Analysis of Mobile Enterprise Model Frame (SB Model)

Analysis of Mobile Enterprise Model Frame (SB Model) The first objective of this paper discusses the writers understanding of Scornavacca and Barnes (2008) mobile enterprise model frame (SB Model) and an illustration of its current usage and future implementation in the field of existing Patient management system. The second objective is to discuss the existing implementation of mobile usage in Learning of Life University (LLU) with respect mobile enterprise model of SB Model with regard to its virtual learning environment in the categories of General student administration, Teaching, learning and assessment and Assessment management and tracking. In this part the dimension and stages of mobile enterprise model will be discussed and also it relevance to the existing healthcare enterprise. Below is the figure suggested by SB model. Picture 1: Dimensions Stages of Mobile enterprise model (Scornavacca, Barnes 2008) First let use discuss what the terms Market, Process and Mobility mean in the above figure. Market: this describes how a particular feature makes customers of a company or product more attracted towards it which is also known as the value proposition. It may also consist of the experiences of business partners with respect to the product and services. Mobile Channel access it is at the lowest level which represents that mobility is largely being used in the enterprise for information. Mobile Service value it is at the middle level which represents that wireless network is being used at an intermediate level in specific areas to enhance mobility. Mobile Service creation it is at the highest level which represents that an organization is completely using wireless medium to create new service/products and improve it continuously. Process: it is the results after the processes and change adopted in the work configuration after moving to mobile application. Automation it refers to the improvement of efficiency in the current existing process after moving to mobile. Decision Support it is the knowledge gained from mobile solution which brings the effectiveness in any work process. Transformation it is the transformation of a process when moved to mobile. As the name suggests it is the organizational processes fundamental change when in mobile medium. Mobility: it describes the place independence for a job when moved to mobile which is enabled by wireless internet or a wireless solution which gives mobility to a job. Transient it is the first level where the employees move from one location to another and the basic support they get at the location they move to. Mobile it is the second level where the employees become more location independent for long period of time but still have to return back to a conventional fixed location to carry out certain functions. Remote it is the third and the highest level where an employee need not come to the conventional fixed location at all which provides complete mobility i.e., location independence. Let us discuss the dimensions and stages in the field of Health care related to Patient Appointment booking system (PABS). As far as now there is very less to nil usage of mobile technology in PABS. According to the writer of this report mobility in PABS can be represented in the mobile enterprise model as shown in Picture 2. Mobility: How independent are people/ patients to book an appointment with a doctor/GP through a mobile app using a wireless internet connection. Transient A system where patients can book a doctors appointment by visiting the hospital. Mobile A online system where patients can book a doctors appointment via conventional computer using an internet connection by sitting in a particular place. Remote A mobile system where a patient can book appointments irrespective of their current location and also pick a time as per their convenience based on the slot availability. Picture 2: PABS w.r.t SB model Process: How has the patient appointment booking system improved or how is the current situation. Automation If PABS is moved to mobile then patients save ample lot of time which they can invest on some other productive work. It also helps hospitals to hire staff particular for appointments or they can use the existing staff in other administration work. It saves time of both patient and hospital. Information A online PABS can be used by people to book appointments where in hospital can get information about the patient even before they arrive at the hospital. Transformation A mobile PABS is present where in people can book appointments whenever they want by being location independent and having an internet connection. The mobile system can also be transformed when the patient is able to postpone or cancel the booked appointment if needed and that gives out notification for the urgent patients who can mark themselves as urgent if they need such notifications and those newly created slots can be used on the basis of first come first serve or the notification might also be sent based on the criticality or the urgency level. Market: How patient appointment booking system increases the value of a hospital, by making it easy for patients to use a mobile system. This stage also shows how new features added to the mobile system would make patients more attracted towards using the application and getting themselves involved with their doctor/GP/hospital. Mobile channel access A mobile system which largely provides only information about the doctor/GP/Hospital without any other services. As it gives only information it is placed at the lowest