The Apple Way of Doing Business

The Apple Way of Doing Business If we are to list the most successful businesses in the world, it will come as no surprise when Apple Inc. makes its way towards the top of the list. It is easily one of the biggest and most recognizable names in the world when it comes to consumer electronics and technology products. A trailblazer and pioneer in the field of technology, Apple sure knows how to do business, and that is what we will try to look into in the succeeding discussion. © Shutterstock.com | pio3In this article, youll learn about 1) Apples product development process, 2) Apples marketing practices, and 3) Apples customer experience philosophy.APPLE’S PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESSWe cannot talk about Apple’s business practice without getting into its product development process. After all, Apple is in the business of developing consumer electronics products, most of which have become icons and largely responsible for the succeeding trends in the field. To this day, more and more companies are cropping up, trying to come up with products that are loosely based on, or inspired by, Apple products, with the intention of competing with Apple.Over the years, since Steve Jobs founded Apple and started churning out those Apple products, the company’s product development process has been under much speculation. It’s not that the people inside Apple were being tight-lipped or keeping everything under wraps. They just weren’t the type to discuss the pro cess at great length when they could just spend the time in the product development room, if there is even such a thing. © Flickr | Brian SolisFortunately, several publications centered on Apple and its business philosophy have been released, one of which is Adam Lashinsky’s “Inside Apple: How America’s Most Admired â€" and Secretive Company Really Works”. Through these pieces, we are able to get more than a fleeting glimpse of what it is like inside Apple.In the book, Apple’s product development process was talked about, and it can be summed up in eight stages.1. DesignIt all starts with design. Apple products have already established a reputation for having impeccable design hinged on simplicity, functionality, and a distinct look. This is mostly attributable to the inventive and innovative minds of the members of the design team.The Industrial Design machine of Apple is where the brilliant ideas come from, and a great factor of its success is how it is kept cohesive and disciplined by a department head. This is exactly how Steve Jobs started it. He had the vision, and he steered the desig n team towards achieving that vision, keeping them focused and on a straight trajectory towards their design goal.Being kept separate from other divisions or departments of the business also greatly helped. This way, the design team was pretty much left to let their creative juices flow, without having to mind other issues such as finance, costs, and the technicals. They would not even have to worry about whether the design can actually be made when placed into production; that is going to be the problem of the engineers and the folks over at manufacturing. Costs? They don’t have to worry about that, either, because there are other people who will.Keeping the design team to a small number of people is also part of the strategy. One would think that they would have more people involved in the design process; but one downside of that is having too many ideas that could derail the direction that the design team planned to take from the start.Having a small number of people involved i n the design process also aids in keeping details about a new product shrouded in secrecy, something that Apple is known for.2. Start-up creationThe secrecy continues. Once a new product has been designed, a team that is solely devoted on the development of that product will be formed. It is essentially building a start-up within the company. They will devote all their time and resources on the project or product, and they will be directly reporting to the big bosses. This cuts through the usual communication or bureaucracy involved, and they will be answerable to no one else but the executive management team.What Apple does is to assign specific rooms or even entire sections within the Apple compound where the start-up will be doing their work, safe and free from outside intrusions and other disturbances. In other circumstances, the members of the team may even be explicitly prohibited from communicating with others â€" even within the company â€" with regards to the product they a re currently working on.3. ANPP ImplementationThis is where the ANPP â€" the Apple New Product Process â€" comes in.Since Apple started making the Macintosh, the company has always made it a point to have a well-documented roadmap or guide for the members of the team to follow. This was the ANPP. It is essentially a document that contains, in great detail, all the steps and phases of the development of the product. It covers everything about the development