Linguistic Reading Response Paper on “The Celtic Languages”

It is interesting to note that the term ‘Celt’ is a linguistic term first mentioned in the writings of Greek and Roman ethnographers and historians (MacAulay, p. 2). My idea of the concept is that of a particular people with a distinct language who once inhabited Great Britain. It turns out that this language, generally known as Continental Celtic, has a range of dialects once spread out across the various peoples of Europe such as in Gaul and northern Italy, yet died out on the European continent a few centuries back. Celtic survived however, in the British Isles and in Ireland, which is quite a feat given the dominance of Latin and later English settlements. In terms of linguistic affinities, Celtic is recognized as an Indo-European language though it is of interest to note that experts regard it as having archaic features (MacAulay, p. 3), i.e. its lack of a fully developed infinitive, differentiation of gender in numerals 3 and 4, among others, sometimes attributed to its being a ‘peripheral’ language removed from an innovating center. Variations between the Celtic languages, i.e. Continental and Insular, appear to be a convoluted matter best left to linguists. Ultimately the evolved form of the modern Celtic languages has special typological features which are both archaic (conservative) and innovative. Locative structures used to express location and possession are utilized to express aspectual modes, which in turn cover the range of progressive, prospective and perfective aspects in Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, and optionally in British (MacAulay, p. 6). On the other hand, Breton and Irish have innovated based on their majority contact languages French and English, to develop new perfective constructions, as contact with these languages is a primary accelerating source of innovation in Celtic tongues. Thus, languages continue to evolve as its speakers, in the course of their interaction with those of other cultures, are exposed to foreign influences in the on-going social interface between peoples and nations in an increasingly globalizing world. Linguistic Response Paper on the â€Å"Creole Continuum† The so-called ‘Creole continuum‘ evolve in situations in which a creole coexists with its lexical source language and there is social motivation for creole speakers to acquire the standard so that the speech of individuals takes on features of the latter – or avoids features of the former – to varying degrees (p. 50). Considering that linguists for a long time were unsure on how to classify varieties with both creole and non-creole features, particularly the English-based varieties of the West Indies, it appears significant to consider that among the many Negro slaves in different parts of America, the jargon upon becoming the only language of the subject group, is a creolized language considered inferior to the masters’ speech yet nonetheless subject to constant leveling-out and improvement in the direction of the latter (Bloomfield, 1933, p. 474). Linguists such as DeCamp attempted to work out a theoretical model that could deal with variation in a sufficiently rigorous manner, in reaction to the transformational generative grammar coming to dominate American linguistics. The general usefulness of the continuum model gained wide acceptance by the mid-1970s, yet it is true that it fails to explain why Atlantic creoles in particular share so many structural features not found in their different lexical source languages (p. 58). Thus the shift back into a universalist theory giving primacy to language acquisition. Chomsky (1965) had proposed that children were born with a predisposition to recognize certain universal properties of language that facilitated their acquisition of the language of their particular speech community (p. 58). Yet such an assertion is still open to scholarly debate and argumentation. It would thus appear that the answer to the creole question remains elusive, despite advances in linguistic studies and theory. References MacAulay, Donald. â€Å"The Celtic languages: an overview†

Bad Credit Credit Card

With the buy-now-pay-later mentality of today's society, many people have fallen onto trap of bad credit. An increasing number of consumers are facing credit problems in recent years. For many reasons, some lenders face a high-debt-to-income ratio along with other credit problems. And, it will take several years to remove the bad credit card marks in you credit history. People with poor credit often find it difficult to be approved as well, for a regular credit card especially if he has low credit score and limited credit history.Through bad-credit credit card, bad credit history can still replaced with the good one. Bad-credit credit card is a good alternative to you regular credit card with bad debts. This is no different from any other credit card. It can also be used wherever credit cards were accepted. This is also generally intended to cater for the group of people who have had problems in the past or even to those who have no credit history. It is good way for consumers with a poor credit history to establish and rebuild a solid one. Bad-credit credit cards may also be known as secured credit cards.This type card is also intended for individuals whose credit is damaged and who have no credit history at all. They are secured by collateral in a form of funds deposited in a saving account with the bank that issues the credit card. The amount of money determines the credit limit. If the history of the credit card is good, the credit card issuer may extend you line of credit or offer an unsecured credit card, which are generally intended for people with good and excellent credit history. Reference: www. credircardcube. com

Professional Versus Persona judgement in accounting world Essay

Professional Versus Persona judgement in accounting world - Essay Example Personal judgment emanates from an individual based on personal views, values, and opinions. On the other hand, professional judgment emanates from a set of guidelines stipulated by relevant bodies in the respective profession. In the accounting world, the main accounting bodies that govern professional judgment are; The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and The International Federation of Accountants (IFAs). Personal judgment may be biased due to subjective reasoning from the accountant. Cottone, (2001) states â€Å"accountants need to move from psychologically based ethical decision-making models to socially constructed decision-making models.† Ethical issues that arise in accounting ought to be handled in objective reasoning (professional judgment) as opposed to empathetic and irrational reasoning (personal judgment). There are numerous users of financial information (managers, investors, lenders, employees, and shareholders). It is prudent that accountants apply the accounting guidelines in line with the Code of Professional Conduct stipulated by AICPA to put the interests of all users of financial information into consideration. In a situation whereby an accountant applies personal judgment to solve an ethical concern, he or she may end up favoring one party. Such acts may be considered discriminatory and may lead to legal action being taken against such accountants. All acco untants should bear in mind that â€Å"professional judgment results in wisdom from experiences being applied in ethical decision-making processes† (Lehr and Sumarah

School of Computer and Information Sciences Essay - 1

School of Computer and Information Sciences - Essay Example One needs to shape the future through intelligence and learned skills. This has been the reason why I have never hesitated to take into account of what my status in my home country Nepal had been (Assistant Professor) and what I have managed to achieve in the United States (PC Technician). Instead, I believe I make my own destiny by taking control of my actions, career, and future. For my actions, I am accountable to no one but my own conscience (well perhaps to the law). I follow the rationale that if my actions does not harm any one than it cannot be that bad. As long as I respect my neighbors, comply with the law, and go about my own work, I am following the general rule of citizenry. For my career, I believe in shaping it through hard work and intelligent choices. I have never been shy of hard work therefore that is not a problem. Making an intelligent choice needs a bit of consideration. In the course of my study for my Master's degree in Chemistry at CU, Denver I have learned hands-on how to operate the computer from scratch. It took a while with lots of frustration to get the hang of it but I have managed to understand its dynamics. Today, I have knowledge of Windows XP, Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. But what has really sparked my interests in computer science has been the ability to logically manipulate it and create new things out of it. Like chemis try, computers change the way one view and perceive things. It is like a chemistry formula which can transform liquid to gas or to an entirely different form of matter. Computers too change the construct and elements of data to different forms and use for different users. How a few pieces of hardware can modify, develop and present information to the whole world in a different manner is a fascinating phenomenon for me. And like chemistry, I feel, computer science is a logical subject and I would be able to grasp its dynamics in no time.

Business Litigation Law (International Business Law) Essay

Business Litigation Law (International Business Law) - Essay Example The paper concludes with summarization of the main point s discussed in the whole paper. Business litigation is a complex issue and area which involves many tort claims and contractual claims. Such claims many include the following fraud, breach of contract, the breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, infringement of intellectual property rights and tortuous interference with contract (Law Office 2012). In case any of the above disputes arise in a business setting, and the parties involved are unable to reach a conclusion through negotiation or arbitration, then, business litigation is applied in such instances in order to look for justice and also resolve the issue at hand. Business litigation does not only involve a business suing other businesses, even individuals have rights to sue businesses and also businesses also have rights to sue businesses. Corporate litigation and commercial insurance litigation are some of the sources of business litigation (James 2011). Corporate litigation arises when there is a corporate dispute caused by a breach of duty of fiduciary. A perfect example of corporate dispute is an instance where the shareholders in any given closely held corporation may recover against the leader or manager or even a corporate director if he or she breaches or goes against his or her fiduciary obligations. In commercial insurance litigation, such a dispute may arise when a commercial insurance company denies or undervalues a fair claim (James 2012). In such a circumstance, the victimized business has a right to sue the corporate insurance in order to recover the amount of money that he believes that he owns and entitled to. In many cases, such instances arise since many insurance companies put some clauses which they rely mostly on in any contract which will make them not to pay a fair claim to the other party. There are other many countless and countless areas in which business litigation can be used to resolve and settle any dispute among many businesses (Thorses 2005). In the case Ahmad et al, v. Foodmaker, Inc, a $ 58,000, 000 fine was paid in order to settle Jack Box food poisoning case on behalf of the corporation which was parent corporation Of Jack in the Box (Edward 1995). ( Micheal 2012). In the case County of San Diego v. RanchoVista Del Mar, a verdict of $55,000,000 was given which in history has ever been the largest condemnation verdict in history o United States at that period. The accused filed an appeal and finally the injured party was paid $40,000,000. In the case Border Business Park V. City o San Diego, there was a breach o contract by San Diego which resulted to the company paying a fine o $94, 500, 000 as jury verdict. After the judge compiled all the granted fees and interest which was charged in the case, the total amount that San Diego paid to the client was over $136,000,000 (Mash 2012). Another perfect example of business litigation case was People o the state o California V. Grigory Zubkis and Rimma Zubkis, et al where $2, 750,000 and when the interest was added 2, 790,000 settlement was paid or the case which involved the taking o a private residence in order to expand a road. The case was decided by Lead attorney Partner Daral Mazzarella (Thorses 2012). Conclusion In case any business dispute arises between two business entities or between a

