Xbox Essays (Examples)

Both firms use an array of distribution channels, focusing on large retail stores. There is an Internet strategy for both, focused on the presentation of information. Xbox also allows users to plug their system into the Internet and play games online. Sony runs a similar program called PlayStation Network. Both of these networks feed into the customer service strategy through the use of memberships. Beyond this, there is little in the way of relationship management.

V. The target of the Xbox website is the mass market. Images typically show families and multi-player scenes to reinforce the idea that the Xbox is for everyone. The main benefit being promoted is fun. There are few specific benefits listed and no testimonials on the website. There is only limited contact information provided. The PlayStation website is more focused on graphics and gameplay - indicative of their premium strategy and targeting of hardcore gamers.…

Works Cited

Sony financial information from Reuters. Retrieved November 13, 2008 at  http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/incomeStatement?stmtType=BAL&perType=ANN&symbol=SNE.N 

Microsoft financial information from Reuters. Retrieved November 13, 2008 at  http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/incomeStatement?stmtType=BAL&perType=ANN&symbol=MSFT.O 

No author. (2008). 2008: Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry. Entertainment Software Association. Retrieved November 13, 2008 at http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf

Pham, Alex. (2008). Games for the Rest of Us. LA Times. Retrieved November 13, 2008 at  http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/21/business/fi-games21

This represents a risky move in this oligopolistic industry. The price of the PS3 was set at $499 for the 20 GB model and $599 for the 60 GB model. The Xbox360 is $200 less and the ii was priced at $250 (Ono, 2006). Sony's goal with the pricing strategy was twofold -- to connote the premium nature of the product and to cover the costs. The cost structure of the ii is less well-known, but Nintendo's business is game consoles. They are dependent on gaining market share, and their involvement in the ii games indicates that console diffusion may be a loss leader to spur games sales. ith the Xbox360, it is widely known that Microsoft is selling the product below cost. They were a late entrant into the console business and as a result have kept prices low in order to gain market share.

ith respect to product,…

Works Cited:

Sony UK Website: About Sony. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from  http://www.sony.co.uk/article/id/1060176719725 

No author. (2008). 2008: Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry. Entertainment Software Association. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf

Eran, Daniel. (2006). The Next Generation Game Consoles. Roughly Drafted. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from  http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Q4.06/5B47C6B2-0191-4825-80C9-F6EBCA0E3B23.html 

Shaw, Anne. (2008). The Gaming Console War is Still Undecided, Wii to Take Lead. eFluxMedia. Retrieved April 25, 2009 from http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_The_Gaming_Console_War_is_Still_Undecided_Wii_to_Take_Lead_14062.html

Club / Amazon.com

Finding the Book of the Month Club at the URL given for this assignment was not possible. For some reason, accessing www.bookofthemonthclub.com, leads to something called BuyDomains.com. Indeed, BuyDomains.com appears to be attempting to sell the site visitor the URL to Book of the Month Club - "Domains for sale," yells the header. Is this some kind of Internet skullduggery? However, by going to Yahoo! And searching for Book of the Month Club, one discovers that the URL is www.bomc.com.And meantime, as to which company (amazon.com or bomc.com) has the better site and marketing mix - it seems very clear that Amazon.com is far out in front in the sheer volume of offerings for the Web consumer. If shoppers just want books or movies, then bomc.com is an easy site to navigate. But when looking for clothing, electronics, toys, software, and the kitchen sink, amazon.com is the…

6. When would you suggest using negative match for keywords? Please give a specific example of a keyword and a related negative match.

The intent of using negative keywords is to trim back the number of items returned in a search, making the results delivered more relevant. The example shown below illustrates how a search of the New York Yankees could be made more relevant by removing the local New York football teams.

Negative keywords: New York Giants, New York Jets

7. Using the information provided in the attached Excel spreadsheet, please answer the following questions:

a. What is the clickthrough rate (CTR) for the keyword, Rock Band 2? Please illustrate the formula used to derive your answer.

CTR = (Clicks/Impressions) x 100

.15 = (16,797/110547) x 100

b. What is the CTR for the overall campaign?

.046 = (575,082/12,282,679) x 100

c. What is the CPC for the keyword,…

Halo 2 was a newsmaker as it is an exclusive game for the Xbox and can be played over its online gaming network. Microsoft's PR reminded everyone of that fact. They also let the whole world know that around 1.5 million copies of Halo 2 were already pre-ordered. The launch was very successful as Halo 2 sold more than 3 million copies within the first weekend.

Damage control is another part of PR. When Microsoft faced anti-trust allegations they initiated a major letter writing campaign to save their image from being defaced. They asked their customers to write letters to the editors send letters to their congressmen and do whatever they could to protect its good name. An important PR move is to make sure that the organization supports the right political party. Microsoft used to be a big supporter of the Democratic Party in the past. However it abandoned…

Bibliography

Microsoft Press Pass

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass

PR Newswire: Microsoft

 http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/liststory?569463 ^1

Much of the time this goes hand-in-hand with enabling users or readers to easily navigate a website or document, as simplicity makes navigation simpler, but at times these two can also be in opposition to each other. Navigation makes the access of necessary and important information -- from the point-of-view of both the author and the reader -- more likely to be found and obtained, and thus utilized (Markel 2009). Developing visual means to allow for simple navigation is one of the essential goals of document design, and these documents vary in contrasting ways when their success in this goal is assessed.

Xbox Return Shipping

The Xbox return shipping document contains many graphic images that make the process of shipping a game console to a repair facility very easy. At the same time, there is abundance of graphical information that makes the document less simplified and less easily navigable. Though…

Sony had several strengths when it entered the video game console market in 1995. It had a strong brand image from its consumer electronics business, which translated to the console, as that was also seen as consumer electronics. The company also had excellent distribution channels, again based on its pre-existing consumer electronics businesses. Sony also benefitted from scale, in both production and marketing, as it was a large global conglomerate. So there were several advantages that Sony enjoyed, and these advantages allowed it to gain access to the market, and leverage a strong brand and marketing muscle to gain traction with the consumer base. While it didn't realize it at the time, there is tremendous crossover opportunity between Sony's movie properties and games, and vice versa. Sony countered this by working with many game developers, including the largest ones in the industry. Sony's reputation gave it instant credibility with developer,…

There is a risk, however, that the company begins to lag the pace of technological change, and in such a situation would see reduced relevance in its industries. hat the PEST analysis shows is that in general the external environmental forces have either a favorable or neutral impact on Apple's operations. Traditional sources of external risk (political/legal) are minimal and the other key risk source (technological change) has traditionally been an area of strength for Apple. The trends for the future are positive, so Apple is likely to continue to succeed simply by staying the course.