process, from the specific tasks that must be performed, the specific persons who will work on them, how long each task is expected to be completed, and the chronology or order of accomplishment of said tasks to facilitate the completion of the product.4. Product ReviewWhile it is true that the team works towards achieving a vision or a goal for a product, this does not mean that the process is fixed and has no room for changes or flexibility. Just like in other businesses, Apple also conducts periodic reviews for the products th at are in process. In the case of Apple, these product reviews are conducted every Monday. It is a good way to track the progress of the product development team and also take note of issues or serious problems that have been encountered by the team in the process.This is probably going to take a toll on a company that has a lot of products in the pipeline at any given time. Fortunately, Apple does not have too much of a problem with that, since it makes sure to have only a few products-in-progress, so things are kept on a more manageable level.5. Production properFinally, the design will be made more concrete as the production process begins. There are two key personnel involved in this stage: the engineers and the supply personnel. You have someone in charge of the product process, who will manage the engineering aspect. He will be working with the supply manager, who is responsible for sourcing the raw materials needed in the production process.6. Testing, tweaking, rebuildingJus t because a product has undergone the production process does not mean that it is outright completed. There is still a need to test it, so adjustments can be made and, if needed, the product will be rebuilt. Steve Jobs perfectionist attitude was apparent in how Apple tirelessly builds, tests and rebuilds its products, until such time that it is 100% confident in its quality and performance, and gives it the green-light to be introduced to the market.In the past, we have seen many designs of the iPhone being leaked prior to their release, only for the final product to be markedly different from the leaked versions. This is because the leaks were often the initial versions, and the final version â€" the one finally released into the market â€" has undergone various redesigns and rebuilding, after a series of testing has been performed.Many business are satisfied with testing only once or twice, then releasing it to the market, even if they still have issues about some aspects of the p roduct. This is because testing and rebuilding takes a lot of time, not to mention money. Apple does not let the cost affect its decision, however, preferring to test and rebuild as many times as possible until they get it right, and they come up with a product that they are fully satisfied with.7. PackagingFirst impressions last, and customers are initially attracted by the packaging. This is why Apple devotes a lot of attention and resources to the packaging aspect. It’s not just about having a box with the name and company logo printed on it. The packaging also takes into account the experience of the customers when unboxing the device packaging.8. Finally, the LaunchApple has the Rules of the Road, which is basically a product launch action plan. It details all the key points of the product development process, breaking them down into the nitty-gritty. This document is so top-secret and highly-valued, and Apple takes it seriously when working towards the launch of the new prod uct.APPLE’S MARKETING PRACTICESElaborate ad campaigns. Complex websites and sales copies. Engagement of print, broadcast and online media. Press releases. Name it, Apple’s done it. These are the usual marketing tactics and strategies often employed by businesses, and Apple also uses them.But Apple does it slightly differently. One of Apple’s identifying marks when it comes to design is simplicity, and it also carried that principle in its marketing.Simplicity in MarketingTo be more specific, Apple applies “decision-making simplicity” in its marketing strategy. This actually makes sense, considering how the consumer market is flooded by tons of ads and marketing messages. If they stick to the usual routes, there is a possibility of their marketing to be ignored or gone unnoticed.Apple has veered away from complex marketing messages. In fact, if you notice how it crafts its ads, they are considerably cleaner and more straightforward. Billboard ads are just as simple, often o nly with an image of the product and its name, as if saying that the appearance and the name explains it all.They even rarely use actors, voice-overs or endorsers to present the product. In one ad, they even used only a white backdrop to drive home the one point about the Apple product being better than the competition. It’s clean, it’s simple, it’s straight to the point, and it gets the message across. Any other questions can be answered by reaching out to Apple’s separate information dissemination campaigns. Or, better yet, head to the nearest Apple store and experience for yourself