Friday, November 29, 2019

Advantages disadvantages keyboard Essays

Advantages disadvantages keyboard Essays Advantages disadvantages keyboard Paper Advantages disadvantages keyboard Paper Hardware is any physical part of the computer which can be touched or seen. These are the main types of hardware:   Monitor   Mouse   Keyboard Disk Drives   Printer   Speakers   Tower Monitor Disk Drive Speakers Printer Tower Mouse Keyboard Types of hardware There are four types of hardware. Input Input is that type of hardware which is used to enter data into the computer. Process Process is that hardware which manipulates the inputted into useful form. Storage Storage is where the data is stored. Output Output devices allow you to view information produced after data has been processed. These are the following hardwares I used; Input Keyboard, mouse and scanner Process Central Processing Unit Storage RAM, USB flash drive and hard disk Output Printer and monitor In the following table I will describe the hardware I have used in my system, the way they work and the advantages and disadvantages. Name of device Price The way it works Advantages Disadvantages Keyboard i 20 When a letter, number or a symbol is pressed on the keyboard then a signal is immediately sent to the CPU. Then the CPU passes on the information to the monitor which outputs it. Keyboards come in many types. For example. QWERTY, concept, ergonomic etc. This means that you can choose the one that suits you. Using to much keyboard can lead to RSI. A keyboard can do the same job of a mouse, like scrolling through pages by just the touch of one button. People who are unfamiliar with keyboards will get a lot of mistakes and will type very slowly because the buttons are mixed up. The buttons in a keyboard are arranged in such a way that you feel comfortable to use and become used to the layout. The buttons in a keyboard are very close to each other and very light, this means that there could be a lot of errors. Mouse i 13 There are two main types of a mouse.   Optical Mouse. Balled Mouse. The way you move the mouse, in the same direction the arrow will move. A mouse can be used to play computer games. The ball in a balled mouse can get lost. A Mouse with a keyboard to enter data into data computer. Using the mouse to much can lead to RSI. A mouse is very easy to control. A mouse will only work well on flat surfaces. Scanner i 60 A beam of light is shone on the object which is going to be scanned. The light is then reflected to a sensor which detects the colour of the light. A digital image is the created inside the computer. You can get 3 in1. It includes scanner, printer and photocopier. A scanner can be very expensive. An image which is scanned can be edited and then be used in numerous forms. An image which is scanned can take up a lot of computer memory. Using a scanner saves time because data is inputted within matter of seconds. The scanner can be damaged because it is made of glass. 1GB USB flash drive i 5 It can store large amounts of information and you can transfer files from one computer to another. They are portable and come in many designs and makes. Because they are very small they can fall out from your pocket and get lost. They can take in any format. USB devices transfer viruses from one computer to another. They come in different sizes. From 32 MB to 64 GB. They are valuable, so there are chances of getting stolen. Monitor i 100 Monitors come in two types. TFT   CRT Thousands of tiny dots called pixels are displayed which then create an image. TFT monitors are slim, so they take up lees space. TFT monitors can get scratched or damaged easily. TFT monitors create less heat than CRT. CRT monitors create too much heat and the room gets stuffy. CRT monitors are massive, so there are less chances of getting damaged. Some monitors do not have good graphics, so the image quality will not be as good. CPU. (Intel Pentium Dual Core) i 80 The CPU is the brain of the computer. It processes data. In the CPU all the sorting and calculations take place. It is small, so it will take less space. If it is damaged then the computer will not work. There is no need of buying it separate because it already comes with the computer. If there is no fan next to it then it will blow up. It is very fast because it can carry out millions of instructions per second. It is very expensive to buy. Laser printer i 250 They work using powdered ink which is fused onto paper by heat and pressure. They do not use cartridges but use toners. Hundreds of pages could be printed in an hour. They are very expensive to buy. The print outs are of very good quality. Toners are used instead of cartridges, this means that there will be extra costs It is very quiet and does not make any noise. They are massive and bulky; this means that if it breaks down then repairs will be very expensive. RAM (3 GB) i 45 To load programs it uses memory. RAM lets you open many programs at once. The more RAM you have the faster your computer will be. If you have less ram then your computer will crash a lot. You can even get to 4 GB RAM. It is quite expensive to buy in shops. It responds fast to signals. If the data is not saved and computer is switched ff, then the data will be lost. Hard disk (250 GB) i 85 The hard disk is the main storage device of the computer. All the data files and applications are stored in it. You do not loose any data when the computer is switched off. The hard disk can stop the computer from working if it crashes. They can store very large amounts of data. They can go up to 1 TB or sometimes even more. If the hard disk crashes on a regular basis the data from the hard disk could be lost. They come with every computer. This means you do not have to buy one when you buy a computer. The hard disk comes fixed inside the computer and can be difficult to transfer data to another computer. Alternatives In the following table I will give an alternative device to the hardware listed in the above table. I will also describe the way it works, its advantages and disadvantages and what difference it will make if used. Name of device Alternative The way it works Advantages Disadvantage Difference it would make if used QWERTY Keyboard Concept Keyboard It has a sheet spread on a grid which has pictures and symbols. The user can identify what each button will do. People who are unfamiliar with QWERTY keyboards can use this one. It has a limited amount of options to be programmed. The difference it would make if used a concept keyboard is that I will not have to move my hands and fingers too much. It could be used to teach little children. They make a lot of sounds and noises. It is very useful when ordinary keyboards might be damaged by spillages etc. They are not good for numeric input, though some come with a numeric pad. Balled mouse Optical mouse There is a laser at the bottom of the mouse which detects the movement. The way the mouse is move the same way the arrow on the screen will move.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Risk Management in the Health Sector

