Assesment of Wal-Mart's international expansion strategy Essay

Assesment of Wal-Mart's international expansion strategy - Essay Example These locations where Wal-Mart has a well-established or newly-established presence were the product of joint ventures, foreign direct investment for wholly-owned Wal-Mart cash and carry stores, and through intense acquisition strategies. Wal-Mart in China Wal-Mart chose an export-led growth strategy in China as well as foreign direct investment for wholly-owned Wal-Mart stores. One of the main reasons for selecting this particular entry strategy is the difference in currency value between the Yuan and the U.S. Dollar, especially at the time of market entry in the 1990s before China became its current industrialized entity. Chinese domestic firms, additionally, have significant credit restraints for business development that restricts international trade activities (Manova, Wei and Zhang 2010). Limited credit availability gives Wal-Mart a significant advantage as it can procure capital from its domestic operational environment (i.e. The United States) to perform expansion, improve op erations, and also ensure better procurement of international goods for sale in China. Limited credit availability in China gives Wal-Mart a significant competitive advantage as research data shows that exporting or foreign-owned businesses perform better than domestic Chinese firms (Manova, et al). Having access to more capital and credit gives Wal-Mart the ability to set lower prices as a means to outperform domestic firms operating in the same sales industry as Wal-Mart in China. Further, Chinese consumers are extremely price sensitive and a recent survey indicated that Chinese consumers consider pricing above all other factors when buying merchandise (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, Hexter and St-Maurice 2008). Chinese consumer willingness to defect to another brand is significant when prices rise by a mere five percent (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, et al). Wal-Mart is a well-established promotional leader in the United States and other Westernized countries, thus it has an immediate advantage i n talent expertise upon entry into a foreign market. Coupled with price-sensitive buyers, Wal-Mart can simply transfer its existing everyday-low-price model directly in the new region without significant costs of redesigning organisational structure or service delivery design. Long-run operational cost reduction is the methodology for entering China under direct investment in wholly-owned businesses due to environmental and social conditions in this country. Additionally, Chinese consumers learn a great deal about Western culture through media exposure and their personal travels which has led to a great demand for Western brands (Emmons 2002). This determined the export-led strategy for taking domestic product and flooding it into the Chinese market based on social demographic characteristics of the Chinese consumer. The high Chinese demand for U.S.-produced products is also supported by a vast global infrastructure for procurement needs, thus satisfying budget related to the supply chain. Furthermore, the political environment in China is growing ever-more favourable for foreign direct investment, such as reducing the tariff rates associated with foreign exports (Carbaugh 2009). Governmental restrictions and supplemental

Our Buttocks Are Different Essay Example for Free

Our Buttocks Are Different Essay I have chosen Arthur Rimbaud’s poem entitled â€Å"Our Assholes Are Different†. The poem was originally written in French and has been translated in many different versions. Interestingly, the poem is also known as â€Å"Our Buttocks Are Not Theirs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and carries a significant reference to the poet’s personal life as he was an unabashed homosexual. The poem is also a reflection on Rimbaud’s tongue-in-cheek and witty sense of humor that is his unique trademark in all his writings. In this paper, I will discuss his usage of tone, imagery and symbolism. First I am going to analyze tone. The poem is spoken in a direct, straight-forward manner with feelings of animation, pleasure and amusement. The poet is clearly thrilled with the idea of peeping into other’s private moment of relief but instead of looking at them with disgust, the view provides him with romantic, happy, idle thoughts that remind him of freedom. The act of relieving oneself is actually a form of release and that the pleasure is both mutual, for the reliever as well as the watcher, â€Å"And in those happy floods that youth set free I watched the architecture of our crotch†. To the poet, seeing the buttocks is a way of appraising nature as it occurs upon him that not