Room F Desert Essay Example

Room F Desert Paper â€Å"Room for dessert† – Business plan assessment Introduction Many people believe that a business plan is helpful but not necessary. This is true in the sense that business plans are helpful but, in fact, they are vital if you are serious about success in both short and long term. The aim of this paper is to evaluate and critically assess the â€Å"Room for dessert† business plan. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: Section 2 will try to analyze who is the audience for the plan, what are their needs, and how well does the business plan meet those needs. Section 3 will discuss about the strengths and the weaknesses of the business idea, while the final section will present a personal opinion on the critical issues that might require further investigation before investing in this venture and the way the information might be acquired. Who, What, How well? Many would think that business plans it’s all about formulating the concept and clarifying the details of the proposed business but, first of all, it’s about raising the money to start-up and implement the idea in the real world. When we talk about raising the funds, we implicitly talk about the investors who are looking for the best investment opportunity out of thousands of business plans sitting on their desk, making the business plan the core and probably the most decisive document of the business. It is the case of RFD as well; their business plan audience is the investors. As Sahlam (1997) recommends, in order to speak the language of the investors it is essential to assess the four interdependent factors critical to every new venture: the people, the opportunity, the context and the risk and reward. We will write a custom essay sample on Room F Desert specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Room F Desert specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Room F Desert specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When discussing about the people behind the business, the investor values the managers who posses insight and experience and he is interested to see how familiar the team members are with the industry and its dynamics. In our case, RFD’s board of directors is represented by accomplished industry experts. Along with their summaries the short presentation of the management makes the assessment of the people clear and easy. Focusing not on the individuals, but on the team, it is noticeable that the team members complete each others, having various educational backgrounds and work experience in different fields covering all the departments of the business. The team members have good insight of the industry, even more suggesting as future potential members of the board professionals from the relevant industry to the business. It deserves full marks. In terms of opportunity, Sahlam suggests that the investor should look in the business plan at the size of the market, the possibility of rapid growth and the number of competitors for that specific business. After the industry examination, RDF business plan describes the way they will build and launch the product and it’s economically viability, checking at the same time the costs, prices and period of time for payment and collecting. Moreover, the data is realistic, presenting the promises for expansion, the drawbacks (variables) and the actions available in case of bias. RDF business plan covers very well the opportunity issue, defining the target customers with high precision (age ranges 25-35 and 35-54, with median household income of $52,100 and their preferences), providing in a clear manner the concept of their product, the operations and facilities and their marketing strategy. Furthermore, a comparison with the competitors is provided along with a description of the potential entrants. Both market and financial analysis are included and presented in both descriptive and graphical ways. It deserves full marks. According to Sahlam, The context presented in the business plan must include the macroeconomic environment, the government regulations and other factors that define the limits of what a business or its competitors can accomplish. The business plan for RDF presents the context for their business proposal. It describes in detail the food trends, the psychology of the customers due to the work environment, the needs of the customers and their new preferences. The business plan seizes opportunities available in this context defining their target customers. It deserves 5 marks. In terms of risk and reward, the RFD plan presents clearly certain negative events can cause a fall in their performance. They state in a realistic manner that the assumptions may be biased or not precisely estimated. A scenario analysis is provided as well, stating that actions will be undertaken by the company in case the first unit performs under the expectations. The management team along with the board of directors assume the responsibility to respond to the risk presented in the plan. The plan contains graphs and visual aid along with financial predictions for the return of the business making the analysis of risk and return easier. Moreover, the plan includes the exit strategy and the predictions of the company evaluation. As the risks have no solutions provided, it deserves 4 marks. Strengths and Weaknesses One of the strengths of RFD business plan is that there is desirability for the product/service, serving a need in a market place. The idea of a quality fine dining restaurant serving desserts and beverages, delivered with unpretentious elegance, as a social alternative to consumers at reasonable prices represents a good idea that fills a gap in the market. On the other hand, the demand for the product wasn’t tested, no survey or trials being delivered, leading to 4 marks A second strength of the plan is that it states clearly the target market, defining the product and its consumers. They define both their customer segments, providing a detailed description of them. Unfortunately, the industry is not a new one, being based on food and beverages. Even the product is a social alternative for consumers, it is not revolutionary. It deserves 4 marks. A third strength of the business plan is the management prowess, RFD providing a good description of the management team and their skills. They offer their resumes and their management plan in a clear way. At the same time they provide a good description of the resources they need to use and the way of acquire them, obtaining full marks. In terms of financial feasibility, the business plan presents all the figures necessary, stating the total start-up cash needed and a description of its use. Moreover it presents its financial performances in comparison with other businesses similar in the industry. The fact that the salaries and the rewards for the board of management are not mentioned might be a drawback and at the same time the shares of the companies are not stated clear among the equity. For this the mark is only 4. What does it miss? In my personal opinion, as an investor I would like to know what are the suppliers that they would like to negotiate with and if these suppliers have a good reputation or not. Moreover, it would be easier and faster to have a list of the firms that the business is willing to collaborate with. Finally, I consider that the plan presents the risks that the business might be exposed to, but it doesn’t provide any solutions for them, even if the management already knows them. I would like to know that the management is thinking ahead for the solutions and not that they will respond promptly to the risks that may occur.

Euclid essays

Euclid essays Euclid Euclid of Alexandria is thought to have lived from about 325 BC until 265 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. There is very little known about his life. It was thought he was born in Megara, which was proven to be incorrect. There is in fact a Euclid of Megara, but he was a philosopher who lived 100 years before Euclid of Alexandria. Also people say that Euclid of Alexandria is the son of Naucrates, but there is no proof of this assumption. Euclid was a very common name at that time, so it was hard to distinguish one Euclid from another. That is the big reason why there is little known about Euclid of Alexandria. Euclid of Alexandria, whose chief work, Elements, is a comprehensive treatise on mathematics in thirteen volumes on such subjects as plane geometry, proportion in general, the properties of numbers, incommensurable magnitudes, and solid geometry. He was probably educated at Athens by pupils of Plato. He taught geometry in Alexandria and founded a school of mathematics there. The Data, a collection of geometrical theorems; the Phenomena, a description of the heavens; the Optics: the Division of the Scale, a mathematical discussion of music; and several other books have been attributed to him. Historians disagree as to the originality of some of his other contributions. Probably, the geometrical sections of the Elements were primarily a rearrangement of the works of previous mathematicians such as those of Eudoxus, but Euclid himself is thought to have made several original discoveries in the theory of numbers. Euclid laid down some of the conventions central to modern mathematical proofs. His book The Elements, written about 300 BC, contains many proofs in the field of geometry and algebra. This book illustrates the Greek practice of writing mathematical proofs by first clearly identifyin ...