In the external environment, a firm like Apple has innumerable opportunities. The ones most appealing are closely related to either Apple's technology or media properties. Extensions of Apple TV to compete with Netflix could be an opportunity. Video game consoles are a related business where Apple can succeed, just as rival Microsoft has. There…

Works Cited:

Cavallaro, M. (2009). Nintendo does not console Microsoft. Forbes. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from  http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/28/wii-playstation-Xbox-personal-finance-investing-ideas_0128_videogames.html 

CBC. (2010). Apple's iPhone 4 leads to long line-ups. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from  http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/07/30/apple-iPhone.html 

Cho, K. (2007). Sony's Playstation 3 wins market share from Wii, Xbox in U.S.. Bloomberg. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from  http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aTnhEyskdX1I&refer=us 

Cordes, H. (2010). Baby boom echo boosts population. Omaha.com. Retrieved April 4, 2011 from http://www.omaha.com/article/20100124/NEWS01/701249929

ecently, Skype also created a platform for group video, where groups of more than two people could meet with Skype. The company was founded in 2003, with its headquarters in Luxembourg. It is available for free download. Microsoft was founded in 1975 and has since become the world leader in software, services, and solutions for businesses and individual people. It is expected that the acquisition would help both companies to expand their services for the benefit of customers, while also benefiting themselves by expanding their reach across the world.

The potential success of the acquisition depends on a number of uncertainties. The change to cloud-based computing, for example, could result in increased competition. Microsoft's business model may need to change. The company may also face challenges when protecting its property rights or when others claim that Microsoft has violated their property rights. Microsoft could also have security vulnerabilities that could…

References

Aggarwal, S. (2011, May 10). Skype Acquisition, Many Synergies for Microsoft. Retrieved from: http://blogs.vccircle.com/500/healthy-airhotel-travel-trends-to-benefit-makemytrip/

Daily News and Analysis (2011). Microsoft to Acquire Skype for $8.5 billion. Retrieved from:  http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_microsoft-to-acquire-skype-for-8-5-billion_1541491 

Microsoft News Center. (2011, May 10). Microsoft to Acquire Skype. Retrieved from: http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/may11/05-10CorpNewsPR.mspx

The forensic psychology sphere can use the competency of juvenile discussion in a number of ways. First, any competency hearing of a juvenile needs to take into account that the offender's mind is still forming and finalizing and it is not the same thing as assessing a person who is, for example forty years old. That being said, younger offenders do typically know right from wrong and it is possible in a clinical sense to determine whether the offender is able to defend himself or herself. The rub is that it has to be done in a specific way and in a way that is tangibly different than with typical adult offenders. After all, though, there is not a huge difference between assessing a 17-year-old and a 18-year-old and one of those two offenders is legally and criminally an adult.

Another dimension that is going to be prevalent in a…

References

CBS Sacramento. (2012, July 31). Xbox Chat Leads To Violent Attack In Oakley -- CBS Sacramento. CBS Sacramento. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from  http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/07/31/xbox-chat-leads-to-violent-attack-in-oakley/ 

Harvey, A. (2011). Juvenile Courts and Competency to Stand Trial. Sociology Compass, 5(6), 439-451. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9020.2011.00377.x

Some of these methods include plea agreements and the disclosure of incriminating evidence, along with witness testimony. Thus, defendants' rights do not tie the hands of officers and the courts because officers and the courts have an arsenal of ways to manage these rights and still perform their jobs.

While the myriad of rights offered to defendants in the United States may sometimes seem like ways to protect the guilty and harm the innocent, this is far from the case. Not only are these rights necessary for protecting the defendant, along with the rest of the democratic society of the United States, but the rights can also be managed through a plethora of legal tactics on the part of the courts and police officers. Established through the Constitution and landmark court cases, primarily, defendants' rights honor the intent of the constitution. Though it is true that some guilty defendants may…

References

Cima, Greg. (2006, 21 November). Marijuana charges dropped because of illegal search.

The Pantagraph. Retrieved at http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/11/21/news/doc4563de8080933076324107.txt

Edgar, Timothy H. Interested Persons Memo. Retrieved November 23, 2008, at  http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/17203leg20030214.html 

Farrell, Nick (2008, 20 November). Copper stole my Xbox. The Inquirer. Retrieved at  http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/11/20/copper-stole-xbox

Furthermore, there are a number of similarities and overlaps between such leadership theories that do not prevent their being characterized as transformational in nature. For example, "Most leaders behave in both transactional and transformational ways in different intensities and amounts; this is not an entirely either-or differentiation" (Miner, 2002 p. 743).

One of the more interesting issues to emerge from the research is the need for transformational leaders to teach what they know to others. Certainly, it would be reasonable to assume that most leaders got where they are by virtue of some innate skill or ability within an organization, and while it would likely be easier - and faster -- for them to simply do some things themselves, teaching others how to become effective leaders in their own right is a fundamental responsibility and effective leaders and serves to differentiate a truly transformational leader from others leadership styles: "True…

Bibliography

Apple. (2007). Yahoo! Business. [Online]. Available:  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=AAPL 

Avolio, B.J., & Bass, B.M. (2002). Developing potential across a full range of leadership: Cases on transactional and transformational leadership. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bass, B.M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. New York: Free Press.

Transformational leadership: Industrial, military, and educational impact. (1998). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Samsung Console Marketing

Pricing of the SamsunG console will be based on the pricing for competitive consoles. As noted, there are three main rival companies, offering a range of different console options. Kotler and Keller (2007) point out that the price of competing products is one of the most important drivers of the price of any new product. There are a number of pricing strategies for market entry -- penetration pricing and skim pricing among them (NetMBA, 2010). Penetration pricing is the strategy that Samsung should use for its new console. There are a couple of reasons for this recommendation. The first is that while the console is of good quality, it lacks the established brand and pantheon of games that the other consoles have. In addition, the new console is costly to produce, so the more volume sales the company can generate the more it can enjoy economies of…

Works Cited:

Kotler & Keller. (2006). Marketing Management (12th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

Lindsay, M. (2009). How to develop the right communications strategy for a conversation economy. Ad Age CMO Strategy. Retrieved November 27, 2011 from  http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/marketing-communications-strategy-a-conversation-model/139989/ 

NetMBA (2010) Pricing strategy. NetMBA.com Retrieved November 27, 2011 from  http://www.netmba.com/marketing/pricing/ 

QuickMBA. (2010). Foreign market entry modes. QuickMBA.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011 from  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/global/marketentry/

Computer Games esearch

When considering the short history of computers, video and PC gaming are very recent on the timeline of technology. This is one of the reasons why there have not been many conclusive studies on the negative and/or positive effects of electronic games on children and young adults -- the most formative years. With the ever-increasing interest and involvement of children in this activity, much concern has been expressed about the impact of these games, especially ones of a more violent nature, on physical and psychological development. At the crux of the debate is the question of whether they are detrimental to a young person's health. There are specific concerns about such factors as aggression, addiction, criminal activity, obesity and reduced academic achievement.