one buttock is similar to the other. It is interesting how he describes the buttock similar to our faces, with â€Å"a dimple indent’ and characteristic from one another, â€Å"Its forms to muscles, and a wickerwork/ Of hairs; for girls, the most enchanting lurk/ In a dark crack where tufted satin grows†. The smooth roundness and blushing cheeks of our buttocks reminds him of the â€Å"painted cherub on a Baroque shrine† known for their adorable exposed buttocks that are as chubby as the cheeks on their innocent, angelic faces. The touch and appearance of its softness from afar excites the poet as it inspires him the meaning of liberation, â€Å"If only we were naked now, and free†. And at the end of the poem the poet even sounds aroused when he declares, ‘to watch our protruding parts align;/ To whisper – both of us in ecstasy! †. Next I will analyze imagery. Rimbaud uses simple language to describe his emotions and responses to something we often keep private. As he begins with describing his habit of watching people urinating in private, he describes them as how he sees them with a touch of romanticism. The poet is descriptive in the physical attributes of the buttocks similar to if he were looking and describing a building, â€Å"I watched the architecture of our crotch/ Quite firm, in many cases, it owes its form to muscles, and a wickerwork/Of hairs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . While others would feel embarrassed to look, let alone illustrate, the sight of another’s private parts, Rimbaud is unabashed, telling them as God’s enchanting work of art as he sees them as ‘touching and wonderful innocence†. It is interesting how Rimbaud uses a small reference for relief (urinating) and transforms them into a bigger and more profound imagery such as freedom of the soul. And as one openly exposes oneself with his buttock, we might as well go completely naked to experience the ultimate form of relief – spiritual liberation. Next I will discuss symbolism. On the surface level, Rimbaud’s buttock is extremely physical: one sees another urinating and the buttock is exposed for all to see, perhaps unintentionally. However, on a closer inspection, the buttock signifies an opportunity to be free, not just for the observed but also the observer. From just the mere sight of a person’s buttock, the poet is saying we are hiding something so marvelous and beautiful to behold, thus, let alone an entire body that would be even more marvelous to be shared, â€Å"Oh! If only we were naked now, and free/ To watch our protruding parts align†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The buttock is an attribute we have behind us and that is constantly covered, like a best-kept secret. Yet it plays a crucial role for humans as it releases toxins from the body. And because it is always kept hidden, it becomes a wonder. And how we keep it â€Å"quite firm† or â€Å"a wickerwork of hairs†, is a reflection of who we are and our personality, much like a thumbprint. And thus, seeing glimpses of one’s crack is much like having a preview into one’s personality before you even get to know that person, and that creates another significant excitement for the poet. â€Å"Our assholes are different from theirs† reverberate a connotation of distinction. It is as if the poet is saying, â€Å"theirs† are different to mine. He describes the buttocks he sees and those of â€Å"young men† depicting them as filled with youth and â€Å"innocence†. And if he could stand naked among them, his bottom would be â€Å"whispering† to theirs – as if in humility – the joys and pleasure to be firm, carefree and adolescent again. There are no worries and no hassles in life, just liberation. This poem has an odd topic for discussion, yet it makes a lot of sense about wanting, needing, and appreciating freedom. And what is unique about its symbolism, is that the poet uses a simple concept to teach us about freedom from the simple act of urinating and relieving oneself. The problems we bottle inside us are similar to the urine we accumulate throughout the day. And as we operate in a cycle from drinking to urinating, we need to do employ the same method in other aspects of our lives. Yet we do not. Imagine if we had the same discipline with our problems and our life’s choices. We have the ability to purge out unnecessary â€Å"toxins† in our body such as hate, anger, tension, stress, frustration and sadness on a daily basis, we would be leading healthy lives and cancer would not exist. Silly as it sounds, the poem about our buttocks is a good reminder of the little pleasures in life we often take for granted. And poems such as this are a reminder of why Rimbaud was hailed a brilliant poet. He succeeds in bringing to life imagery and symbolism that would otherwise make no sense to us.

