Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop

Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop Introduction This report is about the implications of MIS, and its influence on Top Shop business. It is written from the perspective of a management consultant who is to hand it over to a client company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The report will cover a wide range of topics some of which include organizational hierarchy, input, process and output, Hardware and software for the information system, process of decision-making, use of the management information system in strategic planning and E-commerce among others. The data for topic areas will be gathered from the secondary sources mainly books, journals, internet sources and as indicated in the references list. Organizational hierarchy Top Shop is a multinational organization with more than 20 outlets all over the world. It has its head office in London. Top shop spe cializes in women’s products such as clothes, bags and shoes. In terms of operation, it is partly owned by the Arcadia group (Barclay 2010). Top Shop management style is based on a hierarchical order, from the Managing Director Sir Phillip Green who is based in London. The MD is the overall authority in the company and operates with mandate from the Board of Directors. His role is to manage the company. Management entails â€Å"planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, motivating and controlling different activities of the company† (KK Enterprises 1993, p.12). In this regard, the managing director has been given the mandate of developing and expanding the long-term business strategies and plans of an organization. This also includes the process of making sure that the objectives of the Board are implemented. Although, the Managing Director is based in London, his role is to control the management system of the organization throughout the world from the h eadquarters. Mooney and Reiley explain that the MD is responsible for coordinating heads of functions or departments in the company (Mooney and Reiley, 2001).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, the management consists of Senior Managers in different sections of the company who are charged with the responsibility of leading and supervising various sections or departments such as human resource management, Finance, ICT, Finance and Logistics. The department heads are charged with the responsibility of making short-term decisions. The management level involves the middle managers who direct the products or services to the end user. Their main function is to implement the decisions and directives given by the senior managers or departmental heads and put them into practice. The end users who carry out all the work follow the middle and line manager. Largely, the management executes its duties through supervision, communication, leadership and motivation (KK Enterprises, 1993). Functions of Organization The functions of an organization are dealing with how various structures and aims operate, how the pools of human resources are utilised and how different departments or functions operate together. This is true for Top Shop Company that has many functions operating together. Top Shop is a chain of retail shop that mainly manufactures and supplies women’s designer clothes, accessories and shoes (Top Shop, 2012). It is a specialty in providing the latest designer fashions for women. Most of its collections are available through the catalogue. As an organization, Top Shop was invented in 1964 in the city called Sheffield, UK, by Peter Robinson. It has many franchisees and outlets all over the world. Its production of various products has brought lots of success to this organization. It also operates through mergers by coming into coo peration with other likeminded departmental stores in the US, the UK, Australia, and many others (Top Shop, 2012). Schonberg (1990) argues the successful organizations are those that have learnt to link their business functions with the demands of their customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is something that Top Shop has successfully implemented. It also has large departmental stores in London, New York and Liverpool, which serve as the mother of all stores. These flagship stores are equipped with facilities like hair salons, tailoring services, nail bars, sandwich bars and sweet shops. The first area of Top Shop’s business function is the research and development that continually invests designs and produces new products on regular basis in line with customer demands. The second major business function is selling the products and continuous production of financial services. Top Shop continues to engage in vigorous marketing in a bid to market its brands. The company knows the demands of its customers and continually updates its products. More importantly, the sales department has learnt to work in close relationship with the marketing and production departments to meet its market targets. The third most important part is the personnel department that deals with the recruitment, retention and development of the huge human resource department. The staffs are entail the management, sales representatives, production staffs and those at the public relations office. There is a well maintained staff record and a proper channel for dealing with staff grievances and relationships (Butel et al, 1997). The third important business function is its marketing department that continually invents new marketing methods to meet the customer demands. This department works very closely with the Research and Department to produce new. In terms of advertisement, this company has placed an important value in advertisements, which involve celebrity figures. The involvement of the high-class celebrity figures and supermodels like Kate Moss, Stella Vine, Christopher Kane and Celia Birthwell positively influence the company (Barclay, 2010). According to Barclays, these flagship stores have totally changed the shape and operations of Top Shop. This company has a habit of mixing and matching the fashion demands of their clients by providing designer products (Barclays, 2010). Barclays asserts that the key factor in Top Shops success has been its concept of shopping as entertainment.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has been creating unique design labels since 2001 to attract the attentions of the catwalk shows. It also supports young talents and sponsors graduation exhibitions popular with young people. Its involvement with young people has been hugely popular as it portrays itself as creators of young fashion gurus (Barclays, 2012) The fourth and perhaps the most important aspect of its business function is the IT department, which currently operates through the SALMON system. SALMON connects processes and transmits information across its large computer networks. It is used to transmit both raw and processed information to other departments. However, the members of the staff have been trained to handle the data carefully with confidentiality. Input, process and output The company deals with huge volume of works, therefore, managing its information system is an uphill task. It has to deal with the huge volume of producing, supplying, and marketing its services and products. As such , the company needs to come up with well-coordinated and programmed information systems across its internal organization structures. A massive company with volumes of work needs to develop proper information system that has the ability to maintain the objectives and strategic plans of the organization (Schonberg, 2009). The Salmon Information system seeks to coordinate functions of this company from the management, manufacturers, to suppliers. Products have been bar coded to keep track of the products in the shop and the stores. However, since this information system is complicated, it requires proper coordination and management. In most cases, computer experts employed to deal with such roles include computer support personnel, system analysts, computers operators, data base manager, computer programmer, information systems manager, technicians, and information systems manager. According to Schonberg, managers must come up with strategic plans to address and handle the huge technol ogical complexities behind the information systems. Hardware and software for the information system In order for the Information System to operate effectively, it has to incorporate other components like hardware and software equipment. Largely, both the hardware and software serve huge purpose of communication as well as collecting, processing, storing and retrieving of information from one network to another. An effective information system usually consists of three main scopes, which include the management, organization and technology. Concerning this case study, Top Shop is the organization, while the Technology is the information and computing system and the management ranges from the Managing Director to the supervisor on the shop floor. The computer system, which consists of the processor and its internal components must be regularly serviced and managed. This is because they grow old. There comes a time when such system age and need to be upgraded, repaired, and serviced. T he hardware disk includes video cards, in the like manner there is also the software part of the system makes the hardware to operate (Stair Reynolds, 2010). These systems need to be updated regularly. Some of the software include the anti-virus software to protect the company’s system from cyber criminals, fraudsters, and hackers. The security software protects the computing systems against loss, theft and destruction of data and provides back up for information in the event of accidental loss of information, breakage, or destruction. These software are always being updated (Stair Reynolds, 2010). A company like Top Shop must continually update its software systems in order to remain secure. In addition, as an enterprise it has well developed servers that run at high speed with the website being regularly updated and maintained (Top shop, 2012). Updating the information is something that is highly recommended by the experts. The manager may, from time to time, want to incl ude a piece of information on the website or convey a message across the organization. The information system is fast and efficient to be used in all managerial decisions (Stair Reynolds, 2010). Why use the information system? The emergence of the computers has revolutionized the world, human thinking, human relations, manufacturing and managerial operations. Most companies and organizations have today incorporated the MIS into their management program. MIS has become an effective method of translating information from one source to another, which makes it easier for managers to make appropriate decisions in their planning, controlling, and directing operations on a daily basis (Takahara Liu, 2006). For instance, Top Shop being a massive organization, the management has incorporated the