Dell Computers Essay Example for Free

Dell Computers Essay Dell Computer pioneered a new way of making and selling personal computers. Its customers â€Å"custom-design† their computer over the Internet or phone. Dell reengineered its â€Å"supply chain† as it coordinated its efforts with its suppliers and streamlined its order-taking and production process. It can ship a computer within two days of taking an order. Personal computers lose 1 percent of their value every week they sit on a shelf. Thus, having virtually no inventory is a great advantage to Dell. Compaq tried to adopt Dells approach, but with limited success. Dell’s CEO Michael Dell understood that kind of execution. His direct-sales and build-to-order approach was not just a marketing tactic to bypass retailers; it was the core of his business strategy. Execution is the reason Dell passed Compaq in market value years ago, despite Compaqs vastly greater size and scope, and its the reason Dell passed Compaq in 2001 as the worlds biggest maker of PCs. As of November 2001, Dell was shooting to double its market share, from approximately 20 to 40 percent. Dell turns its inventory over eighty times a year, compared with about ten to twenty times for its rivals, and its working capital is negative. As a result, it generates an enormous amount of cash. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, with revenues of $8. 1 billion and an operating margin of 7. 4 percent, Dell had cash flow of $1 billion from operations. Its return on invested capital for fiscal 2001 was 355 percent—an incredible rate for a company with its sales volume. Its high velocity also allows it to give customers the latest technological improvements ahead of other makers, and to take advantage of falling component costs—either to improve margins or to cut prices. These are the reasons Dells strategy became deadly for its competitors once PC growth slowed. Dell capitalized on their misery and cut prices in a bid for market share, increasing the distance between it and the rest of the industry. Because of its high velocity, Dell could show high return on capital and positive cash flow, even with margins depressed. Its competition couldnt. The system works only because Dell executes meticulously at every stage. The electronic linkages among suppliers and manufacturing create a seamless extended enterprise. A manufacturing executive we know who worked at Dell for a time calls its system â€Å"the best manufacturing operation Ive ever seen. In 1998, Dell Computers launched its first global brand advertising campaign, beginning in the United States and Canada, to further highlight the advantages of its direct business model. The brand advertising campaign carries the theme Be Direct. The campaign highlights Dells unique business model, which helps to eliminate barriers between customers and the manufacturer, providing Dell with the means to enhance the overall customer experience. Dells advertising has focused primarily on its products and has been targeted largely at computer-enthusiast and industry trade publications, cable and local television and a few national newspapers. The Be Direct campaign will be in addition to the companys ongoing product-oriented advertising. The new brand campaign emphasizes the strengths and advantages of Dells direct-to-customer business philosophy. The direct model, pioneered by Dell in the computer industry, enables Dell customers to have computer systems built to their specifications; a single point of accountability; award-winning service and support; and fast access to the latest relevant technology. Presently, the growing number of orders comes in over the Internet. The order-taking system interfaces with Dells own supply chain control system, which ensures that inventory is where it needs to be for the computer to be manufactured quickly. In addition, Dell stores very little inventory. Instead, Dells suppliers have built warehouses close to Dells facilities, and Dell orders parts on a just-in-time basis. By implementing these strategies, Dell has been able to provide customers with exactly what they want very quickly. In addition, inventory costs are low, and Dell minimizes the danger of parts obsolescence in the rapidly changing computer industry. In this way, Dell has become a dominant player in the desktop PC market and is well on its way to doing so in the laptop and server markets. References Cravens, D. W. Piercy, N. (2003). Chapter 1: Strategic Planning and Decision Making. NJ: McGraw-Hill Companies. http://www.dell.com

