Mount St. Helen Essays - Geology, Plate Tectonics, Volcanology

Mount St. Helen Mount St. Helen is a fountain of liquid magma situated along the Cascade extend which is a fountain of liquid magma chain extending from Northern California to British Colombia. It now remains at a tallness of 8,364 feet above ocean level. Mount St. Helen was on of the littler ejections of five significant ones in Washington State. It's rise before the ejection was 9,677 feet high. On March 29, 1980 after a time of one-hundred and twenty-three years of dormancy a seismic tremor under the spring of gushing lava convulsed, and after seven days a pheartic (steam) blasts started. As magma pushed up from underneath the world's surface, the north side of the mountain built up a lump. Edge and slant separation estimations demonstrating that the lump was developing at a pace of 1.5 feet every day (Lyn Topinka Page 2). By May 17 the spring of gushing lava's north-side had been pushed upward and outward 450 feet (Lynn Topinka Page 2). On May 18,1980 at 8:32 a.m. Pacific light time a greatness 5.1 seismic tremor shook Mount St. Helen. The lump on the North side of the mountain gave path in an immense stone slide discharging pressure and setting off a significant stone what's more, pumice emission . At thirteen hundred feet the pinnacle fallen and subsequently 24 square miles of the valley was loaded up with rock and trash. From that rock slide 250 square miles of lumber, amusement and private grounds were annihilated from the parallel impact. For over nine hours the well of lava spit incredible debris in a huge tuft. In the long run the tuft arrived at 12-15 miles above ocean level. The crest went eastbound at around sixty miles for every hour. By early afternoon the crest of debris had reached similar to Idaho. By the 19 the emission was finished. Presently the volcanoes rise is just 8,364 feet above ocean level before the emission it was 9,677 feet above ocean level knock off a walloping 1,313 feet off of the highest point of the mountain. Presently it has a mile wide horseshoe formed hole on the northern side of the mountain. From the emission observable debris fell in eleven states. The aggregate sum of debris that fell was .26 cubic miles or enough debris to cover a football field to a profundity of 150 miles(Lyn Topinka Page3). From the avalanche 2/3 cubic miles of flotsam and jetsam was saved in the valley that enough to cover Washington DC fourteen feet thick.(Lynn Topinka, Page 4) Mount St. Helen is said to have caused the most harm (Mattox Page 1) a aggregate of 1.6 billion dollars of harm was brought about by the impact from the well of lava. That figure originates from misfortunes because of home and street cleanup, harm to horticulture, wood, streets, spans, fisheries, houses, sewer treatment plants, and the digging of rivers.(MattoxPage1). 57 individuals were slaughtered or as yet absent (Topinka Page1) More than 100,000 sections of land of were annihilated by the impact of that 100,000 sections of land incorporate 41,000 sections of land of national forest,(Scooner Page1) additionally finished four billion feet of usable wood became unusable that is sufficient timber to manufacture 150,000 homes.(Topinka Page3) Nearly 135 miles of stream channels were affected by the fountain of liquid magma and in excess of 185 miles of streets and more than 200 homes were obliterated. (Topinka Page 5) Presently over 9.5 million tree seedlings have been planted to supplant the ones obliterated by the impact and of those 70 percent of those have survived(Scooner Page 1)some previously growing twenty feet high(ScoonerPage1). The fish and natural life have gotten impressive consideration since the ejection. The intensely pursued Elk have indicated that the limitations after the ejection have helped the repopulating of them coming back to the pre-ejection populace inside five years. Additionally the Samon and trout have come back to there populace since the emission. Stream temperatures have surpassed there lawful edge populace in many years since the ejection. (Sconner Page 1) Presently the United States Geological Survey has built up both a continuos twenty-four hour and intermittent observing projects to consider and foresee future ejections Mount St. Helen. (Lyn Topinka). They additionally arrangement a seismic station close the arch of the mountain. The University of Washington State related with the US Geological Survey currently screen it.

Later Adulthood Development Report Essay Example for Free

Later Adulthood Development Report Essay Maturing happens in each phase of life, and as grown-ups become more seasoned and move starting with one phase of adulthood then onto the next numerous new changes can happen in their regular daily existences. The progress from center adulthood to later adulthood can bring an unheard of level of changes to an individual’s life. The maturing procedure remembers changes for jobs and social positions, considering living housing with human services needs, progressing from work life to retirement, changes in social approaches, and changes involved with relatives and friends. As maturing happens people notice a various measure of changes in their lives. A portion of those progressions happen in their jobs and social positions. As an individual ages they may start to see both physical and mental changes that decline their capacity to complete exercises in their every day schedules. A person who was previously the pioneer of organization gatherings may see that they are not, at this point ready to hear or see things just as they were previously, and they will most likely be unable to process their musings as fast. They may likewise see a deferral in their response time. While a few people may accept it is a result of a clinical issue, it could simply be a result of maturing. As maturing proceeds all through later adulthood people may likewise see changes in their physical appearances, for example, free or wrinkly skin and a lessening in muscle tone. All through life people may choose to move starting with one spot then onto the next to encounter what it resembles to live in another spot. As people age their wellbeing begins to decay, and now and again, a few families need to settle on the choice to place their friends and family in a nursing home or recruit a nursing staff to do home visits. At the point when the wellbeing of a friend or family member turns into an issue relatives need to ensure they are getting theâ proper care they have to guarantee their friends and family are sheltered and their wellbeing needs are being met. Some old people can experience life and not need any sort of help thinking about themselves, however a few people become ill and can't appropriately deal with themselves any more. Alzheimer’s and Dementia are two of the most noticeably awful infections an individual can create as they age. Once Alzheimer’s or Dementia truly set in the individual begin to overlook life as they recently knew it. They no longer perceive their family or companions and make some hard memories recalling that anything about their lives. As indicated by the Alzheimer’s Association there are three phases to Alzheimer’s sickness, the early, center, and late stages. In the beginning times of Alzheimer’s ailment an individual may at present capacity just as they did before they realized they had the sickness, â€Å"He or she may at present drive, work, and be a piece of social activities† (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). As indicated by the Alzheimer’s Association, â€Å"The center phases of Alzheimer’s are ordinarily the longest and can keep going for some years†. The third, and last phase of Alzheimer’s, the late stages, as indicated by the Alzheimer’s Association, â€Å"may keep going for half a month or quite a while and requires extraordinary are the clock care†. As Alzheimer’s advances the individual may encounter manifestations, for example, outrage, tension, sorrow, mind flights, memory misfortune, disarray, redundancy, and physical uneasiness. As Alzheimer’s gradually begins to assume control over the individual it gets increasingly hard for both the individual and the family to manage the progressions that are happening. That is the reason it is so critical to ensure there is a prepared clinical expert on location consistently to mind and solace the individual managing the ailment. The progress from working life to retirement can be a troublesome procedure for certain grown-ups as they battle to acknowledge the progressions that will happen in their way of life. In any case, then again, retirement can likewise be an agreeable time for certain grown-ups as they consider it to be a chance to do things they love without stressing over work meddling with their arrangements. Some maturing grown-ups make some hard memories adapting to the idea of retirement in view of the uncommon change in salary and they don't have a clue what to do withâ all the additional time they will have for the duration of the day. While the adjustments in pay between a week after week or every other week check extraordinarily contrast from their past calling and the measure of cash got through government disability, most managers offer a 401K investment funds intend to help with retirement and life subsequent to working. Social approaches were placed in propriety to guarantee that anybody in need can have their necessities met. These requirements can incorporate clinical, healthful, and pay needs. The administration has financed projects, for example, food stamps to help families everywhere throughout the nation give food to their families. Other government projects, for example, Medicaid and Medicare are flawless to help spread clinical costs for individuals who can't manage the cost of wellbeing or dental protection. With regards to the old, social projects, for example, Social Security and the Older Americans Act were put unblemished to guarantee the old (anybody matured sixty five or more seasoned) can monetarily bolster themselves. Social arrangements are an extraordinary method to guarantee people are appropriately dealt with and can bolster themselves. Family is everlastingly, and no one ought to ever feel as though they need to experience life alone. As we age it is essential to recall how significant our loved ones truly are to us. We spend our entire lives scanning for somebody to spend the remainder of our lives with and to manufacture a family with, however as we age and individuals in our families begin to pass on individuals start to feel forlorn. Losing a nearby relative or even a companion can leave people with a sentiment of forlornness or even discouragement, â€Å"Most individuals seventy years old or more established are bereft, separated, or single† (Zastrow Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Grandparents and incredible grandparents ought to never need to feel like they are immaterial or undesirable by their families. As people develop and go on with their own lives they ought to consistently keep on keeping in contact with everybody in their family, however they ought to particularly ensure their grandparents and more seasoned relatives are sound and very much dealt with. The progressions that happen all through our day by day lives are setting us up for the following phase of life. As people age they experience new things and learnâ new things about themselves. A few people dread maturing as they dread they will not, at this point have the option to appropriately think about themselves any more, yet with the affection and backing from our families the sky is the limit. The maturing procedure remembers changes for jobs and social positions, considering living housing with human services needs, progressing from work lifeâ to retirement, changes in social strategies, and changes involved with relatives and companions. Maturing is only one of the numerous parts of life that everybody needs to manage, and it is dependent upon us to decide how we need to manage it and let it influence our regular day to day existence. References: Alzheimer’s Association. The Stages of Alzheimer’s. Recovered from: http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_4521.asp U.S Department of Health and Family Services. Thinking about Frail Elderly People: Policies in Evolution. Recovered from: http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/chap14.htm Zastrow, C.H. Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (eighth Ed.)

