The Word Superiority Effect ( Wse ) - 1355 Words

Abstract The word superiority effect (WSE), recognition of letters better in words than non-words, has been observed in normal adults, but is not observed in studies done with normal children. The supported theory is that this is caused by the development of top down processing sometime during the children’s growth. A Reicher-Wheeler task will be conducted on normal children in 5 different age groups as well as adults. The expected results are to see an increasing WSE as the age of the children increases. Key Words: Word Superiority Effect, Pseudoword Superiority Effect, Reicher Wheeler, Top Down Processing, Children, Adults. Top Down Processing Development: Reicher Wheeler Task Results of Middle to Late Childhood Age Children The word superiority effect (WSE) is the phenomenon that subjects are more likely to recognize a letter accurately in a word (WINGS) than in a psuedoword, strings of letters that follow known language rules and are pronounceable (WUNGS), a non-word, strings of letters that do not follow known language rules and are not pronounceable (WCHDS), or just in a mask (TXXXX) (Coch, 2010; Grainger, 2003; Jordan, 1996). This is observed through The Reicher-Wheeler Paradigm. In this test a subject is shown a string of letters and asked to identify the letter in a specific location using a forced choice task (Grainger, 2003; Hildebrandt, 1995; Jordan 1996). The effect has been observed in many empirical studies, and has been seen in adults across

Essay on Business Ethics - 1778 Words

Running Head: Business Ethics Business Ethics name school nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The modern theory of the firm, which is central to finance and corporate law, views the corporation as a of contracts among the various corporate constituencies. Upon this foundation, finance theory and corporate law postulate shareholder wealth as the objective of the firm. Research in business ethics has largely ignored this contracts theory of the firm except to reject the financial-legal model as normatively inadequate. Philosophers generally bring philosophical theories of ethics to bear on problems of business, and they regard the contractual theory of the firm primarily as a subject for criticism using the resources of philosophical†¦show more content†¦How specifically can employees, customers, and other constituencies be wronged such that a remedy ought to be devised? In other words, what are the main ethical problems in business? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The following three-fold classification, which is derived from the literature on the ethical problems of contracting, does not encompass every business ethics problem, and, indeed, the next section lists many kinds of problems that are not related to contractual relations. The classification provides a useful perspective; however, on a great many problems of business, and by viewing them within the context of the contractual theory, appropriate remedies can also be identified. Wrongful Harms nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;All constituencies, including shareholders, are vulnerable to loss of one kind or another from the activities of a firm. Many of these losses take the form of negative externalities, such as occupational hazards, consumer injury, discrimination, wrongful discharge, pollution, and plant closings. Shareholders, too, can be harmed by fraud, financial manipulation, and mismanagement that reduce the value of a companys stock. Whether harm is quot;wrongfulquot; depends, of course, on some standards for the harms that constituencies ought to be protected against, and although developing such standards is difficult, we have many examples in tort law and government regulation. For example, developing a standard for workplace safetyShow MoreRelatedBusiness Ethics : Ethics And Business943 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussions in Business is Ethics. Some people believe that the decisions businesses make in interest of the business has no place in ethics and that they are ess entially amoral. These businesses believe that their main objective is to simply make a profit and that it does not affect the success of the business. Whereas some businesses believe that they have to take ethics into consideration, in order for their business to be a success. Richard T. De George (1999) states that ethics and business do notRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics1471 Words   |  6 PagesReview Nowadays, the concern for business ethics is growing rapidly in the business community around the world. Business ethics are focused on the judgment of decisions taken by managers and their behaviors. The issue regarding these judgments is the norms and cultures that shape these judgments. Business ethics are concerned about the issue, how will the issue be solved and how will it move ahead along the transition analysis as well (Carroll, 2014). Business ethics can be addressed at differentRead MoreEthics And Ethics Of Business Ethics1304 Words   |  6 PagesBusiness Ethics Varun Shah University of Texas at Dallas Business Ethics Morals are a crucial part of life. Without having principles one would never be able to distinguish the right from wrong and good from evil. Just as it applies to life in general, ethics is an integral part of doing business as well. When we here the term Business Ethics in our work place, we usually do not take it seriously and brush it off saying ‘it’s just a simple set of basic rules like not cheating and so on’. ThisRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics Essay1097 Words   |  5 PagesResource A discusses how ethics is crucial in business. There are three key ideas used to understand this. Firstly, making ethically wrong decisions tend to cause more upset than other general mistakes as purposeful unethical actions are not as easily forgiven or forgotten. Secondly, ethics provides businesses with a broader understanding of everything to do with their business. Business ethics is effectively just business it its larger human context. Thirdly, being unethical ca n tarnish the publicRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics1064 Words   |  5 Pages　　　　Business Ethics Ethics can be viewed as the rules and values that determine goals and actions people should follow when dealing with other human beings. However, business ethics can be defined as moral principles of a business. It examines moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. Generally, it has both normative and descriptive dimensions. Organization practice and career specialization are regarded as normative whereas academics attempting to understand business behaviourRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics757 Words   |  4 Pagesdeciding what to do in certain situations, ethics is what guides an individual to act in a way that is good, or right. Those involved in business settings apply ethics to business situations, known as business ethics. It is expected of businesses, small and large, to follow business ethics. There is a particular framework businesses are to follow. However, the reoccurring news headlines of poor business ethics prove differently. Poor busine ss ethics include bribery, corporate accounting scandalsRead MoreEthics And Ethics Of Business Ethics1200 Words   |  5 PagesEthics meaning in simple way for average person is what is right from wrong. According to Chris MacDonald (2010)† Ethics† can be defined as the critical, structured examinations of how we should behave - in particular, how we should constrain the pursuit of self-interest when our actions affect others. â€Å"Business ethics is the applied ethics discipline that address the moral features of commercial activity (Business ethics, 2008).Working in ethical way in business has a lot of benefits which can attractRead MoreBusiness Ethics Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesUnderstanding Business Ethics Unit 37: National Diploma Assignment brief TASK 1: Scenario: Business ethics - a study of a selected company With growing interest among consumers regarding the business ethics of the businesses brands that consumers buy, Westminster council wants to conduct an independent review of some