Liquefied Natural Gas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Liquefied Natural Gas - Essay Example The machines that add most to the capital cost include the pumps, compressors, furnace, heat exchangers, vessels, towers, and trays. All these are required to begin the operation of the plant; therefore, they contributed to the fixed costs of the fall semester. For easier analysis, the capital costs are divided into the various machines that are required. The first division is on the pumps and compressors. The pump purchased was needed to increase the pressure of butane to the specifications of the pipes. The total cost of the pump was $1,165, 217.29. A total of eleven compressors were required, each one having a particular role to perform. The total cost of all the compressors was $159,473,108.70. There was also a turbine needed for power generation from one of the vessels when the pressure is decreased. The cost of the turbine was $600,086.96. The three components had a total cost of $ 161,273,369.57. The other facility that contributes to the capital cost is the furnaces. In total, ten furnaces are necessary to begin the operation of the plant. The total cost of the furnaces was $ 1,003,645.43. The cost of the furnaces in 2017 is also available considering an inflation rate of 3%. The next equipment purchased was the heat exchangers that contributed a total cost of $ 619,589.79. Two heat exchangers were acquired in the fall semester, while the rest of the exchangers, we acquired later. During the semester, thirteen vessels were also obtained. The total cost of all these vessels was $ 865,260.46. Towers and trays were also purchased during the period, contributing a total of $ 714,891.09. Five trays were purchased to begin the operation. There were also some miscellaneous costs for the acquisition of the sulfur plant and the tankers. The sulfur plant costs $ 1,232,960.00, which includes $ 100,000 for the plant plus the operating costs. Four tankers were also required, with each tanker costing $ 185 million.

Depends on the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depends on the article - Essay Example A book published in 2008 focuses on the way children are able to focus after experiencing nature. It might be that the calming soothing essence of nature is what settles the mind of children with this disorder. Whatever it may be that helps it is important to incorporate that with the child’s everyday life. Sometimes our and surroundings have a way of altering ones mood and way of thinking A recent research study has proven, â€Å"nature helps children with ADHD and outperforms prescription medicine†.(Hance 2008) This proven method can highlight a new area of designing. If nature is the simple cure to this ever growing problem, there is so much that can be done to help keep nature alive outdoors and bring nature indoors. The study has results that show children with ADHD who engaged in a 20 minute or more walk in nature, were better able to concentrate on studies. What can be gained by this is simply that the surrounding of children with ADHD has a huge affect on the way they are able to learn. No research can prove the long term affects of this but it is true that a natural way to allow a child to focus and learn is always better then medication. Those involved in the study also believe that after the time, the issues associated with ADHD can be lessened. Schools can take part in this by changing the surroundings in schools. If nature affects the way children with ADHD learn, it will also have affects on children without ADHD. The benefits of bringing nature indoors are great for everyone. Children should have a peaceful environment to learn in. Too many distractions can make it hard to concentrate. When designing a school setting it is important to keep in mind that simplicity will allow the mind to relax. Certain things can be brought into the design element that are from nature. â€Å"Classrooms can have real plants and trees and flowers†. (Taylor,Kuo 2008) Other elements such as a simulated waterfall and aquariums are important. The style of the

An overview of the incidence of diabetes in the United States Term Paper

An overview of the incidence of diabetes in the United States - Term Paper Example Difference in susceptibility by gender is, however, small with adult males having a unit percent higher prevalence rate as compared to adult females (â€Å"Diabetes statistics†, 2011). Incidences of the disease also vary with race. ‘Non-Hispanic’ blacks are the most vulnerable at almost 13 percent prevalence rate while ‘non-Hispanic’ whites have a prevalence rate of seven percent. Despite control measures, diabetes remains a killer disease, both directly and indirectly (â€Å"National diabetes statistics†, 2011). The disease’s prevalence rate also bears relationships with other complications. Published data, for example, indicate an almost seventy percent prevalence rate of heart diseases among diabetic patients. A survey of data between the years 2005 and 2008 also reported a 67 percent rate of high blood pressure among diabetic patients. Significant relationships in prevalence rates have also been identified between diabetes and other diseases such as â€Å"blindness,† â€Å"kidney disease,† â€Å"nervous system disease† and â€Å"amputation† (â€Å"Diabetes statistics†, 2011, p.

