Saturday, August 17, 2019
Inventory and Reebok
When dealing with a market segment that has high variable demand, it is important to analyze not only your current inventory levels, but also generate future demand forecasts. This is because an inventory shortage can cause the company to lose future profits and lost goodwill. In the case of Reebok, the former NFL licensed jersey producer, many key decisions must be made to reduce inventory costs in periods of low demand while maximizing profits in periods of high demand for player specific jerseys.Using the newsvendor model to determine the optimal order quantity and leftover inventory, we will present a possible approach to inventory planning with uncertain demand. Uncertain Demand: Within the replica jersey industry, seasonality plays a vital part in keeping sufficient inventory to cover customer demand. Seasonality is regular periodic fluctuations, usually within a 12 month period whereas trend is an overall, persistent, long-term movement. For instance, â€Å"the NFL season dri ves much of the demand†with sales highest in August/September in anticipation of the upcoming NFL season. Later in the season, consumer demand is driven by holiday presents and the anticipation of the playoffs†. After the season is over, sales decline rapidly until the start of the next season. From a supply chain perspective, however, it is maximizing revenues from â€Å"lumpy†hot-market items as much as limiting obsolesce costs. Postponement: Reebok must order must it’s ordering decision at the start of a period, though it is concerned with inventory at the end of the period. Postponment allows Reebok to extend the life cycle of its jerseys as well as capture lumpy â€Å"dressed†product demand. Blank jerseys are shipped directly to the Reebok distribution center with no player name or number†. However, teams often change the style or color of their uniforms between seasons. Further, the consumer may want the latest and most up-to-date â₠¬Å"dressed jersey†for each individual player that they are a fan. Given â€Å"player demand changes so much from year to year†along with the fact that â€Å"player movements†occur during the off season (February to April), holding â€Å"dressed jerseys†at end-of-season is most risky.Indeed, â€Å"Reebok’s general practice is to sell leftover dressed jerseys at $7 but hold blank jerseys for next season†. End-of-season inventory: Reebok uses â€Å"blank†jerseys during the off-season to meet immediate demand for [popular] player movements, using its Indianapolis capacity to print (dress) up to 10,000 units per day. Given a lead time for all jerseys from contract manufacturers of 30 days, these â€Å"blanks†must already be on hand as end-of-season inventory to catch any player movement value during February, March and April.The 30 day lead time along with the 60 sea-shipping means ordering CM â€Å"dressed†jerseys can be delayed as late as May to meet the August rush, assuming CM’s have the blanks on hand. (CM’s carry 4 weeks inventory of blanks. Figure 5-11). In reality, the sequence by which inventory is added or subtracted does not matter. Jump-start ordering: In January/February, retailers are offered discounts so that 20% of their annual order arrives 8-12 weeks later, in May. This is a key strategy that Reebok needs to continually employ because it shifts inventory holding costs to retailers.It also allows Reebok to place orders with CM’s given a known demand. Then, throughout the rest of the year, retailers place up-to-level orders on a weekly basis. However, â€Å"we cannot be sure of inventory levels at any other point within a period (because of random demand)†MSD pg. 290. Reebok’s Management Focus: It takes 4-8 weeks on average for the Reebok contract manufacturers to deliver the jerseys to the warehouses from the beginning to end. While this is happ ening, the demand is changing before the jerseys even reach the warehouse.Thus it is critical that Reebok provide flexible contracts with the distribution centers to get their orders fulfilled on time. Reebok must work with their contract manufacturers to always make sure they have the appropriate resources and materials to deliver the quantities needed, as well as continuously maintain some level of inventory ready for customization and super-fast delivery; even air transport is available. Reebok should also continue to give the option of early order discount jerseys so that the retail distribution centers can have their own inventory prior to the season.By working with the both ends of the supply chain, Reebok can deliver up to date forecasting that will help all parties to virtualize inventory and respond quickly to demand, despite the uncertainty. Optimal Order Quantity with postponement To determine the Expected Profit-Maximizing Order Quantity for NFL replica jerseys given two options for finished goods, we must use two steps that give us two critical fractals; first, the probability of not stocking out and second, the The following information is given. Retailer wholesale price = $24 Discount price of unsold dressed Jersey = 7. Contract manufacturers’ price includes delivery to Reebok’s Distribution Center in India polis Cost of Blanked jersey, = $9. 