Risk Management in the Health Sector All organizations aim at making profits in the long run. In this regard, efforts are always directed towards the activities that can not only increase income to the organization, but also activities that reduce expenses. However, in doing this the organization comes across various risks that might be detrimental if they are not properly addressed. It is important to note that health organizations are not special as far as risks are concerned.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management in the Health Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are faced with a variety of risks that can negatively impact the organization or its clients. Therefore, health organizations have to choose the risks that they have to take in their endeavors to earn income. More importantly, the organizations need to implement mechanisms that will help in risk avoidance or control. As a result, risk management is an integral part in health care organizations throughout the process of health delivery. Arguably, the change in technology that has led to changes in the way health services are offered has greatly influenced the risks that health organizations face. It is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the costs that organizations will have to incur whenever they are offering health services because of the increasing number of services that are offered as well as the number of people covered. On the same note, there has been increase in health care service providers in recent times. This increase in competition within the health care sector has also increased the effects of risks while reducing income margins (Dyro, 2004). Health organizations have to make the decision of either avoiding risks which means reducing their profit margins or taking some risks and increase their chances of making high profits. The emergence of electronic medical and health records also poses a new challenge to health organ izations. Health organizations have to find a way of securing confidentiality of their patient’s health information while at the same time making it available to other authorized parties. It is important to note that electronic health records are susceptible to cyber criminals. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that patients and employees are safe throughout that process of health services delivery. Unfortunately, health mistakes occur more so due to the improved technology that is currently used in health delivery. Challenges are being witnessed in the efforts of health organization to reduce medical mistakes. Notably, the health sector is becoming even more fragmented as time goes by. This is in itself a problem because getting other services or information from other professionals is a challenge. Nonetheless, sharing of information is vital in enhancing health care quality. On the same note, policies have been implemented which define certain offences of health care o rganizations and define the civil and criminal penalties of each activity (Kavaler, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, not all organizational employees know which activities can be classified as civil or criminal offences. Similarly, health professionals are very scarce and shortage of staff is the order of the day for health organizations yet they are expected to provide services according to the health reforms. Moreover, operational efficiency has to be ensured yet the organizations are increasing in size. The increasing threats of terrorism as well as the probability of medical malpractice have to be taken into consideration. In a nut shell, the high rate risk dynamism is a risk in itself. Some people will ask why risk management is such an important issue in health organizations. To begin with, technology has advanced and many people are b ecoming technologically advanced (Youngberg, 2010). As a result, patient information especially the ones stored electronically can easily find their way to unauthorized hands if care is not taken. Cyber criminals are increasing their activities of hacking into various organizational systems and disrupting important functioning of these organizations. It is therefore crucial to have information systems security upgraded to avert any such attempt. On the same note, financial crisis has hit various health organizations in recent times. While the health care industry was assumed to be shielded from financial crises by the nature of its formation, increase in the health care cover has opened it to any kind of economic downturns. As a result, it has become important to have financial risks also included in the risk management process (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Moreover, increase in legal regulations in the health care sector is an issue of concern. Higher cooperate and ethical standards ar e the basis of evaluation not only for the government but also for the public. This restricts the operations of the health organizations and demands increased dexterity in operations. Similarly, people are becoming aware of the charges of each service and will like to receive services worthy their money. On the other hand, with the increase in number of health care organizations, people have expanded choices. This means that no organization can afford the laxity of billing without necessarily delivering equivalent services. Additionally, any mistake made can lead to legal actions or loss of clients. More importantly, the aim of risk management in health care organizations is to avoid loss of patients while receiving treatment (Hancock, 2008). Besides the legal actions that may result from this eventuality, loss of patients may lead to negative publicity. It should be noted that negative publicity can lead to high rate of patient exit thus financially crippling the organization. Safe ty of patients should be the main aim of any health organization.