Competitive advantage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Competitive advantage - Essay Example If the workers end up producing products that are below quality expectations, then their pays are reduced accordingly. This helps to promote a sense of owning the company’s operations and workers are given a datum to define how their roles affect the company’s outcomes. While Nucor does promote ownership and a greater sense of responsibility but all individuals might not eye the situation on the same footing. Some workers may be disappointed when they discover the blunt side of Nucor’s policy and may rush to other jobs where a fixed salary structure is available. Moreover, certain people in Nucor’s work environment may cause problems for others in an attempt to be more productive. Problems may include workplace politicisation, espionage etc. though this is a remote possibility. Primarily Nucor relies on an innovative payment package for the baseline workers as an incentive. Workers are paid by the hour for fixed salary plus bonuses. Moreover, the company shares its profits with these workers too. This makes Nucor one of the best paymasters in the market. There are no unions at Nucor although Nucor does not discourage unions. Similarly, Nucor has placed the names of its workers in its financial report in order to recognise their services. The pays for workers and executives is nearly the same as the workers can earn a lot while the executives are not paid excessively. Moreover, the executives are not given any benefits or perks just like the workers. This helps to promote equality which serves as an incentive too. Nucor should not try to hire temporary, part time or virtual workers to get their job done. The biggest power that Nucor has over its employees is their sense of ownership of the entire process at Nucor. This applies equally well to both workers and executives alike. The associations formed with the company have helped Nucor grow over the years. Expecting temporarily placed workers to do the same is unrealistic. Using

Child abuse and the catholic curch Research Paper

Child abuse and the catholic curch - Research Paper Example question in most people’s minds is how such inexplicable and copious numbers of abuse could go unnoticed, unreported, unacknowledged and with no accountability for so long. The question posed within this essay however, is why? Why has there been such wide spread and proliferate sexual abuse of children within the Roman Catholic Church. Gauthe, who was a priest based in Louisiana was shifted from parish to parish by church elders and authorities once they became aware of his abusive activities. In an attempt to maintain equilibrium within the Church and keep control of the situation themselves the Church gave Gauthe opportunity to continue his sexual abuse against minors. Due to the media and public outcry however, he was brought to trial and removed from his position in 1983; in 1985 he was sentenced to jail for twenty years but was released after ten; whereupon he was later arrested again for further accounts of molesting young boys (Gavrielides & Coker, 2005; Werth, 2003; Dale & Alpert, 2007). The Gauthe case however proved to be the first wave in a tumultuous ocean of abuse, molestation and cover-up in the Catholic Church. In 2002 the Boston Globe (January 6) declared that the â€Å"Church Allowed Abuse by Priests for Years† (Carroll, 2002; Isely, Isely, Freiburger & McMackin, 2008). The story revealed how Law, the archbishop of Boston and his forerunners had turned a blind eye to sexual abuse and had permitted their priests to abuse children without retribution (Carroll, 2002), and that priests like Father Geoghan, who had purportedly raped or molested 130 children had been protected by the Church (Carroll, 2002). Such revelations instigated a plethora of victims coming forward to report abuse, and the media using words such as ‘crisis’ and ‘scandal’ in relation to the Church (Plante, 2004), incited public outcry and demand for answers and retribution. The outcome was the realization that nobody was in reality, aware of the enormity of the crisis,

Definition loser Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition loser - Essay Example As such, this brief analysis will seek to discuss the means by which the very determinate definition that has been thus far displayed has ultimately become warped to represent an entirely different contextual meaning. This will be utilized by a brief analysis of how the term is used within adolescent and pop culture. Firstly, in order to understand the means by which the term is currently thrown around in popular culture, one need look no further than the local poetry school or playground. Although children have oftentimes utilized language as a means of encouraging conformity ensuring that those that do not exhibit conformity are punished to certain degree, the term â€Å"loser† has taken on a life of its own in helping to shape the means by which individuals identify with themselves as part of a larger group. This particular term is unique from many of the others that are oftentimes used, i.e. â€Å"geek†, â€Å"loser†, â€Å"nerd†, or a variety of others, due to the fact that it is very difficult for the person who is labeled in such a way to escape from the definition that it necessarily implies (Buzzelli & Johnston 22). Whereas it might be somewhat easy for an individual to readily provide evidence that they are not a geek or a nerd, loser is something that is de fined by the larger group; as such, it is much more difficult for an individual labeled as such to escape the meaning that it necessarily implies. Stepping aside from the actual definition of the term, the more important question that should be asked is the level to which identity formation that takes place as a result of the usage of such a word impacts upon the future understanding that the individual displays with regards to you they are and how they integrate with society. Due to the fact that this term has a specific bearing upon integration within society, the low to which it is likely

Interaction during a Supervisory Episode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interaction during a Supervisory Episode - Essay Example The clinical setting is made up of numerous fields, all of which work to the best interest of the patients or clients. The dental practice setting is essentially one of these fields. Newly qualified dentists (foundation dentists) are subjected to the supervision of the trainers (supervisors) in order to enhance their knowledge, skills, and practice experience. The interaction between trainers and trainees is designed to mentor and coach the trainees, thus improving their ways of addressing and countering practice-related challenges. In the dental practice setting, extraction of tooth is a normal activity. It is one of the many ways through patients improve their dental health. After a close examination by the dentist, the patient is advised accordingly. There are different procedures designed to promote dental health, tooth extraction included. Once a dentist examines the patient’s tooth, the dentist advises the patient on what to do. For deteriorated tooth conditions, the pat ient could be advised to undergo tooth extraction. Both experienced and foundation dentists can perform this procedure. Where a trainer-trainee interaction is in progress, the foundation dentists are expected to undertake the task under the supervision of the trainer. This is done to enhance practice experience and effectiveness of handling dental-related tasks or procedures by the foundation dentist. In my line of supervision, this is exactly what unfolds in the dental practice unit. In most cases, a foundation dentist.

Coscto Wholesale Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coscto Wholesale Corporation - Case Study Example Consumers want new products, which often result from sizable expenditures on research and development that can be undertaken only by large enterprise. In reality, it seems that a market of partial monopolies has provided the greatest measure of abundance (Global Marketing Principles 2008). Competition occurs not only in markets of many small firms but also in markets of relatively few large ones. However, in markets with few large firms, competitive action can be countered, and price competition may not serve as an effective method of competition. Therefore, products and services also become competitive weapons, and nonprice competition assumes importance. This fact has not yet been sufficiently recognized and integrated into theoretical models (Costco Home Page 2008). Costco spends no on advertising following "the no-frills concept". Costco has no public relations and advertising department trying to prove that the main principle of business is to sell products "as inexpensively as possible" (DiCarlo 2004). Costco does not rely on advertising proposing customers unique services and wide assortment, low prices and customer support. Technological improvements facilitate the type of centralized management that characterizes these organizations. The economies of scale that result from increasing store count and the ability to divide tasks between store operations and central merchandising put them in very powerful positions vis--vis both their customers and their suppliers. Costco was founded in 1976 as Cash-and Carry Company. The owner of Costco, sol Price, opened the Price Club store in San Diego as a discount store. INTRODUCTION The sales model of Costco is to sell products at low prices but at high volumes. During the 1980s, economic turmoil opened the door to retailing innovators who cut the cost out of distribution and drove conventional department stores or discounters to their knees or to bankruptcy court. Of the top twenty discount department stores in 1980, fewer than half remain in operation today, while the doomed still stick to business as usual. The seeds of "creative destruction" were sown in the 1980s but will be harvested in the 1990s. As many as 20 percent of the regional shopping centers currently operating in the United States will close by the year 2000 (Costco Home Page 2008; Bearden et al p. 54). In order to remain competititve, Costco changed its strategy and introduce Costco membership. Goldstar and Business Memberships costs about $50 a year and the Executive membership is about $100 a year. Only Costco members can purchase main products except drugs, drinks and gasoline similar to other retailers of this type, Costco continues to rattle around within overstored retail square footage that outstripped both population growth and consumer spending over the past decade (Costco Home Page 2008). The coming shakeout in retailing has been preordained by a copycat, follow-the-leader mentality, a quiet conspiracy toward "sameness" in retailing--in layout, location, presentation, products, and service. Diversity in products, in consumers, in employees, and in the environment will demand diversity and dexterity among retailers. "Costco sells very large volumes of merchandise and achieving high inventory turnover In addition to

