The Nursing Home Administrator Essay Example for Free

The Nursing Home executive director EssayThe Nursing Home Administrator is the cope of operations at a nursing home. The position requires licensure to practice in a state. Individual states consent different requirements for licensure but generally people have proof of adequate education, experience, experience of guidance under preceptor. The licensure examination requirements covers basic topics of nursing home administration with Masters degree or Gerontology. The Administrator manages personnel, processing of admissions, manages finances, and overseeing day to (1).There are moral, educational, and pee experience requirements to meet prior to meeting with Board of Examiners of nursing home administrators. The moral character and suitability for licensure is a reflection of the ability for the individual needed to fulfill the responsibilities of nursing home administrator, competency, and ethical values. The educational requirements include a Baccalaureate or higher(preno minal) level of education including supplemental educational credits in education for long-term care, health care, gerontology, and personnel management from an accredited educational program.The selected educational words is to be completed with acceptable grades from an accredited institution. The selected courses are to be completed within a certain period of time to be eligible to gestate Nursing Home Administrator licensure exam. To meet requirements coursework, a 300 level class or higher, predominantly rich with inpatient, health care, and nursing home as Masters degree in Health Care Administrator, Health Facility Administrator requiring certain number of hours of field experience or work experience as full-time Administrator of Record in a certain period of time prior to licensure.The work experience requirements include complemental a 12 months approved internship. The full-time experience must include predominantly supervisory role for resident care, be a financially make up position, and completed in a certain period of time. There are alternatives to the credit hours courses in nursing home administration are two or more years within five years as Administration of Record of nursing facility, have a current five years American College of Health Care Administration certification (2).The licensure exam requirements for Nursing Home Administration are completion of the former requirements, a passing score on the exam approved by the Board. The role of a nursing home administrator encompasses a broad spectrum of responsibilities. People skills and effectively communicating, on various levels, commission tasks, overseeing residents with the quality of life and social programs available, and being able to multitask can be a rewarding position.

Computer Science Essay Example for Free

Computer Science EssaySuccess is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. My academic performance has been consistently above average, which was duly recognized by the College when I was presented the Good Result for my performance in the PUC. My Pre University(PU) course contend a key role in laying a Accounting which enabled me to develop a puc courses oriented outlook and encouraged me to pursue Undergraduate education. I stressed on acquiring basic knowledge during my Pre University (PU) studies to strengthen my belief that a concrete foundation is essential for a prosperous career. I yearned to tog myself with cutting edge Business and Accounting concept in order to deal with enormous and multifaceted growth Business and Accounting. The mercurial growth in the communications has been fascinating me right from my pre university days. I always found it very interesting to untangle the complex web of co mmunications, fiber optics.A career in communication is something that, I have always dreamt of. As it absolutely necessary for everyone to be acquainted with computers, I have earned the knowledge of C and C++. My field of interest lies in communication, fiber optics. Though right now I am applying for the Undergraduate program, I would like to continue my study in this field to attain my goal in your esteemed university. In college, I have given seminars in my class on various topics. This experience positive(p) me that I have good communication skills.I have participated in youth festivals and college fetes which have enhanced my ability to effectively get into a team, plainly at the same time retain individuality. With this ambition I am confident that my academic capability and analytical skills coupled with my perseverance and single disposed(p) devotion will see me through to this goal. Given a chance, I am confident that my potential will be reflected in my Undergraduate s tudies and I will live up to high standards of your Undergraduate program. I am really interested in Chester University as it is one of the renowned Universities in UK.It offers dainty programmes bridging the gap between theory and practice. The opinion of its learned faculty on wide ranging topics is sought globally. Strong links and regular interaction with industry and calling enables it to offer teaching latest global trends and needs. So I believe the confidence and exposure which I would acquire from my education in UK will serve me to be more successful in todays business world. Its simulating environment will provide me ample scope for over all developments and do work out the best in me.