Yorktown-American Revolutionary War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Yorktown-American Revolutionary War - Essay Example The actual war was is said to have begun on September 28 when American forces under the leadership of General George Washington together with its French-allied forces led by Comte de Rochambeau hatched a plan to attack the British forces together with its allies that had camped at Yorktown in Virginia. Washington and Rochambeau moved with their troops (about 3,000-armed soldiers in total) and joined others who had already settled in Yorktown making about 17,000 soldiersi. On arrival, the soldiers carried out lethal bombardments on the British soldiers who were immediately overpowered by the American and French soldiers led by Washington and Rochambeau. Washington made life difficult for the British troops by shelling them for a period of three weeksii. After succeeding in this phase of the battle, Washington together with Rochambeau began to work on the second phase of the war which began on October 11iii. The aim of this second phase was to extend the siege line. However, the Americ an troops were repulsed by the British troops that mounted a strong resistance. However, the American and French troops managed to capture quite a number of British redoubts and pushing some British rebouts further away. Fighting continued until October 17, 1781 when the American forces backed by French forces managed to surround the British forces in Yorktown.... The American troops under the leadership of Washington and the French troops led by Rochambeau are said to have been more tactical in their approach to the war than the British troops, which gave them an advantage of the British soldiersvi. In addition, the America troops and its allies, the French soldiers, had the advantage of numbers over their enemies at the time the war broke out in Yorktown. In this regard, the American troops outnumbered the British troops in a ratio of two to one. This is because there were a total of 17,000 American and French soldiers against only 7,600 British soldiers. Basically, this made it difficult for the British soldiers to continue with the war, particularly after a few minutes of the war led to the loss of about 500 British soldiers against only 80 American and 200 French soldiersvii. As a result, the British soldiers had no option but to surrender leading to their loss of victory in the revolutionary war. In the event that the British won the rev olutionary battle, probably America’s independence would not have come so soonviii. The attainment of America’s independence just a few years after the war clearly points to the fact that Americans actually won the revolution. After the British forces had lost the Yorktown battle, the British parliament decided that the country discontinue the battle against America and its allies for fear that it could lose the war which would put the country in a bad positionix. As a result, the king was compelled to accept the loss of the Yorktown revolution to America, its thirteenth colony. In fact, after losing the revolutionary war against America, Britain retreated

Federal Funding For Emergency Management Solutions Essay - 1

Federal Funding For Emergency Management Solutions - Essay Example During the fiscal year 2008, most of the federal funding for emergency management was focused on the research purposes(Moore, 2008). This was because of many of the hazard areas needed to be tackled with equal measure. For example, after the revision of the presidential budget from operating plan FY 2007, most of their funding changed positively towards the research activities as compared to the first-responder preparedness(Moore, 2008). The U.S government was under war with terrorism and most of the funding was spent on this activity(Bullock, Jane, George, and Damon, 2012). However, little research was being done on other areas that would affect the American citizens in equal measure. For instance, not much was done to combat the never-ending effects of natural disasters. The change in weather, Katrina, and drought really had a greater toll on people as compared to the government’s activities in Afghanistan and Iraq(Bullock, Jane, George, and Damon, 2012). Such disasters prov ed to be more dangerous by killing many citizens and destroying properties of great monetary value(Meade, Charles, and Megan, 2003). If not undertaken or solved in appropriate manner will have a huge negative impact to the economy of the country. Therefore, the American public would be served well by transferring funding from the first-responder preparedness to research and  development.

General Motors Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

General Motors - Research Paper Example Management isolation slowed down GM’s ability to recognize and to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The company failed to recognize the following: (1) that their American consumers’ wallets were getting tighter and that probably they needed smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles like Toyotas; (2) they forgot to keep a close eye on their competition (Toyota beating them on economical cars and BMW beating them on luxury and coolness); (3) that their structure and culture was impeding them to compete effectively (Staff 14). The US Government’s bailout Joseph Bower, Harvard’s Baker Foundation Professor of Business Administration, like many wondered whether it was right for the US government to support one competitor (GM) against a group of healthy rivals (Staff 16). Of course fears of government intervention have been justified through lessons from history demonstrating governments’ poor stewardship of industry. However, this time round Mr.

