Buying Winning Scholarship Essay Samples Financial Need

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Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting - 211377 Words

Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting This page intentionally left blank Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting Edited by ALNOOR BHIMANI 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With oYces in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a†¦show more content†¦Indeed it is possible to argue that the British academic accounting professoriate has played an extremely important role in mediating between the profession and the state, both bringing knowledge to bear on policy issues and providing a cadre of people who can operate effectively in this policy sphere. Michael Bromwich has certainly contributed in this way, advising accounting and competition regulators on complex issues and providing his own intellectual authority to the office of President of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. One senses, however, that the British academic accounting community may be less able to fulfil these roles in the coming years. In part this reflects a more general decline in the academic world as falling relative salaries and status have reduced the intake of talented academic entrepreneurs. But I also think it reflects the cumulative impact of regulatory and careerist pressures in the academic world itself. With government agencies pressing for ever more standardized and conventional research and with increasingly instrumental careerist vi FOREWORD behaviour by academics, there are fewer incentives to bridge the academic and practical spheres. No doubt this is also exaggerated by an increasingly less curious professional world. The intellectually curious Technical Partners of the past have beenShow MoreRelatedContemporary Issues of Management Accounting3915 Words   |  16 PagesI. Total Quality Management(TQM) * Definition: TQM is a set of management practices throughout the organization, geared to ensure the organization consistently meets or exceeds customer requirements. TQM places strong focus on process measurement and controls as means of continuous improvement. TQM functions on the premise that the quality of products and processes is the responsibility of everyone who is involved with the creation or consumption of the products or services offered by anRead MoreIssues of Managerial Accounting1047 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION : Managerial accounting is concerned with providing information to managers – that is , people inside an organization who direct or control it’s operations. Via managerial accounting managers understood that good business results come from dynamic processes , procedures and practices that are well designed and properly implemented and managed. Certified management accountants are qualified to help their fellow managers achieve good business results because they have earned an advancedRead MoreA Perspective Of Traditional Budgetary System1577 Words   |  7 Pagescurrent business challenges to set as a business accounting model to increase business financial value as a whole, since traditional budgetary system has purely focused on accounting not on managerial accounting in a real business issues and problems. There is a need to broaden its boundaries and focus on the issues involved in planning, designing and processing systems of managing performance. Due to rapid chan ge of business challenges and issues that organisations need to face to, not only numerousRead MoreThe Contemporary Business Environment : Kingdom Authority Christian Center1288 Words   |  6 Pages The Contemporary Business Environment: Kingdom Authority Christian Center Ken Davis Liberty University The Contemporary Business Environment A contemporary business environment is an approved way, for not-for-profit organizations and government agencies to handle their finances instead of the efficient and effective directives available. A contemporary business environment maximizes the potential of a business, and fully utilizing the resources, in an effort to make theRead MoreManagement Control System1357 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Management control system (MCS), as a vital part of an organization, which purpose allows organizations to ensure that their activities achieve the objects they desire. The process of designing and improving MCSs requires addressing three basic questions. What is desired? What is likely to occur? And What is the effect of contextual factors ?Then managers must address each of these questions. What controls should be used? In recent years, contingency-based research has maintainedRead MoreManagement Accounting : Financial And Non Financial Information1120 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION:- Management Accounting refers to the preparation of financial and non-financial information for the use of management of the company. It is also termed as managerial accounting. The information provided by it is helpful in making policies and strategies, budgeting,, forecasting future plans, making comparisons and evaluating performance of the management. The reports produced by management accounting are used by the internal management (managers and employees) of the organization andRead MoreMicrosofts International Financial Management: An Analysis1234 Words   |  5 Pagesabout Microsoft, 2013) To fully understand what is happening requires focusing on the way the investment banking process assisted them, the regulatory bodies affecting their decisions and identifying / evaluating contemporary issues they are dealing with in international financial management. Together, these elements will highlight how the company was able to grow and the current challenges they are facing. This is when insights will be provided that are highlighting the strengths, weaknesses and opportunitiesRead MoreHow Implementing Best Practices Would Have Reduced The Chances For Failure1414 Words   |  6 Pagesinterior controls. The motivation behind the inner controls is to keep the organization safe from risks associated with the modernized accounting-system risks. Organizations change their manual accounting systems