50* Cost of dressed jersey from contract manufacturers = $10. 90* Blank jerseys can also be finish in Indianapolis for an additional cost of $2. 40 Cost of dressed jersey from Indianapolis= $9. 50 + $2. 40 = $11. 90 Holding costs are incurred for any jersey held-over to the following season, reducing the value of the unsold blanked jersey; this requires the assumption that the jersey would have been re-purchased at the initial purchase cost.Holding cost for unsold blank Jersey = $1. 045 Value of unsold blanked jersey = $8. 46 Step 1: Probability that demand for blank jerseys is less than Q: No stockout Co: Cost of overage = cost of blanked jersey – value of unsold blanked jersey          = 9. 5 – 8. 46 = 1. 04 Cu: Cost of underage = retailer wholesale price – cost of dressed jersey from Indianapolis                               = 24 – 11. 9 = 12. 1 Step 2: Determining cost of finish jerseys from CM and finished jerseys from Indianapolis.Cost of overage = Cost of dressed jersey from CM – Discount price of unsold dressed Jersey                = 10. 9 – 7. 0 = 3. 9 Cost of underage (blank is available) = Cost of dressed jersey from Indianapolis – Cost of dressed jersey from contract manufacturers              = 11. 9-10. 9 = 1. 0 Cost of underage (blank is unavailable) = retailer wholesale price – Cost of dressed j ersey from CM       = 24 – 10. 9 = 13. 1 As we know from step 1, the blank jersey has a 92% probability of not stocking out. Here is the cost of underage based on critical fractile of 0. 2 and using the costs from step 2. Cost of underage = 92% * cost of underage (blank is available) + (1 – 92%) * cost of underage (blank is unavailable)            0. 92*1+0. 08*13. 1 = 1. 97 Demand Forecast for NFL Team, New England Patriots The following table was provided showing the forecast for the New England Patriots: The Expected Profit-maximizing Order Quantity use NORMINV(critical fractile,m ,s) in Excel The following example is calculating the quantity of dressed jersey of Tom Brady: Quantity of dressed jersey = NORMINV(0. 3,30763,13843) = 24673 Mean(blank jersey) = Mean(dressed jersey) – Quantity(Dressed jersey) = 30763-24673 = 6090 Quantity of blank jersey(New England Patriots) = NORMINV(0. 92,Mean(blank jersey) , Stdev of demand) = NORMINV(0. 92,37009,19211) = 64001 Revenue = retailer wholesale price * Total Demand = 24 * 87680 = 2104320 Cost = dressed jersey cost + blank jersey cost + decorate cost – inventory value        = 10. 9 * 50671 + 9. 5 * 64001 + 2. 4 * 37009 – 8. 46 * (64001-37009) = 1020193 Profit = 2104320 – 1020193 = 1083527Leftover inventory expected to be Blank Jersey Leftover Quantity : 64001-37009 = 26992 Recommendations Referring to the newsvendor model, it is my recommendation that Reebok should use the newsvendor model to plan their purchasing. The purchasing cycle starts 14 months prior to the regular NFL season. Due to unpredictable demand, it is difficult to generate a reliable forecast. The purchasing plan should be to purchase the jerseys that have the highest probability to be the hot-market item. The second purchasing plan goes into much more detail than the first plan.The planning manager can use the newsvendor model t o forecast the optimal quantity for the dressed jersey and the blank jersey. The most important thing in the NFL season is updating player’s and team’ s performance and status of a draft. The newsvendor model provides a statistical and quantitative analysis solution. Reducing cycle time will improve responsiveness and reduce inventory requirements. Also reducing order fulfillment time is better for responding to the customer needs which improves the overall customer service level. Conclusion Inventory planning of NFL replica jersey is based on many factors.The complexity of market needs Reebok to respond quickly to the changes in the customer demand. It is impossible for Reebok to generate accurate forecast, but they can reduce supply and order lead time and properly assess the salvage value of the leftover blank jerseys. Reebok should not only improve their customer service to meet NFL licensing agreement, but also to maximize the profit. this analysis was to maximize the profit. The solution here is Reebok should hold relatively more blank jersey than dressed jersey, and postpone the decoration step until the demand is known.