9 Questions to Ask When Negotiating Salary

9 Questions to Ask When Negotiating Salary Few things can be as exciting as receiving a call for the second or third interview.Why?Because you know you’re being called for the job. Either that, or you’re very close to getting the job.For the companies which only do two interviews, the second one usually includes job offer discussions. For those conducting three, this happens in the third interview.All the same, when called for a second interview, you know that you performed well in the previous interview. You are filled with joy. But this could also be the beginning of some uncertainties.What will they offer as a salary? Will it be worth the job? Will there be other benefits? How good are the benefits?Salary negotiations can be challenging. But they can also be great opportunities for getting what you want.The first thing you must do is to have the right perspective.Do not see it as a tricky situation but an opportunity to get the pay you want.PREPARING FOR A SALARY NEGOTIATIONA quick mention of some important things to w ork on before heading into the negotiation.You need to do some preparing so as to successfully negotiate.Whereas the 9 questions below will surely help you, the below are key to master.Know What You WantA salary negotiation is not any different from a business negotiation.You are seeking the best for yourself while the hiring manager will be seeking the best for her company. It’s therefore necessary to know what you want.How much salary are you looking to get? In case they don’t give you that, how much less can you accept?This is what will guide your negotiation. You don’t want to go into this with a view of discussing the offer given while having no figure in mind. If you do this, you will be limited to the offer.The company can agree to increasing the amount but that may still be below what you consider acceptable.Prepare to ListenListening is a skill everyone needs. When it comes to your salary negotiation, good listening plays a very important role. Its in the listening th at you gather information about the company.You can learn how generous they are from the words used by the interviewer. The look on his face when responding to you request for more and the voice tone can tell you a lot.Just from listening, you can be able to estimate the financial muscle of the company. This will guide your responses and help you keep within the limits you sense they cannot go beyond.Prepare a Counter OfferYou are going to discuss a business deal. That is what it really isâ€"a business deal. If you accept their offer, you will be waking up early to go to those offices.Much of your waking time will be spent there. That is where you will be earning your income from. Its serious business.If you do not have any idea the salary range they may offer, just do your research.Find out what other companies pay someone in a similar position. Of course companies are different. They amount of work may differ. The pay structure may differ etc. But knowing how much others are paid gives you the opportunity to prepare an informed response.When the offer you are given isn’t what you expected, propose your counter offer.Do not be afraid of making it in case Its too high compared to what has been offered. You may cut down on it but be careful not to reduce it too much.Remember that this is a negotiation.Demonstrate FlexibilityRemembering that Its a negotiation requires that you also become flexible.As much as both parties want the best for themselves, negotiations must end as a win-win situation. No-one should feel coerced into the agreement.In case you decide to join the company, you will be working with the person who interviewed you. There will also be more opportunities later for further negotiations, raises and promotions.Also, you expect them to consider your arguments and make changes to the offer in your favor. In a similar way, be ready to make changes to your stand and counter offer.This will encourage them and help both you and them come to an amicab le agreement.QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING SALARY NEGOTIATIONSTo get the pay you want, you have to prepare for the negotiation. A good way of doing that is by having some questions to ask.Questions are great because they open up the interviewer to giving you more information about the offer.With more information, you are able to negotiate because you can see the “good” and the “bad” of the offer.We have put together 9 questions which you can focus on. Go through them, learn how to use them and add them to your arsenal.1. Is this salary negotiable?The first question you should ask is whether the salary is negotiable.Do not go straight into making a counter-offer. Act like the professional you are and approach the negotiation gently.This will show that you are thoughtful and reasonable.Contrary to popular opinion by job candidates, most employers expect the salary offered to be negotiated. So seeking to do this should not make you uncomfortable.Do not think to yourself that you will seem money-focused. You are simply trying to balance your needs with the employer’s.If the salary is negotiable, then it’s time to show the interviewer that you are worth more than the offer given. Mention the figure you have in mind and wait for a response.During your preparation, you must have figured out what salary is paid to people in the position you are interviewing for.A website like Glassdoor is a good place to look. If in a position to, find out from the company staff what pay the position gives.This knowledge will help you bargain your salary more effectively.If you are told that the salary is not negotiable, then move to the next question.2. What does the entire package contain?This is where you start acting smart. Although many candidates negotiate salaries alone, show the interviewer that you know better.Every job compensation has more than a salary. There are benefits which come with the job. If you are interviewing for a junior position in the company, the benef its may not be many.But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.Prompt the interviewer to tell you what else is in the package. You will then be able to gauge the attractiveness of the job compensation.This makes it easier for you to make comparisons with any other offers you may have received elsewhere.Still, even without other job offers, you can see the value of what you will be getting from this employer. Source: Pharmalogics RecruitingWhen asking this question, be ready to make a proposal. Whatever is important to you, include it in the proposal you will make.Some of these may include work-from-home options, stock options, health insurance cover etc. Whatever aligns with what you value should be discussed.3. How are salary raises and promotions given?Its expected that employees won’t work for ten years and get paid the same salary they started with. But just because its expected, you need to hear it from your prospective employer himself.This removes guesswork and assumptions which cannot make a solid case later when you ask for a raise.Salary raises and promotions will often be a result of employee performance. This question can therefore be answered by a quick and short response like, “It depends on an employee’s performance.”This is perfectly okay.However, this short answer can be used to steer you away from a powerful bargaining chip.To avoid that, ask how they measure an employee’s performance. Do not assume that it’s just doing the job right.At this point, you have no idea what the company policies says about job performance.Maybe you need to perform well for two years before a raise is considered. Get to hear it from them so you know what you are looking at.4. How often do salaries get raised?This question is quite similar to the one above but different in it’s own way. It will come in handy in case you were not given a comprehensive answer for the above question.Remember that the employer would rather you just accept the offer given and take the job.For you however, you would rather get the job and the best package possible.This is why you are in a negotiation.Stay focused on your goal but don’t be pushy. If the initial question was skillfully avoided and you are not yet comfortable with the answer given, this question will help.The essence of Its to get specific numbers. In this case, a specific duration by which you can expect a raise. This is actually seeking to get the interviewer to commit himself to a raise in the future.If she tells you it happens within a year or another specific time frame, that’s fine. If he is still non-committal, then move on to another question.But take note of the hesitation and know that you need to have a solid offer in order to accept the job.5. Can I see the job description?When you ask for the position’s job description, you are basically looking to understand whether the offer is commensurate with the day-to-day tasks.This is very important for your negotiation and you should not underestimate it.You see, many employers offer candidates the job and the job description follows after reporting to work.Sometimes, it will happen after finishing the induction process. This might be okay and isn’t much of an issue if the package is good.But what if the daily tasks and responsibilities are more than the package comfortably compensates for?If the work is more than you expected, it might be difficult to start negotiating the job again after agreeing to, and signing the job offer. This will be a trap for you and getting out of it can be tricky.You might start working on a job with thoughts of having been tricked. This will affect your performance and in due time, your chances of getting a raise or a promotion.Be wise and stay ahead of your future employer. Ask for a job description and see whether you can manage to carry out the daily routines for the salary offered.6. What does the severance package contain?One important though often-ignored part of the pay package is the severance. People think of severance only when it becomes clear that there is a danger of being laid off.When all is well, few give this any thought.Well, you have an opportunity to be different. Do not go by what you know the 401k will provide.You can negotiate further than that. You can ask for more options to be included in your severance package.If you are interviewing for a senior positi on, you have even more leverage.This is also true if you are in a high-demand job market like cybersecurity. If you are also looking at several offers from different companies, do not hesitate to push your interviewer to see how much they can give.Explain to them how your position requires job security so as to perform well. Show them how getting a package that is below the market average of your industry can reduce your chances of accepting the offer.Such a comment will have at least two effects:a. Show that you are interested in the jobThe interviewer will always want to know that the negotiation is not in vain.When they know that you are available for them and are thinking about their offer, they are likely to consider your demands.This gives you a chance to further pinpoint the issues you have with the offer given.Since you are certainly one of the candidates they are considering, your chances of getting what you want are increased.b. Show that you are well informedFew things ca n rival your bargaining power when you have insightful information. Knowledge is indeed power and the more you know, the more capable you are of getting what you want.Knowledge gives you the ability to know when a claim by the interviewer is meant to weaken your argument.And when you show that you have knowledge, you are immediately respected. They know that they cannot just counter your demands with empty words.More than that, a smart employer will actually like you some more since he sees the potential you carry. You will be seen as proactive and good in doing your homework.This further points to a possibility of you being a solution provider who is worthy of being invested in.7. What percentage raise do your highest performers get?Still along the lines of pay rise, here is a question to get the conversation going further.As the interviewer works hard to show you how good a place the company is, this question will be asking for proof.If you get the answer to this question quickly, then you know that its the company’s norm to give pay raises.But if there is hesitation, if the hiring manager doesn’t seem to know the answer or doesn’t remember, that should be a sign for you.That should tell you that raises are rare and they probably have to be earned the hard way.Maybe you only become a top performing employee when you do many “extras” which really stretch you out.If this is the case, then you might be looking at an employer who isn’t very reward-focused. Source: Patriot SoftwareIf you managed to see the work environment, you would notice if this is the case at the company. You will then have to put in some more thinking before accepting the job.On the other hand, if you got a straightforward answer, then you might be in a safe place. All you will be gauging is the figure given.If you are currently making $10,000 and the percentage given is 10%, then it’s reasonable to expect a raise of $1,000.This provides you with a good idea of what the prospects are in that company. Its always a good idea to know what the future holds.This gives you more information to use when comparing the offer to your current or former job. It also helps you compare the offer against offers from different companies you are interviewing at.8. Will I get a raise after being confirmed as a full-time employee?This question gives you a window of negotiation in case it has been tough throughout to this point. It also provides room for you to gain some more leverag e.To help you understand the power this question wields, consider the psychology behind it.Many job candidates start off in probation. This might be a requirement in the company you are about to join if you accept the offer. With probation periods often being 6 months, what happens after that?Testing. Or maybe a review of your performance.But will there be a salary increase after probation?Note that the question does not ask what criteria is used to confirm employees on probation. Rather, it asks whether there will be a raise upon confirmation. Meaning, it assumes that its obvious there will be a confirmation.Using this question, you will be communicating your confidence that you will pass whatever evaluation you’ll be taken through. Your concern therefore is what benefits will come with the good performance you will have shown.9. By when can I give you an answer?If there is one crucial aspect of negotiating a salary, it’s that you shouldn’t be quick to say either “Yes” or “No.” No matter how much you are pushed, always seek time to think it over.The interviewer may tell you that they are in a hurry to fill the position. They may even want someone to start working immediately. Whether this is true or it’s just a tactic, you may not be sure.One thing however needs to be etched on your mind. If you have come this far, and have negotiated the salary with them at length, they have probably decided to pick you.If you have negotiated well and are satisfied with all the details and information provided, then you can immediately accept the offer.But if you are still unsure about some aspects, don’t be afraid of asking for at least, some hours. You can give them an answer the following morning.This will give you time outside the probably-tense interview room to think about the offer.You will be able to assess what you observed about the company and decide if it’s the kind of place you want to work.In the event that there are other companies you are waiting for a response from, you can call them up and ask for an offer.You can tell them that you have an offer from a different company and would love to consider what they are offering.You don’t need to discuss the details of the offer received but this way, you can make a good decision by the following morning.CONCLUSIONWith these questions, you can easily negotiate your way to a great salary and overall job package.Stay confident and maintain a positive mindset.Know that the chances of getting what you want are more than if you hadn’t read these questions.