Studies thus far show both positive and negative results from playing video and PC games. Some research finds that the playing or observing of violent…

References Cited

Anderson, C.A., and K.E. Dill "Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000, 78, 772-790.

Ask, A., Autoustinos, M., and A.H. Winefield, "To kill or not to kill: Competitive aggression in Australian adolescent males during videogame play." Children in the New Media Landscape. C. van Feilitzen and U. Carlsson (Eds.). Goteborg, Sweden: UNESCO International Clearinghouse on Children and Violence on the Screen, 2000.

Bowman, R.P. And J.C. Rotter. "Computer games: Friend or foe?" Elementary School Guidance and Counselling, 1983, 18, 25 -- 34

Calvert, S.L., and S. Tan, (1994). "Impact of Virtual Reality on Young Adults' Physiological Arousal and Aggressive Thoughts." Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 1994, 15, 125-139.

Profiling Markets With Psychographics

Profiling the Soft Drink Market with Psychographics

The intent of this analysis is to evaluate the various psychographic segments of the soft drink marketplace. There are seven different psychographic segments included in this analysis, each with drastically different expectations, needs, wants and preferences for soft drinks overall. Beginning with the Thrill Seekers, and progressing to the Trendy Quality Seekers, then the Price-Value Shopper who shops for soft drinks on price and availability, then the Social Shoppers, Brand Aspirationals and Price-Sensitive Affluents round out the entire series of segments. Each of these segments have drastically different needs and approaches to purchasing and consuming soft drinks as this analysis illustrates.

Analysis of Psychographic Segments

Each of the segments are analyzed with specific focus on their preferred types of soft drinks, ways of purchasing them, and a short analysis of their demographics as well. The differences in each segment…

Both would be exceptionally effective in strengthening the P of the Google brand as well as each provides valuable intelligence for consumers worldwide. The advertising revenue potential for the online shopping experience is highly positive, as is the potential for the truth filter from a licensing standpoint. Both could provide significant financial improvements to Google as each will drive a significantly greater level of traffic and advertising revenue as a result. The last new marketing opportunity for Google is the development of a Personal Knowledge Assistant. This would be a configurable alert service that could be equally used across mobility platforms running the Android operating system, in addition to providing visual alerts on the Google Glass headset when it is available for global sales. For Google, creating a configurable, customizable Personal Knowledge Assistant is low-hanging fruit, with little risk and much upside positive P. Like the other two marketing opportunities,…

References

Klie, S. (2010). Google's innovation imperative. Canadian HR Reporter, 23(16), 14-14,16.

Wonglimpiyarat, J. (2012). Technology strategies and standard competition - comparative innovation cases of Apple and Microsoft. Journal of High Technology Management Research, 23(2), 90.

Gaming Console:

Understanding Console Hardware Before a Purchase

When purchasing new gaming console hardware, a person must complete detailed research in order to understand what the most important factors are, at what specifications to have the factors at, future trends or cutting technology, the major manufacturers, and price range to expect and where to purchase. By preparing ahead of time, a consumer will be able to buy the best device at the best price.

The consumer should also be concerned about the console's hard drive space. Whenever the console's computer saves information, it is stored on the hard drive within the system. This is true for items saved by the user, such as gaming scores, profiles, and downloaded software, but may also be saved before delivery or by the console, such as auto save or operating software. It is important to be realistic about how much space will be needed,…

References

BestBuy.com. (2011). Desktop packages. Retrieved January 24, 2011 from http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Electronics/Video-Games/abcat0700000.c?id=abcat0700000

ConsumerReports.org. (2011). Computers and computer ratings from consumer reports.

Retrieved January 24, 2011 from  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/computers-internet/computers/index.htm 

ConsumerReports.org. (2011). Video-game consoles: Choosing a model with a simple strategy.

Human-Computer Interface

The first question is what the definition of haptic feedback and why it is needed. The second is to define the various types of human memory and the impact of the same on the human/computer interface. The third is to describe the potential outcomes of not using consistency in the human/computer interface. The fourth question is to summarize the steps of the user-centric design process. Finally, the role of human motion in the design of the human/computer interface shall be articulated. All of the questions above will be answered using no less than four scholarly resources.

Haptic Feedback

Haptic feedback is when a computer or system provides feedback that is something other than visual in nature when something occurs. One of the more pervasive examples of this in motion in a modern context is the slight vibration that a smartphone gives when a button on the phone is…

References

Gorman, M. (2012, May 21). Leap Motion reveals super-accurate motion control tech, $70 device to change the UI game. Engadget. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from  http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/leap-motion-3d-motion-and-gesture-control/ 

MobileBurn. (2014, March 10). What is "haptic feedback"?. MobileBurn. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from  http://www.mobileburn.com/definition.jsp?term=haptic+feedback 

USAToday. (2013, January 6). Editorial: 'Black boxes' are in 96% of new cars. USA

Today. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from  http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/01/06/black-boxes-cars -

To keep my friends at Stanford entertained, I found a list of Web sites devoted to the ubik's Cube and together we would work on the cube. I even gave my club members "homework" assignments so that we could all practice the ubik's Cube in our own time. I continue to find Jasmine Lee's (2008) Web site "Beginner Solution to the ubik's Cube" an excellent one for learning how to solve the ubik's Cube using mathematics instead of just chance, as I noticed some people try to do.

"Teach me how!" I started to hear more and more from my friends back at home, after the ubik's Cube was re-released for its anniversary. This caused many of my friends to discover the ubik's Cube for the first time, and to my great surprise many of them found it as amusing as I did. For the first time, I saw some…

Reference

Lee, J. (2008). Beginner's solution to the Rubik's Cube. Web site retrieved online:  http://peter.stillhq.com/jasmine/rubikscubesolution.html

" Jason's father told him that everyone in the family will get a chance to pick their favorite places to go in California, and the place where "Masquerade Mania" is shot is at the top of Jason's list. Jason is certain that because he has watched the show so many times, he can win, and win big, and this will make him popular next year in school. As they drive, Freddie calls himself Jason's 'coach' who will help him win "Masquerade Mania." Freddie has to coach Jason on the different questions Jason is likely to be asked by the show's hosts. This is good because Jason needs the distraction. Not only was Jason crushed when he learned he wasn't going to get a chance to ride in an airplane, but the camper is supposed to be bad luck for anyone who drives in it -- for example, the last time…

Works Cited

Roberts, Diane. Made You Look. New York: Random House, 2004.