Why Gas Prices Are Rising Essay -- essays research papers

Gas prices rising OR EVEN ABOUT SQUEEZING a few more miles out of each precious tankful. But among the special-edition Ferraris, bizarre Cadillac studies and a whole new crop of gas-guzzling SUVs, not all that many people were talking about cheaper and cleaner ways of getting around. The section of the show dedicated to ‘New Energies’ was a tiny corner on the second floor of Hall 2, behind the stands of the insurance companies. There were exactly two exhibits. The lull is deceiving. Never have so many automakers put as much money and effort into building a greener car. Not entirely without some prodding, mind you. Facing clean-fleet laws in the U.S. and â€Å"voluntary† restrictions in Europe, the industry is committing to cut emissions of its gasoline and diesel-powered cars. Gridlocked Italian cities like Rome and Milan may ban conventional cars altogether from their historic centers. In Tokyo, putting 30,000 natural-gas-powered taxis in the streets has already helped clean up the air. But most of all, carmakers have been whipped into action by California’s Zero Emissions Mandate that requires ten percent of all cars sold in the state to be pollution-free by 2003. Mention green cars, and most people think of some battery-powered buggy that the average driver wouldn’t be caught dead in. Electric cars have been around for decades and never caught on. Their problem: batteries aren’t very powerful, so the car’s speed, range and weight remain strictly limited. The typical result is Ford’s new TH!NK, already on the market in Scandinavia and about to hit a few dozen American dealers as well. The TH!NK is a tiny two-seater with a grubby-looking plastic shell that can go about 50 miles between recharges, at a top speed of 50 mph. A full charge takes eight hours, but costs only 50 cents. With a sticker price of $15,000, the car will win a small market niche at best. If you’re not willing to put up with the performance of a glorified golf cart, there are always standard cars powered by alternative fuels like propane, ethanol or liquified natural gas. Also around for decades, these cars have actually begun to catch on. There are 4 million cars in the world today running on a propane/butane mix, including 1.2 million in Italy alone. Many gas stations offer this cleaner fuel as well, so chances are you don’t have to drive very far for a fillup. GM’s U.K.-based Vauxh... ...drogen in favor of methanol, which is simpler to transport and releases hydrogen fairly easily. Trouble is, methanol leaves toxic byproducts that need to be disposed. BMW uses a different technology, burning hydrogen in a conventional combustion engine. Clean steam comes out of the exhaust pipe. As with any other technology, there’s a fierce battle for the standards that will define our hydrogen fuel-cell future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So while hydrogen may be what DaimlerChrysler CEO Juergen Schrempp calls â€Å"the great big alternative,† it’ll be a while yet before this technology is mature enough to replace gasoline-powered cars on a grand scale. The first models will roll out in a few years, but they’ll be expensive and hard to find a filling station for. But industry analysts predict that by 2010, the market will be ready; another ten years, and half the cars sold in the world could run on hydrogen. â€Å"Everyone is buying a ticket to the lottery because we all know that whoever wins will win big time,† says Paul Everitt, chief economist at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. If he’s right, greener cars will start to be a much hotter category at the auto show.