how the new product works.Confidence in MarketingApple’s brand of marketing also shows its confidence in its products. They do not need to list down all the features of the product on the billboards, or enumerate them in their ads. They do not even have to crow about the fact that they â€" Apple, the giant company that starts with the letter “A” â€" is the one introducing a new product. T hey have already made themselves known before, and they are confident that just the logo, or even the appearance of the new product, will immediately gain their company instant recognition.Again, as mentioned earlier, popular names and celebrities are not engaged to officially endorse the Apple product. Sure, influencers are tapped to aid in the marketing, but the ads themselves do not use celebrity leverage.APPLE’S “CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PHILOSOPHY”There is one keyword that will encapsulate the company’s ideals about customer experience: APPLE. This basically encompasses the five steps of service that is taken and implemented by every staff member of an Apple retail store.A â€" Approach customers politely and give them a warm and personalized welcomeThis is one of the fundamentals of retail and customer service. Welcome your customers the moment they enter your store and they will feel more inclined to browse over your products and actually spend money before leaving your sto re.Apple stressed on the welcome being “warm” and “personalized”. There is a difference between a store salesperson simply mouthing off “Welcome” from behind a desk and an Apple store clerk walking up to you the moment you walk through the door, with a ready smile and an eager expression on his or her face. It’s a small thing, but it makes a whole lot of difference to any customer looking for something worth buying.P â€" Probe politely in order to understand what the customer needsLetting the customer wander around the store is one thing; actually stepping up and asking them what they need or are looking for is another. There is a fine line between being nosy and probing politely, and the latter is what Apple tries its best to practice.P â€" Present a solution that the customer can take home todayCustomers are looking for immediate solutions, not something that they should come back to get on another day. They can easily tell when a store clerk knows what he or she is talking about, and whether they can get the solution they are looking for right now, or they should simply take their concerns â€" and money â€" elsewhere.L â€" Listen to the customer and resolve any concerns or issues he or she may haveOne of the things that customers like about going to any Apple store is because they can get a hands-on interaction with the product, playing with the latest iPhone, or going through the features of the latest version of the iPad, with a store clerk within an arm’s reach to answer any questions. This practice by Apple certainly makes it easier for its staff members to present their products better and to show or demonstrate solutions that are being sought by customers.E â€" End it with an equally warm and personalized farewell, and invite the customer to come backOne mistake often committed by salespersons is not seeing their customers off properly after they have made a sale. After all, they already closed a deal and made money, so what else is le ft?Just as warmly as you welcomed the customers, it is also important to say goodbye to them properly, along with an invitation that they should return to the store for more transactions in the future. Not only will you have satisfied customers, but also potential returning customers.You will notice that all 5 steps are already nothing new when it comes to providing customer service. However, many retail stores fail to perform them. Apple retail stores go to great lengths and make extra efforts to perform all 5 steps, and that is a large part of the reason why it has the loyal customer base that it has today.We can note two underlying principles in Apple’s Product Development Process â€" and its way of doing business as a whole. One is Quality above all else, and the other is Accountability.Apple refuses to cut corners just to keep costs down. So what if it will take time, or that it will require more financial outlay? It does not even matter that they have to get in more people t o work on a project or a product, as long as they get the results that they want. They also do not mind training their people â€" from the design team to the retail persons in the Apple stores all over the world â€" as long as they provide service that will contribute to the overall customer experience with Apple. In the same vein, emphasis is placed on responsibility and accountability, where all tasks are identified and clearly traceable to specific persons within the teams. This way, Apple employees will take their job more seriously, and make sure the company remains on track. Image credit: Flickr | Brian Solis under Attribution 2.0 Generic.

Module Report Developmental And Personality Psychology...

