Wednesday, August 26, 2020

ICT Professional Practice and Ethics for Centered - myassignmenthelp

Question: Examine about theICT Professional Practice and Ethics for Work Centered. Answer: Presentation: WCA or Work Centered Analysis is a technique which is utilized to investigate the different interior work procedures of an organization by the experts. This report is predominantly connected with depicting the WCA approach that the design business has received after and before the event of the computerized interruption occasion. The fundamental objectives of the computerized disturbance has additionally been talked about in this report. The WCA approach helps in diminishing the different kinds of challenges looked by the organization (Peppard and Ward, 2016). This kind of examination is for the most part directed at whatever point the circumstance is unpredictable and confused. A brief perspective on the design business has been given in this report. The report likewise recognizes the different issues alongside giving insights concerning different items, members, innovation, data, business procedures and clients. Contextual investigation: The business case that has been decided for this report is style industry. There exists various sorts of impact over the design business before just as after the event of the advanced interruption occasion. Advanced interruption is something which can be considered as an adjustment and by and large happens at whatever point another model is added to the business. In light of the expansion of the advanced innovation a huge impact has been forced over the different recommendations of the various types of occasions that are existing at the current stage. Alongside the benefits of the computerized disturbance there exists a few kinds of issues which has brought up in the style business. In the realm of modernization practically every single organization of the world is kept up carefully because of the consistent changes that are occurring in the computerized world and the giving of the offices by the advanced interruption makes this computerized disturbance especially significant for eac h organization. Work Centered Analysis: Work Centered Analysis: Before Occurrence of Digital Disruption The WCA of the style business before the event of the computerized disturbance has been depicted in this report. The significant three components of the WCA incorporates the clients, items and procedures. The procedures are additionally characterized into three different components and this incorporates the members of the procedure, data about the procedure and innovations that has been utilized for the procedures. The principal component incorporates the clients and there exists two sorts of clients inner and outside clients (Black and Edwards, 2015). The interior clients basically incorporates the individuals who are identified with the organization and this classification incorporates the providers, individuals engaged with the transportation office, laborers, chiefs and others. What's more, the outside clients principally incorporates the clients who are keen on purchasing different items from the business. The clients are predominantly subject to the stores and furthermore the c onventional workplace of the style business. The subsequent component incorporates the items or the administrations which are created. The item or the administrations by the design business for the most part goes through different procedures and this for the most part incorporates the data about different kinds of items that are shown, bought and conveyed through the different style outlets (Mcintyre, Melewar and Dennis, 2016). The third component incorporate the business procedures and this is primarily done by experiencing the stores determination of the outfits from various kinds of items, taking path in the stores, charging of the requests and in conclusion the clients takes the item home. This procedures are additionally characterized into parts. The principal component of the procedure incorporates the members and the members fundamentally incorporates the clients who go to the store and are keen on purchasing the items (Gregory, 2015). The subsequent component incorporates th e data and data is given by the staffs of the store and enquiries identified with different issues. Thirdly the innovation which for the most part incorporates the conventional PCs. Work Centered Analysis: After Occurrence of Digital Disruption As talked about before the primary component of the WCA is the clients. There is a decrease in the quantity of inward clients and this has been done just or transportation so as to convey the need of the inside clients. From the point of view of outside clients inside clients is an ethicalness. There is no fixed outside clients as the online outlets can be seen by anybody. Also, there is no assurance that the people groups will purchase the items (Knickrehm, Berthon and Daugherty, 2016). The hole that existed between the inside and the outside clients is likewise decreased. The subsequent component is the item or the administrations which is produced. The items or the administrations created by the cutting edge innovation which may incorporate the changing rooms or shops having programmed clerks (Peppard and Ward, 2016). This progressions are because of the computerized disturbance. The third component incorporates the business forms. The entire business is related with working on th e web and individuals need to sign in so as to purchase items or to enquire about the item. The subsequent stage includes the investigating different items and this assists the individuals in understanding which items with buying. The clients at that point need to settle on the decision which item they would purchase or not. Finally the clients charge the requests and afterward the item is dispatched from the distribution center for online requests, this is at first followed by planning of the item by the delivery office and at last sends the item to the client and the client gets the item. The inside clients are related with giving different data by utilization of the online stages (Ardolino, Saccani and Perona, 2015). The new innovations utilized after computerized interruption incorporates the utilization of web, web of things and online life commercials and some more. Impacts on the Fashion Industry: The above examined WCA has helped in increasing an understanding about the different impacts of the computerized disturbance over the style business. There exists both positive just as negative effects of the advanced disturbance. The positive effect incorporates the accompanying: The cooperations with the clients and the business has gotten a lot simpler because of the nearness of the web based life stages and some more. This web based life stages incorporate the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and they are utilized consistently and the outer clients are considerably more reliant on the internet based life stages as opposed to on the data gave by the inner clients. Web based life helps a ton in arriving at countless clients. The inclination of the internet based life discussions is significantly more favored than the telephone based discussions. The ascent of versatile application has likewise influenced the style business (Ahvenniemi et al., 2014). Because of the explanation that individuals are turning out to be significantly more educated that they like to shop whenever from anyplace. This has at first made style industry substantially more beneficial. This includes the visual inquiry and is going in the standard as individuals are fit for sifting their inquiries. The visual pursuit includes the utilization of shading, shape, size and the recurrence to discover comparative sorts of items. This innovation is a lot of supportive in getting the correct item by the client with no wastage of the time required for picking of the item from a rundown of item. This innovation has been quickly acknowledged by the design business as it gives visit look through which contains comparable items. The virtual change rooms and this is the greatest bon of the style business. The virtual changing rooms which may incorporate the virtual changing rooms or 3D body scanners which is progressively being utilized by the style business with presentation of programming devices which looks at the size and makes symbol and sizes which are acclimated to the symbols. There are a few negative effects also and this incorporates the accompanying: The first includes the presentation of the Netflix and this appearance has had a gigantic negative effect on the neighborhood purchasers just as on the business and the Netflix have become a sensation now. Furthermore this presentation has likewise a positive effect on different contenders like the Foxtel and the Channel Nine. Different exceptionally marks like the Spotify, AirBnB, Uber, Whatsapp and Twitch have been constrained in embracing the occasion of computerized disturbance to modify their ventures and furthermore spur the progressions over the entire globe. Second of all it incorporates the straightforwardness of the retailers (Barrett et al., 2015). There exists extraordinary duty about giving the credibility to the clients because of the way that validness is substantially more significant than the correspondence. Thirdly remember the impacts for the little ventures which is significantly more than the impact on greater brands. The little enterprises are not equipped for u tilizing the capability of the computerized interruption because of the way that the yearly income of the little businesses are not adequate in order to bear the cost of the propelled patterns of digitalization. Suggestions The accompanying segment of the report includes the suggestions with respect with the impacts of the advanced interruption in the design business: There is a need of nitty gritty bits of knowledge by the organizations and ought to likewise comprehend the impacts of advanced interruption in the market and ought to likewise comprehend the effect in future choices. This would extraordinarily help the style ventures in knowing their solid territories and frail regions where there is a need of improvement. The investigation of the business is to be finished by considering the present and future viewpoint so as to assess the areas where computerized change can be viably utilized. The acknowledgment of computerized disturbance is to be done from the point of view of intrigue and decision of t

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Physics Pre-AP Projectile Motion Lab Report Essay Example

Material science: Pre-AP Projectile Motion Lab Report Paper Withdraw the switch on the launcher so the marble dispatches into the air. Recollect where the marble grounds, and spot a bit of tin foil around the spot where it landed. Spot the gauges in a line with the goal that the position of the marble can be effectively recorded. Set the marble back into the launcher and drive it into the launcher with the pencil until you can hear a single tick. Dispatch the marble and, utilizing the tin foil, discover the space where the marble landed. Record the distance away the marble arrived from the launcher. Rehash stages 1-8 for 45 degrees and 60 degrees. Information Trial 300 450 600 1. Mm 1. Mm 1. Mm 21. Mm 1. Mm 1. Mm 31. Mm 1. Mm 1. Mm Calculations Original Formula: Rearranged Formula: promise v Calculations for 300 Ova v = 3. Mm/s Calculations for 450 sway 3. Mm/s Calculations for 600 Voce Conclusion After being propelled, the marble moved in an explanatory movement. During this movement, the Vs.. Of the marble stayed steady, while the Ivy of the marble wrinkled until the highest point of the parabola, where it was O. Angling down the parabola, the Ivy expanded. Basing off my insight into material science, the connection between a shot and its edge relies upon how enormous the edge is: the bigger the edge, the shorter the separation between the launcher and the arrival point. The littler, the bigger. In view of this lab, the outcomes were conflicting: the marble landed most remote away from the launcher when calculated at 45 degrees, and handled a similar good ways from the launcher at 30 and 60 degrees. We will compose a custom paper test on Physics: Pre-AP Projectile Motion Lab Report explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom paper test on Physics: Pre-AP Projectile Motion Lab Report explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom paper test on Physics: Pre-AP Projectile Motion Lab Report explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer Two edges are complimentary on the off chance that they, when included, equivalent 90 degrees. The Vow for each point was marginally unique due to gravity: as the edge of the launcher was raised to 45 and 60 degrees, both the marble and the launcher were being influenced by gravity at various edges from previously, consequently causing slight contrasts in the consequences of the lab. Potential wellsprings of mistake may incorporate air erosion and conflicting dispatches because of flaws in the launcher.