Further diversification is also recommended. Given the pace of change in the industry, the reliance on PC operating platforms and office software packages must be reduced. The risk of an entirely new technological paradigm emerging is high, so Microsoft must therefore diversify its revenue streams in order to defend against this threat. Overall, Microsoft's strategic thrust is strong and its operating results fantastic. The company must guard against major non-strategic threats such as technological change or acute damage from financial scandal. If Microsoft deals with these two issues effectively, the will remain in good position to continue to build their revenues in the coming years.

orks Cited

Financial and operating unit information from Reuters. Retrieved December 8, 2008 at http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=MSFT.O

No author. (2004) Microsoft Corporation. Funding Universe Retrieved December 8, 2008 at http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Microsoft-Corporation-Company-History.html

Microsoft 2008 Annual Report. (2008). Microsoft. Retrieved December 8, 2008 at http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/ar08/index.html

No author. (2006). Microsoft's Multiple…

Works Cited

Financial and operating unit information from Reuters. Retrieved December 8, 2008 at  http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=MSFT.O 

No author. (2004) Microsoft Corporation. Funding Universe Retrieved December 8, 2008 at  http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Microsoft-Corporation-Company-History.html 

Microsoft 2008 Annual Report. (2008). Microsoft. Retrieved December 8, 2008 at http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/ar08/index.html

No author. (2006). Microsoft's Multiple Challenges: Is Its Size a Benefit or a Burden? Wharton School of Business. Retrieved December 8, 2008 at  http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1478

In short, Microsoft has been successful in relationship marketing in their core businesses in addition to sustaining momentum in the global application and software development community. The company has struggled however in its effort to use relationship marketing in the areas of Internet-based advertising models, sales of enterprise server components and applications including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM). These are all enterprise software areas that require an inordinate amount of trust and continual relationship building to be successful. In these areas Microsoft is challenged. Add to this the fact that Microsoft's channel strategy has at times been contradictory, and there is ample evidence of the company not being trusted in many reseller and indirect channels globally.

Recommendations

Microsoft's success with developers and the willingness to openly collaborate with them in the creation of entirely new applications underscore what researchers have found to…

When employees have a high level of ownership regarding an initiative, product or strategy they feel a higher level of control, and commit themselves at a more personal level to its success (Spector 1986). Microsoft's it department, in striving to be a responsive resource to the rest of the company, often relies on these internal reviews of new applications from the company to find new approaches to delivering higher levels of effectiveness throughout the organization. It learns from software development what could potentially assist internal departments to be more effective in their use of systems, software and processes, becoming a more efficient and responsive internal resource in the process.

Conclusion

Microsoft's unique culture is based on the need to be continually innovating new software applications and solutions to an increasingly wide breadth of markets globally. For Microsoft to continually be competitive in both their Human esources and it organizations, the…

References

French, J.R.P., & Raven, B.H. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright (Ed.), Studies in social power (pp. 150-167). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.

Schein, E. (1983). "The Role of the Founder in the Creation of Organizational Culture" MIT Sloan Working Papers. Accessed from the Internet on October 13, 2007  https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/2039 

Spector, Paul (1986) Perceived Control by Employees - a Meta-Analysis of Studies Concerning Autonomy and Participation at Work. Human Relations Volume 39, Number 11 Pages 1005-1016.

This kind of competition can prove to be more effective than governmental regulations since firms are reluctant to follow government mandates.

Methodology:

Secondary research has been used as the main tool. Important journal articles, case studies and analyses have been included to understand the concept of CS and its use in gain competitive advantage.

ANALYSIS and DISCUSSION

Social responsibility is closely connected with concern for financial growth. According to this belief, firms seek to maximize their profits by investing in a healthy environment and other public good projects. The firms that have successfully attained the prestigious image of being socially responsible follow this ideology. These firms choose to be more socially conscious not because of any real intention of creating a healthier society but because their actions seem to influence buyer behavior in a positive manner. Companies are thus rapidly developing serious CS policies with exclusive departments dealing with this.…

References

Miller, H. "Businesses don't have social responsibilities; people do." The Miami Herald 21 July 2004.

The Good Company." The Economist. 22-28 Jan. 2005: 11.

Braungart, M; McDonough, W. Cradle to Cradle. New York: North Point Press, 2002.

Aaronson, S; Reeves, J. Corporate Responsibility in the Global Village: The Role of Public Policy. Washington, DC: National Policy Association, 2002.

Microsoft's Critical Decisions

The most critical decisions the company has is in regard to its search and advertising business, specifically how to compete against Google's AdWords success and the OEM relationships that Google is increasingly creating across enterprise, medium and small businesses. As a result, the critical decisions Microsoft has are first in its pursuit of selling OEM accounts its search engine technology followed by the re-vamping and more focused strategies regarding online advertising. Secondly, the major decisions on product direction in terms of licensed vs. SaaS need to be more clearly determined and decisions of which products to keep on this SaaS, or as the company calls it, Dynamics, platform also need to be decided on. Third, the pricing models for enterprise products need a major re-vamping and re-writing to make Microsoft easier to do business with at an enterprise level. Fourth, strategies for countering the threat of open…

References

Bear Stearns (2007) - Bearn Stearns Equity Research. John DiFucci. November 22, 2006.

Bear Stearns Research. New York, NY.

Credit Suisse (2007) - Microsoft Corporation. Jason Maynard. April 26, 2007. Credit Suisse First Research. New York, NY.

PacificCrest (2007) - Microsoft Corporation Morning Research Note. May 29, 2007. PacifiCrest Research. Bernard Barnicle and Matthew Coss.

Website

Good Sites

Microsoft.com

The first indication that Microsoft.com is based on a strong WCM platform is the excellent division of specific areas of solutions, segments, and product sectors, all unified by common messaging and a consistency of content. The content in the site is current to the specific messaging of Microsoft today, including the launch of Windows Vista and the increased focus on Longhorn downloads for testing by beta testers. The content also provides excellent user-level guidance on office productivity, enterprise applications, and entire mini-sites dedicated to how to get more value out of their server products.