to computerized accounting systems for different reasons, this incorporates the points of interest, and the explanation behind utilizing electronic accounting information is instinct. The organizations embrace the policies of their competitors and to stay in the competition, the competing organizationsRead MoreContemporary Issues Of Accounting ( Theory ) Essay1216 Words   |  5 PagesContemporary Issues in Accounting (Theory) One of the most debatable or contentious issues in the accounting is measurement. While the objective of general purpose financial reporting is to generate information that is beneficial to decision makers external to the organization, there is no agreement on the most appropriate measurement to use. The various stakeholders in this field continue to disagree on the most suitable measurement model to use to achieve the objective of general purpose accountingRead MoreOriginal Alternative Methods Of Historical Cost Accounting966 Words   |  4 Pagesutilize the Historical Cost accounting to report financial statements and reflect the profitability of business. It is more conventional and simple method. Nevertheless, when considered in relation to inflation and price changes, the alternative methods such as Current Purchasing Power Accounting (CPPA), Continuously Contemporary Accounting(CoCoA) and Current Cost Accounting(CCA) would be more appropriate. There is an assumption that â €˜ applying those alternative forms of accounting to adjust items in financial

Dell Inc. Business Policy Paper free essay sample

Introduction Dell Inc. is one of the world’s largest information technology firms, serving individual consumers as well as small businesses and large enterprises. The company manufactures and sells PCs and related equipment, including network servers, printers, displays, projectors, and storage systems. Founded from Michael Dell’s dorm at the University of Texas in 1984 with a mere $1,000, Dell’s revenues have grown to approximately $61 billion in 2009. This stemmed primarily from a direct-sales model and a well-managed supply chain, which provided Dell with significant operating margin advantages over competitors. Despite its historic success and legacy, in recent years Dell experienced difficulties in an evolving marketplace, which necessitated a change in the company’s strategy and culture. Industry Analysis Despite its diversification, Dell’s overwhelming competitive presence resides in the personal computing industry, comprised of desktops, laptops, servers, and handheld devices. In 2007-2008, worldwide PC retail revenues topped $330 billion. Although PC unit sales are projected to continue growing, reaching 384 million by 2014 from 281 million in 2009, revenues are expected to remain stagnant due to considerable price declines. We will write a custom essay sample on Dell Inc. Business Policy Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This dynamic will shape the competitive landscape of the industry as well as Dell’s own position. [i] Buyers. Although Dell recently launched products in retail outlets, direct-sales (bypassing the retailer) remains Dell’s main distribution channel. End consumers – home users as well as private and public businesses – have several options in the marketplace with very low switching costs and are thus quite powerful. In addition, the commonality of technological advances essentially commoditized the computers industry. Accordingly, customers rank cost as the most important factor when purchasing a PC, followed by customer service and reliability. (See Appendix A: Deciding Factors) This price sensitivity hinders differentiation and fosters little brand loyalty. [ii] Historically, Dell cultivated brand loyalty through a price leadership strategy, building an efficient value chain with just-in-time and similar operational policies and circumventing retail stores. This allowed Dell to consistently offer lower prices than competitors. Still, Dell recently lost consumer loyalty as competitors and new entrants have bridged cost advantages and offered an ever-increasing number of substitutes. Suppliers. While there are several dozens of computer vendors worldwide, many integral components of a computer are manufactured by a few key players. For instance, Intel and Advanced Micro Ddevices dominate the microprocessor industry. Moreover, fear of retaliation limits a buyer’s (Dell) ability to pit microprocessor producers against one another: a 2003 Dell presentation noted that if Dell were to purchase chips from A. M. D. , Intel’s retaliation could affect all of Dell’s product lines. [iii] Similarly, in the operating systems industry, Microsoft enjoys near monopolistic bargaining power with PC vendors. Even in industries with several suppliers, computer manufacturers (buyers) do not necessarily exhibit stronger power. Thus, in 2005 several of the world’s largest memory makers were found guilty by the DOJ of price-fixing, which significantly impacted six of the largest PC manufacturers, including Dell. [iv] While such collusion was illegal, it nevertheless remains a part of industry practices. Accompanied by strong brand names, this renders the bargaining power of suppliers high, forcing computer manufacturers – rather than component suppliers – to absorb downward pressures in PC prices. (See Appendix B: Personal Computer Industry Value Chain) Potential Entrants. With the commoditization of components, lack of brand loyalty and the resulting reduced ability to achieve economies of scale, barriers to entry are fairly low and the threat of entry is high. As a result, many small PC vendors have formed. These may focus on a product niche – such as low-power usage PCs or ultra-light notebooks – or a geographic location, such as India and the Netherlands, where large manufacturers have not yet fully penetrated. [v] In addition, many suppliers integrated forward and offer products similar to those of their buyers, allowing flooding consumers with clones of the same product to be presented under different brand names. For instance, Taiwan-based computer manufacturer MSI introduced a netbook named the MSI Wind U100 only to have twenty-two exact clones released around the world, some at lower prices. vi] (See Appendix C: MSI Wind and its Variants) While an individual entrant does not significantly impact larger corporations, their presence collectively increases competition and decreases the ability to differentiate, thereby forcing a price war, which ultimately drives price levels downward. Substitutes. PCs and mobile devices – especially music players and smart ph ones – are converging rapidly. Smart phones, which currently match notebooks in worldwide sales, are projected to surpass the entire personal computer market by 2012. Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world’s leading PC manufacturer, is criticized for not positioning itself to capitalize on the next great phase of the computing revolution. [vii] Since the industry is incorporating possible substitutes into its own product lines, real substitutes are vanishing. Thus, the power of substitutes is low. Industry Competition. Industry competition in the computing industry is fierce and dominated by five players: HP, Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Toshiba. However, due to new entrants, the market share held by the top five companies decreased from 58. 9% in 2003 to 41. 1% in 20093. viii] (See Appendix D: Global PC Vendor Market Share) This translates into fierce competition between these large players as each strives to maintain market share and utilize factory capacity. Sustainable competitive advantage is limited since competitors quickly imitate others’ successful advances. For instance, all major manufacturers have implemented variations of direct s ales and efficient operations – Dell’s main competitive advantages. Retaliation is prevalent, as well: when Dell entered the printer business, HP severed its supplier contracts of printers, cameras, and scanners with Dell. ix] Thus, strategic actions are often undermined. Conclusion. While still one of the largest in the world, the PC industry is clearly saturated. Four of the five forces affecting industry profitability are high, lowering industry profitability and establishing an unfavorable environment for existing players. To have success in the industry a company must rely on the following key success factors: (1)value chain management, (2)management, (3)technological innovation, (4)reliability and support, and (5)comprehensive product offerings. For further detail refer to Appendix E: Key Success Factors in the PC Industry) Firm Strategy Historically, Michael Dell’s built-to-order concept – selling personal computers directly to enterprises and gov ernment organizations as well as, to a lesser extent, individual consumers – drove the evolution of the company’s strategy. Dell believed that integrating vertically and reaching customers directly would allow the company as a whole to offer greater value than the sum of its parts. Cost savings were directly related to successful integration and effective inventory management practices. Furthermore, harvesting information about customer needs created potential for repeat business and cross-selling. [x] Recently, Dell was forced to break from its historical roots by shifting focus away from large organizations and seeking shelf space at retail locations for pre-built computers, reducing or altogether forfeiting many of the competitive advantages that originated in its unique value chain. As a result, Dell morphed from a manufacturer of customizable, differentiated computers to a vendor of commodities. [xi] Corporate Strategy. Vertical integration formed the basis for most of Dell’s corporate-level decisions. By strictly adhering to a â€Å"just-in-time† production method, components would be purchased from and delivered by suppliers as needed, and the finished product was immediately shipped from the factory to the customer. Thus, Dell kept minimal stock of components, allowing the company to maintain small warehouses and reserve space in production facilities. Moreover, since the rapid advancement of computer technology meant frequent obsolescence of core components, Dell was able to minimize such inventory risk. [xii] The direct-sales strategy provided an opportunity to establish value-added relationships with customers beyond mere delivery of the physical product. These were particularly beneficial to Dell with enterprise and government clients (the vast majority of the company’s customer base). Often, a large organization would receive technical support from permanent on-site Dell employees who were thus able to gauge the organization’s needs and transfer the information to Dell’s corporate headquarters. This cultivated brand loyalty and increased switching costs, thereby reducing the risk of losing an important client to a competitor. xiii] Business Strategy. Though large organizations comprised a critical segment, Dell targeted the growing base individual and small business consumers, as well. Prior to 1995, Dell marketed to these consumers primarily through catalogues and magazines and received orders by phone. The decision to launch Dell. com to market the company and re ceive orders online was a major milestone in the company’s business-level strategy. Ultimately, the Internet provided a unique platform that complemented Dell’s built-to-order and total customization foundation perfectly: Internet sales reached an average of $4 million daily within 3 years. To further target this segment, Dell launched a series of television advertising campaigns in 2000. [xiv] Functional Strategy. The company’s functional strategies were designed to support the basic tenets of built-to-order manufacturing, complete customization and just-in-time delivery. Since the mid-1990’s, Dell operated its production facilities with a â€Å"cell† organization. This system, which employed a team of technicians who worked together on a single product at a time, facilitated substantial advancements in productivity and reductions in assembly time. xv] Core Competencies Competitive Advantage. Dell’s core competencies resulted from its strategic decisions, all of which reinforced vertical integration. Historically, the level of customization, speed of delivery and technical support competencies led to a clear advantage over the competition. However, in the changing industry environment, the contributions of Dell’s core competencies to its competitive advantage have reportedly