Curriculum Steiner Montessori

Curriculum Steiner Montessori Introduction As with most things in education, there is no agreed definition of ‘curriculum’. The way we understand and theorise it has altered over the years. A useful starting point for us here might be the definition offered by John Kerr and taken up by Vic Kelly in his standard work on the subject. Kerr (Kelly 1999, p.10) defines curriculum as ‘All the learning which is planned and guided by school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside school.’ There are many theorists who have studied child development and have designed curriculum’s from their own theories which they think will offer the best learning environment. This report will only examine three of various current curricula but offers an insight of how there is no real right or wrong way of how a child learns. The report will take a look at the ‘Steiner Method’, the ‘Montessori Method’, and finally it will discuss the ‘High Scope Method’, a more recently developed method. It will also provide examples on how some of the ideas of these methods are being incorporated into other childcare settings and curriculums. The Steiner Method There is over eight hundred Steiner schools world wide. The Steiner method is based on the philosophies of Rudolf Steiner and the education emphasises personal responsibility and social awareness. The central aim of the education is to equip young people emotionally, spiritually and intellectually, not only to meet the future but to play an important part in shaping it. According to Steiner’s philosophy, man is a threefold being of spirit, soul, and body whose capacities unfold in three developmental stages on the path to adulthood: early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. Steiner education differs from the mainstream in a number of ways. In a Steiner school there is no Hierarchy, teachers and parents work along together. Children do not start formal education until they are six or seven years old and they then stay with the same teacher for seven years. The teacher works with the student’s parents, often visiting the family home to allow parental involvement. Classrooms are filled with natural and organic materials. In a Steiner nursery, children typically play with simple unfinished, wooden toys rather than bright plastic ones, to allow their imaginations to develop. A Steiner classroom would have few books and few computers. The Steiner philosophy dictates that screen images hinder the development of thought and imagination. Colour is important to Steiners educational philosophy for helping childrens imagination to thrive so pupils are instructed carefully as to how to proceed through the colour spectrum (Lewis 2001). The huge difference between the Steiner method and other methods is that learning is directed by the teacher rather than the child. There is a huge emphasis on creativity and teachers will show children how and what materials they use. Teachers stress physical development through a ritualised dance form called eurhythmy. Another primary principle of the Steiner method is children do not start reading until their adult teeth have erupted, usually around age seven, which, according to Steiner, shows the child’s readiness to start formal education. Delayed reading is one of the most controversial issues surrounding Steiner education, and there is concern from some educators that children may miss out on their literacy and reading â€Å"windows† (Mogensen 2004). The Steiner method is one that is hugely different to other methods used in Nurseries and schools; therefore it is sometimes difficult to see similarities in other educational institutions. However you can see similar theories in the Montessori Method. The use of natural materials and the calm setting is one of the main principles that link the two methods. I have seen this in place at a Montessori primary school. The school was very quiet, and lots of toys and learning materials were made of wood and other natural materials. The school also adopted some of the creative ideas that Steiner follow. They let the children make their own story books instead of reading published books with ‘ready-made’ images, which encourages the child to use their imagination more widely. I think this is a great idea, as children are not tainted by a particular image of a person, animal, object or environment. Kettle Nursery, who follow a 3-5 curriculum, hold regular meetings with parents to inform them of their child’s development, and they also give parents opportunities to observe their child in the nursery. This promotes parental involvement, which is another of Steiner’s main principles. The Montessori Method The Montessori Method is an educational method for children, based on theories of child development originated by an Italian educator, Maria Montessori. The method accommodates all ages of children but it is applied primarily in preschool and elementary schools. It is an alternative type of method that harnesses the child’s natural ability to learn and is built upon the idea that children develop and think differently than adults. The Montessori Method supports all aspects of the Childs personal and social development. â€Å"From the moment the child enters the classroom, each step in his education is seen as a progressive building block, ultimately forming the whole person, in the emergence from childhood to adulthood. All focus is on the needs of the child† (Hainstock 1997, p.xiii). One distinguishing feature of the Montessori at the preschool age is that children direct their own learning, choosing among the sections of a well structured and stocked classroom including practical life, sensorial, Language, Math, Geography, Science and Art. The â€Å"Practical Life† area is especially for the very young child and teaches them how to care for themselves and their environment. Here, a child will learn to dress themselves, to pour, to wash a table, and to properly wash their hands, among other things. The â€Å"Sensorial† area allows them to use their senses to learn about the world. Here, a