Salmon information system as part of its management program. Since we live in the world of information, knowledge has become an important factor in managing firms and many companies like Top Shop h ave incorporated Information systems to achieve the competitive edge. Those companies that have fully implemented this system have obtained the competitive advantaged above the others in the market. Largely, the management needs to find out the relevant information that is appropriate for them and use it in their management programs. Moreover, almost all organizations need to incorporate the information system in their management structures. Furthermore, it has been discovered that information systems always assist the management make better informed decisions and judgments (Takahara Liu, 2006). Information system has become an important weapon for production and making strategic management decisions. It can also be used to empower staff enhancing the workers to make effective contributions to the development of the company’s overall goals (Stair Reynolds, 2010). For instance, Top Shop includes the information system to market its products locally and internationally. Proce ss of decision-making A Manager is someone who has been charged with the responsibility of making decisions that include short and long-term strategies. The decision making process often includes passing of information from one person to another, and managers use the information to make key decisions. Decision-making is a process that incorporates the production of choice or giving an opinion. Making a decision is not an isolated activity but incorporates an interaction with the environment and other factors. It may incorporate both rational and irrational process, based on facts or fictions. In every decision making process, there must be data to be processed. According to Sanders Ebrary (1999) in the corporate world, decision-making process incorporates identifying problems and assessing the outcomes. Largely, decision-making process also incorporates an element of problem analysis to find out the causes and effects of the problem to be solved. The problem analysis depends or rel ies on facts to come up with the right decisions (Saunders Ebery, 1999). Decision is then processed by analyzing and evaluating the information given. According to Fisher Ellis (1990), there are four main stages of decision-making process especially in a small group. These stages include the orientation phase that is about knowing each other in a group, and then followed by conflict characterized by misunderstandings and disputes between members in the group. The third stage is what is referred to as emergence phase, which is associated with the group giving their opinions, while the final stage is known as reinforcement; this is when a member of the group makes a decision and then justifies their decisions. Describe how the information system helps in decision-making The information system has become a vital tool for decision-making by gathering information from one source to another and the distributing it to others. Using information system, the management gathers the informati on needs, processes, stores and transmits it to relevant people. Sharing of the information can be either vertical or horizontally, to perform specific tasks within the business environment (Daft, 2011). The decision making process is about data management and maintenance of information that have been stored in either hard or soft disks to complex certain tasks. Management information system has become an effective tool for offering the information that can be used to make valuable decisions. Managers would initially use the data available to them to process information needed to make key decisions (Kallman Reinharth, 1984). Use of the management information system in strategic planning In addition, the management information system can be used for strategic planning within the business scenario especially in the case of Top Shop. The information that has been stored in the system can be retrieved, processed, and distributed between systems. Through the MIS, the management is able to control the flow of information from one point to another. Apart from strategic planning, the management information system becomes an important tool for ensuring that suitable information is protected and transmitted between suitable or relevant persons. The management would often use the information systems to process quality, reliable and well-planned information for strategic planning. Strategic planning is highly needed to compete in the highly competitive markets (Cassidy, 2006). E-commerce and its effects on business, e.g. EFT, B2B, and B2C communication As an introduction, e-commerce basically refers to electronic commerce, which normally entails conducting business transactions online. It is, thus, evident that there should be internet accessibility in order for e-commerce to take place. There are various types of e-commerce which the Top Shop management can make use of so as to increase its market base, as well as, increase the service delivery to the present customers or clients and suppliers. In the event that the Top Shop management realizes that a greater percentage of its suppliers along with customers are techno perceptive and more than ready to indulge in such transactions, then it will be appropriate to initiate them. E-commerce encompasses various business activities such as the transfer of funds electronically, online marketing, electronic data management just to mention a few. With regard to the nature of business being undertaken by the Top Shop enterprises, it will be more appropriate for them to indulge in online marketing, as well as transfer of funds electronically. Using B2B e-commerce, which is simply the business-to-business e-commerce, Top Shop will be able to make business deals with its suppliers without meeting them physically. Moreover, through e-marketing, the enterprise will be able to reach a wider market base without the need of establishing regional outlets. With the advancement being made technologically, majority of individuals are more interested in shopping online and do not like the physical shopping because it consumes most of their time. In that regard, Top Shop will definitely cut down its operational costs by indulging in e-commerce because the number of shop-attendants will be reduced significantly. However, the management will have to ensure that it has put in place vibrant secure measures to protect its clients from various frauds conducted through cybercrime (Laudon Traver, 2010). Benefits and drawbacks of the information system There are various benefits, as well as setbacks, which are associated with implementing an information system within a business enterprise. Top Shop management will enjoy various benefits such as having easy access to customers’ information along with being able to establish the customers’ preference by analyzing the data, which is already available within the information system. In that regard, it is evident that the information system will as sist the management in formulating strategies aimed at increasing its competitive edge within the market segment. In addition, information systems assist the management in the allocation of duties to its staff. It is easier to detect any staff member who has not been assigned any duty by accessing the information system. Besides, because there is information centralization through the information system, any queries brought up by clients are resolved in a timely manner without having to make consultations with the other staff members. On the other side, there are various setbacks associated with information system. The information systems entirely depend on the computer applications. In the first place, in the event that a hacker attacks it, the stored information may be interfered with. Secondly, the computers can in some occasions breakdown completely leading to loss of vital data. Lastly, in order to establish a vibrant information system, it is vital to seek the services of an I nformation Technology specialists thereby leading to additional costs (Ward, 2006). Conclusion In the advent of information and computing technology, almost every major international company has embraced the Management Information System (MIS). The Top Shop is an international retail company that produces designer clothes, shoes and bags for women. This firm has come from humble beginning from small shop to an international high street chain with many outlets in over 20 countries world. Its headquarters are situated in London under the leadership of the Managing Director, Phillip Green. The company has embraced MIS through the version of Salmon, which allows the managers make decisions, strategically plan, and implement changes. Top Shop has been successful in the recent past because of its brand and vigorous marketing strategies and plans. These include E-commerce and incorporation of celebrity figures to appeal to the younger generations. However, the information tends to have the biggest drawbacks being the external threats propagated by cyber criminals and hackers who may infiltrate into the system and steal people’s identity and information. It is in this regard that the information systems are continually being upgraded and repaired. Reference List Barclay, L. 2010, The unauthorized guide to doing business the Philip Green way: 10 secrets of the billionaire retail magnate. Chichester: Capstone. Butel, L., Curtis, T., McIntyre, J., Pearce, J., Rainbow, S., Smith, D., Swales, C., and Open Learning Foundation. 1997, Business functions: An active learning approach. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Cassidy, A. 2006, A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. Boca Raton: Auerbach Publications. Daft, R. 2011, Understanding management. Mason: Cengage Learning. Fisher, B. A., Ellis, D. G. 1990, Small group decision making: Communication and the group process. New York: McGraw-Hill. Kallman, E., Reinharth, L. 1984, Information systems for p lanning and decision making. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. KK Enterprises. 1993, Business management. North Melbourne: KK Foundation. Laudon, K., Traver, C. 2010, E-commerce: Business, technology, society. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Mooney, J., Reiley, A. 2001, Onward industry!: the principles of organization and their  significance to modern industry. Bristol: Thoemmes Press. Sanders, R., Ebrary, Inc. 1999, The executive decision making process: Identifying problems and assessing outcomes. Westport, Conn: Quorum. Schonberg, R. 1990, Building a chain of customers: linking business functions to create the world-class company. New York: Free Press. Stair, R., Reynolds, G. 2010, Principles of information systems: a managerial approach. Australia: Course Technology Cengage Learning. Takahara, Y., Liu, Y. 2006, Foundations and applications of MIS a model theory approach. New York: Springer. TOP SHOP. 2012, Top Shop Category Display, https://www.topshop.com/