vanished; Michael Dell’s return to the helm in 2007 supports this argument. Kevin Rollins A part of Dell’s team from 1996-2007, Kevin Rollins played an integral role in many of the company’s successes and failures during a key period for the industry. Mr. Rollins was initially brought in as a consultant following poor performance in 1993, when industry consolidation signaled a need for diversification. Shortly after, Rollins oversaw a massive expansion into the overseas market – including the establishment of manufacturing plants globally – and was appointed president of Dell Americas in 1996. In addition, Rollins was involved with one of the most important strategic maneuvers in Dell’s history: selling PCs online. Dell. com allowed consumers to receive support and track shipments via the web. As President and COO, Rollins may have foreseen financial issues that would befall the PC industry in the early 2000s. Noting that other IT markets provided higher margins, Rollins oversaw the 2002 acquisition of Plural, a web-integration company that gave Dell a foothold in the services market. xvi] Under Rollins’s leadership, Dell used its expertise in operations efficiency to weather the difficult environment at the turn of the century. Eliminating inefficient practices, slashing over 1,700 jobs, and restructuring outdated operations models kept Dell at the forefront of a price war that many others lost. With prices below the tolerance levels of competitors like HP and Compaq, Dell claimed the top in market share for the first time in 2001, at 13. 3%. [xvii] Despit e Dell’s strong market position and solid financial footing, investor concerns led to a tremendous decline in Dell’s stock value. In 2002, Rollins responded by focusing on corporate governance with an initiative called â€Å"The Soul of Dell†, which doubled as a marketing tool and internal ethics review. Stock prices rebounded, reaching a high in 2004. [xviii] Of the many successes Rollins had at Dell, the main failure during his tenure as CEO (2004-2007) likely led to his ouster from the company. In early 2005, Fortune named Dell as the â€Å"Most Admired Company† while the company’s stock price and profits were soaring. [xix] By November, however, Dell was experiencing the most difficult financial issues in its history, ailing to meet earnings forecasts for the first time. Analysts surmised that in its dedication to cost-cutting and efficiency, Dell had compromised customer service and product quality. As high-quality rivals, such as Apple, and low-price competitors, such as Acer, gained share, Dell’s 15-year position as an industry leader was in question. [xx] The trouble continu ed in 2006, as the SEC launched an investigation into misstated earnings. Investors were disappointed with the lack of transparency at Dell, which remained tight-lipped on the course and scope of the check and delayed financial reporting to the SEC and NASDAQ. xxi] In early 2007, Dell completed a restatement of financial results from the start of fiscal year 2003 through the first quarter of 2007, reducing revenues by $359 million and cumulative net income by $92 million. [xxii] Mr. Rollins already resigned in December 2006, paving the way for Michael Dell’s return, and the company started an aggressive restructuring. Michael Dell Upon his return, Mr. Dell established units for different segments and geographic markets and began developing a corporate-level strategy to effectively lead the businesses. By leveraging the company’s unique resources and sharing knowledge, the units would benefit from a sustained competitive advantage and achieve superior performance. Dell’s growth would originate in targeted acquisitions, where the company would add tangible value and enter new fields early. [xxiii] In addition, Mr. Dell hired experienced executives from major competitors – such as Oracle and Motoroa – to manage the company’s individual businesses. [xxiv] This structure positioned Dell to compete with HP and IBM by offering a complete solution to its customers. Historically, Dell cultivated notable resources. One relates to the company’s massive scale, which promotes supplier relationships and reportedly one of the strongest negotiating powers in the world. [xxv] Coupled with Dell’s superior use of capital, this allowed the company to achieve cost advantages that rivals were able to minimize yet not fully replicate. [xxvi] Still, unlike HP, Dell’s ability to consistently transfer its cost advantages to other businesses was not clear. [xxvii] Other distinctive resources include Dell’s impressive customer base, which numbers the world’s largest corporations, such as Yahoo and Microsoft. xxviii] In addition, the company boasts an extensive distribution network with presence in virtually every corner of the globe. [xxix] As a result of its growth, Dell accumulated over $9 billion in cash reserves by mid-2009 and supplemented these with $1 billion in bonds. [xxx] Financial resources are essential to revamping businesses and investing in new skills, such as design, which Dell pioneered in mid-2007 with its patterned laptops. Finally, the Dell brand, famous for reliability, durability and low-cost, protects from new entrants. The specialized nature of Dell’s resources mandates a narrow scope of business, sharing (rather than transferring) of skills, a focus on operational strategy rather than financial results, and a broad corporate staff to support business units. Intent on restoring Dell’s growth, Mr. Dell began to implement these principles. Thus, Dell’s acquisitions focused on areas related to its original computer business: storage, memory, networking, and software. [xxxi] To leverage its brand, Dell contracted with one agency to execute uniform marketing campaigns worldwide, clarifying the company’s image. xxxii] Furthermore, Mr. Dell sought to transform the corporate culture from a short-term focus on achieving sales and profit targets to a long-term outlook. To facilitate this change, Dell asserted that legacy practices can change and instituted an â€Å"amnesty† period. [xxxiii] In this context, the mid-2007 purchase of EqualLogic, a company that pioneered a s imple storage technology for small and medium-sized businesses, proved highly relevant to Dell’s strategy of offering