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management in the Health Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In management of risks, various health organizations utilize different approaches. Nevertheless, all this approaches are designed to cover the whole process of health care delivery. To begin with, adherence to the professional principles and code of ethics is crucial in any business enterprise. However, the same does not come easy. Consequently, policies should be implemented to regulate and define what is expected of everybody at any given point in time (Kavaler, 2012). Instituting a culture of good conduct within the framework f organization culture will highly improve the services offered as well as the care accorded to each activity. This will in the end reduce various risks that would have occurred. On the same note, easy of communicatio n within an organization is vital in ensuring easy flow of information and rapid actions. In this regard, instead of having all the risk management duties handled by only the risk management department, it would be beneficial to have various departments handle certain risks management procedures. This will ensure involvement of the whole organization in risk management procedures increase reporting of any complicated case for timely action. Financial risks are likely to heavily harm any organization if not adequately addressed. It is important to note that even the management of risks itself can amount to a financial risk if not properly planned and budgeted for (Hancock, 2008). Having several risk management strategies within an organization is very important in ensuring that risks are as minimal as possible. However, with many strategies the chances of duplicating roles is very high thus bringing about unnecessary expenses. Therefore, it is advisable that to use only those strateg ies that do not have overlapping objectives in order to reduce spending. On the same note, it is important to note that there are no risks within a health organization that are only important to a specific unit. Each and every risk has the ability of causing harm to the whole organization. Consequently, the whole organization should be involved in the process of risk management. In this regard, a centralized department of risk management is crucial in ensuring that cooperation in risk management policies. It should be noted that inclusion of the employees whenever decision regarding risk management are made will highly encourage them to reduce or prevent any risk to the organization (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Automated reporting system is also instituted in some organizations to ensure that reporting of incidents as well as notification sending is done on time.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, problem solving is enhanced while at the same time transparency and responsibility are upheld. It is important to note that imposing risk management procedures on staff will elicit objection and thus lead to ineffectiveness of the policies. It is worth noting that the traditional way of risk management where organizations aimed at addressing issues whey they occurred instead of endeavoring to control them is retrogressive. It is needless to take actions when the harm has already been done. Therefore, the method of categorizing risks of different departments differently is outdated. Consequently, health organizations need to look at the risks from an enterprise point of view. Enterprise risk management approaches all risk from a single point of views and comes up with strategies to approach them. To improve inclusivity in the process of risk management, staff should be well informed on the risks that face the organization as a whole both internal and external and their d uty in managing them. On the same note, members of staff should be educated to understand the environment in which the organization operates so that they can be aware of the severity of the risks involved. This will ensure that implementation of risk management policies is easier because every employee will be willing to adhere to the regulations (Hancock, 2008). The interrelationship between risks and organizations objectives should be made as clear as possible. Similarly, highly risk events should be highlighted and every employee made aware of them. This will increase awareness among members of staff on how the risks can prevent the organization from achieving it vision. All these should be included in the training that employees get when they join the organization. Moreover, periodical training should be conducted to educate members of staff on the possible risks and any role that they should carry out. This will highly prepare them to deal with any risk in their line of duty as well as enhance their cooperation with administration in risk management. It is important to note that risk management begins from the point of recruitment. While there is scarcity of health staff, not everybody should be recruited into the organization. Management should ensure that employee recruited to fill various vacancies are highly qualified and registered with relevant bodies where necessary. This will ensure that professional mistakes that can easily lead to negative impacts to the organization are minimized (Youngberg, 2010). Making each department part and parcel of the risk management program ensures that risks are identified and communicated in a timely manner. However, it is the responsibility of the management and risk management team to react to the risks. Evaluation of the risks is necessary to ensure that not only the effects but also the magnitude of their impact is established. This enables the management in prioritizing the risks and knowing which strategies to put in place. Continuous assessment of risks is essential to know which risks the organization is facing at each particular time. On the same note, it is important to note that an organization cannot operate without taking some risks. Consequently, risk assessment enables the organization to know the risks that are worthy taking at any stage of operation (Dyro, 2004). In their strategies of addressing the various risks facing the organization, management has four options to choose from. Firstly, the management may choose to avoid the risk. This involves strategies that are meant to ensure the risk does not occur and affect the organization. This is the main option that any organization explores whenever any risk is addressed. Secondly, the organization may choose to take the risk as it is. This option allows the risk to occur and organizations take no steps against the risks. Mostly the option is used when the organization has no way of avoiding the risks in question. However, an o rganization may also choose to take the option when effects of the risks are much lower compared to the benefits involved. Thirdly, an organization may decide to put the risk under control. This involves trying to mitigate the effects that the risks may have to the organization or regulating the probability of the risks occurring (Youngberg, 2010). Lastly, the strategies implemented by an organization may be aimed at transferring the risk to another party. It should be noted that there are other firms which are well prepared to tackle various risks. As a result when it is impossible to avoid a given risk, an organization will transfer the risk to these firms. For example, a health organization can insure some of its activities so that in case of any eventuality the insurance firm can reimburse the money lost. Information technology is very important in risk management because many operations use information systems. Moreover, incorporation of information systems in risk makes work e asier because the information systems have decision support applications (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Risk management is an integral part of any organization operations because risks are present in any economic aspect. In this regard, health organizations cannot avoid risks in their operations. Various activities that health organizations are involved in expose them to various risks. Moreover, the dynamics in the activities that various health institutions have embraced nowadays have brought into the question some new risks that require new strategies. In this regard, health institutions must incorporate the risks management in every department and this will ensure effectiveness in risk management. However, it should be noted that risk management requires some money and this should be included in the budget. Nevertheless, care should be taken to ensure that the costs of risk management do not exceed the benefits of avoiding the risks. References Dyro, J. F. (2004). The Clinical Enginee ring Handbook. Waltham: Academic Press. Hancock, C. (2008). Issues in Healthcare Risk Management. Raleigh: Lulu Press. Kavaler, F. (2012). Risk Management in Healthcare Institutions: Limiting Liability and Enhancing care. Burlington: Jones Bartlett. Kavaler, F. Spiegel, A. D. (2003). Risk Management in Health Care Institutions: A Strategic Approach. Burlington: Jones Bartlett. Youngberg, B. (2010). Principles of Risk Management and Patient safety. Burlington: Jones Bartlett.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Deeveloping a Comprehensive Marketing Plan for Emirates Airlines Term Paper

Deeveloping a Comprehensive Marketing Plan for Emirates Airlines - Term Paper Example A marketing-mix to support the alternative strategy for the airline has been provided. Implementation of marketing plan and its importance during emergency have well been described in the report. Table of Content Emirates Airline 6 Emirates Current Marketing Strategy 6 SWOT Analysis 7 Strength 7 Weakness 8 Opportunity 8 Threat 8 Competitive Environment Assessment 9 Porter’s Five Forces Model 9 1.Threat of segment rivalry 9 2.Threat of new entrant 10 3.Threat of substitutes 10 4.Bargaining power of Suppliers 10 5.Bargaining power of consumers 11 Marketing Issues and Alternative Strategy 11 Rationale for the alternative choice 12 Marketing-mix Strategy to support the alternative 13 a)Product: 14 b)Price: 14 c)Promotion 15 d)Place: 15 Marketing Plan 16 Reference 18 Bibliography 20 Emirates Airline Emirates Airline was founded in the year 1985. It started its first flight from Dubai which is also the Headquarter for the Airline Company. The main objective and goal of the Airline h as been delivering service with world class quality and it has succeeded doing so in its journey of more than 25 years. Emirates Airline has emerged as a global Airline with its presence across 6 continents and above 60 countries and 120 destinations. The Airline has over  170 aircrafts in its fleet. Emirates have carried more than 30 million passengers and over 1 million tons of cargo (as per 2010-11) (Emirates, 2012). Emirates Current Marketing Strategy Emirates Airline current marketing strategy is largely based on its positioning itself as a global player with high quality service. Starting as a small airline company Emirates today has become the global leader and is reckoned as the best airline company in the world. Emirates have become innovative, customer-oriented and a modern airline company which provides world class service. Emirates Airlines strategy is based on leadership attribute that makes it a true global player serving the consumers across different continents. Em irates focus have always been customers and their travel experience have made Emirates the winner. The airline has made the travel more affordable and comfortable. The importance of customers is well understood by Emirates and this very reason the company strives hard to provide them value for their travel experience. Sponsorship has played a pivotal role as part of the company’s marketing strategy to establish itself as a global player. Every time Emirates explores new route it promotes itself through various media. Emirates Airline opts for sponsorship events which draws worldwide attraction. Emirates sponsorship features events in football, rugby, cricket, horse racing, etc. The biggest highlight of Emirates sponsorship deal includes the Arsenal Football Club, FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, etc. SWOT Analysis Strength Emirates Airlines offer booking facilities over internet with numerous choice and other value added services. Emirates have been the first airline to offer such facilities to its customers. Apart from this it also offers facilities like self-check at the airports. Emirates are also amongst the airlines which offer long-haul flights to destinations such as Houston, San Francisco, Dallas and Los Angeles. Emirates Airline is amongst the airlines having youngest fleet of aircrafts. Weakness Emirates Airline is known for its luxury which is the reason for middle class families not being a part of the company. High invest in purchasing new aircrafts has increased the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Therapeutic Nurse Patient Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Therapeutic Nurse Patient Relationship - Essay Example According to Wright (2006), the relationship is mutual, founded on trust, respect and professional intimacy. For a therapeutic patient nurse patient relationship to function effectively, the nurse should use his/her professional powers appropriately. Other people responsible for the patient’s wellbeing such as family members or friends also form an important component of the therapeutic nurse patient relationship. Duration of therapeutic nurse patient relationship varies, depending on the health needs of the patient and it expires once the patient recovers. Moreover, it also depends on the possibility of having to take care of the patient once again in future. However, the relationship between the nurse and the patient’s friends or family is not limited to the duration of care and may continue after the client is no longer under the care of the particular nurse. In therapeutic nurse patient relationship, the nurse is not only responsible for establishing the association with the client but also in maintaining it. According to Barry (1996), maintaining the relationship requires professional application of nursing knowledge, skills and behaviors. In healthcare setting, therapeutic nurse client relationship comprises four main elements, namely trust, power, respect and professional intimacy (DeLaune & Ladner, 2002). ... Power is the other defining element of the patient client relationship and NANB (2011) argues that it is tilted in favor of the nurse. The registered nurse possesses more power and authority than the patient due to the higher position he or she holds in the healthcare system and his/her inherent specialized skills