Interconnection Billing System of Grameenphone Ltd. Essay Example for Free

Interconnection Billing System of Grameenphone Ltd. Essay 1.0 Introduction In early 2008, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) announced that reorganization of the country’s telecom interconnection architecture as per International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) Policy 2007 has to be completed by the mid of August, 2008 (BTRC, 2008a). This announcement by the telecom regulator obligated relevant telecom operators (e.g. mobile and fixed networks) to take necessary measures to complete the re-organization task within the deadline while ensuring there is no or minimum subscriber inconvenience and revenue leakage due to this reorganization. Grameenphone Ltd., the largest cell phone operator of the country having a subscriber base of about 17 Million at that period (BTRC, 2008b), had to approach this regulatory directive with great importance as interconnection termination charge is the source of 2nd largest revenue stream for the company (Grameenphone Annual Reports, 2008 – 2011). It launched a cross-functional project to complete the interconnection restructure task smoothly. This Project Team identified prevailing interconnection billing processes and systems of the organization as one of the key improvement areas. It was felt that existing in-house developed tools lacked the flexibility to accommodate the change in network architecture. Management wanted replacement of manual billing related tasks through fully automated systems to ensure faster transactions and generation of customized reports. After through assessment of other alternatives within the allocated budget by experts from relevant cross-functional teams, Intec Interconnection Billing System (IIBS) was procured from one of the leading vendors of the world, Intec Systems Ltd. (CSGI, 2012). This paper focuses on the evaluation of IIBS, a hi-tech information system and its contribution to Grameenphone Ltd., a technology-based organization. Major sources of information are my experiences as a member of this billing system implementation project team and later use it for about 03 years; and interviews and email exchange with core technical persons and other stakeholders of IIBS. In some areas, training materials provided by the billing system vendor and web entries have been consulted as well. 2.0 Overview of Intec Interconnection Billing System 2.1 Telecom Interconnect and Related Facts: Bangladesh Context â€Å"The term Interconnect in the telecommunication world means a business model where different competing telephony providers coexist and interconnect to each other† (4gbilling Inc., 2012). As per Bangladesh Telecommunication Act-2001, any telecom operator must ensure ‘any-to-any’ connectivity so that its subscriber(s) can conveniently communicate with the subscriber(s) of other telecom operator(s) (BTRC, 2001c); as a result, telecom operators interconnect each other directly or through interconnection exchanges (it is the case in Bangladesh after reorganization of national interconnection architecture in 2008) and also establish connectivity with foreign operators through international gateways. Figure 1: Block diagram of Interconnectivity (adapted from ILDTS Policy’07, BTRC 2008a) After establishment of inter-connectivity, telecom operators pay each other interconnection access charges for the traffic (i.e. voice call, SMS, MMS) generated by its subscriber(s) to the other at a rate mutually negotiated or enforced by the regulator. This interconnection payment and associated tasks, e.g. calculation of interconnect traffic volume originated and received, generation of invoices, and validation of other operators’ invoices are dictated by their mutual interconnection agreements and/or relevant directives from the telecom regulators (Interconnection Regulations, 2004). 2.2 Interconnect Billing Systems With the worldwide trend of telecom de-regulation, interconnectivity gets crowded and telecom operators are in need of interconnection billing system offering detailed analysis of interconnection. The objective, of course, is to make â€Å"smart and well informed business decisions to enhance revenue streams† (4gbilling Inc., 2012). The major tasks accomplished by using Interconnect Billing system are: -Inter-operator settlement for traffic exchanged with other operators, -Resolution of interconnection billing disputes, -Generation of various reports; -Detection of various telecom frauds and assist in management of those. 2.3 Technological Features of Intec Interconnect Billing System (IIBS) IIBS lies at the downstream of Mediation Server in the telecom network architecture. It works under client-server model. The servers are powered by HP-UX (Hewlett-Packard, 2011). It has dual server: one houses Database other runs Application (Intec Training Material, 2008). Figure 2: Network Diagram of IIBS (adapted from 4Gbilling Inc., 2012) In the client side computers, there are different modules for invoice generation, reporting, and reconciliation of CDRs from other operator, etc. These clients are connected with the IBS application server using LAN (Local Area Network). Client computers may run Microsoft Windows operating systems. The clients can access IIBS’s application through Graphical User Interface (GUI) or through web-based Oracle Discoverer (a customized tool) says Mr. Raiyan Karim, System Engineer, IBS of Grameenphone Ltd. (Karim, 2012). A team within the Information Technology department are assigned the task to configure and operate IIBS while the users are spread all over the organization ranging from Finance to Regulatory Affairs functions. 2.4 Categorisation of IIBS as Information System As an information system, Intec Interconnect Billing System (IIBS) can be categorised in several perspectives. From hardware perspective (Bocij et al, 2008: Chapter 3), IIBS has the primary capture/ input technology in use is the LAN connectivity with an upstream application server, very powerful CPU as processor, 25 Terabyte online magnetic disk storage and output can be taken through either monitor display, e-document or printed papers. From software perspective (Bocij et al, 2008: Chapter 4), IIBS is an application software, to be specific, application to process large databases containing CDRs. From management-level perspectives (Laudon and Laudon, 2012), IIBS can be categorised mainly as a transaction processing system as it deals with instances of interconnection traffic exchanged (i.e. call/ SMS/ MMS made to received from other operators). This system serves requirements of operational management and but, the outputs from this system has a wider circulation to different management levels even up to top executives mainly due to importance of associated business activity (interconnectivity) for telecommunication industry. From organisational function (Laudon and laudon, 2006) perspectives, IIBS is an Information Technology business area specific information system. It handles digital customer call records for generation of interconnection billing details. From the perspectives of reach (Boddy et al, 2005: 37-38), IIBS is identified as an intra-organisational IS. Though its core use lies within the IT department of Grameenphone, this system is very frequently accessed from other parts of the organizations e.g. Finance, Marketing, Regulatory Affairs, etc. Moreover, as IIBS contributes to achieve overall organisational goals e.g. reliable settlement of interconnection revenue, help in developing market offerings, it can easily be termed as an intra-organisational IS. 3.0 Supported Organisational Processes The organizational processes supported by IIBS can be analysed by using two approaches: a) CIPSODAR model of information system (Heeks, 2011a) and b) usage and applications of computer based IS by organisational level (Bocij et al, 2008: P 45). 3.1 CIPSODAR on IIBS IIBS captures processed CDR (Call Detail Records) from Mediation server (â€Å"a system used to convert data of certain datatypes to other datatypes, usually for billing purposes†, Wikipedia, 2012). These mediated CDRs are feed into IIBS as inputs. Figure 3: IIBS on CIPSODAR model (adapted from Heeks, 2011a) The captured CDRs have to contain at least 06 information fields which are in numeric form (Intec Systems, 2008): i.Unique CDR identification no. associated with each call made to received from other operators, ii.phone no. of call originating subscriber, iii.phone no. of call recipient subscriber, iv.call start time, v.call duration, vi.Intelligent network marking used to identify post-paid or pre-paid subscriber. These mediated CDRs are further processed by IIBS, i.e. classifying based on various pre-set criteria e.g. pre-paid, post-paid, originating operator, terminating operator; sorting thereof based on each criteria, and finally compiling. IIBS has remarkable processing capacity as it handles about 70 Million CDRs in every 6 hours (Karim, 2012). IIBS uses two types of storage: one is online which has huge storage capacity to store CDRS for consecutive 04 months and another is older CDRs which are moved to magnetic tapes for archiving. Output from IIBS is billing details categorized based on interconnect operator, incoming call flow, outgoing call flow, or duration e.g. day-wise or month-wise. Recipients can generate invoice to be issued to other operators or customized reports using the client side invoicing or reporting modules of IIBS. The outputs generated from IIBS data help the organization to decide on its interconnection business strategy e.g. integrate additional interconnect capacity with some operator or formulate business plan e.g. promote calls to other operators by lowering customer charge. Actions include implementation of internal business strategy or contractual obligations of interconnection agreement. The results derived from such actions are inter-operator settlement and dispute resolution for interconnection traffic, gain competitive edge or retain stronghold over market. The outputs from IIBS billing details helps to detect and take action against telecom frauds, to meet regulatory compliance by generating reports for telecom regulator on regularly and ad-hoc basis. It is useful in revenue projection through trend analysis of interconnection traffic. 3.2 Organisational Levels and IIBS As mentioned in earlier section, IIBS mainly functions as transaction processing system and hierarchically destined to serve the operational management. The operations managers ensure processing activities of IIBS. In this level, IIBS serves as a solution to generate reliable invoices, validation of other party invoices, resolution of inter-operator invoiced /data related disputes, and generation of various reports. Figure 4: IIBS different Organisation level (adapted from Bocij et al, 2008) In upper level of the organisational hierarchy, IIBS generated reports serve as tactical tool. Based on interconnection traffic trends and invoices, they generate interconnection revenue forecast, interconnection capacity requirement etc. IIBS reports are consulted by Top Management level also. Settlement of interconnection revenue is a key issue as it counts for the 2nd largest revenue stream of Grameenphone (Grameenphone: 2011). Interconnection traffic volume is a key indicator of customer attractiveness of competitors’ market offerings. Based on the trend of interconnect traffic, business directions are made to product development team. 4.0 Evaluation of Information System Intec Interconnect Billing system (IIBS) may be evaluated from two perspectives: a) IS Cost / benefits model and b) DeLone/ McLean model. 4.1 Benefits and Costs of IIBS Benefits As IIBS is mainly a transaction processing system, its benefits can be better evaluated using Process Benefits Model (Heeks, 2011b). Based on user experiences and discussion with IIBS technical teams (2012), several benefits are being generated from IIBS, along both efficiency and effectiveness categorises. The below table summaries these benefits: Sl.Process BenefitExamples Cited by Stakeholders (Discussion, 2012) 1CheaperIntroduction of IIBS has reduced no. of manpower required to do the task than it was required previously by one-third employees. 2MoreIn comparison to previous ad-hoc system, IIBS processes more CDRS while keeping the resources requirement about the same (except storage). 