Brief Organization History Bill Gates And Paul Allen...

Brief Organizations History Bill Gates and Paul Allen moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in early 1975 to form a partnership called â€Å"Micro-soft†. This partnership would soon grow into one of the most successful and influential companies of the computer age. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard University and Paul Allen quit his job at Honeywell to make the move because they received an opportunity to write software for a consumer computer that was soon to release. They improved upon their BASIC software and grew the company until they incorporated in 1981, removing the hyphen and forever known as Microsoft (Alfred, 2011). The company received its big break when IBM approached the small software company in 1980. IBM proposed to outsource its operating system to Microsoft. Microsoft accepted the offer but did not have an operating system that could compete with the current industry standard. Therefore, Microsoft outsourced and bought the rights of the operating systems QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) and 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products for less than $100,000 (Shustek, 2014). After modifying the operating systems, PC DOS version 1.0 was released with IBM’s 1981 Personal Computer. Microsoft upgraded the software for the next IBM release in 1983, the first version to support hard-disk (Shustek, 2014). The IBM deal flooded the commercial and consumer market with Microsoft software and other computer manufacturers turned to Microsoft for their software needs.Show MoreRelatedProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesBanking Corporation Limited: Hongkong Bank Headquarters (C) (see handout provided by instructor) Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited: Hongkong Bank Headquarters (Cl) (see handout provided by instructor) Preface Other than on-the-job training, case studies and situations are perhaps the best way to learn project management. Case studies allow the students to apply the knowledge learned in lectures. Case studies require that the students investigate what went right in the case, whatRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 Pages Stephen A. Miles and Michael D. 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Twelfth Night - Orsino - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 973 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/07/29 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Twelfth Night Essay William Shakespeare Essay Did you like this example? In William Shakespeares play, Twelfth Night, Orsino, is a dramatic, moody, love fool that pines away for the stunning Lady Olivia (who wants nothing to do with him) for most of the play but ends up with the beautiful cross-dressing Viola. Orsino is a wealthy bachelor that has the role of power as the Duke of Illyria. He seems lazy and doesnt want to do anything for himself, which, puts emphasis on his class in society. We get our first look at the Duke in the opening scene and its pretty telling, Shakespeare writes: Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Twelfth Night Orsino" essay for you Create order If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die. That strain again;it had a dying fall; O, it came oer my ear like the sweet sound, That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odor.Enough; no more; Tis not so sweet now as it was before. (2) Orsino commands his musicians to play because the music feeds his desire for love, then interrupts and demands that they stop, saying, Enough; no more / Tis not so sweet as it was before (2). This quote tells us that Orsino is dramatic in his words, powerful, self-absorbed, and a bit moody. Orsino says hes in love with Olivia but theres evidence that he is really not. When he shares his thoughts on when he first saw Olivia, Shakespeare writes, That instant was I turned into a hart; / And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, / Eer since pursue me (2-3). Orsino said he was turned into a hart (a deer) and he was pursued or hunted by his desires, which were like the hounds. Orsino doesnt imagine Olivia in this pursuit as much as he fixates on the pursuit of himself in the fantasy. Notably, there are a lot of personal pronouns spoken, me, my, and I when the Duke speaks. The Duke is more about himself than Olivia. In movie, Shes the Man, Duke Orsino doesnt even appear in the movie until is well under way. The movie is more Viola/Sebastian driven and Duke has very little lines compared to its Shakespeare counterpart. Duke doesnt come across as dramatic and he is still the love fool who pines away for Olivia. He really puts the fool in love fool because Duke gets tongue-tied, hes bumbling and cant speak more than a couple words when Olivia is in the vicinity. Viola Hastings is a girl who plays soccer for the Cornwall College team until her team gets cut. Her twin brother, Sebastian, is enrolled at Illyria but skips out when his band gets a gig in London. Viola then decides that shes going to prove that girls are just as good as boys and decides to join the team at Illyria, as her brother Sebastian so she can beat the Cornwall team. Our first look at Duke in the movie, is when Sebastian/Viola makes her way to the campus of Illyria. Duke is in his dorm room along with his two buddies. They dont take very well to Sebastian and as for first impressions go, Sebastian doesnt make that great of one. Duke is the soccer teams striker and acts as though he is better than Sebastian. Sebastian asks Duke when the soccer tryouts are, and Duke responds, Noon, you play? And gives an incredulous look toward Sebastian. Duke and his buddies make fun of Sebastian. Duke says he is in love with Olivia in this movie, but is he? Here too, shows evidence that he truly may not be. You must delve a little further into the movie. Duke meets Viola at the school carnival when he buys tickets for the kissing booth, that Olivia is working at. Viola relieves Olivia from her shift right before it would be Dukes turn for the kissing. Olivia leaves much to Dukes dismay but is attracted to Viola and becomes a bumbling mess. Later, Duke and Sebastian are at the gym working out, Duke tells Sebastian that he wants to ask Viola out to dinner but when Olivia decides to try to make Sebastian jealous by asking Duke to dinner, Duke once again bumbling and takes Olivia up on her offer. Olivia: So do you have plans tonight? Duke: Im free Duke to Sebastian: Im going out with Oliviaaaa Sabastian: I thought you liked Viola? Duke: Dude, cmon what would you do? If Duke truly was in love with Olivia, why did he enjoy kissing Viola so much? The gym scene really shows how fickle Duke is, going from wanting to ask Viola out for dinner to Olivia asking him out for dinner and he so quickly forgets Viola. In the Shes the Man, Duke seems to be less self-absorbed but more sensitive. There are less mes, Is, and mines. Duke is also there for a little comedic relief. The movie is also very Viola/Sebastian centric. We follow their perspective the entire time and theres very little supporting character story or intervention. In, Twelfth Night, its central story is the Viola/Sebastian, Orsino, Olivia love triangle, we see more perspectives in the changing of the scenes. The cast of supporting characters have their own side stories going on that are just as entertaining as the main story. It makes the play seem so much larger. In conclusion, Shakespeares comedy, Twelfth Night and the light-hearted teen movie Shes the Man, have many lessons to be taken away. Be yourself and love is sometimes tragedy. Cited Works: Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night Or What You Will. McAllister Editions, 2015. Shes the Man. Directed by Andy Fickman, written by Ewan Leslie, Karen McCullah Lutz, and Kirsten Smith, performances by Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, DreamWorks, 2006. Twelfth Night, or What You Will Shmoop Editorial Team https://www.shmoop.com/twelfth-night/