in nursing practice. This places the nurse in a more influential position of determining the nature of relationships with the client and other healthcare providers in a healthcare setting. Moreover, the nurse is in a better position of accessing sensitive information relating to the patient under his or her care (CNO, 2004). The manner in which the nurse utilizes these powers determines the nature of relationship with the clients. Therefore, it is important for the nurse to apply these powers appropriately to promote good working relationship with the patient and attainment of expected health outcomes. This ensures that the relative powerlessness of the patient is not taken advantage of and the client’s healthcare needs are met. Trust is another element of a therapeutic nurse patient relationship and it is shown by the confidence and faith that the client has about the nurse ability to cater for his or her health needs. According to Hubert (1998), the patient expects the nurse to apply his or her professional skills appropriately and exhibit compassionate attitude so that the client can develop trust on the nurse ability to take care of him or her. Therefore, the ability of a nurse to win the trust of the client is very important, considering the relative powerlessness of the patient in the nurse patient relationship. In order for the nurse to gain the trust of the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Summary & Strong Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary & Strong Response - Essay Example Whenever the children practice, they have a fear in their mind whether they get injured or not. She stresses this point by taking the example of a boy who practices curve ball. She stresses this by quoting Koppett that muscle strain or even life lifelong injury may result when a twelve –year –old throws curved ball. She says even though they are not injured, they may have the fear in mind which always disturbs them during the practice. . The third point she mentions is the over stress that the parents and their coaches undergo. They really kill the happiness and innocence of the children. The example of a parent who raged against the other team is a typical example that she gives in the essay. I strongly agree with her arguments. Even though I had not read the essay earlier, I strongly felt the inevitability of keeping the children away from the organized sports events. It is an undeniable fact that these competitions are more overlooked by the parents and the coaches o r even the sponsors of the children than the children themselves. The parent’s agony about the children’s future is easily understandable from the above mentioned incidents. Once I happened to hear a member of a team expressing his relief after knowing that the leading player of the other team was hurt and therefore could not play. I really felt that the children are taught indirectly to keep away from the value system. The age is marked with both physical and mental growth. The emotional stress that they suffer in this period will have a long lasting effect. The unhealthy competitions are in a way harmful to the mental set up of children. Some schools have the grading systems to promote sports among children. Those who play sports will be awarded according to their performance. Sometimes they even give participation points also. This is also a cause of ill feeling in the minds of small children. If they want to compete, let them do it without the interference of exter nals. The interests of the children are to be valued more than the prize or the position. So the rigorous practice according to the selected item can done after the specified age. Winning at any coast becomes the issue of prestige for them. It surely kills the true spirit of sports. The meaning of the word of sports itself is ‘entertainment’. But we can notice that the child who wins the games also fails to express the happiness on face as expected of him. Thus it is clear that the children are under stress. Jessica points out some related incidents her essay. One parent from a team faces up a player of the other team and it led the team to arrange security guards for them Children want to enjoy sports and develop healthy relationship. This is possible in team plays. The entire aim of the sports arranged for children should the enhancement of team spirit and cooperation. Sports are a very good media which can be used to inculcate many social values in the young tender m inds of children. The authorities who set these for them should encourage them in this way. The experiences they get from these games are to be valued more than winning at any cost. I conclude here by strongly supporting the arguments of the writer. Competing theory is to be taken into account only from the part of the children. The interference of parents or adults is obviously misleading and the children cannot enjoy the true spirit in a positive way. The children are with the inbuilt capacity to realize the need of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Seven Steps In The Benchmarking Process Business Essay

Seven Steps In The Benchmarking Process Business Essay Benchmarking  is the process of comparing ones business processes and  performance metrics  to industry bests or  best practices from other industries. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time and cost. In the process of benchmarking, management identifies the best firms in their industry, or in another industry where similar processes exist, and compare the results and processes of those studied (the targets) to ones own results and processes. In this way, they learn how well the targets perform and, more importantly, the business processes that explain why these firms are successful. Benchmarking is used to measure performance using a specific  indicator  (cost per unit of measure, productivity per unit of measure, cycle time of x per unit of measure or defects per unit of measure) resulting in a metric of performance that is then compared to others. Also referred to as best practice benchmarking or process benchmarking, this process is used in management and particularly strategic management, in which organizations evaluate various aspects of their processes in relation to best practice companies processes, usually within a peer group defined for the purposes of comparison. This then allows organizations to develop plans on how to make improvements or adapt specific best practices, usually with the aim of increasing some aspect of performance. Benchmarking may be a one-off event, but is often treated as a continuous process in which organizations continually seek to improve their practices. BASICS OF BENCHMARKING Indian organizations are becoming world class both in terms of size and performance. Therefore, there is a greater need to become superior in performance consistently. Quality is becoming the hallmark for both products and services. Indian and