The Feasibility of Utillizing Basella Rubra

People nowadays use alugbati nightshade leaves for cooking and throw away the stems. Instead of throwing the stems, why not investigate a product from utilizing Basella Rubra (Alugbati) stems that will be a great help to the industry. Utilizing the stems of Basella Rubra is also practical and economical for the users. This kind of plant is abundant even found in backyards here in our country. It has spread throughout the tropical countries and one of the best tropical spinach widely adapted to a variety of soils and climates. Malabar n. has thicker tender stems. It is a good source of vitamins A, C and iron. The researchers decided to make Alugbati stems as a skin moisturizer because it possesses that commercial moisturizers have like: emollients. This helps the skin to be moisturized and soften. This study aims to produce and attempts to discover the capability of alugbati stems as a substitute for commercial skin moisturizer. It also aims to produce product that is less expensive and acceptable for people who has skin problems. Significance of the Study: This study is significant especially to persons that has a problem on dryness of the skin because they don’t have to buy an expensive skin moisturizer for there is already a substitute to it that is cheaper and environmentally friendly product. Statement of the Problem: Is it possible to make a skin moisturizer out of alugbati stems? Are there any properties of alugbati stems that can be used as a skin moisturizer? Hypothesis: It is possible to make a skin moisturizer out of alugbati stems and there are also properties of alugbati stems that can be used as a skin moisturizer. Materials and Equipments: The materials that will be use are clean containers, strainer, mortar and pestle, Alugbati stem, Glycerin, and perfume oil. Variables: The independent variables are: (1) Water (2) amount of Glycerin and (3) amount of perfume oil while the dependent variable is the Basella Rubra (Alugbati) stem. Procedures: The procedures in making a skin moisturizer out of alugbati stems are: (1) Wash the alugbati stem and sterilize the containers to be use. (2) Peeling the skin of the stem of alugbati using knifes or hands. 3) Pounding of the stem of the alugbati using the mortar and pestle. (4) Add a little amount of water then pound again until it becomes subtle. (5) Strain to separate the extract and the stem. (6) Cool it aside. (7) Add glycerin that will make it a moisturizer and perfume oil to enhance its fragrance. Review of Related Literature: Glycerin is a neutral, sweet-tasting, colorless, thick liquid which freezes to a gummy paste and which has a high boiling poi nt. Glycerin can be dissolved into water or alcohol, but not oils. On the other hand, many things will dissolve into glycerin easier than they do into water or alcohol. So it is a good solvent. Glycerin is also highly â€Å"hygroscopic† which means that it absorbs water from the air. Example: if you left a bottle of pure glycerin exposed to air in your kitchen, it would take moisture from the air and eventually, it would become 80 per glycerin and 20 percent water. Because of this hygroscopic quality, pure, 100 percent glycerin placed on the tongue may raise a blister, since it is dehydrating. Diluted with water, however, it will soften your skin. While people say this softening is the result of the glycerin attracting moisture to your skin, there is heated debate as to whether or not the glycerin has some other properties all its own which are helpful to the skin. Summed up, the current thinking is â€Å"We know glycerin softens the skin. Some people think its because it attracts moisture, but there could be other reasons. † Glycerin has lots of uses besides being used to make nitroglycerin (note: glycerin is not an explosive substance by itself. It has to be turned into nitroglycerin before it becomes explosive, so it’s safe to work with in your kitchen). Some uses for glycerin include: conserving preserved fruit, as a base for lotions, to prevent freezing in hydraulic jacks, to lubricate molds, in some printing inks, in cake and candy making, and (because it has an antiseptic quality) sometimes to preserve scientific specimens in jars in your high school biology lab. http://pioneerthinking. com/crafts/what-is-glycerin Moisturizers or emollients are complex mixtures of chemical agents specially designed to make the external layers of the skin (epidermis) softer and more pliable. They increase the skin's hydration (water content) by reducing evaporation. Naturally occurring skin lipids and sterols, as well as artificial or natural oils, humectants, emollients, lubricants, etc. , may be part of the composition of commercial skin moisturizers. They usually are available as commercial products for cosmetic and therapeutic uses, but can also be made at home using common pharmacy ingredients. Moisturizers prevent and treat dry skin, protect sensitive skin, improve skin tone and texture, and mask imperfections. ttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Emollient Alugbati is a plant used a vegetable. It is rich in calcium, Vitamin B (Thiamine, Niacin & Riboflavin) and Vitamin C. It is a laxative and has soluble fiber that acts like magnet to ingested fat and subsequently reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Regularly eating alugbati will help reduce degenerative disease. Red alugbati has the added property of higher amounts of xanthones, an antioxidant. It can also impro ve and regularlize bowel movement. B-complex vitamins help improve blood vessel strength. http://gonatural. com. ph/herbalblog/alugbati-scientific-name-basella-alba-basella-rubra-linn/ Alugbati is a succulent, branched, smooth, twining herbaceous vine, several meters in length. Stems are purplish or green. Leaves are somewhat fleshy, ovate or heart-shaped, 5 to 12 centimeters long, stalked, tapering to a pointed tip with a cordate base. Spikes are axillary, solitary, 5 to 29 centimeters long. Flowers are pink, about 4 millimeters long. Fruit is fleshy, stalkless, ovoid or nearly spherical, 5 to 6 millimeters long, and purple when mature. Constituents †¢ Phytochemical screening of various extracts yielded cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, carbohydrates, and reducing sugars. †¢ Study isolated Basellasaponins A, B, C, and D, oleanane-type triterpenes oligoglycosides, together with betavulgaroside 1, spinacoside C, and momordins IIb and IIc, from fresh aerial parts. †¢ Leaves yield saponin, vitamin A and B. †¢ Fruit yields mucilage and iron. Study of wild Basella rubra showed it to be abundant in carotene, middle in vitamin C, and low in nitrate. Nitrate in planted B. rubra is about twice that of the wild variety. Properties †¢ Aperient, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, laxative, rubefacient. †¢ Mucilaginous when cooked. Uses Edibility / Nutrition – Common market product, a popular leafy and stew vegetable, and a good substitute for spinach. – The green and purple cultivated varieties are preferable to the wild ones. – Both the young shoots and stems are eaten.