Comments on readings Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Comments on readings - Assignment Example Employees of the organization can follow these values, because they are derived from some of their religious beliefs. Canada also has a human rights act, and all provinces in it, are subjected to the act. One of the major provisions of this act is prevention of discrimination. Because these provinces are subjected to the human rights act, people can appeal any of their decisions to the Canadian Supreme Court. The courts have a responsibility of interpreting these provisions based on their ideological beliefs as opposed to the technical wording of the laws under consideration. One of the rights and freedoms enshrined in Canadian Human Rights Act is Freedom of religion. Courts normally find it difficult to interpret this law. However, when this matter goes to court, the courts normally take a subjective approach. This involves a situation where the courts would value the religious beliefs of a particular individual, as opposed to the religious belief of the whole faith. This is one of the best approaches in promoting freedom of religion. This is because the interests of a particular individual are pr otected. This article talks about the issue of discrimination, because of religion. It tries to analyze the likelihood of an individual refusing to work with women, mainly because his religious belief does not allow him. This is unfortunate situation, which if it is allowed to exist, may result to inefficiencies in the work place. This is because it would not advocate for diversity, which is an important concept that helps in the promotion of a high quality work. For example, if this is allowed, people may refuse working with female leaders, on the pretext of religion. This is discrimination, and this behavior should be condemned. The charter of rights and freedom of Canada advocates for an equal treatment before the law and execution of the law without discriminating an individual. It is one of the foundational principles that

Two Methods for teaching Third Grade students to appreciate Art Essay

Two Methods for teaching Third Grade students to appreciate Art - Essay Example This will enable kinesthetic learning which is so essential for this age-group. A hands-on approach to art in which the students not only look at different forms of art but also take part in creating them will enable the imagination of the children to be captured. The use of water to thin paint can introduce various elements of the basic science curriculum to the children. How water flows, what happens to it when other materials are put in it and what happens to it and other materials when it dries can be made an integral part of this learning experience. This will not only enable the students to understand how paint works but also that "science" is in fact fun and relevant to their actual lives. In the context of third-graders, this can be presented to them as how they can use the water in so many different ways. A second technique for the teaching of art is to introduce the children to the art of many different cultures, and have them try to create their own versions of it. Thus children may be encouraged to bring in pictures from their own culture if the classroom is diverse enough to enable this exercise. The third-graders will learn about other cultures (an essential element of the wider curriculum) and also be self-empowered through discovering that they can produce their own versions of that culture's art. As Gelineau (2003) suggests, the arts can provide opportunities for creative expression and self-fulfillment. The arts can and should be taught for their own sake as legitimate areas of study, but their link within the wider curriculum can also be stressed. Thus, as has been shown in this brief discussion, areas of the curriculum as diverse as science and cultural studies can be brought into the study of art. Most of all, the children should be taught that the appreciation of art is enjoyable, hopefully a lesson that will bring them a lifetime of pleasure in discovering the arts. _______________________________________ Works Cited Gelineau, Phyllis. Integrating the Arts Across the Elementary School Curriculum. Wadsworth, New York: 2003.