Saturday, August 15, 2020

GPAs, Grades and Reality - UGA Undergraduate Admissions

GPAs, Grades and Reality - UGA Undergraduate Admissions GPAs, Grades and Reality Every year about this time, the GPA question arises, starting with a low rumble and ending in April with a chorus of voices all wondering, How does UGA calculate GPAs. Because there are so many school systems using such a wide variety of grading scales, my best answer is always that we start everyone out on a level playing field. To give you an idea of the range of grading scales, here is a small sample; 10 point grading scales, 7 point grading scales, E/S/U grades, narrative grade reports, 6 point GPA scales (to include AP weighting), 4 point GPA scales, plus/minus grades, numerical only grades, etc. As you can see, the GPA on one HS transcript could vary greatly from another GPA. As such, UGA re-calculates all high school GPAs, and it is based upon the individual grades (be it semester, trimester, full year, etc.) in all the academic classes based upon the grading scale at that school. In addition, we add .5 weight to every individual AP or IB grade (unless a weight has already been added to the individual grade), and calculate a GPA based upon a 4.00 scale. Every A is worth 4 points, every B is 3 points, etc. As I said before, our goal is to review everyone on a level playing field. As you can guess, this issue causes some serious discussions for everyone involved. Admissions offices across the country deal with questions about fairness and GPA calculation throughout the year, and many school systems have changed their grading scales in response to perceived problems. But the reality is that where we have seen grading scale changes, we have not seen a measurable change in grades from one scale to the other. In addition, no one can truly determine what grade they might have made in another school (in response to the argument If I was at X school, I would have a 4.00 now), as the only sure way would be to have them actually take classes at that school. My best suggestion for everyone is to get a copy of your transcript and calculate your own academic GPA. Every college calculates GPAs in a slightly different method, but at least you will start out with a common academic GPA. One of the worst things you can do is go into the college admissions process with inaccurate information about your GPA. Overall, the debate over GPAs and differing grading scales reminds me of a scene from the movie This is Spinal Tap, where the main characters are discussing their bands amplifiers; Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten? Nigel Tufnel: Exactly. Marty DiBergi: Does that mean its louder? Is it any louder? Nigel Tufnel: Well, its one louder, isnt it? Its not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. Youre on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, youre on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where? Marty DiBergi: I dont know. Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do? Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven. Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder. Marty DiBergi: Why dont you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder? Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven. Thank goodness I do not have to deal with any GPA scales that go to eleven, or with any member of Spinal Tap!

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Essay on Public Schools Should Teach Morals and Ethics

Public Schools Should Teach Morals and Ethics Jonathon Kozol writes, Public schools in the U.S. do not exist to educate an ethical human being†¦Schools do exist to educate defeated, unprovocative, well-balanced human beings†¦. This statement is certainly true, but should public schools be required to teach students ethics and morality? I would argue that an education devoid of ethics and morals is detrimental to our society. Scholar Joao Coutinho writes in the Harvard Educational Review, Education is either for domestication or for freedom†¦There is no neutral education. The absence of educating morals and ethics in the classroom is actually a method of suppression. By purposely not informing students that they can develop their†¦show more content†¦This benefits the ruling class because a man or woman without morals and ethics is not one to stand up and demand change in the system. The most common way public schooling diffuses any morality in the classroom is by displaying all information as fact, and removing the emotional aspects from each piece of knowledge. This desensitizes the student. It is, indeed, all but impossible to understand that people die in school materials writes Kozol. This desensitization leaves the student without the backbone necessary for a moral and ethical life. If a student leaves his or her twelve to eighteen years in the education system without having seen, heard, or felt the pain and suffering of the homeless, starving and war-torn peoples in the world, this student will not stand up to the government and demand that there be substantial change. Instead, he or she becomes the perfect citizen for our current ruling class: passive and powerless. Another strong method this institution uses to hold the population in check is the power and fear of the word no. We are taught to accept what we are given, and not to challenge what we canno t ourselves provide a better alternative for. This is the idea that we not only should not, but do not possess the moral right to break down any structure, system or machine, until we ourselves in a position to construct aShow MoreRelated Teaching Morals and Ethics in Public Schools Essay903 Words   |  4 PagesTeaching Morals and Ethics in Public Schools The question of whether or not schools should teach ethics and morals is misleading, because ethics and morals are two different things. Websters Dictionary defines ethics as a particular system of principles and rules concerning duty, whether true or false, and morals as motivation based on ideas of right and wrong. As I take it, ethics implies a set of basic rules to abide by, whereas morals strictly set down what to believe, and what not toRead MoreEssay about Ethical Education1272 Words   |  6 Pagesgoal of education is to develop the highest level of mental, moral and physical ability within students. Ethics are just as important as factual knowledge and physical well-being. Sadly, public schools in this country are against ethical expression of any kind. Ethics are a threat to the school system because they may encourage a need for change in the present standard of education, which is decidedly anti-ethical. In U.S. public schools, students are processed through a well-buil t machine designedRead MoreEssay on Teaching Our Children Common Courtesy and Etiquette556 Words   |  3 Pageslearned young†. Schools are children’s second home. These days with both parents working, and grandparents no longer having a major role in the family unit a child rarely gets the opportunity to learn moral and social values from home. Teaching etiquette in school would reinforce what the child should be learning at home. The First impression is the last impression, for this reason using etiquette increases our importance and respect in the eyes of others. Knowing what sort of tone should be used whileRead MoreTeacher Handbook Essays1546 Words   |  7 PagesTeachers Rights and Responsibilities Deciding to be a school teacher does not mean one has to throw away their rights granted by the United States Constitution. Teachers are required to maintain moral and ethical behavior but their rights as citizens are not taken away. Teachers should understand that they are always teachers and role models whether they are in the classroom or not and should always maintain a professional demeanor when in the public eye. Teachers are held to a higher standard in theirRead MoreEssay on Teaching Morals and Ethics in Public Schools1108 Words   |  5 PagesTeaching Morals and Ethics in Public Schools I find myself disagreeing with Kozol and his statement that schools should be an institution where morals can be taught and developed. It is my belief that schools should not be held responsible for instilling morals and ethics into the minds of Americas children. Of course, it is true that schools should instill and reinforce morals that are part of our everyday existence. Those of the Golden Rule, as well as the wrongs of death and destructionRead MoreAfter Reading The Arkansas Code Of Ethics, I Will Now Have1077 Words   |  5 PagesCode of Ethics, I will now have an idea of how to model my teaching career in positive way. Because of my Christian raising, I have a sense of strong morals and values. Throughout my life, I have tried to set high standards of morals for myself. Wanting to be a teacher is just one way that I can become a better person; I want to help raise the next generation of people to be good, productive members of society. Being entrusted with the welfare of chil dren is a great responsibility, which should not beRead MoreThe Teacher As Role Models1659 Words   |  7 Pageswhether or not it is your responsibility to teach moral values and to develop good character traits in students in your classroom. What people do not realize is that teaching is much more than just the information in the textbooks and for that reason, I do believe that it is the educator’s job to teach moral values and to develop good character traits in students. As an educator, you have to be able to teach the whole student, you have to be willing to teach them life lessons, and not just educate theRead MoreWorkplace Ethics1046 Words   |  5 PagesWorkplace Ethics: Unprofessional Conduct BUS 309 Business Ethics Professor: Keith Graves August 23, 2013 Today, there seems to a big misconception of what professionalism means in and out the workplace. Many people go to work just to earn a living and that is fine however, when you hold a position of stature or prestige there are certain elements you must value to the profession as a teacher. â€Å"Professional teacher† refers to the status of a person who is paid to teach. They are supposedRead MoreEthics in Early Childhood Development1175 Words   |  5 PagesEthics in Early Childhood Development Early childhood development meant may be defined as the critical years of education for toddlers. During these years they become increasingly aware of their surrounds and the behavior. Children will adapt to the behaviors which are visual to them. During these years child absorb more information than the average adult over a 4 year span. This is because their sole purpose is to learn and grow. As parents, we have to be very aware of the surrounds and thingsRead MoreReligion and Schools Essay599 Words   |  3 Pageslaws that shape how our country and schools operate, even define how educators are supposed to behave. Freedom of religion, a mandate of the U.S. Constitution, yet, religion has found its way into our laws and classrooms. A clearly defined part of the Alabama Educator Code of Ethics states the following, â€Å"Standard 3: Unlawful Acts: an educator should abide by federal, state, and local laws and statutes.† However, many of the laws that are on the books about mo ral and ethical behavior were created utilizing

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Earth s Survival Of The Human Race - 864 Words