Module Report: Developmental and Personality Psychology Biological psychology is based in genetics and physiology, and makes connections between one’s behavior and their biological factors. It is a broad course of study encompassing neuroscience and how different neurological systems are influenced by outside sources such as medication or other stimuli, and how they blend to create behaviors. Likewise, how certain activities and other behaviors can affect one’s biology, or physiology and brain activity is also a type of investigation within the field. Biological psychology is an area of psychology that is rooted in study, meaning that most bio-psychologists are most likely working within the research or academia fields and their requisite settings of universities, and research or pharmaceutical companies (Kuther Morgan, 2012 p. 87). Cognitive Neuropsychology The study of cognitive neuropsychology deals with the brain which is broken down into specialties of its own, and how the way they function factors into to psychological processes of such as thought, focus and memory (Kuther Morgan, 2012, p. 87). Cognitive neuropsychologists conduct a variety of research to ascertain how biopsychosocial factors contribute to the brains development and functioning. As such, they too can be found in research and academia settings. This is because there is still vastly more to know and understand about the brain, considering each one is individually unique. Cognitive NeuropsychologyShow MoreRelatedThe Psychology Of Forensic Psychology896 Words   |  4 Pagesunveil the depth of their own experiences, I am fascinated by the way in which the human psyche can shape individuals, societies and the social processes which we indulge in on a daily basis. 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Your title page should include the assignment number, course, your name, your instructor,Read MoreHow Does Genetics Influence Human Behavior Essay1805 Words   |  8 PagesNAME: OMATSONE ONETORITSEBAWO LOUIS QUESTION: HOW DOES GENETICS INFLUENCE HUMAN BEHAVIOURS MODULE 4 TOPIC: PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT ID: PMC 26995-NG-UK PROJECT MANAGEMENT COLLEGE UK TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 2. TYPES OF GENETICS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 3. LEVEL OF GENETIC INFLUENCE OF PSYVHOLOGICAL TRAITS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.4 4. GENETICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.6 5. CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 6. REFERENCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreRelationship Between Personality and Achievement in Nursing Student6955 Words   |  28 PagesU C A T I O N A path model of factors inï ¬â€šuencing the academic performance of nursing students Richard Ofori BEd MSc RNT RMN Lecturer, School of Nursing, University of Salford, Manchester, UK and John P. 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Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory holds that personality develops through nine stages across the entire lifespan. ‘Personality can be said to develop according to steps predetermined in the human organism’s readiness to be driven forward, to be aware of and to interact with a widening social radius’ (Erikson 1959 cited Tennant M. 1997Read MoreHmpyc80 Research Methodology3369 Words   |  14 Pagesissues 1.03 research investigating sensitive cultural issues 1.04 explorations of grief, death or serious/traumatic loss 1.05 depression, mood states, anxiety 1.06 gambling 1.07 eating disorders 1.08 illicit drug taking 1.09 substance abuse 1.10 self report of criminal behaviour 1.11 any psychological disorder 1.12 suicide 1.13 gender identity 1.14 sexuality 1.15 race or ethnic identity 1.16 any disease or health problem 1.17 fertility 1.18 termination of pregnancy Section 2: RESEARCH PROCEDURES AvoidRead MoreMoral Development During Adolescence Essay8689 Words   |à ‚  35 PagesModule code: HRPYC81 Research report for Project: 4805 Assignment number: 27 Title of Study: The Determinants Of Moral Development In Curbing Adolescents’ Moral Decay. 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Free Will And Individualism In George Orwells 1984 And...

Qualities of an Oppressive Society Free will and individualism are rights that have been used as symbols of peace and progressive, but they also have been viewed as weakness and a liability. Although free will and individualism should be viewed as good, there are times in history when they were considered a problem. These times are addressed in George Orwell’s 1984 and Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Both novels choose to outline the lost of free will and individualism through the lens of an oppressed group, and while the oppression that each group have their differences, both express how free will and individualism is suppressed and how people lived under oppression without their rights. In 1984, the loss individual rights is illustrated in†¦show more content†¦This is a common sentiment in oppressive society, who need the absolute submission of its populace, with primary example being the slave culture of the united states as portrayed in Beloved by Toni Morrison. With the slave society as her canvas, Toni Morrison uses it express the of oppression that the freed slaves felt during their time in slavery through their memories. Many of their memories feature psychological torture in the form of verbal abuse, physical torture through excessive beatings, torture, and rape, and emotional torture though the loss of a loved one(s) to the slave trade or to natural causes. Through the eyes of Sethe, Morrison mainly explores all two of the three aspects through her different memories, and the culmination of these experiences granted her master power over her, even after she obtained her freedom. An example of her oppression by the slave owner is when she was physically assaulted by men working for her owner in order to take her breast milk. These actions were meant to be a show of force and to keep the slaves unresisting because of how easily everything can be taken away from them. Sethe is not the only one to express memories of their oppressed life a s Paul D, a friend of Sethe, relates his experience of being forced to wear an iron bit; however, it was not just the iron bit the hurt him the most. Instead, it was his realization of the hopelessness of his situation during his encounters a rooster, who he thinks â€Å"looked so...free.