Dream Analysis Essay Example for Free

Dream Analysis Essay John [customer may change/remove his/her name here] has a military background and has spent his childhood in a boarding school. Overall, his childhood was happy and content and his favorite toys to play were trucks which he sometimes even wanted to build out of stray wooden logs and old tires. For the past couple of days John has been having a few recurrent dreams. In the following discourse of dream analysis and analysis on the basis of psychoanalytic personality theory, it will be examined how the fascinating world of the unconscious portrays to the conscious world a glimpse of that infinite universe that resides within each and every one of us. Every night John dreams that he is being chased by a figure in a hooded cloak and long hair that suddenly fades into a door which he cannot open. Bizarre as it may seem, John walks into the door and there is darkness everywhere – but as soon as there is enough light for him to see, he realizes that he is walking on water and there are ships all around him. Without furtherance, the dream ends and John wakes up confused and worried. John can neither comprehend the worry he has nor can he understand the odd turn of events in his dream. It is often said that each human being is a tiny universe within himself or herself. Each person has within him/her a great constellation of ideas, feelings, emotions, wants, needs and many other such aspects which make the person unique and individual and thus even a single case study can prove to be a study of a lifetime. â€Å"The dream is a little hidden door in the innermost and most secret recesses of the soul, opening into that cosmic night which was psyche long before there was any ego-consciousness, and which will remain psyche no matter how far our ego-consciousness extends. † These words belonged to this very noted and lauded psychoanalyst, Carl Gustav Jung, a proponent of Analytical Psychology and the inventor of the famous terms of today such as ‘collective unconscious’, ‘archetypes’ and ‘persona’. In the therapy, Jung’s methodology of treatment worked on the profound principles of word associations, free associations, dream analysis, transference and counter-transference. Dreams remained, however, one of the most significant works of Jung since there had been little work done on it since Freud. Jung’s therapeutic techniques and analysis of dreams provide a much more culturally rich and avid interpretations that cover a great breadth of subjects and ideas. Whereas Freud would interpret dreams as a ‘royal road to the unconscious’ that mostly leads to sexual discussions of a male-dominated structure, Jung’s discussion would profit the reader more in terms of how rich his theory is with motifs from all across the world. He had the cultural and cognitive openness to absorb ideas and patterns from cultures which belonged to distant lands as well as to designs which were close to his own religion, nation and race. His theory of personality speaks of not simplistic desires of sex and aggression; rather it takes a comprehensive look at the various types of personality in terms of their functions. According to Jungs theory, personalities are categorized in both extroverted and oriented toward subjective experiences (Miller 2004). Dreams are not looked up by a codebook, dictionary or even an almanac. You cannot have a standard glossary of dreams (Coolidge, 2006) which can simply pinpoint to you the exact source and destination of your dream. Even the most simplest of psychoanalysis would require a complete case study of the person and delve into the backgrounds and relationships of the dreamer rather than arbitrary guesswork. â€Å"Nobody doubts the importance of conscious experience; why then should we doubt the significance of unconscious happenings? They are also the part of our life, and sometimes more truly a pert of it for weal or woe than any happenings of the day† (Jung, 1970). Jung wrote a variety of articles, developing and perfecting his theory over a period of time (Adams 2004) which led to the collection of all his articles under a book called Dreams (1974). For John’s case we will discuss the two basic categories of dreams given by Jung: (1) Reactive (2) Compensatory Reactive dreams are coming as a reaction to some kind of trauma or repression faced by the individual. Most dreams fall, however, in the compensatory category, where the present moment attitudes or compromises of the ego are reflected back. Compensatory dreams present alternative perspectives that have been repressed, dissociated or otherwise defensively excluded by the ego (Addams 2004). Jung’s theory of personality suggested that there exists the ‘collective unconscious’, a set of influences that we inherit from our own particular ancestors, the whole human race, and even animal ancestors from the past. This collective unconscious is shared by everyone and is displayed by behavior that is shown as common across all cultures. Loving your mother, belief in a supreme being, fear of dark, cold places, and perceiving certain images as positive and certain images as negative are all results of the collective unconscious of which the entire race is a part of. Jung believed that the collective unconscious has ‘archetypes’ which were the universal symbolic representations of a particular person object or experience (Feldman, 1993). One of these archetypes is the ‘mother archetype’, a symbolic representation of a mother-figure present across all cultures, religions, literature, myths and even fairy tales (Virgin Mary, Mother Hubbard, Kali, fairy godmother etc. ). In John’s case the dreams seem to be of the second kind, which is the most common kind. Owing from John’s history that was taken prior to analysis (as per rule of psychoanalysis itself), it is seen that John has not been in any kind of traumatic experience lately which could lead to show that his dreams are in any way a reactive phenomenon to some event. It seems as if the ego, which is conducting the job of maintaining the deep secrets of the collective unconscious which tries to seep through our dreams, feelings, premonitions and behavioral idiosyncrasies. John’s history reveals that his favorite passion as a child was building tracks, as mentioned before, and he would often use his mother’s stray clips and pins while trying to make trucks. Once, he recalls, during his free association sessions, that his mother had gone out for