child will learn to judge different heights, lengths, weights, colors, sounds, smells, shapes, and textures. The language, math, geography and science areas provide a child with aids for their intellectual development. Exercises in body movement assist their physical development and their awareness of their body and what it can do. Many Montessori schools add such areas as music, art, dancing, sewing, wood-working and foreign languages to further enrich a child’s total development (Montessori 1912). In a Montessori school, a child teaches himself through their use of the specially designed Montessori materials. These are attractive, generally simple, child-sized materials that are self-correcting, that is, if a child makes an error, they can see it by looking at the material itself in this way; no adult is needed to point out their mistake and perhaps injure their self-esteem. The child learns to work alone and with others in a Montessori school. A child learns to follow the class â€Å"ground rules† and may often remind other children to follow them as well. Because they can choose their own work and do it at their own pace, a child has many opportunities for success; the Montessori classroom is non-competitive. They will also have access to plants and animals and will help care for them. The Montessori classroom is an attractive place in which a child can be free from adult domination and can discover their world and build their mind and body. The Montessori Method is unique. It is based on a sensible balance between freedom and structure specifically designed for the young child. It provides a pleasant environment with carefully devised materials that meet the child’s natural needs. It provides the overall guidance of a thoroughly trained teacher. The role of the teacher is to introduce children to materials and remain a â€Å"silent presence† (Montessori 1912, p.371) in the classroom. Montessori gives a child a strong basis, in their most formative years, for developing into a well-rounded, responsible, happy and fulfilled adult. From my experience in Kettle nursery, I can see how the curriculum incorporates some of the ideas that the Montessori Method follows. For instance, the children are fully encouraged to do things for themselves, and lead their own play and learning. The adult is to only serve as an assistant by supporting and extending their learning through play. They are also encouraged to clean up after themselves; washing up their snack dishes, cleaning the tables and tidying away materials once they have finished using them this is a very similar idea to the Montessori’s practical life idea. Another activity that allows children to experience practical life is when as soon as they enter the nursery they are expected to remove their outside clothing and shoes themselves, and at the end of the day they are expected to put it back on themselves. The High Scope Method The High Scope curriculum was developed in the United States of America in the 1960’s. It is one of the most common methods used there and in some other countries. The idea behind High Scope is that children should be involved actively in their own learning. The adults working with the children should see themselves more as facilitators than supervisors. The High Scope method is an â€Å"active learning† approach. This means students have direct hands on experience with people, objects, events and ideas. Children’s interests and choices are at the heart of High Scope based programs. They construct their own knowledge through interactions with the world and the people around them. Children take the first step in the learning process by making choices and following through on their plans and decisions. Teachers and parents offer physical, emotional and intellectual support. In active learning settings adults expand children’s thinking with diverse materials and nurturing interactions. High Scope has unique features that differentiate it from other early childhood programs. One is the daily plan-do-review sequence. Research shows that planning and reviewing are the two components of the program day most positively and significantly associated with children’s scores on measurements of developmental progress. This three-part sequence is unique to the High/Scope approach. It includes a short small group discussion during which children plan what they want to do during work time (the area to visit, materials to use and friends to play with). They are then given to time to carry out their plans and then they meet up again for another group discussion for reviewing what they have done and what they have learned. In between â€Å"do† and â€Å"review† children clean up by putting away their materials or storing unfinished projects. Children are very active and purposeful during â€Å"do† time because they are pursuing activities that interest them. They may follow their initial plans but often as they become engaged their plans shift or may even change completely (High Scope Educational Research Foundation 2007). The High Scope method also operates group time. ‘Small’ group time is a chance for the children to meet with an adult to experiment with materials and solve problems. Although adults choose the activity to emphasise a key experience, children are free to use the material in any way they want during this time. ‘Large’ group time is the time where children and adults come together for movement and music activities storytelling and other activities. Children have many choices and play the role of leader. In High Scope programs adults are as active in the learning process as children. A mutual give and take relationship exists in which both groups participate as leaders and followers, speakers and listeners. Adults interact with children by sharing control with them; focusing on their strengths, forming genuine relationships with them, supporting their play ideas, and helping them resolve conflicts. Adults participate as partners in children’s activities rather than supervisors. They respect children and their choices and encourage initiative, independence, and