Customer and Ikea Free Essays

An overview IKEA, founded in Sweden in 1943, is the World’s largest home furnishings retail chain. It achieved international expansion in three major phases and now operates large warehouse showrooms in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. It also has smaller stores in some other countries. We will write a custom essay sample on Customer and Ikea or any similar topic only for you Order Now IKEA’s mission is to offer a wide variety, good design and good values for â€Å"young people of all ages†.The furnishings giant has remained determined to maintain a standardised product strategy — which still remains the core of the IKEA approach. By following the approach, IKEA maintains a predominantly universally accepted product range with local minor adaptations. IKEA’s mission is to offer a wide variety, good design, good value, for â€Å"young people of all ages†. The furnishings giant has remained determined to maintain a standardised product strategy. IKEA itself does not own manufacturing facilities. The manufacturers are subcontracted.And it only owns distribution and designs furniture. This allows IKEA to follow a cost leadership strategy through high volume production and standardised items. IKEA consumers expected to supply their time for assembling work after purchase, thus becoming a part of the IKEA concept becoming â€Å"prosumers†. 2. 1Case Question: What has allowed IKEA to be successful with a relatively standardised product and product line in a business with strong cultural influence? Did adaptations to this strategy in the North American market constitute a defeat to their approach?The key reason behind IKEA’s breakout success was because if its customer focused approach. The focus on customers’ needs has been achieved because they were not selling through dealers. This allowed them obtain feedback directly from customers. Moreover, IKEA does not deem itself as just a retailer. But rather, it operates as a central hub of a number of services. According to the case, the customers in the countries IKEA entered through international expansion were not tied to traditional furniture image. Rather, they preferred good value, simplicity and the idea of contributing by giving their time in assembling stage. IKEA’s strategy to provide a wide variety available at one place with the assurance that customers would find something suitable, nice and simple as well as practical and of good value drew huge amounts of customers. The perceived wide variety of designs and good quality were also appealing factors. The concept was easy to promote worldwide. A catalogue with layout with minor adjustments to meet regional differences was used.Combined effects from all these practices contributed to the making of IKEA’s â€Å"universally accepted† formula. IKEA in the USA While IKEA entered the US market in 1985, it was greeted with limited success. It later planned more expansion in 1987. Some compromises – namely with the Europe’s standardised product strategy – had to be adapted for the US. Other adaptations were also made in service delivery and processes to meet the customers’ expectations. Despite the alterations, IKEA’s streamlined and contemporary â€Å"Scandinavian† style also remained mostly unchanged.Economies of scale were still being achieved. The key characteristics that defined the IKEA concept were therefore preserved. Rather, initial hiccup in the US market taught the global furniture giant to be more flexible and adapt to the local tastes when needed. Therefore, it can be argued that minor adaptations do not amount to a defeat to IKEA’s original approach. 2. 2Case question: Which features of the â€Å"young people of all ages† are universal and can be exploited by a global/regional strategy?The characteristics of the â€Å"Young people of all ages† stand out as universal are the contemporary, modern and innovative designs targeted towards the customers who are â€Å"young† at heart; who are not tied to the traditional image of typical furniture designs, relative to their cultures. Exploiting these characteristics with a global/regional strategy is the core of IKEA Concept. Relative to their domestic markets the perceptions can be more or less easily matched with their expectations; hence, there can be some minor regional differences in how these globally shared features can be exploited.IKEA tries to find its customer base in consumers who perceive themselves as practical, modern or non-traditional or a mix of all those at the same time. Rather than being tied down to the traditional furniture image and designs relative to their culture, they are more inclined to prefer designs that are â€Å"good†, â€Å"modern† and â€Å"streamlined† — exactly what IKEA offers in its collections. In their minds, simplicity and practicality are likely to be of much greater importance than â€Å"traditional†. Willingness to contribute time/work in order to gain in achieving a better value is another feature shared universally for this type of customer.The whole experience of IKEA shopping includes viewing, evaluating, choosing, pick-up and self-delivery, self-assembly and finishing work, which also encompasses the other, associated choice of convenient facilities (i. e. kids playing area, Swedish restaurant etc). All that combined produces the experience perceived by this type of customers as more modern, creative and interesting than the â€Å"traditional† choice. 