â€Å"Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.†- Walt Whitman. A big question is floating around the world; is space the answer to the survival of the human race? Astronomers approve this theory and say yes space is the answer to humanity s survival. This is because the earth is running out of time due to the greenhouse effects. The greenhouse effect is radiation that is emitted by the sun that destroys our atmosphere. Without the atmosphere, there will be no air, and without any air humans and almost all other species will not survive. There are ways humans can save the human race. Finding a new planet to live on is astronomers number one task because the Earth doesn’t have much time. Astronomers have invented new technology that enables humans to find habitable planets. If humans do not find a new planet to live on, life as humans knows it will end. Thirteen billion years ago a supernova accord and created our solar system. Also, planet earth is four billion years old. The calculated life span of earth’s habitable zone is seven-point seventy-nine billion years. With these calculations, astronomers know that earth doesn t have much time in space terms the earth has roughly about three point twenty-five billion years left until it is unstable for life to flourish. In these years, scientists need to find a habitable planet that can support life and must have a great amount of fresh water. After scientists find that out. They will then need to find out how to get seven point oneShow MoreRelatedThe Disaster Of The World War I975 Words   |  4 Pagesimminent and I realize the time has come to put my creation into action before the human race is annihilated through atomic weapons, bombs of mass destruction and horrors beyond the imagination. Through many years of mind wrenching labor I have put together a blueprint for an impr egnable bomb shelter, one that will hold and protect twelve people for three months, long enough to ensure a sustainable life force on earth. This shelter that I have created, which is the only one throughout the entire worldRead MoreThe Population Of Humans On Earth1468 Words   |  6 Pagesmost of human history, the population of humans on earth has been kept in check by environmental factors. With humans relying completely on the resources near to them, if a population began to grow too large it would be held back by a need for resources such as food and water. Once a civilisation grew large enough to have the food produced outside of larger cities and sold to the people in the cities, Diseases were the main factor holding population in check. However in the early 1800’s, the populationRead MoreEssay about The Effects of Population Increase on the Environment1150 Words   |  5 Pagespopulation will generally lead to adverse effects on the environment. In the anthology, A Forest of Voices, an entry titled ?Is It Too Late by Anthony Weston deals with the history of legislation for the protection of the environment and stories of it?s destruction that are all too real. Seemingly, as the population increases, so should the level of intelligence for a sample population which would necessarily lead to a certain form of protection to the environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It would seem quite apparentRead MoreDo you remember the old advertisement from the 80’s, of Smokey Bear who insisted that only YOU1000 Words   |  4 PagesDo you remember the old advertisement from the 80’s, of Smokey Bear who insisted that only YOU could prevent forest fires? Maybe there was more to this than just the obvious. I mean definitely, make sure you put out your fires when camping, and don’t throw a lit cigarette around dry grass, but what if instead of forest fires, Smokey mentioned global warming, mass extinction, or war and poverty? Can you imagine that maybe that could be an accurate statement? Obviously one person isn’t capable of changingRead MoreMan s Relationship With Nature1438 Words   |  6 Pagescentries. Since the beginning of human civilization, man is in a constant battle against nature. Man tries and tries to cultivate the wild side of nature but fails. We know more about the moon then the bottom of the oc ean. Humans don t depend on the environment, they take advantage and discard the effects, while nature sits and halts waiting to strike back. Throughout the progression of the human timeline, catastrophic events almost wiped out man from the face of the earth. Man’s relationship with NatureRead MoreAre Humans Still Evolving?1556 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract evolution has occurred in humans for millions of years; however, in a modern society many scientists and evolutionists are now debating whether or not it is still occurring, and if it follows the same rules. With all of the new technology humans have created, some experts believe that humans have essentially conquered nature, and no further evolutionary changes will occur. Still, others hold opposing views; some experts believe that evolution is still occurring, but modern societal advancementsRead MorePower Of Myth : Joseph Campbell Calls The Movie Theater1255 Words   |  6 Pagesnature, into history, into the human s pirit and finally into the realm of the infinite (Fricke). It is a visualization of the interconnectedness humans share with the earth. Furthermore, Baraka dives into the didactic elements of archetypes and images that instruct the soul. Although Baraka does not use words, there is a clear message of humans and their world that Campbell says gives â€Å"relevance to something happening in your own life. It gives you perspective on what s happening to you.† The centralRead MoreNasa s Budget Should Be Astronomical1556 Words   |  7 PagesStation. It is an Earth-Orbiting laboratory made possible by multiple space agencies from around the world to research the effects of outer space on microorganisms and much more in zero gravity. The I.S.S is operated by multiple crews from around the world. NASA’s mission and dedication to making new technological advances has changed the way we live our everyday lives. These advances have been in the robotics, engineering, medical and biology fields. However, with NASA s budget of $18.4Read MoreThe Finches From The Galapagos Island1255 Words   |  6 PagesChange is the key factor in a species survival, whether that change, is being minimal or extremely dramatic, and without change a species have condemned itself to extinction. Animals have learned to adapt to their surroundings in order to survive, and with these adaptation people can witness new breeds added to the spectrum and see them flourish. Breeds can be defined as a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberateRead MoreComparison Of Interstellar, By Christopher Nolan, And Station Eleven By Emily Mandel1560 Words   |  7 Pageswe picture a perfect life with no struggles, problems, or pandemics. Both Interstellar, by Christopher Nolan, and Station Eleven by Emily Mandel, depict their characters as struggling not only with survival, but their sense of their own ide ntity and security. Within Station Eleven, the saying, â€Å"survival is insufficient† is a recurring theme of Interstellar as well. While there are some differences in the characters and themes within Interstellar and Station Eleven, the similarities are the connections

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

A Learning Experience Free Essays

Each individual in the general society has their own respective life course and experiences based upon the decisions they choose whenever faced a certain circumstance or an encounter with another human person. Each person react differently on these experiences as part of the individuality complex of the human nature. However, similar on all occasion, each individual can learn an important lesson from each of these encounter or circumstance which is essential to their personal development. We will write a custom essay sample on A Learning Experience or any similar topic only for you Order Now If a person is willing enough and is open towards the nature of the experience, he or she can effective be enlighten from the moral significance of the event. Thus, through the actual experience of each person that he or she learns to develop and improve into a better human person. On regards to this aspect, the author of this paper has also experience a certain circumstance from where he learned a valuable lesson that he still holds until the present. From this experience, the author of this paper has seen the value of time on which it only gives a single opportunity for an individual to succeed in a scenario for a moment. As the proverbs of wise always say, time is precious with worth as of gold. In the fiber of time, every second counts continuously passing by then never coming back thus, it is important to give importance for each moment of it. Given this in an actual circumstance made the author of this paper realize the important value of each moment thus, learning never to waste another second of it. During the period of youth of subject of this experience, he was used to moments of having second opportunity wherein if one chance is wasted then another is given. This is a certain privilege that the author of this paper has always enjoyed through all of his experiences particularly in his educational institution. Teachers and educational facilitators have always given this boy a privilege (or a handicap) due to various personal reasons such as family background, excellent manipulation through words, social influence and others. It is as if the fate of opportunity landed upon the hands of this boy enabling him to manipulate time and chances for his own personal success. However, this has taught him a negative lesson on which he become used to this privilege. Indeed, the errors of his ways has struck back unexpectedly leading to a disastrous ending. A critical examination important for his overall educational performance has come and as always, this boy never paid much attention to it regardless of the time constraint it has for the preparation period. He regarded this task at its specific period to be insignificant because of his expectation for special exemption. However, beyond his knowledge, the administrator for the examination came from another institution on which he has not control over thus, negating his privileges. He was forced to have the tasks at its given period with any preparation at all. This disastrous encounter has reflected its influence upon the result affecting the course of his educational potential forcing him to step a level down. From this encounter he has learned that time indeed does not honor special privileges, social influence and others. It views the public as equal under its power and control giving each individual a specific opportunity for each moment. However, the wheel of time has given the boy another opportunity in the form of a lesson, which was deeply engraved in his mind. From that moment, he has realized his mistake and give time the value it deserve through never wasting another moment of it. He focused his interest to what it important particularly his education and was able to succeed in his own course of life. From his experience, he has learned a valuable lesson, which he strongly holds in his track towards the future. Because of this change, he was able to succeed and share this lesson through the narration of this story to move others to give value to their own time and opportunity. How to cite A Learning Experience, Essays