Excitation Contraction Coupling Process Essay

The sequence of events that converts action potentials in a muscle fiber to a contraction is know as excitation contraction coupling. In order for a skeletal muscle fiber to contract, it has to get a signal from the nervous system. The part of the nervous system that it gets a signal from is called a motor neuron. An electoral signal, called an action potential travels down the axon and to the axon terminal. At the end of the motor neuron are structures called synaptic vesicles and they contain different neurotransmitters. In the case of a motor neuron that stimulates a skeletal muscle fiber, that neurotransmitter is called acetylcholine. When the action potential gets down to the end it will cause the synaptic vesicles to release acetylcholine. The ACH crosses the synapse, which is a physical gap between the motor neuron and the muscle fiber and binds to ACH receptors. A flowing in of sodium (Na+) and a flowing out of potassium (K+) results which, depolarizes the cell and generates an end-plate potential. This causes a depolarizing excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP). The opposite of this is called, inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP), which usually result from the flow of negative ions in and positive ions out of a cell. If enough ACH neurotransmitters bind to receptors, it induces an action potential in the muscle fiber and that will induce the muscle fiber to release calcium (Ca2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. An action potential travels across the entire sarcolemma and is rapidly conducted into the interior of the muscle fiber by structures called t-tubules. The t-tubules make contact with the Ca2+ filled sarcoplasmic reticulum. The Ca2+ released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum binds to troponin complex by the actin filaments, which causes the troponin complex to pull tropomyosin away. Because these chemicals have a high affinity for calcium ions they cause the myosin cross-bridges to attach to actin and flex rapidly. We also must remember that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has to get broken down and by breaking it down, it allows the myosin cross-bridge to power stroke by consuming the energy that the ATP gives off. Once the signal from the motor neuron stops, no more ACH binds onto the receptors, which causes the Ca2+ to be transported back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Without the calcium, the active site is closed and myosin can no longer bind and the sarcomere goes back to its resting length.