An Ethical Issue in Human Behavioral Pharmacology Free Essays

An ethical issue in human behavioral pharmacology is the methodological one. The control group is a control condition that scientist use to see whether the drug they are investigating is really causing an effect on a person or persons through the control group. The placebo control is when psycho-pharmacology is essential to determining the pharmacological drugs effect that arose from long ago, when placebo effects were being discovered. We will write a custom essay sample on An Ethical Issue in Human Behavioral Pharmacology or any similar topic only for you Order Now A lot of how a drug affects a person is really in their belief of how the drug they are taking will influence their over all. I believe if you tell yourself, I will get a high from this medication, the mind accepts this and you have programmed yourself to believe, I will and the person does. I also believe if we tell ourselves, â€Å"This isn’t going to really help me, it will not. † There are the experiments of participants that are told they may or may not get the actual drug some do and some don’t. The double-blind method according to their beliefs and expectancies can certainly affect the results of the study. The person who administers the drug will have expectancies about the drug, the person receiving the drug will have their belief about the drug, the drug with its actual effect is still under drug research. the professionals are still so skeptical about so many drugs and their affects on people. So placebo controls are definitely needed to interact with groups of people and see whether or not the drug really is needed for a person, if it is really working for their situation of illness at hand. I think there has been so much medication given to people when really, they didn’t even really need it at all. Once the drugs is into their system and they get hooked, that person’s life is destroyed and sometimes I think it was so uncalled for. Placebo Controls is really needed so much more in our drug administration. It seems every time you look at a physician, it’s a super list of med. We definitely need more placebo controls. I encourage this all the way. If not a proven fact a person really needs drugs, then not to dispense any at all, our world would be in such a better shape. How to cite An Ethical Issue in Human Behavioral Pharmacology, Essay examples

Analysis of Program Management Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analysis of Program Management. Answer: Analysis of the project Alignment of program management As part of the U.S National Airspace System transformation, one of the new programs was designed for improving the air traffic control for NextGen. It is identified that in order to reduce traffic delay and for managing the aircrafts, the organization uses proper strategies of program management so that the air traffic control for NextGen can be properly designed. It is found that there is a proper agreement among U.S National Airspace as well as NextGen in order to build proper program management for the project. It is analyzed that the U.S Federal Aviation transportation manages the program by setting proper timelines as well as proper management disciplines. The objective statement that is established helps in aligning the program successfully with the project in order to control the air traffic (Thiry 2015). In addition to this, it is identified that proper principles of program management was utilized by the organization for helping individuals as well as team members in remaining involved as well as for staying focused. The lead program manager helps in successfully managing different areas of risk that were encountered within the project of controlling air traffic (Florez Castro-Lacouture and Medaglia 2013). It is found that the risks that are encountered include technical, programmatic as well as political risks which must be encountered properly. The lead program managers not only ask the involved individuals to stay focus but also ask them to remain motivated (Gosling et al. 2015).The team as well as program manager both are result oriented and as a result the program was properly designed so that it can execute as well as implement the new surveillance layer into the NAS. It is analyzed that a successful program always help in making proper contribution within the organization in order to achieve one or more strategic objectives. Therefore it is quite important to remain aligned with the strategies of the corporate (Shi et al. 2014). Leading change, adding value, designing as well as delivering proper coherent capability helps in managing the program of NextGex for controlling the air traffic. Dissemination of benefits captured It is identified that both individual as well as culture has found its way within the program and due to the typical movements of various key individuals. The NextGen program encouraged team members to be intentional while making important decisions related with the project (Hornyak et al. 2014).The proper reliance on the program management activities as well as principles helps in allowing the culture to spread throughout the organizational administration. It is analyzed that program management helps in enabling the organization to effectively manage the different resources of the project. It is quite easy to prioritize the various works in order to manage the resources of the project effectively (Florez, Castro-Lacouture and Medaglia 2013). The resources that are needed for the execution of surveillance layer are managed properly so that the air traffic can be controlled properly so that the resources can be easily moved as well as directed towards some important activity of the project. In addition to this, the risks as well as issues related with the project are communicated properly across the project with the help of networks as well as staffing experience (Butner et al. 2014). It is analyzed that the program of NextGen helps in providing proper substantial benefit by providing proper dissemination of time as well as accurate information about the air transportation status. In addition to this, it is identified that better information helps in making delay easier as well as assists in reducing costs that generally imposes of air travelers. Model of program strategy management It is identified that program strategy helps in ensuring that the mission of the project can be achieved successfully regardless of different environmental changes. According to Tanaka (2014), strategy formulation is mainly expected to reflect a mission for the program more properly as well as feasibly that further helps in enhancing the profitability success of the program. In addition to this, it is analyzed that there are number of reasons due to which the strategy is not achieved as formulated (Florez Castro-Lacouture and Medaglia 2013). The reasons include insufficient design of the attributes to cope with the changes as well as inadequate decision making on the alternative plan selection. In context to implementation, the analyzed reasons have shortage of human resources that generally work with problem in formation of team, leadership, competence as well as communication. These critical factors are quite helpful for deciding the failures as well as success of the program From the recent environmental changes, it can be analyzed that the changes are large and the changes that have occurred are of discontinuous patterns. Therefore proper as well as long term plan for controlling the air traffic for the airport is quite necessary (Hodson et al. 2017).In order to realize a mission as expected, the organization utilizes decision making strategies that include prediction of proper environmental changes, proper identification of strategy elements, assessment of the gap, assessment as well as selection of proper alternative plans as well as adoption of proper decision making procedures for an optimum plan (Thiry 2015). The strategic elements of the programs are utilized by FAA with the help of SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is one of the tool or technique that is used for identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as well as threats of the program that is mainly arranged in order to improve the air traffic control for NextGen. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as well as threats of the program are elaborated below: Strength: It is identified the program that is arranged for NextGen helps in providing number of substantial benefit (Butner et al. 2014). The program that is arranged helps in providing proper information about the project that is mainly undertaken for controlling the air traffic. It also helps in enabling the organization to manage the execution of new surveillance layer properly. Weaknesses: The program that is designed for executing the surveillance layer does not helps in planning the project accurately due to presence of inexperienced project managers (Thiry 2015). The time that is assumed for completion of the project is also not accurate and as a result, the project can face number of problems. Opportunities: It is identified that with the design of the program of NextGen, the surveillance layer can be properly implemented that further improves air traffic system. In addition to this, the program helps in managing the traffic that further assists in minimizing the chances of air traffic. Threats: It is identified that the program does not help in estimating the budget of the project which is considered as an important threat for the project (Nasholm and Blomquist, 2015). Additionally, the program does not analyze the risks of the project properly and as a result it creates number threats in completing the entire project successfully. References Badewi, A., 2015. Project Management, Benefits Management and Program Management. Butner, J.E., Dyer, H.L., Malloy, T.S. and Kranz, L.V., 2014. Uncertainty in cost performance as a function of the cusp catastrophe in the NASA program performance management system.Nonlin. Dyn. Psychol. Life Sci,18, pp.397-417. Florez, L., Castro-Lacouture, D. and Medaglia, A.L., 2013. Sustainable workforce scheduling in construction program management.Journal of the Operational Research Society,64(8), pp.1169-1181. Gosling, J., Case, P., Tulloch, J., Chandramohan, D., Wegbreit, J., Newby, G., Gueye, C.S., Koita, K. and Gosling, R., 2015. Effective program management: a cornerstone of malaria elimination.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene,93(1), pp.135-138. Hodson, R.F., Munk, C., Helble, A., Press, M., George, C. and Johnson, D.G., 2017. Augmenting Space Technology Program Management with Secure Cloud Mobile Services. InAIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition(p. 5162). Hornyak, M.J., Peach, E.B., Bowen, A., Moes, W. and Wheeler, R., 2014. Examining program management in business simulations: Student and faculty views.Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning,33. Nsholm, M.H. and Blomquist, T., 2015. Co-creation as a strategy for program management.International Journal of Managing Projects in Business,8(1), pp.58-73. Shi, Q., Zhou, Y., Xiao, C., Chen, R. and Zuo, J., 2014. Delivery risk analysis within the context of program management using fuzzy logic and DEA: A China case study.International Journal of Project Management,32(2), pp.341-349. Tanaka, H., 2014. Toward project and program management paradigm in the space of complexity: a case study of mega and complex oil and gas development and infrastructure projects.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,119, pp.65-74. Thiry, M., 2015.Program management. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Yan, K.P., Gaertner, R. and Wong, C.Y., 2014, September. An effective ESD program management based on S20. 20 plus ESD capability/risk analysis. InElectrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Symposium (EOS/ESD), 2014 36th(pp. 1-7). IEEE.