straightforward, user-friendly computing services. xxxiv] The acquisition allowed Dell to establish a presence in a booming segment, strengthening the company’s competence in serving corporate customers and preferred position among smaller enterprises. By applying its purchasing power and operating expertise to EqualLogic’s production processes, Dell would be able to significantly lower EqualLogic’s costs. Access to Dell’s wide distribution network would promote volume production, reinforcing these cost advantages. xxxv] By 2009, the added value was clear: deemed as Dell’s most successful acquisition, EqualLogic boosted storage revenues. [xxxvi] Similarly, Dell’s acquisition of services provider Perot Systems in late 2009 is promising. Perot’s customers are concentrated in the domestic health-care field, where Dell has limited presence. Thus, the partnership could offer substantial cross-selling opportunities on both ends: Dell could promote Perot globally and win new customers in the medical field, which is expected to show explosive growth over the next several years. xxxvii] Furthermore, Dell’s access to low-cost computer components and financial leverage would help win larger contracts for Perot, which previously sidestepped such offers to minimize risk. Finally, Dell and Perot share a collaborative past and the companies’ CEOs are close, contributing to additional synergies. [xxxviii] As an indication, Dell is expecting a 7%, or $300 million, in savings merely from the integration effort. [xxxix] Recommendations The central challenge facing Dell relates to the imitability of its value proposition by competitors, most notably Compaq and Acer. xl] By losing former advantages grounded in the built-to-order and just-in-time delivery concepts, Dell is left with little mo re than its reservoir of brand equity filled during its market dominance. Though the company’s technical support strategy succeeded with corporate accounts, in other markets, such as individual consumers, Dell fails to offer apparent value superior to competitors. In fact, many consumers felt that the customer service provided by Dell post-purchase was sub-par at best. xli] With its legacy advantages no longer relevant, Dell is forced to compete principally on price, reinforcing trends towards commoditization. Alternatively, the firm may attempt to develop new core competencies; still, the latter requires substantial financial commitments, particularly difficult given the current economic climate and Dell’s stock performance, which lost approximately 2/3 from its peak market capitalization. A third option for Dell would be to reinvigorate its advantages and restore differentiation of its value proposition through acquisitions. Clearly, Mr. Dell has mbarked on thi s path, which appears most appropriate for the company. In the future, Dell should continue with acquisitions that strengthen the company’s offering to its primary clients: small and midsize businesses. To build its corporate advantage, Dell should focus on midsize companies, similar to EqualLogic, which would allow the company to avoid major mishaps while perfecting the integration process. Until Dell earns substantial experience in purchasing and applying its unique resources across all business units, the company should steer away from considering large companies that warrant such advanced resources. Nevertheless, persisting with this corporate strategy is critical to Dell’s viability, particularly in light of the ability of HP, IBM and other competitors to win market share and profits from the company. Appendix A:: [pic] http://www. informationweek. com/news/hardware/showArticle. jhtml? articleID=164008 Appendix B: [pic] http://dataplusinsight. com/general/the-personal-computer-industry-value-chain/ Appendix C: [pic] http://cloudbookumpc. com/the-many-versions-of-msi-wind Appendix D: [pic] |Global PC Market Share by Units, Percent. 2006-2010. | Rank |2006 [1] |2007 [2] |2008 [3] |2009 [4] |2009Q4 | |1 |Dell |16 |HP |18 |HP |18 |HP |19 |HP |20 | |2 |HP |16 |Dell |14 |Dell |14 |Acer |13 |Acer |14 | |3 |Lenovo |7 |Acer |8. 9 |Acer |11 |Dell |12 |Dell |12 | |4 |Acer |5. 8 |Lenovo |7. 4 |Lenovo |7. 2 |Lenovo |8. 1 |Lenovo |8. 7 | |5 |Toshiba |3. 8 |Toshiba |4 |Toshiba |4. 5 |Toshiba |5. 1 |Toshiba |5. 3 | |Others |   |52 |   |47 |   |45 |   |42 |   |41 | |-based on year end summary released by Gartner Technology Business Research Insight Appendix E: Key Success Factors in the Personal Computing Industry There are five key success factors in the personal computing industry which are needed for a company to succeed in the unfavorable industry conditions. 1. Value chain management: As the industry faces continuing pressure to reduce prices it is imperative that companies continually optimize the value chain to reduce costs and maintain margins. This is particularly important in this industry where some of the largest growing products carry margins less than 1%. 2. Management: In this saturated market, competitive advantage is difficult to produce yet easy to imitate. Poor strategic decisions can quickly lead to loss in market share. Management must constantly be focused on eliminating the competitive advantage of its competitors, while protecting the competitive advantage it possesses. 3. Technological innovation: With the industry quick to imitate any success, companies must constantly offer technological advances. New technology generally carry the highest value premium, therefore those who introduce the technology are in the best position to profit from it. 4. Reliability and support: With the commoditization of hardware, and the narrowing ability to differentiate on price, companies must differentiate on reliability, product quality, and customer service. Satisfaction in these areas is the biggest driver of sales after price. 5. Comprehensive Product Offerings: With the margins on personal computers being reduced to dangerously low levels, companies must supplement this revenue with higher margin complements such as peripherals, software, and services. Inability to offer these type of products, gives a competitive advantage to those who can. [pic] [pic] [pic] Endnotes [i] â€Å"Worldwide PC Market. † Computer Industry Almanac. Jan 2010. 