2. 3Case question: Is IKEA destined to succeed everywhere it cares to establish itself? IKEA’s probability of success in different settings would depend on how flexible this concept is in various different countries’ conditions.Entering the US market was a big lesson for the furniture giant. It had to compromise its universal standards to draw American customers. While the IKEA concept was only slightly modified without compromising the original formula, the organisations may have to be more flexible in other regions. Considering IKEA’s experience at the US market, it would be a reasonable to argue that taking this concept further and further globally would have limitations that could not be easily met everywhere. A good example of the case would be if a certain price for a bed is considered as a good† in the USA or in the UK market, the same product would have to be sold at a lower price in some other countries in order to match the similar customer expectat ions. Furthermore, more furniture can be locally produced thus increasing the flexibility of this aspect but this might appear as stretching the universally standardised assortment element of the IKEA concept. To preserve the original formula whilst maintaining the profitability as a measurement of success, it would be vital for IKEA to establish a critical mass of potential customers.It would not only be important for these customers to like the concept, but also to be able to afford it and perceive it as â€Å"good† value. Therefore, in most developed countries, the IKEA concept may succeed. However, to expect the same amount of success for countries with erratic economic situation, extreme fluctuations in currency exchange rates, hyperinflation or with rigid importing quotas and restrictions. The problem would also apply to countries where the local people holds high values for traditional furniture designs that would be different from those of IKEA’s.All the above scenarios point towards the fact that the retail chain can have more chances of success if the IKEA concept is slightly modified at a regional level when required. However, this may potentially make them depart further from their original formula that marked its initial success. In conclusion, IKEA’s original formula can be preserved in most countries worldwide with or without minor modifications. However, it would be unreasonable to expect the same approach to be successful everywhere. Of course, crossing that line may be another way to achieve global success but may divert the organisation from the original concept. How to cite Customer and Ikea, Papers

Lab Results free essay sample

The environmental protection agency says that the maximum contaminant level for cadmium in drinking water is 0. 005 MGM/L. In soil it is said that the highest amount of cadmium that can be accepted in land is 85 MGM/keg. For Mercury the accepted toxic level in aquatic Systems in 1 BP b) Heavy metal pollution is a problem usually associated with areas of intensive industry. However, roadways and automobiles now are considered to be one of the largest sources of heavy metals.Zinc, copper, and lead are three of the most moon heavy metals released from road travel, accounting for at least 90 of the total metals in road runoff. Lead concentrations, however, consistently have been decreasing since leaded gasoline was discontinued. Smaller amounts of many other metals, such as nickel and cadmium, are also found in road runoff and exhaust. About half of the zinc and copper contribution to the environment from arbitration is from automobiles. We will write a custom essay sample on Lab Results or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Brakes release copper, while tire wear releases zinc. Motor oil also tends to accumulate teals as it comes into contact with surrounding parts as the engine runs, so oil leaks become another pathway by which metals enter the environment. C) Yes, these heavy metals can fasciculate in organisms in our food chain, especially fish. This is because heavy metals are part of Earths crust; they can be worn away by the action of weather. When they are worn off of rock, they can collect in surface or groundwater.Humans can sometimes eat these fish, which isnt good because heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, ND mercury can affect blood cells. The build-up of heavy metals can cause harm to the liver, kidneys, the circulatory system and the movement of nerve signals. Some of these metals can also contribute to the development of different types of cancers. D) As stated above, these heavy metals can cause harm to the liver, kidneys, circulatory system, and nerve signals, as well as the formation of blood cells. Again, they can also contribute to the development of different types of cancers. ) A portion of harmful chemical pollutants can be removed by a process known as premeditation, a process involving microorganisms or plants that help clean up the pollutants. Reacting contaminants with certain chemicals can also make them less harmful. Conclusion: Heavy metals are clearly very harmful to the wellbeing of an ecosystem, assuming they affect most organisms the same way they affected the vinegar eels. And because there arent very many ways to clean up the metals, we need to change our actions.