Battle of Dien Bien Phu in the First Indochina War

Battle of Dien Bien Phu in the First Indochina War The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was fought from March 13 to May 7, 1954, and was the decisive engagement of the First Indochina War (1946-1954), the precursor to the Vietnam War. In 1954, French forces in French Indochina sought to cut the Viet Minhs supply lines to Laos. To accomplish this, a large fortified base was constructed at Dien Bien Phu in northwest Vietnam. It was hoped that the presence of the base would draw the Viet Minh into a pitched battle where superior French firepower could destroy its army. Poorly sited in the low ground of the valley, the base was soon besieged by Viet Minh forces which used artillery and infantry assaults to grind down the enemy while also deploying a large number of anti-aircraft guns to prevent the French from resupplying or evacuating. In nearly two months of fighting, the entire French garrison was either killed or captured. The victory effectively ended the First Indochina War and led to the 1954 Geneva Accords which split the country into North and South Vietnam. Background With the First Indochina War going poorly for the French, Premier Rene Mayer dispatched General Henri Navarre to take command in May 1953. Arriving in Hanoi, Navarre found that no long-term plan existed for defeating the Viet Minh and that French forces simply reacted to the enemys moves. Believing that he was also tasked with defending neighboring Laos, Navarre sought an effective method for interdicting Viet Minh supply lines through the region. Working with Colonel Louis Berteil, the hedgehog concept was developed which called for French troops to establish fortified camps near Viet Minh supply routes. Supplied by air, the hedgehogs would allow French troops to block the Viet Minhs supplies, compelling them to fall back. The concept was largely based on the French success at the Battle of Na San in late 1952. General Vo Nguyen Giap. Photograph Source: Public Domain Holding the high ground around a fortified camp at Na San, French forces had repeatedly beaten back assaults by General Vo Nguyen Giaps Viet Minh troops. Navarre believed that the approach used at Na San could be enlarged to force the Viet Minh to commit to a large, pitched battle where superior French firepower could destroy Giaps army. Building the Base In June 1953, Major General Renà © Cogny first proposed the idea of creating a mooring point at Dien Bien Phu in northwest Vietnam. While Cogny had envisioned a lightly defended airbase, Navarre seized on the location for trying the hedgehog approach. Though his subordinates protested, pointing out that unlike Na San they would not hold the high ground around the camp, Navarre persisted and planning moved forward. On November 20, 1953, Operation Castor commenced and 9,000 French troops were dropped into the Dien Bien Phu area over the next three days. Colonel Christian de Castries. US Army With Colonel Christian de Castries in command, they quickly overcame local Viet Minh opposition and began building a series of eight fortified strong points. Given female names, de Castries headquarters was located in the center of four fortifications known as Huguette, Dominique, Claudine, and Eliane. To the north, northwest, and northeast were works dubbed Gabrielle, Anne-Marie, and Beatrice, while four miles to the south, Isabelle guarded the bases reserve airstrip. Over the coming weeks, de Castries garrison increased to 10,800 men supported by artillery and ten M24 Chaffee light tanks. Battle of Dien Bien Phu Conflict: First Indochina War (1946-1954)Dates: March 13-May 7, 1954Armies and Commanders:FrenchBrigadier General Christian de CastriesColonel Pierre LanglaisMajor General Rene Cogny10,800 men (March 13)Viet MinhVo Nguyen Giap48,000 men (March 13)Casualties:French: 2,293 killed, 5,195 wounded, and 10,998 capturedViet Minh: approx. 23,000 Under Siege Moving to attack the French, Giap dispatched troops against the fortified camp at Lai Chau, forcing the garrison to flee towards Dien Bien Phu. En route, the Viet Minh effectively destroyed the 2,100-man column and only 185 reached the new base on December 22. Seeing an opportunity at Dien Bien Phu, Giap moved approximately 50,000 men into the hills around the French position, as well as the bulk of his heavy artillery and anti-aircraft guns. The preponderance of Viet Minh guns came as a surprise to the French who did not believe that Giap possessed a large artillery arm. Though Viet Minh shells began falling on the French position on January 31, 1954, Giap did not open the battle in earnest until 5:00 PM on March 13. Utilizing a new moon, Viet Minh forces launched a massive assault on Beatrice behind a heavy barrage of artillery fire. French M24 Chaffee light tanks firing during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, 1954. US Army Extensively trained for the operation, Viet Minh troops quickly overcame French opposition and secured the works. A French counterattack the next morning was easily defeated. The next day, artillery fire disabled the French airstrip forcing supplies to be dropped by parachute. That evening, Giap sent two regiments from the 308th Division against Gabrielle. Battling Algerian troops, they fought through the night. Hoping to relieve the beleaguered garrison, de Castries launched a counterattack north, but with little success. By 8:00 AM on March 15, the Algerians were forced to retreat. Two days later, Anne-Maries was easily taken when the Viet Minh were able to convince the Tai (a Vietnamese ethnic minority loyal to the French) soldiers manning it to defect. Though the next two weeks saw a lull in fighting, the French command structure was in tatters. The End Nears Despairing over the early defeats, de Castries secluded himself in his bunker and Colonel Pierre Langlais effectively took command of the garrison. During this time, Giap tightened his lines around the four central French fortifications. On March 30, after cutting off Isabelle, Giap began a series of assaults on the eastern bastions of Dominique and Eliane. Achieving a foothold in Dominique, the Viet Minhs advance was stopped by concentrated French artillery fire. Fighting raged in Dominique and Eliane through April 5, with the French desperately defending and counterattacking. Pausing, Giap shifted to trench warfare and attempted to isolate each French position. Over the next several days, fighting continued with heavy losses on both sides. With his mens morale sinking, Giap was forced to call for reinforcements from Laos. While the battle raged on the eastern side, Viet Minh forces succeeded in penetrating Huguette and by April 22 had captured 90% of the air strip. This made resupply, which had been difficult due to heavy anti-aircraft fire, next to impossible. Between May 1 and May 7, Giap renewed his assault and succeeded in overrunning the defenders. Fighting to the end, the last French resistance ended by nightfall on May 7. French prisoners of war are marched out of Dien Bien Phu, 1954. Public Domain Aftermath A disaster for the French, losses at Dien Bien Phu numbered 2,293 killed, 5,195 wounded, and 10,998 captured. Viet Minh casualties are estimated at around 23,000. The defeat at Dien Bien Phu marked the end of the First Indochina War and spurred peace negotiations which were ongoing in Geneva. The resulting 1954 Geneva Accords partitioned the country at the 17th Parallel and created a communist state in the north and a democratic state in the south. The resulting conflict between these two regimes ultimately grew into the Vietnam War.