Oracle.com

Oracle is one of the leading providers of WCM systems and their support for multiple taxonomies ion their websites illustrates the company is actually using their own software to power their websites. The organization of content by the role of the visitor to the website also illustrates a strong WCM system…

References

AMR Research (2003) - Configuration is the Heart of Customer Fulfillment for Complex Product Manufacturers. AMR Research Report. Monday March 31, 2003. Retrieved from the Internet on May 4, 2007 at http://lwcresearch.com/filesfordownloads/ConfigurationIstheHeartofCustomerFulfillmentforComplexProductManufacturers.pdf

Askegar and Columbus (2002) - Channel Management Best Practices: It's All About Orders. AMR Research Report. Monday September 9, 2002. Retrieved from the Internet on May 4, 2007:

http://lwcresearch.com/filesfordownloads/SqueezetheRevenueOutofSPRs.pdf

Columbus (2003) - Squeeze the revenue out of your Special Pricing Requests. AMR Research Alert. Tuesday November 11, 2003. Retrieved from the Internet on May 4, 2007:

The competition to be on time with products, the remote area Microsoft is located in, and the fact that so many working professionals without families live in the Seattle area all make work-life balance difficult to achieve for many employees of Microsoft who have families. The continued exodus of key members of the MSN Search team to Google illustrates how the work-life balance is more fiction than fact according to Greene (2005). His article from Business Week paints a very accurate picture of the Microsoft culture and the challenges it faces in terms of continuing its momentum forward. Paradoxically Microsoft's competitive challenges are becoming so significant with open source software challenging their operating systems business and he challenges of competing with Google they could use a healthy dose of work-life balance giving them a boost to ingenuity and development. Only through giving employees their freedom in how they define their…

References

Greene (2005) - Troubling Exits at Microsoft. Business Week Online. September 26, 2005. Accessed from the Internet on January 17, 2007 from location:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_39/b3952001.htm 

Pratt (2006) - Work/Life Balance: What's It Worth? ComputerWorld Magazine. Accessed from the Internet on January 17, 2007 from location:  http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=270119

. The mobile business market has seen significant of uptake of 2E (mobile sales-force and field service) solutions and Microsoft has the chance to develop its offerings around its acquisitions, adding mobile functionality. Microsoft partners with many application vendors across the board and moving too heavily into the application space would incense many. However, there is viability in developing a mid-market mobile application proposition, given the unconsolidated nature of offerings from operators, traditional ISVs, start-ups and mobile middleware players.

Threats

In the device OS market, as at desktop level and in the server-room, Linux clearly represents a threat to Microsoft, and one it expends much energy playing down. Although there has been little uptake of Linux to date specifically as an operating system for multimedia cell phones, there are many who are not keen to implement end-to-end Microsoft solutions. Linux will give these companies added freedom in choosing applications, middleware…

Bibliography

Ovum Research (2006) - Worldwide Multimedia Cell Phone Forecast.

Source: Credit Suisse First Boston Analysis of the Multimedia Cell Market (2006)

Flextronics (2006) - Annual Report and key investor5 briefing materials. Accessed from the Internet on November 29, 2006  http://www.flextronics.com/en/Investors/ConferenceCalls/tabid/69/Default.aspx 

IDC (2006) - Worldwide Multimedia Cell Phone Forecast. Framingham, MA. Published July, 2006.

Organization: Microsoft Corporation.

Since the bygone thirty years, technology has revolutionized the manner in which we work, play and communicate. From the setting up during the year 1975, the company- Microsoft has enjoyed leadership in this revolution. As a manifestation of that role and to aid in concentrating on the opportunities that lie at the forefront Microsoft's mission has been: to facilitate people and businesses across the world to realize their full potential. (Mission and Values)

The central values of the company are (i) Broad Customer Connection-linking with customers, realizing their requirement and the manner in which they use technology, and providing value through information and support to assist them attain their potential. (ii) A Global, Inclusive Approach -- Thinking and acting in a global scale (iii) Achieving excellence- in everything (iv) Trustworthy Computing- Intensifying customer faith by the quality of products and services, sensitivity and accountability, and predictability in…

References

"Microsoft SWOT Analysis" (January 17, 2005) Retrieved from http://www.SWOT-analysis.net/microsoft.php Accessed on 15 January 2005

'Mission and Values" (25 June, 2003) Retrieved from http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/mission / Accessed on 15 January 2005

"Facts about Microsoft Research" (2004) Retrieved from  http://research.microsoft.com/aboutmsr/presskit/MSResearchFS04.aspx  Accessed on 15 January 2005

"Glimpse of the Future with Microsoft" (28 September 2004) Retrieved from  http://www.channelminds.com/article.php3?id_article=2348  Accessed on 15 January 2005

As household penetration increases, competition for products in the online marketplace also increases in those areas, as does the need for components to access the online marketplace. Further, as internet skills increase in companies and households around the world, the competitive advantage achieved from coordinating marketing across countries can be significant (Steinbock, 2000).

Microsoft, for example, has developed a huge online presence in response to household penetration increases and increases in online competition. As of November 2005, Microsoft operates websites specifically designed for each of 139 countries worldwide. Each web site contains information in the language of the country, contains products, services, and even images that reflect the culture of the country, and is aimed specifically at the household consumer and business consumer within that country. For example, when accessing the home page for the United States, advertising related products display information for new software called Microsoft Streets and Tips…

References

Fill, C. (2002.) Marketing Communications: Contacts, Strategies, and Applications, 3/e. New York: Prentice Hall.

Harris Poll # 97. (2004, December 8.) Different leisure activities popularity rise and fall, but reading, TV watching and family time still top the list of favorites. Harris Poll #97. Retrieved November 4, 2005 from Harris Poll Interactive Archive.

International Telecommunications Union. (2003.) World Telecommunication Development Report. Geneva, Switzerland: International Telecommunications Union.

Internet World Statistics. (2005.) Internet Usage and World Population Statistics. Retrieved November 4, 2005 from Miniwatts International. Web site: www.internetworldstats.com.

After all, the company rationalized that new menu items had always been a part of McDonald's innovative image, and keeping on the cutting edge of restaurant trends, as had been the case with the introduction of its innovative breakfast sandwich items like the Egg McMuffin in 1976 and Chicken McNuggets in 1980 ("McDonald's Case Study,"2008).

Effectiveness of the Decision-Making Process

One problem with initiating changes like the "Made for You" campaign in the fast food industry is that customers are not always cognizant that the changes have occurred, as they are not usually connoisseurs of the food, only apprehending vaguely a decline or improvement in quality. "It seems a little bit better," observed one consumer when prompted by a reporter, noting "the bacon looks like it's just been cooked." Another frequent McDonald's patron was more complementary: "it seems like the Quarter Pounder is juicier," declared Rosemary Frigo, a nurse from…

Works Cited

Barett, Larry. "McBusted." Baseline. Jul 2, 2002. Jul 15, 2008  http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/Projects-Supply-Chain/McDonalds-McBusted/ 

Buscemi, Eric. "McDonald's vs. Burger King: Battle of the Brands." Blogging Stocks. Apr 9, 2007. Jul 15, 2008. p:/ / www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/mcdonalds-vs.-burger-king-battle-of-the-brands/

Burger King." Official Website. Jul 15, 2008.  http://www.burgerking.com/bkglobal/ 

Canedy, Dana. "McDonald's burger war salvo: Is 'Made for You' the way folks want to have it?"