multinational organizations are increasingly becoming quality conscious and try to deliver high quality products and services to customers. Quality delivery which was the property of General Electric, Ford, General motors, Xerox and ATT had become the buzzword in many corporate circles in India as well. From Software major Infosys to Automobile giant Mahindra are adopting best in class technologies, borrows and adopt best ideas, incubate and implement them as part of their corporate strategy. As individuals do swot analysis, companies have to do swot analysis for their competitive advantage and for long term survival. The external competitive pressure on the system had made its absolutely necessary to benchmark with similar organizations or organizations of different breed. However, benchmarking cannot cure all diseases of the company. Why the companies benchmark? Instead of being inward looking companies, large corporations are more outward looking nowadays. Liberalization and globalization had made the industries very competitive. Equally the transfer and adoption of technologies are more easier nowadays. The other advantage of benchmarking is the lowest cost associated with the process. The companies do not invest sizeable investments in research and development and there is no threat of any sunk cost. The process or practice or technology are readily available and easily be plagiarized. A company that decides to undertake a bench-marking initiative should consider the following questions: When? Why? Who? What? and How? WHEN Benchmarking can be used at any time, but is usually performed in response to needs that arise within a company. According to C.J. McNair and Kathleen H.J. Leibfried in their book  Benchmarking: A Tool for Continuous Improvement,  some potential triggers for the benchmarking process include: quality programs cost reduction/budget process operations improvement efforts management change new operations/new ventures rethinking existing strategies competitive assaults/crises WHY This is the most important question in managements decision to begin the benchmarking process. McNair and Leibfried suggest several reasons why companies may embark upon benchmarking: to signal managements willingness to pursue a philosophy that embraces change in a proactive rather than reactive manner; to establish meaningful goals and performance measures that reflect an external/customer focus, foster quantum leap thinking, and focus on high-payoff opportunities; to create early awareness of competitive disadvantage; and to promote teamwork that is based on competitive need and is driven by concrete data analysis, not intuition or gut feeling. WHO Companies may decide to benchmark internally, against competitors, against industry performance, or against the best of the best. Internal benchmarking is the analysis of existing practice within various departments or divisions of the organization, looking for best performance as well as identifying baseline activities and drivers. Competitive benchmarking looks at a companys direct competitors and evaluates how the company is doing in comparison. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the competition is not only important in plotting a successful strategy, but it can also help prioritize areas of improvement as specific customer expectations are identified. Industry benchmarking is more trend-based and has a much broader scope. It can help establish performance baselines. The best-in-class form of benchmarking examines multiple industries in search of new, innovative practices. It not only provides a broad scope, but also it provides the best opportunities over that range. WHAT Benchmarking can focus on roles, processes, or strategic issues. It can be used to establish the function or mission of an organization. It can also be used to examine existing practices while looking at the organization as a whole to identify practices that support major processes or critical objectives. When focusing on specific processes or activities, the depth of the analysis is a key issue. The analysis can take the form of vertical or horizontal benchmarking. Vertical benchmarking is where the focus is placed on specific departments or functions, while horizontal bench-marking is where the focus is placed on a specific process or activity. Concerning strategic issues, the objective is to identify factors that are of greatest importance to competitive advantage, to define measures of excellence that capture these issues, and to isolate companies that appear to be top performers in these areas. HOW Benchmarking uses different sources of information, including published material, trade meetings, and conversations with industry experts, consultants, customers, and marketing representatives. The emergence of Internet technology has facilitated the bench-marking process. The Internet offers access to a number of databases-like Power-MARQ from the nonprofit American Productivity and Quality Center-containing performance indicators for thousands of different companies. The Internet also enables companies to conduct electronic surveys to collect bench-marking data. How a company benchmarks may depend on available resources, deadlines, and the number of alternative sources of information. ADVANTAGES OF BENCHMARKING Lowering Labor Costs One advantage of benchmarking may be lower labor costs. For example, a small manufacturing company may study how a top competitor uses robots for several basic plant functions. These robots may help the competitor save a significant amount of money on labor costs. Company managers may obtain information on these robotics systems through the competitors website or online articles. They may also identify the company that sold the competitor the robots. Subsequently, the company using benchmarking may call the robot manufacturer to help set up its own system. Improving Product Quality Companies may also use benchmarking to improve product quality. Engineers sometimes purchase leading competitors products. They may then take them apart, study them and determine how the competitors products outlast or outperform others in the industry. Chemical engineers may study food or cleaning products in a similar manner. They can then compare various elements contained in competitive products to their own product line. Subsequently, improvements can be made to product quality. Increasing Sales and Profits A company that uses benchmarking to improve its functions, operations, products and services may enjoy increases in sales and profits. Customers are likely to notice these improvements. The benchmarking company may also promote is improvements through company brochures, its sales reps, magazine and television ads. These efforts are likely to increase sales, especially among core customers. Companies that operate more efficiently due to benchmarking can drastically lower their expenses. These savings can be lead to greater