3QuickerIIBS processed about 70 Million CDRs in 6 hours whereas prior system could process only about 50 Million CDRs at the same time. Invoice generation and processing of other party CDRs for the purpose of interconnect dispute resolution has become faster. 4BetterPreviously CDRs were processed through manual systems. That system lacked consistency in interconnect billing reporting due to its business logic. 5NewIIBS has introduced Graphical user Interface for the clients which help them to generate customized reports on interconnectivity round the clock. Previously, the reporting was made ad-hoc basis as per requirement from Project Team Table 1: Benefits of Information Systems (Heeks, 2011b) Costs of IIBS Costs of an information system can be measured in 03 criteria: i) implementation costs: measured in financial terms; ii) operational costs : both financial and unexpected outcomes, and iii) loss of previous operational benefits (Heeks, 2011b). Costs of IIBS in this view: Sl.CostExamples Cited by Stakeholders (discussion, 2012) 1.Implementation CostsImplementation of IIBS has cost the organization about 1.2 Million USD as payment to vendor, Intec Systems (IIBS Business Case, 2008). 2.Operational Costs (inc. Problems)IIBS requires about slightly higher (1~3%) storage for processing of CDRs in comparison to previous system. 3.Previous operational benefits lostIn case of prior billing solutions, modification could be done by internal experts, now change request needs to be made with the vendor which is expensive after free service period. Table 2: Costs of Information Systems (Heeks, 2011b) 4.2 DeLone McLean Multi-Perspective Evaluation DeLone McLean (1992) have described one of the most popular models of evaluating success of information systems (Heeks, 2011b). Figure 5: Multiple perspectives on IS success/failure– DeLone McLean (1992) DeLone McLean model can be measured suggested by Boddy et al (2005). 4.2.1 System Quality These are the required features and characteristics of the information system (Heeks, 2011b). In the case of IIBS, as per IT experts and users from other business functions (Discussion, 2012), it is reliable, includes enhanced features both in terms of system operation and output generation and the response time is also considerably faster . 4.2.2 Information Quality â€Å"Information quality concerns the characteristics of the information produced by the system† (Heeks, 2011b). In the case of IIBS, outputs generated are (invoices and various reports) are clear to interpret, quite high on completeness to serve intended purposes, and useful and accurate, except a few rare cases. Grameenphone RAFM (Revenue Assurance Fraud Management) team validates output of IIBS to be highly satisfactory. 4.2.3 Use and user satisfaction â€Å"Use and user satisfaction are concerned with the interaction between the information produced by the system and the recipients† (Heeks, 2011b) IIBS, being an integral part of Grameenphone’s interconnection system, it is used in daily basis for the whole period required to process interconnect CDRs for the concerned day and to serve report requests from cross-functional teams. Information necessary to make a revenue projection or serve regulatory report requests on monthly or ad-hoc basis are served timely basis from the system. Users are overall satisfied with IIBS but they would prefer if the system had flexibility of producing further customized reports. Except very few cases, the information required vs. delivered from IIBS had no significant deviation. The Graphical user interface, easy maintenance, easily scalable, and web-based access are few contributing factors to user satisfaction. Software satisfaction is quite high amongst regular users while occasional users found the interface a difficult to use. 4.2.4Individual impact It â€Å"relates to the extent to which the information produced by the system influences or affects decisions† (Heeks, 2011b). Reports generated from IIBS system are quite helpful to identify any problem in the area of interconnectivity and normally decisions made are correct. These decisions are quite effective also. Usually key points are placed to top management weekly basis. Productivity improvement in interconnected areas is remarkable. It allows observing trend of interconnection traffic generated and received ant to decide on optimal interconnection capacity, etc. By these measures for other decision issues e.g. market attractiveness of other operators customer charge are not in that brighter side as there are many relevant factors therein. 4.2.5 Organisational impact It â€Å"measures the effect of the information produced by the system on organisational performance† (Heeks, 2011b). Interconnection is a regulatory compliance issue and it also generates revenue of about 100 Mn. USD for Grameenphone (Grameenphone, 2011). Considering this importance of interconnectivity for Grameenphone, it may be concluded that the organizational impact of IIBS is significant. The investments made vs. benefits enjoyed from IBS (e.g. lower processing time, timely invoicing to ensure timely revenue settlement) are in quite positive side. In overall evaluation, IIBS is a successful information system meeting the requirements of stakeholders and also exceeding the costs by benefits in great margin. 5.0 Factors for Success of IIBS A large number of information systems fail to achieve the desired objectives, especially in the developing countries. In this context, success of Intec Interconnect Billing System (IIBS) in Grameenphone Ltd. is quite remarkable. We can analyse the causes behind the success using 1) IS Implementation Outcome Model (Laudon and Laudon, 2006) and 2) Design-Reality Gap analysis using ITPOSMO (Heeks, 2011c). 5.1 Information System Implementation Outcome Model In the ninth edition of their book, summary model of information systems success and failure factors were presented by Laudon and Laudon (2006). Figure 6: IS Implementation Outcome Model (Laudon and Laudon, 2006) Applying the model on IIBS, we can come up with following: †¢User involvement and influence: In the requirement finalization stage during procurement of interconnection billing system in Grameenphone, actual users were member of the cross functional team and their views were taken with great importance. Later, these requirements were used as reference to select the vendor and customization negotiated with them. †¢Management support: Required management support was available during implementation of IIBS in Grameenphone. The project team was highly empowered having Chief Information Officer as Project Sponsor and other senior managers in the Project Steering Committee. †¢Level of complexity/risk: Though IIBS is a high-tech information system, it is highly structured, and the project team had required technical capacities on-board. †¢Management of the implementation process: IIBS was endowed with required financial and human resources and proper training sessions was arranged also. 5.2 Design-Reality Gap Analysis of IIBS Though IIBS is considered to be a successful information system, the system can be improved in some areas, observations by internal stakeholders (Discussions, 2012). These areas include re-shape the GUI to be more user friendly in perspectives of non-IT users. Reducing the storage requirement a bit can directly benefit in terms of saving expensive storage capacity. These can be attributed to the gap between information system design and reality i.e. actual implementation of the system (Heeks, 2011c). The Dimensions of design—reality gaps for IIBS can be analysed using ITPOSMO model (Heeks, 2011c: Figure 7: Design—reality gap model to analyse IS Success/Failure (Heeks, 2011) 5.2.1 Information Dimension: Gap Rating 2.0 The system design assumed that the inputs to IIBS (processed CDRs from Mediation server) will always be in right format. But, very occasionally, there were CDRs from mediation in wrong format or missing one or more key fields. These unprocessed CDRs were stored in the error bucket and required special processing by System Engineers later on. 5.2.2 Technology Dimension: Gap Rating 3.0 The technological design contributed to gain buy-in of overall user satisfaction for IIBS. The processing of CDR files was quicker than previous system. It also contributed in reducing man-hour required to configure and operate the system. But, in the areas of storage requirement and design of graphical user interface (GUI), there are gaps between expectation and reality. 5.2.3 Process Dimension: Gap Rating 3.0 The business processes were supportive to desired functioning of IIBS. The system produced invoices and customized reports as desired. Though, there are some requirements to be able to further customize the reporting modules. Sometimes, there are hiccups in generations of output also. 5.2.4 The objectives and values dimension: Gap Rating 4.0 Decision to procure IIBS was made by a cross-functional team having relevant experiences and expertise. It was decided to further enrich the system by adding additional features to it so that it can handle settlement for mobile contents/ value added services with the respective content or value added service providers. But, even after 03 years of successful operation of IIBS, these additional features have not been included yet (Karim, 2012). It is assumed that potential personal interest may contribute to this non-inclusion of mobile content/ VAS related features to IIBS. Notably, currently these settlements are handled by an IT manager having a team of 05 employees whereas if the features included to IIBS, the whole processing would require no or utmost 01 employee from this team. 5.2.5 Staffing and skills: Gap Rating 2.0 The organization had competent staff experienced with configuration, operation, maintenance of interconnect billing systems. Moreover, to get them acknowledged with the new system, required training was provided by the vendor. 5.2.6 Management systems and structures Gap Rating 2.0 Introduction of IIBS helped in reducing manpower required to run similar systems previously and following that management hierarchy in IT department was simplified. 5.2.7 Other resources: Gap Rating 2.0 In other dimensions, IIBS helped in saving processing time comparison to previous system. With increased efficiency, it contributed in monetary terms as well. 5.2.8 Overall: Total gap score is 18 for IIBS. There is an insignificant design-reality gap for the system with none being a possible cause of failure. 6.0 Conclusion Grameenphone Ltd. implemented Intec Interconnect Billing System (IIBS) for about 4 years (since August, 2008 to till now). The major objectives of the system were to ensure accurate and quicker settlement for interconnection traffic with interconnected operators in a complicated network architecture and resolution of related disputes in timely fashion. It also aimed to generate required customized reports for users from different business functions of the organization and for managers of different organisational levels. In consideration of stakeholder views towards IIBS and its analyses through various theoretical models, the system is an example of successful information systems. The major contributing factors behind the success are insignificant gap between design and reality. And creation of this favourable scenario is attributed to good practices of information system implementation e.g. empowered involvement of users, management commitment, and availability of key resources, etc. 7.0 References 4GBILLING INC., Interconnect Billing – Overview [Online]. Available: http://4gbilling.com/interconnect.html [Accessed 21 April, 2012] Bocij, Paul, Andrew Greasley and Simon Hickie (2008) Business Information Systems: Technology, Development and Management, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River Boddy, D., Boonstra, A. Kennedy, G. (2005) Managing Information Systems: An Organisational Perspective, 2nd edn, Pearson Education Limited, London BTRC, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (2008) ILDTS Policy-2007 [Online].Available:http://www.btrc.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=153Itemid=259 [Accessed 10 April, 2012] BTRC, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (2008) Mobile Phone Subscribers in Bangladesh [Online]. Available:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa)