the afternoon for a little while and he was left alone with his toys. John had sneaked into his mother’s room and taken all the clips and pins he could find to build a tiny engine for his truck out of the old cardboard boxes lying around in the attic. It did not thus struck as odd to the therapist when John responded with the word ‘road’ with the word ‘pins’. Word association technique, also propounded by Carl Jung, was a technique where the individual is given a list of words. To these set of words, the individual is asked to respond to the first response that comes to the mind. In modern day interpretation, reaction time and expressions are also noted. In Jung’s original version the main practices were focused on the response the individual gave to the words. In John’s case, the response to the word ‘road’ came as ‘pins’ which could have explained his recollection of his childhood methodology of building trucks through borrowing the pins from his mother’s dresser. John also remembers being scolded by his mother very sternly regarding the stealing of pins. He remembers his mother telling him that although what he stole was not of much significance, it did however matter that he stole something which was wrong on every account. John remembers crying and repeating the word ‘sorry’ many times and considers this to be one of his more memorable events in his childhood. The military set up, of which John is a part of, also establishes a certain emphasis on rule-abiding and a formidable outlook on immoral practices. Discipline and control are a big part of John’s life, so it is not surprising that such an event in childhood where his moral qualities were called into question continue to remain vivid in his memories. Although John’s energies have been channelized constructively, he does report feeling more inclined towards construction and manual labor oriented tasks, which speak of his childhood pastime of building trucks. In his dream John is chased by a figure which has long hair and a cloak, easily represented by an evil mother archetype. John may be harboring feelings in his personal unconscious, which is different from the collective unconscious. The personal unconscious is the combination of the residue of the personal events and experiences of the individual’s life, whereas the collective unconscious is the collective residue of the events and lives of the ancestors’ of the individual which is shared by all members of the society. Here since the archetype is professed as the evil mother archetype (given in the form of various myths and religions such as Kali, the Death Goddess, Evil Enchantress, Vivien and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel (Fox, 1994), we can understand John’s residual and unconscious fear of his mother. The dream can be further interpreted in terms of his fear and overall overpowering sense of moral code and ethics which guides his childhood memories as well as present day ambitions. This fear of childhood and present day fear of judgment may be symbolized as the evil mother since the ‘shadow’ may have a will of its own. The concept of ‘shadow’ by Carl Jung is synonymous to the concept of ‘id’ by Sigmund Freud, which represents all the carnal and basic desires of the person. The Greeks separated the mother archetype in both good and bad ways, whether it was the sexual version of Aphrodite, the virgin Artemis, the motherly Demeter and the dominating Hera (Fox, 1994). The mother figure symbolized as evil in John’s dream does not necessarily mean that John hates his mother or considers her as evil. It is simply a symbolic representation and interpretation of ideas and themes that are considered as overwhelming or powerful which have taken the connection of childhood memories, themes and ideas. The door and the sea both represent an initiation into a world that is unknown and thus a voyage into the unknown is found in this particular sequence of the dream. The sea has various interpretations in terms of archetypes and expresses a vast majority of meanings including an initiation, a voyage, an uneasy division between order and chaos, the eternal mother, etc (Carlson, 1986). A study was conducted on the archetype of doors and it was found that doors represent safety and keep bad things from getting in or help in escape if danger threatens. A door may represent a way out, a way to safety (Hatala, 1992). This dream could possibly mean that the door symbolizes a certain escape and balance that was brought from the uncertainty in life. The uncertainty that could have arisen from the difference in ambition and the difference in the current profession is absolved through the doorway of channelizing the energies into a positive way, for example, by joining the military. For the process of deindividuation, which Jung called the process of discovering the deepest of potentials of a person, dreams provide as powerful tools and cues in order to discover and fulfill the calls of the inner psyche. In John’s dreams the call of the unconscious seems to be towards the ego and the persona (synonymous to the Freudian ‘ego’ or reality principle) which absolves the conflicts of the ego. John seems to doubt his ego which the ego in turn does not want it to do. It wants John to make peace with the investment of his energies. The dream starts with the evil mother archetype and seems to end with the ‘sea’ or the eternal mother archetype. This means that there is peace within the system of John’s unconscious, yet this peace needs to be maintained, accepted and realized by the individual himself. Works Cited: Addams, M. V. (2004). The Fantasy Principle: Psychoanalysis of the Imagination. New York: Brunner-Routledge. Carlson, P. A. (1986). Literature and lore of the sea. Costerus, new ser. , v. 52. Amsterdam: Rodopi. Coolidge, F. L. (2006). Dream interpretation as a psychotherapeutic technique. Oxford: Radcliffe. Feldman, R. S. (1993). Psychology. [New York]: McGraw-Hill. Fox, R. (1994). The challenge of anthropology old encounters and new excursions. New Brunswick, N. J. , U. S. A. : Transaction. Hatala, L. J. (1992). Incredibly American releasing the heart of quality. Milwaukee, Wis: ASQC Quality Press. Jung, C. G. (1953). Psychological reflections an anthology of the writings of C. G. Jung. London: Routledge and K. Paul. Miller, C. A. , Miller, C. A. (2004). Nursing for wellness in older adults: theory and practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams Wilkins.