Description of Learning:

Educational institutions are teaching subjects for a digital future but it is from a superficial manner however students need a deeper knowledge of it as a curriculum. When teaching students about math, it should be integrated in all subjects they are learning by being motivated by educators (Singhal, 1997). As shown in the examined scenario planning with an elementary school, it is apparent things became better for the students as far as the educational resources, and environment, which ultimately affects the learning process. Educational institutions must engage partnerships with other schools around the world. By providing student exchanges they will produce world class students, the internet is facilitating the process of globalization and providing virtual interaction with others. As it is shown in schools, technology is the key to change the educational environment and resources. The internet is encouraging students to engage in meaningful cross cultural dialogue…

Google

Business Models

Google and Microsoft are competitors in two different businesses, search engines and mobile operating systems. Google is the industry leader in search engines, garnering massive amounts of traffic on its different sites. Google has a number of different search sites (maps, scholar, images, translate) that are in line with its mandate to make information more freely accessible. The company's Android mobile operating system has become a major product for the firm, spurring strong growth in the past few years. Android is licensed by OEM companies (smartphone and tablet makers) to use as an operating system. Much of Google's revenue comes from advertisement sales, which are based on search terms and customer information that has been gathered. The company holds a dominant position in this market.

Microsoft's main business is in the indows operating system and in the company's suite of software. These generate revenues both from OEM…

Works Cited:

Investopedia. (2012). Reading the balance sheet. Investopedia. Retrieved March 5, 2012 from  http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/031004.asp#axzz1oHefP0yK 

Loth, R. (2012). Understanding the income statement. Investopedia. Retrieved March 5, 2012 from  http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/022504.asp#axzz1oHefP0yK 

MSN Moneycentral (2012). Google MSN Moneycentral. Retrieved March 5, 2012 from  http://investing.money.msn.com/investments/stock-balance-sheet/?symbol=us%3AGOOG&stmtView=Ann 

MSN Moneycentral. (2012).

GOOG vs. MSFT

hat is Google's Business Model?

According to its latest 10-K, Google earns over 96% of its revenue from online advertising. The company's advertising programs, such as AdSense, are supported by the power of its search engines, which match keywords from websites or search terms with advertising. The result of this is that Google's results are the most robust on the Internet and its customers derive more value than customers of other advertising engines. It does not hurt that Google's websites are the most used on the Internet, with its core website Google.com being the number one ranked site on the Internet by traffic (Alexa.com, 2012).

hile Microsoft has a search business, the company is not oriented as strongly towards it. Bing is the search engine and is ranked #26 in the world by Alexa. Bing is affiliated, however, with Yahoo and that site is the #4 ranked…

Works Cited:

Alexa.com. (2012). Top sites. Retrieved March 8, 2012 from  http://www.alexa.com/topsites 

Google 2011 Form 10-K. Retrieved March 8, 2012 from  http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1288776/000119312512025336/d260164d10k.htm#toc260164_11 

Microsoft 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved March 8, 2012 from  http://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar11/docs/2011%20Annual%20Report.doc 

Yahoo! Finance: Google. (2012). Retrieved March 8, 2012 from  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=GOOG+Key+Statistics

LAUNCH OF MICOSOFT'S ZUNE MP3 PLAYE

Dear Sir/Madam, I analyze development launch Microsoft's Zune MP3 player provide logic product unsuccessful. The paper sections: • Introduction - In section outline purpose paper introduce product concept.

Development and Launch of Microsoft's Zune MP3 Player

This paper discusses the development of Microsoft's Zune MP3 player a digital potable media targeting to rival Apple's iPod market. The application was launched in the market in 2006 and it performance in the market was poor owing to iPod's popularity in the market Wingfield, 2008()

Zune is a product in the digital media owned and branded under Microsoft Corporation used for purposes of storing potable media. The product aimed at creating a platform for social ecosystem around product of Microsoft. The portable media has similar functions as an iPod with streaming for X-box via a Zune software and music, TV, media software and movies under a Windows…

References

Balmer, J.M.T. (2001). Corporate Identity, Corporate Branding and corporate marketing European Journal of Marketing 34(4), 248-291.

Barnes, B. (2007). "NBC Will Not Renew iTunes Contract",. The New York Times, August 31,.

Holahan, C. (2006). The Method to Microsoft's Zune Madness," Business Week,, 13 November.

Hunger, J.D., & Wheelen, T.L. (2010). Essentials of Strategic Management: Prentice Hall PTR.

Graphics will be used for site branding, product images, and product diagrams. Site branding will make use of the Jelly ean King Online Store company branding.

Static graphics will be in .jpg format. Flash images will be created in Adobe Flash format (.swf). oth formats are standard formats which should be viewable by almost all browsers and devices. However, in case a browser unable to view JPGs or Flash files loads the page, all images will include ALT tags which will describe the function of the image to the viewer.

randing will be placed prominently so that the viewer will become familiar with the Jelly ean King Online Store logo. Product images will be marketing material showing Jelly ean King products, packaging, or products being enjoyed by buyers.

ecause it is important to communicate to viewers that Jelly ean King products are tasty, gourmet treats, all people included in images…

Bibliography

Usability First. 2011. Principles of Accessible and Universal Design. Retrieved March 23, 2011 from:  http://www.usabilityfirst.com/about-usability/accessibility/principles-of-accessible-and-universal-design/ 

Zencoder. 2010. How many formats do I need for HTML5 video? [Web log message.] Retrieved March 23, 2011 from:  http://zencoder.com/encoder-blog/2010/10/06/how-many-formats-do-i-need-for-html5-video/

Bond no longer needs to rely on the past glories of the British empire to justify his disregard for local sovereignty and governance, because the omnipresent threat of terrorism serves as justification enough. Highlighting this point is the fact that the man Bond kills at the embassy is a freelance bomb-maker, the kind of ideology-free terrorist par excellence, at least when it comes to villains one can kill without many ethical qualms. Put simply, the all-encompassing need to defeat terrorism, as advanced by the United States and adopted by its allies (including Great Britain), serves to justify any act, whether one is talking about the kidnapping and torture of detainees in real life or the extraterritorial murder of someone in a foreign embassy in Casino Royale.

Charting the use of extraterritoriality in James Bond stories, across media platforms and through time, demonstrates how the character functions as a kind of…

Works Cited

Campbell, Martin, dir. Casino Royale. 2006. Film.

EA Redwood Shores. James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing. Electronic Arts, 2003. Xbox,

Playstation 2, Gamecube.

Fleming, Ian. Diamonds Are Forever. New York: Random House, 2012.

Advertisement

Reverse Engineering Marketing Messages

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro (Apple, 2012)

The Apple MacBook Pro-is a powerhouse of a laptop that features some of the greatest hardware available at this time. Although the computer's hardware is more than adequate to provide the processing power necessary to run the most sophisticated software packages, what Apple focuses on the most is the Retina display that represents the next generation of display technology. The Retina display offers a bright and crisp display that can be viewed from virtually any angle. Previous generations of displays, as well as inferior models, could only be viewed at a certain range of angles and under certain lighting conditions. For example, you cannot see the display on most monitors from the side or in direct sunlight.

