the living conditions of its people began to deteriorate rapidly. During the Dutch Famine of 1944, in which much of the country’s food and fuel was confiscated by the Germans, Hepburn, along with many other people, suffered from severe malnutrition and faced starvation. Hepburn and many others resorted to making flour out of tulip bulbs to bake cakes and biscuits† (Wikipedia). Adding to her suffering, Hepburn witnessed the brutality of the Nazi’s first-hand on several occasions. Most traumatic was the shooting of her uncle and cousin for their participation in the Resistance of the Nazi party. She also witnessed the murders of several strangers by the Nazi’s, as well as the collection of Jews for c oncentration camps. She later stated, â€Å"I have memories. More than once I was at the station seeing trainloads of Jews being transported, seeing all these faces over the top of the wagon† (Wikipedia). These memories remained with her for the rest of her life. Despite the hardships that Hepburn and her family faced, she was still able to attend school at the Arnhem Conservatory, and soon became a talented ballerina. She continued her ballet lessons after the war ended in 1945; however, with her family still struggling financially, Hepburn soon decided to pursue a career in acting. She explained, I needed the money; it paid ? 3 more than ballet jobs (Nichols). Her acting career began in 1948 with a small role in the European educational film â€Å"Dutch in Seven Lessons. † She continued to play minor roles in several other films and motion pictures, and in 1951, the actress moved to New York to star in the successful Broadway play â€Å"Gigi† (Biography. com). â€Å"Roman Holiday† was Hepburn’s first starring role outside of Broadway. The role made Hepburn an almost instant celebrity and landed her on the cover of TIME magazine in 1953. In addition, she received both a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress and an Academy Award for her role in the film (Wikipedia). Throughout her five years of service with UNICEF, Hepburn traveled to several countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. While in these countries, it was her responsibility to attract attention to the serious issues facing them. During her trip to Ethiopia, Hepburn stated, â€Å"Im glad Ive got a name, because Im using it for what its worth. Its like a bonus that my career has given me† (Sally Clara). Hepburn participated in numerous press conferences in the United States and other wealthy nations, reporting on her experiences in the third-world countries to create awareness about the dire situations facing each. In addition to acting as a spokesperson, Hepburn also worked in the field, delivering food, immunizations, medicine, and emotional support to the children in need. During her short career with UNICEF, Hepburn made over fifty field visits to countries including Sudan, Ecuador, Honduras, and Thailand. In 1991, President George Bush presented the actress with Presidential Medal of Freedom, the â€Å"highest honor any individual can receive in the United States,† in return for her work with UNICEF (Sally Clara). Shortly after receiving the award, Hepburn died of colon cancer at the age of sixty-three. However, her work with UNICEF lives on through the Audrey Hepburn Memorial Children’s Fund, the organization created by her sons, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti in 1994 to continue their mother’s humanitarian efforts (Sally Clara). As of 2006, â€Å"The Audrey Hepburn Memorial Fund at UNICEF has raised over $1 million dollars for educational programs in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan and Somalia† (Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund). It is undeniable that Audrey Hepburn made her mark in U. S. history through her work as an actress during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Despite her humble beginnings, Hepburn managed to become one of America’s most beloved actresses and fashion icons of the twentieth century. However, it was her humble beginnings that eventually led her to leave her acting career and devote her life to bringing aid to children in need. Although she will always be adored for her work on Broadway and in cinema, it is her humanitarian work with UNICEF that has left the most significant impact on the world.