Software Associates

Assignment 1: Variance Analysis Report In order to perform a variance analysis report Jenkins calculated the actual revenues and expenses and found the difference which was $296,610 in profits. Then Jenkins did the same with budgeted values and found the budgeted profits to be $606,350. The variance amount in turn is $309,960 under budget. Also, the variance amount for revenues is $32,100. This number is favorable due to the fact that they made more than what they had budgeted for. But on the contrary, the variance amount for expenses was $342,060, which was unfavorable because they spent far more than what they had budgeted for.This information would not be sufficient in order to explain to Norton why their profit percentage is nearly half of what they budgeted. This variance analysis report only shows the raw numbers and not any details to why they spent more on expenses than what they budgeted. Jenkins would have a difficult time explaining details to why they went over budget. Sh e would need to show him a detailed expense report of the budgeted items and the actual amount they spent on the items. Then she would have to clearly define which items went over budget and why.This variance analysis report would not help Jenkins in the 8 am meeting she has would need to provide more information. Assignment 2: Preparing the Budget: Variance Analysis Report In order to provide more information to Norton, Jenkins will need to perform a variance analysis report. Jenkins would be required to use the numbers provided in Exhibit 2. She will use the numbers on the budget and actual income statement to identify revenue quantity, which is provided in number of hours. She will then identify actual and expected quantity.The actual number of consultant hours exceeded the expected number of consultant hours. Then Jenkins subtracted the actual amount of hours from the expected amount of hours and then multiplied by the expected labor price of $90. Jenkins found that Software Ass ociates made a total of $278,100 when providing the extra amount of hours billed. This is favorable for Software Associates if the billing rate was $90 as expected; however the average rate per consultant amounted to $83. 69. Next, Jenkins determined the average billing rate variance by subtracting the actual price from the expected price.She then multiplied the difference in price and the quantity of work done. Jenkins found that they had a deficit of $246,090. This is unfavorable because Software Associates is losing money due to the actual rate drop from $90 to $83. 69. When Jenkins compared the variance of both quantity of hours and hourly rate, this gave her the total revenue variance of $32,100. The total revenue variance is also the difference between the actual revenue and expected revenue. Over all, it is favorable that Software Associates created more revenue.Jenkins then determined whether or not the additional revenue would cover the additional costs incurred for the exc ess consultants. Jenkins used the same method for consultant expenses. By subtracting the actual number of hours supplied (50,850) from the budgeted number of hours supplied (47,250) and multiplying the expected costs, $37, Jenkins found a cost of $133,200. $133,200 is the amount they paid over the expected cost due to the increase in actual labor. Next, Jenkins took the actual cost of $39. 90 and subtracted the expected cost of $37 then multiplied the actual amount of labor hours, 50,850.This amounted to $147,465. This is the extra amount Software Associates paid due to the labor cost change. The two numbers, $133,200 and $147,465, equal $280,800. The difference in consultant salaries cost from actual to expect cost is $280,800. Overall operating expense is broken down into two categories, actual and expected. Subtract the actual operating expense, $938,560, from the expected operating expense of $877,300 to get the variance of $61,260. This amount is unfavorable. Jenkins found the total expense variance by completing the same equation.She subtracted the expected total expense from the actual total expense. The total expense variance was found to be $342,060. The extra hours worked created more costs than the extra revenue acquired. This puts the company in an awful position. The budget was not planned out very well. The price of the billed labor decreased while more labor was done and less was billed for. This is an equation for disaster as you can see. More planning must be taken when figuring out a budget and Software Associates must stick strictly to the budget for reasons like this. Numbers can add up quickly.Assignment 3: Expense Analysis: Spending and Volume Variance Analysis of Operating Expenses Jenkins then needed to analyze the expense analysis. Many of the expenses for Software Associates were not entirely fixed costs or variable costs. Rather, many of the expenses were a combination of fixed and variable costs. Therefore, Jenkins evaluated the ov erhead of the company and prepared Exhibit 3, which shows her judgment about each expenses degree of