Monday, May 4, 2020

Competitive Strategy in Global Market Computer Hardware Companies

Question: Discuss about the Competitive Strategy AAA Global Market. Answer: Introduction The AAA global market strategy was given by Ghemawat which offers three generic approaches to global value creation. The Adaptation strategy strives for the increase in the sale volume and market share by modifying one or more components of the organizations model to meet the requirement of residents. Aggregation strategy includes achieving optimum economy in the market and improving its efficiency regionally as well as globally. Arbitrage involves exploiting the difference of different markets, like purchasing low from one market and selling high in other to earn good return (Ghemawat, and Jones, 2016). Companies: computer hardware Asus Acer ICT (information communication technology) Microsoft IBM Implementation of Adaptation strategy in computer hardware companies The computer hardware industry is engaged I manufacturing computers and its parts. The industry includes products like web camera, storage devices, CPU etc. This industry operates globally and it also influences other sectors and products of the market. The adaptation strategy is further subdivided into five parts that is variation, focus, externalization, design and innovation. Asus Pvt. Ltd. is a technology oriented company expanded globally which is renowned for high quality products and cutting-edge innovation. The corporate has a vision to provide 3C (computer, communication, consumer electronics) with innovation in a simplified manner. As a part of variation the company not only needs to focus on changing the products as per local requirement but also the company need to change the policies, methods as well for the better working of the company. So the Asus ltd.s mission is to create passion for technology in people but also implement on long term relationship with the customer and the focus of the company rely on quality production only (Asus, 2017). They give utmost priority to introducing new products and setting new standards in the market. Supporting to the statement the company also focuses on quality management practice for the internal process of the company (Asus, 2017). They focus on local market as well by making cost efficient products. As the company is among top 4 largest PC vendors of world (as per business weeks InfoTech 100), it provides the best motherboards in the world with finest designs (Ghemawat, 2013). Acer Pvt. Ltd. Is a Taiwanese multinational hardware corporation which has gained specialization in electronic technology. The company has also achieved a place in top 6 largest computer vendors in the world (Gartner, 2017). The company also aimed to make its products cost effective by deleting marketers and distributors from the supply chain. In order to increase its market capitalization, the company acquired Wi-Fi pet camera maker Pawbo. In order to spread the product worldwide, Acer hired labor force as per the market strategy. It also reduced the intervention of different distribution channel for becoming a cost efficient company. The company also focused on the local market by including traditional retail seller in their supply chain. The company has gained respect in Australian market by becoming leading PC vendor in government and education market (Reference for business, 2017). Implementation of adaptation in information communication technology industry ICT stands for the process of communication through different innovative methods such as telecom, IT services etc. Microsoft is one of the top most American multinational company which is best known for its software. The working of Microsoft has been very efficient one as it is approachable by all categories of people (Ghemawat, n.d.). The company always makes commendable innovation which is cheered by all such as Xbox, psps etc. this software is an open source as it appears in-built in computers. The focus of Microsoft is to become world largest vendor in ICT industry. With respect to innovation the company also focuses on its sale that the innovation which they are providing shall be gained by all (Microsoft, 2017). IBM (International Business Machine) corporation is also an American multinational technology company. The company has a strong grip on the software, hardware and middleware products. As per adaptive strategy the company mainly focuses on the innovation process through which sale process automatically increases. The company has shifted its business mix by commoditizing the market and focusing on higher value and more profitable sale in the market. The company creates monopoly in the market by providing best customer satisfaction response, in fact the company also keeps its employees satisfied therefore the IBM employees are awarded with five Nobel Prizes, six Turing Awards, ten National Medals of Technology and five National Medals of Science. Implementation of aggregation in computer hardware companies Aggregation refers to the process of dealing with the change in the environment and creating economies of scale. Its objective is to make full use of the geographical differences of places and attain benefit from it. Due to this difference in climatic condition it makes the product distinctive from others present in the market (Ghemawat, 2011). In Asus Pvt. Ltd., the company was originated in Taiwan due to which the company has a major grip in that market. With geographical aspect there are many other avenues such as CAGE (cultural, administrative, geographical, economic) that is these factors also influence the market of Asus. Like Asus has EU license to work in European market. As the company has many retail distributors also due to which the company is most loved in local market. It has broad base which provides employment to many people from Europe for innovation which raised the share of company in European market. In respect to CSR of the company, the company tries to initiate green revolutions for the betterment of the community. Acer Pvt. Ltd. also originally belongs to Taiwan due to which this company also has an impact on the economy of the place. The sale of Acer is widely spread in the country. The demand of the country is for hi tech products due to which the company offers quality products and has gained a reputed position in the market. The company has its logo which is regarded as Acer green which promote environmental benefits to the country. The company has its widespread networking due to which it has a wide administrative circle. The company also provides sponsorship in order to become economically viable. Implementation of Aggregation in ICT industry Microsoft Inc. is originated by bill gates in Washington due to which the holds a huge amount of market of Washington. The company is also known for its nice behavior among the employees themselves and also towards the society. The company has created a good image in the market by complying with all the provisions related to the product and by saving themselves from being penalized. As US is an innovative country due to which the raw material being sold in that country are cheap and easily available. This reason makes the product economic in that particular area. This software is also an aid to the government as it helps government in accessing resourceful information about several corporations and also it facilitates sharing such information with general public as well. IBMs headquarter is globally verified and spread across a large area which makes creates a reputation in the mind of employees and consumer as well. As the company provides quality product therefore this helps in the increment of sale. The company led an initiative called smarter plant with offered economic growth, sustainable development, societal progress and near-term efficiency of the country. The companys brand was ranked best brand worldwide also the company maintains a good employer-employee relationship which creates a good reputation in the market (Armonk, 2017). The company provides several leadership and management program for the qualitative efficiency of the employees. It is said that IBM stands for Im being mentored due to the due to the company's open door policy and encouragement for mentoring at all levels Implementation of Arbitrage in computer hardware companies Arbitrage, the third generic approach of the AAA strategy refers to the process of exploiting the differences present in the environment rather than adapting the changes (Jha, Dhanaraj, and Krishnan, 2014). Conditions of different places affect this approach like, a product not available at a place shall be imported from nearby which shall increase the margin of the sale and outsourcing and off shoring also work as a key factor in this approach. Instead of resolving the difference, a company exploits this subject in order to gain profit (Mauri, and de Figueiredo, 2012). In Asus Pvt. Ltd., as the company is originated in Taiwan whose neighboring countries are China and Japan which are hi- tech countries. Therefore Asus easily get the opportunity to receive such hi tech technology from these countries and provide its services to other part of the world technology are not sufficient (Hiner, 2011). So in this way Asus exploits the differences instead of reducing them. Legal and political differences also affect the sale of the product. As this company is not bound to pay some taxes in US as it is not their home country due to which the company gets some revenue saved (Asus, 2017). With reference to Acer Pvt. Ltd., the company also has geographical benefits as the companys working is spread all round the world but it is widely used in Taiwan and nearby places because in those areas innovation and technology is required more as compared to others. The most common economic arbitrage that is differences in the labor cost. The can easily exploit such effect by outsourcing ad offshoring as this technique is widely used in the field of technology (Mathew, 2017). Implementation of arbitrage in ICT industry Microsoft receives a good use of the environment present in US due to which the company is able to get qualified labor at a reasonable cost. Adding to which the sale margin of the company also increases as the company has a corporate cultural environment. Microsoft Company is well renowned as the company hires a large amount of expatriate which increases globalization and it also provide better employment opportunities round the globe (Microsoft, 2017). IBM has got a quality labor as its employees are from companies like Apple Inc., Microsoft etc. as Warren Buffett has also invested in companys share due which it created an image in the mind of people regarding the companys solidarity which helps in increasing the sale of the company. As the company has a large employee base which helps in making a big family which influences them to purchase products of the same company. As IBM believes in innovation, so as the geographical conditions represents the company the company receive such manpower from US (The Guardian, 2010). Overall synopsis Elements of discussion Computer hardware companies (ASUS and ACER) ICT industry (MICROSOFT and IBM) Adaptation Asus ltd has an aim to provide innovation to every person in a simplified manner so that it is approachable and delivered by everyone to everyone. Acer aims to make its product cost effective so that every section of society can make use of such technology. Microsoft focuses on increasing the efficiency of its human resource and provides innovation for entertainment as well as formal use. IBM aims to get market capitalization by making innovation wherever possible. Aggregation Asus as well as Acer aims to exploit the county factors present in the environment in order to increase its sale margin. Microsoft aims to makes its products approachable by all and also focuses of sharing the resourceful information with and making use of the same. IBM focuses on creating smart earth by providing economic and sustainable development. Arbitration Both the companies attempts to make full use of the cultural, administrative etc. factors present in the environment. Both the companies aim to manipulate the target market positively for the growth process. (Source: by author) Conclusion The above discussion carefully examines the AAA strategy of business in context with the computer hardware and ICT industry. Microsoft and IBM both aspire to create innovation and facilitate change for people. And in computer Hardware Company Asus focus on innovating the products and making it to reach of everyone were as Acer focuses on reducing the cost of product and making it cost I cost efficient so that it is purchased by all sectors of the economy. References Hiner, J, 2011, CES: Has ASUS discovered the strategy to take down the iPad?, viwed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.zdnet.com/article/ces-has-asus-discovered-the-strategy-to-take-down-the-ipad/ Reference for business, 2017, Acer Inc. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Acer Inc., viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/28/Acer-Inc.html Asus, 2017, Corporate Profile, ASUS press release. Microsoft, 2017, MICROSOFT PHILANTHROPIES: Technology as a force for inclusion, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/philanthropies/ Armonk, 2017, International Business Machines Corp, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://companies.bizjournals.com/profile/ibm/102139/ Ghemawat, P., 2013. Redefining global strategy: Crossing borders in a world where differences still matter. Harvard Business Press. Ghemawat, P., 2011. The cosmopolitan corporation. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), pp.92-99. Mauri, A.J. and de Figueiredo, J.N., 2012. Strategic patterns of internationalization and performance variability: effects of US-based MNC cross-border dispersion, integration, and outsourcing. Journal of International Management, 18(1), pp.38-51. Ghemawat, P., (n.d.) Globalization. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management. Ghemawat, P. and Jones, G.G., 2016. Globalization in Historical Perspective. The Laws of Globalization and Business Applications, p.56. Jha, S., Dhanaraj, C. and Krishnan, R., 2014, January. MNE RD in Emerging Markets: Arbitrage, Adaptation Aggregation in Global Innovation Networks. In Academy of Management Proceedings Academy of Management, Vol. 2014, No. 1, p. 17650. Microsoft, 2017, Why Microsoft, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.whymicrosoft.com/ Asus, 2017, The ASUS the winning formula, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.asus.com/in/About_ASUS/Winning_formula/ The Guardian, 2010, Company profile of IBM, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/profile-ibm Mathew, A, 2017, Acer Inc. Success Story, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://successstory.com/companies/acer-inc Asus, 2017, The meaning of ASUS, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.asus.com/sg/About_ASUS/The_Meaning_of_ASUS Gartner, 2017, Predicts 2017, viewed on 17 May 2017, from https://www.gartner.com/doc/3519744?ref=SiteSearchsthkw=6%20largest%20computer%20vendorfnl=searchsrcId=1-3478922254

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Influences on the Philippines free essay sample