Anwar Sadat and his Contributions to Peace essays

Anwar Sadat and his Contributions to Peace essays On almost every continent of the world, certain issues threaten to- or already do- disrupt the fundamental right to peace which every person possesses. World leaders have the responsibility of protecting this right both within the boundaries of their state and outside of them. Few people have been as successful at promoting or achieving peace as former Egyptian president, the late Anwar al-Sadat. To be sure, hardly anyone in history made an impact on peaceful diplomacy that is as lasting as his; Sadats accomplishments are still affecting the ongoing struggle for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Before one can understand the extent of Sadats efforts and their part in the current Middle East peace process, he must understand what exactly Sadat did during his legendary lifetime, and then later he can see how the lesson of Anwar al-Sadats legacy could be vital to the achievement of peace in other conflicts, such as the one between China and Taiwan. The honorable steps President Sadat took toward peace between Egypt and Israel are famous, but few realize just how momentous they are. When Anwar al-Sadat participated in the overthrow of King Faruk in 1952, no one guessed that the new government was just 25 years away from making one of the biggest diplomatic breakthroughs in history. Upon the death of his close friend Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970, Sadat was elected to the presidency of Egypt. Seven years later, after a failed attempt to recapture the Sinai peninsula from Israeli troops occupying the region, Sadat made an unprecedented move among Arab nations; putting diplomacy ahead of further military action, Sadat traveled to Jerusalem and proposed that Egypt would become the first Arab country to recognize Israel on the condition that Israeli troops leave the Sinai peninsula. With the help of mediators, Sadat secured a peace treaty in two short years. Sadat showed courage in the face of what he rightfully s...

Italian Diacritical Accent Marks

Italian Diacritical Accent Marks Segni diacritici. Punti diacritici. Segnaccento (or segno daccento, or accento scritto). However you refer to them in Italian, accent marks (also referred to as diacritical marks) are added or attached to a letter to distinguish it from another of similar form, to give it a particular phonetic value, or to indicate stress. Note that in this discussion, the term accent does not refer to the pronunciation characteristic of a given region or geographical location (for example, a Neapolitan accent or Venetian accent) but rather to orthographic marks. The Big Four in Accent Marks In Italian ortografia (spelling) there are four accent marks: accento acuto (acute accent) [ ´] accento grave (grave accent) [] accento circonflesso (circumflex accent) [ˆ] dieresi (diaresis) [ ¨] In contemporary Italian, the acute and grave accents are the most commonly encountered. The circumflex accent is rare and the diaresis (also referred to as an umlaut) is usually only found in poetic or literary texts. Italian accent marks can be divided into three categories: mandatory, optional, and incorrect. Required accent marks are those that, if not used, constitute a spelling error; facultative accent marks are those a writer uses to avoid ambiguity of meaning or reading; wrong accent marks are those that are written without any purpose and, even in the best of cases, only serve to weigh down the text. When Accent Marks Are Needed In Italian, the accent mark is obligatory: With all words of two or more syllables that end with a vowel that is stressed: libert, perchà ©, finà ¬, abbandonà ², laggià ¹ (the word ventitrà © also requires an accent);With monosyllables ending in two vowels, of which the second has a truncated sound: chià ¹, cià ², dià ¨, gi, già ¹, pià ¨, pià ¹, puà ², sci. One