of the organisations that sell their goods and services in the borough. You have been asked to select one of the following brands and conduct research into their business ethics. Read MoreThe Ethics Of The Business Ethics1431 Words   |  6 Pages BUSINESS ETHICS INTRODUCTION:- Presentation Ethics are exceptionally regular and essential good esteem that helps us to take the right choice where we think that it hard to pick between our own advantages and the correct thing to do. We are going to talk about three sections of morals Behavioral morals, Bounded ethicality and last one is irreconcilable situation. As from the names of these parts of morals, its verging on clarifying the significance of it. It clarifies why great individualsRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics Essay2711 Words   |  11 PagesBusiness Ethics Business ethics is a type of professional ethics or applied ethics which examines moral problems and ethical principles that come up in a corporate environment. It is applied to every aspect of conducting business. According to Milton Friedman, a company has the responsibility to generate as much revenue as it can while still conforming to the basic rules that society has set. These rules include the ones embodied in customs as well as in law. Similarly, Peter Drucker stated that

Elder Abuse and Living Arrangements in Late Adulthood free essay sample

Late adulthood is a period of various biological changes which can impact on an individual’s health and ability to function as easily in society. The stereotypical changes of this stage are paler less elastic skin resulting in wrinkles, thinning hair gradually turning from grey to white, weaker bones, muscle loss, and vision and hearing impairments e. g. cataracts and difficulty with word discrimination. There are changes to the brain also, such as the loss of dendrites which causes a reduction in brain weight and volume and slower synaptic speeds resulting in slower reaction times (Bee 1998, p. 53). Their immune system slows down as well, becoming less effective, and making them more prone to illness (Fernandez 2010, p. 794). Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and is a change in the brain structure due to the tangling of dendritic fibres in the brain causing severe memory loss and personality changes (Bee 1998, p. 459). Overall, the elderly are more likely to have a chronic illness and disabilities which may impact upon their ability to bathe, walk, feed themselves, prepare meals, shop, dress themselves, and even live independently (Bee 1998, p. 56). This stage of life is characterised by a number of stresses and is a time of reflection. An individual’s changing work status, in particular when they retire, can be a source of stress as work is a major component of adult life and they now have to find other activities to fill their day. There is also the uncertainty of their financial future and whether they will have enough to live comfor tably off (Fernandez 2010, pp. 853-855). Their health or partner’s health may be another source of stress for them, especially if it results in a caring role being required to complete everyday tasks; and the knowledge that their life is coming to an end (Fernandez 2010, pp. 867-868). Fernandez (2010, p. 851) states that late adulthood is a â€Å" time of looking back and taking stock of where we’ve been, what we’ve accomplished, and whom we have touched. † This results in a process called ‘Life Review’ which is gradually looking back at past experiences analysing and evaluating them to develop more secure and complex self concepts (Bee 1998, p. 02). Social interaction is an important part of life, continuing on in late adulthood and is associated with good health and life satisfaction. The elderly have frequent contact with family, finding strong emotional and practical support through them, especially adult children, and tend to have lower levels of institutionalisation with couple s and relatives providing a high level of care and assistance to each other (Bee 1998, pp. 484-490). Friendships play an important role in late adulthood, with many enjoying time with friends more than with family (Fernandez 2010, p. 43). They provide companionship, intimacy, acceptance, opportunities for laughter, sharing of activities, links to a larger community, and protection from the psychological consequences of loss (Berk 1998, p. 609). In late adulthood where and with whom individuals are going to live is an issue they face. There are a number of options available to the elderly such as mobile homes, age segregated villages/communities, institutions, with family, or in their own home (Kalish 1975, pp. 97-99). Deciding which option is the most suitable for an individual can be influenced by a variety of things, such as health, disability, socio-economic status (SES) and culture. Mobile homes such as caravans suit those looking for a low cost and informal arrangement, however, those that have a mobility affecting disability or very poor health may not be suited to this option as they are usually small and on outskirts of towns (Kalish 1975, p. 98). Age segregated villages/communities include retirement homes that provide independent living arrangements or some support depending on the individual’s needs (Johnson 1960, p. 7). They tend to be in semi-isolated areas (making it hard for those with serious health issues to access medical attention), and are quite expensive (only those of high SES tend to be able to afford them) (Kalish 1975, pp. 98-99). The most common institution for the elderly is a nursing home, which cares for those who need considerable attention due to severe physic al or mental disabilities (approximately 5% of the aged population) (Kalish 1975, p. 99). Some residents are unable to feed, dress or bathe themselves, are incontinent or unaware of where or even who they are (Kalish 1975, p. 9). Medicare subsidises some of the costs, but not enough, meaning some individuals are still unable to cover the costs (Kalish 1975, p. 99). Family members provide the most long term care, whether that is a spouse, partner or adult children (Berk 1998, p. 575). It is more common for an elder of an eastern culture to live with their children and extended family, even if healthy, than for an elder from a western culture. Most individuals, even with a moderate disease or health problem, don’t live with relatives, but in their own house (Bee 1998, pp. 82-483). Living in their own home provides the greatest personal control, but those living alone are often poverty stricken and have unmet needs (Berk 1998, p. 601). This is where the Government and charity or ganisations help; they both provide small homes at low costs in suitable areas, as well as providing services such as home help (cleaning mainly), home visiting, and Meals on Wheels (Johnson 1960, p. 48). Elder abuse is a very real and serious issue that occurs during the late adulthood stage of life. There are many different types of elder abuse, including physical abuse (use of physical force resulting in injury, pain or impairment), sexual (non-consensual sexual contact), emotional/psychological (inflicting anguish, emotional pain or distress), neglect (failure to fulfil obligations or duties to an elder), financial exploitation (improper use of an elder’s funds, property or assets), and medical abuse (failing to provide adequate medical treatment or misusing medications) (Biggs 1995, pp. 6-37). It can also be intentional (conscious and deliberate attempt to inflict harm) or unintentional (inadvertent action resulting in harm, usually due to ignorance, inexperience, lack of desire or inability to provide proper car) (CSAP’s Prevention Pathways 2004). Stereotypically, it is nursing home residents that are more likely to be abused, as they are believed to be â€Å"vegetables†, and Kalish (1975, p. 9) states that health care professionals sometimes describe fe eding the resident using the expression, â€Å"watering the vegetables† which highlights this view and often leads to elder abuse as a way of degrading the elder and punishing them for needing attention and help. Unfortunately many nursing staff receive little or no in-service training and receive a very poor wage, so they feel out of their depths and do not enjoy the tasks required