level. Mobile Service value A mobile system which is present where in patients can book appointments through a mobile application. Mobile Service Creation A mobile system which can be used to book appointments and also many more operations as mentioned in the transformation stage of process dimensions. Below picture shows the transformation which can be made by the suggestions given in the illustration in PABS. Picture 3: SB Model when improved with given suggestions for PABS REFLECT ON CURRENT SITUATION Currently Learning of Life University (LLU) uses an electronic student record to keep track of all the new and continuing students and their details including their degree and modules, attendance record and academic performance i.e. results of the modules they study; which seems to be an old method when compared with the current technologies in the market. Coming to the teaching, learning and assessment part LLU provides notes and assessment online but it will still need the tutors and students to use a traditional computer which will acquire space and also people will need a particular device to use the resources. Now towards the asset management and tracking of university resources; LLU uses field staff to keep track of the device usage by seeing the usage logs of devices which is a very old method of doing when we have new softwares and sensor devices to do that such as logging software RFID sensors and many more whose data can be accessed by using a mobile device. Almost all the tasks done by university administration staff is very manual related to keeping track of student records, university assets such as computers, library books etc. So, as a consultant we can represent the current situation of LLU in SB Model as shown below for the above discussed 3 areas. Picture 4: LLUs Current situation with all three areas Why the company thinks that LLU lies in the above-mentioned area with considering all three areas of study is because all three areas do not have a mobile system where in the students, tutors, administrators or the field staff could do their work without being location independent. WHY MOVE TO MOBILE AND ITS IMPACTS As a consultant company, we would like to suggest LLU to use Cloud Computing (CC) which provides educators and learners to access resources form anywhere and at any time. The main advantage of this is that it is low cost for implementation and its infrastructure for LLU. The rapid changes in e-learning technologies are not being adopted by education institutions due to the infrastructure limitations which are being avoided due to the high cost to use multimedia content which also includes the institutions resources and a tutors skills in using a e-learning platform. So, as a consultant company we would like to tell you the advantages and future potential of moving to mobile e-learning platform which includes CC as well which is of low cost. Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets etc. can make great benefit of the resources available on cloud. And mobile devices enable the users to access resources such as notes, presentations, assessment guidelines, lectures, tutorials, information about seminars, lab sessions etc. anytime and anyplace. A mobile application will enable the users to access the resources, download it to their mobile device, which will access the cloud when required later, and it makes it easy for students and other staff of LLU as they can use technologies like WiFi or LTE or 3G. It is also to be noted that it would be a big transformation to LLU as well; as CC is a disruptive technology and it will impact education in a very positive manner when utilized. The most important positive impacts when moved to a mobile system with cloud are as follows (Veerabhadram Conradie, 2013). An application on cloud can be used by any number of mobile devices irrespective of the mobile service provider or phone. University can avoid the hassle of maintaining the servers and it will be easy for the LLU to scale the application as well and it could concentrate only on the development of a mobile system to access the cloud resources. Mobile devices may not have the space required on the device to keep all the resources required so CC can provide good functionality and also determine what data a device can access. Mobile devices can be lost or damaged or stolen, but having a cloud infrastructure data can be preserved, as the data is stored on cloud rather than a device or server. Some of the characteristics of cloud learning are as follows (Wang W.P. Ng, 2012). Universal accessibility As long as one has internet access via a mobile, tablet, PC, or even TV, Students can study. As all the data, applications, softwares run on servers in cloud it opens to new possibilities to provide low-cost terminal access to everyone. Collaborative interactions From continuous interactions with tutors and fellow students, students can build their knowledge as they can co-operate in cloud anywhere, anytime. Sharing and Storing Documents on cloud can be edited commonly via services like Google Docs, Dropbox, office Live, sky drive and share the same on a cloud server. And cloud also allows to store unlimited data in its storage. Learner Centred -ÂÂ   Students can select the resources they need from cloud and keep track of their progress as well as cloud is learner centric and individual learner needs are met. As a consultant company, we would like to give a 4 stage Cloud based learning model for LLU based on analysing the three areas of importance (Wang W.P. Ng, 2012). Learning stage How students learn has evolved from