variability. Due to the increased expenses per consultant, it is also important to study how costs change with the additional consultant.In order to examine the relationship of overhead costs and number of consultants, Jenkins found the amount of the budget, which was deemed variable, and which was deemed fixed. The budgeted variable amount was obtained by multiplying each expense’s budgeted amount by the percent in which was expected to be variable. Then, she subtracted the budgeted amount from the budgeted variable amount to find the budgeted fixed amount. These calculations are shown in Exhibit 3A. Next, Jenkins took numbers and calculated the spending variance and volume variance.In order to perform a spending variance, she subtracted the actual amount spent from the budgeted amount. In this case the actual amount spent was $938,560 and the forecasted expenses totaled $877 ,300. After subtracting those numbers she found that the spending variance was $61,260. This is an unfavorable outcome of the quarter and can be mostly attributable to the eight extra consultants that were hired. The volume variance is determined by subtracting the budgeted quantity from the actual quantity and then multiplying the cost per unit.In this case, the expected number of consultants was 105 but the actual number of consultants was 113. To determine the cost per consultant, she took the total variable cost [$525,000] and divided it by the actual number of consultants [113] and got $4,646. Therefore by multiplying $4,646 by 8 Jenkins found the volume variance of $37,168. This is unfavorable and when compared to the spending variance, she determined that one of the major faults in Software Associate’s expenditures for the quarter was hiring the extra eight consultants which were not budgeted for.Assignment 4: Billing Percentage: Analysis of Revenue Change After analyz ing the expense analysis, Jenkins wanted to understand why the actual number of consultants was nearly 8% higher than the budgeted amount when revenues only had increased by 1%. Jenkins knew if she viewed the budgeted amount of hours allocated for consultants versus the actual hours spent towards consultants she would be able to determine if the consultants were being less productive. First Jenkins viewed the billing percentage by analyzing how much the consultants were billed for versus how much they were expected to be billed for.The consultants were billed for 39,000 hours when they supplied 50,850 hours creating an actual billing percentage of 76. 7%. The budget, however, projected to bill for 35,910 hours when actually supplied 47,250 hours creating a 76% billing percentage. Jenkins noticed there was a difference of 3,600 hours that were billed and supplied for which was not allocated in the budget. Each of these numbers was found by Jenkins referring to Exhibit 4. Jenkins also noticed that the average billing rate per consultant decreased from $90 to $83. 69.Overall Jenkins saw that if she took the actual hours supplied [50,850 hours] and multiplied it by the actual billing percentage [76. 7%] and then multiplied that by the actual cost per consultant [$83. 69] that there was an actual cost of $3,264,073. 1955 spent towards her consultants. Jenkins also noticed that when she recreated this same equation but in retrospect of Software Associates budgeted amount she found that they were only budgeted to spend $3,231,900. 00 on consultants. This was found by taking the budgeted hours supplied [47,250 hours] and multiplying it by the actual billing percentage [76. %] and then multiplying that by the actual cost per consultant [$90. 0]. (Each of these numbers was found by Jenkins referring to Exhibit 4. ) After analyzing the actual amount versus the budgeted amount of money Software Associates allocated towards consultants, Jenkins noticed there was a $32,173. 1955 increase in spending this quarter. Jenkins noticed that the billing percentage increased and the rate per consultant decreased. Based on the increase of consultants allocated and the increase in salary and fringes per consultant, Jenkins realized she is paying more for consulting.Their work does not appear to be more productive in the grand scheme of things. Software Associates are paying a lot more money for more consultants and not receiving a high enough overall revenue increase. Jenkins further analyzed Software Associate’s spending towards their increase in consultants by directing her attention towards the increase in hours supplied by the consultants [3,600 hours= 50,850-47,250] and multiplied that by the expected billing percentage [76%] and multiplied that by the expected rate per consultant hour [$90] and there was a variance of $246,240. 0. $246,240. 00 defines the amount that would have been spent per consultant. This is an unfavorable outcome for Software A ssociates because they are spending a considerable amount of money and not receiving a high return on investment per consultant. The quantity of work is not benefiting the company enough to spend more money on maintaining that number of consultants.