Impact of E-Banking in the UK

Impact of E-Banking in the UK Abstract This research paper will compare and contrast the characteristics of the traditional banking and e-banking. Additionally, research will identify the similarities and differences between the virtual and the real-world banking industry customers. Distinguish the difference between the world of e-banking and the real world in terms of customer communications. Determine which traditional customer communications can and cannot be successfully ported to the world of e-banking. Assess what new communications techniques are uniquely available in the world of e-banking. And demonstrate how the use of multimedia technologies creates effective e-banking websites. Discussion of customer communication strategies and real-world examples will be presented. Chapter 1-Introduction 1.1 Internet Banking in the United Kingdom and Europe In the United Kingdom, Internet banking services are available and provided by twelve Internet banking services providers. The Egg, for example, is an Internet banking service provider (exclude current account features) that has more than 150,000 customers visited their web site during October 1998 to July 1999. The Internet banking services providers in the U.K. have encountered an increasing demand for cross boarder payment transactions for smaller amount of cash and payment over the Internet. Many banks continue to develop and launch new banking services on the Internet in order to satisfy and meet their Internet-based customer requirements in term of time, ease of use, security and privacy in the U.K. (Birch and Young, 1997; Mathew and Dagi, 1996; Gandy and Brierley, 1997). In June 1999, the U.K. and eight other western European countries: France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Luxembourg, and Scandinavia have become leading nations in providing Internet banking services in Europe. Germany also has been rated as the nation that has the highest number of Internet banking services providers in Europe (Blue Sky International Marketing, 1999). Although the UK has smaller number of Internet banking sites on the Internet than in Germany, but it has been rated as the highest quality and functionality at no additional charges to their customers in Europe. However, there are two banks in the U.K. that charge additional fees for Internet banking services, Nat west and NPBS In Scotland, the Bank of Scotland does not provide 24 hours Internet banking services via the web site. Customers can not access to Bank of Scotland web site between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. during weekdays and between midnight and 5:00 a.m. during weekends. During the bank web site is not accessible, a daily back office operations and maintenance is performed to assure accuracy and security according to local restrictions, rules and regulations. Most of customers in the U.K. and European countries use Internet banking services to inquire about their outstanding balances in saving and checking accounts, and details about their latest or last transactions for their daily reconciliation. The frequency to access the customers account per day is quite high. Many banks, therefore, have provided many view only features for customers to inquiry and view the information on their accounts as often as they want per day. As a result, the banks have reduced both operating costs and work hours for their staffs at call centers and local branches for frequently asked (FAQ) and repetitive transactions. 1.2 E-banking security provokes fear or indifference for the British public A recent study by analyst Forrester Research has unearthed conflicting views about the safety or otherwise of online banking. The survey of 11,300 UK net users found that while many online banking consumers are complacent about security, a large minority have given up online banking as a direct result of security fears. Most UK net users are aware of security threats like phishing and keystroke logging but are unfazed by these risks and expect their banks to deal with the problem, even though these attacks are thrown against the consumers PCs rather than a banks own systems. Ideally users want banks to supply a blanket guarantee against fraud. Based on responses to its survey, Forrester concludes that an estimated 600,000 from a total of 15m subscribers have ditched online banking as a direct result of security fears. Forrester reckons that users are confused and banks need to step up their efforts to educate customers about online fraud. Measures to restrict the functionality of some accounts (for example controlling how much money can be transferred on any day), stronger internet banking authentication and improved customer profiling are also needed to defend against security threats, it advises. In addition to people who plan to drop net banking accounts as a result of security fears, another fifth of net users say that security fears will stop them ever banking online. 1.3 UK Consumers shy away from e-banking Customers still value direct contact with real people in their bank branch. A vast majority of bank customers thinks that an online banking service is not important for their relationship with a bank. According to a survey one third of customers rate e-banking as an important service, and of those only 22% actually use it. Even more unwelcome news for many banks will be the poll finding that more than 30% of customers do not even know whether their bank provides online services at all. The findings contrast starkly with the market expectations among banking executives. In an earlier Deloitte survey, financial services executives had predicted that customers would be eager to do their banking on the web. 1.3.1 Cutting costs, not customer care Julian Badcock, retail financial services analyst at Deloitte, said customers were certainly not rating the internet or interactive services as a key factor in measuring their satisfaction with their banking service provider. A responsive service and the feeling of being treated as a valued customer were much more likely to make consumers feel happy with their bank. And more than 50% think it is important to have quick and easy access to a local branch. The findings of the report make bitter reading for backers of internet banking pure plays like Virgin and Egg. Julian Badcocks conclusion: 90% of customers at present [are] showing no interest in obtaining financial services from new entrants. Established players, meanwhile, have to worry whether their huge investment in online banking is money well spent. The need for expensive customer care does not sit nicely next to the cost-driven move to online banking. 1.3.2 Educating customers Long-term hopes for cost savings will only materialize, if consumers can be persuaded to use the services. A recent survey by consulting firm Cap Gemini Ernst Young had found that currently just 4% of all bank transactions in Europe are done online, a number expected to rise to 25% by 2003. In the United States just 3% of transactions are done online, and there growth prospects are more modest, with the share of online transactions seen to reach 12% within three years. Such growth rates, however, can only happen if banks begin to educate their customers about the benefits of online banking, Deloittes analysts say. Chapter 2-Literature Review 2.1 Executive Summary How secure is online banking for the regular and not so regular internet user? The internet is becoming a more globally known form of communication around the world these days and its used largely in conjunction with personal/business tools to expand the horizons of e-commerce. As many small to large business follow the trend, looking for soaring profits, by placing their business online, they are left to find a threat in the online world in terms of security issues. This can be extensive in regards to online banks and financial institutions that provide the businesses with their transactions, along with the present threats of personal privacy and protection flaws associated with banking online. Online banking is not just about viewing accounts online, or paying bills. It has more to that, it include transferring of funds, shopping online etc. As a proven fact, felonies consisting of fraudulent behavior have attacked national Australian banks and are currently in legal dilemma over the astounding issue. Presently, uncertain of the root of the crime, banks have been forced into an unacceptable situation in regards to customers bank accounts. With alarming issues of security online, there are a few steps that can be taken in order to prevent such matters from arising or basically in order to avoid hackers into your private life. 2.2 The internet and its benefits As todays busy world is immensely changing in the depth of telecommunications whilst advancing in the technological age, we are left to find minimal time to do the basic necessities such as shopping, banking relaxing. So along came e-Shopping, and e-Banking. Online banking is for you if it will save you time and money. E-commerce plays a major role in how the internet is used in terms of a consumer business, or B2B relationship, but there just isnt enough security online. 