Review Of National Food Plan For Australia - 3029 Words

Review of National Food Plan for Australia Introduction Since ancient times, food has been a fundamental requirement for the survival of human being. Nowadays, in addition to solving the problem of hunger, safe and nutritious food becomes fundamental to human health. In Australia, a great variety of food is produced every year based on the diverse geography and climate, and this is helpful to the high level of food security. In order to create more social, economic and environmental benefits, it is necessary for Australia to meet the global challenges, such as food security, and seize the opportunities for the development of Australian food system. Addressing the challenges of food security will primarily require increased food production without further damage to the environment, and take other natural resources and social and economic factors into account. The rise of Asia will pose profound effects on the food system in Australia because of the expanding Asian middle class and growing markets with high-value food products. This will be an important opportunity for Australian food industry in the future. To seize this opportunity in the context of competition, Australia have to build on their strengths and develop the food production system. Thus, Australia’s first National Food Plan has been developed by Australian Government on the basis of Australia in the Asian Century White Paper and extensive public consultation. 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On the other hand, Shakespeare also maintains the feminine...

On the other hand, Shakespeare also maintains the feminine ideal through the use of disguise. In Much Ado About Nothing Hero loses her feminine ideals through Claudio’s dishonour, however the use of concealment allows her to regain her ideals. Hero’s death is symbolic as it is seen as her ‘rebirth’, as it induces remorse in Claudio and cleanses her name of infamy ‘One Hero died defiled, but I do live.. and surely as I live, I am a maid’. Hero’s dishonour is paramount, as the destruction of a women was seen as their undoing in a Renaissance society. Mary Rose discusses the idea of purity â€Å"For a woman, a public reputation was dishonourable, a sure sign of immorality and scandal†. In both cases, the characters have had an impact on society†¦show more content†¦Viola breaks down the old constraints of the patriarchal society, which expresses the idea of the modern female ideal slowly coming into course. This would have b een quite a challenge to an audience during that time. Critic Laura Jastrem talks about the importance of twisting gender roles and the impact it had on a Renaissance audience. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night examines patterns of love and courtship through a twisting of gender roles.. the duality of word meanings in this passage (Act 3) threaten to turn the traditional patriarchal concept of courtship upside down.. Perhaps the biggest upset to the traditional structure is the possibility that Olivia may be in love with a woman†. Beatrice is a foil to her cousin Hero. She is a sharp character who is unwilling to submit to the will of a controlling husband ‘No, my lord, unless I might have another for working-days: your grace is too costly to wear’ . Like Olivia, she comes across as a forceable character, which we see when she convinces Benedict to turn on his close friend Claudio. however unlike Olivia she stresses the importance of gender equality and the fellowship of marriage. When Hero is dishonoured, Beatrice in a state of rage rebels against the unequal status of women within the Renaissance period â€Å"O that I were a man for his sake! Or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake!† sheShow MoreRelatedShakespeare s Twelfth Night ( C. 1600-01 )2907 Words   |  12 PagesSOCIETY The Renaissance society to which Shakespeare belonged viewed the role of women and men in the society as varying greatly. Men were generally seen as having the ruling voice as fathers, husbands, masters, teachers, preachers, magistrates, soldiers and lords. A public life was practically impossible for a woman and even if a woman had some public reputation she was vulnerable to fall prey to some kind of scandal or the other. The stereotypical ideal woman was one who was submissive and obedientRead MoreElizabethan Era11072 Words   |  45 Pages(1558–1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. 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Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesChristian Holdener, S4Carlisle Publishing Services Composition: S4Carlisle Publishing Services Printer/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Courier/Kendalville Text Font: 10.5/12 ITC New Baskerville Std Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on the appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2013, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United