Critique of Professional Article - Education Essay

Critique of Professional Article - Education - Essay Example each students is different from the other. These differences should be studied and then they must be taught accordingly. If this is not taken into account it can create bias in the classroom. So it is imperative to interact with each student in the class to have a positive environment and all students should be given same care and respect then only the environment of a classroom can be respectful and in accordance with the principles. This interaction among teachers and students will not only facilitate the classrooms climate but this will also help in learning by sharing each other’s ideas and perceptions and will also help in development of student. 1.3 Environment of Learning and Excellence It is also important to identify that a classroom environment provides learning to the student and to do so it essential that teachers should communicate with the students the benefits of learning, making them understand what kind of work the educational institutions are expecting from t hem. So that students can become familiar of the learning procedures and will do all work in accordance to the set principles. It is necessary to communicate what teachers expects from the students because it helps them to know that educational institutions have high expectations from them in relation to institutions goals, activities, assessment procedures and related forms off classroom environment for the benefit of students learning. 1.4 Classroom procedures Procedures of classroom play a significant role in managing its environment. If procedures are not managed or followed accordingly then it can create hurdle in having a positive environment in class. Procedures or routine in class also affects learning of students. Therefore, teachers should create such routines in class which helps in organizing the learning of students and should follow these routines strictly and promptly. In order to facilitate efficiency and cooperation among students, they should be made to work in gro ups rather than on individual basis. Learning will be more beneficial if it is done in groups rather than on individual basis. In order to have effective classroom functions in relation to its procedures and routine time management is very important. Teachers should manage the class timings and all the activities accordingly in a way that it should be assistance in students learning. If there would be lack in time management, then things will not happen in accordance with the set procedures and routines and will affect the environment of class. Therefore all things should be managed in classroom according to the time and procedures as scheduled. 1.5 Students Behavior Classroom environment is positive only if students behave nicely in class. If the behavior of students is bad in class it may create disturbance in the daily activities. Teachers should use systematic techniques in order to manage student’s behavior in class. They should set behavior standards in the institutions and should communicate with the students their expectations in relations to student behavior i.e. making them clear about the difference in good and bad behavior. Students should be punished on misbehavior so that they are not inclined with same action again. Strict policies and regulation should be established and managed in classrooms in order to control student’s behavior. These policies should be revised on continuous

Jus 102 3 short paper see below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Jus 102 3 short paper see below - Essay Example This type of leadership has been proven to make a positive impact to the subordinates by making them exert more effort in their work areas and to comply with rules and regulations. In Transaction leadership style, police leaders who practice this model are said to rely more on rewards and punishments and they tend to act only in situations where there are deviations from expected behaviour and service delivery of their subordinates. This model has lesser positive impact on the subordinates than transformational style but individuals who are less self-motivated express a liking of this model (Avolio, Sosik, Jung, & Berson, 2003). Mixed style leadership is where a police leader combines both the transactional and transformational leadership. According to research done on this models of leadership, it is said that those who practice mixed style leadership are more effective leaders than those who just practice the transformational type. In addition to this there is active leadership and role modelling where leaders are said to be active, they set a good example and employ role modelling tactics including on acceptable cultures of the police force and integrity, unlike the transformational leaders who rely heavily on mentoring and inspiration motivation. They influence subordinates behaviour than the transformational leaders. In situational leadership, leaders modify their behaviours to suit the context. This include the years of experience of their subordinates and their ranks. In addition, Participative leadership involves encouragement of subordinates to involve themselves in decision making so as to be committed and satisfied with their different jobs. Lastly there is the inactive leadership model where police leaders fail to lead effectively. This model has negative impacts on the subordinate’s willingness to work. The

Evaluation of Service Quality Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluation of Service Quality Strategy - Essay Example Service quality refers to an attitude formed by a long-term overall evaluation of a firm’s performance. Customer satisfaction and service quality are closely related. It can be said that satisfaction assists consumers in formulating a revised opinion about their service quality perception. The logic for this may be the following : Consumer perceptions of the service quality of a firm with which he has no prior experiences are based on the consumer’s expectations. Subsequent encounters with the firm lead the consumer through the disconfirmation process and revise perceptions of service quality. Each additional encounter with the firm further revises or reinforces service quality perceptions; revised service quality perceptions modify future consumer purchase intentions towards the firm. High quality satisfying service requires that a firm understand the consumer needs in detail as also the operational constraints. It reminds the service provider to focus on quality, and the process should be designed to support this system by proper control and delivery. Service quality can be a way of achieving success among competing services. This can be particularly so when the competing service firms provide identical services and are located in a small area. Examples could be many bank branches in the same area in a city. Under such circumstances, service quality happens to be the only way of differentiating the different service providers.

