Genre Mixing in the Film South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut :: essays research papers

Movies are often categorized by genres, which simply means kind or type. But most movies don’t fit into one single genre alone. Nowadays, it is common to see movies that are considered ‘horror’ and ‘science fiction’ like Signs or ‘romantic comedy’ and ‘fantasy’ like Groundhog Day (Film Art: An Introduction 109). The same is true for the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (South Park). South Park is a mixture of three different film genres. First of all, it is an animated film, filmed entirely of 2-dimensional cartoons. Second, it is a musical, incorporating song and dance into the story. And third, it is a comedy full of politically incorrect jokes and crude humor. These genres come together and mix flawlessly. Although animation is typically associated with kids’ movies, that is not the case with South Park. The 2-dimensional drawn animation in this movie is not to entertain kids, but more so to portray the opinions and thoughts of the writers (e.g.: the beady eyes and flopping heads of the Canadians). It also provides a convenient way of showing things that aren’t usually visible, like Hell, for example (Film Art: An Introduction 163). South Park, like other Hollywood musicals, celebrates typical American ideals like rewarding ambition and the romance in the film ending happily (Film Art: An Introduction 124). The musical component of the movie also increases the humor by making it even more out of control. With songs like â€Å"Blame Canada†, â€Å"Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch† and â€Å"What Would Brian Boitano Do?†, each having its own dance number, the film removes all seriousness and makes the film a hoot. The comedy is non-stop in this movie. From politically incorrect jokes like making Satan and Saddam Hussein a gay couple to gross-out humor like a giant clitoris that talks to Stan, the movie is full of laughs from start to finish. There is no limit to where this film will go. It touched on abortion, war, racism, technology, faulty parenting and other social issues, but it did so in a crude way, leaving the audience feeling a sense of amusement.

Dissocative Identity Disorder Essay -- Diseases, Disorders

We all daydreamed, gotten lost inside a movie, has even had an out of body experiences; don’t worry it’s all common, but it is also a mild form of dissociation. Dissociation is a separation within an individual’s actions, memories, thoughts feelings, or has a sense of being unreal. Among the most incomprehensible or mystifying and controversial is the rare dissociative identity disorder. It’s the most severe and chronic manifestation of the dissociative disorders. This colossal dissociation of identity from a conventional cognizance embodies those with dissociative identity disorder, (DID; previously known as multiple personality disorder) in which two more diverse characteristics are said to interchangeably switch the person’s demeanor. Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from severe trauma mostly in the person’s early childhood (usually around the age 9), due to extreme cyclical sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse. The dissociative aspect is assumed to be a managing method, because literally each personality has its own mannerisms, voice, age, sex, and even race; by dissociating their selves from a situation or experience that are too painful violent to assimilate with their conscious self. Typically, the original personality denies any awareness of the other identities. Understanding the development of multiple personalities is difficult, even for highly trained experts; making a diagnosis of DID take time. It’s estimated that individuals with dissociative identity disorder has spent seven years in the mental health system prior to diagnosis. This is because of the similarities of symptoms of many psychiatric diagnosis of treatment that they seek. The DSM-IV provides the following criteria to diagnose dis... ...her than the driver, they truly believe that they have no choice. A person in treatment for a dissociative disorder might benefit from antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication, but is still no "cure" for dissociative identity disorder; it has been proven for effective treatment which includes medications, psychotherapy or talk therapy, hypnotherapy, and adjunctive therapies long-term treatment is very successful, only if the patient stays committed. Bibliography www.dissociativeidentitydisorder.net psychology.about.com www.psychologytoday.com www.sidran.org www.webmd.com www.medicinet.com www.fortea.us/english/psiquatria/dissociative.htm: Analytical Overview, Jacqueline Costello. York College of Pennsylvania The American Psychiatric Association. (APA) (1994): Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders. (4thed). Washington DC: Author Dissocative Identity Disorder Essay -- Diseases, Disorders We all daydreamed, gotten lost inside a movie, has even had an out of body experiences; don’t worry it’s all common, but it is also a mild form of dissociation. Dissociation is a separation within an individual’s actions, memories, thoughts feelings, or has a sense of being unreal. Among the most incomprehensible or mystifying and controversial is the rare dissociative identity disorder. It’s the most severe and chronic manifestation of the dissociative disorders. This colossal dissociation of identity from a conventional cognizance embodies those with dissociative identity disorder, (DID; previously known as multiple personality disorder) in which two more diverse characteristics are said to interchangeably switch the person’s demeanor. Dissociative identity disorder is thought to stem from severe trauma mostly in the person’s early childhood (usually around the age 9), due to extreme cyclical sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse. The dissociative aspect is assumed to be a managing method, because literally each personality has its own mannerisms, voice, age, sex, and even race; by dissociating their selves from a situation or experience that are too painful violent to assimilate with their conscious self. Typically, the original personality denies any awareness of the other identities. Understanding the development of multiple personalities is difficult, even for highly trained experts; making a diagnosis of DID take time. It’s estimated that individuals with dissociative identity disorder has spent seven years in the mental health system prior to diagnosis. This is because of the similarities of symptoms of many psychiatric diagnosis of treatment that they seek. The DSM-IV provides the following criteria to diagnose dis... ...her than the driver, they truly believe that they have no choice. A person in treatment for a dissociative disorder might benefit from antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication, but is still no "cure" for dissociative identity disorder; it has been proven for effective treatment which includes medications, psychotherapy or talk therapy, hypnotherapy, and adjunctive therapies long-term treatment is very successful, only if the patient stays committed. Bibliography www.dissociativeidentitydisorder.net psychology.about.com www.psychologytoday.com www.sidran.org www.webmd.com www.medicinet.com www.fortea.us/english/psiquatria/dissociative.htm: Analytical Overview, Jacqueline Costello. York College of Pennsylvania The American Psychiatric Association. (APA) (1994): Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders. (4thed). Washington DC: Author

Big data analysis Essay