The product is being promoted in a traditional Apple style. One the primary commercial video the laptop is at the center of…

Works Cited

Apple. (2012). MacBook Pro. Retrieved from Apple:  http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/ 

Apple. (2012, June 11). MacBook Pro-with retina display-Every Dimension-commercial. Retrieved from YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9z3RWmZEjs 

Bradley, T. (2011, August 29). Microsoft Office 365 Review: Online Productivity Suite Offers Top-Notch Integration. Retrieved from CNET:  http://www.pcworld.com/article/238982/microsoft_office_365_review_online_productivity_suite_offers_topnotch_integration.html 

Microsoft. (2012, June 6). Microsoft Office 365. Retrieved from YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/MicrosoftOffice365?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=PS_google_Office+365_Educate_Promoted+Videos_office%20365_Text

media is an extremely powerful tool which can be used to change people's opinions regarding issues. However the effectiveness of media generally depends on how people use it. The two stories given to the news director are on completely diverse subjects. oth of the stories hold relevance to the society. The one about the celebrity death holds people's interest while enlightening the public about the park story is crucial to creating awareness in people's minds. In today's world, media ratings have become the most important part to media producers (Croteau & Honyes, 2001). Channels don't show news items for public welfare rather they concentrate on stories that make higher profits for them (Daily Source Org, 2005-2012). Keeping in mind the current media landscape, the news director should choose to air the park story as the lead story.

The role of media in the contemporary society has been restricted to the…

Bibliography

Croteau, D., & Hoynes, W. (2001). The Business of Media. California: Pine Forge Press.

Tompkins, A. (2003, December 14). The physcological effects of media violence on children.

Tera vs. Netflix

TEVA VS. NETFLIX

Teva, which you likely do not even know (Northrup, 2010), has won its business game by betting its success on products with a true future, while Netflix, stuck with a well-known brand name, appears to be dying the death of overconfidence. Technically, Teva could still do less well than anticipated because the market they are in -- the production of generic drugs and the ingredients that allow for making generic drugs -- is coming up for grabs. But right now they are seen as a clear success. Netflix, on the other hand, has not actually failed -- at least not yet. But they do seem to be doing their best to act like they should. At least one well-known investor has sounded my warnings and believes that Netflix has all but disappeared, even in the face of a number of possible industry opportunities (ChartProphet,…

REFERENCES

TEVA RESOURCES:

IMAP (2011). Pharmecueticals & Biotech Industry Global Report 2011. IMAP, Inc. Retrievable from  http://www.imap.com/imap/media/resources/IMAP_PharmaReport_8_272B8752E0FB3.pdf .

Krause Fund (2010). Health Care -- Teva Pharmeceuticals. Spring. Retrievable from  http://tippie.uiowa.edu/krause/spring2010/teva_sp10.pdf .

Northrup, L. (2010). Teva Pharmeceuticals: The ubiquitous company you've never heard of. The Consumerist. Viewable at  http://consumerist.com/2010/05/teva-pharmaceuticals-the-ubiquitous-company-youve-never-heard-of.html . Accessed April 25, 2012.

Companies use advertising plans to build awareness about their product. Company uses different plans to promote their sales. It uses trade show plan to demonstrate what they are selling, sales promotion plan for incremental sales, public relations plan for free ads, internet plan for instant distribution of product specifications and information, customer service plan to repeat sales, research plan to monitor activities regarding the products and customer satisfaction and last but not least marketing plan which helps to identify when to market, how to market and who are the target audience for the product (Luther, 2011).

Marketing plan must cover the below 12 areas to form an effective marketing plan to increase sales (Wong, 2010).

Marketing plan must have the executive summary

Introduction about the marketing plan and the product

Analysis of the market situation for the product.

Analysis of the target customers

Analysis of the competition for the product…

Bibliography:

Luther, William M. (2011), "The Marketing Plan: How to prepare and Implement It," AMACOM Div American Mgmt Association.

Wong, Ken K. (20100, "Approved Marketing Plans for new Products and Services," iUniverse, Anselmo, Donna. (2010), "Marketing Demystified," McGraw-Hill Professional.

Thomas, Lorrie. (2010), "The McGraw Hill 36-Hour Course: Online Marketing," McGraw-Hill Professional.

Rognerud, Jon. (2010), "Ultimate Guide to Search Engine Optimization: Drive Traffic, Boost Conversion Rates and Make Tons of Money," Entrepreneur Press.

return of Microsoft as a software and operating system provider

This paper looks at certain questions as provided in the article "The Beast is Back," which concerns the return of Microsoft as a software and operating system provider.

"The Beast is Back" a.

Why is the demise of the high-flying dot-coms viewed as a good thing for Microsoft?

With the boom of many of the dot.com businesses Microsoft suffered a massive hit in shares, also many of those that worked within the corporation moved to the new companies in search of more money and quick gains. However, as the bottom dropped out of the dot.com market Microsoft saw this as a way back to a secure future that is at the forefront of the new Internet era.

b.

Explain both the old and the new company vision statements.

Microsoft wanted to have computers with their software in every home, something…

A e.

What is the WindowsXP and how is it different from OfficeXP?

Windows XP is an operating system and is the latest in the line of system to come Microsoft, it follows on the heels on the old systems of Windows 95,98, 2000 and Me, the XP stands for experience, and is designed to give the user a new experience in the design and concept of a remarkable new software and operating system. Moreover, Office XP is a software product designed to be used mainly with Windows XP however it can be used with other windows operating systems such as Windows Me. Office XP contains many new features such as smart tags and task panes that allow for an increase in productivity

functioned by a state or educational organization, like a college, with tax compensations and hypothetically other inducements to make it cooler to save for college and other post-ancillary training for a selected beneficiary, such as a juvenile, daughter/son, or grandchild (Feigenbaum 2002, pg. 34). 529 plans apart from secondary benefits, have a main advantage linked to earnings.

The earnings of a person enrolled in a 529 plan are not subject to federal tax and normally not subject to state tax when used for the qualified education expenditures of the selected beneficiary. These expenditures would typically include: tuition, books, fees, books, even room and board. There are some things that are not deductible in a 529 plan, one such are contributions. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that the IS, from time to time, will update or modify their tax laws.

Since 2009 or 2010, a qualified, nontaxable distribution…

References

Ameriprise. (n.d.). 529 Plan Contributions | Ameriprise Financial. Ameriprise.com. Retrieved March 1, 2014, from  http://www.ameriprise.com/budgeting-investing/financial-planning-articles/estate-planning-information/529-plan-contributions.asp 

Feigenbaum, R.A., & Morton, D.J. (2002). The 529 College Savings Plan. Naperville, Ill.: Sphinx.