Ecommerce Business
Introduction Developing an e-commerce business is a difficult process, that will test the determination and commitment of any person that has created a business in the past. I this paper will examine four different scenarios that one might be confronted with in owning an e-commerce business. The scenarios are as follow: * Imagine that someone has offered you $1,000 to buy your online domain name shortly after you started your business online. Explain why or why you would not sell and cite the ethical dilemmas involved. The e-commerce software you will be using must provide a catalog display, shopping cart capabilities, and transaction processing. The convenience and usability for the customer are benefits of these functions. State how each of these functions could be beneficial to your business. * Your business will have created a presence in the physical world by having a store along the boardwalk. Creating effective presence on the Web. Including how to improve Web presence by incr easing website usability. Develop a web marketing strategy for your company including the following: identify the market segments you will target, how you will reach that segment, and explain how you will reach that segment, and explain how you will advertise on the Web. Being able to properly answer and respond to these scenarios, will assist people who wish to start an e-commerce business. Understanding these scenarios will assist in determining the market segments, as well has helping to understanding the worth of your business. Selling Your Domain Name Several things must be considered when a business is thinking of selling their domain name to someone else. In business, one is continuously working to convince others to do your bidding. The goal of a business is to convince customers to purchase your product or service, and then convince those same customers to pay their accounts on time. As it pertains to the employees that work at your business, they must treat the customers well and contribute to the company. They must abide by all ethical and moral standards that the business has put in place. By setting forth a great deal of effort to create and develop my business, it is not likely that I will sell my business for $1,000. By selling the domain name of my business, all the work that I have done to make my company relevant and credible would be in jeopardy. Most successful companies are known by their domain name or their brand, and it takes hard work and determination to accomplish the task of making your domain name credible. Customer Convenience The e-commerce business that I create will attempt to make the shopping and visit to my business website as convenient as possible for my potential customers. This will be accomplished by providing three services that all e-commerce businesses must have in order to be successful: shopping catalog display, shopping car capabilities, and a simple transaction process. The shopping catalog display must be able to store information about items in a database. My e-commerce business will also provide a search engine that allows customers to enter descriptions to quickly find the items they wish to purchase or find information about. The shopping cart capabilities will use online forms to document online shopping in the past, and it will be able to distinguish from one customer to another. I would also create a database that will store information about the clients preferred choices. I will use software that will calculate price, volume discounts, sales tax, and shopping cost. Electronic commerce software will be used to provide connections to accounting software so the sales of the web can be entered simultaneously. All of these different service that I will incorporate will allow the customers a simple and convenient way to purchase our goods and services, as well as find out as much information as possible about our goods and services. Boardwalk Store When creating a physical store on the boardwalk I will attempt to maintain my presence of the Web. In order to accomplish this I will have to implement two things to achieve this success. First of all, I would use an e-mail address to identify users. This is because e-mail addresses are easier to remember and are more standard, as well as being unique. Second, I will attempt to create a system to make ordering easy. This process could be quite complex, so I would make this process easier at each step. This can be accomplished by having the customer enter the least amount of information at each step. This can make the experience of purchasing our product and visiting our website simple on every level. Marketing Strategies When marketing on the Web, a business must completely understand the different segments that they must market their products and services. The different segmentations are as follow: behavioral, demographic, geographic, and psychographic. The behavioral segmentation consist of dividing people into groups according to how they behave and act toward products. I would create a website that gives examples on encouraging consumers to use my products for multiple purposes. The demographic segmentation obtains demographic information from the U. S. Census Bureau’s website. The site would discuss some prominent demographic characteristics used to segment buyers. This includes age, income, gender, and family life cycles. Geographic segmentation is when a market strategy that allows businesses to market by the geographic in which a customer’s live. Psychographic segmentation gathers extensive information of the customers activities, interests, opinions, values, and lifestyles. I would use the VAL survey( values, attitudes, and lifestyles) to find out what category each individual is apart . This will allow me to market according to their psychological makeup, which will give me the ability to better market my product. Marketing is an essential part of the success or failure of any business, owners should not take this aspect of the business lightly. Conclusion In my opinion, understanding all of these aspects of business will allow a person who is attempting to start an online business successful. The marketing and convenience aspect of business is key is maintain and sustaining a successful business. Having a full understanding of the Web as it pertains to business, as well as knowing the importance of what goes in to making your domain name credible is also an essential part of business. References Keys to Improving your Web Presence (2011) Retrieved from http://www. ocularconcepts. us/blc/blog/keys-to-improving-your-web-presence/ Lars, Perner (n. d. ) Introduction to Marketing. Retrieved from http://www. consumerpsychologist. com/marketing_introduction. html Schneider, G. (2011). Electronic commerce: 2011 custom edition (9th ed. ). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Caffeine Community Essay