Although some may have had a longer lasting impact on the Philippines each one helped create the Philippines to what it is today. India has influenced the Philippines in all aspects of life, from writing, music, and language to even religion. Because of the high trade between India and the Philippines India was able to have a huge impact on the Philippines. Some religion that can be seen from Indian influence is Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. This can be seen in the most southern island, Mindanao. Some Tagalog words are even Indian influenced, such as mukha (face), putong (turban), and guro (teacher). Just like India the Chinese have also left a mark in the language but that is not what they are most known for. The Chinese has left many different types of food in the Philippines that are now in the every day lives of Filipinos. Some famous Filipino dishes that are Chinese influenced are pancit, lumpia, and lechon. We will write a custom essay sample on Influences on the Philippines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some chinese influenced words are susi (key), pinto (door), and kuya (older brother). Some very important influences from the Chinese that as help revolutionize the Philippines is the use of metal and gunpowder. It would then help give Philippines the power to defend itself later on. Probably the most influential group of people would be the Spaniards, which was during the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards. Even the name of the Philippines was given by the Spaniards, which was named after the king of Spain Philip II. Going along with naming, a lot of surnames of Filipinos are Spanish influenced as well. Religion probably had the biggest impact on the Philippines because the majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Filipinos follow Hispanic traditions when it comes to religion and some festivals are also Spanish influenced. Just like the Chinese and the Indians the Spanish also had an impact on the language of the Philippines. The language of the Philippines is a melting pot in itself because of the different words derived from other languages. Last but not least the Americans also left a mark on the Philippines during the wars. The Jeepney is a popular form of transportation and can be seen all over the Philippines. After World War II there were many military standard jeeps that were left behind in the Philippines. As innovative as Filipinos are they used the jeeps to their advantage and thus created the Jeepney. English is probably the second most spoken language in the Philippines. An English speaker would not have any problem trying to make their way through the Philippines. The Philippines continues to grow in itself with the everlasting influences of the many countries that came to the Philippines.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Tracking a Quotation

Tracking a Quotation Tracking a Quotation Tracking a Quotation By Maeve Maddox When a reader asked about the use of brackets in a recent email, I started to refer him to my post When and How to Use Brackets and leave it at that. Curiosity overcame me, however, and I tried to track down the complete original. Heres the quotation that prompted the readers question: [Well] probably never quite know who was the greatest of all time in tennis, Federer told reporters. ABC News (Australia) Heres the readers question: Is it the case that the journalist is inputting the word Well in order to make the quote from Federer more understandable as he left the word out in his verbal quote or rather that the word well is referring to an unknown group of people and the reader is to assume who the people are? What appears to be the original quotation appears at Yahoo Sports. The story is credited to AP tennis writer Howard Fendrich: Ask Federer to rank who the best players in history are and he won’t take the bait, saying something like what he said in Australia this week: â€Å"Probably never quite know who was the greatest of all-time in tennis, and I think that’s quite intriguing as well.† Writer Fendrich avoids the problem of correcting the conversational original by placing it after a colon. The reader can assume that all the words within the quotation marks are exactly what Federer said. In the ABC story, a writer or an editor preferred to use the he said construction so the bracketed [Well] was inserted. Thats ok. The brackets announce that the contraction did not appear in Federers original comment. However, if one reader found this Well confusing, chances are that others did too. A third site using the Federer quotation uses the Well and drops the brackets: Well probably never quite know who was the greatest of all time in tennis, and I think thats quite intriguing as well, he said. TVNZ Different genres have different requirements. The writer of narrative non-fiction has the leeway to improve quotations. The writer of straight news has an obligation to quote exactly. The transformation of the Federer quotation is interesting, not because it resulted in any major misrepresentation of what he said, but because it shows how quotations can mutate in the media. Direct quotations enliven writing, but sometimes an indirect quotation that embeds a few words of the original may be a more accurate, less confusing way to go. For example: Federer declined to rank the greatest all-time tennis players. He said that because of generational differences, we can never quite know who was the greatest. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"What is Dative Case?Uses of the Past Participle

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Assignment 006 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

006 - Assignment Example In addition, famers toil hard from the soil to earn a genuine return (Madison, p.2) 3. Jefferson says tobacco farming produces â€Å"infinite wretchedness.† Why? Jefferson said this because tobacco farming requires very fertile land, high temperatures and high cost of in-puts which most famers may not afford. In addition, tobacco prices in the market are extremely low as compared to its cost of production and hence, leaving the famers at condition of â€Å"infinite wretchedness† (Madison, p.3). 4. How does wheat cultivation create â€Å"happiness†? Wheat farming does not require higher cost of input as compared to tobacco. In additions, it does not require very fertile soil and high temperatures as tobacco. Additionally, it provides famers with higher returns and abundance of food supply (Madison, pp.4-5). 5. What, for Madison, is the relationship between agriculture and civilization? According to Madison there is a strong correlation between agriculture and civi lization. For example, in civilized nations like Japan and China, agriculture tends to prevail better inured to promote civilized life unlike in uncivilized nations. Whereby, in a civilized society the supply of food tends to increase spontaneously beyond the natural limits (Madison, pp.4-5). 6. ... 7. What benefits to â€Å"savage† people seem to enjoy as a result of their â€Å"savage† life? Savage people tend to discover better things in life after going through savage life. In addition, they are able to learn better ways of doing things as well as ways of overcoming challenges in their lives (Madison, pp.4-7). 8. Once a society becomes agricultural, what force or forces make it continue that way? Some of the forces include; an increase in population as the number of mouths for feeding increases, decrease in supply of nature, acquisition of property among the members of population among other forces. 9. What, for Madison, limits the growth of plant and animal populations? Are humans different? According to Madison, lack of land productivity may limits plants and animal growth. In addition, humans are not different because they are part of that population. 10. In Madison’s estimate, how much greater could human population become if every spot on earth were cultivated? There will be approximate more than a hundred individuals in each and every spot and this could bring great epidemic. 11. What mistakes do American farmers make in managing their soil? Among the mistakes make in managing soil include: -Poor cultivation of the land. - Poor mode of ploughing of the land has made the fertile soil to be carried away by rains. -Failure to apply manure - Poor irrigation methods -utilization of oxen instead of horses -keeping of too many cattle tend to destroy the soil - cutting down of trees for timber and wood especially in rural areas. 12. Why do American farmers manage their soils so poorly? This is because; most famers may not afford the best methods, tools and

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Build A Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Build A Team - Essay Example From the West Coast Transit team member profiles, the following members have been selected to be part of the A team that will undertake the above mentioned project: Natalie, Elizabeth, Katelyn, Bob, Susan and William. In brief, these six members have good qualities that can positively yield in great team performance. Essentially, collaboration and coordination are basic tenets of teamwork in an organization (Schultz, 2007). In brief, Natalie is positive and has great communication skills; Elizabeth enjoys the collaborative aspect of the job and has a positive attitude; Katelyn’s mindset suits teamwork; Bob’s attitude is positive and he is a team player; Susan’s attitude is positive and she is an excellent team player and William is also positive and believes that he is a team player. When combined, the qualities of the selected six members are likely to contribute towards the formation of a strong and formidable team that can collaboratively work together to prod uce positive results for the organization. The other people have not been selected to become part of the A team as a result of their negative attitude. For instance, Ian is arrogant and he does not want to back down from his ideas. Doug is a bit of a temper and he is easily frustrated and is viewed as abrasive by his workmates. On the other hand, Michael is overconfident and at time battles with depression though he collaborates with others when the need arises. It can be observed that the qualities of the members left out of the A team are not consistent with the spirit and letter of teamwork. The attitudes of these members can impact negatively on the overall performance of the team since they can lead to conflicts. As indicated above, the A team is formed for a specific purpose. Given the diverse factors that may influence the behavior of your team members, the job characteristic model and goal setting will be