Microbiology Coursework Bacillus Cereus Free Essays

Microbiology Coursework: Bacillus cereus After investigation following on outbreak of food poisoning at a pizza restaurant, it was found that all suffers had consumed a portion of side salad from the self-service salad bar alongside their main dish. Subsequently, this was further traced to a rice salad. Environmental Health Officers investigating this outbreak suspected it may have been caused by Bacillus cereus (B. We will write a custom essay sample on Microbiology Coursework: Bacillus Cereus or any similar topic only for you Order Now cereus). The presence of large numbers of B. cereus in a food is indicative of active growth and proliferation of the organism and is consistent with a potential hazard to health. The diagnosis of B. ereus can be confirmed by the isolation of more than 105 B. cereus organisms per gram from epidemiologically implicated food, but such testing is often not done because the illness is relatively harmless and usually self-limiting 1. Design a method(s) to enumerate the: i)Total bacterial count ii)Bacillus cereus count In the rice salad This outbreak of food poisoning could be investigated by performing an enumeration (plate count) of the total viable bacteria in the rice salad on a general non-selective agar using either the pour or the spread plate method. To confirm that the outbreak had been caused by any B. ereus present in the rice salad a selective media agar, such as mannitol egg yolk polymixin agar (MEYP/MYP), should be used. Once B. cereus has been confirmed a further enumeration of the B. cereus should be performed on the MEYP/MYP agar selective media plate to show whether the amount of B. cereus present is within the range known to cause food poisoning 105–107 cells g? 1 of food for Diarrhoeal syndrome, or 105–108 cells g? 1 of food for Emetic syndrome. (Granum Lund, 2006) To perform a total cell count and the confirmation of B. cereus by either the pour or spread plate method the equipment required is as follows: General non-selective agar Mannitol egg yolk polymixin agar (MEYP/MYP) Petri dishes Glass or disposable â€Å"hockey stick† spreader Bunsen burner Test tubes Ringers solution Pastettes / Pippettes Food blender Before a cell count can be performed a serial dilution of an homogenate of the rice salad is required. For this one part rice salad is blended to nine part ringers solution, from this initial homogenate that the serial dilution is created by taking 1ml of this original and adding it to 9ml of ringers solution thereby creating a 1:10 dilution of the original. This step is repeated a further 5 times, each time taking 1ml from the dilution created in the previous tube and adding it to 9ml of ringers solution thereby with each step the original sample is diluted by a further factor of 10, (Figure 1). Once the serial dilution has been completed down to a dilution of 1:1,000,000 (10-6) either the pour or spread plate method of plating out of the samples can be performed Figure 1: Serial dilution When using a general non-selective agar both the pour and spread plate methods can be used for enumeration of the total bacteria in the rice salad. With both methods all plates are performed in triplicate. Along-side the non-selective agar, an agar such as MEYP/MYP selective agar which is selective for B. cereus can be used to confirm that B. cereus is present in the original sample. In the pour plate method 1ml or 0. 1ml of each of the dilutions prepared earlier within the serial dilution are added to individual petri dishes and a nutrient agar which is held at around 50oC is poured over each of these samples, the petri dishes are swirled causing gentle agitation and mixing the bacteria with the agar. After the agar has solidified the plates are incubated, after this incubation the pour plates show bacterial growth both on and within the agar due to aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. In the spread plate method 0. 1ml of each of the serial dilution solutions is pipetted onto the surface of a pre-poured agar plate and spread using a â€Å"hockey stick† spreader, the agar plates are then incubated. Bacterial colonies only grow on the surface of the spread plate, (Figure 2) Figure 2: Method of Pour and spread plate technique. Microbial Growth, 2011) Once the plates have been incubated they are examined and the number of colonies counted, only plates that show between 30-300 colonies are counted, if the number of colonies is above 300 then the plate is discarded as too numerous to count, if below 30 it is discarded as too few to count. After the plates showing between 30-300 colonies have been counted the number of bacteria in the original sample can be worked out using the calcula tion Number of colonies on plate x dilution of sample = number of bacteria / ml If growth has occurred on the MEYP/MYP plates, a Gram stain can be performed on a sample from one of the colonies, when the gram stain is examined under oil immersion B. cereus should appear as large Gram-positive bacilli in short-to-long chains; with spores that are ellipsoidal, central to subterminal, and that do not swell the sporangium. (Tallent, Rhodehamel , Harmon, Bennett, 2012) (Figure 3) Figure 3: flow diagram showing order of events leading to the enumeration of total bacteria and Bacillus cereus in a sample of food. 2. Explain why MEYP/MYP agar is selective for Bacillus cereus B. cereus is mannitol-negative. The mannitol content of the medium thus allows differentiation of the accompanyingmannitol-positive microbial flora which are identified by a change in colour of the indicator phenol red to yellow. B. cereus is not affected by concentrations of polymyxin which inhibit the common accompanying microbial flora (Donovan, 1958). Addition of polymyxin is necessary, however, if the sample material is suspected to contain high-numbers of accompanying microorganisms B. cereus produces lecithinase. The insoluble degradation products of egg-yolk lecithin accumulate around the Cereus colonies to form a white precipitate. A lecithinase reaction occurs very early in many strains, Cereus colonies can, therefore, often be rapidly identified before accompanying polymyxin-resistant microorganisms have had a chance to fully develop. Incubation: 18-40 hours at 32  °C. B. cereus appears as rough, dry colonies with a pink to purple base which are surrounded by a ring of dense precipitate. Colonies surrounded by a yellow or a clear zone are not Bacillus cereus. Further tests should be performed to confirm the identity of Bacillus cereus (anaerobic degradation of D(+)glucose, degradation of gelatin, positive nitrate reduction). (Merck, 2012) 3. Suggest how health officers may have come to the tentative conclusion of B. cereus poisoning. Health officers may have come to this conclusion based on the short incubation time to the sudden onset of illness, and due to rice already being implicated as the source of this type of food poisoning in other cases. 4. Suggest ways in which: i. The rice salad might have been infected by the Bacillus cereus; ii. The Bacillus cereus could have survived the normal cooking process of the rice; iii. Bacillus cereus causes food poisoning. B. cereus is present in the outer casing of rice and, because it is able to form spores that are very resistant to low or high temperatures, it can therefore easily survive cooking and less-than perfect refrigeration. Improper storage of food stuffs is the issue. Bacillus cereus spores can survive boiling and if the food, in this case rice is stored at ambient temperature, the spores can germinate into toxin producing bacteria. Herriman, 2009) Bacillus cereus has been reported to be present in stools of healthy humans at varying levels (Johnson, 1984) therefore if an individual had not washed their hands after going to the toilet then handled the serving spoon any B. cereus from the hands could be transferred to the serving spoon which in turn could either infect the rice salad or the hand of the person next using the spoon. When rice is boiled and then stored i n the fridge without being cooled first, these spores can germinate on the cooked rice and grow well at 4oC. If the rice is then used in a stir fry or similar dish, where the cooking time is relatively short, or the rice is held at an insufficient temperature enough of the bacteria survive to be ingested. Bacillus cereus causes food poisoning of two different types, emetic and diarrhoeal. (Table 1) Table 1. Characteristics of the two types of disease caused by Bacillus cereus Diarrhoeal syndromeEmetic syndrome Infective dose105–107 (total)105–108 (cells g? 1) Toxin producedIn the small intestine of the hostPreformed in foods Type of toxinProteinCyclic peptide Incubation period8–16 h (occasionally gt;24 h)0. –5 h Duration of illness12–24 h (occasionally several days)6–24 h SymptomsAbdominal pain, watery diarrhoea and occasionally nauseaNausea, vomiting and malaise (sometimes followed by diarrhoea, due to additional enterotoxin production? ) Foods most frequently implicatedMeat products, soups, vegetables, puddings/sauces and milk/milk productsStarch- rich foods; Fried and cooked rice, pasta, pastry and noodles The form that produces diarrhoea is accompanied by symptoms that are virtually indistinguishable from those caused by the Clostridium perfingens bacteria. The affected person experiences abdominal cramps and severe watery diarrhoea within about 15 hours of eating the contaminated rice. Vomiting rarely occurs but the diarrhoea carries on between 1 and 2 days. The diarrhetic syndromes observed in patients are thought to stem from the three toxins Hemolysin BL Hbl, Nonhemolytic Enterotoxin Nhe