Basic resource for any organisation

Basic resource for any organisation Introduction: Information is basic resource for any organisation to its management. If the information is available on time its really effective for the management in its operations. The term information system usually refers to a system based on computer which is designed to support the operation, management and decision function. Management information system collects, transmit, process, store information and the system convert this data for management to make decisions and the strategy in the organisation. Reason for information system strategy First let me clear the misunderstanding for those who dont understand that whatever we do we have a strategy.im sure everything we do we have an objective to achieve that plan we make a plan that plan is strategy. Problem is strategy can be good or it can be bad or we may not have spotted that we can do much better if take the opportunity and environment into account. But there can be certain things give us a push to adopt a strategy and to achieve the better results for our business. There are two distinct phases, the first one is quantitative and the second one is qualitative. The first part we talk about the research of different organisations. In each organisation we will talk about different key stake holders in formulation of strategy process. This phase of the research will be started when different stakeholders will be interviewed over 100 interviews have been conducted so far. For the second phase the potential sample size will be every HEI in the UK. The first method tool which is being used to get samples in the first part is based on interviews and observation from which case studies are being created. The case studies created in part one will then be used to enlarge and increase upon present theory to grow a survey. This will be directed, using the results already recognized in qualitative research and different other organisations. This will bring the experimental sample to lots of other organisation which is adequate to learn any main defects in the survey. The second data-gathering tool will be a organized survey. The small size of the real people means that the survey can be given in all the organisations to at smallest three key stake holders or alliance frontrunners. Earl suggests a multiple methodology to formulate an information systems strategy. Earls multiple methodologies Earls multiple methodology provides a means of: Clarification of the business needs and strategy in information systems terms. Evaluation of current information systems provision and use. Innovation of new strategic opportunities. 1. Top down clarification Earls definition of a suitable method to clarify business needs in IS terms: ‘A methodology that is easily understood and used by line and general managers, it can cope with varying robustness of business strategy, it does not consume too much time or resource, it can be repeated as circumstances inevitably change and, as a result of these needs and because it could not achieve anything else, it points to directional IS needs and not detailed specifications. The ‘Critical Success factors approach meets many of the requirements of the definition. There are otherssee ‘Strategic Management and Information Systems Wendy Robson See ‘IT Strategy for Business Joe Peppard 2. Bottom Up evaluation Most organisations only have a vague understanding of the potential and capacity of their present IT systems. The technical perspective and backroom perception of IT may create a barrier. To understand the present systems a bottom up analysis is carried out. This involves an audit or survey. As well as the technical detail the user/specialist interface is examined. The value of the system to the organisation must also be ascertained. In this evaluation the following questions must be asked: How reliable is the system? How easy is it to maintain? How cost effective is it? What is the impact on the business? How easy is it to use? How often is it used? What is the state of our specialist user relationship? Other considerations might be the interactivity of the systems. These interactions and the evaluation can be shown graphically using systems maps or other means. The present systems can then be examined for strengths and weaknesses. The top-down business approach and the bottom-up systems approach do not provide an opportunity to exploit radical new ideas for exploiting the competitive advantage of IT. The business approach examines the ‘what and does not examine the ‘hows. The bottom-up approach is constrains radical thinking by the presence of the evaluation process and the strengths and weaknesses of the existing systems. A more detached approach is needed. 