IRS. (n.d.). 529 Plans: Questions and Answers. 529 Plans: Questions and Answers. Retrieved March 1, 2014, from  http://www.irs.gov/uac/529-Plans:-Questions-and-Answers 

IRS. (n.d.). Instructions for Form 709 (2013). Instructions for Form 709 (2013). Retrieved March 1, 2014, from  http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i709/ch02.html

Cultural Analysis of Sony

Defining Organizational Culture:

Organizational culture can be defined in several ways. The definitions that apply to this essay are discussed below. Morgan (1986) defined organizational culture as the development patterns as mirrored by the society's ideology, laws, knowledge system, daily rituals and laws. Schein (1985) says that organizational culture has relations with observed norms, behavioral regularities, policies, philosophies or values, the acceptable behavior and the sense of belonging that an individual has by being part of an organization (p.6,9). An organization's culture is essentially a product of the organization's members. The members are driven to achieve the goals of the organization which in turn has an effect on the organization's life. The data used in this essay has been sourced from secondary electronic and print sources.

The Nature of Sony's Business

Sony is a leading brand in a wide range of electronic products like home entertainment…

References:

Nilay Patel, (2009), 'Sony Posts 1b loss', Engaget. Also available at: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/14/asus-eee-pc-1008ha-seashell-review-roundup/http%3A%2F2F20092F142F  Retrieved: 13 January, 2015.

Sony Corporation, (2002), Sony and the People, Also available at: http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr_report/issues/report/2002/qfhh7c00000dls35-att/e_2002_04.pdf  Retrieved: 13 January, 2015.

Sony Corporation, (2003), CSR Report, Also available at: http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr_report/issues/report/2003/qfhh7c00000dlrty-att/e_2003_04.pdf  Retrieved: 13 January, 2015.

Richard Gershon and Tsutomu Kanayama, (2002), "The SONY Corporation: A Case Study in Transnational Media Management," The International Journal on Media Management

Apple vs. Microsoft

Apple Incorporation is a California-based multinational company established by Steve ozniak and Steve Jobs on April1, 1976. By the time the company shifted focus from computers to IT, its business coverage had expanded to include computers (laptops and desktop personal computers (PCs), iPod, iPhone, servers), mobile hardware, and software (Mac operating systemX, iork and iLife suites), in addition to web-based services (MobileMe). Apple, for around 35 years, rose to its peak, then deteriorated dismally, and finally scaled back up the ladder to grab hold of the status of leading Technology Corporation of the world. Apple's most influential persona has been Steve Jobs, its former CEO and co-founder (GRIFFITH 119).

Microsoft Corp. is another multinational company, founded in 1975 by Paul Allen and Bill Gates, and ruling the computer technology world; the ashington-based company develops an array of software, online services, gaming hardware, etc. However, the core business…

Works cited

Bajarin, Tim. "The Real Difference between Microsoft and Apple." PC Magazine (2014): 44-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

Griffith, Eric. "Take A Bigger Bite Out Of Apple Music." PC Magazine (2015): 119-123. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

HACHMAN, MARK. "For Microsoft, The Only Way Out Of Its Big Windows Phone Mess Is To Follow Apple." PC World 33.8 (2015): 14-19. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

Pullen, John Patrick. "Microsoft Band Vs. Apple Watch Vs. Jawbone Up Vs. Fitbit Surge." Time.Com (2014): N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.

Cyber Terrorism: The Greatest isk in the U.S.

Tremendous technological advancements have been made in the last few decades. Today, humans depend more on computer networks and information technology (IT) systems than on other means for information. From business to government, computer networks are relied upon to store, process, retrieve, and transfer critical information. Increased dependence on computer networks has, however, posed a major threat. Cyber terrorism is now arguably the biggest threat facing the U.S. (Harress, 2014; Thomas, 2016). Attacks against computer networks via computer viruses, worms, malware, and hacking have become increasingly common. The attacks are directed to information systems and infrastructures that support critical processes such as defense, transportation, banking, and energy production. This threatens the country's social, economic, and political stability. Nonetheless, there are often assertions that the risk of cyber terrorism is not as pervasive or substantial as often portrayed. Though there could be some…

References

Caplan, N. (2013). Cyber War: The Challenge to National Security. Global Security Studies, 4(1), 93-115.

Chen, T., Jarvis, L., & Macdonald, S. (2014). Cyberterrorism: understanding, assessment, and response. New York: Springer.

Geers, K. (2012). Strategic Cyber Defense: Which Way Forward? Journal of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, 9(1), 1-10.

Harress, C. (2014, February 2). Obama says cyberterrorism is country's biggest threat, U.S. government assembles "cyber warriors." International Business Times. Retrieved from:  http://www.ibtimes.com/obama-says-cyberterrorism-countrys-biggest-threat-us - government-assembles-cyber-warriors-1556337

The oston Matrix

1. Cash Cow: DVDs and DVD recorders are excellent sources of profit and revenues for Sony, as they have been for the last couple of years. Additionally, the electronics and game consoles, especially Playstation 2, even if encountering losses in 2004, may also be included in this category, as having a still consistent market share.

2. Dog: The classic CRT TVs and games software have encountered significant losses and decreasing sales over the last years, so it seems that there low market share/low market growth possibilities mark the end of their booming years.

3. Problem Child: The LCD TVs and the media ventures operated by Sony have high potential (high market growth), but the company is still under-represented of the market, with a low market share, even if prospects for improving it still exist.

4. Star: The flat screen TV seems the best representative of this category.…

Bibliography

1. JUSTIN MCCURRY (April 2004). Restructuring costs eat into Sony surplus. The Guardian.

JUSTIN MCCURRY (April 2004). Restructuring costs eat into Sony surplus. The Guardian.

For example, Walker and Hennig add that, "It has frequently been found that children (particularly boys) in divorced, mother-custody families exhibit lower levels of well-being than children in intact families, with more externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and lower levels of cognitive and social competence" (p. 64). My son is also currently at a formative period that has special significance for single-parents families. For instance, Walker and Hennig also point out that, "Single-mother families are often affectively charged, with high instrumental affection combined with high negativity and conflict, particularly in the transition to adolescence" (1997, p. 64).

The "transition to adolescence" can be a rocky period in anyone's life, of course, and it is reasonable to expect my son to experience some problems in general and with me in particular during this transitional period. Fortunately, this challenging developmental period is eased somewhat as children grow into mid-adolescence. As Walker and…

References

Burns, A. & Scott, C. (1999). Mother-headed families and why they have increased. Hillsdale,

NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Crossman, S.M. & Adams, G.R. (1990). Divorce, single parenting and child development.

Journal of Psychology, 106(2), 205-207.