Monday, January 27, 2020

Human African Trypanosomiasis Treatment

Human African Trypanosomiasis Treatment THE synthesis of novel hydrazone compounds to determine the potential anti-parasitic properties and efficacy in the treatment of Human African Trypanosomiasis. ABSTRACT Human African Trypanosomiasis is caused by two sub-species of trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodeisense. The protozoan parasite has complex mechanisms to evade immune destruction and hence survives in the host, leading to eventual death without treatment. Treatment such as Suramin and Melarsoprol are limited and have high toxicity, often leading to further complications. Alternative therapies are drastically needed to combat trypanosomal infection, with novel hydrazone compounds currently in development promoting trypanocidal activity. The aims and objectives of this research project include the synthesis of novel hydrazone compounds, with aims of high efficacy and low toxicity, namely against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. This was achieved through a series of reactions, with proton NMR spectra used to confirm the structures of novel hydrazone compounds, and biological screening analysis used to assess the trypanocidal activity in vitro. IC50 valu es were obtained for all hydrazones synthesized, the best results coming from HD1, 9.29 ÂÂ µM, and HD6, 16.18 ÂÂ µM. Overall, the presence of chlorine in the compound typically lowered trypanocidal activity when compared to HD1, which lacked chlorine atoms. Despite other compounds in literature having much lower IC50 values, the results remain promising, demonstrating trypanocidal activity against T. brucei brucei, the infective form of trypanosome that affects animals. Trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei suggests potential activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, signifying the IC50 values obtained from novel hydrazones. Furthermore, the biological properties of hydrazone structures demonstrate the potential to develop additional analogues and derivatives, which could contribute to combatting Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection. Likewise, alternative therapies that can cross the blood-brain-barrier are another interest regarding research i n the field. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense proceeds rapidly once an individual has been exposed to the parasite, with severe side effects and high mortality rates. This reinforces the need for better and more effective treatment and management of the disease. Key words: Trypanosomiasis, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, hydrazone, Suramin, Melarsoprol, proton NMR, IC50 values 1.1. Background of Human African Trypanosomiasis Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), or African sleeping sickness, is a disease affecting a large proportion of Africa, with a suspected 60 million people at risk (Kennedy, 2013).It is caused by two subspecies of trypanosome, a unicellular and flagellated protozoan parasite, with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (T.b.r) causing East- African sleeping sickness, and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (T.b.g) causing West-African sleeping sickness. West African sleeping sickness is much more prevalent in terms of the whole continent, with 6228 cases reported in 2013. Incidence has decreased massively since 2000, with 25,865 reported cases, although this figure is suspected to be higher due to unreported disease incidence. It is the causative sub-species in 98% of cases. The other 2% of cases are classified as East-African sleeping sickness, with 86 cases reported in 2013, approximately 88% lower than in 2000 (709 cases reported) (Franco et al., 2014). Despite the low incidence of T.b.r infectio n, symptoms are severe and death occurs in almost all patients without treatment. Treatment for suchinfections are limited and have high toxicity, signifying the need for development. Transmission of the protozoan parasite is via the vector, the tsetse fly. Infections with T.b.r proceed rapidly, with entry of infectious metacyclic trypomastigotes into the human bloodstream, lymphatic system and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) following the initial bite, where proliferation occurs. The tsetse fly ingests a blood meal from an infected animal, with cattle and ungulates acting as reservoirs (Palmer Wells, 2012), and hence ingests trypomastigotes. Various cell divisions and binary fission occur in the mid-gut of the fly to form procyclic trypomastigotes, and conformational changes occur to allow the trypomastigotes to bind to the salivary epithelia. Once attached, the parasite can once again replicate via asymmetric division (Pepin, 2014) to form metacyclic trypanosomes. It is in this way that a person becomes infected with T.b.r (Langousis Hill, 2014). 1.2. Immunology The causative parasite manifests in hosts due to the evasion of the immune system through antigenic variation, delaying the immune response and therefore allowing the parasite to complete its complex lifecycle (Stijlemans et al., 2016). The parasite expresses variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) on its cell membrane via a glycophosphatidylinositol anchor to serve as a protective barrier. While the immune response induces antibody development against the VSG being expressed, the parasite can switch VSG due to the large amount of VSG genes the genome possesses. This causes new antibodies to form against the newly expressed VSG, and the parasite continues to change VSGs to avoid destruction. Furthermore, the parasites alter their energy metabolism and internal structure, presenting further issues for the immune system (Stijlemans et al., 2016). T.b.r. is resistant to human trypanosome lytic factors (TLFs) containing apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1), and this is due to the existence of the seru m resistance protein (SRP) coded for by the SRA gene. This binds to TLF-1 and therefore prevents ApoL1-mediated lysis of the infected parasitic cells (Kennedy, 2013; Bart et al., 2015). Kato et al. noted the upregulation of certain cytokines following T.b.r infection, namely IFN-ÃŽÂ ³, IL-10, IL-6 and TGF-ÃŽÂ ² (Kato et al. 2015). Furthermore, these cytokines may play a key role in the inflammatory immune response. IL-6 and IL-10 were upregulated upon CSF examination of late stage patients, and those with CSF trypanosomes had higher levels of WBCs, positively correlating with IL-6 CSF levels. Despite this, no significant changes in levels of cytokines at different stages in HAT were noted. Both subspecies of trypanosome cause non-specific inflammatory responses, resulting in non-specific symptoms. This demonstrates the difficulty in diagnosis and staging of T.b.r infection, and therefore poses a hindrance in regards to timely treatment (Lamour et al. 2015). 1.3. Symptoms Symptoms, typically manifesting 1-3 weeks after bite, include myalgia, hyperplasia of the lymph nodes and spleen, and weight loss in the haemolymphatic stage, and there is clear central nervous system (CNS) involvement in later stages (Pepin, 2014; Kennedy, 2013). It is in this meningoencephalitic stage where patients often exhibit behavioural and motor disturbances including tremors, speech complications, anxiety, confusion, personality changes and others. Further complications may manifest, including ocular difficulties, acute renal failure, multi-organ failure and chronic lymphocytic meningoencephalitis. Death is highly likely to occur in those who do not receive treatment. Trypanosoma brucei produces an aromatic compound called tryptophol, and this induces sleep in humans. Other complications with sleep include irregular patterns of sleep or interrupted sleep, insomnia during the night and sleepiness during the daytime. 1.4. Current problem Current pharmaceutical treatment including intravenous Suramin or Melarsoprol is ineffective and potentially toxic, with patients suffering with neurological dysfunction and post- treatment reactive encephalopathy. Co-administration with eflornithine and nifurtimox has been used to treat T.b.r infection also, but remains somewhat ineffective. Suramin is provided intravenously as the first line treatment for the haemolymphatic stage of T.b.r infection, however this treatment can lead to side effects such as renal failure, peripheral neuropathy and anaphylactic shock, amongst others. It acts by binding to enzymes in the glycosome and disrupts glycolysis within the trypanosome (Babokhov et al., 2013). Should the parasite cross the blood-brain barrier in the later stages of the disease, the treatment options are toxic and limited to the arsenic compound, Melarsoprol, which acts by disrupting trypanosomal redox mechanisms. Treatment with this can lead to further complications such as post-treatment reactive encephalopathy seen in 10% of patients (Palmer Wells, 2012), subsequently causing comas, seizures and cerebral oedema for example. Co-administration of eflornithine with nifurtimox, a hydrazone of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde, has been shown to demonstrate trypanocidal activity, and is routinely used to treat T.b.g. It has shown trypanocidal activity against T.b.b in mice, however has been relatively ineffective against T.b.r. Furthermore, although eflourthrine abides Lipinskis rule of five in theory, in practice it is a highly hydrophobic compound, and is therefore unlikely to cross inner membranes once administered (Gilbert, 2014). It is therefore administered intravenously. Due to there being no self-cure for T.b.r, treatment is required for a recovery to be made. Furthermore, many of the drugs developed are only applicable to bloodstream trypomastigotes, rather than those that have crossed the blood-brain barrier (Palmer Wells, 2012). Factors such as this demonstrate the problematic nature of the disease, as well as the need for alternative therapies to combat the infection. 1.5. Current research Currently, novel treatments are in development with the hope that toxicity is reduced and efficacy is increased against trypanosomal parasites, namely T.b.r and T.b.b. To determine whether a proposed therapeutic compound is likely to be membrane permeable and therefore orally bioavailable, the Lipinskis rule of 5 is applied. To be within the limits of the rule means that the compound is orally bioavailable and easily absorbed by the body (Leeson, P. 2012). The rules state that the molecular weight of the compound must be less than 500 Daltons, the lipophilicity value is less than 5, represented as a LogP value, the number of hydrogen bond acceptors must be less than 10, and the number of hydrogen donators must be less than 5. Hydrogen bond acceptors include highly electronegative atoms not bound to a hydrogen atom and with free electrons on its outer shell, including oxygen and nitrogen. In newer literature, fluorine may be considered and counted as a hydrogen acceptor. This contrasts with a hydrogen bond donor, any atom that donates a hydrogen atom that it is bound to break or form a bond. All novel compounds are assessed under these rules to dete rmine properties involved in pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion). Oral administration is non-invasive, more bioavailable and simpler for patient use, all of which is desirable for a new treatment for T.b.r infection. Furthermore, a compound designed may still be orally bioavailable if a single rule is not adhered to. Benzoxaborole compounds have recently been suggested as a new, novel treatment for Trypanosoma brucei (T.b.r and T.b.g) in vitro, namely SCYX-7158 oxaborole(Jacobs et al., 2011). The orally-active treatment is suggested to have high efficacy for both acute and chronic stages of the disease due to the treatment being permeable to the CNS, and properties such as distribution, metabolism, elimination, absorption and toxicology are apparent in vitro. A viability assay combined different whole cell T. brucei spp.and the novel compound to gain positive results of anti-parasitic activity. This treatment demonstrated concentration-dependency, and most trypanocidal activity came from the first 8 hours of a 24-hour exposure. Furthermore, the irreversibility of trypanocidal activity was noted during a short exposure. In vivo, SCYX-7158 was examined against an infection with T.b.b to monitor passage across the blood-brain barrier, with mice models providing an 80% cure rate over a 7 day-treatmen t. Benzoxaboroles, like hydrazones, have demonstrated anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti- bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic properties with a low intrinsic toxicity similar to table salt when decomposed (Liu et al., 2014). This is due to the metabolites of benzoxaboroles being found to be boric acid and oxidative deboronation products, both with very low toxicity. Per Lipinskis law, it is an orally bioavailable drug with very low IC50 values ranging from 0.19 to 1.008 ÂÂ µM, demonstrating high trypanocidal activity in vitro. An IC50 value is value is the inhibitory concentration value at which 50% inhibition of target cells has occurred. It is important when comparing the difference in the potency of compounds. A higher value represents less efficacy, with smaller values representing good trypanocidal activity in this case. It is a pharmacokinetic parameter, measuring the relationship between drug target and drug. Other research at the forefront include the development of hydrazone compounds of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde and adamantine alkanohydrazine (Foscolos et al., 2016). Adamantine and derivatives have been previously shown to have trypanocidal activity, increasing for the more hydrophobic, phenyl and cyclohexyl substituents. These compounds and derivatives demonstrated good trypanocidal activity, approximately 20 times greater than nifurtimox. The lowest IC50 value obtained was 0.386 ÂÂ µM. Following the same study, it was found that in the absence of the nitro group, no trypanocidal activity was demonstrated, highlighting the trypanosomal nitro reductase mechanism these novel compounds work by. In terms of the structure-activity relationship, it was seen that the selectivity of compounds against T. brucei species increased when the distance between the carbonyl group and the adamantine skeleton was increased, with derivatives containing 3-cyclopentyl and 3-phenyl being more biologically active than other compounds. In conjunction, the lipophilicity and conformational structure contributed to the efficacy of these novel compounds, with increased lipophilicity and conformational flexibility promoting trypanocidal activity. 