First interstate fire Essay Example for Free

First interstate apprize EssayThe premiere interstate energise was a harry that took Los Angeles by surprise. It was in the late pull downing at May 4, 1988 when it all started until it was extinguished early next morning. (LAFIRE. COM) It was a blaze on the 62-storey building at the first interstate Bank building in 707-west wilshire boulevard in Los Angles. This was a very historical apprize since it was the worst fire on a tall-rise building ever seen in Los Angeles and stock-still the whole of America nevertheless was miraculously put out. The reason why the fire was said to be the worst was first the location of the building it was a high rise building located right in the middle of the city making it hard to control it and also hard for firefighters to evacuate civilians in the eye socket since thither were a lot of buildings close to it and that meant more and more civilians to be evacuated from the vicinity this need a lot of resources. (LAFIRE. COM) Second was that the building was estimable huge it was a 62 storey building built in the year 1974 its height to the roof was two hundred and sixty two meters and was a square building tapering two meters as it rose.Its four faces were coered with dark glass and mullions this was certainly an uphill task and not a head in the park for the firefighters. (Ryszard M. 600) Thirdly it had mobilise over four historys and damaging a fifth floor resulting to huge property loss it was estimated at over 200 million dollars at that time making it one of the most expensive fires ever in history and the most damaging fire in the city of Los Angeles.Fourthly it was a fire that almost would have become a towering inferno as the fire fighters would say and it take a lot of experience since there was only one way to handle it and it was manual. The Fire The fire is said to have started in the late evening of marching music 4 1988. It is also said that it all started in an open plan office on the twelfth floor towards the southeast ground. It is also said it originated in a modular office with a lot of furniture numerous personal computers and areas or rather terminals used by security trading workers.though not certain investigators said the cause was an electrical fault but how it got ignited is a big mystery till this very day. (LAFIRE. COM) The fire spread throughout the entire space in the 12th floor destroying it completely leaving only the passenger elevator lobby, which had automatic closing fire doors. The fire then spread through the floors above the 12th floor, mainly by use of the outer walls of the structure through the broken windows the flames also spread shtup the spandrel panels that were at the end of the floor blocks.The windows on the successive floors experienced heavy exposure from the flames making the fire extend to the 16th floor from the 12th floor. The rescue workers estimated the flames were lapping about 30 feet upwards on the faces at the buildings, t hus the curtain walls, windows, spandrels and mullions were damaged if not completely destroyed. The building lacked the so called eyebrows on the exterior walls to prevent the fire from lapping vertically making the firefighters worried that the fire would spread to even more floors. (Ryszard M. 600)The electric shaver routes in which the fire widen were poke through penetrations for communications and electricity, HVAC shafts and also heat conduction through floor slabs. As a matter of fact there was a minor fire at the 27th floor started by fire products escaping through HVAC shaft from the 12th floor but it died out collect to lack of equal oxygen. (LAFIRE. COM) This fire spread at a rate of about 45 transactions per floor and it burned intensely for about 90 minutes at a time this meant there were always two floors burning seriously at any given time of the fire. Initial Stages of the FireThe fires initial stages were realize at nigh 1022pm in the evening when the build ings two pumps were moody of by the contractor who was making the sprinkler system, a fewer minutes later they comprehend shattering of glass and saw a light smoke at the ceiling at the 5th floor they sounded the alarms manually but it was later turned off by security personnel in the ground floor. Minutes later a smoke detector in the floor of origin sounded but was reset again and minutes later other alarms sounded but security personnel shut them off, this continued until the fire then became huge, that was about 15 minutes later.This delay is said to have caused the spreading of the fire on the 12th and 13th floor. The calls about the fire were actually made by people immaterial the building. (Arthur E. 543) The fire departments start of operations The fire department got three calls at around 10. 37 pm from people who were said outside the first interstate bank building and they reported seeing a fire on the upper floors. The department released a category B assignment grou p which include task forces 9, and 10, squad 4, Battalion 1 and Engine 3 all of them totaling about 30 fire fighters and rescue personnel.Mean composition the first reporting of the fire from inside the interstate building was called in at about 1041 just when the first fire companies were arriving at the pictorial matter of the incident. Upon arriving at the scene the first Battalion chief called immediately for five task forces, five engine companies and another five battalion chiefs totaling about 200 rescue workers and firefighters at heart the first five minutes, two firefighting helicopters from the fire department were also sent in to help. (Arthur E. 543)They set up a high rise incident see to it system a system in which companies were given a plan on who to attack the fire, assemble the logistics and help in other support functions. The fire fighters were not to use the elevators thus they climbed using the paces to the area affected by the fire. The first companies to access the fire floor found that smoke was immersion all four st disperseways through gaps around the exit doors. They had to connect their hand lines to the stair pipe risers of the building and the launched their first attack at around 1110.Since the fire was so large they had to attack from all four stairways but still the fire crews had much difficulty advancing through the doors in to the floor as heat and smoke pushed in to the stair shaft as soon as they opened the doors and it rose rapidly to the upper floors of the interstate building. (LAFIRE. COM) The first six companies that arrived at the scene of the fire did this attack. This attack was s paltryed down at first due to the low pressure of water in the first minutes this was until the buildings fire pumps were started.They also supplied water with three fire department pumps through exterior hose connections. On the 10th floor they put up a staging area and also started lobby control at the ground floor. The base of op eration was about a block south of the building and it was ceremonious by the first battalion chief at the scene, it was the place where the incident commander operated from all through the incident. The operations chief operated in the staging area located in the 10th floor close enough to have direct contact with the officers on each floor he would also be directing the interior suppression efforts.