and Cytotoxin K CytK. These enterotoxins are all produced in the small intestine of the host, thus thwarting the issue of digestion by host endogenous enzymes. Some strains of the bacteria have an extra plasmid that carries a gene for a toxin that causes severe vomiting. These strains cause the emetic form of Bacillus cereus and produce symptoms very similar to food poisoning by Staphylococcus aureus. After ingesting rice contaminated with these strains, vomiting begins between 1 and 5 hours. The effects are fairly short-lived and the digestive system usually returns to normal within about 24 hours. The emetic form is commonly caused by rice that is not cooked for a time and temperature sufficient to kill any spores present, then improperly refrigerated. It can produce a toxin, cereulide, which is not inactivated by later reheating. This form leads to nausea and vomiting 1–5 hours after consumption. It can be difficult to distinguish from other short-term bacterial foodborne pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus References Microbial Growth. (2011). Retrieved March 3, 2012, from The Growth Of Bacterial Cultures: http://classes. midlandstech. com/carterp/Courses/bio225/chap06/Microbial%20Growth%20ss5. htm Donovan, K. O. (1958). A selective medium for Bacillus cereus in milk. J. Appl. Bact. (21), 100-103. Granum, P. , Lund, T. (2006, January 17). Bacillus cereus and its food poisoning toxins. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 157(2), 223-228. doi:10. 1111/j. 1574-6968. 1997. tb12776. x Herriman, R. (2009, September 13). Food-Borne Intoxication – Bacillus Cereus. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from ezinearticles. com: http://ezinearticles. com/? Food-Borne-Intoxication—Bacillus-Cereusid=2915150 Johnson, K. M. (1984). Bacillus cereus food-borne illness. An update. J Food Prot, 47, 145–153. Merck. (2012). MYP Agar. Retrieved March 01, 2012, from Merck Microbiology Manual 12th Edition: http://www. mibius. de/out/oxbaseshop/html/0/images/wysiwigpro/MYP_Agar_105267_engl. pdf Tallent, S. M. , Rhodehamel , E. , Harmon, S. M. , Bennett, R. W. (2012, February 02). BAM: Bacillus cereus. Retrieved March 05, 2012, from FDA U. S. Food and Drug Administration: How to cite Microbiology Coursework: Bacillus Cereus, Papers

Abraham Lincoln Vs. Jefferson Davis Essay Example For Students

Abraham Lincoln Vs. Jefferson Davis Essay Abraham Lincoln was a very effective leader throughout the Civil War. Although he had no prior military experience, he proved to be an asset throughout the war. According to his contemporary critics, Abraham Lincolns Presidential record was notable for his despotic use of power and his blatant disregard for the Constitution. Lincoln ordered thousands of arrests, kept political enemies in prison without bringing charges against them, refused these hapless men their right to trial by a jury of their peers, and ignored orders from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to release them. In his first few months in office he made the most direct violations of the Constitution in the Nations history. He increased the size of the Regular Army without Congressional approval, spent money without Congressional authorization, suspended the writ of habeas corpus without authority and generally acted as if he had never heard of the other two branches of the government. He threw out the Constitutio n and retained popular appeal of the masses. Davis lacked popular appeal. At no time in his life did he mingle freely with the masses under circumstances that might have enabled him to develop an appreciation of their aspiration and virtues. He never felt close to them, and they didnt to him. Davis never succeeded in dramatizing the issues of the war or in arousing public enthusiasm for their support. Confederates like to compare their struggle with the Colonial revolt against England. But their President was never able to infuse the Southern movement with the lofty purposes and timeless qualities that Jefferson and Paine breathed into the American Revolution. Jefferson Davis was known for his integrity. He was not always as forthright as he might have been in dealing with difficult persons and situations, but he observed a strict code of conduct with respect to money, favors and gifts. As President he repeatedly demonstrated his moral courage by unwavering support of unpopular in dividuals and measures. He had rich experiences in public affairs. He was an effective public speaker, known for their clarity and logic. He was profoundly dedicated to the Southern cause. It seems quite contradictory when you think about it. Jefferson Davis was never known as Honest Jeff, and Lincoln, the man who led the Union by basically ignoring the Constitution, was known as Honest Abe. When Lincoln felt it was necessary he could act in the most undemocratic manner (as he delivered the Gettysburg