Mount Pleasant Essay

Louise Buxton’s Mount Pleasant is a very uniquely written short story, where we experience a normal day from a child perspective. It’s a modern story from 2005. The story is told in first person singular, where the narrator is a young girl whose name is Elizabeth. †(†¦) like the glue wee peel off our hands after arts and crafts hour at school with Mrs Kelly.† (p.2, l.16-17) Based on the information we know that Elizabeth goes to school, but also that she cannot be more than 6 to 8 years old. When she finds the old photograph of a boy which is a 9-10 year in a costume, we are told that she is not quite as old as he is. We know that she is a young girl, judging by her verbal skill and behavior. â€Å"With the sun in my eyes, I couldn’t see my mammy’s face, not even squinting with both arms above my head and my head tilted†. (p.2, l.22-23) The language is very descriptive and it seems as if one were looking through the eyes of a child. The short story varies from other traditional first person stories by putting the focus on a child and what a child does. Elizabeth’s focus is on everyday play, and those days are to her full of adventure and close friendships: †Lena, Little Fran, Wilf and me – playing for hours at house or working at some theatrics†. (p.5, l.152-153) Or where there is a break with everyday routines. For example, when Lena and Elizabeth discovers a business with unlimited possibilities in the form of candy and ice, until the mother puts an end to the adventure: †(†¦) raspberry ruffles and chewing nuts and chocolate raisins and liq-uorice sticks and ice cups and strawberry boot lace. We put them on Mammy’s account at first but Mammy found out after she got given a bill (†¦).† (p.4, l.92-94) The children also play ghost games, where they attempt to frighten one another by dressing up in linens and pursue one another. In several cases reveals the narrator herself as a child by acting irationaly. When Lena and Elizabeth lie in their beds and think they can hear ghosts, they pull the sheet over their heads and lie still. The reaction shows a childish logic. If they cannot see the ghost, then the ghosts cannot see them: †If I don’t move, they can’t get me.† (p.5, l.147-149) Since the perspective is a child’s, it is particularly interesting to see where the child’s perception of situations and episodes differs from that of an adult. For example, when Elizabeth thinks that the mother reknits the nuns clothes, because the  mother is good at knitting and can do it better: †(†¦) and mammy isn’t proud, she always takes them – and unravels them and knits them again, better, because she’s a good knitter, my mam†. (p.4, l.87-89) The reason is more likely that the mother does not want people to know that they have gotten the clothes from the nuns. The narrator being a child has the effect that we as readers several times pause to think about what it means. At several places in the story where Elizabeth tells about an episode where the reader has to interpret the situation, to determine whether it’s a ghosts or just the narrator’s childish imagination. It’s for example unclear in Elizabeth’s depiction of how the photograph ends up on the mantelpiece again and again: †But somehow it found its way back on top of the mantelpiece.† (p.4, l.102) Or where she feels like there is somebody sitting on the bed and watching them. The fact that the narrator is a child is very easy to see by analyzing the language. She mentions her parents with expressions such as â€Å"mammy and â€Å"daddy†. The little brother, George William she calls â€Å"babby†. The language is characterized by an absence of literary language. An example of this is where she says that their hands are â€Å"(†¦) lickity-stickity†. (p.5, l. 121-122) She invents her own expressions, which results in the story being poor in traditional imagery like comparisons and metaphors. The imagery used is mainly related to the child’s imagination. For example when she feels uncomfortable in her clothes she says: † I’m all blowed up like an old frog.† (p.2, l.12) Another interesting thing is how the sounds in the house are described. Elizabeth perceives the sounds caused by the wind to be scary, and describes it with the use of personification. The short story takes place in an environment that Elizabeth knows well, which is at their house, Mount Pleasant. We don’t hear much about the world outside the neighborhood, or thoughts that exceed it. This is of course because she is a child who is not involved in it. â€Å"We know the roads around Mount Pleasant pretty well now. And everybody knows me and Lena.† (p.4, l.83-84) The tittle of the short story Mount Pleasant, which is the name of their house, indicates how safe and merry their life is, and stands as a stark contrast to the spookiness. Mount Pleasant can be seen as a symbol of childhood joys and play. Her childhood eventually gives in to a more mature and realistic  perception of reality. When Elizabeth throws the photograph in the fireplace, it seems as if she actively tries to fight her fear. She might think that the deceased boy had something to do with the ghost. She goes to bed, and the tension builds up and gets stronger and stronger until she finds out that there is nobody there at all. Elizabeth takes a small step towards becoming an adult; she finds out that there are no connections between the photo, the scary sounds and the deceased boy.