traditional class room to e-Learning to mobile Learning. With this evolution, intelligent learning systems have been developed to support many ways of learning such as e-Books, Audio Books, Video lessons etc. So, at the end of the day it is the choice of the student to pick the mode they want. And to store all these types of resources a smart cloud would be helpful. Communication or Interaction stage for a student to learn something, interaction is very important and it also is very important in mobile learning. It would require instructor and peer collaboration and guidance to stay on track. Cloud based system will also provide a forum where students can interact with their tutors and fellow students where they can share their learning, asking some FAQs and these questions and answers will be stored in a cloud database which can be easily searchable. Assessment Stage This is one of the important stage in a learning process. It ensures that a student has learnt the module and also its outcomes. In the old traditional class room learning; assessment can be done only via a test where as a mobile environment enables various means to assess the learning objectives and outcomes of a student with methods like report-writing, producing an artefact etc., through which a student can be assessed and be helped with their learning outcomes. Analysis Stage With the usual class room it will be impossible to analyse a students performance for tutors and recommend them with an appropriate learning materials or methods. A cloud based mobile class room can be used to get statistical analysis of learning outcomes and suggest appropriate learning materials and methods. An analysis of learning methods, styles, activities and behaviours can be done by the tutor to recommend an individual student a proper learning method. The next problem to solve would be for the administrators to do their jobs, by them being connected to the cloud database of students being enrolled to LLU the administrators need not stick to one place they can move around the entire campus with their mobile device to solve the queries of every student related to their university admissions and many more. The final problem is of asset management and tracking, as said already that the cloud can store unlimited data, so it will be easy to link LLUs assets to the cloud database and keep track of all the logs and usage statistics and also keep track which use uses which device the more or moreover which asset is more in demand. Now, lets discus how the recommended idea from the consultant company underpins the SB Model with respect to its dimensions and stages of mobility. Mobility As the recommended system is cloud and can be used in any device at any point of time and from any place without location dependence the recommended system would be in Remote stage. Process With the change to cloud tutors, students and administrators can use any device, from any place and at any time to carry out their daily task and it is a big transformation for all. Market With all the changes being made by moving to mobile by creating a new service with a great value a wireless device can be used by students to study, tutors to answer questions and administrators to do their job form anywhere, anytime, anyplace. RISKS AND ISSUES Many of the big business companies such as Google and Microsoft are offering free cloud services for educational institutions which gets rid of commercial risk. So, there wouldnt be any commercial risk but LLU has to maintain the cloud which comes with a price. Legal, social and ethical issue would be related to securing personal data of the users as it is cloud and security of data is one of the big concern. Strong user authentication system would be a solution for securing user data. Picture 5: Basic Structure of the recommended Cloud based structure(Erel, 2014) Picture 4 shows the Mobile computing architecture with variety of devices which can be used by anyone related to the university to access the university resources via any device of their choice. Providing a proxy for all the mobile devices one can use as shown in Picture 4 such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet is the main goal of the architecture proposed for mobile CC for LLU. Picture 6: Mobile CC Architecture(filipdevelter, 2015) (Cloud services, cloud computing, cloud solutions Mumbai, India, 2016) Picture 5 gives an overview of the architecture of the mobile CC platform and also clouds main features. We can say that the mobile CC consists of three main parts, mobile client i.e. the device we use to access the cloud data, middleware which is responsible to provide access to cloud based on device used and it is also responsible to give instant updates of services to mobile devices and the cloud services. Minimizing the limitations of present e-Learning in LLU by utilizing the proposed mobile CC system is the main focus, which utilizes all the advantages CC can offer. LLU can use the CC for education which provides all requirements to process and store data, all data needed by students is provided by the cloud, and mobile CC allows the user to use device of their own choice as shown in the picture below. Picture 7: Mobile Cloud Computing architecture for Education(Veerabhadram Conradie, 2013) LAYERS IN CLOUD LEARNING SYSTEM Information Infrastructure and teaching resources forms the infrastructure layer and it contains internet, software, hardware as shown in Picture 6. It is the lowest layer in the cloud system, CPU is present in this layer i.e. the server. New hosts can be added to enhance the system as the