2.3 What is online banking about? nline banking may be considered just as a system where you view your accounts and pay bills, but it is not just about that. Online banking is about shopping online, transferring funds, viewing transactions histories, servicing your accounts online and getting in contact with your bank around the clock. As shown by the statistics, lenience to banking online can be proven handy. The convenience can be dominant, since not only is travel time reduced, but ATM machines, telephone banking or banking by mail are often unnecessary. Technology continues to make online banking, easier for the average consumer. Not only regular consumers, but also many small, medium and large businesses are finding it rather efficient. Bankrate.com (28-10-2005) In the past, online banking consisted largely of banks partnering with large software companies such as Microsoft, to provide the online banking services within their personal finance software. Microsoft.com (1996) this led to the first of two approaches referred to as the client-based system, allowing customers to use the money management software and their own computers to access the bank via a modem and a phone line. The second approach is that of the newer Internet-based systems which allow customers to simply dial in using any computer and use the banks software. From a business perspective, they actually have more danger associated to their business, than a consumer may. Home PCs are, as confirmed by all IT Security vendors and specialists, the least protected albassera.com (21-06-2002). Ocp.co.uk (No Date) describes best the implications businesses could face with the threat of online security: Financial savings that online banking has to offer. Increasing supply power by reaching a more global target Attract new customers And therefore the disadvantages that may occur to a business: Level of learning for each customer may vary, or may even be too difficult to do online transactions. There a potential threat of the site being hacked Lost information or errors in banking can lead to a loss of business Not all clientele may be happy with making purchases online. Initial set-up costs and on-going cost can be rather expensive to keep the site up-to-date. Proven by the disadvantages list, there are a lot of threats placed on a business in order to consider a place in the e-market. 2.4 Internet Banking Banks are not the only commercial organizations locked in a love hate relationship with the Internet. On the one hand, cheap and ubiquitous, the Internet offers a potentially attractive way to serve customers without the heavy costs associated with the traditional bricks and mortar business model. On the other hand, the Internet is fundamentally open and insecure. It is the very antithesis of the private networks that industry and commerce have entrusted with carrying transactions and other critical information. Despite the dichotomy, the Net continues to grow ever more rapidly in importance to the commercial world. From books and airline tickets to share trading and the filing of corporation tax returns, new users for the Net are proliferating. In most cases, the incentives of Internet Banking are either the need to meet competitive challenges and customers demand or the need to cut costs. As reported by The Times of UK on Internet banking, a banking transaction action at a Bank costs around $1.07, $0.27 via an ATM and just one-cent on the Internet. The decision to use the net is rarely a technical one. Banks have opportunities in the new payments gateway in areas such as purchasing platforms, certification, trade services and trade finance, electronic bill presentment and payment, consumer Internet payments and also plethora of competition. There are five main reasons for going online. Firstly, Internet banking removes the need for physical presence in new territories a web site gives global presence without in-country set up and ongoing infrastructure costs. Secondly, success carries few penalties because growth can be accommodated centrally, without recourse to building and operating new service centres (bank branches in retail terms). Thirdly, the time to market new products and services is dramatically reduced due to the standardized technology that characterizes the Internet. Fourthly, there is the chance to preach to the converted. Marketing costs in this medium can be concentrated on creating an effective Website that attracts potential clients. Finally, the Internet fits well with the characteristics of Corporate banking where thousands of transactions which can be conducted daily and multiple updates provided, individuals can work easily from different locations and there is a growing belief that security fear s will be resolved by evolving techniques and technology. For internet banking to work effectively, it needs to address the key issue of security. In conventional banking we use written references or prior knowledge to assure ourselves that we know who are doing business with us. We use controls to ensure that non parties are not party to a confidential deal cannot see or tamper with paper based information that is stored and in transit. And we use pen on paper signatures as an irrevocable sign of our agreement. Banks have long used encryption devices to scramble inter-branch links and communications with corporate customers. More recently firewalls and password tokens have been introduced to provide access control. In addition to security, quality of services is another key area in providing successful e-banking. Any customer is only a click away from a competitor elsewhere, so it is imperative that the e-banking experience reflects an optimal encounter each and every time. As simple as this sounds, developing the network management capabilities to assess and respond to the end user experience is no trivial matter. Much of the discussion so far has focused on e-banking as provided over the Web but the Web is only a beginning. The changing shape of Internet banking in the future will be fascinating to watch. Internet banking is a robust and highly practical solution but has delivered something of a surprise too. As Internet banking becomes more common, potential customers have increasing choice. The more informed among them are shopping for service not just on the basis of obvious criteria such as interest rates and functionality, but also on the quality of the security being provided. For those banks still debating the best Internet approach, the advice is to start small but start as early as possible. The number of customers and services should be limited initially while the potential of the technology is learned and the security and services levels are assured. 2.5 Online banking security Nowadays, online banking is used primarily through the internet-based system of customer/business to bank. All online transactions should be governed by an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. Gelman (1998, pg 39) states that information sent over the internet may pass through dozens of different computer systems on the way to its destination. This basically means the information being sent is to be encoded before transmitted from the destination computer to the banks computer. Knowing that your bank account details are being passed on to many other computers in order to reach its destination, doesnt exactly make you feel safe and sound about using online banking. A customers password or pass code serves as the first level of protection and is digitally sent separately for security purposes. This is also accompanied by the issuing of a Logon ID, which is a unique membership number. Currently online businesses and financial institutions face great danger as online banking can lead to fraudulent behavior. Atansov (2001) Credit card generators are readily available to download The impact of such a fact has left many internet users wondering about the security issues in regards to their personal information, their banking details and most of all their internet surfing privacy. From a recent survey it was shown that a massive 30% of regular internet users were too nervous to use online banking. 2.6 Current online banking security issue As it may have come to recent concern, most of the banks were beaten by an unknown source luring its customers to accidentally reveal their account details. An email was sent out to customers stating that their account details needed renewing and that if they followed simple steps provided they could renew their accounts adequately. Some Net Bank customers have been deceived into providing their Net Bank client number and password as a result of a spam email which was widely circulated in UK. As none of the customers were aware that such a scam could happen, they gave their Login IDs, Passwords and account information away to very deceitful criminals. 2.7 An outcome about online banking security and its future In the analysis for online banking security, many precautions can be taken in order to prevent trouble occurring in regards to account details, personal details and security information. Customers of online banking must play their part in securing online banking by helping to safeguard information, which can be done by protecting their Logon ID and Password from misuses. These may include things like not telling other people their Login ID and/or Passwords, not using public computers to access their bank account information and being able to tell the difference of a secure and non-secure website. The future can only hold a solution for the current problem of online security, which can be solved in many different ways. Its best to avoid internet banking for the current moment and wait until there is an upgrade on its security. As many consumers are still nervous about using the internet for banking, the issue of security will be a thing of the past, just at this particular moment it shouldnt be overlooked. Chapter 3-Research Methodology 3.1 Evaluation of five E-Banking Sites in the UK There are two distinct models of E-Banking sites: Pure Cyber banks; e.g. in the UK, Cahoots, Egg, First Direct and Smile, which only have an Internet presence; Traditional banks that provide E-Banking to complement retail banking, e.g. In the UK, Barclays, Nationwide and HSBC are some of the traditional banks that have an Internet presence to complement their brick and mortar branches. Not all the banks offer the full range of services on the Internet; banks in both the aforementioned groups offer a wide range of services. These include personal banking, commercial banking for both small businesses and large corporations, loan application services. Financial services such as applying for an Individual Savings Account (ISA), opening an E-Account, applying for a mortgage, etc. 3.2 Methodology for Evaluation of E- Banking sites: I chose five E-Banking sites: Egg, First Direct, and Smile in the pure cyber bank variety, and E- banking sites of Nationwide and Barclays, which also have physical branches. Aims and objectives: To determine the ease of applying the evaluation instrument based on the e-SERVICE framework; To demonstrate that an E-Commerce environment should not only have a usable Web site in conventional HCI or Usability terms, but should provide service quality that meets or exceeds the customers expectations. 