of them, which increases the risk of elder abuse as they feel frustrated, especially if the elder’s abilities are declining and need more care (Kalish 1975, p. 00). This leads to very few long term facilities providing intellectual or sensory stimulation. The more staff fail to stimulate the residents, the more they have to do for them, and the more the residents sink into despondency, creating more stress and frustration for the carers; becoming a viscous cycle (Kalish 1975, p. 100). The lack of stimulation itself, could be a form of unintentional neglect, as their intellectual needs are n ot being met. Despite the stereotypical view of nursing homes, it is in fact those who live in their own homes or with family who are abused the most, and it is the family that are usually the abusers, especially sons (Biggs 1995, p. 41). Victims of psychological or physical abuse tend to be physically well but have emotional problems while the abusers tend to have issues with alcohol and/or mental illness and live with the victim and are usually dependent on them (Biggs 1995, p. 43). Victims of neglect are usually very old and mentally or physically impaired with very little social support, and the abuser suffers chronic and continuing stress (Biggs 1995, p. 43). Those who are unmarried with limited support are at more risk of being financial exploited, with the abuser having financial problems or dependent on the victim for finances and accommodation (Biggs 1995, p. 43). In 1993 the Commonwealth Government established the Working Party on the Protection of Frail Older People in the Community to protect the rights of residents in nursing homes (Biggs 1995, p. 53). Interestingly, mandatory reporting legislation that America has was rejected by most states in Australia at first and it wasn’t until July 2007 that compulsory reporting of unlawful sexual contact or unreasonable use of force was brought in, but this still doesn’t cover all elder abuse and only applies to residents of an Australian Government subsidised aged care facility (Aged Rights Advocacy Service 2012). Erik Erikson was a German psychoanalyst who developed an eight stage psychosocial development theory; this essay will focus on his last stage, ego integrity versus despair (Fernandez 2010, p. 21). The basic concept of this stage is the question ‘Was my life meaningful? ’ and involves looking back on one’s life to determine this. The hope is that the individual will come to terms with and accept who they are and have been, the choices they have made, and the opportunities they have gained and lost, and their impending death and thus achieve the vi rtue of wisdom (Bee 1998, p. 501). If they don’t come to terms with their life they develop despair, where they feel dissatisfied with their life and feel it is too late to change it (Berk 1998, p. 88). For example, someone who has very poor health and is reliant on others to help care for them may feel like a burden and have a sense of hopelessness resulting in them continuing to live alone as they do not wish to put others out. While someone else may view it as they’ve lived a long healthy life up until now and they have a loving family who is willing to help them in their old age, leaving them with a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction, and will happily move in with relatives. Another example might be living in a retirement home, some elderly may come to resent the age segregation and feel like society has pushed them to the outskirts to die, while others may feel stronger social connections, higher morale and a general higher life satisfaction due to the close proximity of others of similar age. Erikson’s theory is valuable in providing a guideline by which to understand this stage, but is it as clear cut as having integrity or despairing? Maxine Walaskay classified elderly into one of four categories, integrity achieved (aware of their ageing and accept the life lived); despairing (negative evaluation of life); foreclosed (content with their current life but resist self exploration); and dissonant (just beginning to evaluate their life) (Bee 1998, p. 501). Walaskay’s classification seems to say that not all individuals in this life stage look back on their life and evaluate it, that those in the foreclosed category base it on where their life is at now, so it would seem that Erikson’s theory does not apply to everyone in this life stage. Stress as a transaction theory looks at a stimulus only becoming a stressor when it is perceived that way by the individual, and whether they believe they have the resources to cope. In terms of elder abuse it would focus on the increasing dependency of the elder and a burden of care giving as the cause of stress thus increasing the risk of abuse (CSAP’s Prevention Pathways 2004). It proposes that there are factors influencing the risk of elder abuse in terms of elder related (physical or emotional dependency, poor health, impaired mental status and a ‘difficult’ personality), structural related (emotional strain, social isolation and environmental problems) and carer related factors (life crisis and burn out or exhaustion) (Biggs 1995, p. 25). For example an institutionalised resident’s dementia worsens making them more reliant on the carer, leading to more stress as the carer may not feel they have the capabilities to handle increased roles and this may cause them to abuse the resident. Another example could be an only child suffering extreme financial distress due to gambling debts, who lives with their mentally impaired mother and feels they cannot pay their own debs so they fraudulently use their mother’s funds. This theory looks at the relationship between the dependency of the elder and the stress this creates resulting in abusive behaviour, which research has been unable to prove (Biggs 1995, p. 30). According to this theory, by reducing the level of care giving stress, the likelihood of elder abuse would decrease as well, but this doesn’t take into account other factors that may be attributing to the abuse such as power roles (being physically and mentally more powerful and degrading and abusing the elder as a way to exert and maintain that power), and even a history of violence (if the elder was abusive earlier in their life and the abused becomes their carer, such as a wife or child, then the carer may have learnt that behaviour and carry it on by abusing the elder). There are many biological, psychological and social factors that impact individuals in the late adulthood stage of life, which can contribute to issues they face such as the influence of an individual’s health, ability to function effectively in society and social networks on where and with whom to live and the occurrence of elder abuse. The two theories, Erikson’s ego integrity versus despair and the stress as a transaction theory help provide some guidelines to examine the issues of living arrangements and elder abuse faced by individuals in this stage of life. Reference List Aged Rights Advocacy Service 2012, Mandatory Reporting: Elder Abuse and the Law, Aged Rights Advocacy Service Inc. , accessed 23 September 2012, lt;http://www. sa. agedrights. asn. au/residential_care/preventing_elder_abuse/elder_abuse_and_the_law/mandatory_reportinggt; Bee, H 1998, Lifespan Development, 2nd edn, Longman, Sydney Berk, L 1998, Development through the Lifespan, Allyn amp; Bacon, Needham Heights Biggs, S, Kingston, P amp; Phillipson, C 1995, Elder Abuse in Perspective, Open University Press, Buckingham CSAP’s Prevention Pathways: Online Courses 2004, Out of the Shadows: Uncovering substance use and elder abuse, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, accessed 23 September 2012, lt;http://pathwayscourses. samhsa. gov/elab/elab_1_pg1. htmgt; Fernandez, E 2010, SOCW1003: Human Behaviour 1: Life stress and the life span, McGraw Hill, North Ryde Johnson, E 1960, ‘Social Provisions for the Aged: With special reference to accommodation, clubs and foster homes’, in A Stoller (ed), Growing Old: Problems of Old Age in the Australian Community, Halstead Press, Sydney pp. 46-53 Kalish, R 1975, Late Adulthood: Perspectives on Human Development, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, California