Organizational communication. Focus on BP website Essay

Organizational communication. Focus on BP website - Essay Example They aim to create and enhance value of the shareholders and meet the growing demand of energy. The aim is to create a safer and stronger BP that can utilise its capabilities and strength in their downstream business, value chains, managing the giant fields, deep sea operations and explorations. All these activities are underpinned by innovating through technology and building strong relationship with the communities, partners and the government (BP. 2012). How is computer mediated communication used in this communication domain? Computer mediated Communication facilitates in creating a new communication environment in which individuals can interact. The tools that are used for this computer mediated communication mainly includes the emails, group chats, communication forums such as mail groups, discussion group and billboards that occupies a significant amount and space in peoples life. CMC uses a wide range of technologies for helping individuals to interact by sharing information that includes web pages too. CMC provides a communication media and space in which people can form communities and interact between each other. CMC has become an integral part of everybody’s life (Barnes, 2002). ... Internet brings in the elements of both mass communication and human. Interactivity which is a very important aspect of the CMC; internet is seen to facilitate the process of communication (Rafaeli and Sudweeks, 1997 cite in Thurlow and Tomic et al., 2004). The interactions are not only seen to distribute social goods but also provide clear structure to work. The internet is a medium that provides two ways communication and feedback. In case of BP they are struggling hard to establish themselves as a leader in safety, a responsible corporate citizen, world-class operator and as good employer. They are trying hard to gain back the trust from their stakeholders and provide a growth in their values. They look at maintaining trust among the people present inside and outside the company. Their aim to gain trust is through dealing fairly and responsible in whatever they do. The performance of the organization is closely monitored by the management and the same is reported in a transparent manner. For this they strongly rely on open communication and dialogue are given high importance if they are meant to meet the expectation of the local communities in which they operate, shareholders, customers and the employees. BP is well known among the researchers for using collaborative technology in dealing with communication (Majchrzak and Rice, et al., 2000). Some year ago BP has provided an elaboration in the London Times and regarding their learning about some key technologies that helped them deep sea exploration by collaborating with Shell Oil Company in the Gulf of Mexico. The competitive strategy of BP is their ability to leverage knowledge. Rather than by conducting some basic research by themselves they look for going learning from their partners and the

Artical review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Artical review - Essay Example The article further considers corruption within this organization, noting that it recently disclosed that it could find its company, or authorized signatures, for its Chinese subsidiary. These seals are necessary for the organization’s subsidiary to undertake any business in China. The article further considers the issue of shares and notes that shareholders did not purchase shares in the organization, but instead a United States company; the confusion arose because the original company incorporated in the United States to avoid Chinese business restrictions. While ChinaCast was the latest such occurrence of corruption, the article notes this is a frequent occurrence in China. Sino-Forest, a Chinese company based in Canada, was perhaps the most prominent such case. Sino-Forest was recently accused, by Muddy Waters Research of fraudulent activities and accounting practices. The subsequent investigation attested to no specific accounting fraud by did demonstrate a variable interest entity was in effect; this is the same situation that occurred with ChinaCast. Other elements of Chinese investment demonstrate that the ownership of assets can only be temporary. Yahoo recently found itself involved in a disagreement with Jack, the chairman of the Alibaba Group, after he used defensive tactics to transfer Alipay to a private company controlled by him. The issue was highly challenging as Yahoo owns a substantial stake in the organization, and his transfer of the company demonstrated that he was willing to go to extremes to ensure that he was the only purchaser of specific assets. Additionally there have been over 105 Chinese companies that have been delisted from the Nasdaq stock exchange. While not all situations are involved in fraud, the article notes that the variable interest entity structure is one of the most prominent challenges for investors. Even Chinese companies that have gained prominence as an American investment outlets have

PMG Intelligence, a Strategic Marketing Agency Assignment

PMG Intelligence, a Strategic Marketing Agency - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the company is guided by a very clear mission that is; to provide above the board market intelligence and strategic endorsements that will help our clients grow their business, better understand their markets and deliver value to their customers. Lastly, this research on the company revealed that they have capitalized on ten Specialties. They include; Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Focus Groups, Syndicated Research, Omnibus, Market Research, Strategic Marketing, Communications, Branding, and Consulting. Market research is the channel that joins organizations to their market, consequently turning ideas into results. Hence market research defines how to plan and craft strategy. What makes our research proficiencies unique from our competitors is not in our methodologies alone, but it is in our insight as well. Besides, our approach invests profoundly in the forthright understanding of the challenge. This is then followed by the identification of all internal and external information provisions so as to ensure that the research and analysis design processes yield the highest level of potential returns. Market research is conducted in a very systematic and professional manner. This ensures that PMG intelligence wins its customers loyalty because they are satisfied with the end product. In addition, we have improvised on market segmentation because different businesses require different research approaches. lastly, market researches are conducted putting into consideration other related case studies and previous interviews so as to get solutions that are unique, but practical.