profits. Considerations Some organizations use internal benchmarking to improve performance in different departments. Department managers may study and emulate the best practices of one particular department. These changes may spark improvements among all departments. Internal benchmarking has its limitations, however. The companys top department may not be functioning as efficiently as others in the industry. This means the other departments were not truly benchmarking against the best departments out there. PROCESS OF BENCHMARKING When it comes to Competitive Intelligence, there are a few simple tools that can provide for sophisticated comparisons of business functions between organizations that can help firms benchmark the constituent processes of the company with direct or indirect competitors, allowing a company to gain the upper hand in a marketplace. But, what is the process for setting the metrics, methodologies, milestones and comparisons which might be used to measure the success of a CI/benchmarking function, or the success of a Strategic Planning department as a whole? Benchmarking is best used and described as a framework for strategic planning in that, once elements of study are identified, metrics can be applied to the key success factors (KSFs) of the industry or marketplace and these measures or benchmarks are then used to develop future quality and market initiatives for the firm to enhance its overall competitive position. It is generally considered that there are seven steps to this process, as explained below. However, this analysis of intra- and sometimes inter-industry competitors can form the foundation for future competitor analysis when the emphasis is placed upon the goals and financial capabilities of the competitor. Seven Steps in the Benchmarking Process: 1. Determine which functional areas within your operation are to be benchmarked those that will benefit most from the benchmarking process, based upon the cost, importance and potential of changes following the study. 2. Identify the key factors and variables with which to measure those functions usually in the general form of financial resources and product strategy. 3. Select the best-in-class companies for each area to be benchmarked those companies that perform each function at the lowest cost, with the highest degree of customer satisfaction, etc. Best-in-class companies can be your direct competitors (foreign or domestic), or even companies from a different industry (parallel competitors with replacement or substitute products or services; latent competitors which might backwards- or forwards-integrate into your market; or, out-of-industry firms with whom you do not compete, but which have best-in-class areas to be studied such as FedEx or Wal-Mart in logistics). 4. Measure the performance of the best-in-class companies for each benchmark being considered from sources such as the SEC, companies themselves, articles in the press or trade journals, analysts in the market, credit reports, clients and vendors, trade associations, the government or from interviews with other organizations willing to share their prior research or swap it with you. 5. Measure your own performance for each variable and begin comparing the results in an apples-to-apples format to determine the gap between your firm and the best-in-class examples. Always feel free to estimate results, as exact measures are usually disproportionately difficult to obtain and often do not significantly add value to the study. 6. Specify those programs and actions to meet and surpass the competition based on a plan developed to enhance those areas that show potential for compliment. The firm can choose from a few different approaches from simply trying harder, to emulating the best-in-class, changing the rules of the industry or leapfrogging the competition with innovation or technology from outside the industry. 7. Implement these programs by setting specific improvement targets and deadlines, and by developing a monitoring process to review and update the analysis over time. This will also form the basis for monitoring, revision and recalibration of measurements in future benchmarking studies. DIFFERENT MEASURES OF BENCHMARKING One of benchmarkings cardinal questions is that of what to measure. That depends on the nature of the business. The point is that you cannot chase 50 benchmarks at the same time. One macro benchmark is required which then might be broken down into a series of supporting micro measures. Although it is fine to circulate such a measure, the most worthwhile aspect of the benchmarking process can be the opportunity for people in an organisation to see at first hand how other organisations go about their business. It is the process itself which is valuable; the voyage that is more educational than the reaching of the destination. Nevertheless, measurable performance falls into the three broad areas: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ time; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ cost; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ quality. Time measures should incorporate the process from start to finish. For example, from when a customer places an order to the time of receipt of goods and payment, thereby accounting for total lead time, product development time and productive time. Cost measures are the traditional basis of comparison between firms and, because of this, we are often most comfortable with these measures. Two which can be useful in benchmarking are total process cost per unit of output and return on assets. Quality measures should capture the errors, defects and waste attributable to processes. Some measures which should be used in achieving this include process variability, defects, process yields, customer perceived quality, cost of quality and quality improvement efforts. TYPES OF BENCHMARKING There are a number of different types of benchmarking, as summarised below: Type Description Most Appropriate for the Following Purposes Strategic Benchmarking Where businesses need to improve overall performance by examining the long-term strategies and general approaches that have enabled high-performers to succeed. It involves considering high level aspects such as core competencies, developing new products and services and improving capabilities for dealing with changes in the external environment. Changes resulting from this type of benchmarking may be difficult to implement and take a long time to materialise Re-aligning business strategies that have become inappropriate Performance or Competitive Benchmarking Businesses consider their position in relation to performance characteristics of  key products and services. Benchmarking partners are drawn from the same sector. This type of analysis is often undertaken through trade associations or third parties to protect confidentiality. Assessing relative level of performance in key areas or activities