3.3 Research Method The research method involved conducting heuristic evaluations of the E-Banking sites. Heuristic evaluations involve inspecting the user interface to check its conformance against a set of heuristics or design principles (Nielsen, 1993). The heuristic evaluations involved two steps: 1. First of all I conducted usability heuristic evaluation. We applied an evaluation instrument consisting of several sub-heuristics of the usability heuristics approach. Provide an effective home page are: Ensure intuitive access and logical progression to key user tasks; Integrate clear yet usable branding; Ensure visual elements do not compromise usability; Terminology should relate to the users tasks and not marketing speak; Provide appropriate Metaphor for navigation from the home page; Simplicity or busy is either appropriate? The heuristics in Table 2 and the sub-heuristics in the usability evaluation instrument (which is available from the authors) were derived from several sources in the literature and Web sites (e.g. www.usableweb.com, Nielsens www.useit.com, IBM Web guidelines). The list of heuristics was also refined and updated during the authors experience of conducting usability evaluations of E-Commerce sites as a part of their consultancy activities. 2. Secondly I conducted heuristic evaluations of the five sites with respect to the e-CRM heuristics using the e-SERVQUAL evaluation instrument. (Based on the e-SERVQUAL framework). Table 2: Usability Heuristics Provide an effective home page Design a natural and manageable structure Provide an aesthetic minimalist Design Enable easy and intuitive navigation Ensure Consistency Support the User I considered the customer task scenarios listed in Table 3. The customer task scenarios presented here describe key situations of customers interaction with an E-Banking environment. Task scenarios are realistic, concrete and specific and help to guide the evaluator through heuristic evaluations. The evaluator (usability expert) interacts with the E- Commerce site to role-play a stereotypical customer and conducts the customer task scenario. While walking through the scenario and navigating through the site, the evaluator checks for the sites conformance against the heuristics, and makes a note of situations in the scenario where the E-Commerce environment does not adhere to the heuristics. Chapter 4- Research Findings 4.1 Internet Banking Internet, a global system of computer networks, first appeared in 1969 under the name Advanced Research Projects Agency Network in the United States (PBS Online, 2003). At present, about 13 millions serves are linked to the Internet across the globe, 99 per cent of which are located in advanced countries (CSE Online, 2003). Many banks use the Internet to offer services for both domestic and foreign consumers. At an advanced level, Internet banking is called transactional online banking, because it involves provision of facilities such as accessing accounts, funds transfer and buying financial products or services online (Karjaluoto, Mattila and Pento, 2001, p. 348). The Internet also helps banks penetrate other financial markets without requiring their physical presence in those markets. Miklaszewska (1998) identified four roles for the Internet in a modern banking industry. First, it facilitates financial transactions between banks and their consumers. Second, it gives financial institutions permanent access to financial information. Third, the Internet connects a banks head office to its branches. Finally electronic banking lets customers check their account information, pay bills, transfer funds between accounts, and perform other functions. Customers will soon have access to additional services such as online stock and bond trading (Miklasewska, 1998, p. 283). The Internet gives financial institutions various opportunities to conduct their various financial transactions. It enables banks to introduce international payments. It also helps banks cut time, money and risk. Many transactions can be done through the Internet. Availability of data through the Internet helps both banks and consumers reduce risk-taking in their financial transactions. Usually banks use Internet for publicity purposes, which include informing the public about the characteristics of financial products (e.g., commission rate, type of accounts available within the bank, interest rate on lending and borrowing, etc.). Large banks such as Citibank offer On-line LC issuance services to traders and cross-border finance facilities to foreign investors. Respondents noted that the response to those Internet services is high. Internet improves banks delivery system. But, the branch remains the main channel for delivering banking services in developing countries. Individuals still prefer face-to-face banking rather than buying financial services via the telephone or the Internet. The removal of barriers on the use of new technologies would encourage banks to invest in e-commerce and TV banking. The Internet improves two essential factors in global banking businesses: time and location (Oxford Analytical Citibank, 1999). The time needed to access bank services through the Web is extremely short. The Internet is also available everywhere in the world. As a result, Internet technology has globalised the banking industry; many banks use e-banking to expand their market share abroad. This section has shown that the Internet is a means to penetrate new markets without a physical presence in the host country. It enables banks cut their costs and to provide large packages of services in short space of time. The result is an increase in banks output levels and boost in their profit margin. 4.2 Advanced Information Technology and Banking Efficiency The Internet increases banks efficiency by helping them reduce the cost of producing and delivering financial services. The Internet alters the pricing strategy of the banking product. Banks price their products at the right level for the ‘electronic market. The price of financial services is usually lower via the Internet than in the branch (Jun and Cai, 2001); this has made the Internet an attractive banking environment for clients. As profit margin decreases, new products are delivered through new channels, retail services and securities being the main areas of change. Global banks also use the Internet to expand their activities and to earn new market share (Oxford Analytical Citibank, 1999). The Internet enhances competition in the banking sector as many non- banking institutions offer their services through Internet channels. Banks also face severe competition on the lending side from global markets. Financial service clients have access to all information about products (e.g. pricing and characteristics) through the Web. This has increased transparency and reduced the cost of financial instruments. Therefore, banks have to apply different mechanisms for pricing their products. As shown in Table 1 the number of banks branches will decrease as electronic distribution channels become more popular. Internet also enhances the delivery of large range of financial products. These improve banking efficiency by facilitating payment processing. The goal is to attain high value-added products. The Internet plays a vital role in the key challenges facing Financial Services Institutions today. It provides a tremendous opportunity for Financial Services Institutions to reduce transaction costs, exploit new markets and roll products much faster than was possible via traditional channels (Banker, 2000, p. 4. Bank managers stressed that the Internet enhances the global competitiveness of financial institutions by increasing their output levels.4 The Internet is also a means to manage business-to-business5 or business-to-customers transactions effectively. A strong Internet infrastructure is necessary to allow banks improve their electronic data interchange.6 Co-operation between telecommunication firms and financial institutions facilitate the modernization of online banking. Increased capital investments and clear rules for online banking also fosters the growth of e-business activities and enhance market transparency (interview notes, 2003). Finally, bankers surveyed in this research believe that the Internet is a means to boost the relationship between providers and users of financial services in the marketplace. The Internet allows market participants to access all the standard banking services at a low price. This motivates individuals and investors to purchase large packages of banking services via the Internet. 4.3 Problems Associated with the Advances in Information Technology The major problem facing Internet banking is the physical delivery of cash. Clients regularly receive financial information through banks Web sites. Nevertheless, it is impossible to make a physical delivery of cash through the Internet. Clients also require instant access to products prices and financial information. The very concept of the end-of-day is meaningless in the world of e-commerce, where customers may be anywhere in the world and demand consistent and instant levels of services (Banker, 2000, p. 6). Banks should promote innovation to become more competitive. The Website must also complement branch services, meaning that products offered via the Internet have to describe how they supplement or replace services available inside the branch. Advantages of e-banking: Low costs (particularly fixed costs); Cross-border expansion; High franchise value; Strength link with customers; Market share growth; Financial information potential; Simple to access. Disadvantages of e-banking New competitors; Complicate services valuation; Development costs; Low security. Source: Salomon Smith