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Terrorism - Essay Example Since its inception, the nuclear bomb has been one of the major threats hanging over the humanity. With the rapid escalation of terrorist movements, the threat of nuclear attacks is becoming even more probable. Despite the growing availability of nuclear materials, the risks of actual nuclear attacks are still minor, simply because nuclear terrorism is extremely difficult to accomplish (Ferguson & Potter, n.d.). The easiest are those acts which result in the least damaging consequences (Ferguson & Potter, n.d.). The problem with nuclear terrorism is not in the availability and accessibility of nuclear materials: in today’s globalized world, getting nuclear materials for a radioactive bomb is not difficult. The main problem is in that creating such a device requires sophisticated technical skills (Ferguson & Potter, n.d.). Building and launching an improvised nuclear device is much more difficult than creating and using a radiological dispersal device (Ferguson & Potter, n.d.). These difficulties, however, do not mean that the probability of nuclear terrorism is zero. As of today, nuclear bombs are the high end of plausibility of what terrorist groups could accomplish (Farber, 2010). The growing insecurity of nuclear materials makes the risks of nuclear attacks even higher. The lack of a comprehensive nuclear terrorism strategy in the U.S. further complicates the situation (Ferguson & Potter, n.d.). Yet, a small group of people who have never dealt with nuclear weapons could easily make a crude nuclear explosive device, with minimum attention drawn to their acts (Harvard Kennedy School, 2012). All these conditions make it easier for terrorist groups to realize their intentions and motives. There are strong indicators that a number of terrorist groups are interested in acquiring and using nuclear power in their acts against civilians. In 1998, Osama bin Laden said that acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction would provide reliable defense of Muslim s against the rest of the world (Harvard Kennedy School, 2012). As of today, at least three terrorist organizations could be planning a nuclear attack: Al-Qaeda, Aum Shinrikyo, and North Caucasus-based separatists (Harvard Kennedy School, 2012). These are the organizations that have demonstrated strong interest in the development of nuclear-based terrorist strategies. The exact number of terrorist groups looking for a nuclear weapon is currently unknown, but Aum Shinrikyo and Al Qaeda have already tried to purchase nuclear materials in the black market (Harvard Kennedy School, 2012). For the past ten years, Al-Qaeda has persistently tried to acquire nuclear materials and continues to pursue the goal of getting a nuclear capability (Harvard Kennedy School, 2012). There are no known cases of acquiring nuclear materials by terrorist groups. Also, it is not clear whether any terrorist groups have access to governments that can obtain these materials for them (Harvard Kennedy School, 201 2). Yet, there are several ways in which nuclear materials needed for the bomb could be acquired: (a) from a global stockpile of nuclear weapons; (2) from international nuclear facilities containing separated plutonium; (3) from states that are claimed to possess nuclear weapons, such as Russia and North Korea; and (4) from training and research reactors (Harvard Kennedy