( bead B. 75) The command positions were led at first by captains and Battalion chiefs but were later were later given to those in high ranks but the remained only now operative under other officers in the same locations they had headed. The deputy chief of Los Angeles City fire department Chief Donald F Anthony was the incident commander once he arrived. A chief Engineer and General Manager were also present in order to help in the strategic planning for the incident.Even with this it was clear from the outside and also from the inside that the fire was spreading upward and fast thu s the need to expand operations as the companies successfully launched attacks from all four stair ways on to the four floors engulfed by the fire and had to fight their way into the floors with hand lines. (LAFIRE. COM) The Conditions in the stair shafts worsened since more doors were opened and heat and smoke filled went up the shafts at the same time water was pouring down. Their tactic was to push the fire from the center to the perimeters of each floor.The operations chief had to communicate with command officers assigned floors giving them direction with tactics and also send assignments of advanced companies or recycled ones to specific targets of operation. Many companies undertook three to four different assignments at a time since conditions were changing during the incident consequently getting very inadequate breaks even for the changing of air cylinders. They used mostly runners to communicate with officers in the upper floors since radio waves affected the building steel frame. The landline phones were dead due to the fire and even the emergency phone system in the building was not useful.But the staging area and command past communicated through a window they broke and a battalion chief stood there with a radio to provide line-of-sight. (LAFIRE. COM) The strategy was to stop upward progress by universe aggressive on the 14th and 15th floors while putting up hose lines in order to wait for the fire to reach the 16th floor. These strategies needed extreme efforts by the hand line crews on the heavily involved stories. They used around 20 hand lines in the attack and it was an effort of around 32 companies running(a) on the five floors. (Cliff B. 75) Logistical Considerations.The logistics were staggering . The 10th floor was where personnel and equipment were located. Crews only came down to the staging area to change their air cylinders while waiting and getting a short rest before reassignment to another floor. They attacked with full air c ylinders and came down only when they ran out of air. They operated for about 20 minutes a cycle, which was the same amount at time it took to rest and refill air cylinders. (LAFIRE. COM) Since they did not use elevators each piece of equipment was carried manually up the stairways including the over 600 air cylinders used.The crews entering the building carried hose nozzles and many other tools themselves to the tenth floor. (Cliff B. 75) An operation called the stairwell support consisting of nine companies moved equipment from the street level via an resistor tunnel to the lobby from a parking lot across the street and then up again to the staging area for over two hours. The crews working in the lower floors including the 10th worked in harsh conditions since smoke filled them and they had to break windows for ventilation.Water poured down through the stairs and the ceilings and electric power even in the emergency lights in the stairs were lost. Not even flashlights helped sin ce their batteries died a testament on how long the operation took. (Arthur E. 543) Search and Rescue missions The building had around 50 people working on the floors above the 12th floor, where the fire started, most of whom were cleaning and maintenance workers. The rest were sprinkle fitters and a couple tenants who were working late. They only became aware when smoke entered their area of work.Five of the civilians went to the rooftop floors and were rescue by fire department choppers. Most used the elevator and stairways successfully but there was one group that got trapped in the 12th floor and had to crawl to the exit stairway meeting up with the firefighters coming up. (Arthur E. 543) All civilians left isolated from three people, two on the 37th floor and one on the 50th floor they were located by the windows using helicopters but were only rescued shortly after the fire was put off at around 219 am.of the two in the 37th floor one had fainted therefore had to be carried down using the stairs to ground level. (Arthur E. 543) Damage and property loss incurred The floors below had severe water damage due to the water menstruum down while those above were distorted badly by the heat and smoke since during the incident there was no efforts preserve of property because firefighters only cute to stop progress of the fire. (LAFIRE. COM) The building remained closed for many months for inspection and clean up using up a large force of clean up contractors.Property loss in overall was estimated to about 200 million dollars not counting the many months of business interruption. Structural damage was very low on the main structural members as a matter of fact only minor damage to a secondary beam and a few floor pans was noted. (Ryszard M. 600) Valuable Lessons First lessons learned were the need for automatic sprinklers in controlling or preventing fires in much(prenominal) kind of high-rise buildings. There was a law enacted in Los Angeles asking that al l such buildings should have a sprinkler system in all their floors with installed smoke detectors. The second was the need for firefighters to maintain high physical fitness like in that case fire fighters had to ladder everything up the stairs and every thing was completely manual even sending of messages. Need for efficient communication systems (LAFIRE. COM) Personnel in buildings should be trained at the appropriate actions when alarm is sounded. The actions of the personnel of the building were wanting and one of them died while attempting to find out was sounded the alarms. Need for use of fire resisting construction in this case it was good and thus prevented any major damage to the structural truth of the building.