system is scalable and dynamic. Picture 7 depicts it clearly (Masud Huang, 2012). Picture 8: Proposed Infrastructure layer Software(s/w) layer consists of the operating system of the cloud system and the middleware. Numerous software resources can be integrated into the middleware to provide an interface for s/w developers to develop applications and embed them in cloud for users to use. Resource layer achieves the coupling of software and hardware. On-demand and s/w for various devices can be integrated by virtualization and CC. Service layer consists of 3 layers, SaaS (Software as a service), PaaS (Platform as a service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a service). SaaS is the best as it need not be maintained or upgraded, its just pay monthly. Application layer is where the teaching resources are integrated in cloud which also includes interactive courses. BENEFITS OF CLOUD ARCHITECTURE High Storage capacity Computing power High availability security Virtualisation Managing and delivering resources from Cloud is one of the most compelling paradigm over the internet. Utility computing has been turned into reality by the rise in CC. Current economic situation and increase in Educational resources have made universities to adopt CC and also there are proofs that the expenses are decreasing due to cloud solutions. References (2016) Cloud services, cloud computing, cloud solutions Mumbai, India [online] Available from: http://www.comprompt.co.in/services/cloud-services/. [Accessed: 4 December 2016]. EREL, O. (2014) Important concepts of cloud computing Middleware architecture [online] Available from: http://saasaddict.walkme.com/important-concepts-cloud-computing-middleware-architecture/. [Accessed: 4 December 2016]. FILIPDEVELTER (2015) Back-up maken [online] Available from: http://www.neonomen.be/2015/10/26/een-back-up-is-niet-genoeg/. [Accessed: 4 December 2016]. HAOLIANG, W. et al. (2010) The Application of ID Authentication Safety System in Campus Mobile Education. International Conference on Computer Application and System Modeling. 13. pp. 519-522. MASUD, A. HOSSAIN HUANG, X. (2012) An E-learning System Architecture based on Cloud Computing. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology. 6. ÃÆ'-STLUND, S., PANCHENKO, A. ENGEL, T. (2015) A study on ethical aspects and legal issues in e-learning. International Conference on e-Learning. pp. 280-286. SCORNAVACCA, E. BARNES, S. J. (2008) The strategic value of enterprise mobility: Case study insights. Information Knowledge Systems Management. 7. pp. 227-241. VEERABHADRAM, P. CONRADIE, P. (2013) Mobile Cloud Framework Architecture for Education Institutions. Science and Information Conference. pp. 924-927. WANG, M. W.P. NG, J. (2012) Intelligent Mobile Cloud Education. IEEE Eighth International Conference on Intelligent Environments. pp. 149-156.

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) Essay -- Discovery, Faustyn Edmun

Recently, in the Journal of Rheumatology in an interesting discussion concerning the application of ESR and CRP (C-reactive protein) appeared inaccurate information about the history of the discovery of ESR. Crowson, Rahman and Matteson in the article (1) and later in the discussion (2) suggested that the discovery of ESR occurred in the 20s of the last century. However, the discovery was not made in the 20s of the Twentieth Century, but at the end of the Nineteenth Century. For the sake of the highest standards of the discussion, in all its aspects, we would like to remind that the discoverer of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was a Polish physician Faustyn Edmund Biernacki (1866-1911) (3,4,5,6,7). He announced the discovery in 1897 in two articles simultaneously: one written in Polish in Gazeta Lekarska (4) and the second in German in the Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (5). It is also possible to identify, as an important historical fact, the exact day of Biernackiâ€℠¢s discovery. Shortly before the publication of works describing ESR, on the 22nd of June 1897 during a meeting of the Warsaw Medical Society Biernacki presented five most important conclusions from his observations (6,7). These conclusions were as follows: blood sedimentation rate and volume of residue produced is different in different individuals; blood with small amounts of blood cells sediments faster; blood sedimentation rate depends on the level of â€Å"fibrynogens† in the blood plasma; during the course of febrile diseases (rheumatic fever included) with large amounts of plasma fibrinogen the ESR is increased, and in the defibrinated blood the sedimentation process is slower. The findings presented by Biernacki clearly show the clinical significance of th... ...Medica Scandinavica and in the same year 1921. Biernacki on the other hand presented his discovery in German and Polish more than twenty years before. Therefore, is it possible that in the scientists noted only the reports of the discovery presented in English and in one magazine? Or is it just an oversight resulting from an insufficient scientific knowledge about (or of?) historical facts? In order to maintain the highest standards of scientific reliability the â€Å"ESR test† should be named by specifying the method used e.g. Westergren’s ESR test method. The ESR test was discovered by Biernacki, and Westergren’s achievement was the development of a new laboratory technique. We postulate that in the scientific reports in which there is a historical aspect of the introduction of the ESR test (even if only as a reference), Biernacki’s discovery was not overlooked.