creativity. Because adults are well trained in child development, they provide materials and plan experiences that children need to grow and learn. Children and adults spend at least half an hour outside every day enjoying vigorous and often noisy play. They are free to make large movements running, jumping, climbing swinging rolling jumping yelling-all with energy. They collect and they garden. In extreme weather they do large motor activity indoors. Transition times are the minutes between other blocks of the day including arrival and departure times. The goal is to make transitions pass smoothly since they set the stage for the next segment in the days’ schedule. They also provide meaningful opportunities themselves. Children may decide how to move across the floor on the way to small group time. With a consistent daily routine, children know what is going to take place next. It is not unusual for them to announce the next activity and initiate the transition. Snack time allows children to enjoy eating healthy food in a supportive social setting (High Scope Educational Research Foundation 2007). Some of these daily routines that happen in a high scope nursery are quite similar to other curriculums. The idea of the child leading their own learning is incorporated into the Montessori Method and the 3-5 year Curriculum. I have seen this work well at Kettle Nursery. Another important element that I have seen in working action was the importance of health. Snack time at Kettle allows children to experience a healthy eating experience; including sugar free snacks, fruits and vegetables. It seems to be that in the High Scope Method, the child’s health is a very important aspect of the curriculum, which is very similar to the 3-5 years curriculum. Kettle Nursery provides the opportunity for the children to experience play outside each day. They encourage an active lifestyle which again is very similar to High Scope. At the end of they day at Kettle Nursery, the Nursery Nurse also spends a few minutes to discuss with the children what they did that day, this is a little similar to the High Scopes idea of ‘reviewing’. References Hainstock, E. 1997. The Essential Montessori: An introduction to the woman, the writings, the method, and the movement. New York: Plume Books. High Scope Educational Research Foundation. 2007. Curriculum. [Online] Available at: http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=1 [accessed 24 September 2007] Kelly, A. V. 1999. The Curriculum: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Lewis, G. 2001. Rudolf Steiner. [Online] Available at: http://www.freedom-in-education.co.uk/Steiner.htm [accessed 24 September 2007] Mogensen, K. 2004. Eyes Wide Open. [Online] Available at: http://www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/AE/Atmn04pp26-30.pdf [accessed 24 September 2007] Montessori, M. 1912. The Montessori Method. [e-book] New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company. Available at: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/montessori/method/method.html [accessed 14 October 2007] Bibliography Scottish Executive. 2001. Curriculum Framework for children 3 to 5. Dundee: Learning and Teaching Scotland. Tanner, D. 2006. Curriculum Development: Theory into Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Maria Montessori. n.d. Maria Montessori, MD. [Online] Available at: http://www.montessori.edu/maria.html [accessed 24 September 2007]

Breakwater Essay -- Marine Infrastructures

Conventional breakwaters are massive in size and generally associated with large scales in construction materials, effort and cost. The development of large breakwater schemes with poor design and management may trigger a number of adverse effects on neighbouring coastal environment, e.g. large amount of wave reflection, alteration of beach morphology, water quality deterioration and change of marine ecosystem. To alleviate the above problems, various ingenious designs of light-weight breakwaters have been proposed, tested and constructed in the past as alternatives to the conventional breakwaters, one of which is the free surface breakwaters. Free surface breakwaters are essentially barriers located near the water surface where the energy flux is maximal. The total height of such barriers is usually far smaller than the water depth which helps water circulation around the structures. These barriers can be constructed on a group of piles driven into sea floor, or held floating as floating breakwaters. Wave reflection and dissipation are the primary energy damping mechanisms inherited by these barriers. Free surface breakwaters are most suitable to be built at semi-protected sites where the soil condition is poor. The present investigation is motivated by the construction of bottom-mounted semicircular breakwaters in Miyazaki Port (Japan), Tianjin Port (China) and Yangtze River Estuary (China) for sea defence. Extensive studies on such breakwaters were undertaken by several researchers from Japan, China and India, e.g. Tanimoto et al. (1989), Sasajima et al. (1994), Xie (1999), Dhinakaran et al. (2002), Yuan and Tao (2003) and Zhang et al. (2005). Although a number of studies have been reported in the literature associated with... ...hat comprise a large number of discrete constituents for energy dissipation. Examples of such breakwaters are multiple-layer breakwater (Wang et al., 2006) and porous-pile breakwater (Hsiao et al., 2008). These structures are usually highly porous to water flow, resulting in relatively small wave reflection and the horizontal wave forces on the structures. One of the major concerns in the design of marine infrastructures is the navigation safety adjacent to the breakwaters. In many cases, it is important to keep the amount of wave reflection in front of the breakwater to the minimal. The majority of the abovementioned breakwaters mainly serve as wave reflectors. It is hoped that the free surface semicircular breakwater considered for the present research would yield better performance characteristics by producing low reflection and desirable wave attenuation.