Hamlet Characters Essays - Characters In Hamlet,

Hamlet Characters In the play Hamlet Gertrude and Ophelia are portrayed as weak characters. The men in their lives have complete control over them. These women obviously do not have a mind of their own. If they listened to themselves, they would have more control of their lives. Ophelia is one of those women who is a lost cause to society. She makes women look helpless and that we can be easily manipulated. Hamlet basically used Ophelia as merely a toy to play with. She was never treated as a human being only as an object. Hamlet told Ophelia that he "I loved you not. (1097)" He made her a weak individual by saying "Frailty thy name is women. (1062)" This quote made Ophelia looks like she could never hold her own ground. Whenever Polonius needed her, she was always at his becking call. She has a tendency to not be true to her man Hamlet. Since she was under the control of her father, he convinced her to find out information from Hamlet. Hamlet: Ha, ha! Are you honest? Ophelia: My lord? Hamlet: Are you fair? Ophelia: What means your lordship? Hamlet: That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty (1097). Hamlet was on to her in this discussion he knew that she was lying. He just wanted to her feel like the weaker one. He also wanted to shoe his Uncle and Polonius that he knew what was up. Ophelia sells hamlet out to follow the orders of her father. Since Ophelia has no true identity to herself, all she merely can be is a pawn on a chessboard. Gertrude is one of those women that knows exactly what is going and never says anything. She definitely knows how and who killed her husband but, thinks it is a great idea to keep her mouth shut. Gertrude had the nerve to marry her husband's brother two months after he died. In a way that portrays that she never really loved the king. Hamlet: Mother, you have my father much offended. Queen: Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue. Hamlet: Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue. Queen: Why, how now, Hamlet! Hamlet: What's the matter now? Queen: Have you forgot me? Hamlet: No, by the rood, not so: You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; And,--would it were not so!?you are my mother(1097) . In this discussion Hamlet is telling his mom that he disapproves of her marriage. He also tells her that she is not paying any attention to him. Gertrude has a hard time standing up for herself and her son. The king has such control over her that it seems like she never has her own opinion. She always agrees with Claudius and never speaks out about any issues that is happening in the castle. Gertrude is a spineless waif, she is a nobody but at the same time she is a someone to her people. It is like she is a paradox to her identity. She never knows what identity to portray to her husband or to her people. Gertrude now begins to see her epiphany. By Hamlet's yelling and screaming Gertrude finally understood why Hamlet was so upset. Queen: O Hamlet, speak no more: Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul; And there I see such black and grained spots as will not leave there tinct. Hamlet: Nay, but to live In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty,- Queen: O, speak to me nomore; These words like daggers enter in mine ears; No, more sweet Hamlet(1113-14). In this play the female heroine has a way of making women look weak and helpless. To women of today this play would be extremely insulting to the female mind. In Hamlet women have been viewed as frail subordinate creature. As the reader this play sends a contemptuous message to women.

The Effects of Punishment and Sentencing

The Effects of Punishment and Sentencing Free Online Research Papers The fundamental philosophies surrounding the purpose of sentencing are retribution, deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. The first of these things is again, retribution. Retribution is what people is deserved of a guilty party when a crime is committed. As stated in the text of chapter 10 of our required reading, â€Å"a wrongdoer who has freely chosen to violate society’s rules must be punished for the infraction.† â€Å"Retribution relies on the principle of just deserts, which holds that the severity of the punishment must be in proportion to the severity of the crime.† The second purpose listed is deterrence. Deterrence is to try to get someone not to commit the crime again by enforcing a punishment or the threat of a punishment in order to kind of scare the person into not committing the crime again. They do this so that the perpetrator that commits a crime or thinks about committing a crime will hopefully weight out the actions and the consequences and determine for themselves that it is not worth committing the crime in the first place. In a jest it is to try to prevent future crimes from occurring. The third purpose earlier listed is incapacitation. Incapacitation is basically to incarcerate the wrongdoers of society that break the law. I believe that the best possible way to explain the definition of this word is as stated in our text of required reading from our book, â€Å"incarcerating criminals guarantees that they will not be a danger to society, at least for the length of their prison terms. To a certain extent, the death penalty is justified in terms of incapacitation, as it prevents the offender from committing any future crimes.† Lastly the fourth purpose listed is rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is what people see as the most â€Å"humane† form of punishment. It is said that criminals can be â€Å"treated† and possibly even â€Å"cured† of their proclivities toward crime. It is believed that most courts are deterring from this method more and more and going towards more â€Å"get tough† types of punishment, like the retribution, deterrence, and the incapacitation models of punishment. There are a lot of opinions surrounding capital punishment. There are many people who believe that the death penalty is wrong and inhumane. Then there are others who believe that the only thing that justifies murder or rape or something of that nature, is for the person who commit the crime to be put to death. There are so many hard feeling on both sides of the fence when it comes to this subject. There are so many people that have been affected by capital punishment, whether they were affected negatively or positively by the situation they were still affected and they still have permanent feelings toward the situation. It is hard to decide who is right in this situation. Both sides have and make so many great points. On one hand I do believe that to kill another human being is inhumane, but on the other hand I also believe that someone who kills or rapes someone or commits other horrible crimes like that should be punished and in most cases put to death. If someone in my family was on death row I would be begging for mercy so I do not think that I could demand justice for one someone else to be put to death. When it comes to the punishment of the convicted, I believe that one has to look at only what that person has done. When you take into consideration what that person has done that is all that a court or jury can look at when considering punishments for the convicted. Someone can not just jump up and decide automatically how to punish someone convicted of a crime. Every thing has to be taken into consideration when making that decision. Research Papers on The Effects of Punishment and SentencingCapital PunishmentComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Quebec and CanadaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

Classic Airline's Marketing Problems Research Paper

Classic Airline's Marketing Problems - Research Paper Example The researcher states that if one look towards the marketing strategy of an organization then there may be a product, price, promotion, distribution, marketing research, sales and advertisements of the merchandise, which can be some of the most effective strategies.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Strategy is more concerned with effectiveness rather than efficiency and it is the process of analyzing the environment and designing the fit between the organization, its resource and objectives and the environment†. Classic Airlines was considered to be fifth largest airline corporation in the world. It has a fleet of about 375 jets that operates in about 240 cities. It has over 2300 flights daily. It has spent about 25 years from inception and has occupied a large segment of the market and has grown like anything. It has employee strength of about 32,000 employees and earned about $10 million on a sale of about $8.7 billion. Though Classic Airlines is a profitable organization in recent years it is str uggling with the increase in cost and reduced customer confidence. Classic Airlines has been operating for last 25 years in the airline industry. It was a profitable business but in recent times it has started facing challenges regarding waning customer confidence and rising cost particularly of fuel and labor. The loyal customer seems to lose confidence and the other customers who used to travel frequently have started to be less frequent with Classic Airlines. This was a huge setback for them in terms of revenue. While going through the data one can see that for several months in the year 2003 and 2004, the company was running at a loss.

Water privatization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Water privatization - Research Paper Example This is from the verity that the utilities of water provision will be of high quality and the investment in this sector will increase; thus, more access to water services. An analysis of the positives and cons of this aspect, therefore, needs to be analyzed so as to understand the issue in detail. Evidently, water privatization is a very crucial issue. A lot of concern needs to be taken prior to coming with a lasting conclusion on this issue. In an attempt to highlight the water privatization question, it is vital to evaluate on the question of access and availability of water to all persons especially on persons of low income. If these water access and availability are left out, a lot of concerns will definitely be raised in the water sector. I take the stand that water needs not be privatized. So as to support this stand, focus will be shed on the quality of water and privatization, costs of privatized water, the divided interests in water privatization, how expensive privatization is, the loss of public control of privatized water from the locals and the fact that privatization may be permanent and irrevocable. These evidences will outdo the aspect that water should be privatized, simply because privatization has been seen to produce quality services, water privatization i s an urbanization move, privatization of water saves lives and privatization also creates economies of scale. Privatization of water will automatically undermine the quality of water. As seen in the research conducted by Shiva, the motive of acquiring more profits in the water industry will outdo the need to serve the public; thus, water needs not be privatized (35). A closer analysis of this fact means that the wellbeing of the public will be put at danger and the profits will be considered. Barraquà © states that the move to control water, a key resource, has indeed created a huge