Bertolt Brecht :: Drama

Bertolt Brecht. Brecht was born Augsburg, Germany in 1898. He then attended university in Munich in 1917. It was while he was at university that he witnessed the Bolshevik Revolution which was the first event to influence him. Brecht wanted what had occurred in Russia to repeat itself in Germany as he saw all there was to gain from a Revolution. This was the first influence that gave Brecht his voice in social and political issues. In 1918 Brecht was called up for World War 1 as a medical orderly. Here he witnessed some of the worst medical injuries created by the war. This experience made him an extreme pacifist. This was the second most influential event that took place which in turn caused him to be in opposition to those international opinionated political powers. He saw them as being capitalist populations, sending innocent men to be murdered meaninglessly, for their own efficient profitable gain. He felt misery as the human potential completely contradicted its entire meaning by the brute actions of humans around the world. Marxism was the influence that gave Brecht hope that there was good within humans although some needed re-awakening. He had seen the Russian Revolution and witnessed the collapse of Germany after World War 1 and the fall of the Royal Family of Europe. This all influenced Brecht to write his first play Baal in 1918. This raw play and episodic structure was the youth of Brecht’s later well-known work, which inhabited a more grotesque quality. His work looks at the incapability one has to have power over the lust and greed in the world. He uses the element of shock in his plays as he relates to his yearning for change and fury at his experiences. It was this yearning to bring change via the use of shock that bought us epic theatre. In 1922 Brecht went to Berlin and this experienced gave him the influence for all his later work. Here he observed real theatre and the cabaret, parts of theatre he never knew existed. This influence made him more culturally aware and gave him the knowledge to develop his work. Aesthetic theatre was influenced by expressionalism, the use of various scenes without any rational order. He discarded ‘Drawing room comedy’, realism and naturalism. Instead he took influences from Edwin Piscator whom considered theatre as a device for political education. Edwin Piscator used different means in which to convey his political message. He used news-real, projections and captions to portray the background knowledge of the play. He also used great chorus scenes, perceived in traditional Broadway or West- End performances, to demonstrate the significance of the play.

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Victim

The Victim of Fate in Oedipus Rex The question has been raised as to whether Oedipus was a victim of fate or of his own actions.   This essay will show that Oedipus was a victim of fate, but he was no puppet because he freely and actively sought his doom, although he was warned many times of the inevitable repercussions of his actions. When first considering this topic, I speculated that maybe it was the destiny of Oedipus to suffer, but a friend asked me to explain why Oedipus, in the act of gouging his eyes out, cries explicitly:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No more, no more shall you look on the misery about me,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The horrors ... ...ology of the Great Myths and Epics.   Illinois: Passport Books, 1988. Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Sophocles.   "Oedipus Rex."   An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed.Eds. Sylvan Barnet, et al.   New York: Longman, 1997. 800-836.

Enemy of the State

In the movie Enemy of the State directed by Tony Scott, there is a political bias against having a powerful government. From the year 1998, which was when the movie was produced, technological development has exponentially increased at a rapid rate. The government has become more sophisticated within many administrations including the NSA or National Security Agency creating an elite system of gathering information, as well as upping security standards through surveillance. This has aroused fear in many American’s point of views on what this new â€Å"powerful† government is becoming.This is the prevailing ideal promoted within this movie. Exploitation of this growing federal power is sparking fear in regards to people’s concerns for keeping their constitutional rights, and personal safety. Furthermore, the notion of corruption of power within the federal system compounds the fear of the â€Å"weak† individual. Technology not only changes the way markets a nd businesses develop the economy, but can alter human’s social enviornment and interactions. This altering of human’s social characteristics is what is concerning.The NSA has ramped up their attempts on keeping the nation safe through the use of technology and many refer to one major example of this called the â€Å"Big Brother Policy. † This, metaphorically representing an actual big brother overseeing a little brother, enables the government to do many things in which privacy can be breached. This can be from tapping phone calls, retaining all of your medical history, billing information, birth certificate, and social security number to name a few. The idea of electronic surveillance All films are on reserve at the Fine Arts Library.Your job is not to merely summarize the film or to comment on whether or not the actors gave a fine performance or if the director did a good job. Instead, you are to discuss the sociological content of the film. Taking popular cu lture as pedagogical, consider the lessons that popular culture offers about the role of surveillance