The Meaning of Bimodal in Statistics

A data set is bimodal if it has two modes. This means that there is not a single data value that occurs with the highest frequency.  Instead, there are two data values that tie for having the highest frequency. Example of a Bimodal Data Set To help to make sense of this definition, we will look at an example of a set with one mode, and then contrast this with a bimodal data set. Suppose we have the following set of data: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10 We count the frequency of each number in the set of data: 1 occurs in the set three times2 occurs in the set four times3 occurs in the set one time4 occurs in the set one time5 occurs in the set two times6 occurs in the set three times7 occurs in the set three times8 occurs in the set one time9 occurs in the set zero times10 occurs in the set two times Here we see that 2 occurs most often, and so it is the mode of the data set.   We contrast this example to the following 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 We count the frequency of each number in the set of data: 1 occurs in the set three times2 occurs in the set four times3 occurs in the set one time4 occurs in the set one time5 occurs in the set two times6 occurs in the set three times7 occurs in the set five times8 occurs in the set one time9 occurs in the set zero times10 occurs in the set five times Here 7 and 10 occur five times. This is higher than any of the other data values. Thus we say that the data set is bimodal, meaning that it has two modes. Any example of a bimodal dataset will be similar to this. Implications of a Bimodal Distribution The mode is one way to measure the center of a set of data. Sometimes the average value of a variable is the one that occurs most often.  For this reason, it is important to see if a data set is bimodal. Instead of a single mode, we would have two. One major implication of a bimodal data set is that it can reveal to us that there are two different types of individuals represented in a data set. A histogram of a bimodal data set will exhibit two peaks or humps. For example, a histogram of test scores that are bimodal will have two peaks. These peaks will correspond to where the highest frequency of students scored. If there are two modes, then this could show that there are two types of students: those who were prepared for the test and those who were not prepared.

Autobiography Essay - 1967 Words

I will always remember the effect of a civil war in Nigeria that left hundreds of thousands of children malnourished. Tens of thousands of the rural population were afflicted with different types of diseases. Malaria fever was prevalent, and it was the main cause of death among children and infants. I can recall vividly sitting in an empty room after the end of the civil war in 1970, and assured my self that I must go beyond the confines of my continent – Africa to seek knowledge so as to assist in alleviating the suffering of my people. After I had graduated from high school, my dream of coming to the United States of America was far fetched reality. At that time in my life, coming to America was almost impossible. My family lost†¦show more content†¦My aspiration after high school was to become a medical doctor. I knew my resources were limited, and going to medical school with limited amount of money was an unlikely impossibility. Based on these constrai ns, I opted to at least obtain a college degree in business. I was in Nigeria last summer and the standard of living is still remarkably low and the average life expectancy is extremely low when compared to that of the industrialized nations. My observations have inspired me to pursue a degree in public health. I have the intent to assist in educating the masses in any third world setting, and to held rural areas to establish health clinics under the auspices of the World Health Organization, or through other none profit organizations. Presently, I am interested in epidemiology because it is a scientific method used to investigate, analyze and prevent or control a health problem in a given population. It gives me the opportunity to perform statistic based research aimed at controlling, or eliminating infectious diseases. As a research epidemiologist, I will have the opportunity to work with World Health Organization in various parts of the world - assisting humanity. Academic Experience At North Texas State University, I completed my BBA degrees with an overall grade point average of 3 point and where as my GPA in my main area of concentration – Administrative Management was a 3Show MoreRelatedAutobiography Sample610 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Does the task of memoir writing puzzle you? It’s alright. This autobiography example for students is here to show you that memoir writing can be easy and even exciting. All you need to do is to scroll this page down and enjoy this amazing sample and the related, practical hints. A Lazy Student Autobiography Example An autobiography is a story of your own life. Even if you think you don’t have much to include in your memoir, you can still make it quite interesting. Bill Gates said: â€Å"I always chooseRead MoreThe Autobiography Of Malcolm X Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pages1 2 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X Introduction Malcolm X?s autobiography written in collaboration with Alex Haley is an exciting story of personality transformation. During several years, Malcolm X told Haley his biography in several extensive interviews. Haley described and orchestrated the stories and Malcolm X edited and endorsed every part of the book. The story is narrated in the first person and it seems like Malcolm was writing this of hisRead MoreThe Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin1966 Words   |  8 Pages In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin and Blaine McCormick we got a wonderful look into the life of Benjamin Franklin. In his story he taught use a lot about the world of business and how to run a successful business. 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America would come to remember him as â€Å"TheRead More Benjamin Franklins Autobiography Essay1124 Words   |  5 Pages In Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, Samuel Keimer is a character who represents the antithesis of Franklin. The development of Keimer not only improves the reader’s understanding of the minor character, but also of Franklin, the major character. Franklin makes a point of showing the reader each of Keimer’s faults and contrasting them with his own merits.When Keimer is first introduced to the reader, he is in very much the same circumstances as Franklin; they are two young men trying to make aRead MoreThe Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman1277 Words   |  6 Pagesbook, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, used many historical events to connect to the character s story. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman was published by Bantam Books in 1972 and has 259 pages. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is a classic fictional book. 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Open Access Within Higher Education Essay - 1613 Words