Costco Wholesale Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Costco Wholesale Corporation - Essay Example The department is often responsible for conducting all the staffing functions of the business; additionally, it ensures that all the people recruited in the company are working under the best conditions that can inspire effective and maximum performance from them. Some of the most effective functions of this department include staff recruitment. Here, the department is expected to conduct a job evaluation, and then call for applications to get the best candidate suited for the job. The department helps new employees get acquainted to the job and nurture some of the best talents for future success of the company. Costco corporations has managed to build its success around effective human resource development strategies, that have seen the corporation establish more that 670 branches in Europe and other countries in Asia (Runkle 9). Costco is one of the most successful wholesale corporations operating in the United States under membership-only basis, providing a wide variety of merchandise. The growth and development approaches that the corporation has established have seen it rise to become the world’s third largest retail warehouse and the second largest in the United States. Currently, the warehouse is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington D.C. The corporation was established in 1976 in San Diego, California, creating it’s the first of its warehouses in under the name Costco in Seattle, California, which came seven years after its establishment (Runkle 11). Currently, the corporation has grown and expanded, managing to establish about 671 warehouses that have been widely spread across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korean and Taiwan (Runkle 13). It is important to note that currently, Costco Corporation has been successful in its strategies for human resource development in comparison to those adopted by its

The Golden Ratio Essay Example for Free

The Golden Ratio Essay The Golden Ratio is a fascinating number which can be found almost everywhere –from nature to architecture to art. To 18 decimal places, it has a value of 1. 618033988749894848 but is usually shortened to 1. 618 much like ? is usually rounded off to 3. 1416 (Powis, n. d. ). Signified by the letter Phi (? ), the Golden Ratio can be simply defined as â€Å"to square it, you just add 1† (Knott, 2007). Written in mathematical equation, this definition becomes ? 2 = ? + 1. When the resulting quadratic equation ? 2- ? 1=0 is solved, there are two solutions: 1. 6180339887†¦ and -0. 6180339887†¦. Notice that the two solutions have identical decimal parts. The positive number is the one considered to be the Golden Ratio. Another definition for ? is â€Å"the number which when you take away one becomes the value of its reciprocal† (Powis, n. d. ). Notice that the value of the reciprocal of 1. 618 (1/1. 618) is 0. 618 which is just one less than the Golden Ratio. The Origins of the Golden Ratio Euclid of Alexandria (ca. 300 BC) in the Elements, defines a proportion derived from the division of a line into segments (Livio, 2002). His definition is as follows: A straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the lesser. In order to be more understandable, let’s take Figure 1 as an example. In the diagram, point C divides the line in such a way that the ratio of AC to CB is equal to the ratio of AB to AC (Livio, 2002). When this happens, the ratio can be calculated as 1. 618. This is the one of the first ever documented definitions of the Golden Ratio although Euclid did not call it such at that time. A C B Figure 1. Point C divides line segment AB according to the Golden Ratio The Golden Ratio 3 The Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture Throughout history, the Golden Ratio, when used in architecture, has been found to be the most pleasing to the eye (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). Rectangles whose ratio of its length and width equal the Golden Ratio are called golden rectangles. The exterior dimensions of the Parthenon in Athens, sculpted by Phidias, form a perfect golden rectangle. Phidias also used the Golden Ratio extensively in his other works of sculpture. The Egyptians, who lived before Phidias, were believed to have used the ? in the design and construction of the Pyramids (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). This belief however has both supporters and critics. Theories that support or reject the idea of the Golden Ratio being used in the construction of the Pyramids do exist it is up to the reader to decide which ones are more reasonable (Knott, 2007). Many books also claim that the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci used the Golden Ratio in painting the Mona Lisa (Livio, 2002). These books state that if you draw a rectangle around the face of Mona Lisa, the ratio of the height to the width of the rectangle is equal to the Golden Ratio. There has been no documented evidence that points to da Vinci’s conscious use of the Golden Ratio but what cannot be denied is that Leonardo is a close personal friend of Luca Paciolo, who wrote extensively about the Golden Ratio. Unlike da Vinci, the surrealist painter Salvador Dali deliberately used the Golden Ratio in his painting Sacrament of the Last Supper. The ratio of the dimensions of his painting is equal to ? (Livio, 2002). The Golden Ratio in Nature The Golden Ratio can also be found in nature. One of the most common examples is snail shells. If you draw a rectangle with proportions according to the Golden Ratio then consequently draw smaller golden rectangles within it, and then join the diagonal corners The Golden Ratio 4 with an arc, the result is a perfect snail shell (Singh, 2002). There have also been ongoing debates and conflicting research results regarding the relationship of beauty and  in humans. Some argue that human faces whose dimensions follow the Golden Ratio are more physically attractive than those who don’t (Livio, 2002). With conflicting results aside, the existence of the Golden Ratio just shows that beauty (whether in art, architecture or in nature) can be linked to mathematics. The Golden Ratio 5 References Blacker, S. , Polanski, J. and Schwach, M. (n. d. ). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. geom. uiuc. edu/~demo5337/s97b/. Knott, R. (2007). The golden section ratio: Phi. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. mcs. surrey. ac. uk/Personal/R. Knott/Fibonacci/phi. html. Livio, M. (2002). The golden ratio and aesthetics. Plus Magazine. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://plus. maths. org/issue22/features/golden/index. html. Powis, A. (n. d). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://people. bath. ac. uk/ajp24/goldenratio. html. Singh, S. (2002 March). The golden ratio. BBC Radio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/radio4/science/5numbers3. shtml.

Tourette Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Genetics :: essays research papers fc

Usually, the first symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are facial tics, commonly eye blinking. Other facial tics include nose twitching and grimaces. The next tic to appear will usually be some other minor motor tic such as foot stomping, head jerking, neck stretching, or body twisting and bending.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affected individuals may also have a vocal tic such as clearing their throat, coughing, grunting, sniffing, yelping, barking, or shouting. Few Tourette Syndrome patients also experience coperlalia-the uttering of inappropriate or obscene words or phrases. They also may repeat words they hear others saying (echolalia).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some individuals touch people or repeat actions in an obsessive manner. Very rarely, patients demonstrate self-harming behavior such as head banging, and lip or cheek biting; only patients with severe TS exhibit such behaviors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tics are random, changing in severity, number, frequency, type, and location. Oftentimes, symptoms will subside for weeks or even months at a time and later reappear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder in which too much or too little dopamine is produced in the brain. Too much dopamine causes hyperactivity. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter used in the substantia nigra and striatum which are important for movement. Other systems which can be effected by dopamine send axons from the midbrain to the forebrain, including the cerebral cortex. Recent research has shown that TS may also be an abnormality in the genes affecting the brain’s metabolism of neurotransmitters in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tourette Syndrome is a highly penetrant, sex influenced autosomal dominant trait that can cause different symptoms in different family members. If the offspring that carries the TS gene is male, his risk of developing symptoms is three to four times higher. In few cases, TS is sporadic and the cause is unknown.