in society. As well, you could comment on the limits of this medium (film) as means of theorizing surveillance. Introduction In the introduction of your film review you are expected to highlight the main themes of the film.Here, there is no need to describe or summarize the entire film. Instead, focus on those aspects of the film that will be most relevant to your analysis. You will also need to state your thesis in this section. What will you be attempting to say in this film review? Your review will be only 3-4 pages, so please be concise. Body of the review This is the most important section of the review. Offering your opinion, whether or not you agree with the film, is not the same and cannot substitute for critical analysis.Instead, choose clearly defined issues to explore (e. g. , panoptic power, the role of the gaze, gender, race, the body, counter-surveillance, resistance, the role of confession, social discrimination) Remember that each paragraph must have a topic sentence. Do not make sweeping, general statements that you cannot substantiate. Instead, develop two or three points clearly and in detail. Use this section to explain further the points that you raise in your introduction. You could provide analysis of particular scenes from the film to substantiate your argument.As well, you could provide pertinent background information regarding the setting (temporal or what was occurring in ‘real life’ when the film was made and/or during the time that it is set in). Remember, your analysis must discuss the relevance of the film to the themes of the course. To do so, you could start by asking how technology figures in the film. Is it seen as productive or enabling, repressive, or as the inevitable part of some future? Taking technology in its instrumental sense as having the aim of altering the human environment (a technology could be a p en). What characters are agential subjects?Meaning, who has agency in the film? Does the film present a certain political bias? What assumptions does the film make in regards to privacy, the state, or the future? These are suggestions. You do not need to follow them. Conclusion Use this section to demonstrate that you have succeeded in writing what you set out in the introduction. The film Enemy of the plead is a conspiracy-thriller film released in 1998 by Touchstone Pictures and was directed by Tony Scott and written by David Marconi. The film uses a variety of cultural assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs end-to-end to manipulate the viewers of the film into accepting them.Enemy of the State is found around the US Governments discussion agencies and politicians and their huge amount of power, technology and the conspiracies involved with their intelligence departments much(prenominal) as the National Security Agency (NSA). Robert doyen (Will Smith) a labour lawyer, who unkn owingly becomes involved in a establishment conspiracy when he receives a disc containing the characterisation of the writ of execution of Congressman Hammersly (Jason Robards). This is when Robert Deans life set downs to fall asunder; he loses his job, his family and all his money.Whilst on the run he meets a former government operative, Edward Lyle Brill (Gene Hackman) who then unwillingly befriends Dean and helps him to escape from the NSA. Brill becomes an antihero because of his unconventional methods, and because he is unlikeable, but is a protagonist in the end. In the film, Enemy of the State, there ar many cultural assumptions, values, beliefs stereotypes and attitudes presented throughout the film. One of the most essential values presented in this film is that of privacy, which conflicts with the governments want of safety.The film is based around the governments proposal to install video and audio devices throughout US households. This is for surveillance purposes, mainl y to rule out terrorism, but is as well as a major invasion of privacy. This is also the reason for the murder of Congressman Philip Hammersly, as he was impertinent to the idea and his vote could mean the cancelation of the bill. Because of this the audience are positioned where they begin to dislike the authority figures in this film, which then promotes Dean as the protagonist throughout the film, and becomes a more†¦

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay

Prior to enhancing a product within a large corporation, the company must have a strategic plan in place to ensure that the change runs smoothly. The strategy plan will focus on the company’s strengths, weaknesses’, opportunities, threats, and trends in terms of the new product, by developing and performing a SWOTT analysis. â€Å"A SWOTT analysis is an acronym for the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of a firm, and the environmental Opportunities and Threats facing that firm. SWOTT analysis is a technique through which managers create a quick overview of a company’s strategic situation (Pearce & Robinson, 2013).