3. inside out thinking lateral thinking It is often inspiration and creativity that produces the bright spark ideas that can produce the beginnings of an IS strategy for competitive advantage. Ideas brought from unrelated sectors can often be successfully applied. The right atmosphere must be nurtured to produce this creativity. Runge suggests the following six characteristics associated with IT innovation|: The idea often emanates from a commercial manager. The idea was backed by a senior manager who became the project champion. The competitive advantage was added to an existing system; evolutionary process. The idea was developed outside of the IT control constraints. Customers were involved in the development. The application was given a high profile and was marketed. External Analysis The three legs of Earls multiple methodologies have considered IS strategy from an internal perspective. It is important to also view this strategy from an external point of view i.e. competitors, customers, consumers etc. There are techniques that can help clarify this approach. The SWOTmethod is a suitable candidate that explores both internal and external perspectives. A technique such as SWOT is useful when considering an external view of the three legs of the multiple strategies. Porters five forces model is a useful model for considering the external perspective on IS strategy. Boddy et al suggest that Porters model can be used to construct an IS strategy. Considerations when using the multiple methodologies. The use of methodologies does not mean a ‘cookbook attitude should be taken the implementation of strategies. Methodologies are useful overall frameworks but the context in which they are used needs consideration as well as experience. Experience suggests that: Significant differences existed in different firms; IS strategy formulation inherently seemed a more complex matter in some firms than others; and approaches in practice did not always match either the popular prescriptions or the accounts in case documented articles. Infrastructure-led may emphasise leg 2 bottom-up approach. Business-led may emphasise leg 1 top-down approach. Opportunity-led may emphasise leg 3 inside-out. Alternative approaches There are many other approaches in structuring IS strategy. One such approach is Porters five forces model. This is also useful in conjunction with Earls methodology. The following is reproduced from Body et al. IS changes the basis of competition: opportunities and threats Computer-based information systems are changing competitive conditions in many Indus-tries. There are many tools and techniques which can be used to analyse the relationship between strategy and information systems, depending on their purpose. In this book we can only illustrate one of these approaches, and the Five Forces model originally developed by Michael Porter seems the most appropriate to introduce. It can be used at the level of the individual firm to assess the possible impact of information systems on the competitive position of the firm. A comprehensive account of the many other perspectives on the topic will be found in Robson (1997). Figure 4.5 is based on Porters framework, and a show that IS represents an opportunity to secure a strategic advantage by using it to strengthen one or more of these forces. Similarly, it represents a competitive threat, if other organisations are able to use IS more effectively in these ways. Information systems and the threat of new entrants Managers can use IS on this force by using it to reduce the threat from new entrants by raising barriers, or by using it themselves to enter new markets. Using information systems to raise entry barriers The Caterpillar case illustrates that the manufacturer of the machine links the customer electronically with the service organisation. Because of that electronic link, it is not easy for a customer to go to another service organisation for repair and maintenance. This strengthens Caterpillars position as a manufacturer and as a service provider. The system is so complicated, advanced and expensive that it is hard for existing competitors to imitate. It is even more difficult for new entrants in this market to develop a similar system. The box gives two other examples. In the IS industry itself ‘setting the standard is very important to gaining a strong position. Most customers want to use equipment that has become established as the industry standard. Examples are Microsoft word-processing software, Intel computer chips and Netscape Internet browsers. It is very hard for new entrants to overcome these entry barriers, leading to a winner takes all situation in many sectors of the market. Using IS to enter markets more easily The Caterpillar case illustrates how the company uses its information system to attain a stronger position in the maintenance market. The system can strengthen the relationship with buyers of Caterpillar equipment and provide them with a broad after-sales service. Caterpillar becomes a stronger competitor of independent maintenance companies in new markets. Information systems and the threat of substitutes Companies can use information systems to alter this force by differentiating their products, or by creating new ones which they can use to threaten competitors. Using information systems to differentiate products and services The Caterpillar case shows the company using the information system mainly to improve the speed and quality of customer service. When the system notes deterioration the service starts immediately and the very capital-intensive machine will be repaired soon. This saves the customer a great deal of money. Other companies use the Internet to create and orchestrate active customer communities. Examples include Kraft (www.kraftfoods.com), Intel (www.intel.com), Apple (www.apple.com) and Harley Davidson (www.harley-davidson.com). Through these communities the companies become close to their customers. They