Competitive Advantage - Microsoft Case Essay Example for Free

Competitive Advantage Microsoft Case Essay When trying to spill the beans of MSs success, the titles of two books from Bill Gates slip into my mind. They are The Road Ahead and Business @ the speed of thought, which I would translate into Direction and Speed and could be the reason for MSs success be good at setting strategy and adapting to the changes. However, to reframe them within the context of Modern Competitive Strategy, the reasons for MSs success are to create and maintain its modern COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES. With the analysis of it competitive advantages, MSs profitability was more rely on its ability to DEFEND its market position rather than to create. To put it another way, the usage of MSs resources and capabilities can be better understood in light of isolating mechanisms. On one hand, MS focus on increasing customer retention. Software is an experience good. It can be tell exactly from the name Windows XP where XP is short for experience. For an experience good, the search costs, training cost and learning cost are high, which in turn help to increase customer retention. Here is a classic example. In 1998, Bill Gates gave his speech at Washington University and talk about piracy in China, and he said: About 3 million computers get sold every year in China, but people dont pay for the software. Someday they will, though. As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. Theyll get sort of addicted, and then well somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade. For the same reason, MS bundled Office Suite, expanded server platforms, and gave many stuffs/features for free like IE and Media Player. We can expect the adding to the list will grow on and on. Its broad scope of products and global presence also helped MS to increase customer retention. On the other hand, MS defend its market position fiercely. A typical tactic used by MS is the prohibitive development cost. For example, it spent $2 billion alone in 2001 for its .net platform. When MS identifies a potential threat, it react with all of it resources and capabilities to compete with. Through advance technology, enticement OEM manufactures, or even giving for free, it won battles over Office Suite, OS, Internet browser and media player. As a result, MS stands above its competitors and reaps its profit like printing money. For example, while application software price dropped by an average of 8.9% at 1989, MS could raise its OS price. While WordPerfect was priced at $79, MS charged $249 for upgrades of Office 2000. The challenges MS faced somehow derived from its own marketing activities. The antitrust litigation is a warning for its aggressive assault on its competitors. In general, Microsoft should keep focus on defending its market positions, using its resources and capabilities cautiously and smartly. Its isolation mechanisms could be enhanced by strategies like product development and acquisition, platform integration, user and channel enticement, all happen at prohibitive cost.