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen

Customer Relationship Management in Volkswagen A Critical Evaluation of Customer Relationship Management in the Volkswagen Group Introduction Regardless of what industry or business one would elect to select, the one key as well as critical component that is present as well as common to all is the ‘customer’. Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) expressed the foregoing when he stated that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The preceding might seem all too obvious, yet it is a concept that repeatedly seems to become lost in terms of a company’s marketing focus. The resources spent in terms of advertising budgets to create consumer awareness, trial and to win them over represents the beginning rather than the objective of marketing. Initially, marketing might not seemingly represent a consideration with regard the management of a customer relationship at Volkswagen, until one views it in context. Referring back to Peter Drucker’s (1954) statement, the process starts at the very beginning, and this entails the marketing of the product, goods or service to the prospective customer. This is in terms of whether the customer is presently with the company or not as competing brands are consistently on the hunt for customers outside of their existing base and this represents those that are presently within your company’s fold. Thus, the examination of the management of a customer relationship in the context of Volkswagen shall look at the entire environment in which the preceding occurs, and refer to an example within this genre. The process shall endeavor to critically evaluate the example from an historical context and then make recommendations as to how that process might have been improved or enhanced utilizing the contemporary understandings of customer relationship management practice and theory. In order to understand the process of managing a customer relationship, it is imperative that one has a grasp of the environment in which that context lives. Marketing is defined as a process which entails the â€Å"†¦ planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Marketing on the Internet, 2006) of products, goods and or services, and via which a company seeks â€Å"†¦ events to create and maintain relationships that †¦ satisfy individual and organizational objectives† (Marketing on the Internet, 2006). The preceding provides an understanding of the broader conceptual ramifications that entail the marketing process. (Morris et al (2001, P. 98) have upgraded this definition in consort with contemporary views and applications whereby the function has been defined and equated as a set of activities that create value. They indicate that today’s understanding and application of the marketing process is more complex as well as complicated, and state that â€Å" Organizations must make fundamental decisions regarding how to approach different market segments and individual customers† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Their expanded definition goes on to add â€Å"The conventional wisdom is that the marketer is no longer interested in making a sale or achieving a transaction, but instead must focus on relationship marketing† Morris et al (2001, P. 98). Buttle’s (1996) overall view is that relationship marketing is yet to prove itself, but that vision was almost a decade ago. According to Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University, (2003) there has been research that has been conducted that indicates that just a five percent (5%) increase with regard to the retaining of customers represents a net profit yield in the range of twenty percent (20%) to one hundred and twenty-five percent (125%) (Payne, 2003). The foregoing is slightly more conservatively calculated by Reichheld et al (1990, Pp 105-111) who indicate that a five percent (5%) improvement with respect to customer retention yields a profitability increase of between twenty-five percent (25%) and eighty-five percent (85%), which they state depends upon the particular industry. The value of customer retention, and thus efforts directed at maintaining such, customer relationship management, has been equated by Buchanan et al (1990) who indicated that the foregoing results in an increase in profitability as a result of: The fact that the cost to acquire a customer occurs at the inception of the relationship, therefore the longer said relationship remains in force, the initial cost becomes amortized. The costs of maintaining the customer declines in terms of a percentage of total revenue. Research has indicated that the longer a relationship is maintained with a customer, the less inclined they become to switch. In addition to the foregoing, they also tend to become less sensitive to price. The foregoing translates into a more stable base of unit sales volume as well as an increase in terms of revenue sales volume. Longer-term customers are more likely to engage in word-of-mouth discussions regarding the product or company, thus potentially resulting in referrals. Longer term customers are also more likely to wind up making purchases of other products, services or goods offered, as well as trading up or purchasing higher profit products, goods or services. Longer-term customers, on average, tend to be more satisfied with the company and as a result are less inclined to switch to competing brands. The foregoing makes it increasingly difficult for competitors to make inroads in a company’s customer base the longer the relationship lasts. Longer-term customers are usually less expensive in terms of servicing as they are familiar with the processes within the company and thus require less indoctrination and or education. The benefits of a longer-term customer relationship results in easier job related tasks for employees and higher degrees of satisfaction in dealing with customers who have a long relationship with the firm. The foregoing view is also shared by Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) who state that Customer Relationship Management is the method via which to develop customer relationships. They define Customer Relationship Management as â€Å"†¦ the process of predicting customer behavior and selecting actions to influence that behavior to benefit the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Chye et al (20002, Pp. 18). They further state that the Internet has greatly increased the performance and enhancement aspects of Customer Relationship Management as it provides database information and is available as an additional avenue via which to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and segmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Through the preceding, the Customer Relationship Department as well as employees can strategize the appropriate courses of action to be in advance of customer needs, or have the appropriate solutions or responses prepared and waiting. The preceding also increases the relative performance of individual employees within the function thus making its overall effectiveness in terms of customer satisfaction enhanced, thus further aiding bottom line performance. Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) sum up the Customer Relationship Management practice in the following statement â€Å"The aim of CRM is to develop a common process, the idea being that when the relationship is developed, both sides win.† The relative similarities between competing products in the automotive industry provide a perfect example of the importance of effective and well-planned Customer Relationship process. With the right strategies in place an automotive company can create an effective differentiation with respect to competitors through providing extraordinary service. The preceding is made possible through new technologies, such as the Internet, whereby personalized service can be provided as well as anticipated as a result of the warehousing of customer information, prior contacts and original order data (Jackson, 2003, P 71). And with information technology as well as the Internet are providing new dimensions to the Customer Relationship Management practice, the importance of personal contact as well as personal service are and remain the critical components in achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction. â€Å"†¦ the increasing availability of modern technology †¦(makes)†¦it relatively easy to compete on product. What they find more difficult to do is compete on service†¦Ã¢â‚¬  states Freemantle (1992, P 15). He adds that â€Å"†¦ service not only depends on modern technology, but also the attitude of its people, and therefore the capability of its managers.† (Freemantle, 1992, P 15). The Value of Customer Relationship Management Drawing on a consultancy relationship that existed between the advertising agency for the Volkswagen company, the opportunity to see as well as be involved in the first hand observation as well as participation of the importance of Customer Relationship Management was provided as a result of research being conducted to gather the views and opinions of customers with regard to the service aspect of the company’s business. In so doing the task was assigned of managing a small base of customers who had just purchased vehicles in consort with the company’s policies at the time. The objective was to equate the reactions as well as attitudes of customers and their viewpoints along with positive and negative reactions to the company, its policies and the product. The period of time that the preceding was undertaken, which can be commented upon from an historical perspective, was when Volkswagen was experiencing problems in integrating a new model into its line up. The year tha t the preceding customer relationship consulting arrangement occurred was in 2000. The customer relationship example shall be referred to as Mr. Smith. He was a 52-year-old schoolteacher, married with two children who had graduated college. He lived in a modest one family home in the suburbs and represented the average VW customer profile. The 2000 Volkswagen Jetta was his first experience with any foreign vehicle, having previously owned Ford and General Motors products. Mr. Smith represented one of the portfolio of customers assigned as part of the afore indicated marketing analysis observation. Mr. Smith’s first contact came within the first month of his Volkswagen Jetta purchase as he called to schedule a service appointment to fix the air conditioning system that was not working. He also indicated that there was a problem with the driver’s side rear door latch. Mr. Smith’s appointment was scheduled for free warranty service for the following day, as a result of the air conditioning emergency. Mr. Smith was called the next day after the ser vice appointment as asked about his rating of the visit in terms of his issues being resolved, promptness in handling, his rating of the service done and satisfaction. Mr. Smith indicated that all the areas asked were satisfactory and that the car was working perfectly. The next contact with Mr. Smith came approximately three (3) weeks after the initial call. The contact was to express his dissatisfaction with the air conditioning system as the cooling level since the repair was average on warm days and barely adequate on hot days. He indicated that he did not pay much attention to the foregoing as he primarily drove the car to work in the mornings and by the afternoon the temperatures were cooler. His compliant came about as a result of a weekend trip where he was subject to 95-degree temperatures and stated he was perspiring the entire time. Mr. Smith also stated that the car exhibited severe hesitation during the hot drive and stopped functioning entirely on two occasions whereby he pulled over and after the car cooled down, it restarted. He was particularly unhappy that a local Volkswagen dealership could not assist him as he was on the road and asked that we schedule a service appointment. Mr. Smith’s extreme displeasure was a result of being under a new car warranty and unable to get any assistance which he claimed was never a problem with his former Buick LeSabre. He requested an immediate service appointment and a loaner vehicle so that he could get back to work. Under the terms of his Volkswagen warranty, Mr. Smith had not purchased the Road Side Assistance option and his warranty also did not have a provision for a loaner vehicle. I informed Mr. Smith of the foregoing, which was not received well and asked if I could make some inquiries regarding getting his vehicle scheduled for an emergency service appointment as well as what I might be able to do concerning the loaner vehicle, which temporarily calmed him down. In conferring with personnel at Mr. Smith’s dealership, I was informed that as a result of his warranty coverage that did not include roadside assistance, future problems could not be handled any differently unless he took the option. After considerable discussion with the dealership management and service department we arranged an immediate service appointment and under the circumstances I was able to secure a dealer vehicle for Mr. Smith to utilize. Mr. Smith was called back and advised of the preceding points, he was pleased to hear of the loaner vehicle and immediate service appointment request, but indicated that road side assistance for a new car should be an included item and not one subject to additional purchase. Mr. Smith’s visit went according to plan and when he was called the next day after picking up his vehicle, I was thanked for resolving issues he came to find out were not a part of his service contract. He indicated that despite the problems, getting h im service for non-covered items was changing his mind about a car company that he thought he had made a mistake on. Subsequent investigation into the problems encountered by Mr. Smith uncovered that Volkswagen was having quality control problems resulting from the new facility located in Puebla, Mexico. Globalisation, as well as newer technological aspects included in their vehicle had upped the manufacturing degree of difficulties with respect to including features such as cruise control, automatic windows with multiple settings, variable speed air conditioning and automatic temperature control settings, fuel injected engines and other features that are commonplace fixtures in the American vehicle market. It was subsequently uncovered that Volkswagen’s J.D. Power and Associates quality rating for that model year reflected the problems associated with incorporating this new plant into the production line, as well as the fact that the model was a new design. In that year, the average number of problems that were reported in the J.D. Power survey per one hundred vehicles averaged 158 (The Car Connection, 2000). The survey was conducted among a sampling of 47,000 owners representing 2000 model year cars and light trucks showed that the Volkswagen Jetta scored 238, compared to the average of 158, with the largest Passat ranging in at 162, and the new Beetle hitting 170. Only the Jetta was being manufactured at the Mexican facility during that period (The Car Connection, 2000). Inquiries into the company’s warranty and roadside assistance program indicated that the requirement for this aspect had not