can learn and innovate with product or service improvements that would otherwise be impossible. The research summary box below explains why it is essential for information service providers to differentiate their products. Using information systems to create new products and services Telephone and Internet banking are relatively new phenomena which have only become possible with new systems. The same is true of companies that use the power of database technology to offer new services in customer relationship management and direct market-in. Wide Internet access has generated a huge increase in businesses offering new services. These include electronic auctions, search engines, electronic retailers, electronic hubs (Data and Segev, 1999; Timmers, 2000; Kaplan, 2000), and Internet providers. Caterpillar created new maintenance services, and the next box gives another example. Information systems and the bargaining power of suppliers Increasing power of suppliers can increase their power by using information systems to track much more closely the costs of providing services to customers. They can set prices accordingly, or decide that they do not want a particular piece of business. For example, airlines use yield management systems to track actual reservations against traffic forecasts for any flight, and then adjust prices for the remaining seats to maximise revenue. Stepanekz (1999) reports how Weyerhaeuser Doors uses an Internet-based system to, amongst other things; manage orders from its distributors. This allows the company to manage its internal processes more efficiently, but also to assess much more accurately the value of each order, and the overall performance of its distributors. This enables it to refuse unprofitable orders, and to be more selective about the distributors which it supplies. Customer relationship management systems are a currently popular example of suppliers ability to track customers requirements more accuratel y, thus increasing the suppliers power over the customer. Decreasing power of suppliers Information systems can also be used the other way around. Customers can use information systems to strengthen their position in the marketplace at the expense of suppliers power. Ford and General Motors have set up electronic marketplaces and urge their suppliers to use that system to match their supply with the demand of Ford and GM. The Economist (6 November 1999) commented: Ford and GMs e-business revolution will not be confined to them alone. Their decision to go online will ripple through the 50,000 or so firms they trade with. The car makers are careful to say that none of their suppliers will be compelled to use their new portals, preferring simply to express that the benefits-cost savings, the access to new customers, the faster time to market, the sheer value of the information will make it an obvious choice. But the reality is different. Ford and GM are investing a lot in their e-business infrastructure and great hopes are riding on it. Suppliers that want to continue to do business the old way will rapidly become ex-suppliers and before long ex-companies. The next section about the use of information systems to change the power of buyers explores this theme further. This illustrates that information systems are increasingly inter-organisational phenomena, rather than hidden back-office systems. Inter-organisational systems can be used to co-operate as well as to compete with business partners, whether suppliers or customers. Powerful parties tend to urge less powerful ones to adopt their systems. Information systems and the bargaining power of buyers a good example of the balance of power being altered is when retail chains use modern communication technologies to make electronic links with their suppliers. Such systems reduce inventory costs and warehouse expenses and improve fulfilment time and information flows. For instance, they encouraged the further concentration of retailing firms which then had much more power over their suppliers. The retailers computer continually monitors its suppliers finished goods inventories, factory scheduling, and commitments against its schedule. The purpose is to ensure the stores always have adequate stocks. A supplier that is unwilling to join the system is likely to lose business. The box illustrates how Wal-Mart used this idea. More generally, buyers can use the web to access more suppliers, and to compare prices for standard commodities much more widely than was practical with earlier technologies. Information systems and the intensity of rivalry two ways of using information systems in the process of competitive rivalry are by reducing costs and through more effective management. Using IS to reduce costs On-line inventory systems make it possible to make radical changes in manufacturing supply systems. This greatly reduces inventory levels, and the costs associated with them. Car manufacturers are only invoiced for components when the completed assembly leaves the factory. When the system knows that X headlamps have been used, it passes the information to the component supplier. They send an (electronic) invoice for the components used, and supply replacements. There are similar systems in retailing, where suppliers like Unilever and Procter Gamble manage the inventory of their biggest customers. These inter-organisational