Wearable Technologies In Health Care Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Wearable Technologies In Health Care. Answer: Introduction Wearables in healthcare are the devices which have evolved all the way and it has now become more personal. The wearable devices can now monitor the steps, sleep, activity level, body fat. A literature review is conducted which will take in to account the challenges posed by these wearable devices and what are the potential impacts of wearing the wearable healthcare technologies. The main work is conducted through the secondary research and online databases are used explicitly for the literature review. Objectives The deliverables of the literature review are based on the wearable technologies in healthcare are as follows: The application of the wearable technologies in surgeries and its positive impacts on the surgical patients. Role of the wearable technologies in the respiratory disease and health. The impact of the wearable technologies on the management of the osteoarthritis which is based on the psychosocial factors. The challenges posed by the wearable technologies. The challenges and the potentialities of the wearable technologies in the medical and the healthcare arenas. The implications of the wearable technologies in the healthcare industry. The objectives of the literature review are to gain an insight into the positive impacts if the wearable technology on the specific type of patients affected by respiratory diseases, had undergone surgery, and in osteoarthritis management. The additional discussion will be based on objectives like challenges posed by the wearable technologies, potentialities of the technology. Methods Evidence review- the framework for analysis included the search strategies that were utilized for the search of the articles and journals. Different databases like the PubMed, Elsevier, ScienceDirect is used to conduct a search of the articles. The searches were based on the keywords like wearable technologies in healthcare, various challenges posed by the wearable technologies, potentialities of the wearable technology. Inclusion criteria- the articles and the journals are selected based on the proper title of the articles and the abstract clearly describes the paper, in brief, highlighting vital points. Exclusion criteria- articles and the journals that lack a proper title and abstract. Titles that deviated from the main scope of the study are not selected for this literature review. Project- The project management tool identified for this study is the online Gantt Chart that provides the flexibility of assigning the tasks and also viewing the progress of the task in real time. The major risks identified for this project are the scheduling risks and performance risks. Such risks can be dealt only by proper time management and close watch on the progress of the project. Research study- The study was designed on the lines of the benefits of the usage of the wearable technologies in healthcare. The data were collected from the secondary researches. The tools that were used for the conduct of the study are the normal Microsoft excel in order to analyse the data and give a visual presentation. Scope The scope of the study is based on the certain aspects of the search that was previously conducted during the search of the literature. The search criteria are totally based on the aspects that promoted the positive effects and the benefits of using the wearable technology. Inclusion criteria- the articles are selected based specific criteria like what benefits the wearable technologies pose to the people that had undergone surgery. The role played by the wearable technologies in the patients that have respiratory diseases; the impact of the wearable technologies on the management of certain diseases like osteoarthritis that are explicitly based on the psychosocial technologies; the potentialities that the wearable technologies have on the healthcare and the medical arena; the implications of the wearable technologies on the healthcare industry. Exclusion criteria- wearable technologies are plenty on the market and while conducting a search for the articles and journals, a huge number of search results showed up including the general wearable technologies. Wearable technologies that play a major role in healthcare are considered for the study. Wearable technologies and its connection with the software, hardware and internet are excluded from the study. The wearable technologies its market share along with the effect on the consumers are also excluded from the study. Results The wearable technologies that are used in surgical practices can be differentiated into several types based on its roles: assessment, augmentation, assistance. Assistance can be referred to the usage of the wearable technologies that act as a substitute for the several physical tasks in the surgical practice. The tasks can be like having a sterile environment in the clinic. A perfect example of such a wearable device can be arm mounted PACS system controlled by an arm mounted device. This device actively helps in cross-sectional imaging view at the time of surgery without compromising the sterility. Augmentation describes the real-time collection of the data and transferring the same to a surgeon (Slade Shantz, Veillette, 2014). The form of the information can be biometric data, clinical data or instrument data. In practice such technologies take the form of a heads-up display which helps in performing a surgery. Assessment can be described as the usage of the wearable technology f or the purpose of the measurement of the severity of a disease and the clinical outcomes. These technologies can be actively used in surgical education. The assessment via the wearable technology has already posed to be beneficial in tracking the stroke recovery and monitoring a lung disease. The physiological responses are actively measured via the responses of the educators and the learners in order to understand the stressors that are present in the environment (Slade Shantz, Veillette, 2014). In the arena of healthcare and especially in the respiratory assessment different types of the wearable devices and the provide the vital information regarding the respiratory function of a patient along with the environmental information. The wearable technologies provide information based on arterial oxygen saturation, breathing pattern, respiratory rate and minute ventilation, air quality and activity (figure 1) (Aliverti, 2017). Figure 1: patient monitoring system through the wearable sensors The health monitoring systems measure both the short-term and the long-term events that are occurring in the body. The wearable systems provide the real-time data of the patient and the medical staff. This information provides vital information regarding the post-operative solutions and rehabilitation so that the recovery can be quickened especially for the elders. This is useful for monitoring the patients that reside in the rural areas and the cities. The benefits are that it reduces the work pressure of the healthcare providers; improves the comfort of the patient; reduces the cost of the healthcare services, increases the efficiency (Aliverti, 2017). A qualitative study was designed along with a focus group suffering from osteoarthritis, the data collected from the patients are analysed through a framework methodology. In this study, 21 patients participated that had knee arthritis and they belong from London. The age group of the people is 45 to 65 years and are segregated into 4 different focus groups. The whole study was performed in a university setting. The responses and the perspectives of the patient were collected and it reflected that the patients had benefitted from the usage of the wearable technologies. The wearables helped in the management of the osteoarthritis. It was found from the study that the wearables had helped the patients in controlling the condition, and providing an awareness in terms of their progress and in better patient-clinician communication (figure 2) (Belsi, Papi McGregor, 2016). The technologies used in the wearable technologies have evolved it has been made possible only through the convergence of the technology and the physiology. The technologies involved in the system are the software technology, data analysis