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (abbreviated as ELISA), is a kind of immunoassay technique to detect the presence of a specific antibody or antigen in the test samples. This method principally make use of both immunological reaction (the antibody-antigen reaction) to detect the present of specific antibody or antigen) and biochemical reaction (the enzyme substrate reaction) to produce a visible signal for both qualitative and quantitative measurement. The ELISA method used in this experiment is an example of indirect ELISA method. The ELISA plate wells are coated with optimized concentration of antigens before hand by means of charge interaction or with the help of a spacer coating (eg. L-lysine). Then the plate wells are washed with buffer solution, and a blocking step is preformed by adding bovine serum albumin or casein, to block any uncoated space in the well before using to detect antibodies in sample serum. Then the sample serum is added to detect the present of specific antibody, the antibodies will bind to the antigens in the well (in this experiment is the anti-DNA antibody). Then a secondary antibody (usually raised from a species against the antibody of the sample) with enzyme-linked (called conjugate) was added to bind. The enzyme used may be Alkaline phosphate or Horseradish peroxidase (in this experiment is Alkaline phosphate); this also serve as signal amplification step as the enzymes conjugate chose used usually have more than one binding sites for the substrate added subsequently. Then a substrate is added for the enzyme to produce a color reaction (in this experiment is the PNPP which produce a yellow color) to indicate the present of the specific antibody in the sample. The higher the concentration of the antibody in the test sample, the stronger the color developed. We can use a spectrometer (an ELISA reader in this experiment) to measure the color quantitatively instead of using our eye, which is more objective and accurate. Washing with buffer (usually a mild detergent) is applied between steps to remove unbind antibodies to avoid non-specific binding of antibodies. Usually positive and negative controls will be paralleled run with the test sample to validate the result. The cut-off point between a positive or negative result is usually determined statistically with known standards. In additions, with a serial dilution of a known standard (known concentration of the specific antibody want to detect in the test), we can also find the amount of the specific antibody in the test sample from the graph of absorbance against concentration of the known standard. Thus, the ELISA method can produce both qualitative and quantitative result in detecting the specific antibody in test sample. ELISA is a relatively high sensitive and specific test for detecting serum protein, the presence of specific antibody or antigen; and also considers as a high-throughput immunoassay. The use of ELISA also includes hormones and infectious antigens (including virus and bacteria). The most common example is detecting HIV in patient samples. In addition, it has the advantage of using non-radioactive substances, is safer than those radio-immunoassays. Other ELISA methods: Sandwich ELISA (or direct ELISA) is used to detect antigen in sample serum, is less-common. With known quantity of capture antibodies coated to the well, the antigens in the sample will bind to the antibodies to form complex. Then enzyme-linked primary antibodies will be applied to detect the present of the antigens. Competition ELISA is a different method from the indirect and sandwich ELISA, in which the kit contains enzyme-linked antigen rather than enzyme-linked antibody. The labeled antigen will compete with the antigen in the sample for the antibody binding sites in the well. Thus, more antigens in the sample will give weaker signal as less labeled antigen can bind to the antibody binding sites in the well. The advantage of this method is can be used to detect antigen in impure samples. Reverse ELISA is a new technology using immunosorbent polystyrene rod with protruding ogives. This ogives will dipped into the sample, thus a higher sample volume can be used to improve the sensitivity. Moreover, the ogives can be sensitized with different reagent to detect different antibodies or antigens simultaneously for multi-target assays.