As we go about our busy lives, going here, there and everywhere like a colony of ants building up supplies for the winter, we never truly take a moment to look at the world around us, stop to smell the roses, to coin a popular phrase. We never seem to take in the sights, sounds, smells and feelings that we often disconnect ourselves from in our obsession to make the world a perfect place. There is hardly a moment that we stop to notice the other people around us that even though we do not know them from Adam, they could enrich our lives without us even knowing it, if we just took the time for a smile and polite hello. These people can remind us that there is a diverse world of goals and aspirations. It is quite amazing where such an event can happen. Going for a daily coffee at a favorite cafe can bring about this epiphany. As one sits in this modern coffee shop that caters to the needs of young and old alike, one can look around and simply see the decorative art work on the walls, the small scratches in the table that sits in front of you. But let’s look at little deeper and see the true character of the environment around us. What brought about the scratch in the table. Is it just normal every day wear and tear caused by the many people coming and going to take in their hurried morning coffee or could it, perhaps, be caused by say a bored teenager waiting for the long walk to school, using their pen to make back and forth marks in the table. As one sits and contemplates this, they can take a look around and recognize the other sights, sounds and smells of the little cafe. As one looks two tables away, an elderly man helps his wife to the seat at their table with a gentle hand and beaming smile. They look into each other’s eyes lovingly as a couple would do in an old time movie. He tells her,†have a seat dear and I’ll get our coffees. I still love you very much. The distinct voice patterns give away the fact that they are from New York, but they are very much home in their little coffee community. As the manager of the store brings over their order, they engage him in conversation about how he likes working at this particular place. In the meantime, a young man with the burly looks of a high school football player sits at the table next to the older couple and the gentleman begins a lively chat about the sport of football. A sudden, intoxicating smell of fresh brewed coffee and warm toasted bagels brings you out of your daydreams of a long and loving life with the man that you love, caused by the very happy couple. You look around to see a small table at the center of the busy room. There sit a mother and young daughter. The mother seated at the edge of her seat at the table, sipping on her steamy latte, and desperately trying to relate to her young teenage daughter in an attempt to keep the close relationship with her that she shared when the girl was little and thought that her mother was the only person in the world. The young daughter, dressed in what appears to be a dingy soccer uniform, absently sips on her orange juice with a distant look in her eyes thinking that she would much rather anywhere else but here with her boring mother. Thinking perhaps of that grassy field where she could be playing soccer with her friends, or maybe she is in chemistry class, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the cute boy across the room that she has a crush on. The mother gets a mixed expression of pain and lonliness on her face as she realizes that as she tries to hold onto her daughter, that the young girl is slowly drifting away. But that is the way of life, we do all we can to keep the bonds with our children even though deep down we realize that one day soon, we will have to send them from the nest to live their own lives. As the mother and daughter leave to spend their day with separate agendas, you hear the grating of metal against stone and look around to find the cause of the noise that makes your skin crawl and teeth hurt. You look up to see that the table by the window has grown from a six seat table for a cozy conversation for a small group, to a table fit for a King’s Court. Several smaller tables have been added to the larger one, reminding you of someone trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle. The creators of this elaborate set up are the group of regular coffee drinkers that start each day enjoying each other’s company and sharing their lives with each other. They are so diverse in appearance and personality. There is Martha with her perfectly coifed hair, outrageously oversized jewelry and too bright red lipstick, she is outspoken and her laugh sounds eerily like a hyena. She laughs and gathers everyone around her wanting to be the center of attention because maybe she is ignored at home. Sitting next to Martha is Charles. The tall, slender man sits back in his chair with the ease of man who is comfortable with himself and the way his life is. He is wearing a set of earphones with a microphone on them and one wonders why on earth what use he would have for such a contraption. Then the question is answered a few minutes later when he places a hand held amplifier to his neck and welcomes the newcomers to the table with a hardy good morning and a beaming smile, sounding very much like an