Richard M. Nixon :: essays research papers fc

Early Life Richard Milhous Nixon grew up in Yorba, California the son of Quakers Frank and Hannah Nixon. During Nixon’s childhood in Yorba, the family was always on the edge of poverty. The lemon grove was unfruitful, and there was little money for anything beyond food and clothing for the growing family. The Nixons never ate in a restaurant or took even a brief vacation. Nixon’s early life was one of boyish stubbornness. He swam in the dangerous Anaheim Canal in spite of repeated warnings from his father, and he insisted upon standing up to ride in the family wagon, although once a fall gave him a serious head injury. He displayed a competitive streak at an early age and would never turn down a challenge or a dare. He also loved to be read to, and after age five he could read on his own. National Geographic was his favorite magazine. Education Nixon graduated form high school in 1930. He possessed extraordinary intelligence and ambition, but his ambitious nature receiv ed a serious setback that year. He graduated first in his class and won his high school’s Harvard Club award as "best all-around student." The award was a scholarship to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition, he seemed likely to win a scholarship to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Nixon had dreamed for years of going to a famous college in the East, but his dreams were shattered when he had to turn down both opportunities. Because his older brother Harold’s long battle with tuberculous had drained the family’s funds there was no money to pay for the cost of traveling to the East Coast and living there. Nixon swallowed his disappointment and enrolled at nearby Whittier College. Nixon majored in history, and one of his history professors had a profound influence on his career. This was Dr. Paul Smith, whom Nixon called "the greatest intellectual inspiration of my early years." Smith was a Republican who urged hi s students to think about the importance of leadership in government. He encouraged them to consider entering public office, and he certainly helped turn Nixon’s thoughts in that direction. In 1934 Nixon graduated from Whittier College after four years on the honor roll. He applied for a scholarship to a new law school, at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and asked several of his professors to write to Duke, recommending him for a scholarship.

Evaluate the Evidence for Human Impacts on Downstream Flood Risk in Rural Catchment Areas in Temperate Regions