Automotive E-Coat Paint Process Simulation Using FEA

By applying an electrical current, a thin paint film forms veer all the surfaces in contact with the liquid, including those surfaces in recessed portions of the body. The E-coat paint process deposits a thin paint film on the automotive body under the influence of a voltage gradient of about 200 to 300 volts. The water-based E-coat paint bath is conductive with an array of anodes that extends into the bath delivering a DC current. The paint film that forms has physical properties that resist corrosion (these appear only after the automotive body has been cured in an oven).However, as the paint film forms, its electrical resistance increases. In the past several years, two-dimensional (2-D) FEE models of the E-coat paint process have been developed for specific or limited applications. In this paper, we discuss a general three-dimensional (3-D) FEE method using ALGER software. This method can simulate the formation of the E-coat film and can thus predict its thickness at any point on the surface of the automotive body.Operational variables, such as voltages and process duration, are used to simulate the time-dependent interaction among the automotive body, the increasing paint layer and the liquid thin the E-coat bath. The method is based on a quasi-static technique that accounts for the changing material properties of the paint layer. A quasi-static approach is appropriate because the time required for the electric field to be established is much smaller than the duration of the paint deposition process.The actual time is simulated by considering a series of time steps, each of which requires an electrostatic solution. The E-coat film thickness is updated during each time step. A primary concern is how to model the changing FEE geometry due to the growth of the E-coat film. Technology has been developed that is capable of generating a film of specified thickness (as a function of position) on the automotive body. Because of symmetry along the longitudinal axis of the automotive body, only half the body was modeled.In addition, an enclosing box was constructed around the automotive body and features were created for the possible anode locations. Generally, there is little electrical interaction between two adjacent automotive bodies. Any net electrical current that flows into the leading and trailing surfaces of the enclosing box is considered negligible. The space between the outside of this box and the automotive body will be considered as the E-coat paint bath. Furthermore, the growth of the E- coat film is assumed to be perpendicular to the surface of the automotive body at all times.Laboratory experiments can establish an accurate estimate of the deposition coefficient of the E-coat film that forms in response to the flow of electrical current. The result of interest is the flow of DC electrical current that causes the E-coat film to form. The growth of the E-coat film is dependent on the number of Coulombs that are levered. In each iteration, the FEE model is solved for electrical current flow from which the E-coat film thickness can then be calculated. The material properties for each of the elements where the E-coat film develops are also changed in response to the growth in the E-coat film thickness.Another feature of a typical automotive E-coat paint system is the use of multiple voltage zones and differing locations where the anodes are placed in the E-coat bath. These factors affect the application of voltages in the FEE model. The appropriate voltage values must be added or updated for each new iteration as required. The primary use of the method is to predict how, as the paint layer forms, the effective electrical resistance increases, which prompts the current to seek out less resistive paths.Even though the paint film that forms has drastically reduced conductivity compared to the surrounding E-coat paint bath, it is not enough to stop its continued growth past the optimum thickness which is generall y about 25 p. A 3-D FEE model of the E-coat paint process would not only help he designers of a new automotive body obtain a more uniform paint distribution, but could be advantageous to existing assembly plants, as they explore means to reduce costs as well as make improvements to existing designs.It is well known that the layout of the anodes and the automotive body have a significant impact on the overall electrical resistance of the system, and thus the amount of current that must be delivered. In some circumstances, assembly plants are faced with the challenge of obtaining an adequate E-coat paint thickness on exposed parts of the automotive odd, while avoiding an insufficient thickness in recessed regions.The standard solution is to increase the overall voltage, which results in greater energy and material costs. The resulting E-coat paint thickness achieved on the exposed parts of the body is particularly costly because it provides for no additional corrosion protection. Usin g the method discussed in this paper, engineers can perform a variety of optimization exercises without incurring the high costs or risks of making operational modifications to the existing E-coat paint process at an assembly plant.