243. Print [ii] Greenemeir, Larry. â€Å"Analyzing The PC Vendors. † InformationWeek Dec. , 2003. Print. [iii] â€Å"Microchips and Monopolies. † Rev. of Intel’s Antitrust Actions. New York Times 28, October 2009, sec. A: 32+. Print. [iv] Flynn, Laurie J.. â€Å"Samsung to Pay Large Fine In Price-Fixing Conspiracy. † New York Times 14, Oct. 2005. Web. 20 Apr. 2010 [v] Levere, Jane. â€Å"Standing in the Niche, Trying to Hold Your Own. † New York Times 15 Apr. 2004. Sec C. Pg. 9. Print. [vi] Atticus, T. MSI Wind Clones Galore. JCloudbook UMPC. N. p. , 2 Sept. 2008 Web. 20 Mar. 2010. [vii] Vance, Ashlee. â€Å"H. P. , Tech Powerhouse, Stumbles in Smartphones. † New York Times 24 Apr. 010. Sec B. Pg. 1. Print. [viii] Gartner [ix] Fried, Ian. â€Å"HP to quit supplying printers to Dell. † CNET News. N. p. , 23 July, 2002 Web. 20 Apr. 2010. [x] Magretta, J. 1998. The power of virtual integration: An interview with Dell Computer’s Michael Dell. Harvard Business Review (March-April): 72-85. [xi] Dell: Where’s The Competitive Advantage? http://seekingalpha. com/article/93343-dell-where-s-the-competitive-advantage [xii] Kraemer and Dedrick: Dell Computer: Organization of a Global Production Network, Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations, 2002. xiii] Strategic Management, Thompson Strickland, 11th ed. (case study) http://www. mhhe. com/business/management/thompson/11e/case/dell5. html [xiv] Ibid [xv] Inside Dell’s lean machine http://www. allbusiness. com/management/960195-1. html [xvi] Rooney, Paula. â€Å"Dell Acquires Plural†, CRN, May 31, 2002. http://www. crn. com/it-channel/18828446 [xvii] Williams, Tish. â€Å"Downturn Saw PC Makers Get Weaker†, The Street, May 26, 2002 http://www. thestreet. com/story/10014677/1/downturn-saw-weak-pc-makers-get-weaker. html [xviii] Tischler, Linda. â€Å"Can Kevin Rollins Find the Soul of Dell? , Fast Company, October 31, 2002. http://www. fastcompany. com/magazine/64/rollins. html [xix] â€Å"Dell Beats Wal-Mart as ‘Most Admired’†, CNN Money, February 22, 2005. http://money. cnn. com/2005/02/21/news/fortune500/most_admired/ [xx] Lee, Louise. â€Å"It’s Bad to Worse at Dell†, Business Week, November 1, 2005. http://www. businessweek. com/technology/content/nov2005/tc20051101_088420. htm [xxi] Krazit, Tom. â€Å"Dell profit surges, but investigations cast pall†, CNET News, November 21, 2006. http://news. cnet. com/Dell-profit-surges%2C-but-investigations-cast-pall/2100-1014_3-6137736. html? ag=mncol;txt [xxii] Shah, Agam. â€Å"Dell restates earnings after internal probe†, Computerworld, October 31, 2007. http://www. computerworld. com/s/article/9044858/Dell_restates_earnings_after_internal_probe [xxiii]http://www. nytimes. com/2008/12/16/technology/companies/16dell. html? pagewanted=1%2359;%20dell%2334sqst=cse%2359;back%20against%20the%20wallscp=1 [xxiv] http://www. nytimes. com/2007/09/09/technology/09dell. html? pagewanted=3_r=2 [xxv] http://www. businessweek. com/technology/content/mar2009/tc20090324_741292_page_2. htm [xxvi] http://74. 125. 47. 132/search? q=cache:A8p9TUYTleAJ:knowledge. harton. upenn. edu/article. cfm? articleid%3D1799+dell+strategic+managementcd=9hl=enct=clnkgl=us [xxvii] http://www. nytimes. com/2008/12/16/technology/companies/16dell. html? pagewanted=2%2359;%20dell%2334%2359sqst=cse%2359;back%20against%20the%20w allscp=1 [xxviii] http://www. nytimes. com/2007/09/09/technology/09dell. html? pagewanted=4_r=2 [xxix] http://www. dell. com [xxx] Dell Looks To Ramp Up Acquisitions For Growth [xxxi] http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_Dell_ownership_activities [xxxii] http://www. nytimes. com/2007/09/09/technology/09dell. html? pagewanted=3_r=

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale Essay Example

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale Essay I. King Leontes’ monologue in Act I.ii.179-207 discloses his troubled, almost frantic state of mind at this early point in the play. The short aside that Leontes utters here reveals a psychological state where doubt has begun to sprout and proliferate. Through the specific use of figurative language in this speech, Shakespeare exposes the king’s hidden thoughts and designs, while also foreshadowing some of the confusions and mishaps in the play, which originate in Leontes’ unreasonable jealousy. The theme of jealousy, also central to another major Shakespearean play, Othello, is very significant in this passage. Thus, without heeding judgment and reason, Leontes indulges in impassionate and impulsive musings which will eventually prove destructive. The image that opens his aside depicts the king as a fisherman who is â€Å"angling† in the hope to detect the guilt of the two assumed lovers. The invisible thread that holds fishing rod alludes to the helpless and unsuspecting victims. Moreover, the image serves to describe the way in which the king will seek to ensnare two of the people he loved most, prior to his being blinded by jealousy. Having the patience and the slyness of a fisherman waiting for the bait to work, Leontes alludes here to his obviously premeditated plan: he seeks to outwardly encourage the affection between his wife and his best friend in order to have proof of their unfaithfulness.Furthermore, the king pictures his queen as a bird who â€Å"holds up the neb† to a seemingly unfaithful friend, thus adding to the idea of entrapment. With his sight blurred by fury and jealousy, the king sees signs of betrayal where there are none, therefore creating the perfect conditions for disaster. The king’s progressive absorption into maddening suspicions is also significant here: â€Å"Inch-thick, knee-deep, o’er head and ears a forked one!†. Gradually, Leontes renounces reason and clarity, sinking d eeper into the imaginary trap woven by his own mind. This is apparent in the great figurative charge of the word â€Å"play† in the king’s speech. Urging his infant son to go and play, he immediately muses on the different meaning that the word holds for him and the two traitors. First of all, in his hallucinatory state of mind, Leontes is convinced that his wife â€Å"plays† or fakes innocence to hide her adulterous relationship. Secondly, he himself plays, pretending not to suspect anything and thus hoping the culprits will give themselves away.Finally, Leontes also considers he will be playing a â€Å"disgraceful part† in the eyes of the community, when the presumed betrayal is found out.   