Evaluate the evidence for human impacts on downstream flood risk in rural catchments in temperate regions. Before we can evaluate human impacts on flood risk we must first establish what is meant by temperate regions and also rural catchments. Temperate regions are generally regarded as lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle or the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle and therefore rivers investigated in this essay will fall within these parameters. Rural catchments are slightly harder to define, as today very few large rivers do not have some form of urban development within their catchments area. In this essay a river that is still in a predominantly rural catchment will be discussed even if there are areas of urban land within the catchment. Humans impact on flood risk falls into one of two categories. The first is deliberately and directly, through floodplain restoration, construction of dams and channel rehabilitation and all of these have fairly obvious positive effects on reducing flood risk. However it is when humans indirectly affect the flood risk, through deforestation, land use change and climate change (which all have a negative effect on flood risk) that there is less certainty into the extent of the impact that humans have. Overall though it is clear that human activity has resulted in ‘major changes’ (Goudie, 2006) in downstream flood risk in temperate regions and rural catchments. The most obvious way in which humans impact downstream flood risk is through direct adaptation of the river itself and this is also arguably also the most important way in which humans can have an impact on flood risk (Mrwoka, 1974). Damming is probably the most widespread example of how humans seek to control peak flows on rivers and the construction of dams in the UK has led to significant decreases in flooding. The reservoir created on the River Avon occupies 1. 38% of the catchment but reduces peak flow by 16% and even more impressively the reservoir on the Catcleugh in the Cheviots occupies 2. 72% of the catchment and reduces peak flow by 71% (Petts and Lewin, 1979). The creation of dams clearly reduces the flood risk overall, however, dams have a much smaller effect on rare flood events of high magnitude, due to the fact that there is a finite amount of water a dam can hold during times of high, prolonged precipitation (Goudie, 2006). On the River Avon the ratio of pre-dam discharges to post-dam discharges is a mere 1. 02 in a once-in-10 year event (Petts and Lewin, 1979). However, despite this, man’s construction of dams still has a large impact in reducing peak flood and therefore flood risk in downstream catchment areas. Floodplain restoration is another example of humans deliberately impacting on flood risk. It has been calculated that the flood reduction function of 3800 hectares of floodplain storage on the Charles River, Massachusetts saved US$ 17 million worth of downstream flood damage each year (US Corps of Engineers, 1972). Restoration has taken place on the River Cherwell between Oxford and Banbury. Here the embankments were removed and the channels restore to their pre-1900 dimensions. As a result of the rehabilitation of the channel peak flow was reduced by between 10-15% and the embankments which had been removed were shown to have been increasing peak flow by between 50-150% (Acreman et al, 2003). This clearly shows the extent to which humans can actively work to reduce the flood risk in a rural catchment area, and shows how important the role of floodplain restoration and channel rehabilitation is when reducing peak flows. A prime example of human activity indirectly affecting flood risk patterns is through deforestation. The principle here is that by removing vegetation, you remove the capacity for a significant percentage of precipitation to be intercepted by the vegetation and then evaporated before it reaches the stream. Therefore, if humans remove the vegetation in a catchment area this can increase run-off and therefore flood risk. An experimental study was conducted in 1910 to investigate the extent to which vegetation coverage affected peak flow in Colorado. Stream flows from two watersheds of approximately 80 hectares in size were compared over 8 years, before one valley was clear-felled. The catchment area which had experienced clear felling experienced 17% greater annual flow and also significantly higher peak flows (Goudie, 2006). In 1998 the Yangtze River experienced its worst floods for over 40 years, with high water remaining in some areas for 70 days. Although the precipitation over that time period was extreme, the extent of the flooding (which caused over $20billion in damages) has also been linked to the widespread deforestation that had taken place upstream of the floods. In 1957 the forest coverage of the river basin was 22% but by 1986 this figure had been reduced to 10% (Yin et al, 1998). Despite this, it has been argued that during times of prolonged rainfall, vegetation loses its ability to reduce peak flow as there is a finite limit to how much water vegetation can hold. A study on the Yangtze showed that under 90mm of heavy rainfall, surface run-off was 65mm in forested areas and 35mm in non-forested areas and therefore the forest does not retain more run-off (Cheng et al, 1998) and therefore flood risk is no greater. However, there can be no doubt that deforestation reduces seepage losses and therefore increases the convergence of seepage water and that deforestation increased the seriousness of the flooding that the Yangtze experienced in 1998 (Yin and Lee, 1999). The type of vegetation in a river basin can also have an influence on flood risk, and human activity can indirectly affect this. The principle here is that some types of vegetation retain more water than others and therefore their presence reduces flood risk. The catchment area of the Coweeta River in North Carolina was converted from deciduous hardwood forest to pine (which is evergreen) over a period of 15 years, from 1940 onwards, and as a result stream flow was reduced by 20% (Swank and Douglas, 1974). However, although certain types of plant may indeed significantly reduce stream flow, the impact they have on flood risk is often considerably smaller. It has been estimated that a forest of Ash juniper trees intercept around 40% of the precipitation that falls on them each year (Owens et al, 2006). This figure is so high as Ash juniper trees are evergreen and therefore absorb water all year round however, during storms, this figure is reduced to around 10%. This figure remains fairly similar for most vegetation during high storms. We can therefore say that although humans adapting the type of vegetation in a catchment area does have an impact on overall stream flow, the extent to which this reduces the flood risk downstream is negligible (Wilcox et al, 2006). Land use change is another example of human activity which, although it is not done with the intention of altering river flow characteristics, still has an impact on downstream flood risk. Developing urban areas in formerly rural ones is now widely acknowledged to have a ‘considerable’ hydrological impact, mainly thorough the ways in which it alters runoff (Hollis, 1988). Essentially this urbanization produces a tapestry of impermeable surfaces that increase run-off and therefore discharge during times of high precipitation (Graf, 1977). However, Hollis (1975) argues that whilst urbanization may increase the recurrence interval of small floods, in rare large scale floods, land use change has little effect on the overall peak flow, due to the fact that during large storms, rural areas become saturated quickly and then behave in much the same way as urban areas. Despite this, we can still say that land use change from urban to rural does increase the flood risk, even if this increase in risk is only during smaller events. Although we are examining flood risk in rural catchment areas, development of urban pockets in these areas must still be considered, as even catchments with only some urbanization are still more likely to suffer flooding (Wilson, 1967). Climate change is another way in which man indirectly can have an effect on flooding risk although this is a hotly contested topic, as no completely acceptable explanation of climate change has been presented before (Goudie, 2006). However, some climate models have still predicted that climate change over the next 100 years will lead to higher flood risk. This is due to the fact that in a warmer climate, the air can hold more water, which increases the potential for latent heat release during low pressure systems and therefore increased precipitation is likely (Frei et al, 1998). A model in 2002 produced by the EU group PRUDENCE compared summertime precipitation in mainland Europe from 1961-1990 and the forecast for 2071-2100 based on the climatic predictions made in the IPCC report. This found that although overall precipitation may slightly decrease over the summer, precipitation events in the 95th percentile for intensity would significantly increase (Christensen J and Christensen O, 2003). This would obviously increase the flood risk downstream in rural catchments. However, although climate change may, in the coming century, prove to have a significant impact on flooding, currently the topic is too heavily debated to draw any concrete conclusions on the extent to which human induced climate change increases flooding risk. We can therefore see that humans impact on flood risk in a variety of ways, some positive and some negative and all to varying degrees. It is worth bearing in mind that in some areas man may be impacting on flood risk in both a negative and positive way and therefore having an even larger impact on the stream than would at first be obvious. The evidence for man impacting on flood risk downstream in rural catchments is often disputed; however, it is clear that man is impacting on streams and flood risk. It is worth remembering that flooding is a perfectly natural event however rivers and the floods they can potentially unleash are in a delicate balance, and man is more than capable of upsetting that balance in a variety of ways.