THE NEW INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE Some of the best-performing retailers are using analytics not just for finance and operational activities, but to boost competitive advantage on everything from displays, to marketing, customer service and customer experience management. Big Data, Analytics and the Path From Insights toValue How the smartest organizations are embedding analytics to transform information into insight and then action. Findings and recommendations from the first annual New Intelligent Enterprise Global Executive study. BY STEVE LAVALLE, ERIC LESSER, REBECCA SHOCKLEY, MICHAEL S. HOPKINS AND NINA KRUSCHWITZ IN EVERY INDUSTRY, in every part of the world, senior leaders wonder whether they are getting full value from the massive amounts of information they already have within their organizations. New technologies are collecting more data than ever before, yet many organizations are still looking for better ways to obtain value from their data and compete in the marketplace. Their questions about how best to achieve value persist. Are competitors obtaining sharper, more timely insights? Are they able to regain market advantage, neglected while focusing on expenses during the past two years? Are they correctly interpreting new signals from the global economy — and adequately assessing the impact on their customers and partners? Knowing what happened and why it happened are no longer adequate. Organizations need to know what is happening now, what is likely to happen next and what actions should be taken to get the optimal results. COURTESY OF BEST BUY THE LEADING QUESTION How are organizations using analytics to gain insight and guide action? FINDINGS Top-performingorganizations are twice as likely to apply analytics to activities. Thebiggest challenges in adopting analytics are managerial and cultural. V isualizing data differently will become increasingly valuable. WINTER 2011 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 21 THE NEW INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE ABOUT THE RESEARCH To understand the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of business analytics, MIT Sloan Management Review, in collaboration with the IBM Institute for Business Value, conducted a survey of more than 3,000 business executives, managers and analysts from organizations located around the world. The survey captured insights from individuals in 108 countries and more than 30 industries and involved organizations from a variety of sizes. The sample was drawn from a number of different sources, including MIT alumni and MIT Sloan Management Review subscribers, IBM clients and other interested parties. We also interviewed academic experts and subject matter experts from a number of industries and disciplines to understand the practical issues facing organizations today. Their insights contributed to a richer understanding of the data and the development of recommendations that respond to strategic and tactical questions that senior executives address as they operationalize analytics within their organizations. We also drew upon a number of IBM case studies to explore further how organizations are leveraging business analytics and illuminate how real organizations are putting our recommendations into action in different organizational settings. To help organizations understand the opportunity of information and advanced analytics, MIT Sloan Management Review partnered with the IBM Institute for Business Value to conduct a survey of nearly 3,000 executives, managers and analysts working across more than 30 industries and 100 countries. (See â€Å"About the Research. †) Among our key findings: Top-performing organizations use analytics five times more than lower performers. (See â€Å"Analytics Trumps Intuition. †) Overall, our survey found a widespread belief that analytics offers value. Half of our respondents said that improvement of information and analytics was a top priority in their organizations. And more than one in five said they were under intense or significant pressure to adopt advanced information and analytics approaches. The source of the pressure is not hard to ascertain. Six out of 10 respondents cited innovating to achieve competitive differentiation as a top business challenge. The same percentage also agreed that their organization has more data than it can use effectively. Organizational leaders want analytics to exploit their growing data and computational power to get smart, and get innovative, in ways they never could before. Senior executives now want businesses run on data-driven decisions. They want scenarios and simulations that provide immediate guidance on the best actions to take when disruptions occur — disruptions ranging from unexpected competitors or an earthquake in a supply zone to a customer signaling a desire to switch providers. Executives want to understand optimal solutions based on complex business parameters or new information, and they want to take action quickly. These expectations can be met — but with a caveat. For analytics-driven insights to be consumed — that is, to trigger new actions across the organization — they must be closely linked to business strategy, easy for end-users to understand and embedded into organizational processes so that action can be taken at the right time. That is no small task. It requires painstaking focus on the way insights are infused into everything from manufacturing and new product development to credit approvals and call center interactions. 22 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW WINTER 2011 Top Performers Say Analytics Is a Differentiator Our study clearly connects performance and the competitive value of analytics. We asked respondents to assess their organization’s competitive position. Those who selected â€Å"substantially outperform industry peers† were identified as top performers, while those who selected â€Å"somewhat or substantially underperform industry peers† were grouped as lower performers. We found that organizations that strongly agreed that the use of business information and analytics differentiates them within their industry were twice as likely to be top performers as lower performers. Top performers approach business operations differently than their peers do. Specifically, they put analytics to use in the widest possible range of decisions, large and small. They were twice as likely to use analytics to guide future strategies, and twice as likely to use insights to guide day-to-day operations. (See â€Å"The Analytics Habits of Top Performers,† p. 24. ) They make decisions based on rigorous analysis at more than double the rate of lower performers. The correlation between performance and analyticsdriven management has important implications to organizations, whether they are seeking growth, efficiency or competitive differentiation. Three Levels of Capabilities Emerged, Each with Distinct Opportunities Organizations that know where they are in terms of analytics adoption are better prepared to turn challenges into opportunities. We segmented respondents based on how they rated their organization’s analytics prowess, specifically how thoroughly their organizations had been transformed by better uses of analytics and information. Three levels of analytics capability emerged — Aspirational, Experienced and Transformed — each with clear distinctions. (See â€Å"The Three Stages of Analytics Adoption. †) Aspirational. These organizations are the furthest from achieving their desired analytical goals. Often they are focusing on efficiency or automation of existing processes and searching for ways to cut costs. Aspirational organizations currently have SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU few of the necessary building blocks — people, processes or tools — to collect, understand, incorporate or act on analytic