(Columbia University. 1234) There is also need for protected elevators for firefighters use what if the firefighters had to combat a fire in the 40th storey it would have been very hard to carry equipments. Columbia University. 1234) Fire protection systems also need to be checked and tested regularly in order to ensure they work properly and pull up stakes not waste us in times of need. Conclusion Every body has a role to play from the builder to the tenant to ensure that such disasters do not occur and if they do that they are easily dealt with stressing a need for good planning. Work cited Arthur E.Cote Organizing for Fire And Rescue Services Jones and Bartlett Publishers (2003) P260-278 Cliff Barnett Fire Safety in Tall Buildings McGraw-Hill Inc. , New York, 1992. P73-82 Columbia University Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals Avery Library, (1975) Ryszard M. Kowalczyk, I. D. Bennetts Structural Systems for Tall Buildings McGraw Hill Inc. , New York, 1995 LAFIRE. COM First interstate Bank Fire Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Archive, May 4, 1988 Accessed on 26th April 2008 from http//www. lafire. com/famous_fires/880504_1stInterstateFire/050488_InterstateFire. htm

Assessing The Scope Of Competitive Rivalry

Assessing The Scope Of matched tiltScope of competitive rivalry betaly deals with a global focus, however, local figurer makers should in any case be considered. For the large corporations, having a presence in foreign commercialises is essential. Companies like dell, HP, Lenovo/IBM, and Acer all compete in multiple international markets. If individuals in a peculiar(prenominal) country ar capable of buying a PC, the top contentions all fight for their purchases. Competition is non cut throat per-se, however if a phvirtuosor like HP falters in any hotshot of its multiple segments, dell could come in and take its market sh ar.Stage in attention flavor CycleThe thing ab aside technology is that it constantly changes. The personal computing device, servers, printers, and data storage devices stir existed for decades, but constant RD is employed to make these mettlesome-tech machines smaller, do faster, and operate more efficiently. Computers and their peripherals wil l likely remain in the growth stage for a very abundant time. Though growth has slowed in certain countries like the United States, it has increased in early(a) developing countries like Brazil, India, and China. On that note, the idea itself has reached maturity. For example, servers (as well as personal information processing systems) enkindle offer long usage time if they atomic number 18 properly serviced over the years. Computers configured four years ago, if built with quality high-end components, can still compete with ones coming out today. New technologies make adding performance to personal computers and servers thrustingwayless, which furthers the life of the machines.Degree of Vertical IntegrationAccording to Thompson and Gambles research, There were too many technologies and manufacturing intricacies to master for a vertically integrated manufacturer to keep its products on the cutting edge. Therefore, the industry has a very low degree of vertical integration. Companies search for the lift out manufacturers of parts and serve and combine them to create a name-brand computer. Providers conduct to be accessible for when they are demanded. If they fail, companies like dell and HP can switch as quickly as living creatures blink.Ease of Entry/ExitBecause the industry has long been established and specify by the current competition, ease of entry/exit is not arduously easy. In fact, it would be nearly impossible for a start-up firm to enter. A long established association like Sony, for example, was able to enter late in the stake because of their animate family structure and size. Only already established large companies would be able to enter the market, unless some entrepreneur discovered a way to enhance existing condescension nonpluss which maximized efficiencies in nearly all aspect of the venture.Technology InnovationThe industry is highly characterized by innovation, considering it is nothing but technology. New products ar e constantly developed, daily in fact. Intel, for example, releases computer processing units (CPUs) every three months. As a result, termss dec boundary .5% weekly. These CPUs are among the main components of the computer. Since technology is evolving at a rapid rate, computer companies always look for ways to reduce armory carryover while still having enough in inventory if demand spikes.Product CharacteristicsDefining the product characteristics is rather complex, as not totally are the computers intricate in nature, but the number of products associated with this industry colossal. spirit at the main com gravel, the industry takes computers (servers, desktops, laptop computers), peripherals associated with the computer like wireless routers and printers, and external storage. Focusing on the computers and depending on the price, they vary in terms of processing speed, hard drive capacity, number of word-painting display outputs, number of channels of surround sound, and am ount of random access memory.Economies of ScaleAs with most industries, the name of the game is getting the best products for the best price. Gray areas do exist, however. CPUs for personal computers, for example, are only made by two competitors (AMD and Intel). Other manufacturers like SIS and Centaur exist, though they are not as well known and certainly not trusted enough to be in name brand PCs. The same goes for video cards. Many manufacturers do exist, but in that location are only two significant competitors in the market (Nvidia and ATI). Most manufacturers of video cards actually hold in the chipsets of the two top competitors into their own models. There is a substantial amount of marketing and advertising that goes into the products of the top competitors. The public must be constantly reminded which computers are the best to buy. Because of cost cutting (as well as international expansion), many companies sop up some, if not the majority, of their processes outsource d. To further reduce costs, inventory carryover is kept low.Learning and nonplus Curve