† SWOTT Analysis Opportunity is definitely favorable situation in a company’s environment meaning that the company stands to gain from this type of behavior. And the opposite of this is threat. A threat is an action that is not favorable. Strength is an advantage that the firm has against its competitors and the market it is currently serving and expects to serve. Weakness is something that is not beneficial to the company and can hinder the company’s success (Pearce & Robinson, 2013). Internal Forces Internal analysis is defined as an analysis of strengths and weaknesses focusing on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market (Ballowe, 2008). Internal factors are important to analyze to better understand how the company aides in its own success or failure. This analysis allows a company to compare past successes with current procedures to aide in the company’s future endeavors. Some internal factors that will be discussed are strategy, structures,  processes & systems, resources, goals, technologies, and leadership. Mazda’s new division will build a strategy that allows for the employees to effectively and efficiently build the new engine with the correct EPA guidelines. Although the new engine type is more expensive to build, Mazda has invested money into this new production line to build the engine and in the long run to be more profitable and environmentally sound. In terms of cost, processes and systems have to be in place to ensure that the new production line is efficiently ran and that employees are trained properly. This new division will look into research and design from other companies who have effectively built hybrid engines to compare ideas and look for innovative creations. The leaders in this division will follow EPA guidelines to ensure that there are no issues when inspections occur. Leadership within this division will set lofty goals that must be reached to attain success in terms of this new engine type. Leadership will continue to follow update technology and make necessary changes. In terms of leadership, organization is a key factor to ensure all members are sending a consistent message to the employees to avoid any undo mistakes. Continuing to build successful process and procedures to share with the employees will only help this division. External Factors The definition of external analysis is â€Å"the examination of opportunities and threats that exist in the environment and both opportunities and threats exist independently of the firm (Ballowe, 2008).† External factors that the new division of Mazda will analyze are legal & regulatory, global, economic, technological, innovation, social, environmental, and competitive analysis. A great advantage that this new division has is that socially and environmentally, many individuals are interested in saving the environment as well as saving money economically. Unfortunately, other manufacturers also have hybrid engines so Mazda will definitely have a good amount of competitors. The more competitors, the less advantage Mazda will have in sales. With the increase in competition, prices will become more competitive meaning that the profit margin will be less. In terms of legal and regulatory, the EPA has high standards in regards to qualifications for hybrid engines which means this division of Mazda will have to ensure high  quality and results. Supply Chain This new division has created a new engine that is more environmentally sound and economical than any other car manufacturer at this time. Because Mazda not only wants to ensure low prices on their vehicles, this new engine’s production line will be very effective and efficient. Mazda understands that the supply chain of this engine has to have very little to no flaws if a profit will be made. Mazda will look to local companies and manufacturers for the parts to create to engine to ensure lowest cost possible to build the engine. Because Mazda has a production center, adding to the center for this engine type was not too costly. Mazda was able to use current employees to move into the production line and leadership team for this new division. Major Issues and Opportunities A major issue or opportunity would be the ability to maintain excellence and a competitive edge against other companies with hybrid engines. The hybrid model can be costly so Mazda will need to continue to look for ways to keep production costs low so the vehicle purchase price is affordable. The first research question is ‘How can Mazda maintain an affordable selling price with a hybrid engine?’ The best way to understand how this can be done is to evaluate the purchasing of the parts for the engine, then ensure effective and efficient processes with the manufacturing site, and determine the best possible selling price. Another issue or opportunity that Mazda faces is keeping up to the high standards of the EPA. Mazda needs to do large amounts of research and make sure the design and building of the engine are on or above standards. The second question is ‘How can Mazda maintain EPA standards on the newly designed engine?’ Mazda can build a small team of employees who are specifically geared to ensuring that the engine is always up to standards and the division is aware of any changes from the EPA. Conclusion In conclusion, this new division of Mazda will continue to look for ways to improve efficiencies and effectiveness to ensure a great product. This division can achieve this by effectively performing a SWOTT analysis and  using the information to build a great product. Gaining knowledge and applying the new knowledge to the current processes will only impact Mazda in a positive manner. References Ballowe, Todd, â€Å"External Analysis,† March 5, 2008, retrieved online from http://onstrategyhq.com/resources/external-analysis/. Ballowe, Todd, â€Å"Internal Analysis,† March 5, 2008, retrieved online from http://onstrategyhq.com/resources/internal-analysis/. Pearce, J. A. II. (2013). Strategic management: Planning for domestic and global competition (13th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

“Magdalena and Balthasar” by Steven Ozment’s Essay