technology, micro-electromechanical technology and the sensor technology. There are, however, certain issues that arise from the various challenges like the breach in the security of the data, privacy. The other issues that can arise are the inaccuracy of the sensors, and the identification of the customer needs (Kim Choi, 2016). The challenges posed by the wearable technologies is the price of such devices and is one of the biggest due to high prices of the wearables. For example, the google glass had a cost of around 1500 dollars. The other challenges faced by these wearables is the infancy of the technology and there are many cases of disruptions that had made the technology a bit unreliable. Although the technology is promising and there is a big chance in the future the technology will evolve to a great extent (Sultan, 2015). The wearable device manufacturers and the vendors are fully self-regulated and its operation is free from any control of FDA or MHRA in US and UK respectively. One of the biggest issues is that the manufacturers employ wrong procedures when they bring out software updates of the healthcare wearables. This leads to the integration of the bugs and the into the exiting software products and impacts the efficiency and usefulness of the product (Erdmier, Hatcher Lee, 2016). Discussion From the conduct of the literature review, it can be found that the wearable technology in healthcare is one of the greatest inventions of the decade. The invention of the gadgets that are portable enough has facilitated various companies to innovate products that can effectively measure and track the health of a person. These gadgets are so small that they are pocketable and even can be worn in an attire. These healthcare wearables come with the sensor technologies that can measure a rate of breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and at the same time can measure external environmental conditions. Often the outside environmental conditions affect the health of a person and with the help of these wearables, the health status can be actively tracked and measured. The usage of the wearables during the surgeries provide a novel way to reduce any kind of cross-contamination. These wearables help in maintaining a sterile condition during the conduct of a surgery and at the same time assist in monitoring and tracking the health conditions of a patient. The important questions that were raised during the conduct of the literature review are that whether the wearable technologies in healthcare do pose any benefit for the patients. The research conducted by the Belsi, Papi McGregor (2016) has revealed that the usage of the of wearable technologies had a positive effect on the patients and they were recovering fast after the usage of wearables. The other questions that were found to be during the conduct of the literature review are the effectivity of the wearable technologies. According to a study by Erdmier, Hatcher Lee (2016), it has been found that companies sometimes through their unplanned software updates reduces the working ability of the wearables. The bugs in the software update reduce the effective tracking monitoring and tracking. The areas where the further research on the wearable technology is required is a raw comparison between the performance of the wearable technologies with the conventional monitoring and the tracking system in healthcare. This can be done in order to analyse and measure the extent to which the sensors are with respect to the conventional monitoring and tracking technologies. Other researches can also be conducted into areas to understand how the wearable technology can be made effective in the future and how better can it be made. Conclusion Thus, from the above study, it can be concluded that the usage of the wearables in healthcare can be effectively used for active monitoring and tracking personal healthcare. There are different types of gadgets that help in tracking both the external environment and the internal environment. The wearable technologies can track and monitor heartbeat, blood pressure and rate of breathing. The technologies are still in the nascent stage and it will still require major upgradations and evolution in order to increase the effectivity of these devices. References Aliverti, A. (2017). Wearable technology: role in respiratory health and disease. Breathe, 13(2), e27. Belsi, A., Papi, E., McGregor, A. H. (2016). Impact of wearable technology on psychosocial factors of osteoarthritis management: a qualitative study. BMJ open, 6(2), e010064. Erdmier, C., Hatcher, J., Lee, M. (2016). Wearable device implications in the healthcare industry. Journal of medical engineering technology, 40(4), 141-148. Kim, W., Choi, J. (2016). Challenges for wearable healthcare services. International Journal of Web and Grid Services, 12(4), 407-417. Slade Shantz, J. A., Veillette, C. J. (2014). The application of wearable technology in surgery: ensuring the positive impact of the wearable revolution on surgical patients. Frontiers in surgery, 1, 39. Sultan, N. (2015). Reflective thoughts on the potential and challenges of wearable technology for healthcare provision and medical education. International Journal of Information Management, 35(5), 521-526.

A Case Study of Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint Company Essay Example

A Case Study of Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint Company Essay In the contemporary business world, the level of competition is ever increasing; it requires that an organization strategize in a way that would give it competitive advantage over its rivals. Apparently, strategic management is a relevant tool an organization could use in withstanding the complex and dynamic business world. Armitage (1992) defines strategic management as a continuous process that works to fit an organization into its changing environment. Thus, in this context, strategic management is seen to embrace both strategic and long term planning of an organization and its operational or short term planning. According to Brown Eisenhardt (1998:3), â€Å"strategy is about two things: deciding where you want your business to go and figuring out how to get there†. In this view Peter (2005:5), argues that â€Å"strategic competitiveness is achieved when a firm successfully formulates and implements a value-creating strategy. When a firm implements such a strategy that ot her companies are unable to duplicate or find too costly to imitate, this firm gas a sustained, or sustainable, competitive advantage†. The environment in  which today business operates in is very dynamic; with the consistent changes in ways of  conducting business and improvement in technologies and communication. The challenges facing business is how to strategize to curtail these changes. â€Å"Given the pervasiveness of change, the key strategic challenge is managing that change. The dilemma is how the organization goes about managing these changes. Segmentation is a strategy adopted by organization to make it compete adequately, by giving satisfaction to clients through the provision of different products; to which satisfaction to clients are given according to their classification in   choice, taste and buying behavior. In this instance, there is a strategic grouping and classification of customers according to the similarity in their taste and buying behavior, and each of them are reached with a specific programmed. Segmentation in an organization is a tool, which an organization applies in its marketing and other organizational activities, in order to find way of satisfying the individual taste of its customers. To satisfy the desires of customer in a dynamic industry, there is the need to create and develop product and services that would meet the individual taste of customers and clients. We will write a custom essay sample on A Case Study of Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint Company specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Case Study of Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Case Study of Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint Company specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This write up would first embark on a literature review on segmentation implementation within an