systems reduce inventory costs but not only through lower inventory levels. They also reduce the need for working capital and allow a (smaller) purchasing department to focus on non-routine orders and strategic supply matters. The Internet enables large companies to transfer their purchasing operations to the web. Secure web sites connect suppliers, business partners and customers all over the world. This makes it easier for new suppliers to bid for a share of the available business, makes costs more transparent, and improves the administrative efficiency of the supply process. Using IS to enable more effective management A travel agents branch accounting system can now provide detailed patterns of business to managers, enabling them to monitor trends more closely, and to take better-informed pricing and promotional decisions. Another example is Ahold, a Dutch retailer, which achieved much greater performance in the supply chain by using its data-mining capability and knowledge extraction in its customer database. Management information systems can expand the span of control of individual managers, which can support the flattening of organisations. These examples show that information systems may become opportunities for creating, supporting or changing generic strategies. On the other hand competitors have similar opportunities there are also costs and risks associated with using information systems in this way. IS can also be a threat New entrants in the financial services sector have been able to introduce telephone bank-in through call centres very quickly. They were able to take advantage of the fact that they did not have an established branch network, and so could use the new technology very quickly. The technology worked to the disadvantage of established banks with many local offices. They found it costly to close branches. The technology was an advantage to the new, a disadvantage to the old. This illustrates a more general point that, for all the potential opportunities, IS can also be a threat. Information systems enable new competition Computer-based information systems represent opportunities for one business and threats to another company. In retailing, large chains have benefited at the expense of smaller shops, large suppliers have benefited at the expense of smaller ones, and large retailers have more power over suppliers. Any use of IS by one company to enter a new market, reduce costs and so on, is a potential threat to a competitor. They lose out if they have not seen the possibility, or have managed implementation less effectively. The London Stock Exchange is threatened by the fact that modern technology allows major institutions to trade shares directly, rather than use the market institution. The problem is increased by the fact that competing exchanges have implemented new information systems more effectively. They are likely to gain a larger share of a smaller market. Information systems place new demands on management time Implementing a major system takes a great deal of management time a cost that managers rarely include when evaluating investments. They require managers to look inward at (important) operational problems of staff, system design, and security. The danger is that they do not look at (even more important) issues of how to use the systems for strategic advantage. In other words: managers are often balancing between a ‘problem orientation and an ‘opportunity orientation. Senior management frequently underestimates the resources required to implement new information systems, especially of managing the many organisational implications. Implementing an information system successfully is difficult many research reports comment on the difficulties of implementing information systems. This is especially true of systems which involve many stakeholders with different interests or those which are innovative in other respects. They often take place in an uncertain environment, from a competitive as well as from a technological point of view. These uncertainties make it difficult to plan a change over a longer time. At the same time, the stakes are getting higher in terms of costs, people and other resources. Even when applications work, there may be downsides Managers often buy in expertise for development, operations and consultancy. These suppliers become the main experts of a companys IS resource. This dependency can be misused. Their lack of knowledge and insight in the organisation causes major problems. They have difficulty in negotiating successfully with the external providers and crucial company knowledge becomes the asset of other companies. References Achterberg, J.S., Gerrit, A. and Heng, M.S.H. (1991) Information systems research in the post-modern period. In Nissen, H.E., Klein, H.K. and Hirschheim, R. (eds.) Information Systems Research: Contemporary Approaches and Emergent Traditions. Elsevier Science Publishers BV, North Holland. Anderson, M. (1992) Implementing an information infrastructure strategy: the University of Edinburgh experience. University Computing Antill, L. (1991) Selection of a research method. In Nissen, H.E., Klein, H.K. and Hirschheim, R. (eds) Information Systems Research: Contemporary Approaches and Emergent Traditions. Elsevier Science Publishers BV, North Holland. 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