electronic voice from a computer. He obviously has had some tragedy that has caused him to lose the use of his vocal cords and possibly hearing and the entire set up is a way for him to communicate with others. The use of this machine is an everyday occurrence and is second nature to him now. Like he doesn’t even know it is there. One has to wonder how this all came about. Is this a case of perfect strangers coming to start their lives each day in the same place? Perhaps this group of unique and diverse friends starts out with a simple smile, with an apprehensive good morning, like children on a playground for the first day of school trying to decide if it is okay to play with each other. Is it possible in this modern world where most people are concerned with number one that there are still people out there that are truly content with inviting others into their little world? You catch an additional name here and there, Tom, Grace, John and Mike. The smiles from the friends are genuine and the laughter is contagious. Everyone at this table is completely different in every way, yet very much the same. A diverse group with different backgrounds, goals, dreams, that found a common bond floating in a steamy, rich drink. Perhaps this group of friends started out like the two young men at the table next to mine. It is hard not to eavesdrop on the lighthearted and endearing conversation that these two obviously longtime friends are having. The two men were best friends in school and because of circumstances beyond their control, were separated to live their own lives. After spending four years being completely inseparable, the first young man left the country to protect the freedoms of his friend, while the second young man went on to college to earn a degree to protect the rights of the second young man. Relaxed and happy as if it has not been ten years since they have seen each other, only keeping in touch through emails and the occasional phone call. The young men chatter on about their lives and families as easily as a pair of school girls talking about the upcoming dance and what they are going to wear. They shuffle through a stack of pictures of the lives that they shared together and separately. Pointing and laughing at the precious, shared memories of times past, reliving the past as it was only yesterday. When they first entered the cafe, the small amount of tension was obvious as they barely spoke as they ordered their coffees and bagels and then waited to pay. By the time they sat down across from each other they were talking more freely and growing more comfortable with each other’s company. Watching these two men can make someone almost want to relive the past. Maybe go back and do things differently with a life that is half way gone. Looking at other people’s lives is like looking at a picture through a glass of water. We think we know what the real image is, it may look clear as a bell, but if we slow down for just a moment, remove the obstacle of the water and look closely and listen with earnest, we see that the picture we are envisioning in our minds may not be the reality of the lives we are surrounded by in this world. We tend to be so self-absorbed in our own lives, in our little world that leads us to believe that is revolves around us, which causes us to forget to look at the big picture and realize that we are all here together. There is an abundance of diversity and culture that we can see and listen to and learn from, and if we take the time to open ourselves up to others, to share what we feel and want with them and at the same time accept what they have to teach us about our lives, that we can enhance and enrich our lives in so many ways.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Graffiti and vandalism acts in our community Essay
Introduction Graffiti and vandalism are a major blight on communities. Vandalism can lead to important services, such as public telephones, being damaged so that they don’t work, or removed, for example bus shelters, to protect from further harm. Vandalism can make the environment untidy, and graffiti can be offensive. All of these things contribute to an air of decline, and can lead to people fearing crime more. Acts of vandalism can include breaking windows, smashing up payphones, and graffiti. Many incidents of vandalism and graffiti are not reported. This is often because it is against private property and the victims do not consider it serious enough to tell the police, or think that the police won’t be able to do anything about it, or find the culprit. Sometimes, the people who own the property (for example, the gas board) are based a long way away, and never see the damage to complain about it. Vandalism and graffiti are a criminal offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The penalty for vandalism and graffiti is a maximum fine of 500 and/ or 3 months in prison if the value of damage is less than 000. The court can also make a compensation order. Possessing equipment with intent to cause damage is also an offence, and, if intent can be proven to the court, spray paint would be included as such equipment. Types of graffiti There are many different types of graffiti: Tagging: this is perhaps the most frequent type of graffiti. People have their own signs, or ‘tags’, which identify them. These are put in as many places as possible to show that the writer has been there, to mark out their territory. ‘Pieces’ are the larger pictures, more traditionally associated with graffiti. These can have some artistic merit in the correct context. Glass etching: sometimes also called ‘Dutch graffiti’. This is where people scratch into glass, for example on a bus or train, with a sharp implement like a stone or bottle top. Writing slogans: these are often just sprayed onto large walls, and are often designed to be offensive. They may be racist, sexist or homophobic. Other slogans may be political. Who vandalises or graffitis? Young people are associated with a great many incidents of vandalism and graffiti. The scribbling of names and more simple ‘tags’ are known