EffectsThe industry is highly characterized by the philosophy of learn by doing. For example, dingle has been improving efficiencies in their business model for the past cardinal and a half years (as of 2008). As a result, they are a attraction in many aspects of their jimmy strand. The competition follows suit, but they do not eat as much experience as dingle does in this instance.Capacity Utilization erstwhile again, as with all industries, it is important to have high capacity utilization in order to maximize efficiencies. Because there is lilliputian markup on computers and their components, companies need to squeeze savings out of every aspect of their operations.Industry Profit top executiveIf a keep company is well managed and knows what its clients want, then industry profit major power can be high. Once processes begin to fall short or crumble, company profit office can go from black to red in a short amount of time. Compaq ( in the first place it became HP) was an example of a company with poor management structure. Executives ran the company into the ground because they were not finding ways to be profitable. Despite holding a large portion of market share, the company operated in the red for many of its quarters.Industry Driving ForcesThough the industry possesses many driving forces, three come to mind as being most prevalent. For one, increasing globalization plays a big role in analyzing company size and strength. Outsourcing processes to many different countries leads to cheaper manufacturing costs across the entire value chain. India, for example, is a common location for expert support call centers. As the world grows smaller, having a well established brand name in multiple markets will keep top competitors successful.A second driving force is the diffusion of technical know-how across more companies and more countries. Just like in increasing g lobalization, outsourcing helps to locate the best RD opportunities in the least(prenominal) expensive country. The more minds there are on a project, the more opportunities there are for innovation. As a result, emerging countries may have different thought processes and call for compared to developed economies, so hot ideas may be generated.A third driving force is changes in cost and efficiency. As mentioned earlier, it is imperative for companies in this industry to master the Just in Time strategy. Computer components are decreasing in price weekly and are congruous more energy efficient. These changes ultimately lead to newer and get out products than those of three months ago.Key Success FactorsJust like the driving forces, there are many key success factors that relate to this industry. For one, top competitors most certainly have an expertise in a particular technology or specific research (in this case, computer designing). They hatful select the best components (or cheapest depending on the business model) for nodes to choose from. After all, the quality of components defines the quality of the computer.A second key success factor is the turn up ability to improve production processes. This entangles the aforementioned industry-wide decrease in days of inventory holdings, and lessening vertical integration improves competitiveness. As computer components become cheaper to manufacture, the prices decrease. As a result, computer prices fall. Improving production processes are effective methods of keeping profitability high.A third key success factor is quality obligate know-how. No matter what the problem is with ones computer, it is always the fault of the manufacturer. If HP or dingle builds unreliable computers, buyers will simply switch to another brand with little hesitation. Therefore, it is imperative for the top competitors to maintain their quality control in the factories. If a certain component of the computer keeps failing, th en it is likely the fault of the component manufacturer, and not the brand name computer creator.Other key success factors take on product performance, repute/image, and customer service capabilitiesPORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITION dingle has been able to remain innovative in their approach to building computers. They proved throughout their years of existence that providing differentiated, customizable computers with exceptional customer service at levelheaded prices is possible. During the early years, Dell was able to undercut the competition by substantial margins. When they developed their strategic plans to sell computers internationally, they were quickly able to capture some of the market share once held by super-giant IBM. As a result, in 2007 International sales accounted for over 41% of Dells sales. To expand upon their business model, they diversified their product offerings to include Dell branded speakers, printers, and ink cartridges. Though not all diversif ication efforts were successful, Dell proved they could be innovative in their approaches to reaching customers. Michael Dell knew only what he wanted to do with his business when he first started his venture, and sticking to that vision has created one of the most successful computer ventures ever.Rivalry Among Competing SellersDells rivals include more than PC manufacturers. They compete and tally revenues in the following product categories desktop PCs, mobility products (laptop PCs and workstations), software and peripherals (printers, monitors, TVs, projectors, ink and toner cartridges), servers and networking hardware, consulting and enhanced services, and storage products. Principal competitors amongst these categories include HP, Lenovo/IBM, apple, Acer, Toshiba, Sony, Fujitsu-Siemens, Sun Microsystems, EMC, Hitachi, Cisco, Broadcom, Enterasys, Nortel, 3Com, Airespace, Proxim, Lexmark, Canon, Epson, Accenture, and EDS.Rivalry among competitors is fierce. If one company fal ters even the slightest bit anywhere along the value chain, other competing companies will enter and capitalize on the transfer of market share. For example, in the first quarter of 2008, Dell had 15.7% of the total global market share, which is up from 14.8% in the fourth quarter of 2007. The rest of the competition outside of the top vanadium competitors (HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Toshiba) lost 5% of the total market share. These numbers vary from quarter to quarter, but when the top five competitors see increases in market share, it is clear who dominates.Dell happens to offer a highly differentiated product. They pride themselves on providing high quality computers at better prices points than the competition as a result of