Casa Bianchi | Switzerland Architecture

Casa Bianchi | Switzerland Architecture Located at the foot of the San Giorgio Mountain, in the Mendrisio district of Switzerland, Casa Bianchi (1971-3) at Riva San Vitale stands apart from the beautiful natural landscape of this fishing town. Occupying 220 square metres of an 850 square metre site, the concrete block tower resembles a fortress in its relative isolation above Lake Lagona; cold but yet familiar in its modern form. Built on a hillside, the main access to this family house is curiously through its top floor. This square vertically extruded building seems fortress-like in that it does not interact with its surroundings but rather observes them. However, a connection is established between hillside and home by an 18 metre long red metal bridge which provides the main access to the house; reinforcing its stronghold appearance. The bridge pierces the heart of the home through the fifth floor where a studio and a terrace are to be found. Private views are offered from both these spaces, together detaching the viewer from the world, and directly creating a rapport between the two. The feeling, when crossing the bridge towards the house, is of entering into the landscape, and ones eyes extend beyond to the church of Melano, at the other side of the lake.'[i] Mario Botta (b. Switzerland 1943) designed this house shortly after graduating for his close friends Carlo and Leontina Bianchi. This was Bottas second project for the couple; the first was the refurbishment of a flat in the village of Genestrerio, Switzerland. The brief for the residence at Riva San Vitale was similar in that a low budget home was required for a couple with two children. Botta himself strongly believed in a house being designed for its particular environment hence the distinctive appearance employed by the home. According to Arnardà ³ttir, Halldà ³ra and Sà ¡nchez Merina, Javier, the land along the small road where the Bianchi site ends had been suffering from haphazard development during the last century. Botta opposed the tendancy to treat architecture as a commodity and so it was his intention from the very beginning to propose a house that would mark the limit of the careless expansion of the village as means of protecting the woods. Due in part to his protest, shortly after the completion of the house, new regulations declared no further construction could be approved in the area and so, for this reason the tower house now stands alone in its protected landscape. The greatest influences on the work of Mario Botta came in the form the renowned brutalist architects Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, both of whom he briefly collaborated with in the sixties. Brutalism was a movement conceived from modernist architecture that thrived in the wake of World War II due to economically depressed states requiring low-cost construction and design. Characterisd by its stark, monolithic forms, brutalism comprised of unembellished exteriors and often block-like geometric forms. Undoubtedly the Bianchi house is a true example of brutalist architecture but Botta himself is most commonly referred to as a neo-rationalist architect, belonging to the Ticense school. Neo Rationalism was an Italian movement of great repute in 1960s and 1970s. Seeking to redefine architectural form through the rational mergence of its components, neo Rationalism dismissed the sentiment that technology is the only way forward in architecture. Instead they looked to the past and were inspired by the architectural forms that were once abundant. Botta looked to the Ticinese movement of which he was one of the foremost figures when designing the Riva San Vitale residence. The Ticinese school was comprised of a group of Swiss architects who promoted a greater appreciation for the significance of historical style, both socially and culturally. Roccolo houses, or bird hunting towers once typified the Ticino region and it is from these buildings that Botta took inspiration when designing the load bearing concrete brick tower house. These buildings were raised over the trees as traces of human marks Later, although many of them were destroyed, some were converted into weekend houses. It was precisely this combination of astonishing nature and basic construction which gave a special quality to the area.[ii] Bottas intentions in utilising this form were however very different ; The house stands at a respectful distance from the hillside, infringing upon the land only as much as is necessary. The vertical manner ensures the house does not lose importance when compared with the lofty mountains as its backdrop and by doing so answered his friends wishes of enjoying both the views of the lake above the trees and by having strong contact with the ground. Stevens Curl, James described Bottas buildings to have; clear, powerful geometries and display fine craftsmanship. For instance, the house at Riva San Vitale is monumental, and has deep and powerful voids in the elevations'[iii] The house is open plan and yet still private, organized around a mostly enclosed central open newel staircase and offers a selection of different views of the region from each living space. In turn, the stairs section off the house and so act as a divider, creating privacy. From the bridge, the floor to be found when descending the staircase is the private one of Carlo and Leontina themselves. Through being positioned thus, the couple are essentially the gatekeepers to their own home. So long as they are on their floor, no one can leave or enter through the front without their knowledge. Botta has created for them an intimate space comprising a bedroom, bathroom, dressing room and even a lake view balcony. The second floor of the home was designed for family living. The children have their own twin bedroom and bathroom and there is also a study which serves as a balcony, overlooking the kitchen-dining room. The duplex nature of the house allows for interaction between the different floors, making it more social, but there are still private quarters to be found on each level giving a range in atmosphere not only across the different floors, but in each room also. A dining room can also be found on the first floor and the basement consists of a laundry room, storage spaces and a garage which are clearly intended for family use only. Botta arranged the house so that the service areas occupy a similar vertical position with the bathrooms on the second and third floors and the laundry room in the basement. This way, plumbing the house would be more cost effective as certain pipes such as those for drainage would run through the building and it would also save space. The only part of the house to require a separate system would be the kitchen which occupies a different part of the first floor. It is in this part of the house that we assume Botta has considered his clients spacial requirements the priority. The basement consists of a laundry room, storage spaces and a garage which are clearly intended for family use only. The social centre of the house can be found on the first floor where there is a living room in addition to the kitchen -dining room. Guests to the house would be required to walk across the bridge and down into the public region of the house. Standing at the bottom of a slope, with such depths and fortification within the property, the Bianchi house feels like an upside down castle. The simple design and allows for as much light as possible to enter the home without compromising the privacy of the family. Increasing commercialization by those seen as having betrayed architecture, a return to academic theories propounded by Quatremà ¨re de Quincy and others was proposed. A good example of realized works is Grassis student residences, Chieti (1976), which drew on proposals by Weinbrenner (1808). Bibliography Surname, First Name (or initials if you do not know the first name). Date. Title (in italics). Place of publication: Publisher. Arnardà ³ttir, Halldà ³ra Sà ¡nchez Merina, Javier. 2005. A family house at Riva San Vitale by Mario Botta. Available from: http://storiesofhouses.blogspot.com/2005/07/family-house-at-riva-san-vitale-by.html (Accessed th October 2009) FDHA, Federal Department of Home Affairs. Mario Botta. 2009 Available from: http://www.bundesmuseen.ch/cdn/00127/00203/index.html?lang=en Stevens Curl, James. 2000. A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.