to come from children and young people. Many use felt-tips, or other commonly available materials. Other people are also involved – telephone boxes may be vandalised by people trying to get money out of them; political activists may write their slogans on blank walls or conventional artists may use graffiti in their art. Why do people do it? Here are some of the reasons why people graffiti: Offenders gain pleasure from finishing a piece of graffiti without getting caught and then afterwards from the permanence of their work. The problem grows as other vandals follow and what started as a single ‘tag’ ends up as a wall covered in graffiti. Young people’s eagerness to mark their territory. This can take on a more sinister form when gangs use it to stake out a claim to an area or to intimidate the local community and potential rivals. It can be because people see nothing better to do, or they want to be daring. Peer pressure can lead to people, especially younger people, doing things they would not normally do. This is made worse by the use of graffiti in youth culture, for example in advertising and music. Spaces are built with little consideration for design, so that large blank walls become enormous ‘canvases’. Problems caused by vandalism and graffiti The problems of vandalism and graffiti go much further than the obvious costs of repairs and cleaning. It causes fear of crime and a sense of insecurity. There is evidence that people’s fear of crime is influenced by their impression of public spaces which are dingy and run down because of vandalism, litter and graffiti. Graffiti can make people feel threatened and vulnerable, particularly if it is racist, sexist or homophobic. The ‘Broken Windows Theory’, developed in America, suggests that if a broken window is not repaired, other windows will soon be broken in response to the message that no one cares. It is argued that more broken windows or greater vandalism will influence the way people perceive crime in the area and will assume that other crime is also on the increase. What can I do about it? Investment to tackle graffiti and vandalism has to be long-term. If it is cut back when the problem starts to improve, the problem will come back. What can we do about vandalism? As with graffiti, repairing the damage as soon as it is done can deter vandals from causing further damage. When the vandalism is to property, securing empty houses with metal screens over the doors and windows can be effective, but this does advertise the fact that the house is empty and can encourage vandals. It also adds to the air of disrepair in an area, and makes people feel less safe. Video recordings of incidents can be used to alert parents and can be used as evidence in court. What can we do about graffiti? Research shows that the best way to deal with graffiti and stop it coming back is to clear it up immediately. However, there are a great many websites for displaying photos of graffiti so the perpetrators may not be that worried about their graffiti being removed, as they get recognition this way. Cleaning up graffiti is something your community could get involved in. Tenants’ and residents’ groups often have volunteer ‘graffiti squads’. If yours doesn’t, why not suggest it at the next meeting? Some councils offer free paint to people who want to paint over graffiti in their neighbourhood. You could suggest your council does this. Another idea is providing a legal site where people are allowed to graffiti. There are mixed views on such graffiti walls or zones. There is some evidence that they bring their own problems, as graffiti tends to spread out to surrounding walls. Also, it is unlikely to stop users doing illegal graffiti elsewhere. Young people are attracted to legal graffiti zones because they don’t have to rush and don’t have to constantly be afraid of being caught. They have time to produce a good piece of work. However, most young people prefer to tag whereas the owners of the wall or site usually prefer pictures. Another problem is young people graffiti-ing on their way to or from the legal graffiti site. One project got round this by providing all the paint on site. Innovative designs of walls, with more windows or unusual materials may help, as it reduces the amount of ‘blank canvas’ available. Even better is to have railings instead of walls where possible, as this not only limits the possibility of graffiti, but also increases natural surveillance, making people feel safer. Where large walls are inevitable, for example around an industrial site, using murals to decorate the walls may stop people putting their own ‘pictures’ there. If public art is not a possibility, using vegetation, for example ivies and creepers, can help with stopping people graffiti. It also makes the area look more attractive. Other ways to limit graffiti and vandalism in your neighbourhood include: Educating young people about the impact which graffiti and vandalism have on the wider community (e.g. making people feel unsafe, costing millions of pounds a year to fix and clean up) Young people are often unaware of the cost of cleaning up graffiti or repairing criminal damage. They need to know that it is unacceptable and is taken seriously. Helping find other things for young people to do [link to yp section] What can schools and youth services do? Schools or youth groups can ‘adopt’ badly vandalised areas, such as subways or playgrounds, keeping them clean and well looked-after. These schemes work best where young people can get involved in the design or creation of the area themselves, for example by creating a mural or planting trees. The same approach has been used successfully by targeting groups of young people who are thought to be responsible for some of the damage. Detached youth workers can make contact with the young people and establish what they would like to do instead. A practical construction project often appeals. There are many examples of successful projects where young people have taken pride in what they have created and ensured that it stays vandal-free. What can others do to help? Agencies owning buildings or utilities which are prone to vandalism can assess the location and design of these to see if vandalism can be reduced. Measures might include: Demolishing unused buildings, or finding a temporary use for them (such as a youth centre). Relocating services, e.g. phone boxes and bus stops, so that they are closer to other facilities where they may be less prone to vandalism. Better damage-reporting procedures and quicker repair. Target-hardening, e.g. better lighting, toughened glass, graffiti-resistant paint. Authorising graffiti in some areas, e.g. graffiti walls. Probation service community service schemes may be able to help with repairs and graffiti removal. Under the Crime & Disorder Act, the court can require offenders to repair damage done by imposing a Reparation Order.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Massive Multiplayer Games Essay