Living Under The Threat Of Nuclear War Essay

For me living under the danger of atomic war would have been terrible for me and my loved ones. Living in trepidation ordinary realizing that at any minute a nation could drop an atomic bomb on me and my family and obliterate us is an extremely terrifying thought. To live under risk of an atomic war is to have the acknowledgment that your fate and your family predetermination is in the hands of a nation that your nation may be conflicting with. It is the acknowledgment that you might not have control over what is going to happen tomorrow. The danger of atomic war and the risk of terrorism have a few likenesses and contrasts. The similitudes would be that somebody could end your life or your family existence without you knowing when and where. Both atomic war and terrorism has the danger of hurting blameless regular citizens who in all likelihood don’t have anything to do with the clash that is going on. The distinctions would be the danger of an atomic war could just originate from an alternate nation. Nowadays the danger of terrorism to me is a significantly all the more true and present threat. Today anybody can be a terrorist. Today anybody can assemble a bomb in their storm cellar with the assistance of the web. This man made bomb that can without much of a stretch be amassed is then taken into your nearby shopping center or at an exceptionally open spot like we saw in the Boston Marathon Bombings. There is no face to terrorism nowadays and he or she needs to take safety measures and be mindful of their surroundings. All in all both atomic war and terrorism strikes fear in the hearts of everybody. Both are intended to wreak devastation and will execute numerous blameless individuals who have nothing to do with the clash. I feel both are unsuitable approaches to settle an issue on the grounds that by what means can the issue be altered  with more gore. We need to discover an alternate approach to determination issues as a nation and as individuals.

Beneath the Pipes Essay

When Ralph’s teacher Mrs. Pitt announced that his class was going on a field trip he felt a surge of happiness and there was an immediate buzz of excitement throughout the class of thirteen and fourteen year old children. However, the following words which escaped the teacher’s mouth did not engender the same kind of enthusiasm. The class were disappointed that visiting the brand new Monster Valley theme park, was not on the agenda. A curly ginger boy, whose surprisingly tall figure appeared to be made solely of knees and elbows, stepped off the bus as his eye caught the sign that read ‘NORTH HELLWITH SEWAGE WORKS’. Ralph sighed in chorus with his only friend Callum. Callum’s frame was stout and his pale face was painted with spots and freckles. The class was approached by a man who wore an unpleasant grin. â€Å"Good afternoon children†, his words penetrated like when a wooden chair is dragged across a gym floor. Ralph gave Callum a profound curious look and then turned his attention back to the leering man. â€Å"I am your guide for this tour of the sewage works, my name is Mr. Red†. On a closer inspection, it came to Ralph’s attention that the man had a tail which spouted from the back of his trousers. ‘Nobodies perfect’ thought Ralph. It seemed that Ralph was not the only pupil losing interest on the subject of how many light bulbs were in the various rooms of the works. Callum was trying to reach his attention. â€Å"Ralph, I’m bored† â€Å"Me too† came the reply. â€Å"I’m off† â€Å"No you’re not†, as Ralph said this he recalled memories of Callum achieving other inappropriate feats and began to wonder if this statement would stand. â€Å"Perhaps you are, but I’m not†. Callum glanced around him and when his teacher had turned her back he strolled away purposefully. Ralph moaned and darted after him like a lion that had its favourite luncheon snatched from under its nose. Ralph followed Callum into a pitch black room. â€Å"Callum, get here now!† â€Å"Are you scared?† â€Å"Of course not† â€Å"Come on then† there was a patter of feet and then Ralph heard a sudden, â€Å"AAAARRRRGGHHHH†. Ralph fell on the floor in terror and confusion. He began searching on hands and knees for his glasses which had fallen off his head. As he crawled he felt his hand squelch into something soft – without pausing to consider what this mess could have been he scampered on with an unpleasant smell surrounding him amidst the dark. â€Å"Callum?† he waited for three or four seconds to pass and then â€Å"Callum? Callum?† still there came no reply, Ralph’s stomach slipped past his trembling knees. In a dazed panic he darted upright and sprinted for the exit to find the rest of his class. What Ralph didn’t know, is that he was running the opposite way from which he entered†¦. Ralph fell with a thud and glanced back at the stairs he had fallen down. It was still very hard to see but there was an eerie red glow leaking from the walls. He began to whimper and it was not too long before his whimpers became tears. Ralph pulled himself together and dried his eyes with a chewed sleeve. He looked up at the stairs and remembered those dark rooms, so he took the alternative route and continued along the boardwalk he found himself on; he convinced himself that he would find someone – anyone to help him. But he didn’t. Finding the boardwalk spiralling downwards, Ralph broke into a sweat and started to run. A dim red glow lost itself in a mysterious humid fog. The walls began to deconstruct and develop to a cave wall. The red glow started to get brighter and brighter still as he tunnelled further beneath the ground. After what seemed like a lifetime, Ralph gratefully found himself at the opening to a huge chamber and he could hear faint voices in the distant. The first thing he noticed about the room was the disgusting smell of raw sewage. He ran to find the owners of the voices but as he got closer he realised the talking was exceptionally deep and croaky. He launched himself round several corners to the increasingly loud sounds until, â€Å"OOOFFFFF† he was stopped dead in his tracks and fell to the cold hard floor. When he opened his eyes he screamed, â€Å"AAAARRRGH† he was staring into the eyes of a completely red demon which had two horns and a massive nose. Ralph was tall but it towered over him; it must have been three times his size and twenty times stronger. â€Å"LOOK WHAT WE GOT ‘ERE!† the beast snarled and beckoned to others just as threatening. â€Å"WHAT WE GONNA’ DO WITH ‘IM? BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD ONE OF THESE†. â€Å"EAT ‘IM† said a second, Ralph squealed. â€Å"RIP HIS BONES APART† a large drop of saliva let go of the demon’s face onto Ralph’s leg. â€Å"NO, WE ‘AVE TO GIVE ‘IM TO THE KING, HE’D HAVE OUR TAILS IF HE EVER FOUND OUT WE ATE ‘IM WITHOUT SHARING†. Murmurs of understanding and self pity were heard amongst the gathering demons. Ralph felt himself hoisted up and they carried him off, he fought desperately with flying legs and arms. Ralph was launched into a cave walled cell with long iron bars at the front. A rusty door slammed shut behind him. He looked around the cell and to his terror; in the shadows he saw the shape of a demon. â€Å"RELAX†, it croaked, â€Å"THE NAMES GODFREY, GODFREY JONES – AND YOU ARE?† Ralph moved across the cell so a red beam of light fell on the demons face. It looked like he had been crying and for some reason, Ralph pitied him. â€Å"Ralph Marving† came the reply. And so the conversation continued for some time, of course, time was not an important factor in the demon world. Ralph became to like and admire Godfrey. Godfrey had been locked up because he was one of the rebels who did not believe in feeding and building houses out of human waste. They were living amongst the hills in caves, hiding from the regular demon society. The deep talk with Godfrey was not to last too long, they were interrupted by the wailing of a child. Shouts and curses were heard everywhere as the boy was thrown in the cell. Ralph smiled. It was Callum. They rejoiced when they saw each other and then the introductions began. â€Å"We’re getting out of here† â€Å"How?† â€Å"These demons may be powerful, but they’re not likely contenders for brain of Britain.† â€Å"OI!† â€Å"No offence meant† â€Å"He’s watching us†, the huddle shifted further away from the guard standing at the door. â€Å"So?† â€Å"Callum, you’re going to wind up Godfrey. Godfrey you’re going to hit Callum, only you’re not really hitting him. Okay?† â€Å"I SUPPOSE† â€Å"The guard will hopefully open the door and try to stop the fight and I will hide and launch myself on his back and grab the keys from his belt.† â€Å"Sounds easy enough† â€Å"Meanwhile, you two run past the guard and make for the exit I will let go of the demon and run. When I get past you, slam the door shut and I will lock it, right?† â€Å"Right† â€Å"RIGHT† Callum and Godfrey began their argument. It was clear that neither of them were natural actors. Yet sure enough, the door opened and in walked the guard. The next part of the plan, however, did not go accordingly. Ralph made a leap for the keys but the demon was too tall. It turned its unwanted attention towards Ralph, who backed off. Godfrey threw himself courageously at the demon the two of them fell plundering to the ground with a loud thud. The stout figure of Callum darted in and grabbed the keys. â€Å"YOU MUST GO! I CAN’T HOLD HIM DOWN† â€Å"No!† â€Å"THE HUMAN WORLD IS NOT MY WORLD, GO! I BELONG IN THE HILL CAVES†, Ralph would argue no more, he was grabbed by Callum and they ran and ran for an exit. He turned to look back and saw demons flooding into the cell and his heart felt heavy. After minutes of running they were exhausted but the way was clear. Fortunately, it was easy to find their way to the corridor that led upwards. Callum and Ralph paced themselves up the spiralling corridor with the red ambience growing thinner. The shouts behind them diminished. They eventually reached the boardwalk and were too tired to continue running so they came to a halt. â€Å"What time is it?† Callum lifted his chewed sleeve and his battered watch read, â€Å"Two minutes past three† they looked at each other in astonishment. The six hours which had passed seemed to have stretched to days. â€Å"If we’re quick we may just make the bus back to school† so the two of them, once again, heaved their bodies forward. When they arrived at the entrance to the sewage works, Callum heaved a sigh of relief. The air was cooler, fresher and moist, it strew itself on their faces gratefully. They spotted the class lining up next to the bus, it was apparent that a head count was being done. They tried to mingle into the group unnoticed but Mrs. Pitt was aware of their presence. â€Å"Callum, Ralph, where on Earth have you been?† she snapped. â€Å"Well -â€Å", Ralph begun, then he considered the reality of his adventure. â€Å"We – got lost†. The class boarded the bus and Ralph and Callum landed themselves on a tattered seat. Ralph breathed on the window and wiped it. Just for one moment, he thought he saw a distant red object, disappearing over the valley towards the hills which stood boldly above the landscape.