insights. Experienced. Having gained some analytic experience — often through successes with efficiencies at the Aspirational phase — these organizat ions are lo oking to go b e yond cost management. Experienced organizations are developing better ways to collect, incorporate and act on analytics effectively so they can begin to optimize their organizations. Transformed. These organizations have substantial experience using analytics across a broad range of functions. They use analytics as a competitive differentiator and are already adept at organizing people, processes and tools to optimize and differentiate. Transformed organizations are less focused on cutting costs than Aspirational and Experienced organizations, possibly having already automated their operations through effective use of insights. They are most focused on driving customer profitability and making targeted investments in niche analytics as they keep pushing the organizational envelope. Transformed organizations were three times more likely than Aspirational organizations to indicate that they substantially outperform their industry peers. This performance advantage illustrates the potential rewards of higher levels of analytics adoption. Information Must Become Easier to Understand and Act Upon Executives want better ways to communicate complex insights so they can quickly absorb the meaning of the data and take action. Over the next two years, executives say they will focus on supplementing standard historical reporting with emerging approaches that make information come alive. These include data visualization and process simulation as well as text and voice analytics, social media analysis and other predictive and prescriptive techniques. New tools like these can make insights easier to understand and to act on at every point in an organization, and at every skill level. They transform numbers into information and insights that can be readily put to use, versus having to rely on further interpretation or leaving them to languish due to uncertainty about how to act. ANALYTICS TRUMPS INTUITION The tendency for top-performing organizations to apply analytics to particular activities across the organization compared with lower performers. A likelihood of 1. 0 indicates an equal likelihood that the organizations will use either analytics or intuition. Tendency to Apply Tendency to Apply Intuition Analytics Financial management and budgeting Data Is Not the Biggest Obstacle Despite popular opinion, getting the data right is not a top challenge that organizations face when adopting analytics. Only about one out of five respondents cited concern with data quality or ineffective data governance as a primary obstacle. The adoption barriers that organizations face most are managerial and cultural rather than related to data and technology. The leading obstacle to widespread analytics adoption is lack of understanding of how to use analytics to improve the business, according to almost four of 10 respondents. More than one in three cite lack of management bandwidth due to competing priorities. (See â€Å"The Impediments to Becoming More Data Driven. †) Strategy and business development Sales and marketing Customer service Product research and development Top Performers Lower Performers General management Risk management Customer experience management Brand or market management Work force planning and allocation Overall Average 0 SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU 22. 1 Operations and production 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WINTER 2011 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 23 THE NEW INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE What Leaders Can Do to Make Analytics Pay Off — A New Methodology It takes big plans followed by discrete actions to gain the benefits of analytics. But it also takes some very specific management approaches. Based on data from our survey, our engagement experience, case studies and interviews with experts, we have been able to identify a new, five-point methodology for successfully implementing analytics-driven management and for rapidly creating value. The recommendations that follow are designed to help organizations understand this â€Å"new path to value† and how to travel it. While each recommendation presents different pieces of the information-and-analytics value puzzle, each one meets all of these three critical management needs: Reduced time to value. Value creation can be achieved early in an organization’s progress to THE ANALYTICS HABITS OF TOP PERFORMERS Top-performing organizations were twice as likely to use analytics to guide day-to-day operations and future strategies as lower performers. THE THREE STAGES OF ANALYTICS ADOPTION Three capability levels — Aspirational, Experienced and Transformed — were based on how respondents rated their organization’s analytic prowess. ASPIRATIONAL EXPERIENCED TRANSFORMED Motive †¢Use analytics to justify actions †¢Use analytics to guide actions †¢ se analytics to prescribe actions U Functional proficiency †¢Financial management and budgeting †¢Operations and production †¢Sales and marketing †¢All Aspirational functions †¢Strategy/business development †¢Customer service †¢Product research/development †¢ ll Aspirational and Experienced A functions †¢Risk management †¢Customer experience †¢Work force planning/allocation †¢General management †¢Brand and market management Business challenges †¢ ompetitive differentiation through C innovation †¢Cost efficiency (primary) †¢Revenue growth (secondary) †¢ ompetitive differentiation through C innovation †¢Revenue growth (primary) †¢Cost efficiency (secondary) †¢ ompetitive differentiation through C innovation †¢Revenue growth (primary) †¢ rofitability acquiring/retaining P customers (targeted focus) Key obstacles †¢ ack of understanding how to leverage L analytics for business value †¢Executive sponsorship †¢ ulture does not encourage sharing C information †¢ ack of understanding how to leverage L analytics for business value †¢Skills within line of business †¢ wnership of data is unclear or O governance is ineffective †¢ ack of understanding how to leverage L analytics for business value †¢ anagement bandwidth due to M competing priorities †¢Accessibility of the data Data management †¢ imited ability to capture, aggregate, L analyze or share information and insights †¢ oderate ability to capture, aggregate M and analyze data †¢ imited ability to share information and L insights †¢ trong ability to capture, aggregate and S analyze data †¢ ffective at sharing information and E insights Analytics in action †¢ arely use rigorous approaches to R make decisions †¢ imited use of insights to guide future L strategies or day-to-day operations †¢ ome use of rigorous approaches to S make decisions †¢ rowing use of insights to guide future G strategies, but still limited use of insights to guide day-to-day operations †¢ ost use rigorous approaches to make M decisions †¢ lmost all use insights to guide future A strategies, and most use insights to guide day-to-day operations 24 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW WINTER 2011 SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU analytics sophistication. Contrary to common assumptions, it doesn’t require the presence of perfect data or a full-scale organizational transformation. Increased likelihood of transformation that’s both significant and enduring. The emerging methodology we’ve identified enables and inspires lasting change (strategic and cultural) by tactically overcoming the most significant organizational impediments. Greater focus on achievable steps. The approach used by the smartest companies is powerful in part because each step enables leaders to focus their efforts