organization. The second portion of the write up uses Akzo Nobel to analyze segmentation implementation in its Coating and Painting organization. LITERATURE REVIEW ON SEGMENTATION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION In enforcing segmentation strategy for an organization, the basis why this is done is to satisfy customer, and enable them to have choice in meeting their taste and satisfaction within the varieties of product or tailored services the organization exhibits. Segmentation is not specifically used in marketing strategy; it embraces the whole aspect of the organization’s activities. In this view, Clarke Freytag (2002), argue, â€Å"Segmentation in an organization should be perceived as a whole process, not just for marketing process, but should be linked to every aspect of the organization’s task that should be performed†. Segmentation is a tool that is utilized in influencing the development of an organization’s product base. In an organization’s bid to satisfy its customer’s taste the organization embraces segmentation strategy that tends to be in constant creation of   innovations in its product through the expansion in the areas its operates. Thus, the selection of customer and the good to produce in order to satisfy their needs is a core concept for engaging in segmentation. â€Å"In this regard segmentation should be seen as a distinct concept whose aim is to give guidance on how to select customers and what solutions to develop that meets the selected customers need† (ibid) The need to initiate segmentation in an organization operation or marketing activities is for the organization to meet the satisfaction of customers with regards to difference in customers cultures, product taste. In this view, Bolton Myers (2003) have it that â€Å"transaction that concerns global business to business marketing requires that managers develop effective global strategies concerning its pricing, products for customers characterized with different cultures and different utilities for product attributes†. Pricing mechanism has a strong contributory influence on the implementation of marketing segmentation, both at the local and global level. The difference in price for buyers and sellers in the different market segments resulting from perception stakeholders holds have a great influence on how segmentation is implemented on the global market level. â€Å"a focus on horizontal segmentation implies that particular attention should be devoted to price-based market segmentation for services† (ibid). Invariably, there is different segmentation for services, whether in domestic market or international, from the strategies on goods. According to Bolton Myers (2003), â€Å"two reasons are adduced for these differences, firstly, services to clients are highly perishable in nature, and thus require human resource constraints to limit short-run capacity which makes demand-management issues and pricing strategies enable a smooth demand. Secondly, the intangible nature of services when compared to the tangibility in goods would lead to an more emphasis on extrinsic cues rather than on the intrinsic attributes or quality of the service itself†. Market segmentation has the goal to south out consumers who have similar desires and behavior, and thus forming heterogeneous segments to satisfy the different customers’ needs. Thus, customers’ response to price is a significant factor that results in the implementation of market segmentation by an organization. This also affects the marketing mix (product, price, distribution, and promotion) of the organization. In this view, Constantinides (2006) stated, â€Å"Marketing mix pertains to the implementation of market segmentation problem. This involves the ability to enforce marketing positioning analysis, and being able to differentiate the Mix from those the competitors offers through the targeted customers’ preferences as criteria from the different segment†. The choice of an organization to adopt a segmentation pattern goes a long way to determine what it produces, and what benefit that are given to consumers or clients of such services. According to Dibb (2001), The choice of communication channel and customers’ interaction patterns and modes an organization or a marketer tries to provide his customers are those problem associated with segmentation; i.e. solving of segmentation where allowing segments of one when profitable, differentiation, the positioning of sub problems†. Segmentation leads to improving an organization’s competition in an industry whereby it leads to customer’s satisfaction. According to Meadows Dibb (1998), â€Å"segmentation enables   organization to allocate market opportunities, the improvement of resource utilization, helps in the development of sustainable competitive position and leads to customers’ satisfaction†. Certain barriers may impede segmentation implementation in an organization. This may include the lack of complete or adequate data of customers to analyze and plan for the strategy to adopt. There is also the targeting barrier, where an organization may find itself not necessarily fit and equipped to embark on segmentation strategy. Positioning barriers in segmentation arise from uncoordinated efforts or the incompatibility that exist between the adopted method of the organization and its distributive channels (ibid). SEGMENTATION PROCESS IN AKZO NOBEL COATINGS AND PAINTS ORGANIZATION The Coatings division of Akzo Nobel organizations remains the biggest coatings company in the world. It operates in five businesses: Decorative Coatings, Industrial Activities, Car Refinishes, Marine and Protective Coatings, and Nobilas Claims and Fleet Solutions. Each of these five business areas operate separately with a General Manager attach to each and headquarter. The Coatings Group of Akzo Nobel organization commands leading market positions in almost all its businesses and has earned a global reputation for its high quality and reliable products. The Akzo Nobel has coating businesses operational bases in 60 countries, with an employee force of 30,000 people. For the organization effectively satisfy its customer, segmentation of its vast operational base is implemented, whereby different business units within the organization is set up to handle the production of varieties of products according to the taste of customers, in each of the location and distributive network of the organization. The Nobilas Company was set up in 2003, with its headquarters in Hoofddrorp, The Netherlands. This company is an international solution for vehicle accident management and feet identity solutions. The Nobilas Claims and Fleet Solutions operate as a business-to-business service provider. It mainly operates in Europe and North America, providing offering leading accident management skills with a full package services such as Incident services, Repair management, Fleet identity solutions, and Claims management. Among the company’s clients include motor insurers, leasing companies, car rental companies and corporate car fleet owners. The company has achieved an enviable corporate profile as the world’s first accident management provider to be present in more than ten countries, with customers benefiting from economies of scale and the opportunity to standardize accident management processes across the globe (Akzo Nobel, 2006). The decorative Coatings Company has its international headquarters n Stockholm, Sweden. It also has a Decorative Coatings for Europe headquarters in Sassenheim, The Netherlands. The Decorative Coatings Company is a major force in the field of home decoration, improvement, the supplying of a host of leading decorative and protective products for the architectural and interior design sector. Among its extensive and highly respected products that are well-known brands, selected to satisfy customers’ needs as regard to painting and coats, include Sikkens, Astral, Sadolin, Crown and Levis. In addition, regional favorites manufacture products such as Herbol, Flexa, Trimetal, Nordsjo, and Marshall. The Decorative Coatings is also a supplier of construction adhesives and floor leveling compounds under the trade names Schonox, Cegegol and Casco. The company has engaged itself in reputable excellent decoration projects. Examples of these include the