Next, the troubled king moves on to meditate on the commonness of unfaithfulness, using other powerful images in the process. Thus, the word â€Å"sluiced† and the phrase â€Å"fished pond† give graphic, sexual descriptions of the wife’s adult ery. Moreover, the image of the wife as a pond fished by a smiling and deceitful neighbor hints at theft and misappropriation. Continuing in the same line of thought, the image of â€Å"open gates against their will† also suggests a forced and fraudulent entrance of the cunning neighbor. The remainder of the speech concludes with equally sexual imagery that the whole of the female kind is corrupt, with the unfaithfulness attaining cosmic dimensions: â€Å"It is a bawdy planet that will strike/ Where ‘tis predominant; and ‘tis powerful, think it,/ From east, west, north, and south. Be it concluded,/ No barricade for a belly.† Leontes’ speech here gives evidence of an oversized and impassionate jealousy which blinds him and disconnects him from the people he loves most and which will also be the cause of tragedy in the play.II. a). In most of Shakespeare’s plays there are extraordinary women, built as complex figures with important roles. In The Winter’s Tale, there are three women who manage to break out the limitations of traditional female portraiture. Hermione is brave and almost faultless in her behavior. The metaphor of her transformation into a statue and her subsequent coming to life at the end of the play speaks about rebirth and a second chance at happiness. As such, Shakespeare uses her as a symbol for fertility in the likeness of spring, the season which puts an end to winter and call nature back to life. Her exemplary conduit makes her a model female character. At the beginning, she is the devoted wife, mother and queen, who is eventually punished for endeavoring to treat her husband’s friend with honor and respect. Moreover, her infinite endurance and her ability to forgive her erring husband adds to her importance in the play. Perdita is also a very significant figure, whose arrival announces, as her name suggests, the retrieval of what had been lost. More than a simple character, Perdita, like Herminone, is a powerful symbol. Through her marriage to Florizel, Polixene’s son, she becomes the link that reunites the two friends and completes the family circle. Finally, Pauline is equally important, acting as a tireless supporter of the family. She protects and cares for Hermione and the king at the same time, mediating the happy ending of the play with wisdom and infinite patience.c). The recurrent images of rebirth in the play point to a very interesting direction in Shakespeare’s late writing. If in his tragedies the world would regain equilibrium only with the price of the protagonists’ lives, here we see a universe which is temporary out of balance but which miraculously manages to bounce back into place. An indication of maturity, this trait reveals a new dimension of the author’s writing: the images of rebirth allude to the natural cycles of the successive seasons, thus integrating man into the larger picture of a natural universe. The endi ng is miraculous, without being overly optimistic. Shakespeare demonstrates that tragedy, as well as romance, is a part of the natural course of events.d). The antithesis between loyalty and betrayal is at the thematic core of the play. Thus, in most of the instances, those who appear to betray are actually loyal. Hermione and Polixenes are never guilty of the accusations that Leontes showers on them. Camillo, who at first sight would appear to be the most disloyal of all and who â€Å"betrays† by turns Leontes, Polixenes and Florizel is actually one of the most clear-sighted characters in the play. It is partly due to his genial character and his insight that the final reunion takes place. Finally, Paulina manages to stay faithful to Hermione and the king at the same time, despite the conflict between them and despite the fact that the king is the indirect cause of her husband’s death. Thus, Leontes is curiously surrounded by extremely loyal people, while he suspects only betrayal and falseness.III. Answer: D.The Winter’s Tale, no less than other Shakespearian plays, has an ambiguous ending, without seeming so at first sight. The statue which is mysteriously animated makes the circle of life come complete. The happy reunion, however, is not perfect: Mamillius, the dead son of the king and queen, and Antigonus are missing. Through this device Shakespeare stays true to nature: while the happy reunion is possible and rebirth is a natural process, something is invariably lost on the way. Perdita is found again, but with the price of the death of queen and king’s other child. Two pairs reunite in marriage at the end, yet one pair had been broken in the process: Paulina and Lord Antigonus.

Should You Start Your Job Hunt in the Summer

Should You Start Your Job Hunt in the Summer Although the long days of summer often mean the hiring process can be slower than usual, that doesn’t mean you should put your job search on hold until the leaves start to change color. Summer is as good a time as any to sharpen your resume and put yourself out on the job market. Even if you are a seasoned employee and not interested in an entry-level position, you can ride the wave of positions opening up for newly graduated seniors. Companies account for an influx of grads when they plan out their year, so take advantage of new job openings, especially if you are making a lateral move or a career change.The season is also often a time of turnover. People have already received their bonuses, and with the end of a school year often comes changes for many families.  Since most office-based jobs are slower-paced due to vacations and long weekends, current employees have more time to job hunt, which ideally will leave open positions for new hires.Don’t use the excuse of lazy summer days to take a break in your job quest! Summer is a fine to to begin your hunt as long as you realize response times from recruiters will be a bit slower than usual. Use the extra time to perfect your resume, hunt for open positions, and make job searching your priority.