and resources narrowly rather than implementing universal changes — making every step easier to accomplish with an attractive ROI. Whether pursuing the best channel strategy, the best customer experience, the best portfolio or the best process innovation, organizations embracing this approach will be first in line to gain business advantage from analytics. have repeatedly heard that analytics aligned to a significant organizational challenge makes it easier to overcome a wide range of obstacles. Respondents cited many challenges, and none can be discounted or minimized: Executive sponsorship of analytics projects, data quality and access, governance, skills and culture all matter and need to be addressed in time. But when overtaken by the momentum of a single big idea and potentially game-changing insight, obstacles like these get swept into the wake of change rather than drowning the effort. THE IMPEDIMENTS TO BECOMING MORE DATA DRIVEN The adoption barriers organizations face most are managerial and cultural rather than related to data and technology. Lack of understanding of how to use analytics to improve the business Lack of management bandwidth due to competing priorities Lack of skills internally in the line of business Ability to get the data [RECOMMENDATION 1 ] First,Think Biggest Existing culture does not encourage sharing information Focus on the biggest and highestvalue opportunities Does attacking the biggest challenge carry the biggest risk of failure? Paradoxically, no — because big problems command attention and incite action. And as survey participants told us, management bandwidth is a top challenge. When a project’s stakes are big, top management gets invested and the best talent seeks to get involved. It’s extraordinarily hard for people to change from making decisions based on personal experience to making them from data — especially when that data counters the prevailing common wisdom. But upsetting the status quo is much easier when everyone can see how it could contribute to a major goal. With a potential big reward in sight, a significant effort is easier to justify, and people across functions and levels are better able to support it. Conversely, don’t start doing analytics without strategic business direction, as those efforts are likely to stall. Not only does that waste resources, it risks creating widespread skepticism about the real value of analytics. In our discussions with business executives, we SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU Ownership of data is unclear or governance is ineffective Lack of executive sponsorship Concerns with the data Perceived costs outweigh projected benefits No case for change Respondents were asked to select three obstacles to the widespread adoption of analytics in their organization. Don’t know where to start 0 10% 20% 30% 40% Percentage of respondents [RECOMMENDATION 2 ] Start in the Middle Within each opportunity, start with questions, not data Organizations traditionally are tempted to start by gathering all available data before beginning their analysis. Too often, this leads to an all-encompassing focus on data management — collecting, cleansing and converting data — that leaves little time, energy or resources to understand its potential uses. Actions taken, if any, might not be the most valuable ones. Instead, organizations should WINTER 2011 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 25 THE NEW INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE start in what might seem like the middle of the process, implementing analytics by first defining the insights and questions needed to meet the big business objective and then identifying those pieces of data needed for answers. By defining the desired insights first, organizations can target specific subject areas and use readily available data in the initial analytic models. The insights delivered through these initial models will illuminate gaps in the data infrastructure and business processes. Time that would have been spent cleaning up all data can be redirected toward targeted data needs and specific process improvements that the insights identify, enabling iterations of value. Companies that make data their overriding priority often lose momentum long before the first insight is delivered, frequently because a data-first approach can be perceived as taking too long before generating a financial return. By narrowing the scope of these tasks to the specific subject areas needed to answer key questions, value can be realized more quickly, while the insights are still relevant. Also, organizations that start with the data or process change often end up with unintended consequences — such as data that is not extensible or processes that are ultimately eliminated — that require rework and additional resources to solve. Speeding Insights into Business Operations Compared with other respondents, Transformed organizations are good at data capture. (See â€Å"What Data-Transformed Companies Do. †) Additionally, Transformed organizations are much more adept at WHAT DATA-TRANSFORMED COMPANIES DO Transformed organizations felt more confident in their ability to manage data tasks than Aspirational organizations, which seldom felt their organizations performed those tasks â€Å"very well. † Percent of respondents whose organizations perform these tasks very well. Capture Information Transformed Aspirational 9% Aggregate Information 36% 4X more likely Analyze Information 28% 3% 9X more likely 26 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW WINTER 2011 Disseminate Information and Insights 34% 4% 8. 5X more likely 21% 2% 10X more likely data management. In these areas, they outpaced Aspirational organizations up to tenfold in their ability to execute. Enterprise processes have many points where analytic insights can boost business value. The operational challenge is to understand where to apply those insights in a particular industry and organization. When a bank customer stops automatic payroll deposits or remittance transfers, for example, who in the organization should be alerted and tasked with finding out whether the customer is changing jobs or planning to switch banks? Where customer satisfaction is low, what insights are needed, and how should they be delivered to prevent defections? To keep the three gears moving together — data, insights and timely actions — the overriding business purpose must always be in view. That way, as models, processes and data are tested, priorities for the next investigation become clear. Data and models get accepted, rejected or improved based on business need. New analytic insights — descriptive, predictive and prescriptive — are embedded into increasing numbers of applications and processes, and a virtuous cycle of feedback and improvement takes hold. [RECOMMENDATION 3 ] Make Analytics Come Alive Embed insights to drive actions and deliver value New methods and tools to embed information into business processes — use cases, analytics solutions, optimization, work flows and simulations — are making insights more understandable and actionable. Respondents identified trend analysis, forecasting and standardized reporting as the most important tools they use today. However, they also identified tools that will have greater value in 24 months. The downswings in â€Å"as-is† methods accompanied by corresponding upswings in â€Å"to-be† methods were dramatic. (See â€Å"Where Are DataDriven Managers Headed? † p. 27. ) Today’s staples are expected to be surpassed in the next 24 months by: 1. Data visualization, such as dashboards and scorecards SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU 2. Simulations and scenario development 3. Analytics applied within business processes 4. Advanced statistical