decorative coatings used at La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy, and the State Historical Museum in Moscow’s Red Square. The Akzo Nobel Coatings and Paint company have a well structured organization units segmented to give customer what they want and mechanism put in place to sup[ply them the way they choice to receive their purchase. The Industrial Activities operates under two businesses segments: Industrial Finishes and Powder Coatings. The Powder Coatings has its headquarters in Felling, UK, while the Industrial Finishes has its operational base at Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The Powder Coatings business has not only acquired the status as the largest global manufacturer of powder coatings, but it is also a world leader in powder coatings technology. The Powder Coatings business supplies it products to eight key market sectors, which include appliance, architectural, automotive, functional, general industry, general trade coaters and IT. Two major global brand of the powder coating business include Interpon and Resicoat. Its products also include Non-stick coatings; which are used supplied to custom er in office and household furniture; coil coatings or domestic appliances and metal building products. Its specialty plastic coatings are utilized in cosmetic packaging, sporting goods, computers and audio equipment. The Industrial Activities Company has handled prestigious contracts, including the supplying of products for Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia. The car Refinishes Company has its headquarters in Sassenheim, The Netherlands. The Akzo Nobel’s Car Refinishes business is one of the world leading suppliers of paints and services for the car repair, commercial vehicles and automotive plastics markets. Sikkens, one of its top-of-the-range product brands is known famously for car repair. This product is synonymous with quality, innovation and the highest level of services to organization requiring the products for their operational functions. Other products supply by this segment business of Akzo Nobel Coatings business are Lesond and Dynacoat. The car Refinishes Company operates in more than 60 countries and has wide and reliable supplies worldwide due to its strategic partnership it forms with strong a reliable organization in the same industry. The Marine and Protective Coatings business of Akzo Nobel Coatings businesses has its headquarters in London, UK. The company is not only the world lading marketers in marine paints and high performance coatings, but also is a major force in the aerospace coatings industry. Its marine, protective and yacht coatings are widely used for ship building, ship maintenance and repairs to yacht and other crafts. The marine and protective coatings business also produces fire retardant products for large plants and off-shore installations as well as providing protective coatings to structures, such as bridges, stadiums and famous landmarks. Examples of work done with this company’s product include supplies to familiar sights such as the London Eye in the UK, Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia and the Olympic Stadium in Greece. The Aerospace Coatings activities are also part of the Marine and Protective Coatings business in Akzo Nobel. The company is recognized as one of the world’ s major suppliers in this industry. It produces well-known brands such as Aviox, Aerodur, and Metaflex. From the foregoing, it is seen that the Akzo Nobel Coatings businesses embrace a vast area of coverage when it comes to coatings and paints business. The organization is a world leader and a force to reckon with in this industry. It has leading positions in almost all its businesses. The Akzo Nobel Coatings organization has operational bases in 60 countries, and has a 30,000 employee’s workforce. Its slogan is â€Å"we deliver to our customers more than just paint† (ibid). Akzo Nobel is regarded as the biggest paint organization in the world having developed and supplied innovative coatings products for more than 200 years (ibid). The organization is one of four Dutch Multinational organizations dominating the world operation. â€Å"The international activities of Dutch manufacturing MNEs are very much dominated by four large firms—Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell, Philips and Akzo-Nobel.† (Narula Hoesel, 1999:20). Thus, in the implementation of its segmentati on strategy, the organization has utilize the breaking down of its business operations into segments and units to adequately produce varieties of products that would serve the different taste and buying behavior of its numerous clients. The distribution channels of the organization is very wide , therefore meeting the buying need of customers through different medium- be it through transshipment of product, internet sales options, wholesale sales etc. STREAMLINING STRATEGY As a way to effectively control, the diverse spread of the organization’s business in its Coatings unit, and enforcing an effective grouping and servicing of customers need through segmentation strategy, Akzo Nobel has adopted the strategy of streamlining its business into a more manageable size. Streamlining the organization’s portfolio; i.e. its diverse business dealings, becomes expedient to align it to a manageable size that will expedite rapid growth. According to Akzo Nobel Report (2005), the Akzo Nobel successful implementation of a strategy to streamline its portfolio is to make the organization to realign competitively the business for sustainable growth, profitability, and leadership positions in selected markets. Currently, the Akzo Nobel organization is engaging on a general restructuring of its business. This is directed towards separating the organization into two independent entities; where Chemical and Coatings units of the organization would be collapse together as an independent organization from the pharmaceutical business that would comprise the Organon and Intervet business units, which would be renamed Organon Biosciences N. V. (OBS). The modus operandi of separating the organization is through a minority divestment of OBS through listing it in the Euronext stock market, Amsterdam. This is expected to take off early 2007, and would be followed by further divestment at a later stage (Akzo Nobel shareholders’ circular, 2005). The separation of the organization is aimed at making the Akzo Nobel organization achieve its long-term objectives in the most effective way and to best enhance shareholders value in the organization. Adopting a strategy to streamline an organization’s portfolio would make the organization to be prudent in its investment bids and only invest in that business that would be more lucrative in line with the organization’s vision, stated objectives and long term-goals. SEGMENTATION STRATEGY OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AKZO NOBEL COATINGS BUSINESS The strategies adopted by the Akzo Nobel Coatings business have greatly contributed to the organization’s successful operation. The segmentation strategy of the organization has assisted it to curve a niche and obtain competitive advantage through cost reduction and through TQM, these strategies tend to operate in the opposite direction. Porter (1985), argues that the use of both lower cost strategy and product differentiation would lead to the organization being caught in the middle and thus, loosing to its rivals that specializes in one. However, many scholars have criticized this view stating that it is possible for an organization to gain competitive advantage through the two strategies. But it is advisable that for Akzo Nobel Coatings , since it seek for total quality products as a way of gaining competitive advantage, it should put less emphasis on its cost reduction strategy that is aimed at   low cost of its raw materials. Thus, the organization should specialize on getting the best materials. This invariably means that getting the best raw materials would not provide the organization with getting the lowest cost. Customer satisfaction should be paramount, once they have being identified to a segment or type of product. Another strategy option available to the organization, other than cost reduction, is the Switching Cost Strategy. Here, the