The movie Analysis. When Harry Met Sally Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The movie Analysis. When Harry Met Sally - Essay Example This happens before the drive to New York City. The second stage occurs during the drive and is known as the stage of experimentation. During this stage, there is an attempt on the part of both the characters to look for common characteristics in their personalities. Much of the tension in the movie arises out of the fact that this stage stretches for a very long time. The next stage is the intensifying stage. During this stage, the two parties seek to take the relationship forward and develop it further. Harry and Sally take a long time in reaching this stage and it happens during the New Year Eve party when they realize the attraction that they felt for each other. It is during the next stage, that of integration, that they engage in sexual intercourse. The act of sex then can be seen to be one where the members of the couple disclose hidden parts of themselves to the other. The next stage of bonding for Harry and Sally arrives, one may speculate after the events of the movie as th e formal declaration of love comes at the end of the movie. The stage of disintegration, on the other hand, never really arrives (Knapp and Vangelisti; Reiner). The different stages of love in the movie are ironically, shown to develop not between Harry and Sally but between different characters and the members of the lead couple. ... There is a great emphasis on the stages between initiation and bonding in the movie. It makes it clear that these stages may not move through very quickly and the appeal of the movie lay largely in the audience’s wish for the stages to pass by quickly. The stage of bonding is looked upon as the most desirable one and the one that every relationship is supposed to lead up to. The stage of experimentation is looked upon as one of the most conventionally romantic stages and the elongation of this is considered to be one of the reasons for the enduring popularity of this movie. The Johari model can also be used to analyse the different stages of the relationship within the movie. There are different windows that different parts of the relationships within the movie occupy. In the beginning, Harry and Sally both occupy the window of the arena. They are aware of those sides of themselves that are known to the society at large as well. There is no knowledge that is hidden from the so ciety and known to the other person. As a result, there is no proress in the relationship and it remains stagnant. Later on, the space of the blind spot is opened up for discussion as Harry and Sally are made to confront the validity of their beliefs. These are challenged as they are made aware of those aspects of their personalities that they are not aware of but the society is. This happens through the interventions of the two characters. The relationship develops further and to its logical conclusion when the couple separates itself into a unit separate from the society. This happens when they move into the space that is designated as the facade. In this stage, the characters are

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Buddhism - Research Paper Example His followers believe him to have become an enlightened person who knew about the subtle realities of life and discovered that the reason there exists suffering is due to a constant desire to either crave for something or avert something (Ba Khin & Confalonieri, 1999, 168). According to the Buddha, if one took control of such desires completely, one would end his suffering and become awakened and would have reached the state known as nirvana (Ba Khin & Confalonieri, 1999, 168). This brings me to my research statement which would be to discover whether Buddhism seems to revolve around the life and teachings of the Buddha alone or the ultimate end of suffering by controlling craving and ignorance is the main motive of following this religion? Since Buddhism took shape from Asia it still remains to garner the most following from this part of the world, however it is observed to be practiced the world over. It is not easy to estimate the number of Buddhists currently in the whole world s ince it is practiced differently in some parts of the world. Since at the time of the Buddha there were no methods to write, all the teachings of the Buddha were memorized and passed down through disciples and followers. Later on the teachings were gathered and written down. Due to this fact, different schools of thought in Buddhism differ on the perfect formula to attain liberation from the suffering of the world, the authenticity of various teachings and scriptures as well as ensuing practices? Three basic pillars serve as the foundation of Buddhist teachings and are known as the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the community) (Kozak, 2011, 66). All Buddhists need to follow and adhere by the three jewels and their religion is considered incomplete without fully adhering to these concepts. Other practices may include renouncing the material world to follow on the path of their founder, and developing mindfulness of their surroundings through the practice of meditation. 2. Life of the Buddha According to various narratives, Siddhartha Gautama was a young prince about whom an astrologer once prophesized that he would renounce worldly lifestyle to become a holy man, if he saw life outside his palace (Zamosky, 2007, 7). In an attempt to avert this, his father the king, prevented his son from leaving until Siddhartha Gautama finally ventured out of the palace at the age of 29 and saw the suffering outside his palatial life (Zamosky, 2007, 8). His encounters made him abandon royal life and set out to discover spirituality. He soon found out that craving for something or the other was the main cause of suffering in humans, thus when this cause know as ‘craving’ is controlled, so is suffering. 3. Causes of Suffering and its Solution a. The Four Noble Truths According to various historians, the ‘Four Noble Truths’ were one of the primary teachings imparted by Gautama Buddha to his disciples after he had re ached Nirvana. On close observation it becomes apparent that they contain the same theme located in the Buddha's teachings: Everyone encounters suffering in life in one way or another. Craving for something is the desire to become happy with the acquisition of that thing. Another version of craving is when you seek to avoid something and that is known as aversion. Both craving and aversion lead to eventual suffering. The only way to end suffering is to stop