The Doppler Effect for Sound Waves

The Doppler Effect for Sound Waves The Doppler effect is a means by which wave properties (specifically, frequencies) are influenced by the movement of a source or listener. The picture to the right demonstrates how a moving source would distort the waves coming from it, due to the Doppler effect (also known as Doppler shift). If youve ever been waiting at a railroad crossing and listened to the train whistle, youve probably noticed that the pitch of the whistle changes as it moves relative to your position. Similarly, the pitch of a siren change as it approaches and then passes you on the road. Calculating the Doppler Effect Consider a situation where the motion is oriented in a line between the listener L and the source S, with the direction from the listener to the source as the positive direction. The velocities vL and vS are the velocities of the listener and source relative to the wave medium (air in this case, which is considered at rest). The speed of the sound wave, v, is always considered positive. Applying these motions, and skipping all the messy derivations, we get the frequency heard by the listener (fL) in terms of the frequency of the source (fS): fL [(v vL)/(v vS)] fS If the listener is at rest, then vL 0.If the source is at rest, then vS 0.This means that if neither the source nor the listener are moving, then fL fS, which is exactly what one would expect. If the listener is moving toward the source, then vL 0, though if its moving away from the source then vL 0. Alternately, if the source is moving toward the listener the motion is in the negative direction, so vS 0, but if the source is moving away from the listener then vS 0. Doppler Effect and Other Waves The Doppler effect is fundamentally a property of the behavior of physical waves, so there is no reason to believe that it applies only to sound waves. Indeed, any sort of wave would seem to exhibit the Doppler effect. This same concept can be applied not only to light waves. This shifts the light along the electromagnetic spectrum of light (both visible light and beyond), creating a Doppler shift in light waves that is called either a redshift or blueshift, depending on whether the source and observer are moving away from each other or toward each other. In 1927, the astronomer Edwin Hubble observed the light from distant galaxies shifted in a manner that matched the predictions of the Doppler shift and was able to use that to predict the speed with which they were moving away from the Earth. It turned out that, in general, distant galaxies were moving away from the Earth more quickly than nearby galaxies. This discovery helped convince astronomers and physicists (including ​Albert Einstein) that the universe was actually expanding, instead of remaining static for all eternity, and ultimately these observations led to the development of the big bang theory.