Coatings business can enter into contracts with suppliers of its raw materials, in which they are restricted from changing and diverting their supplies to other competitors. This will enable the organization to get quality raw material and adequate supplies at regular bases. According to Stallman (2006), this switching cost strategy is a way to earn excess returns and lengthens a company’s life. The streamlining portfolio policy adopted in the Akzo Nobel Coatings business should be directed towards giving the various units businesses the independence to operate in the most efficient manner. However, this should not constitute a hindrance to the seizing up of viable business opportunities and coming up with innovative business ideas and products. The adopted move to separate the Akzo Nobel into two independent organizations, this should a welcome idea for effective organization operation. However, this separation would hamper the financial flexibility strategy adopted by the organization. However, this segmentation of operational level would bring about adequate customer’s satisfaction. Thus, a total financial separation should not be instituted in this separation. Here, a provision should be put in place where financial flexibility should be made to cut across the two independent organizations. For projects that are very viable for the furtherance of the organization growth and enhancement of its effective operation. CONCLUSION Segmentation is seen as a strategy adopted by organization to properly satisfy customers, by classifying and grouping them according to what they want and how they behave towards getting what they want. This is a strategy useful for curving a niche to enable an organization compete favouarably through adequate customer satisfaction. For Akzo Nobel Coating and Painting organization for the company to implement adequately its segmentation strategy, it takes into consideration the vast population of customers that patronizes its product and their different needs. Thus, the organization engages in the broking down of its business operation into units and segments. Furthermore, each segment put in place varieties of products that will be adequate with the quality and pricing need of customers. Distribution channels exist to further satisfy the pattern in which customer desires to receive their purchased product. Segmentation in Akzo Nobel Coating and Painting organization has enable the o rganization adequately meet the need of its vast customers, and positioning the organization to stand out and compete favorably in the industry it operates. REFERENCES Akzo Nobel (2006), â€Å"Report for the Year 2005† Akzo Nobel (2006, â€Å"Akzo Organization Strategy† http://www.2.akzonobel.com/com/out+company/strategy.htm (28/08/06) Akzo Nobel shareholders Circular (2006), â€Å"Background to Rationale for and Recommendation on the Separation† http://www.akzonobel.com/NR/rdonlyres/68AD524D-3DAC-4C8B-83AC-D8F7A0B1645D/0/EGM_circular.pdf   (28/08/06) Armitage, Jack L. (1992), â€Å"Strategic management for Public Accounting (The   CPA Manager)†Ã‚  Ã‚   The CPA Journal http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/old/12543369.htm (10/05//06) Bolton, R. N. Myers, M. B. (2003), â€Å"Price-Based Global Market segmentation for Services† Journal of Marketing Vol. 67, July Pp. 108-128 http://www.chapmanrg.com/RNB/Publications/PriceBasedGlobalMarketSegmentationforServices.pdf. (23/10/07) Brown, S.L. Eisenhardt, K.M. (1998), Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press. Clarke, Ann H. Freytag, Per V. (2002), â€Å"The Relationship of Product development and Marketing in Industrial Segmentation† in http://impgroup.org/uploads/papers/4675.pdf. (24/10/07) Constantinides, E. (2006), â€Å"The Marketing Mix revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing?† Journal of Marketing Management   Vol.   22 http://www.utwente.nl/nikos/research/publications/ecpapers/constantinidescommentmarketingmix.pdf. (23/10/07) Dibb, S. (2001), â€Å"New Millenium, New Segments: Moving towards the Homeanddefensestocks.com (2006), â€Å"Akzo Nobel N.V.† http://www.homeanddefensestocks.com/Research/Biotech.pharmaStocks.asp (28/08/06) Journal, Vol. 18, No. 2 pp. 45-63 Meadows, M., and Dibb, S., (1998) â€Å"Implementing market segmentation strategies in UK personal financial services: progress and problems† The Service Industries Segment of One? † Journal of Strategic Marketing, Vol. 9, pp. 193–213 Meadows, M., and Dibb, S., (1998) â€Å"Implementing market segmentation strategies in UK personal financial services: progress and problems† The Service Industries Narula, Rajneesh Hoesel, Roger Van (1999), Multinational Enterprises from the Netherlands. London: Routledge. Peter, J. Dowling, et al (2005), Strategic Management: Competition and Globalization (2nd Pacific Rim Edition) Porter, E. Michael (1985), Competitive Advantage: creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York Stallman, Chris (2006), â€Å"Competitive Advantage† http://.www.ieenanalyst.com/general/compadvantages.html (10/04/06)

Bits and Bytes

Bits and Bytes Bits and Bytes Bits and Bytes By Simon Kewin In its election manifesto, one of the major political parties in the UK recently promised to provide virtually every household in the country a broadband service of at least 2 megabytes per second by 2012. The â€Å"2 megabytes per second† was actually a mistake. A speed of two megabytes per second is the same way as saying 16 megabits per second, a speed which is technically feasible, but unlikely to be universally available in the UK any time soon. The sentence was altered in later versions of the manifesto to the much more realistic â€Å"2 megabits per second†. The typo, however, highlights how easy it is to make mistakes using technical language where words often have very specific meanings. If you’re using terminology from medicine, computers, statistics etc., it pays to check that you have each term correct. In this case, the original authors confused the words bit and byte. Both are units of computer memory/storage. A bit is the smallest amount of storage, a 0 or a 1, the word formed from a blend of â€Å"binary† and â€Å"digit†. A byte, on the other hand, is a collection of bits – almost always eight of them. So, a kilobyte is eight times larger than a kilobit. While computer memory is generally expressed as a number of bytes (kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes etc.), network speeds are generally expressed as a number of bits per second (kilobits, megabits, gigabits etc.) The terms are very easy to confuse especially when they are abbreviated to just â€Å"meg†, â€Å"gig† etc. as both sets sometimes are. But, a broadband speed of â€Å"2 meg† would always mean â€Å"2 megabits per second† and never â€Å"2 megabytes per second†. Abbreviations are often used for these terms, and the same care needs to be taken. For example, the abbreviation for megabyte is MB whereas the abbreviation for megabit is Mb. The case of the â€Å"b† makes all the difference. The same is true for kilobytes/kilobits (KB/Kb), gigabytes/gigabits (GB/Gb) and so forth. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsSelect vs. SelectedThe Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

Operating Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Operating Systems - Essay Example Windows 10 Unix/Linux (Linux Kernel 4.1) MacOS (El Capitan) Scalability Windows 8 has the best scalability compared to the tow other version. It supports several hardware and components (1/3) A great number of hardware does not support it and this affects its scalability. This has greatly affected its application in some operating environments (3/3) Although it is an improvement of earlier versions, its scalability still falls below Windows (2/3) Ease of Use Out of the three operating systems, Windows 10 is the easiest to use (1/3) It is Complicated and many people may find it hard to use (3/ 3) The inclusion of several new features compromises its ease of use (2/3) Reliability Although improvements have been made in this version, it cannot match the reliability of Linux and MacOS (1/3) Linux is a kernel which can run for months and years without the need to reboot (2/3) It only run in Apple computers and is therefore prone to software and hardware crashing. (3/ 3)