techniques, such as regression analysis, discrete choice modeling and mathematical optimization. Organizations expect the value from these emerging techniques to soar, making it possible for data-driven insights to be used at all levels of the organization. For example, GPS-enabled navigation devices can superimpose real-time traffic patterns and alerts onto navigation maps and suggest the best routes to drivers. Similarly, in oil exploration, three-dimensional renderings combine data from sensors in the field with collaborative and analytical resources accessible across the enterprise. Production engineers can incorporate geological, production and pipeline information into their drilling decisions. Beyond 3-D, animated maps and charts can simulate critical changes in distribution flow or projected changes in consumption and resource availability. In the emerging area of analytics for unstructured data, patterns can be visualized through verbal maps that pictorially represent word frequency, allowing marketers to see how their brands are perceived. Innovative uses of this type of information layering will continue to grow as a means to help individuals across the organization consume and act upon insights derived through complex analytics that would otherwise be hard to piece together. New Techniques and Approaches Transform Insights into Actions New techniques to embed insights will gain in value by generating results that can be readily understood and acted upon:  ¦ Dashboards that now reflect actual last-quarter sales will also show what sales could be next quarter under a variety of different conditions — a new media mix, a price change, a larger sales team, even a major weather or sporting event.  ¦ Simulations evaluating alternative scenarios will automatically recommend optimal approaches — such as the best media mix to introduce a specific product to a specific segment, or the ideal number of sales professionals to assign to a particular new territory.  ¦ Use cases will illustrate how to embed insights into business applications and processes. SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU New methods will also make it possible for decision makers more fully to see their customers’ purchases, payments and interactions. Businesses will be able to listen to customers’ unique wants and needs about channel and product preferences. WHERE ARE DATA-DRIVEN MANAGERS HEADED? Organizations expect that the ability to visualize data differently will be the most valuable technique in two years. Other techniques and activities that are currently delivering the most value today will still be done, but will be of less value. Today In 24 Months Historic trend analysis and forecasting Data visualization Standardized reporting Simulations and scenario development Analytics applied within business processes Data visualization Regression analysis, discrete choice modeling and mathematical optimization Analytics applied within business processes Simulations and scenario development Historic trend analysis and forecasting Clustering and segmentation Clustering and segmentation Regression analysis, discrete choice modeling and mathematical optimization Standardized reporting Respondents were asked to identify the top three analytic techniques creating value for the organization, and predict which three would be creating the most value in 24 months. In fact, making customers, as well as information, come to life within complex organizational systems may well become the biggest benefit of making data-driven insights real to those who need to use them. [RECOMMENDATION 4 ] Add, Don’t Detract Keep existing capabilities while adding new ones When executives first realize their need for analytics, they tend to turn to those closest to them for answers. Over time, these point-of-need resources come together in local line of business units to enable sharing of insights. Ultimately, centralized units emerge to bring a shared enterprise perspective — governance, tools, methods — and specialized expertise. As executives use analytics more frequently to inform day-to-day decisions and actions, WINTER 2011 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 27 THE NEW INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE this increasing demand for insights keeps resources at each level engaged, expanding analytic capabilities even as activities are shifted for efficiencies. (See â€Å"How Analytics Capabilities Grow with Adoption. †) Sophisticated modeling and visualization tools, as noted, will soon provide greater business value than ever before. But that does not mean that spreadsheets and charts should go away. On the contrary: New tools should supplement earlier ones or continue to be used side by side as needed. That lesson applies to plines. (See â€Å"How Analytics Propagates Across Functions. †) In Transformed organizations, reusability creates a snowball effect, as models from one function are repurposed into another with minimal modifications. Over time, data-driven decision making branches out across the organization. As experience and usage grow, the value of analytics increases, which enables business benefits to accrue more quickly. Add Value with an Enterprise Analytics Unit HOW ANALYTICS CAPABILITIES GROW WITH ADOPTION The frequency with which analytics is used to support decisions increases as organizations transition from one level of analytic capability to the next. At the same time, analytics migrate toward more centralized units, first at the local line of business level and then at the enterprise level, while the portion of analytics performed at points of need and with IT remain stable. Percent using analytics frequently Where analytics performed 100% 80% Centralized analytic units 60% Line of business analytic units 40% 20% At point of need IT department 0% Aspirational Experienced Transformed nearly every way that analytics capabilities should be nurtured as an organization becomes more ambitious about becoming data driven: The process needs to be additive. As analytics capabilities are added upstream at increasingly central levels of management, existing capabilities at point of need shouldn’t be subtracted. Nor should they be transplanted to central locations. As new capabilities come on board, existing ones should continue to be supported. There are other ways that capabilities grow and deepen within an organization. Disciplines like finance and supply chain are inherently data intensive and are often where analytics first take root. Encouraged by early successes, organizations begin expanding analytic decision making to more disci28 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW WINTER 2011 Organizations that first experience the value of analytics in discrete business units or functions are likely soon to seek a wider range of capabilities — and more advanced use of existing ones. A centralized analytics unit, often called either a center of excellence or center of competency, makes it possible to share analytic resources efficiently and effectively. It does not, however, replace distributed and localized capabilities; rather, the central unit is additive, built upon existing capabilities that may have already developed in functions, departments and lines of business. We found that 63% more Transformed organizations than Aspirational organizations use a centralized enterprise unit as the primary source of analytics. A centralized analytics unit can provide a home for more advanced skills to come together within the organization, providing both advanced models and enterprise governance through establishing priorities and standards by these practices:  ¦ Advance standard methods for identifying business problems to be solved with analytics.  ¦ Facilitate identification of analytic business needs while driving rigor into methods for embedding insights into end-to-end processes.  ¦ Promote enterprise-level governance on prioritization, master data sources and reuse to capture enterprise efficiencies.  ¦ Standardize tools and analytic platforms to enable resource sharing, streamline maintenance and reduce licensing expenses. In three distinct areas — application of analytic tools, functional use of analytics and location of skills — we found that adding capabilities without detracting from existing ones offers a fast path to full benefits from analytics-driven management. SLOANREVIEW. MIT. EDU [RECOMMENDATION 5 ] Build the Parts, Plan the Whole Use an information agenda to plan for the future Big data is getting bigger. Information is coming from instrumented, interconnected supply chains transmitting real-time data about fluctuations in everything from market demand to the weather. Additionally, strategic information has started arriving through unstructured digital channels: social media, smart phone applica