1.6. Aims of research Better pharmaceutical treatments with high efficacy and less lethal side-effects are drastically needed for T.b.r infection. Current research demonstrates the potential use of hydrazone compounds and derivatives in combatting parasitic infections, amongst others. Guidance from project supervisor Dr A Bhambra was given throughout the project regarding the structures of compounds. Hydrazones are defined as having the structure R1R2C = NNH2, the N=H bond is conjugated with a lone pair of electrons on the functional nitrogen atom (Verma et al. 2014). Research suggests hydrazone compounds also demonstrate anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV properties, signifying biological variety and the potential to treat other diseases (Verma et al., 2014). It is because of these properties that new hydrazone compounds are in development, with the aim of synthesising novel compounds which demonstrate similar properties when applied against Trypanosoma brucei infection, and hence a potential the rapeutic for T.b.r. 2.1. Chemistry/ experimental synthesis The synthesis of four novel hydrazone compounds of reactants A-D and Pentafluorophenyl hydrazine (PFH) (Figure 3) was performed. All solvents and reactants were commercially available. Reflux condensation reactions with relevant reactant (3 mmol) and PFH (3 mmol) were performed, with continuous heating (oil bath) and stirring of compounds at 100-150 ÂÂ °C approximately. Compounds were separated with ethyl acetate (60 ml) and distilled water (50 ml). Excess magnesium sulphate was added to remove any excess water and products were vacuum filtered. Recrystallization reactions with boiling ethanol (10 ml approximately) not in excess were performed, and compounds were vacuumed down to give final compounds. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis was performed for all compounds throughout the stages of experiment to monitor the constituents of the final product. Prior to NMR analysis, compounds were dissolved in chloroform (800 ÂÂ µL) with exception of HD6 (with reactant D), dis solved in DMSO (400 ÂÂ µL). 2.2. Biological Screening Analysis Further viability tests were carried out to assess the trypanocidal activity of each compound. Compounds were sent to the London School of Tropical Medicine for biological screening analysis against T.b.b. Stock drug solutions were prepared in DMSO at 20 mg/ml and further diluted appropriately. All assays were performed with use of 96-well microtiter plates, each well containing 100 ÂÂ µL of parasite culture, and serial dilutions of the compound in triplicate. Wells were incubated at 37ÂÂ °C for 72 hrs in 5% CO2. Control wells contained no compound, and blanks consisted of medium only. Following this, the MIC was determined and assurance of growth in control wells. 20 ÂÂ µL of Alamar Blue was added to wells, and plates were incubated for 2-4 hrs more. Plates were read on Gemini Plate Reader with an excitation wavelength of 530 nm and emission wavelength of 580 nm. Following this, IC50 values were obtained. Four novel hydrazone compounds were synthesised, shown in table 1. The electrophilic carbonyl group of appropriate reactants A-D reacted with the nucleophilic nitrogen (hydrazine portion) of PFH by nucleophilic addition. IC50 values gained demonstrated potential, especially HD1 and HD6. Proton NMR analytical results from spectra obtained are demonstrated below, showing the amount of hydrogens (or protons) in each compound as well as their corresponding intensities. Throughout synthesis, TLC was performed for each compound to visualize the two reactants, the formed product and any other substance that may be present. Rf values and appropriate TLC analysis results are illustrated in alongside compounds in table 1. 3.1. HD1 Beige crystals (50% yield); ÃŽÂ ´H (CDCl3) 7.28 (1H, s), 7.32-7.42 (3H, m), 7.64 (2H, dd), 7.82 (1H, s). 3.2. HD4 Pink crystals (50% yield) ÃŽÂ ´H (CDCl3) 7.30 (2H, s), 7.35 (1H, s), 7.45-7.50 (1H, m), 7.62 (1H, s), 7.73 (1H, s). 3.3. HD5 Beige crystals (H (CDCl3) 7.32-7.38 (3H, s), 7.54-7.60 (2H, d), 7.78 (1H, m). 3.4. HD6 Red crystals (H (CDCl3) 7.37 (1H, s), 7.45 (2H, s), 7.70 (2H, s). 3.5. Biological screening analysis Results obtained from the London School of Tropical Medicine included IC50 values for all hydrazones synthesised. These are listed alongside appropriate compounds in table 1. HD1 had an IC50 value of 9.29 ÂÂ µM; HD4 34.37 ÂÂ µM; HD5 34.09 ÂÂ µM and HD6 16.18 ÂÂ µM. Formation of all compounds HD1, HD4, HD5 and HD6 (table 1) followed the general mechanism illustrated in appendix 1. R1 should be substituted with relevant reactant (A-D) benzene rings. Electrophilic reactants accept free pairs of electrons from the nucleophilic nitrogen atom of PFH by nucleophilic addition. The formation of a biologically active centre was documented (Verma, 2014). All compounds synthesised contain phenyl groups, which has been suggested in literature to promote trypanocidal activity (Foscolos et al., 2016). Hydrazones synthesised are also non-polar and hydrophobic compounds, meaning that they carry no net charge and are not soluble in water. Furthermore, an increase in hydrophobicity also promotes trypanocidal activity, however has been suggested to make the compound less bioavailable (Gilbert et al., 2014). Proton NMR spectra demonstrate relative intensities in parts per million (ppm) of protons or hydrogens in the compound. Despite only hydrogens being of interest, it is important to consider the other electronegative groups that exist within the compound such as phenyl groups or -OH groups, which produce different peaks. The solvent peak demonstrates as a sharp, well distinguished peak to exclude it from the compound results. Singlet, doublet and Name Reactant Structure IC50 value (ÂÂ µM) TLC (illustrated- not to scale) Rf value (cm) HD1 Benzaldehyde (reactant A) 9.29 0.73 HD4 3-chlorobenzaldehyde (reactant B) 34.37 0.48 HD5 4-chlorobenzaldehyde (reactant C) 34.09 0.43 HD6 3,4-dichlorobenzaldehyde (reactant D) 16.42 0.57 multiplet peaks were all demonstrated on the spectra. NMR analysis reflects the structures synthesised, confirming the number and positioning of hydrogens. The spectra observed demonstrated some sharp peaks and others more broad. Furthermore, some peaks were somewhat distorted due to the presence of chlorine on the aromatic benzene ring. Limitations of the experimental synthesis included low yields obtained from synthesised hydrazones. This could have been possibly due to the recrystallization step or some of the reactants not converting into product. Factors such as this could have been improved to gain better results. In addition, yields were estimated due to not weighing compounds beforehand, therefore weighing the compounds when they were initially synthesised would improve the data. 4.1. HD1 From the NMR spectra, HD1 contained 7 hydrogen atoms, one at 7.28 ppm as a singlet peak, three at 7.32 7.42 ppm as a mutliplet peak, two at 7.64 ppm as a doublet peak and one hydrogen at 7.82 ppm as a singlet peak. All novel compounds synthesised differ in terms of the aromatic benzene ring on the relevant reactants, therefore the positioning and amount of chlorine attached to this aromatic ring demonstrates the difference in IC50 values. This coincides with the biological activity against T.b.b. HD1 is formed of benzaldehyde and PFH, and therefore does not possess any chlorine atoms. The IC50 values were the lowest for HD1 at 9.29ÂÂ µM, which suggests that the presence of chlorine in the compound may decrease trypanocidal activity. 4.2. HD4 HD4 contained six hydrogen atoms, two at 7.30 ppm as a singlet peak, one hydrogen at 7.35 ppm as a singlet peak, one hydrogen at 7.45-7.50 ppm as a multiplet peak and a one hydrogen as a singlet peak at 7.73 ppm. HD4 contained a chlorine group on the 3rd carbon of the reactant benzene ring, with displacement of chlorine by (bio)nucleophiles, facilitated by the electrophilic carbon centre determining biological properties observed. However, it has been suggested that the presence of a chlorine atom at a non-reactive aromatic double bond diminishes reactivity (Naumann, 2003). The IC50 value for HD4 was 34.37 ÂÂ µM, the highest value from all the compounds synthesised. This supports the notion that chlorine atoms present in the compound reduces trypanocidal activity rather than improving it. 4.3. HD5 HD5 also contained six hydrogens, with three hydrogens at 7.32 7.38 ppm in a singlet peak, 2 hydrogens at 7.54 7.60 ppm in a doublet peak, and one hydrogen at 7.78 ppm in a multiplet peak. HD5 also contained a chlorine atom but on the forth carbon of the benzene ring, as opposed to the third. Altering the position of the chlorine atom did allow for an improved IC50 value to be obtained, which was 34.09 ÂÂ µM. This however remains much less effective than HD1. 4.4. HD6 HD6 contained five hydrogen atoms, one at 7.37 ppm as a singlet peak, one at 7.35 ppm as a singlet peak, two at 7.45 ppm in a singlet peak, and 2 hydrogens at 7.70 ppm in a singlet peak. Despite the presence of chlorine in both HD4 and HD5 causing less effective activity against T.b.b, HD6 contained two chlorine atoms attached to the benzene ring, and the IC50 value obtained was nearly half that of HD4 and HD5 at 16.18 ÂÂ µM. This suggests that the presence of one chlorine atom existing at any carbon on the benzene ring does not promote trypanocidal activity, however the presence of 2 attached chlorine atoms did aid activity. 4.5. Oral bioavailability Per Lipinskis rule of 5, all novel compounds fall within the laws except from HD1, which contains 6 hydrogen bond donors. HD1 therefore would be more bioavailable if administered intravenously, however may still be orally bioavailable as only one rule has been violated, with the rest all being adhered to. Despite this, the other novel compounds alone demonstrate progression in seeking an orally bioavailable treatment for HAT, linked with reducing toxicity amongst being easier and more accessible for those who require it. Furthermore, the use of PFH incorporates many fluorine atoms, which increases lipophilicity (Citation), increasing activity in vivo, as well as increasing fat solubility and therefore allowing the compounds to easily pass through membranes in the body. Retaining fluorine is a desirable property due to the improvement of metabolic stability as a result of the high strength C-F bond. It is a relatively small molecule, with a high electronegativity value. All properties such as this contribute to biological responses within the body. 4.6. Comparison to literature IC50 values HD1 and HD6 demonstrated the most promising results of 9.29 and 16.18 ÂÂ µM. For comparison intentions, alternative novel therapies at the forefront of science such as adamantine alkanohydrazine hydrazones and benzoxaborole SCYX-7158 have IC50 values of 0.386ÂÂ µM and 0.19 to 1.008ÂÂ µM respectively (Foscolos et al., 2016; Jacobs et al., 2011). Although the results from the synthesised compounds are promising and suggest trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma brucei, both SCYX-7158 and the adamantine alkanohydrazine hydrazones have much lower IC50 values, suggesting that the structures of novel compounds could be improved and altered to gain better trypanocidal activity. Furthermore, current treatment Melarsoprol and Suramin have IC50 values of 0.046 and 0.004-0.009 ÂÂ µM, much lower than the compounds synthesised (Torreele et al., 2010). However, as stated above, these treatments offer high toxicity and high mortality rates following administration, and the fa ct that the novel compounds synthesised (HD1 especially) have low IC50 values remains promising. Furthermore, both Suramin and Melarsoprol are administered intravenously, posing more problems in terms of accessibility as developing countries where the disease is endemic possibly do not possess the facilities to administer treatment. This is unlike the synthesised hydrazone compounds, which all theoretically can be administered orally, therefore moving towards better treatment and management of T.b.r infection. HD4 and HD5 demonstrate lower trypanocidal activity than HD1 and HD6, therefore further progression on HD1 especially would allow for potentially more effective trypanocidal compounds, represented by lower IC50 values upon testing. Furthermore, new compounds in other literature with the highest trypanocidal activity, namely 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde and adamantine alkanohydrazine hydrazones and benzoxaboroles, provide a platform for future work and development of structural analogues of hydrazones to promote trypanocidal activity. To confirm that the novel compounds synthesised are in fact effective against T.b.r, further testing is required in a controlled level 3 laboratory where the p