exception to this rule are the words qui and qua;With the following monosyllables in order to distinguish them from other monosyllables of identical spelling, which have a different meaning when unaccented: - chà ©, in the sense of poichà ©, perchà ©, causal conjunction (Andiamo chà © si fa tardi) to distinguish it from the conjunction or pronoun che (Sapevo che eri malato, Can che abbaia non morde); - d, the present indicative of dare (Non mi d retta) to distinguish it from the preposition da, and from da’, the imperative form of dare (Viene da Roma, Da’ retta, non partire); - dà ¬, when meaning day (Lavora tutto il dà ¬) to distinguish it from the preposition di (È l’ora di alzarsi) and di’, the imperative form of dire (Di’ che ti piace); - à ¨, verb (â€Å"Non à ¨ vero†) to distinguish it from the conjunction e (Io e lui); - l, adverb of place (È andato l) to distinguish it from the article, pronoun, or musical note la (Dammi la penna, La vidi, Dare il la all’orchestra); - là ¬, adverb of place (Guarda là ¬ dentro) to distinguish it from the pronoun li (Li ho visti); - nà ©, conjunction (Nà © io nà © Mario) to distinguish it from the pronoun or adverb ne (Ne ho visti parecchi, Me ne vado subito, Ne vengo proprio ora); - sà ©, stressed personal pronoun (Lo prese con sà ©) to distinguish it from the unstressed pronoun se or the conjunction se (Se ne prese la met, Se lo sapesse); - sà ¬, adverb of afirmation or to express the sentiment cosà ¬ (Sà ¬, vengo, Sà ¬ bello e sà ¬ caro) to distinguish it from the pronoun si (Si à ¨ ucciso); - tà ¨, plant and drink (Piantagione di tà ¨, Una tazza di tà ¨Ã¢â‚¬ ) to distinguish it from te (closed sound) pronoun (Vengo con te). When Accents Are Optional The accent mark is optional: With a, that is, stressed on the third-to-last syllable, so as not to be confused with the identically spelled word that is pronounced with the accent on the penultimate syllable. For example, nà ¨ttare and nettare, cà ³mpito and compito, sà ºbito and subito, cpitano and capitano, bitino and abitino, ltero and altero, mbito and ambito, uguri and auguri, bcino and bacino, circà ¹ito and circuito, frà ºstino and frustino, intà ºito and intuito, malà ¨dico and maledico, mà ¨ndico and mendico, nà ²cciolo and nocciolo, rà ¨tina and retina, rà ºbino and rubino, sà ©guito and seguito, và ­ola and viola, vità ¹peri and vituperi.When it signals the vocal stress on words ending in -io, -à ­a, -à ­i, -à ­e, such as fruscà ­o, tarsà ­a, fruscà ­i, tarsà ­e, as well as lavorà ­o, leccornà ­a, gridà ­o, albagà ­a, godà ­o, brillà ­o, codardà ­a, and many other instances. A more important reason is when the term, with a different pronunciation, would change meaning, for example: balà ­a and balia, bacà ­o and bacio, gorgheggà ­o and gorgheggio, regà ­a and regia. Then there are those optional accents that might be referred to as phonic because they signal the correct pronunciation of the vowels e and o within a word; an open e or o has one meaning while a closed e or o has another: fà ³ro (hole, opening), fà ²ro (piazza, square); tà ©ma (fear, dread), tà ¨ma (theme, topic); mà ¨ta (ending, conclusion), mà ©ta (dung, excrement); cà ²lto (from the verb cogliere), cà ³lto (educated, learned, cultured); rà ²cca (fortress), rà ³cca, (spinning tool). But beware: these phonetic accents are beneficial only if the speaker understands the difference between the acute and grave accent; otherwise disregard the accent mark, since it is not mandatory. When Accents Are Wrong The accent mark is wrong: First and foremost, when it is incorrect: there should be no accent on the words qui and qua, according to the exception noted;and when it is completely useless. It is a mistake to write dieci anni f, accenting the verbal form fa, which would never be confused with the musical note fa; as it would be a mistake to write non lo sà ² or cosà ¬ non v accenting without reason so and va.