Design a computer system for a video hire shop Essay

I have noticed that keeping customer records on paper can be time consuming and neither practical or easy to use. The aim of this project is to create a database for a company or an organization; I have chosen Vinnie’s videos. My database will include customer information to make organization and customer relations simpler; the new system will be more practical. An electronic database will make life easier as it will be superior to a card filling system and will save time and money. A computer system is better than the old card filing method for many reasons. Example, searches can be carried out instantly rather than many manual records being waded through, customer information for a hundred people can be copied almost instantly to a standard letter. Vinny will be able to keep customer information lists, detailing contact information, stats on the customers videos, lists of regular jobs that need to be performed i. e. check who has videos out; in order that notices can be sent using mail merge. This will help Vinny keep up to data and on top of customer relations and business. A search function for my database will make it simple for letters detailing special offers which are customer specific to be sent out easily. After considering the pros and cons of the two systems I have decided that it is definitely more practical to use a computer system over a card filling system. Strengths and Weaknesses of current system: Vinny currently has a very primitive filling system, It has a lot weaknesses. It takes a long time to find records, as they are stored in a filling cabinet. When editing a record you must remove the entire card and rewrite it, it is time consuming to add new records. To re-sort the records would take a very long time as it would obviously have to be done manually. To search for information is also time consuming, especially if you are looking for a number of customers with similar records for some purpose. However the database is comprehensive and does contain all the records needed. What I need to do is design and makes a new database with all the information from the old one transferred into it. There are also a number of programs that I could consider using, they are Microsoft word, Microsoft excel or Microsoft access. I will need to use a database creation package like MS Access, Fox Pro, DBASE II or IV or Borland Database Explorer to create my database tables, queries, forms, reports and macros easily and also program them with the Visual Basic programming script to make my database into a professional running program. According to the user requirements MS Access is the best one also because it is mostly familiar to people. I will need a word processing package like MS Word, Notepad, WordPad and Word Perfect. MS Word is the best one to use because you can use word art and insert pictures or print screens into the document and also is mostly used by people. Hardware needed: I need a computer that can run Microsoft Access and Microsoft Word just in case I need to use the mail merge. For this I will use a QWERTY keyboard for the manual input of data and the commands for the computer. I will need a mouse or trackball to design the database forms, to navigate the GUI of the OS and to move copy and paste data. I will need to use a 31/2 inch floppy disk and drive or a CDRW disk and drive in order to save my database and to make backups of my database. I will only use a CDRW if the database exceeds 1. 38-1. 44 MB. CDRW’s can hold from 500-700 MB of information. I will need a printer to print out the design of my database of for word documentation of the database. The system should have at least 300 MHZ hard drive speed, and 5 GB memory, it should have at least a 128 MB RAM. Problem1: a system management to put the videos in order Form of output: a database Information to be output: video title, video director, main actor, year released, length and genre, how many copies are available and how many are on loan. Data needed to produce the output: video title, video director, main actor, year released, length and genre, which will be provided by Vinny. Desired outcomes and performance criteria: It has to be sorted so you can see a certain type of genre or year. Testing: To see if all the correct records are in the right query. Problem 2: needs a system to store all the members’ names and addresses Form of output: a database Information to be output: name, address, user number, telephone. Data needed to produce the output: name, address, user number, telephone. This is provided by Vinny. Desired outcomes and performance criteria: member’s details available so we can contact them if needed. Testing: not needed Problem 3: I don’t have a system to see who has what video checked out and who has videos that are over due. Form of output: database Information to be output: name, user number, video rented, date taken out, date due back Data needed to produce the output: name, user number, video rented, date taken out, date due back. This will be provided by Vinny, anyone that rents a new video will be entered into the database. Desired outcomes and performance criteria: a list to see which videos are on loan. When somebody rents a video out all I want to have to do is click on the film name and type their name in. The rental time allowance will be 3 days and automatically entered Testing: see if the people who have taken a video out have a book due on the database Analysis of Strategies for Backup and Security. The system will be backed up on CD-RW’s daily and on hard disk drives and a server. The database will have an encrypted modification password and it will be write-protected so it cannot be deleted. If a staff member needs to access the database to modify it, then a staff password is needed. It will not open until the password is correct Information Flow Error Checking To ensure that the information is correct the staff will send the members an invoice with their details they have inputted and attached is another form to fill in the correct information and then collect it and update the database. For the videos the staff will do daily checks on the database to see any obscure looking information in the database and will edit this info by getting the video and re-entering the video data again. Or the staff will do two copies of information identical to each other because the information will be inputted twice and if they are not identical then one or the other or both are changed with the correct information. Skills The user is a competent pc user and will not need any sort of training, he would like it to be user friendly though, so if any new staff join, it will be easy to pick up.