In the story Magdalena and Balthasar by Steven Ozment’s, one is able to reconstruct the lifestyle of a sixteenth-century merchant family that lived in Europe. The life styles specifically shown in Magdalena and Balthasar’s relationship was anything but an average lifestyle. Although the couple dealt with many problems such as the separation due to business, they were able to keep their marriage stable through letters. In these letters one is able to uncover their beliefs about their family life, marriage, parenting, and the affects religion had on them. Although this specific couple had a unique relationship, one could come to some understanding of how a medieval persons’ life was lived. When analyzing pieces from these letters, one could conclude that marriage had to be filled with love, admiration, and cooperation to be successful. Given the role in 16th century society, the husband was the dominant figure and the wife was left with the household duties and children. However, some relationships were ahead of their times and was based solely on reciprocated compassion. If this bond could be achieved it brought a sense of equality in the understanding and responsibility of a marriage. The growing love in a marriage relationship was hard to accomplish. Whether the marriage was based on the similar backgrounds, or mutual feelings about equality, a successful marriage had to be worked on. Many merchants at this time were extremely involved with their work. This meant that when work called they had to reply. If the job took the husband out of town the best way to maintain their relationship was through letters. Although it was hard to keep in touch there were many ways that they could communicate their love. Another aspect that was seen in the medieval time period was the way in which the people expressed their love. In the relationship between Magdalena and Balthazar, Magdalena uses special valued objects in her letters in order to express her love. An example is when â€Å"she folds flowers from their garden into her letters to him†(Ozment 28). Likewise, Balthasar expressed his love for Magdalena through his unique writing style. In his letters he was able to express his love through simple words such as â€Å"honest, good, true,  friendly, dearest, closest bride†(Ozment 28). It can be observed that the common attribute of expressing love in their relationship was not only limited to their relationship specifically, rather it applies to most sixteenth-century relationships. Although Love was a major attribute in relationships trust was another strong hold point of the everyday family lifestyle of this time. There had to be a strong supporting trust from each side of the relationship in order for the family to prevail. For instance, when the couple was separated the husband would have to have a deep sincere trust for the wife to maintain his business at home. The wife would have chores such as, tending to the children, keeping the household running, and other business related tasks. Although it was common for the women to do so anyways, the husband had to rely and trust his wife to take care of these dealing without second thought. Although the husband had to give up allot of responsibility when he was away for work, normally he would not give up the whole authoritative power. For example in a disagreement usually their would be some sort of compromise, but in the end the wife would give in to the big decisions allowing the husband to have authority. The equilibrium between trust and negotiation that was seen in sixteen-century relationships shows how a sense of stability that was formed in their family lifestyles. Parenting in this time period was dealt with by different methods, which were determined by the different marital roles. The primary differences come from their choice of style that was inherited from their forefathers. The wife is usually the consoling and sympathetic parent, while the father was usually the stern and punitive parent. The father had to deal with his parenting from a different town at times, which led to less interactive correction strategies. When a demand from the father was made to the child, the child would usually meet the request without question. Although the wife respects the husband’s requests she usually sympathized for her son, showing an amount of protection, by lessening the demands. The most similar parenting style between the two is their love for their son. Although the teaching methods were different from parent to parent, the child usually received a decent education, housing, adequate food, to fulfill his needs. The love and support from both the mother and the father is astonishing and overall should result in a prudent child. Religion is a very important aspect of sixteenth-century life among medieval individuals. A common belief was that God was involved in their family life and was in absolute control. â€Å"They think of God as an absolutely omnipotent being, who controls human destiny on earth and into eternity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Ozment 144). If there were unfortunate dealing such as sickness or substantial loss in a business deal, it was believed to be â€Å"an obvious punishment of God†(Ozment 144). Religion was also tied into the lives of medieval people by the incorporation of it into their marriages. The medieval people relied on the God given supremacy of the husband’s role for leadership in the family’s prosperity. Parenting techniques also resulted from their Christianity belief. The disciplinary actions of each role in the family originated from the history of Christianity. Even though these teachings seemed strict they closely adhered to them in order to adhere to their beliefs. The particular dealings with Magdalena and Balthazar gave and exclusive illustration of the life of a sixteenth-century family. It also exposed the hardships of the medieval time period. Magdalena and Balthazar gave a significant portrait into how a person in the sixteenth century dealt with the everyday attributes of marriage, parenting, family life, and the affects religion had upon them.