promptly selling to customers. Prior to Dell, no company successfully offered such a business concept. Sales and promotions are headinged toward special bundle packages (like monitor, printer, and computer in one purchase) and slightly dated computer des igns. With Dells premier account, for example, businesses and schools are encouraged to buy specially configured computers (which can be further customized). Savings tend to be larger when consumers purchase computers bundled with an anti-virus package, and Dell warranty, and interest free payments for six months if customers own a Dell premier course credit card. Though competitors like Sony offer standardized incentive programs, none of them can match Dell.Though Dell was strictly direct-to-consumer oriented for the longest time, they were losing significant market share to Apple as a result of not offering their computers in stores. As a result, they agreed to a contract with Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Though customers would technically pay for the markup at Best Buy or Wal-Mart for the same computer they could purchase through Dell, this tactic helped to keep Dell from losing market share to HP and Apple. In addition, Dell began offering white-box PC solutions in 2003 which helped them achieve an additional $380 million in revenues. Though critics were skeptical of the decision to move into this segment, most saw it as an effort to take on white box dealers in China.Potential New EntrantsThe threat of potential new entrants is minimal if even possible. There is a gigantic presence of sizable economies of scale in production and other areas of the operation include the following a substantial amount of marketing and advertising that goes into Dells products and the ability to outsource areas of the business they cannot make profitable by locating in the US. In addition, Dell is the industry leader in minimizing inventory on hand.In addition to the economies of scale, the learning and experience effects curves have to be taken into consideration. Dell has followed the simple model of learn by doing. As a result, they have been improving efficiencies in their business model for the past eighteen and a half years (as of 2008). The competition cannot match Dell.A s with any industry that has been defined for decades, there is a strong brand preference and somewhat high degrees of customer loyalty. Because Dell is focused on being the lost-cost leader in the industry, they need not worry about customers switching purely on price. Customers want an established brand name that has the proven ability to withstand the test of time. As a result, HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Toshiba will remain the top competitive global competitors for the years to come. Though Apple is a leader in the US, they will not be able to compete in price conscious countries. Because the market share is dominated by the big five, any completion will fight for the stay half that is crowded with hundreds and thousands of un-established brands.As with most industries that have long been established, there would be extensive capital requirements for a new company. Entry would likely cost millions, is not billions of dollars. As a result, the same brand names have existed for d ecades. On top of that, striking deals with distributors and retail stores would prove to be difficult. What basis would new consumers have for trusting a brand new computer company? That is why Insignia failed. Assuming the company has these issues sorted out, they would still have to deal with repressive regulatory policies and tariffs and international trade restrictions. A new threat will only exist if the company can figure out how to succeed at every one of these difficult situations.Substitute ProductsSubstitute products are becoming an issue within the industry. As technology progresses the products of yesterday become obsolete. The sweet think is becoming the biggest threat to the personal computer. Though they are much smaller and fit in the palm of the customers hand, they are capable of doing many of the tasks that a computer can do. For users that compute on larger scales such as film makers, musicians, and reporters, the computer can never be replaced. As a result o f the smart phones popularity, computer companies are now competing in this segment.Supplier Bargaining PowerThe provider bargaining power through Dell is mainly weak, though there is some slight flexibility. For example, Dell cycles through the top two CPU suppliers (Intel and AMD). Because they are in fierce competition, they continue to make quality products and are usually differentiated only by price. When Dell switched to AMD in 2006, they switched because AMD was able to provide Dell with a better performing chip for a better price. resembling situations occur with peripherals like printers (switch from HP to Lexmark then Dell branded), several speaker offerings from Altec Lansing and Dell branded, and different suppliers for the motherboard. Dell will switch to the best supplier for the best price as long as component quality does not suffer.Buyer Bargaining PowerBuyer bargaining power, on the other hand, is high. There are a variety of products to choose from at pooh-poo h price points than the competition. Purchasing items in bundles leads to greater saving, especially if customers have a Dell premier account. In addition, refurbished or customer-returned computers are offered at even greater discounts. Because technology continually evolves, buyer preferences change, ultimately leading to product adaptations. Customers demand the best product at a better price than the competition. If Dell fails at their own mission statement, they will lose the market share they currently possess. versed ANALYSIS SWOTSTRATEGIC COST ANALYSISValue Chain AnalysisDell aims to provide low prices on a diversified line of customizable personal computing solutions by selling direct to customers. In addition, they have an efficient supply chain and manufacturing process that allows them to maintain a leadership position in the industry. As a result, they can sell premium quality products at price points their customers can afford. Just recently to compete with Apple, they have elongate their product offerings into retail stores like Best Buy and Wal-Mart.When surveys were conducted in 2008, Dell was found to be deficient in the laptop market segment. As a result, they began contracting part of their assembly process to manufacturing facilities in Asia. Once the basic assembly was completed in the Asian facilities, the half built computers were