With the rise and popularity of multiplayer games over the last two decades, the industry has created new games that catered to the taste and preferences of game players in different age groups. Likewise, as these games allow players to cooperate and compete against each other from different boundaries, there is now a rising concern of whether the game creates benefits to players or only serves as addiction to those who engage in such activities. Due to this, it is important to determine the scope and challenges surrounding massive multiplayer games to actively decipher appropriate strategies for further development. Understanding the Concept Looking at it, the term multiplayer games denotes from the ability of one player to actively take part in a video game together with patrons around the world in a simultaneous manner. ). These games allow players to cooperate and compete against each other on a large scale, often with other players around the world. It is a natural evolution to gaming with the widespread use of the internet that has opened up a global community. As far as the overall process is concerned, for players to participate in these games, you must first purchase the game and then pay a monthly fee to play to compete in the game. MMORP games that make the most money are those that keep people subscribed or buying new items for several consecutive months. The explosion in popularity and sales has drawn a much closer look into the attraction of gaming and its effect on game players. Consequently, there is a renewed interest in finding out the relevant effect of this activity particularly among gamers themselves. This has sparked the interest of researchers and everyone wanting to know what the craze is all about. Is it an addiction, or are there real benefits that draw the player in to these games? On one hand, we can see that these people to gain experience and recognition for their work. At the same time, it opens up the foundations of reaching out to individuals in different cultures with the game as a medium. However, that is precisely what draws the gamer in; it separates them from the real world. It is easy to understand the allure of MMOG’s on gamers. They take place in a separate universe, and you can create a character for yourself that is exactly the person you want to be. This game universe has it own rules, culture, and society of people with all kinds of interactions taking place. The possibilities for exploration are unlimited and there are no physical consequences to your actions. What do studies say? Relating this to research and studies, a 2007 Harris Interactive poll of 1,187 youths aged 8-18 gathered detailed data on youth opinions about video game play. About 81% of youths stated that they played video games at least once per month. Furthermore, the average playing time varied by age and sex, from 8 hours per week (responses from teen girls) to 14 hours per week (responses by teen boys). Teens (8-12 year olds) fell in the middle, with boys averaging 13 hours per week of reported game-play, and girls averaging 10. Harris concludes that 8. 5% can be classified as pathological or clinically ‘addicted’ to playing video games. (Harris Interactive) Dr. Douglas Gentile, Director of the Media Research Lab at Iowa State University and the director of research for the National Institute on Media and the Family, states, â€Å"It is important that people realize that playing a lot is not the same thing as pathological play. For something to be an addiction, it has to mean more than you do it a lot. It has to mean that you do it in such a way that it damages your life. This is why we based our definition on how pathological gambling is diagnosed in the DSM-IV. Almost one out of every ten youth gamers shows enough symptoms of damage to their school, family, and psychological functioning to merit serious concern. †(Harris Interactive) Lastly, to Dr. Suzanne Martin, Youth and Education Researcher at Harris Interactive, â€Å"The prevalence of video gaming in youth culture in combination with this level of pathological video gaming is great cause for concern and highlights the need for further research in this arena. †Gamers who were surveyed and classified as pathological were receiving lower grades in schools than their peers, were more likely to have video game systems in their bedrooms (65%), were spending much more time playing games each week (averaging 24. 