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Web Based Information System

Implications for project management and development processes The unique nature of many web-based applications broadens the role of traditional project management and adds a new dimension to the software development process. In addition to the participation and contribution of analysts, designers, programmers, architects, managers, domain experts and so on, web-based applications often contain significant multimedia content (images, movie clips, sound clips and text) requiring specialist resources for their development. Multimedia development Groups separate from the software engineers usually produce multimedia web content in parallel, in a similar way that on-line help is typically produced by a technical writer rather than a software developer. Some recent studies indicate that specialist resources needed to develop multimedia content may outnumber software engineers. For the purposes of estimating software development effort, multimedia content is assumed to exist and the effort required for their production is outside the scope of the software engineering process. However, the effort of integrating these elements needs to taken into account. Furthermore the effort to create the multimedia content itself must be incorporated to produce an overall project estimate. focus on developing business logic The novelty of developing web-based applications can be captivating and may obscure the fact that modelling an application’s business logic, whether it is being implemented in a web page, a component or an object remains the central focus of the project. Web-based application development requires project management best practice as much as any other type of application development. Business networking Business networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. There are several prominent business networking organizations that create models of networking activity that, when followed, allow the business person to build new business relationship and generate business opportunities at the same time. Many business people contend business networking is a more cost-effective method of generating new business than advertising or public relations efforts. This is because business networking is a low-cost activity that involves more personal commitment than company money. As an example, a business network may agree to meet weekly or monthly with the purpose of exchanging business leads and referrals with fellow members. To complement this activity, members often meet outside this circle, on their own time, and build their own â€Å"one-to-one† relationship with the fellow member. Business networking can be conducted in a local business community, or on a more larger scale via the Internet. Business networking websites have grown over recent years due to the Internet's ability to connect people from all over the world. Business networking can have a meaning also in the ICT domain, i. e. the provision of operating support to companies / organizations, and related value chains / value networks. It refers to an activity coordination with a wider scope and a simpler implementation than pre-organized workflows or web-based impromptu searches for transaction counterparts (workflow is useful to coordinate activities, but it is complicated by the use of s. . â€Å"patterns† to deviate the flow of work from a pure sequence, in order to compensate its intrinsic â€Å"linearity†; impromptu searches for transaction counterparts on the web are useful as well, but only for non strategic supplies; both are complicated by a plethora of interfaces — SOA / XML / web services — needed among different organizations and even between different IT applications with in the same organization). Online business networking Businesses are increasingly using business social networks like XING or professional business networking tools like Boardex as a means of growing their circle of business contacts and promoting themselves online. Since businesses are expanding globally, social networks make it easier to keep in touch with other contacts around the world. Specific cross-border e-commerce platforms and business partnering networks now make globalization accessible also for small and medium sized companies. Face-to-face business networking Professionals who wish to leverage their presentation skills with the urgency of physically being present, attend general and exclusive events. Many professionals tend to prefer face-to-face networking over online based networking because the potential for higher quality relationships are possible. Many individuals also prefer face-to-face because people tend to prefer actually knowing and meeting who they intend to do business with. General business networking Before online networking, there was and has always been, networking face-to-face. â€Å"Schmoozing† or â€Å"rubbing elbows† are expressions used among business professionals for introducing and meeting one another, and establishing rapport. Business networking in the ICT domain Companies / organizations — and related value chains / value networks — need some sort of IT support. Traditionally, it is provided by software applications, software packages /suites, ERPs and/or workflows; presently, also by different types of web-based innovations. A truly â€Å"ICT† business networking approach rethinks — and rebuilds — the operating support from scratch, around two key business features: information contributions, to be provided by the activities involved (whether they are performed by human beings, automated tools or jointly by the two, in a coordinated way); (automated) information exchanges, to be provided by the TLC network. Information contributions and exchanges, in turn, need to be supported by data storage (plain or redundant, with or without automated recovery to grant service continuity) and access security (signature, encryption, authentication, decryption), which both can be provided either as add-on's or as built-in features. Introduction to Novell Novell, Inc. has made news over the years for its business struggles. Novell enjoyed success as a popular vendor of network software — principally the NetWare ® operating system. Today the company is working to build an Internet networking business, but they face strong competition. NetWare The NetWare operating system supports the networking of personal computers (PCs). Installed on a PC, NetWare creates a server environment for the sharing of files, printers, and other network â€Å"services. † One of the first software products designed for PC networking, early versions of NetWare appeared in the late 1980s. NetWare 3 was originally called â€Å"NetWare 386† and released for use with Intel's 80386 processor. Likewise, Novell developed NetWare 4 in the early 1990s for the Intel 80486. NetWare 5, the latest version of Novell's operating system, has been available since September, 1998. Together, NetWare 3, 4, and 5 enjoy an installed base of millions of servers worldwide. NetWare encountered stiff competition from Microsoft beginning in the mid-1990s with the introduction of Windows NT Server products. Some believe the rapid growth of Linux server networking — although difficult to measure accurately due to the open nature of that operating system — is also impacting NetWare's popularity. NDS The media sometimes refers to Novell Directory Services (NDS ®) as the â€Å"crown jewel† of Novell's product offerings. Like NetWare, NDS has benefited from a long development history resulting in mature technology with a large installed customer base. What makes NDS especially appealing is its flexibility and the range of potential applications in network management and ecommerce. NDS is an LDAP directory service. Directory services like NDS provide information repositories for distributed network resources ranging from devices to Web site customer profiles. LDAP — the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol — offers a standard way to access this information. Web sites such as CNN and AltaVista use the NDS eDirectoryâ„ ¢ product. eDirectory tracks visitor activity to these sites, building a special-purpose â€Å"database† of customers that can be used to provide personalization services. While NDS was originally a NetWare-only technology, eDirectory now works with Windows NT and 2000, Solaris, and Linux in addition to NetWare 5 servers. Novell offers several other products based on eDirectory technology. NDS Corporate Edition, for example, implements network resource management. The digitalmeâ„ ¢ service adds more secure personalization capabilities to eDirectory. As with NetWare, however, Novell faces competition in the directory services space from Microsoft Active Directory (not to mention products from other vendors such as iPlanet Directory Server). More Web Services In 1996 and 1997, Novell achieved some success with its IntranetWare product family design for intranet data sharing. Today, Novell continues to offer GroupWise email and calendaring for intranets (and other Web-based networks). Novell also is working with technology for Web content caching. The Novell Content Exchange subscription service brings Internet caching and other software to the data center where Web content is served. Conclusion Novell's low stock price has led to speculation of a possible buyout in the company's near future. These rumors are nothing new. As far back as 1996 and 1997, industry pundits debated various buyout or merger scenarios involving IBM, AT&T, Netscape, and even Microsoft. None of these scenarios came to pass, so perhaps it most likely — layoffs aside — that Novell will continue working to grow its network services business in the months and years ahead.