been an issue in prior models as reliability had always been a model strong point. Historically, Volkswagen had manufactured vehicles in Germany and the reliability factor was insignificant in terms of assuming the internal costs for such warranty features as road side assistance, which at the time was a feature generally reserved for higher priced vehicles such a GM Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac models, as well as Mercury, BMW, Mercedes and similar vehicles. The company’s service department was converting to a nationalized computerized program whereby service request projections could be correlated against last visits, new car purchases and scheduled appointments. The lack of a finished system left the service department vulnerable to service request overloads owing to unforeseen events or occurrences. The Aftermath The customer relationship example indicated represents a situation in which Volkswagen was apparently unprepared for the ramifications of quality control issues at its new Mexican assembly plant which was possibly further exacerbated by the initial shake out problems traditionally associated with new model introductions. The resulting spike in quality complaints and the lack of traditionally expected resolution procedures and remedies expected in the American market, as suggested by the example utilized, pointed to an instance whereby Customer Relationship Management offered the solution that was outside of company policy and procedures. It clearly indicates the importance of a personalized relationship with the customer and working with them to resolve issues. The focus in modern day business enterprises is the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is an important tool in understanding what customers want (Lin et al, 2003, Pp 715-732). The preceding manifested itself i n the example utilized. The relationship described with Mr. Smith represents a summary look into the fundamental internal changes and external customer ramifications that increased competitive levels have created. Christopher et al (1991) overall view is that relationship marketing can help to forge a synthesis with quality management, marketing and customer service management, that the processes are basically inseparable, and that the concept is becoming a trend in terms of modern business practice. The six forces model they proposed has gained wide acceptance, and it includes customer markets, internal markets, which are the individuals and departments inside the company, referral markets, supplier markets, potential employee markets and influence markets as within the grand scope of the practice (Christopher et al, 1991, Pp 21-31). The indicated example called upon the Customer Relationship Department to engage assistance from other quarters of the operation which included no marketing individuals to see to fulfilling the customer’s concerns, the foregoing has been pointed out by Barnes (1989, Pp 11-21). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) support the foregoing analysis and add that the popular as well as more important utilizations of Customer Relationship Management can be found among; Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints Of the preceding list, new customers, customer turnover, service time and customer complaints were the issues addressed as a result of Mr. Smith, clearly 50% of the list. The aspect of the important to achieving operational efficiencies as well as improved bottom line performance and increased customer satisfaction has also been addressed by Bruhn (2003, Pp 178-197). He further stated that the development of these relationships over time represent the foundation for customer loyalty as well as retention (Bruhn et al, 2004). Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) study of Customer Relationship Management identified ten behavioural dimensions that help to identify the effectiveness of the process, and which serve as a model as well as basis for evaluating as well as recommending an approach for implementation and utilization : Attitude geared to serve: The aspect of Customer Relationship Management refers to the importance of employees having the right attitude with regard to the handling and listening to customer concerns, calls and requests. The foregoing provides clear signals to the customer that the company is interested in resolution. An understanding of expectations: Customers have certain expectations regarding the company they have purchased a product from as gathered either from acquaintances, reputation, advertising or sales personnel. Meeting or better still exceeding these expectations is an importance variable in winning them over. Perceptions of quality: The company’s marketing, advertising, word of mouth and other claims provide customers with a certain level of expectation with regard to quality. Reliability: The performance of the product must be equal to or exceed other like products in terms of reliability, and when this fails, superior service and Customer Relationship Management can balance the perception. Communication: The better the representatives of the company listen as well as communicate with the customer, the higher the level of esteem they achieve in terms of the important aspect of interaction. The content, style, manner, timing, effectiveness and rapidity of response as well as anticipation of needs are all aspects of this category. Customisation: The delivering of either products or services to meet the needs and expectations of customers is a critical component in Customer Relationship Management. Recognition: The customer represents the reason why any company is in business and thus providing them with the proper respect is an important aspect in building a successful customer relationship foundation. Keeping promises: The advertised, written or stated claims of a company represent its public face of trust. The keeping of those commitments and promises immediately is a factor in building and maintaining a successful customer relationship. Satisfaction audit: A key aspect in gauging the performance the company is having in terms of customer satisfaction is obtaining direct feedback in the form of follow up calls surveys and questionnaires. These areas are critical in determining the after effects of actions taken as well as serving as guides to further policy and behavioural processes. Retention: Retaining customers is the cornerstone of the purpose of Customer Relationship Management. The preceding aspects clearly point to the importance of ‘relationships’ (Ford, 1999, Pp 137-148) in the process of CRM as well as interpersonal interaction, reaction and anticipation in listening to, seeing to and expecting customer needs. The foregoing would have served Volkswagen well of it had utilized the proper forecasting models with regard to the incidents of problems in bringing a new model on line at a new assembly facility as well as tracking initial customer complaints and heading these off through advance communications such as letters and customer relationship telephone calls to alert customers of potential trouble spots. Gronroos (1997, P 327) refers to the foregoing as one of the prime objectives of relationship management, which he stated is â€Å"To establish, maintain and enhance relationships with customers†¦ by mutual exchange and fulfilment of promises.† Suggestions to Volkswagen, in addition to those already indicated, included the understanding that Customer Relationship Management is a proactive tool that focuses on customer retention (Little et al, 2003, P 26). The heart of the process is what Peppers et al (1995, P 48) refer to as a â€Å"†¦one-to-one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  marketing process whereby customers are treated as individuals which thus provides the company the opportunity to develop a relationship with them. The example of Mr. Smith is a singular, yet potentially universal customer encounter in that the aspects of the complaints or service requests will change, but certainly not the underlying principles. Volkswagen’s poor quality showing in 2000 as reported by J.D. Power’s ratings should have been forecast through advance vehicle testing sessions as well as having the appropriate customer relationship contact reviews and correlations in place to see a pattern developing. In making recommendations to the company, attention was called to the following: Model Forecasting This aspect entails correlating the potential for part problems based upon the newness of introduction, as well as results encountered in vehicles test sessions. Where a part indicates the propensity for a higher than acceptable norm, it should be brought to the attention of the engineering as well as Customer Relationship Department and procedures developed to either head off the problem or have set procedures in place for calls and complaints Alternative Strategies While there are set procedures as well as warranty and other guidelines in place, there will be instances whereby some customers will take exception to aspects they should have known, or that were clearly stated in literature and other materials. In these instances exception resolution could be employed to make allowances for those customers while the stated points are gently pointed out for future reference and knowledge. The foregoing can apply to warranty and other coverage’s Advance Resolution The Internet provides a perfect means to inform as well as advise customers regarding aspects of their vehicle maintenance as well as warranty coverage’s. The tool can also be utilized to interface with an interactive web site that permits them to click on or scroll across areas rather than the traditional FQ format that few people read or engage in. The utilization of an interactive tool will be more entertaining as well as informative and useful Road Side Assistance If economically feasible, this feature should be clearly pointed out as an option or made an integral part of the vehicle warranty, with the terms of loaner and other aspects clearly presented. It should be noted that this provision presently exists in Volkswagen warranty coverage’s included as standard, with the loaner provision based upon customer inconvenience. The preceding suggestions are a result of the example utilized and are borne out of the theories represented by varied authorities on Customer Relationship Management. Taylor (2002, Pp 9-10) supports the preceding as he states that there are seven key skill categories that are a part of the successful implementation of a Customer Relationship Management process: It should seek to be in harmony with the overall business plan It should be seen as a strategic business process Its purposes as well as objectives should be defined clearly and be communicated to all departments It needs to be measurable Realistic goals and objectives need to be set It needs to be adapted to specific requirements If needed, the culture of the company might need changing to comport to the Customer Relationship Management initiative The preceding demonstrates that the implementation and utilization of a well planned, thought out and fluid Customer Relationship Management process that redefines itself on a consistent basis can aid a company in an enhanced reputation, bottom line profitability and customer retention. Ahmed et al (2002, Pp 29-45) stated that it is important that the internal staff also be treated as groups with their own needs as well as demands in crafting a Customer Relationship Management process. This enables their views, goals and objectives to be considered and where feasible, incorporated. The example utilized was before the prevalence of Internet based Customer Relationship Strategies and thus this technology represents a means to provide further service to customers in an unobtrusive manner. The Internet also permits the customer relationship manager, and company, to maximize the performance of Customer Relationship Management tools and processes through more precise data collection and se gmentation methodologies which results in being able to target customer needs, preferences and predict probabilities for a more proactive approach based upon the foregoing, rather than the traditional reactive mode. Conclusion Given the period of time since the pronouncement by Peter Drucker (1954, p. 64) that â€Å"†¦ the purpose of a firm is to create and serve customers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  his vision has proved to be true. Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne of Cranfield University (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) Storbacka et al (2001, P 8) and a litany of others have concluded the importance of Customer Relationship Management in having an integral part in the achievement or enhancement of Sales Market Share Profit generation New customers Customer turnover Cost Reduction Service time Customer Complaints (Jain et al, 2003, Pp 17-22) Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22) observations synthesized the foregoing into ten behavioural dimensions to identify the process effectiveness that clearly illustrates the organization wide dimensions involved: Attitude geared to serve: An understanding of expectations: Perceptions of quality: Reliability: Communication: Customisation: Recognition: Keeping promises: Satisfaction audit: Retention: The customer has, is and remains as ‘king’ and in order to keep him in the realm a company’s overall strategy must be in consort with doing all that is possible inconsideration of bottom line objectives. The foregoing illustration that utilized the Volkswagen company provided an example that incorporated a goodly percentage of the aspects as indicated by Jain et al (2003, Pp 17-22), Morris et al (2001, p 98), Professor Adrian Payne (2003), Chye et al (20002, Pp 1-27) and Storbacka et al (2001, P 8), among others. With the understanding that the customer is the purpose as well as reason for being of any enterprise, then the application of Customer Relationship Management strategies no longer is a problem, it represents an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the company. Little et al (2003, P 21) sums up the foregoing by stating states that relationship marketing represents â€Å"†¦ an alternative strategy to the traditional marketing mix approach â₠¬ ¦ (as) †¦ a means of obtaining sustainable competitive advantage and the best way to retain customers in the long run†. Bibliography Ahmed, Pervaiz, Rafiq, Mohammed. (2002). Marketing Tools and concepts for customer focused management. Butterworth Heineman, ISBN: 0750648384 Barnes, J., G. (1989). The Role of Internal Marketing: If the Staff Won’t Buy It, Why Should the Customer. Vol. 4, Issue 2. Irish Marketing Journal Buchanan, R., Giles, C. (1990). Value managed relationship: The key to customer retention and profitability. Vol. 8, Issue 4. European Management Journal Buttle, E. (1996) Relationship Marketing: Theory and Practice. Paul Chapman Publishing, London, The United Kingdom Bruhn, Manfred, Frommeyer, A. (2004). Development of relationship marketing constructs over time. Vol. 3, Issue 4. Journal of Relationship Marketing Christopher, M., Payne, A., Ballantyne, D. (1991). Relationship Marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, The United Kingdom Chye, K.H., Gerry,