Biology Unit 2 IP Essays

Biology Unit 2 IP Essays Biology Unit 2 IP Paper Biology Unit 2 IP Paper All organisms are usually divided into the two large categories, according to the substances they use to produce energy. While autotrophs use non-organic elements (sunlight), heterotrophs require food to produce energy. Autotrophs are the â€Å"organisms that can make their own food from an inorganic source of carbon given a source of energy† (Blankenship, 2002). The majority of plants and algae are autotrophic by nature; i.e., they use photosynthesis to produce glucose.   Ã‚   2. What are the names for the types of organisms can use Aerobic Cellular Respiration to break down glucose to produce ATP? Provide specific examples. All active organisms utilize the benefits of aerobic cellular respiration process to produce energy. In other terms, almost all living organisms use Aerobic Cellular Respiration to break down glucose to produce ATP. Eukaryotes (animals and plants) are the main energy consumers. They use mitochondria as the instruments in energy-releasing reactions. Mitochondria â€Å"are found in particularly high numbers in muscle and other high-energy use tissues† (Elliott, 2005); in animals and plants, these usually drive glucose breakdown and energy consumption processes. 3. If oxygen is lacking, how might cells meet their energy needs through fermentation? Explain and give some examples of cells that can do this. When cells lack oxygen, traditional aerobic cellular respiration is replaced with fermentation. The latter does not require oxygen in its chemical reactions. â€Å"In fermentation pyruvic acid molecules are turned into some ‘waste’ product, and a little bit of energy is produced† (Elliott, 2005). Organisms use several different fermentation chains to replenish the lack of energy in anaerobic conditions. Lactic fermentation occurs by means of Lactobacillus acidophilus and some fungi; bacteria and yeast serve the engines of alcohol fermentation and ethanol production in organisms. 4. Both photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiration are examples of complex metabolic pathways, consisting of many linked reactions. Briefly, explain the role of enzymes in catalyzing chemical reactions and in metabolic pathways. Enzymes are â€Å"specialized proteins that speed up chemical reactions† (Blankenship, 2002). Enzymes represent a separate class of catalysts that participate in metabolic processes and reduce the amount of energy organisms need to produce or consume energy. Enzymes are highly selective, and although they control each step of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, their activity will differ at each stage of the energy reaction process. For example, the process of cellular respiration would be incomplete, if not for the usefulness and active participation of ATP synthase (an active enzyme used to produce ATP molecules). The number and the set of enzymes which participate in metabolic processes vary, but all of them are critically important for the stability and quality of metabolic processes in all living organisms. References Blankenship, R.E. (2002). Molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis. Wiley-Blackwell. Elliott, W.H. (2005). Biochemistry and molecular biology. Oxford University Press.

Wealthy Barber essays

Wealthy Barber essays Money is easy to make as long as you have a job, however what do you do when you have the money is another question. This is a question I have asked myself ever since I got my first part time job. Many people dont realize that your money can make you more money, through proper investment. Through this strategy you can not only live comfortably now, but you can live a wealthy retirement and enjoy your later years. One of tips which caught my eye the most was the chapter, entitled, "Ten Percent Solution". This chapter seemed to make sense to me as I am on a limited budget with a minimum wage job. I am one of the fortunate students how somehow can balance school with a part time job. I do this because it allows me some freedoms while at school, such as eating well, socializing and trips to visit friends. I also seem to have a bit of money left over which I leave sitting in my low interest bank account. It is this money I am hoping to save for when I am done school and to begin my OSAP payments. Until reading the book, "The Wealthy Barber", I never really had an idea of what to do with my money. Since I am also one of those students who is lucky enough to have a loan through OSAP, I figured Id better start saving or making money as it is stated. I am currently saving money in a GIC account at a bank which has a mediocre interest rate of approximately 4%. However, if I invest in something such as a mutual fund for long term growth I will get a better interest rate and end up making more money without doing anything. The nice thing about both the GIC and the mutual fund is that they use the compound interest which allows your money to grow at a very rapid rate, as you will slowly start making money on the previous interest deposits as well as your own deposits which you make. However to gain significant interest growth you must have something at a reasonable interest rate. This book has really ins...

Arab Views of Europeans 1578-1727 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Arab Views of Europeans 1578-1727 - Essay Example And given the fantasy and the Orientalism that marked early modern and modern European perceptions of Arabs and Muslims, did Occidentalism evolve in Arab-islamic thought? Did the military polarisation that marked the two shores of the Mediterranean produce an Arab fantasy and invention similar to that characterising a large amount of Europeans about Muslims. (p. 127) From the start, Matar have recognized that majority of the historians and scholars believed that the degree of interest of the Arabs and Muslims in Latin Christendom is significantly lower than what was shown by the Europeans in the Far East. He pointed to two prevailing schools of thought that explain this attitude: First, the Europeans are generally viewed as barbarians because of their heathen religion that teaches a theology, which, according to Quran, is false and distorted; Second, the European society has been seen as inferior to the Arab world because of the Muslim belief that the heritage of the Middle Ages have given them the edge over the Europeans. The corpus of the Islamic literature on the subject has shown a degree of hostility towards the West which clouds the existing curiosity over the other civilization. This hostility would further grow as the West asserted its hegemony in the course of its colonisation efforts. Matar, however, added an interesting insight to this variable. According to him, the disinterest, as has been comprehensively illustrated by the various sources, permeated in the Ottoman territory and those within the reach of its influence. He cited the case of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria who, in their history and literature, have spoken about the Europeans quite extensively, displaying a level of interest that is unprecedented elsewhere in the Islamic world. He took note of the fact that the Moroccan elite were educated and have in their disposal a high level of literacy that have made up with the lack of printing machines that could have made the mass production of

The Transition from Applicant to New Employee Essay

The Transition from Applicant to New Employee - Essay Example This study highlights both the employee and employer struggle in the initial period of the recruitment process to make the transition as smooth as possible and shorten the learning curve. Organizations start this process as soon as they get an application against a vacancy. The interview process and the orientation for the new employee become the foundations of a lasting relationship. Successful organizations foster a learning environment in which employees get to build their skills and eventually become more productive with time. The employee entering the organization relies on the existing culture and workforce for guidance and deliverance. Employees adopt the values of the culture prevailing in the organization and will easily adapt to the new environment if they feel comfortable to it. Employees will also be more receptive of information if they feel attached to the work they are put to do. As the discussion stresses millions of students graduate every year form colleges and universities around the globe. Many of them could be in search of their first real job. The past twenty years of their life they have been cradled with support from friends, family, counsellors, instructors and the corporations that hold yearly seminars. After graduating from college, they may find themselves completely alone, standing in front of a tall building, thinking of which door is the entrance and which door is the exit. Confidence matters a lot as they go in for an entry test or start the interview process.