Open access within higher education has become a hot topic in today’s political world. Based on implications community colleges have faced due to their open access policies, this paper will foreshadow what open access at four-year institutions may look like. First, the paper will define a public and private goods in the context of three defining goals for American education: democratic equality, social efficiency, and social mobility. Second, the paper will highlight a brief history of community colleges and how open access creates many challenges. Thirdly, the paper highlights today’s political debates by comparing and contrasting democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and current republican Wisconsin governor Scott Walker’s higher education plans. After establishing the policies and issues of Clinton and Walker, the paper will incorporate Walker’s plan into the American education system as a way to avoid open access in higher education. Public and Private Goods – Three Defining Goals for American Education A public good is a benefit shared by all members in the community while a private good is a personal experience and gain (Labaree, 2007). Open access in higher education portrays education as a public good. The definition of public good uses the word â€Å"community† which is the center to the formation of the community college system. Community colleges provides services to all community members. A four-year institution does not operate under an open accessShow MoreRelatedAccess to Higherr Education1578 Words   |  6 Pagesparticipating in higher education. For the last couple of decades, there have been noticeable changes towards a more inclusive system of higher education, but statistics show that the participation of working - class in higher education remains persistently low. 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With an education that differs from schools on the west side to east side. It is why many whites moved out towards the west, to give their children access to a better education in San Fernando, which is also mentioned in the book. Also, whites moved out

Qualities of a Friend Free Essays

Everyday we meet people. Many of them become instant acquaintances and most acquaintances bloom into friendship. Often this transition period occurs gradually. We will write a custom essay sample on Qualities of a Friend or any similar topic only for you Order Now Friends come into ours lives and go. Few stay a while longer and fewer still leave footprints in our hearts and the sands of time. Who is a friend and what are the qualities a friend should possess? The definition of a friend and friendship varies with each individual. For me, a good friend is someone who understands me, accepts me for what I am and at the same time inspires me to do the best. At a personal level, a true friend should not give up on me, should always forgive my mistakes and never judge me by actions as sometimes my actions may be rash and inconsiderate. We live in a very competitive world. Most of us are caught up in the rat race of paper chase, mounting work pressure and demanding family commitments take a toll on our time and energy. Consequently most of us experience mood swings due to high expectations placed upon us. It is during times like these, when we are burdened with responsibilities and life seems to be an endless uphill struggle, that we seek the comforting words of a friend; a friend who urges you to pick up the pieces and move on. A good friend is always there to lend a helping hand or to lend us a shoulder to cry on. At the same time, a friend should be trustworthy and loyal. When friends trust us with secrets, we should never betray their confidence. No one can confide in someone whom he cannot trust to keep his secrets. True friendship is demanding. It requires loyalty, trust, empathy, support and understanding. However, one should never expect such virtues in a friend unless he is willing to offer these virtues in return. In other words, one must be a friend to have a friend. It may be impossible to find all these virtues in a single friend. However, should I come across such a friend; I shall treasure our friendship for life. As I reminisce about the good times I have shared with the best of my friends, the words of William Shakespeare keeps ringing in my ears. â€Å"The friends thou has, and their adoption tired, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel. † Yes, friendship that has stood the test of time should be most revered and happy is the man who is blessed with such a friend. How to cite Qualities of a Friend, Papers