Information Systems in Business Essay

List of the databases in which data about you exists †¢Flat- file data bases. The flat file databases are used to store small amounts of data that is required to be edited by the hand. They are made up of files strings that combine one or more files and they are effective in storing simple data lists but they become complex if the data structures are replicated. Flat file databases require a simple approach to the methods of storing data, therefore if complex data types are stored, the file become unreadable for the individual using the data bases. Many companies use the flat file data bases in storing their data since they are easily assessed and edited (Matthias, 2003). †¢Server databases The server databases uses the Internet and it is easily accessed by the clients at any time, for instance, 24 hours, one week. The clients are able to access the websites in order to retrieve the data. Server databases are applicable to many companies that require to make applications and communications on data issues anywhere in the world. Server databases have a special feature that allows the clients to provide specific data requests from the database and then it is the responsibility of the database to perform the function (Matthias, 2003). †¢Relational databases An example of a rational database includes the SQL server databases. These types of databases uses a logical formulation in the processes that they store data. For instance presentation of tables in data storing where by each field is described by a certain character. The realtions in the databases are described when the characters are linked with one another. many companies uses the relational data,bases since they are effective when they are designed propely and therfre resulting to clear data analysis without any duplication (Bing, 2011). ii): Make a list of the databases in which data about you exists. How is the data in each database captured, updated and how often? What data privacy concerns do you have? Explain briefly. Data sources are defined by their portability mechanisms and the independent approaches that enhances the connection of the databases. There are different types of data sources and they are introduced to define a certain database. An application can be used to define different types of database by changing the components of the data source. There are three different types of data sources, managed data sources,native data source and operational data sources (Pang,2001). †¢Managed data sources Managed data sources define the approaches used in error handling mechanisms, connections pooling as well as global transaction management. Since they are applicable on global transactions they are usually updated on daily basis. A managed data source in a data warehouse provides all the implementation mechanisms and interfaces that are issued in the data source. The warehouse can be able to use the managed data source in the participation of global transactions (Pang,2001). †¢Native data sources Native data sources are significant in the warehouse interface and are provided by the vendor’s sich as oracle. The native data source are different from the managed data source since the connections cannot be retrieved in global transaction. They are updated with several approaches depending on the information to be retrieved. Operational data sources All operational data sources applicable in a warehouse are used in the management of data in different sectors. The data sources are retrieved through the application of connections that enhance the operational process of data retrieving and enhancement effective. In a datawarehouse basis, information of data is retrieved from more than one ideal source therefore the application of the operational data source defines different strategies of connection to effectively define a certain data. ii): Using your company of choice example from above, explain the type of decision support that thecompany can benefit from implementation of a data warehouse. Within this context, what would bethe role of data mining? Decision support systems are important computerized information that enhances the strategies that are used in decision making (Power, 2002). The decision makers are able to use the networking communication technology, data information and other models to enhance the approach of decision making. Decision support systems are significant in the company since they provide information on graphical approaches and include expertise application on artificial intelligence (Power, 2002). BLM Company is entitled to use the communication driven decision support system that has a responsibility in targeting internal patterns. The importance of the communication driven decision support system is to enhance individual collaboration. The technology that is applied in this type of decision support system includes the client services for instance, instant messaging. Role of data mining †¢analyzing Data mining softwares are important in analyzing data from different perspectives (Bing, 2011). It analyses, categories,summaries and indicates the relationship that occurs in a given data. Data mining procedures are effective since they analyses the total components that the user wants prefers effectively. †¢Determination of valuable information Data mining is defined as the processes that are used by data software to analyses, summaries useful content. Data mining provides all the knowledge that is required to uncover certain figures related with information retrieval for several applications. In such cases, cross tabulation information, decision trees applications can assist in the retrieving of certain valuable information. QUESTION 2: Enterprise Content Management (ECM) helps companies to capture, organize and analyze particularly unstructured content to deliver better business. ECM technologies cover a broad set of capabilities. With the help of examples name and briefly explain