Tui tour operator environmental analysis

Tui tour operator environmental analysis TUI was established in 1997 and has grown to be one of the biggest tour operators in Europe. They have served around more than 30 million customers annually with a presence in around 180 countries. TUI started off as a transportation and industrial company but then diversified to concentrate only on tourism, shipping and logistics. They have a huge network of 3500 travel agencies, 285 hotels in 28 countries, 7 airlines, 10 cruise liners, and 79 tour operators. They have been unchallenged for most of the decade but then global environmental challenges have brought in its share of problems. Environmental Analysis Strengths The biggest strength of TUI is the fact that it is one of the biggest travel groups in Europe. They have a huge footprint which makes it easy for them to gain access to the market and to sell their products to a large cross section of the population. They are also able to maximise on their brands by making them work in conjunction with each other. They also do not have any dire financial problems as they sold off one of their major assets. TUI is also well known for its high quality customer services. Their huge network comprises of a large mix of tour operators, airlines, hotels, cruise ships, travel agencies and retail stores. There is a lot of brand awareness for their brand names such as TUI, RIU, Thomson Airways, 1-2 Fly. This has helped them a great deal as people are aware of it and there is a lot of good faith for these brands. Weaknesses One of the weaknesses of TUI is the fact that it has a very high level of debt it has to maintain which is (net debt/equity 2002E: 169%). This puts a lot of pressure on them to generate profits so that they can service their debts. They also have to contend with a lower margin of profits as there is a lot of competition within the market and they have no choice but to offer the best deals to everyone at the expense of a lower margin. The company also suffered from losses in 2008 due to the recession and other financial problems which created a major dent in travel packages. It is not feasible for them to sustain themselves for long if there is a huge drop in revenue. Opportunities There are plenty of opportunities for them to capitalise on looking at emerging markets in India and China which will give them opportunity for growth. The Indian and Chinese economies are growing very rapidly and there are people over there with money to spare on leisure activities. It would be a great idea to set up shop over there. They can also look at other business opportunities by looking at possible acquisitions or mergers with other companies. Threats There are still a lot of threats which can affect the business due to the recession. The recession may have eased a bit but then it has still affected how consumers buy products. If customers are tight fisted with their wallets then it can affect the bottom line of the company in the short term. There is also the threat that customers looking for savings can opt for cheaper packages such as the rail or bus for short trips and not to rely on airlines. This can also cause a major dent in their income. The money saving drive will also affect them as there are customers who are looking for budget packages and not looking for expensive packages with 4-5 star hotels in them. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY POLITICAL: The airline industry has had to bear a lot of high costs ever since 9/11 and 7/7 occurred since the government has refused to bear the entire cost of security. This charge has been passed on to the consumer since the airline has refused to take the whole responsibility. There is a lot of high security due to this reason and immigration laws have been tightened up as well as not to allow unscrupulous elements in. This has also resulted in some destinations being off the list for some travellers as they have been unable to get any insurance for that particular destination. This has a lot of consequences for TUI as they also own a few airlines. The Tourism industry is also affected by the fact that not all destinations are stable. There can be any sort of political instability in those places which can also affect tourism in that country. They are also troubled by the fact that there can be a different tax band for different countries. Some countries tax more while some provide benefits so that their tourism industry can benefit in the longer run. . ECONOMICAL The recession is one of the factors which can affect the Tourism industry gravely. It has already claimed businesses such as Goldline, XL leisure group and many others. Many of these companies rely on a low margin of profit and if there is not enough to go around then the smaller players go under while the bigger ones also suffer heavy losses. This means that once the recession gets over only the big strong ones will be able to capitalise on the opportunity and gain new customers. There are also factors such as oil prices which can also affect how consumers make their travel plans. Airlines always add a surcharge whenever there is an increase in oil prices. This can make it a bit expensive for the consumer to travel as well. The recession has also lead to a fluctuation in the exchange rate of countries. The current Euro currency crisis made it quite weak against the pound and US dollar recently though it has now made a sizeable number of gains. Tourism is such that tourists will go i n huge numbers to destinations with a weaker exchange rate as they can get more for their money. For example when the pound was at 1=$2 dollars there was a huge influx of British Tourists in the US to benefit from the weaker dollar. SOCIOCULTURAL People are always looking to move up the ladder and find ways of making changes in their lives. There have been a significant number of changes in the way people conduct their lifestyle these days. The internet has brought about a revolution in how people can go about and travel as they can use it to find the best packages to suit them. Companies such as TUI have websites which allow consumers to customize their travel plans. People are very conscious of which company they choose when they are on holiday as brand names matter a lot. A good brand name can guarantee a good holiday for them. However only those companies which have always provided good results in the past are the ones which can satisfy the needs of the customers. There is something known as brand loyalty which can guarantee that sort of experience. TECHNOLOGICAL Due to technological advances a lot of work has now been automated. People are relying on the internet for a lot of stuff. The internet has lead to a boom in the number of sales being conducted as people are able to do a lot from home. Consumers have been able to book a large number of holidays online as its quite easy to do that. The numbers have shown an upward trend ever since booking holidays online became popular. This is a double edged sword for big companies such as TUI because on one hand they can get rid of excess staff and relies on the internet for bookings etc but then the same model can be used by other competitors with lower reserves thus increasing competition. ENVIRONMENTAL There are a number of environmental problems associated with the tourism industry. Factors such as the environment have lead to the green culture. People are now always talking about their carbon foot print which is due to pollution. The UK government shot down plans for a third runway at Heathrow due to pollution and the fact that it would contribute to noise pollution. The government has also imposed a green tax to offset the effects of carbon emissions. There are also health factors which can affect tourism such as SARS (in the early part of the previous decade) which led to a huge decline in flights to the Southeast and more recently the Swine Flu pandemic. These are the reasons why tourism can be affected in certain areas. LEGAL There are always some sort of problems associated with the Tourism/Airline industry as it is governed by certain laws and regulations. There is always the need to have a permit of some sort for one thing or the other. All companies are aware of the legal repercussions if they do something which is against the rules. PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS POTENTIAL ENTRANTS: It is not easy for new entrants to come into this field as TUI and some of the other giants already have a huge stake in the market. There is also a very high cost associated with entering the market as it requires a lot of capital and the costs associated with it. People are also familiar with TUI and its brands. This is one reason why its not easy for new companies to come into this field. SUBSTITUTES: It is an obvious fact that people will never give up on leisure activities as they want an escape from home at times. There are cheaper ways of saving money such as activities at homes, local trips to town, video games but then it can never take the place of travel. This means that there will always be some demand for travel packages. Overall it means there is a low threat of substitutes. SUPPLIERS: The suppliers are the ones who can either hold a lot of power over the market or they are the ones who can be dictated to by the clients. However in the case of the Tourism industry they do not have much of a hold in the market as most of them already have a huge presence within the market and already have a lot of clout of their own as they have access to a lot of products they require i.e. TUI already has some hotels, airlines and their own travel agents so they do want need to take the support of others. The only chances of bargaining power are when there are some hotels or airlines which are not part of the group and TUI needs to sort out some travel package with them. BUYERS: There arent many substitutes in the market and the fact that price difference between products is too low to make a big difference. Customers are able to select their products online via the internet but then it wont make a big difference. Hence the reason why the buying power of customers is quite low. Competition TUI does not have to contend with much competition in the market as the only other big name out there is Thomas Cook and a number of smaller operators. However since TUI has a huge share of the market there is less competition within the market. MAINTAINING LEADERSHIP It has been mentioned earlier that TUI is the biggest tour company in Europe as it has a huge share of the market. They have been able to make a difference with the value and comfort them offer their clientele. This is the reason why they have been able to stay on top of the market for so long. They have a huge presence in a large number of countries and they are also able to serve millions of customers each year. One of the biggest reasons why they have been successful is the fact that they are that they have a huge presence in the market. They have interests in everything which is linked to tourism i.e. hotels, airlines, tour operators, retail shops, cruise liners, etc. They are able to spread value throughout their own interests and this is an added advantage as they dont have to give business to any other company as the money goes right back within the organization. They provide their own supply and can easily fulfil the demand as well. They also have all the channels of gaining access to their customer base may it be online or through the brick or mortar store format as not everyone likes to buy their packages online. One of their strongest points is the fact that they have also been able to get support from their share holders who have allowed them flexibility. The customer service and excellent operations is a notch above their competitors. They are also more financially solvent than some of the other operators who recently went bust due to the economic downturn. TUI also has a very diverse portfolio of services which allow them to achieve a sense of differentiation. Since they can provide all these services they get repeat customers, are able to attain their uniqueness and can build upon their brand. TUI has been able to provide value for the money as it strikes the right balance between profits and the needs of its customers. They are also able to adapt to drastic changes in the market by changing themselves as they have the experience to do that. They also are able to achieve more economy of scale simply because they are their own suppliers. FUTURE IMPLICATIONS FOR TUI The ANSOFF matrix can be used to find out what direction TUI can take in order to further develop itself. Diversification TUI can diversify by looking towards the rail, bus and ferry sector. There is a lot of potential in that sector mainly because of the fact that there will always be people who want to save money by opting for a cheaper mode of travel. They can start their own services to capitalise on that and gain a share of that pie as their primary mode of transportation is airlines followed by luxury cruises. Market Penetration TUI has the biggest market share in the whole area along with a huge presence in the European Market. They know that it will not be easy for new competitors to come into the frame but then they have to keep tapping the other corners of the market. They have to contend with the fact that other websites can offer the same deals without setting up shop. They can enhance their market standing further online so that they can gain more revenues. †¢ PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TUI has a lot of packages which are developed for specific locations. They can do a lot by looking for new destinations for its customers to give them a new taste. They can also create some budget packages for its customers so that they have more options if they are unable to choose from the expensive choices. Opportunities TUI has the biggest presence in the market and they have been able to market their product well. It is a good idea to move on to other markets so that they do not stagnate. They have pretty much cornered the market in Europe and need to find a new one. They can easily capitalise on the Indian and Chinese markets mainly because they have great economies and they have a lot of people with disposable income over there. They can find new revenues within those markets while the situation improves in the other markets. TUI has to also look at other factors which can affect them such as the fact that oil prices keep fluctuating. They need to buy oil prices at a lower price now by hedging their bets but then there is no guarantee if the price will go down or stay up in the future. It could be a safe bet if the prices go up in the future. This can prove to be a risk but then it wont be as big of a risk as buying oil at more expensive prices. For example if they buy oil at 75 dollars a barrel and it goes back to 65 then they will have paid more but not lost much. They also have to face the possibility that airlines may be taxed more for the green tax in the future in order to offset carbon emissions. They are already taxed a lot currently and there are also possible measures in the future where the number of flights will be capped in order to reduce pollution. USES AND LIMITATIONS OF TOOLS USED This report has used a number of tools to come up with an analysis. It would not be practical to do it without the use of the tools. There are however some limitations when it comes to the tools being used. PESTEL PESTEL is a great tool as it allows us to analyse the macro environment and get a better understanding of the industry and its environment. All these factors allow us to see the future threats. PESTEL also allows us to check out the key factors which can affect the strategy of an organization as well. They are brought to the forefront and can be seen. However it is just an understanding of the whole situation and does not provide any solutions. It also does not allow us to assess the level of the problem. It is also not feasible to analyse the entire macro environment because there are endless possibilities. PORTERS FIVE FORCES Porters Five Forces allows us to understand what drives competitive behaviour and the factors behind it. It is a bit more detailed and can easily identify the reasons behind competitive behaviour. It can also check the advantages and disadvantages of the industry by analysing its profitability and competitiveness scale. It is also used to determine the feasibility of the industry and understand the fundamentals behind it. The only problem with it is the fact that the environment is always changing and it can never be used for a long term analysis. It also does not take the industry into segments and considers them to be a whole. It is flawed as it does not look at HR, culture and the management skills of an organization. SWOT ANALYSIS The SWOT analysis is to the point and focuses on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a business. It takes into account both the internal and external aspects of the business. It is a great decision making tool and also understands which points of the business to take into account. It also addresses the key issues and identifies the relevant information. Despite all the strengths of the model it will still ignore some of the important factors of the business. It does not provide any solution to strengthening the business. ANSOFF MATRIX The ANSOFF matrix allows the business to check out its best options in different scenarios. This also allows them to explore how they can grow as a corporation. It is a bit limited as it only takes into account the fact that it only looks at growth and share and not other factors. It also uses a growth matrix to analyse the operations which is not sufficient. CONCLUSION TUI still needs to a do a lot to capitalise on its current position. They can make hay while the sun shines and gain as many customers as they can. If they diversify and start catering to people with limited incomes they can gain a whole new market. They only need to play their cards right and they can grow a great deal.

Essay example --

Brazil is the world’s 5th largest country in population and geographical area. Brazil’s economy is the 7th largest and the number one fastest growing economy in the world. But there is one force, one factor that dominates all of Brazil’s 200 million occupants. Is surpasses the corrupted government officials, the thousands that live below the poverty line, and even the more creative aspects of Brazil’s culture like the festivals, dancing, and carnivals. The fact is Brazilians loves football and in Brazil, football is everywhere. It’s on the streets, on the beaches, in schools, in the gyms, on hard courts and fields filled with dirt or grass. Football in Brazil is just everywhere. Although Brazil didn’t invent the sport, football has been engraved into the Brazilian culture as way for them to express themselves and their outlook towards life, and ultimately making the FIFA World Cup the grand stage for Brazilians to unit and show the world that through the corruption, discrimination, and division, Brazil’s brighter side, creativity, joy, and flair, live on. Football was introduced in Brazil by Scottish man named Thomas Donohue in the early 1800s and since then, Brazilians have never looked back, expanding the sport to every corner of the massive country. Football in Brazil has become so much more than a sport. When football was introduced to Brazil’s Sao Paulo, the country was still run by the influence of the colonial era and culture of slavery. The elites embraced the sport and brought it to the rich clubs and big cities. Yet, Brazil’s poor still embraced and enjoyed the sport. It became a way for them to express themselves and their outlook towards life. So as a result, and till this day, football took over the streets of Brazil.... ...rld Cup on home soil and quickly approaching, Brazilians are expecting and dreaming of a sixth trophy. The 1950 World Cup loss still haunts Brazil and the 2014 World Cup is viewed as only real opportunity for the country to heal the wound. In conclusion, from the day foreigners introduced football to Brazil, Brazilians and football became inseparable. The low class of Brazil saw it as a way to express themselves and get them out of the dumps they called home. Today Brazil, with their swift movements, creativity, and rhythm taken from the Samba dances that has been integrated into their football, has created their own style of football. Now, in this country with the World Cup right around the corner, Brazilians have once again united through the corruption, perversion, and violence, as they do every 4 years for this tournament, with only one word on their lips, win.