How to Use Dialogues in Class

How to Use Dialogues in Class Its easy to get stuck in a rut when using dialogues in class, but these teaching tools are full of potential. Here are some activities that use dialogue beyond just rote reading and parroting.   Use Dialogues to Practice Stress and Intonation Dialogues can come in handy when working on stress and intonation. Students move beyond focusing on single phonemic pronunciation issues and concentrate instead on bringing the right intonation and stress to larger structures. Students can play with meaning through stress by creating dialogues that focus on stressing individual words to clarify meaning. Use dialogues that students are familiar with so that they can focus on pronunciation rather than vocabulary, new forms, etc.Introduce students to the concept of using stress and intonation to highlight content words while brushing over function words.Ask students to highlight their dialogues by marking the content words in each of their lines.Students practice the dialogues together focusing on improving their pronunciation through stress and intonation. Base Impromptu Skits on Dialogues One of my favorite uses of shorter language function dialogues (i.e. shopping, ordering in a restaurant, etc.) for lower levels is to extend the activity by first practicing dialogues, and then asking students to act out dialogues without any help. If you are practicing a number of dialogues, you can add an element of chance by having students pick their target situation out of a hat. Provide numerous short situational dialogues for a target linguistic function. For example, for shopping students can practice exchanges of trying on clothing, asking for help, asking for a different size, paying for items, asking for a friends advice, etc.Have students practice each situation multiple times.Write each situation on a small piece of paper.Students choose a situation randomly and act it out on the spot without any dialogue cues. Extend Dialogues to full Blown Productions Some situational dialogues just call out for full blown productional values. For example, when practicing modal verbs of deduction using a dialogue to make suppositions about what might have happened makes a perfect scenario for practice. Students can begin with a dialogue to get the gist of a scenario, and then let their imaginations take over. Introduce target structure in class. Good structures for longer skits include: conditional forms, reported speech, modal verbs of deduction, speculating about the future, imagining a different past (past modal verbs of deduction).Provide a dialogue with targeted structure as inspiration.Divide the class up into smaller groups, each in the group should have a role.Using the dialogue as a model, students should create their own longer multiple person skit.Students practice and then perform for the rest of the class. Paraphrase Dialogues Paraphrasing dialogues can help students focus on related structures. Begin slowly by asking students to substitute or paraphrase shorter forms. End with more extended dialogues. Provide short dialogues to students and ask them paraphrase shorter phrases. For example, if the dialogue asks for suggestions with a phrase such as Lets go out tonight, students should be able to come up with Why dont we go out tonight, How about going out for a night on the town, etc.Hand out a few different dialogues, ask students to read the dialogue and then create another dialogue on the fly without using the same exact words. Students can take a look at the original lines, but must use other words and phrases.Ask students to read a dialogue to another pair. This pair in turn attempts to repeat the dialogue through paraphrase. As a variation to this exercises for lower level classes, students can expand their use of a wider variety of vocabulary and expressions by using gap fill dialogues. Students still have the structure of the dialogues to hold on to, but must fill in the gaps for the dialogues to make sense.

Political Science - Foreign Affairs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Science - Foreign Affairs - Essay Example Some of the major reasons include commercial rivalries, religion, dynastic and territorial conflicts. The Thirty Years War began when the Roman emperor, Ferdinand II tried to impose the Roman Catholic absolutism on his empire. Consequently, the protestant nobles of Australia and Bohemia conflicted and rebelled against the decision of King Ferdinand for five years. In 1625, a dispute between Denmark and Germany arose where Denmark wanted to gain valuable territory in Germany. Sweden also conflicted with Poland where they fought for four years until 1929. After a struggle with Sweden, Poland attacked Russia, and the struggle lasted for five years. The wars were mainly fueled by political ambitions of some European countries to capture and exploit resources of others nations. In addition, religious conflicts accelerated the war since European countries were divided into three main religious groups. These included Calvinism, Roman Catholicism, and Lutheranism. Other participants in the war included France and Spain. According to the current situation in the Middle East, it is true that the region is experiencing a similar situation experienced in Europe during the Thirty Years War. Middle East is the home of many terrorist based groups such as Al-Qaida and Taliban. These sectarian and communal identities are eventually becoming more powerful and armed than national rules. In addition, conflicts in the Middle East are based on natural resource endowments, territorial rivalry, and religious affiliations. The outside actors such as the UN, NATO, and other peace organizations are unwilling and unable to stabilize the Middle East region completely. In his article â€Å"The Unraveling† Haass states clearly that the international order, especially the Post-Cold War order, is unraveling. Challenges facing the international laws are mainly global. Some of these challenges include cross-border terrorists flows, greenhouse gas emissions

Statistics case memo Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case memo - Statistics Project Example This data represent 21 New Jersey counties. This report will examine correctness of the charge that New Jersey banks have been withdrawing from urban areas with a high percentage of minorities. For this, I will use Asbury Park Press compiled county by county data and summarize this data set using scatter diagram and the descriptive statistics and presents findings in this memo. The importance of this study is to test whether banks serve their own communities. A scatterplot is created taking â€Å"x† as the percentage of the population within each county that is minority and â€Å"y† as people in each county per branch bank within the county. Figure 1 shows the scatter diagram of minority percentage (independent variable x) against the number of people per bank branch (dependent variable y). There appears a strong direct positive relationship between the number of people in county per branch bank and the percentage of minority population in county. The R2 value of 0.5265 indicates that about 52.65% of the variation in the number of people in county per branch bank is explained by the percentage of minority population in county. This is a strong effect. However, the other 47.35% of the variation in the number of people in county per branch bank remains unexplained. The slope coefficient of regression of 35.89 suggests that for every percent increase in minority population in the county, the number of people per bank branch increases by about 36 on average. The intercept coefficient of regression of 2082 suggests that for no minority population in the county, the number of people per bank branch will be about 2,082 on average. The p-value for â€Å"x† variable the percentage of minority population in the county is 0.0002, which is less than 0.01. Therefore, the percentage of minority population in the county significantly predicts the number of people in county