three of such capabilities. †¢Document management capability Every department in an organization is conversant with document management capabilities. The role of ECM In most of the organization is to assist the organization on the approaches associated with document management through the introduction of policies that requires documentation cycle. ECM applies centralized methods repositories that enhance the mechanisms of discovering the information effectively and therefore the set policies enable tracking of information in the organization through the application of bar codes and labels(Handy, 2009). The centralized mechanisms have ensured that storage and protection of informations against any unauthorized use, hence they offer security on information. Record management capabilities Record management capabilities has been known as a secondary task, strategies that are associated with this capability include, the requirements on clear records assignments within the departments. Record management capabilities ensure that records are well updated in the organization to ensure that the organization maximizes transparency. The record management capabilities provides the managers with an opportunity to set up the records according to the organizations filing plans. †¢Web content management capabilities The development of web content management capabilities ensures that the organization is able to communicate effectively with employees and customers. Web content management capabilities ensures that the organizations is in a position to manage different sectors for instance multilingual Internet sites and mobile services while it ensures that these sectors are effectively updated. Summary of the findings IBM is a worldwide known company that applies the enterprise content management with software application. They provide semantic data management software within the organization. Question 3 Write the lecture summary relating to Week 9 – Topic: Data Warehouse and Data Mining data warehouse Companies are entitled with different sorts of information. The traditional methods of data storage include, invoices, sales and distribution were developed by many companies and it was a hard task that required a lot of computing producing biased and inaccurate information. With the recent innovations of technology and information systems data management and warehousing has become an easy process (Michael, 2009). The effective use of Data warehousing provides an approach of combining all the information that is required by the company. Data warehousing includes the application of all the companies data storage and the retrieving of any information is made easy. Data warehousing is made effectively through the strategies that are associated with the retrieving of information for instance, the selection process of a certain area to retrieve the data, keying of individual as the subject matter and any data information is retrieved and the group team of the organization develops extraction programs. Data warehousing is applicable in coordination of information and copying of data within the organization and outside the organization(Michael, 2009). Trusting data sources. Data warehouse is subjected with different departments with a large number of data sources from the external departments. An organization can lack the control on the quality retrieval of data into the data warehouse, and sometimes it can be a difficult process to access how the data is refreshed. The data sources used by the organization are diverse; therefore there is the need to determine strategies that can be applied in trusting data sources. Tools The tools include the simple reporting query tools which are used to tell us what has happened. On-line analytical processing gives a reason of the happenings †¢executive information system extracts information on the users who want to mess with the data warehouse †¢ data mining processes includes the all the statistical techniques that are advanced with intellectual research properties. Data mining components include, cross z softwares and the IBM . The architecture- centralised or distributed. If the data is termed as centralized then it means that only one database is applicable to a specific hardware for the access of all users. QUESTION 4 Features and tools in face book The features and tools in facebook have different importances on the representation of the companies, public figures, bands. They are the key tools of the entities and they include pages and the profile subscribers. †¢The pages Pages are used to represent company’s public figures, bands. The pages can be applicable to †¢Profiles with subscribe Profiles with subscribe consists of the strategies that an individual uses to subscribe to another person. In this case the profile with subscribes are used by multiple individuals and they include, news feed, find friends Entity attribute value model(EAV) Entity attribute value model is a data model that is used to define entity where by the parameters and properties are used to explain them. The number that is used to describe each entity is relatively modest. This model is also known as the space matrix model. Structure of an EAV table The data that is represented is defined in a spacious approach that is capable of storing the entire space matrix that is composed of occupied values. In the EAV model each parameter and property describes the entire entity and each row that is represented. In EAV model, it stores a single component. The EAV tables are also described as long and skinny in which the long strategies describe a specific number of rows while the skinny description defines the number of the columns (Michael, 2009). Data in EAV table is recorded and retrieved in three columns, entity, the parameters and the values. The entity colum defines the item description and the parameter column defines the attribute characters for instance, name, and ID and the value define the attributes.