sent behind to the US for final product completion. The problem was that this incurred more costs than if they outsourced the entire operation. As a result, laptops became 100% built overseas. Other cost reduction techniques include minimizing the number of days of stocked inventory. By 2002, Dell was able to minimizes their supplies to anywhere between 2.7 and 4 days. These low stocking days in addition to their purchasing model put Dell at a great advantage.When customers configure their computers online or at the kiosks, they are required to pay in full before their computer can be built. This puts Dell a t a great advantage because they have the money for the computer (or other products) before the customer even has the overt product. They also offer special deals for professional organizations, schools, and other preferred Dell account members. Because they keep a close relationship with their customers, they can create value in other areas like expanded product offerings and 24/7 customer service. Additionally, Dell runs several tests throughout the build process of the computers. Multiple levels of exam reduce the number of manufacturing errors, which furthers their cost reduction efforts. By the end of the manufacturing process, the computers are pre-loaded with an operating system and several programs to enhance buyer value. In short, when the customer receives their computer, they simply have to turn on the unit to begin use. Dell believes that maintaining close relationships with their suppliers leads to better computers, which will improve customer satisfaction and keep co sts low. Once customer satisfaction is high, they will likely buy additional products from Dell such as printers. Further, by providing twenty-four hour technical support, Dell can continue to emphasize the importance of their customers in their eyes.By outsourcing operations like laptop manufacturing and customer service call centers, Dell has found ways to leaven products at better price points. Similarly, if Dell produced their own PC components, they would never be able to maintain their competitive edge. Costs for RD and production capacity would get rid of profit margins, even possibly putting Dell into a troubling situation financially. Updates to current model offerings are employed every couple of months. They include improved performance, new input device technologies (like eSata and USB 3.0) and increase energy efficiency.Benchmarking ActivitiesIn most industries, Benchmarking tends to have at least some importance in creating better products and improving efficiencies. In any technology driven industry, however, it is essential in order to survive. Dells goal is simple they keep prices low by allowing customers to create a complete personalized computer according to pre-defined specifications. Doing this enables Dell to avoid carrying pre-configured computers in inventory. Though they do offer refurbished models for discounts, it is not a substantial part of the business. Because their business model is so unique, they can provide customizable solutions that minimize costs, eliminates much of the need for inventory carry-over, and requires customers to prepay (or set up a preferred payment account) before receiving the computer. By cutting out the middleman, Dell can pass on savings to the customer. In addition, by continually searching for ways to improve the manufacturing process, how customer orders are filled and shipped, and how employees are trained, Dell can retain its competitive edge.Activity Based CostingDell breaks down its individual activities of the value chain into several components that will provide cost estimates and capital requirements. Categories include advertising, researching, development, technical support (hardware and software related), selling, general, and administration, engineering, and logistics. When one activity is altered, its effects can be snarl through the other activities throughout the chain. Once Dell establishes their cost estimates, they can analyze their competitiveness with companies like HP, Lenovo, and Acer. From there, they can make the necessary adjustments to maintain success.Competitive Strength AssessmentAnalyzing Dell for the competitive strength judgment is analyzed over two criteria. First, how does Dell rank relative to competitors on each of the important key success factors that determine market success? The second, does Dell have a net competitive advantage or disadvantage versus major competitors?Dell understands that in order to remain competitive, they must not lose sight of their business model. The continually search for ways to reduce costs along every aspect of the value chain. As a result, they fair well in the competitive strength estimation. They continue to satisfy their customers by providing total computing solutions. This assessment includes the comparison of the pre-defined industry key success factors against the top competitors expertise in a particular technology or in scientific research, proven ability to improve production processes, and quality control know how to other competitors. In addition, other strength measures will be weighted. Included measures are product performance, reputation/image, and customer service capabilities.Once the key success factors are reviewed, the weighted overall strength rating will be determined. Weightings rank from highest (strongest) to lowest (weakest). This assessment helps pinpoint which areas Dell excels. Similarly, it also illustrates where they should improve.As illustrated by t he competitive strength assessment, Dell still remains stronger than HP, but not Apple. But just because Apple ranks higher does not mean they sell more units. In 2007, Dell shipped (US) 19,645,000 units whereas Apple shipped 4,081. On a worldwide outlook, Apple is not ranked whereas HP shipped 50,526,000 and Dell shipped 39,993,000. Apples product line, however, is priced higher overall than the competition. Their theory is that extensive RD must be made to determine which parts work best together. Apple spends a great deal of time researching components to find out which ones talk best to each other. Their customers believe Apple computers tend to be more stable and decision longer than the competition. Whether this is purely an advertising gimmick or legitimate fact has not been proven, but customers seem to believe this is the case.FINANCIAL ANALYSISBUSINESS outline ANALYSIS PORTERS GENERIC STRATEGIESBest-Cost Provider StrategyBy late 1997, it was clear that Dell was defining their position in the market. They had become a low-cost leader that was