Group Research Paper- Online Platforms Essay

According to Thompson virtual team is any task-focused group that meets without all members necessarily being physically present or working at the same time (Thompson, 2011 p.). According to the article, The Knowledge Advantage of Virtual Teams Processes Supporting Knowledge Synergy, it has been previously argued that virtual teams emerged as a new organizational form of ‘working together apart’. However, their novelty has been attributed to the use of technologically advanced communications rather than to their organizational properties (Ratcheva, 2008). Therefore, we can see the importance of having a good platform the Ford Company Virtual Team Communication. As a team, we review five online platforms of our choice that we believed could be used for Ford Company virtual team to communicate with their worldwide divisions. The team came together and created a grading platform based on the following six criteria: Technology Features Offered, Design and Customization, Security and Access for (Global/Region Capabilities), Viewing and Moving Content, Accessibility and User Friendly. Each criterion was out of five points for a total of 30 possible points. I believe that Ford Company should use the platform because the team considers all possible features when creating the grading platform. We review and discuss what features would be needed in order for a global team to function virtually without any difficulty. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the online platforms that could be used by the virtual team and the team rating of each platform and the reasons for the ratings. Microsoft Outlook According to the official sites of Microsoft, Outlook is a personal information managers and the software is available as a part of the Microsoft Office. The software is used as an email application. It includes a calendar, task manager, contact manager, note taking, a journal, and web browsing (Microsoft Corporation.com/ Outlook). The article, Information overload, explains that Outlook does have powerful features, such as sharing of workgroup calendars, and as it is the standard, you will find add-on programs like NEO a brilliant application that organizes Outlook mailboxes the way they should have been by Microsoft, and makes searching so much easier. However, the article explains that Outlook can also be hazardous for your data because the PST files into which Outlook bundles email, appointments and contacts will corrupt once they grow beyond 2GB. The article explain that it can be repair, but you will lose at least some and if you are unlucky, all of your data. Therefore, Outloo k has it advantages and disadvantages. The Team rate outlook as the least favorite and it received an 18 out of 30 because Microsoft Outlook is great for email, calendar events, and sending documents. There is no chat feature or face-to-face option and it may be hazardous for your data. Since, Ford Motor Company need this platform for it virtual team to communicate with their worldwide divisions the team will need to used some time of chat, face-to-face options therefore Outlook is not the right choice for the company. Facebook According to the official website of Facebook, the company mission is to make the world more open and connected. In addition, the site explain that people use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them (Facebook Newsroom Key-Fats, 2013). Facebook Platform enables developers to build social apps that enable people to connect with their friends, whether it is through playing a game, watching a movie, sharing their favorite restaurant, or listening to a song (Facebook Newsroom Platform, 2013). Based on the Team grading platform Facebook received an overall 19 out of 30. The Team found that Facebook is great for communication and maybe sharing documents but the site is not built for professional communication since there seems to always be hackers breaking into the system. Therefore, the team feels that for business communication Facebook cannot be trusted. According to the article, Contextual gaps: privacy issues on Facebook, Facebook present significant privacy issues for their users, the article analyze two of Facebooks’s features, Applications and News Feed Offline, it was found that contextual gaps are at the root of many of the sites’ privacy issues. In addition, the article explains that the application, which nearly invisibly shares not just a users’, but also a user’s friends’ information with third parties, clearly violates standard norms of information flow. Furthermore, the article concluded by saying that many of the privacy issues on Facebook are primarily design issues, which could be ameliorated by a n interface that made the flows of information more transparent to users (Hull, Lipford & Latulipe, 2011). Additionally, this article tiles, Facebook & Your Privacy. (cover story) explains that â€Å"Facebook collects and shares data in ways that the consumer is often unaware, such as third-party applications, links from other web resources, and facial recognition software for shared photographs. Threats posed by Facebook use include threats and harassment by other users, hacking, and monitoring of personal data by employers, college admissions, or insurers† ( 2012). Therefore, the team concluded that Facebook was not a viable option for Ford Motor Company team communication platform. LinkedIn According to the official’s sites of LinkedIn, LinkedIn is the social network for work professionals created by Reid Hoffman in 2002 and currently the network has about 161 million professionals worldwide. In addition, when individuals joined LinkedIn, they get access to people, jobs, news, updates, and insights that help them be great at what you do (LinkedIn about us, 2013). Based on the Team grading platform LinkedIn received an overall 22 out of 30. The reason for this is because LinkedIn is mostly for Job seekers and to connect with other professionals. According to this article, LinkedIn Corporation, The firm operates an online professional network designed to help members find jobs, connect with other professionals, and locate business opportunities (LinkedIn Corporation). Therefore, it does not have all the necessary tools needed for Ford Motor Company team communication. Microsoft SharePoint According to the article, Enhancing Project Management with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft SharePoint is a technology platform that can be configured and customized to play a number of roles in an organization. The advantages of this platform are numerous because the software provides an environment for project management since a project manager can use the software to manage his team collaboration, control project documents, structure project workflow, manage risks, track project’s progress, or share information with the stakeholders (2010). In addition, as a company grows so does the amount documents the company has, therefore, it become difficult to keep track of the increase documents and their locations. SharePoint defeat this by allowing users to store and share files in a central site. The team rating of Microsoft SharePoint was 25 out of 30 it was the second favorite because of all the features it has. However, it true the software allows users to share documents but there is no interactive feature. Furthermore, the article The Disadvantages of Microsoft SharePoint 2007 as a Document Management System, explains, that â€Å"One of the key features most DMS/CMS systems offer are document level options like redaction and document mark-ups. SharePoint does not provide this functionality as it relies on its Microsoft Office suite for document manipulation† (Steward, 2008). Therefore, we can conclude that some of the key features needed for virtual communication is missing from this platform. Google According to the article, Datamonitor: Google Inc., Google has a wide portfolio of offerings, The company currently offers include search, operating systems and platforms, and enterprise products. It maintains a vast index of websites and other online content, and makes it available through Google.com, the company’s search engine, to anyone with an internet connection. In addition, the company’s application tools allow users to create, share, and communicate user-generated information. Some of Google’s applications products include Google Docs, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Groups, Google Reader, Orkut, Blogger, Google Sites, and YouTube (2011). Furthermore, the article title, Google Voice, talks about a new software release in 2011 call Google Voice. This device is a hybrid phone/internet service. The article explains that what makes Google Voice worthwhile are all of the extra features namely voice mail, free SMS, free calls to anywhere in the U.S., cheap international calls, custom greetings, conference calling, call history, voice transcription to text, email and SMS notifications, the ability to hear who is calling before you pick up, the ability to block unwanted calls, the ability to record phone calls and store them online, the ability to forward, embed, or download voice mails, and the fact that all of these features are managed through an intuitive, centralized interface styled after Gmail that can be accessed from any computer, any telephone, or any mobile browser (Johnson, 2010). Therefore, the team gave Google 27 out of 30 because Google has a lot of features, the email platform has chat capabilities, share documents, photos, and videos, and requests via calendar. In addition, Google + feature allow video chat, and they all are available on mobile, PC, or tablet. That is the reasons that Google received the highest rating out of the five platforms, because it offers every features a virtual team possibly need. Conclusion Having a good platform for the Ford Company virtual team is very important in order the virtual team to succeed. Therefore, Group 1 has come up with a grading criterion that take under consideration all the features needed for a virtual team to success when it comes to a communication platforms. The group did a throughout evaluation of what is needed when communicating virtually and comes up with five platforms. Then each platforms went through a completely evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages. After a complete evaluation Google platform were found to be the best because of all the features it offer to it customer when it come to virtual communication.