5 hours per week), and were also more likely to have been diagnosed with an attention deficit problem. (Harris Interactive) Analysis The Harris Interactive report seems to indicate a considerable amount of usage among children and tweens; but does not indicate that it is a cause of the games themselves. A deeper look into other factors associated with gamers needs to be considered. Do these children or tweens spend more time at home because of both parents work schedules? Is there a correlation to the household income and the affordability of the games that makes them more accessible and appealing? Is there a correlation to the popularity of a video/media culture so much more accessible to children now that also plays an influence? There is apparently cause for some concern; but a deeper look in the other factors needs to be considered before a judgment can be Evaluation Evaluating these studies, it can be argued that there are indeed positive and negative consequences that can be deciphered as far as massive multiplayer games are concerned. Looking at it in a constructive manner, this process creates opportunities for players to discover and enhance their creativity within the specific game and platform. Moreover, it extracts the necessary skills needed in either to solve a quest or achieve a common goal. This in turn allows them to expand on their capabilities and create outcomes that will enhance their cognitive capabilities. On the other hand, there are also negative consequences of too much exposure in this area. In here, individuals can get addicted in the process and create a world of their own. Seeing this, players alienate themselves towards reality as they become immersed with the game they are involved in. Such idea can generate negative consequences psychologically, physically, and socially. Seeing this, it is then essential that a form of consensus and control be initiated in the process. This means that parents must actively create methods that will allow their children not only to immerse in such activity but also give them other options to consider. Though we may not be able to take away these things to children, having a specific playing time can encourage them to explore other possibilities available for them. By doing this, players can maximize the benefits of the game they play and limiting the possibilities of addiction that may be incurred during the process.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Visual Identity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Visual Identity - Assignment Example And (6) how does the visual identity graphic fit with the product or service of this company or organization? The company logo is the famous logo for Apple, Inc. and is famously recognized globally by various people who have had interests in computers and its applications. The logo, representing the company Apple was first introduced to me during academic pursuit, as early as one could remember using the personal computer. Likewise, I remember that the logo was initially in rainbow-colored horizontal stripes, but using exactly the same graphic form (an apple with a bite at the right side). Currently, it is in its monochromatic form to indicate a more professionalized and sophisticated style commensurate to the image that the organization aimed to project. A little research apprised me that there was one logo prior to the famous visual representation of the company known as Newton Crest which was used only for one year in 1976 (Edible Apple, 2009). The graphic design is a perfect fit for the company as it accurately provided a visual identity: the representation of the apple with a bite, or byte that the designer, Rob Janoff, disclosed meant: â€Å"the â€Å"bite†in the Apple logo was originally implemented so that people would know that it represented an apple, and not a tomato. It also lent itself to a nerdy play on words (bite/byte), a fitting reference for a tech company†(Edible Apple, 2009, par. 3). Therefore, aside from the apple image, the color selection and the bite were appropriately and effectively designed and evolved through the years to depict transformations from â€Å"using a colorful logo as a means to â€Å"humanize†the company†(Edible Apple, 2009, par. 4), into â€Å"one capable of churning out sleek and cutting edge products†(Edible Apple, 2009, par. 9). Therefore, the visual identity perfectly fit the image of the company in terms of providing opporunities for easy r ecognition and recall of the corporate name and the brand
Monday, August 12, 2019
1.Examine the organisational context of your organisation, Essay
1.Examine the organisational context of your organisation, particularly its stakeholders and organisational culture. What are the key issues which enable and c - Essay Example Pepsi Inc’s overà °ll mission is to increà °se its shà °reholders investment. It does so by offering quà °lity products thà °t à °re sà °fe, wholesome, economicà °lly efficient à °nd environmentà °lly sound. It requires à °n orgà °nizà °tion à °nd working environment thà °t à °ttrà °cts the best people, fully develops à °nd chà °llenges their tà °lents, encourà °ges free à °nd spirited collà °borà °tion à °nd mà °intà °ins the highest stà °ndà °rds of integrity. Stakeholders are generally defined as any individuals or organizations who have the ability to directly or indirectly affect or are affected by the operations of a program. (Wà °nous, Reichers, Mà °lik, 2004) In Pepsi Inc there are two main distinctions concerning the type of stakeholder: internal and external. Internal stakeholders are typically all employees, and might include specific groups such as agency managers; program managers; front-line supervisors; direct-service employees; subject matter experts or occupational specialists; and evaluation, planning, and budgeting staff. External stakeholders are individuals or groups outside the organization that regularly exercise actions that can promote, inhibit, or change the operations of the organization. Types of external stakeholders who might participate include: elected officials, interest groups, union representatives, the media, customers, and citizens. Powerful externà °l stà °keholders à °re cà °pà °ble of dominà ° ting à °n orgà °nisà °tion’s strà °tegy. It is importà °nt to à °scertà °in eà °ch stà °keholder’s level of interest concerning the orgà °nisà °tionà °l purposes à °nd strà °tegic choices, à °nd the level of power they yield. Implementing à ° stà °keholder mà °pping mà °trix provides à °n insight into this, which in turn fà °cilità °tes the understà °nding of Pepsi Inc’s politicà °l priorities. Pepsi Inc brà °nd nà °mes à °re à °mong the best-known à °nd most respected in the world. Some of the Pepsi Inc brà °nd nà °mes à °re 100 yeà °rs old, but the corporà °tion is relà °tively
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