The Importance of History Essay -- essays research papers

What is history? Should we study history? Who creates history? Is history relevant? The definition of history, is a question which has sparked international debate for centuries between the writers, readers, and the makers of history. It is a vital topic which should be relevant in our lives because it?s important to acknowledge past events that have occurred in our world that deeply influences the present. This essay will discuss what history is, and why we study it. History is the study of past events leading up to the present day. It is a research, a narrative, or an account of past events and developments that are commonly related to a person, an institution, or a place. It is a branch of knowledge that records and analyzes past happenings. Focusing on the people involved in a time, place, and series of events makes history. It?s from social and cultural conditions as well as political and economical events. Within the topic of history, there is historiography which refers to the study of historical study. It is historical analysis examining the principles, theories, writings and uses of historical methods. History based on the past, or describing people who lived in the past or events that happened in the past. Historical study often focuses on events and progress that occur in particular blocks of time in order to organize ideas. Names given to a period can vary with geographical location as can the dates of the start and end of a particular period. History can also be classified in/to social sciences and humanities. Outside fields of study, such as economics, philosophy, archeology, anthropology, and geography are common sub topics in global history. History is created by a historical entity/figure that ha... ...nd memorization of dates which is why it?s usually at the bottom of students' favorite subjects We can't learn from either our mistakes or our achievements if we don't know our History. In conclusion, knowing the History of others is important to understand where they're coming from. Knowing where you come from is one of the best ways of knowing where you are going. History helps us progress because we know what to avoid and what to aspire for. Perhaps if more people took the time to do this, there would be less conflict, anger and hatred in the world. Someday now will be history. So if now is not relevant, neither is history and vice versa. Or looking as many historians do, If we don't pay attention to the past and learn from history, we are bound to repeat the mistakes we made in the past. "Those who cannot learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

IMC and ethical concerns Essay -- essays research papers

IMC and Ethical Concerns With the constant advances in technology, the business world has become global. Companies compete with the business across the street as well as the business halfway around the globe. Organizations must be innovative to not only thrive but also just to survive. They must be aware of the internal and external factors both locally and globally that can affect their business. Internal Factor and External Factors Internal factors are within the organization. They encompass the marketing mix, ethics, corporate culture, and diversity. The company should ensure that the internal factors are conducive to and support the marketing message that they are trying to convey. If a company’s advertised benefit is excellent customer service, employees need to be empowered to take care of customer concerns quickly. If the organizational structure is vertical, the internal factors may not be in line with the message and will create dissatisfaction among consumers. External factors are factors such as the culture or social standards in a community, the economic status of the nation, technological advances, legal parameters, the competitive landscape, and ethics. These factors are not within the control of the company. Businesses should be flexible and be able to react to changes in the business environment and implement necessary changes internally. In order to do this, research is essential. A compan y must know all that they can about their product or service, the loca...