Like the Molave

MILITARY AIRCRAFT A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat: Combat aircraft are aircraft designed to destroy enemy equipment using their own armament. Combat aircraft are normally developed and procured only by military forces. Non-combat aircraft are aircraft not designed for combat as their primary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. These mainly operate in support roles, and may be developed by either military forces or civilian organizations. To control and maneuver the aircraft, smaller wings are located at the tail of the plane. The tail usually has a fixed horizontal piece, called the horizontal stabilizer, and a fixed vertical piece, called the vertical stabilizer. The stabilizers' job is to provide stability for the aircraft, to keep it flying straight. The vertical stabilizer keeps the nose of the plane from swinging from side to side, which is called yaw. The horizontal stabilizer prevents an up-and-down motion of the nose, which is called pitch. (On the Wright brother's first aircraft, the horizontal stabilizer was placed in front of the wings. Such a configuration is called a canard after the French word for â€Å"duck†). The first aircraft flight was made by the Wright Brothers I 1903, it lasted only 12 seconds and covered 120 feet (37 meters) but it proven that a man could build and fly a heavier-than-air machine. In 1909, the first military aircraft in history was delivered to the Signal Corpse. This aircraft, like the original Wright Brothers’ flying machine, was a pusher-type design (its engine was behind the pilot and in front of the propellers) with a 30 horsepower engine, skids for landing, and room enough for a two man crew. By the end of the 1914, pusher-type aircraft had been condemned in favor of the tractor type design, in which the engine was mounted in the front of the pilot and behind the propeller. After that may changes were made in an effort to gain a bit more speed. Combat aircraft (warplanes) divide broadly into fighters and bombers. There are several variations between the fighter and the bomber, including fighter-bombers, such as the MiG-23, ground-attack aircraft, such as the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik. Also included among combat aircraft are long-range maritime patrol aircraft, such as the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod and the S-3 Viking that are often equipped to attack with anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine weapons. The main role of fighters is destroying enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, offensive or defensive. Many are fast and highly maneuverable. Escorting bombers or other aircraft is also a common task. They are capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including machine guns, cannons, rockets and guided missiles. Many modern fighters can attack enemy fighters from a great distance, before the enemy even sees them. Examples of air superiority fighters include the F-22 Raptor and the MiG-29. WWII fighters include the Spitfire, the P-51 Mustang and Bf 109. An example of an interceptor (a fighter designed to take-off and quickly intercept and shoot down enemy planes) would be the MiG-25. An example of a heavy fighter is the Messerschmitt Bf 110. The term â€Å"fighter† is also sometimes applied to aircraft that have virtually no air-air capability – for example the A-10 ground-attack aircraft is operated by USAF â€Å"Fighter† squadrons. Bombers are normally larger, heavier, and less maneuverable than fighter aircraft. They are capable of carrying large payloads of bombs. Bombers are used almost exclusively for ground attacks and not fast or agile enough to take on enemy fighters head-to-head. A few have a single engine and require one pilot to operate and others have two or more engines and require crews of two or more. A limited number of bombers, such as the B-2 Spirit, have stealth capabilities that keep them from being detected by enemy radar. An example of a conventional modern bomber would be the B-52 Stratofortress. An example of a WWII bomber would be a B-17 Flying Fortress. Bombers include light bombers, medium bombers, heavy bombers, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers. The U. S. Navy and Marines have traditionally referred to their light and medium bombers as â€Å"attack aircraft†. Air force missions require short-, medium-, and long range transports. The C-130 Hercules can haul up to 36,500 pounds (16,500 kg) of cargo, be readily converted into an ambulance, or be modified for special duty such as high altitude mapping, weather reconnaissance, search and rescue, flight refueling, ferrying fuel to advance bases, and ski operations in arctic regions. Military transport (logistics) aircraft are primarily used to transport troops and war supplies. Cargo can be attached to pallets, which are easily loaded, secured for flight, and quickly unloaded for delivery. Cargo also may be discharged from flying aircraft on parachutes, eliminating he need for landing. Including aerial tankers; these planes can refuel other aircraft while in flight. An example of a transport aircraft is the C-17 Globemaster III. A WWII example would be the C-47. An example of a tanker craft would be the KC-135 Stratotanker. Helicopters and gliders can transport troops and supplies to areas where other aircraft would be unable to land. Calling a military aircraft a â€Å"cargo plane† is incorrect, because military transport planes also carry paratroopers and other soldiers. Helicopters deserve special mention as military aircraft. They are unexcelled for rescue work and for delivery of people and material to otherwise inaccessible areas. Some helicopters are armed and serve as attack aircraft, providing gun and rocket fire against ground targets. Other helicopters deliver assault troops to advanced combat areas and supply them with ammunition and other needs. Special-purpose research aircraft are occasionally designed, assembled, and tested in order to experiment with advanced aerodynamic, structural, avionic, or propulsion concepts that must be validated before they can be applied to other aircraft designs. Research aircraft are usually well instrumented, with performance data telemetered on radio-frequency data links to ground stations located at the test ranges where they are flown. Several countries are developing vertical takeoff and landing. Experimental techniques include the use of wings that can tilt 90 degrees from the horizontal to vertical or any position in between, engines that tilt while attached to fixed wings, helicopter blades that can be folded and stowed while the aircraft is in forward conventional flight, buried jet engines whose exhaust can be directed downward of from the rear, and combination of all of these. As of now the high cost of developing new military aircraft has resulted in cooperative efforts among the various European NATO countries. Teams of designers from several countries have worked together to develop and build aircraft to be used by the armed services of all NATO partners.