in comparison with others in the same sector and finding ways of closing gaps in performance Process Benchmarking Focuses on improving specific  critical processes and operations. Benchmarking partners are sought from best practice organisations that perform similar work or deliver similar services. Process benchmarking invariably involves producing process maps to facilitate comparison and analysis. This type of benchmarking often results in short term benefits. Achieving improvements in key processes to obtain quick benefits Functional Benchmarking Businesses look to benchmark with partners drawn from different business sectors or areas of activity to find ways of improving similar functions or work processes. This sort of benchmarking can lead to innovation and dramatic improvements. Improving activities or services for which counterparts do not exist. Internal Benchmarking Involves benchmarking businesses or operations from within the same organisation (e.g. business units in different countries). The main advantages of internal benchmarking are that access to sensitive data and information is easier; standardised data is often readily available; and, usually less time and resources are needed. There may be fewer barriers to implementation as practices may be relatively easy to transfer across the same organisation. However, real innovation may be lacking and best in class performance is more likely to be found through external benchmarking. Several business units within the same organisation exemplify good practice and management want to spread this expertise quickly, throughout the organisation External Benchmarking Involves analysing outside organisations that are known to be best in class. External benchmarking provides opportunities of learning from those who are at the leading edge. This type of benchmarking can take up significant time and resource to ensure the comparability of data and information, the credibility of the findings and the development of sound recommendations. Where examples of good practices can be found in other organisations and there is a lack of good practices within internal business units International Benchmarking Best practitioners are identified and analysed elsewhere in the world, perhaps because there are too few benchmarking partners within the same country to produce valid results. Globalisation and advances in information technology are increasing opportunities for international projects. However, these can take more time and resources to set up and implement and the results may need careful analysis due to national differences Where the aim is to achieve world class status or simply because there are insufficientnational businesses against which to benchmark. SUCCESSFUL BENCHMARKING There are several keys to successful benchmarking. Management commitment is one that companies frequently name. Since management from top to bottom is responsible for the continued operation and evaluation of the company, it is imperative that management be committed as a team to using and implementing benchmarking strategies. A strong network of personal contacts as well as having an open mind to ideas is other keys. In order to implement benchmarking at all stages, there must be a well-trained team of people in order for the process to work accurately and efficiently. Based on the information gathered by a well-trained team, there must also be an effort toward continuous improvement. Other keys include a benchmarking process that has historical success, sufficient time and staff, and complete understanding of the processes to be benchmarked. In almost any type of program that a company researches or intends to implement, there must be goals and objectives set for that specific program. Benchmarking is no different. Successful companies determine goals and objectives, focus on them, keep them simple, and follow through on them. As in any program, it is always imperative to gather accurate and consistent information. The data should be understood and able to be defined as well as measured. The data must be able to be interpreted in order to make comparisons with other organizations. Lastly, keys to successful benchmarking include a thorough follow-through process and assistance from consultants with experience in designing and establishing such programs.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Business :: essays research papers

Businessman. Before World War I, Truman had lost money in mining and oil investments. In 1919, he and his friend Eddie Jacobson invested their savings in a men's clothing store in Kansas City. They worked hard, keeping the store open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., but the business failed during the severe recession that began in 1921. Truman worked about 15 years to pay the store debts. Political career Discouraged by the failure of the store, Truman decided to seek a career in politics. He received help from "Big Tom" Pendergast, the Democratic Party boss of Kansas City. Pendergast's nephew had known and admired Truman in the Army. Pendergast led one of the strongest political machines in the United States. He decided that Truman could win votes because of his farm background, his war record, and his friendly personality. County judge. Pendergast supported Truman in his campaign for election as county judge of Jackson County. This post in Missouri resembled that of county commissioner in other states. Truman won the election, and served from 1922 to 1924. He lost the 1924 election because of a split in local Democratic forces. Truman attended the Kansas City School of Law during the mid-1920's, but did not obtain a degree. He served as presiding county judge from 1926 to 1934. The Pendergast machine was notoriously dishonest, but Truman won a reputation for honesty and efficiency. He supervised new projects financed by $14 million in tax funds and bond issues. U.S. senator. In 1934, again with Pendergast's support, Truman was elected to the United States Senate. As a member of the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee, Truman directed an investigation of railroad finances. His staff found damaging evidence about many of Truman's friends in Missouri, but he ordered the investigation completed. A major result was the Transportation Act of 1940, which regulated railroad financing. Also during this time, a government study of the Pendergast political machine disclosed vote frauds and shady financial dealings. Pendergast pleaded guilty to income tax evasion, and he and many of his followers were sent to prison. The scandals did not touch Truman, but he refused to disclaim Pendergast. In 1940, Truman won reelection to the Senate. The Truman Committee. In 1940, although the United States was not formally involved in World War II, the nation's defense spending rose to huge sums. Truman realized that the defense effort created many opportunities for waste and corruption.