Dualism: Mind, Body, and Cognitive Science Essay

This essay examines the interaction between dualism and modern cognitive sciences. Additionally, it examines a modern defendant of dualism, and extrapolates his reasoning further into the 21st-century in interacting with cognitive science developments in the future. Finally, it examines how dualism is already a problem in modern factors such as healthcare, and how it will need to further adapt for the betterment of society. Dualism: Mind, Body, and Cognitive Science Dualism has been a powerful cornerstone in both Western and Eastern cultures for many years, chiefly because it is so centrally located within spiritual texts. The New Testament, for instance, makes a clear division between the soul of Jesus and his body, and how those separated entities were reunited for the resurrection of Jesus. Perhaps more practically, the Bhagavad-Gita emphasizes the separation of mind and body as a tool with which one can combat everything from doubt to boredom: one’s body may be doing troubling tasks (such as killing family members, as Krishna asks Arjuna to do) or simply menial tasks, but one’s mind—a separate entity—is encouraged to stay focused on Krishna, regardless of the body’s actions. With these spiritual texts playing such a central part in Western and Eastern cultures, it is no surprise to discover that dualism has endured with such strength over the years. However, dualism (as with many aspects of the religious texts that help promote it) becomes more problematic when modern science and medicine are applied to it. The most humble behaviorist models of psychology pose their own problems, as the study of correlations between external environmental experiences and the mind’s reaction work to close the gap between mind and body, as opposed to expanding it. The flawed practice of logical behaviorism does the same thing: reducing human interactions to a predictable math equation that does not account for the inherent illogic of the separation of mind and body. Reductive materialism attempts to reconcile so-called â€Å"folk psychology† with neuroscience, claiming that mental states and brain states are one and the same, eliminating the need for dualism. Failures of reductive materialism led to the theory of functionalism, which considers minds to be equal (as in, similar mental states) that simply react to outward stimuli. This â€Å"cause and effect† belief seemingly eliminates the freedom of thought necessary to dualism, as the mind’s actions simply become reactions to the body’s experiences and needs. However, modern dualism is not without its arguments, nor its defenders. According to Dr. Embree, there are three primary arguments for the existence and necessity of dualism: the first, as alluded to above, is that â€Å"epiphenomenalism inherently undermines the validity of thought† (2009). What this means is that any scientific explanation that attempts to debunk dualism (or does so as a byproduct) must bring with it the sobering effect of making free will a simple illusion that individuals believe as a kind of personal myth. This works on the level of national myths as well: according to functionalist theory, the Founding Fathers of America were not free thinkers (a thought that would have troubled Thomas Paine, to say the least), but were simply reacting to the external stimuli they experienced. Perhaps more troubling to this national myth is the â€Å"equalizing† effect of functionalism: not only did George Washington do what he did in accordance with external stimuli, he did what anyone in his place, with his means, would have done. Instead of being an agent of his destiny and of America’s, he was simply one vessel (of potentially many) for the predictable course of destiny. The second argument Dr. Embree puts forth for dualism is that â€Å"epiphenomenalism provides no explanation for the subjective elements†¦of conscious experience† (2009). According to this, attempts to explain the universe in terms of cause and effect creates one large problem: â€Å"that consciousness can be explained mechanistically† (2009). Embree concedes that one might believe no such mechanism has been discovered yet, and one may simply be waiting for the day that such a thing is discovered†¦however, that pushes what is supposed to be a scientific, rational inquiry perilously close to something more akin to religious faith, in two ways: one is the contentment to wait for the arrival of something which will validate one’s world view, and two (much more troubling) is establishing so many other things on the shaky ground that is this faith. For a religion, this is understandable. As a scientific inquiry into the workings of the human mind, it is quite disconcerting. Embree’s final argument for dualism is that â€Å"epiphenomenalism requires acceptance of deterministic assumptions about human nature and behavior† (2009). Embree himself admits that this is the weakest of his three arguments, because it does not deal with â€Å"logical† or â€Å"evidentiary† flaws in epiphenomenalism, but rather with the troubling aftermath. According to him, accepting that â€Å"our behaviors are strictly and solely determined by forces outside our control† renders us â€Å"puppets (2009)† who are unable to ethically try and imprison fellow citizens, simply because the rejection of dualism leads to an inevitable triumph of nature over nurture: just as George Washington did the only thing he could in reaction to his environment, so too did this murderer, or that rapist. If their thoughts truly aren’t free, their thoughts are not their own, and punishing them no longer has any hope of them turning over a new leaf, but instead becomes an arbitrary exercise in authority. On an emotional level, Embree’s arguments are very persuasive. On a philosophical level, very few individuals would be pleased to think of themselves as lacking free will. And, as he points out, even fewer individuals would be willing to overturn the entirety of how modern society is constructed simply to make it more philosophically consistent. However, by Embree’s own admission, the belief in dualism essentially gives itself a â€Å"get out of jail free card. † When it comes to hard questions, such as whether consciousness can be determined mechanistically or not, a dualist is free to take or leave explanations as they see fit. This is precisely because dualism, brought back to its Cartesian foundations, is founded on observation and assumption. Even as Descartes acknowledges the limits of observation (the hand in front of him could always be a dream image), his famous conclusion—â€Å"I think, therefore I am†Ã¢â‚¬â€is, itself, an assumption. Any attempts at rationally explaining why the brain acts or reacts in specific ways to specific stimuli represents a threat to this simple principle, and dualists protest against the futility of it. Ironically, perhaps, for a philosophy that self-associates so vividly with free thinking, that attempts to curtail discussion into the mind/body problem are the philosophic equivalent of the dualists locking the behaviorists away, a la Galileo. The freedom to think seems incompatible with the freedom to explore why we think. The final assertion of Embree’s is persuasive as well, though not necessarily in the way that he’s intended. He is correct that society is effectively set in its ways, so any major advancements or discoveries regarding the way that individuals think is not likely to turn society on its ear. However, such a view that this process is â€Å"all or nothing†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is to say that all of society changes, right down to our notions of justice, or nothing changes—is oversimplifying the matter to an obscene degree, To use an analogy, Darwin’s discoveries did not mean that society had an obligation, more or otherwise, to burn down every church they saw. However, it amounted to an incremental change in the way the world works on the part of everyone who believed in the scientific findings—a series of micro changes that eventually worked on a macro level. This is particularly true of discoveries related to how the mind works—the entire justice system was not turned inside out in response to the discoveries of Freud, but the incremental changes his psychological revelations brought about in individuals did eventually affect the justice system in terms of sentencing prisoners, organizing prisons, and simply understanding criminal behavior. What rings most true about Embree’s work, perhaps, is his correct assertion that on some level, people need to believe in dualism, if only to preserve the freedom of thought. Individuals being told that they are only doing or saying something because of the environment around them will feel no more illuminated than someone told they are doing or saying something because God or the Devil are making them do it. It risks robbing life of its spark, or zest. However, what Embree seems to overlook are the astounding advancements in sheer human empathy that are offered by discovering how the mind works. â€Å"Freedom of thought† certainly sounds attractive, like a bumper sticker one might wear in Orwell’s 1984 (shortly before Big Brother had this person taken away, of course). However, to continue the Orewellian strand, freedom of thought does not prevent â€Å"group think† simply because societies attempt to organize around their cultural similarities and when that proves insufficient, they rally around their dissimilarity to other groups. White, rural communities continue subtle (and some not so subtle) forms of segregation against black and Hispanic individuals. On a national level, in the so-called â€Å"Post 9/11 world,† citizens are measured by just how American they are, and extra scrutiny is given to those from another country. This is, of course, the double-sided coin of dualism; as Stefan Eck points out, â€Å"Descartes did not only help establish the natural sciences, but also the freedom of thought in philosophy, the humanities†¦his philosophical ideas were important for the emergence of modern politics of freedom and equality† (2009, p. 158). Doing anything to dismantle this may be seen by opponents as political maneuvering—quelling their ability to express personal philosophy in the name of an ambiguous future unity. Right now, this tendency to fear and rally against the unknown is a major form of societal unity—uniting in solidarity against the perceived threat of an unknown and unknowable Other. Discoveries in the way the mind works can continue down the road towards true equality because individuals will be able to empathize better with, for instance, an illegal immigrant, because they will no longer see them as outsider threats to the external notion of America, but simply one of their own possible fates had they not been born in a time and place of great privilege and prosperity. Despite this, there are many exciting possibilities for dualism in the 21st century. As mentioned above, the basic tenets of dualism remain necessary to focus most individuals on achievement. If they are made to feel like their special achievements are effectively a lottery that someone else could have one, it would threaten to derail the entire notion of human achievement. In this sense, dualism remains necessary for the realm of politics, as well. For obvious reasons, a system of representative democracy would fall apart if individuals thought that the person they were voting for would do no worse or no better than another individual from the same circumstances and location. As Dr. Embree so eloquently describes, a belief in dualism remains necessary for a belief in justice to seem well-founded. The justice system is already under severe scrutiny for possible flaws—best not to give critics more philosophical ammunition by implying that guilt is a subjective force that no human can logically dispense to another human. Stefan Eck describes this quite well: †¦Cartesian dualism is precisely one of the foundations of the politics of freedom and equality that Lock and Farquhar propose. Descartes says that the mind is independent of the physical body that contains it. Modern politics hold that people’s opinions are to be kept separate from bodily attributes such as gender, skin color, or beauty, that the minds of those who take part in the political sphere have to be split from their bodies to ensure that bodily difference is not turned into political difference. (2009, p. 156-157) Ideally, though, modern dualism and modern dualists will not be against inquiries into the way the mind works. Modern medicine, as a whole, will continue its struggle with how far down the dualism rabbit hole it is prepared to go. Grant Duncan points out that Western medicine often regards pain as â€Å"a simply bodily sensation,† and that modern medicine â€Å"often [neglects] psychological factors in health and illness† (2000, p. 493). The reason for this is simple: the extreme end of believing that pain is often entirely in the mind is the end that is sharing shelf space with books on healing crystals and other holistic claptrap. Grant goes on to point out that in the overmedicated modern world, those who experience chronic pain do their best â€Å"to justify the pain and to avoid the label of ‘psychogenic’†¦ if the pain does not fall into that ‘physical’ category, then it is likely to be treated with skepticism and moral disapproval† (2000, p. 507-508). This is the brutal bottom line: those whose pain is â€Å"only† in their mind will often be regarded as someone trying to scam the doctor for unnecessary medication. Meanwhile, psychologists—in a field that, theoretically, is most threatened by inquiries that would eliminate dualism once and for all—continue to experience unfavorable representations in modern media as â€Å"head shrinkers† who are content to blame all modern problems on the patient’s mother and then bill them an exorbitant amount. Where, then, does this leave modern psychology and its inevitable ties to dualism? Ideally, psychologists will realize that fields such as neuroscience are approaching the same problems as psychology approaches, merely from a different angle. Reductive materialism is another great example of this, as it takes the things that psychology focuses on (beliefs and desires) and claims that these can be restated and explained through neuroscience—that neuroscience is not attempting to invalidate a person’s beliefs and desires as necessary aspects of their psychological make-up, but to explain why they experience those desires. As Scott Arnold puts it, â€Å"[reductive materialism] allows that behavior has mental causes and that the causal processes may be complex, involving a series of mental causes and effects ultimately resulting in behavior† (2010). In the future, psychology and neuroscience may very well work as one entity that may come to be preventative, as opposed to simply reactive. What does this mean? Instead of saying â€Å"patient X has unhealthy desire Y, we are prescribing medicine Z,† the combined future of psychology and neuroscience may be more like â€Å"patient X is predisposed towards behaviors Y, we are prescribing Z course of treatment to avoid these behaviors. † This is what Arnold means when he says that â€Å" we have a kind of Double Language Theory, in which there are two languages (the language of folk psychology and the language of the neurosciences) to talk about one and the same phenomenon, the neurosciences† (2010). Ultimately, reductive materialism is more inclusive than exclusive, allowing a mixture of the two worlds. The result will be a future that is likely a shared dream between doctor and patient: a world that minimizes medication, circumvents and prevents negative behavior, and ultimately allows for the patient to spend less time on the therapeutic couch, and more time in the world itself, enjoying life. In all likelihood, the cognitive sciences and the proponents of dualism will have a long, rocky road to travel together. Dualism is necessary for individuals to believe in abstracts (freedom, desire), whereas the cognitive sciences are necessary for individuals to understand, in concrete terms, what is happening with their brains. In the future, it is likely the dualism will be taught (even more than it is now) in philosophy and ethics classes as just one possible branch of human thought, as opposed to the sole branch which must bear the weight of the entire human experience without ever snapping. Reductive materialism points out the irony of the likeliest fate of the cognitive sciences and dualism: just as reductive materialism is necessary to transform the language of the people—â€Å"folk psychology†Ã¢â‚¬â€into neuroscience terms, it will be necessary for someone to â€Å"re-translate† any new breakthroughs back into the language of common people. Perhaps this is the function that dualism will always serve, even among its proponents: that cognitive science research actually works within the boundaries of dualism in the sense that it focuses on the body, while dualists are free to concentrate on their mental sphere however they wish. Perception, after all, does determine reality, and no amount of cognitive science research can undermine a dualist’s own reality unless they will it to be so. At the end of the day, dualism is actually much closer at home to the spiritual writings that have helped carry its torch than it ever will be to the sciences. Dualism is the language of hope and faith—a belief in the perfectibility of the soul when the perfectibility of the body seems impossible. Cognitive science, however, remains what it always has: not the language of what may be, but the language of what is. References Arnold, Scott (2010). The mind body problem. University of Alabama, Birmingham. Retrieved May 15th, 2010, from http://www. uab. edu/ philosophy/faculty/arnold/4-Mind- body. htm Duncan, G. (2000) Mind-Body Dualism and the Biopsychosocial Model of Pain: What did Descartes Really Say? , Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 25:4, 485-513 Ecks, Stefan (2009). Welcome home, Descartes! Rethinking the anthropology of the body. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 52 (1), 153-158. Embree, Marlowe (2009). Why I am a dualist. University of Wisconsin. Retrieved May 15th, 2010, from http://www. marathon. uwc. edu/psychology/dualist. htm

Farming on a Whole New Level

Farming on a Whole New Level Although people have worked in agriculture for more than 10,000 years, advances in technology assist with maintaining and protecting land, crops, and animal. The demand to keep food prices affordable encourage those working in the agriculture industry to operate as efficiently as possible (Newman and Ruiz 33-47). Almost all people and companies in this industry have many acres of land they must maintains, and it is not always feasible for farmers to take frequent trips around the property to perform basic tasks such as watering soil in the absence of rain.The number of people – hours required to water soil manually on several thousand acres of land might result in businesses sending thousands of dollars in labor and utility costs. If the irrigation process is automated, sensors detect how much rain has fallen recently, as well as whether the soil is in need of watering. The sensors then send this data to a computer that processes in and decided whe n and how much to water.In addition to keeping the soil moist and reducing maintenance cost, computers also can utilize sensors to analyze the condition of crops in the field and determine whether pest or diseases are affecting the crop. If sensors detect pests and/or diseases, computers send a notification to the appropriate individual to take corrective action. In some cases, according to Brewster, the discovery of pests might trigger a pesticide to discharge in the affected are automatically (Agriculture: Expanding and Growing).Many farmers use technology on a daily basic to regulate soil moisture and to keep their crops pest free. With technology, farming can be much more convenient and efficient. Reference Barton, B. (2012, Feb. ). Computer in Agriculture. Agriculture Today and Tomorrow, pp. 53-86. Brewster, L. (2012, Jan. 3). Agriculture: Expanding and Growing. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2012 Newman, A. D. (2012). The Agricultural Industry Today. New York : Alabama Press. —†”————————————– [ 1 ]. Barton states that many automated home irrigation systems also are programmable and use rain sensors (67-73).