Beliefs in the sanctity of life Essay

Explain how beliefs in sanctity of life may influence ethical approaches to abortion This issue involves the principles associated with abortion and involves the consideration of the act of killing and the ethical questions that this raises. The belief that life is in some way sacred or holy is widely supported throughout several different cultures and religions, and is traditionally understood as being given by God. Believers in the Sanctity of Life take a deontological position in which love and compassion for all human life has a significant role in their everyday lives. The sanctity of life argument is often put forward from a Christian viewpoint, and is also supported in the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of England also combines opposition to abortion with recognition that there can be â€Å"strictly limited† conditions in which it is morally acceptable to carry out an abortion. Members of this Church share the Roman Catholic view that abortion is â€Å"gravely contr ary to the moral law†, suggesting that life is precious and reinforcing their belief in the sanctity of life. The Church says that human life begins when the woman’s egg is fertilised by a male sperm. From that moment a unique life begins, independent of the life of the mother and father. The features that distinguish us from our parents – the colour of our eyes, the shape of our face – are all laid down in the genetic code that comes into existence then. Each new life that begins at this point is not a potential human being but a human being with potential, therefore abortion is wrong, because life is precious and created in God’s image. Kant gives the idea of the sanctity of life a non-religious perspective based on ethical grounds. He considers each human life sacred, and said that everyone has potential to have a good life, therefore against abortion as he believes life starts from conception. Abortion cannot be justified in Kantian ethics if it simply concerns itself because the foetus has intrinsic value based upon the principle of the sanctity of life. However Singer argues from both sides, and says â€Å"To kill a human adult is murder, and is unhesitatingly and universally condemned. Yet there is no obvious sharp line which marks the zygote from the adult. Hence the problem.† By recognising the problem of abortion and when a foetus becomes a person, in which killing it is punishable, Singer considers the social moral grounds of killing and the ethical questions it raises. Therefore by not coming to a full conclusion, we see that not all people have an absolute view on the sanctity  of life in relation to abortion. Some relativists say that they are neither pro-life nor pro-choice, and it depends entirely on the circumstance. For example, if giving birth to a baby would put the mother’s life at risk, then an abortion would be acceptable because it could be argued that a foetus is not a person and that the sanctity of the mother’s life is greater than the foetus’, meaning that they may interpret the terms ‘life’ and ‘unborn’ differently. Whilst looking at these two interpretations, the sanctity of different stages of life are brought into consideration.

Business research project Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business research project - Literature review Example This requires that we understand the challenges that affect tourism, for example, we must understand the trends that dictate demand and supply, the evolving external environment and the need to improve capacity of tourism organizations so that they are responsive to the demands of the diverse interests it serves. Tourism relies on a cycle known as the travel cycle, which entails dreaming, researching, booking, experiencing then sharing of the experience. Dreaming occurs especially on the web when the potential traveller or the tourist goes online in search of the means of travel. This could be through blogs, reviews or videos that inspire the potential travellers to travel. Researching then occurs when the would-be consumer or traveller narrows down on the travel options and make requests on information by querying. It is important as it enables the travel agent or tourist operators know the client’s path towards purchasing. Booking comes next through either online bookings or mobile bookings for air travel and hotel accommodation. In evaluation of future tourism, it is important for operators to device ways of enabling the consumers easily find; books the packages via any device mobile applications come in handy at this moment, and marketers must strive to take advantage of search advertising if they are to succeed. For example, Google has devised ways in which operators can add phone numbers to mobile advertisements for companies that own call centres. This in turn has made it easier for customers to book by just clicking on the Click to call ads. Experiencing enables customers to find concierge type information as they travel and can therefore acquire other types of services. This requires tourist operators to provide reliable access to the internet as they travel with your facilities and offer useful information for the tourists to experience and enjoy your services. Sharing of one’s experience inspires others who have not experienced the phen omenon to want to consume it. It is imperative to note that most travellers read reviews from others and tourist and travel operators must take the opportunity of being part of the conversation in the sharing of this information. Technology as applicable in the tourism industry has revolutionized it more than ever before as more people have become connected to each other with most people having access to information online on travel and tourist bookings. This requires the tourism industry players to adapt and upgrade their practices and skills to meet the growing demands of the customer. Technology can be used by tourism providers to market their products and services such as destinations and the attractions on offer. The information that is provided online is important to stimulate the researcher or the would-be tourist to travel and have good memories of the travel. To reach the traveller, the operators can make use of digital marketing through search engines, mobile phone applica tions or location based marketing. It is important to make the product appealing and have the best prices for the content placed in the internet. Having the requisite infrastructure to respond or meet the needs of the consumer is important for the tourism and travel operat