discovering new ways to harness efficiencies from their direct sales business model. They wanted to provide quality computers at price points lower than the competition, and they succeeded. This strategy gave them the upper hand in the industry, and as a result, they are a top competitor with a high percentage of the overall market share. Dell achieved their best-cost status from the ability to provide customers with customizable computing solutions at lower than expected prices by cutting out the middleman. By employing this strategy over multiple product offerings, they were able to target a wide range of computer users from the business end to personal home users. Owner Michael Dell achieved this status by constantly benchmarking company performance. He continually searched for ways to improve all aspects of the business, which includes ongoing improvements in the assembly efficiency, improved quality contro l, enhancing partnerships with suppliers, adopting just-in-time inventory practices, website rebuild, customer service/technical support improvements, and placing Dell computers in retail stores. As a way to enhance value, Dell held forums that gave senior management the opportunity to listen to their best customers for determining future needs and expectations of buyers. In 2007, Dell began enhancing customer value through IdeaStorm, a website that allows customers to post suggestions for ways to improve the company. Improvements yield great reward, as Dell was rated number one (in 2005) for providing exceptional customer service to large enterprises.Vertical IntegrationWhen the industry was relatively new, it was essential for a PC manufacturer to be at least partially integrated. If they were not, customers did not receive their product well. That logic shifted over time, however, to the point where being vertically integrated would be detrimental to long-term company success. To not be vertically integrated is the best way for Dell to mass-produce computers. Today, Dell has an arms-length relationship between specialist suppliers, manufacturer/assemblers, and end users. It is unlikely for Dell to ever revert back and become even partially integrated, as the industry as a whole is becoming less integrated daily. exercise Cost EconomicsDell aims to keep transaction costs low and continually searches for ways to save. There are no surprises for customers when they visit the Dell website, unless medications have been made to the layout. Customers expect low prices for quality computers, and that is what they receive. Improving bargaining power between suppliers is highly unlikely, due to the fact that discounts on technology can only go so removed. They are typicly regulated and controlled, and have even been scrutinized for selling components for more than they are worth. Dell accepts PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards in a ddition to their own premier account credit card. They believe that having multiple payment methods encourages customers to purchase more goods. In addition, other typical transaction cost economics include the time it takes to configure a computer online (or at one of the newly introduced kiosks), the time it takes to research what components fit customer needs the best, the time it takes to actually place an order, and the time it would take if customer service/technical support is needed.Cooperative StrategiesMichael Dell believed that partnerships with suppliers would be better for the company than if it were to integrated backwards and manufacturer its own components. As a result, they have relationships with processor manufacturers Intel and AMD, hard disk drives manufacturers Seagate and Western Digital, speaker manufacturers Altec Lansing (often rebranded as Dell), and multimedia system component manufacturers creative technology ltd. Other suppliers for parts like RAM, mot herboards, fans, and DVD drives change depending on who supplies parts for the least amount of money. When Dell agrees to purchase components from suppliers, they are required to purchase a certain percentage of stock per order. As a result, Dell is able to demand products when needed. They can expect timely exaltation and service from the suppliers as well. Suppliers often have locations within close proximity to Dells manufacturing facilities. In addition, these suppliers are often treated as Dell family members. Finally, these partnerships help drive down costs.Offensive StrategiesDells suppliers act offensively daily. They have to in order to keep up with changing technology. Coming from Dells perspective, they too act offensively. Though they are not necessarily pioneering new and better technologies, they demand the latest and great from suppliers at the quickest rate possible. They refresh their product line every a few(prenominal) months to make it seem as though they are r evamping their product line often. In addition, if there are new technologies that exist for determining ways to lower costs along the assembly line, they investigate and incorporate. They have been the leader in direct-marketing of computers and will likely remain at the top so long as they remain offensive. After all, they are the low-cost leader.Defensive StrategiesThough Dells attempts at defensive strategies have not always been positive, they nevertheless attempted to fill a void in their product line. Responses to the changing marketplace include Dell televisions and Mp3 players. Though these products were highly competitive, they were never able to reach customers hands the way existing products could. This is one instance where Dells direct selling strategy proved to hurt their business model. A positive defensive strategy, however, was the release of the Inspiron notebook. Dell began outsourcing their entire laptop manufacturing operation to cut costs and maximize efficien cies. As a result, they were able to remain competitive and increase the market share that had began to lose. The global recession has also affected Dell, but most businesses have seen some sort of negative change from it anyway.First-Mover AdvantagesIn 1984, Michael Dell began his journey of creating custom built computers sold flat to customers. This, in itself, is the first-mover advantage of the entire industry. No competitor has been able to match the success of Dell in terms of direct selling to consumers. They have had far more years of experience operating in this manner than any of the other competitors. It is for this reason Dell will likely remain the top competitor in direct-to-consumer computer sales.CORPORATE STRATEGIES DIVERSIFICATIONBeca