Address, his troops guarded the polls at a state election in Delaware, insuring a Republican victory). Realizing that the Constitution was not made for war, especially civil war, and knowing that it took too long to change it, he was willing to bypass it and create his own emergency powers in order to preserve it for peacetime. Events were moving too rapidly to stay within the due process of the law. Both presidents hovered closely to the War Department. Davis began to become very unpo pular with the populace of the South for his persistent support of discredited officers such as Lucius B. Northrop, the Confederate commissary General, and Generals Theophilus Holmes, John Pemberton, and Braxton Bragg. Northrop and Bragg were grossly incompetent and their long retention in high position, against an ever- increasing tide of public criticism, cannot be justified on any reasonable ground. There was a great deal of criticism of Davis for his removal of General Beauregard. Also a major destructive relationship took place between Davis and Joe Johnston. Lincoln on the other hand either fired or sat back and let the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War fire popular or unpopular generals for perceived ineptitude. McClellan and Buell (too slow for the northern voters) Porter (well hang this one on the Joint Committee, thus keeping Lincoln clean) Pope (no one likes a braggart, especially one who nearly gets his army annihilatedeasy call) Butler in New Orleans (good mo ve, it places the Beast in the den of depravityhe cant lose battles and he can place his scorn and the contempt of the folks up north on the folks down south) Sigel brought in to command the 11th Corps when recruitments were down (dismissed temporarily when campaigning began, brought back in 1864 only to be humiliated at New Market by the cadetshe could now remove him permanently). There were most definitely others, but Lincoln remained unscathed. Known to history as the Great Emancipator, Lincoln believed-and often said-that it was impossible for white and black men to live together in freedom. His only solution for Americas greatest problem was for all the blacks to return to Africa. In his Emancipation Proclamation he carefully drew the boundaries within which it would operate, and deliberately excluded all areas in which his armies had control. However, it should be recalled that Congressional actions and the activities of certain generals had already freed thousands of blacks, and would continue to be more important as a source of emancipation. .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .postImageUrl , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:hover , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:visited , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:active { border:0!important; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:active , .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66 .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u80a1b59783d52e6b74c90115676dee66:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Imagination is more important than knowledge Essay Words/ Pages : 876 / 24

bio essays

bio essays Air is needed for most organisms to survive on Earth. Even though air is so vital to us, we are unable to maintain it. The air is composed of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, and Carbon Dioxide. Nitrogen make up about 78 percent, Oxygen about 21, Argon and Carbon dioxide which combines to form about 1 percent of the atmosphere on earth. When chemicals such as sulfuric acid are mix into the air they cause air pollution and have devastating effects on the environment. Air pollution is a general term for a variety of substances and gases in our air that poses a risk to our health. Air pollution can affect the way we live. It can deplete our ozone causing intense ultraviolet radiation to be transmitted on the earth which can cause human skin cancer eradicate off all the plants on earth. Air pollution is emitted by human activities that we are not even aware that we are doing. The burning of fossil fuels that supply us with electricity for our lights, televisions and computers is one of the leading contributors for air pollution because they emit large amounts of harmful compounds. . As we watch television at night we are adding harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. There are many solutions in dealing with pollutions in the air. Solutions such as using alternative methods in creating energy and the conservation of energy are great examples on way we can save our earth from pollution. Air pollution is a serious problem in the United States and has been because it can be sever enough to cause death. What effects does air pollution do to our environment and our bodies? Severe air pollution can result in major damages or in death in the human body. In 1880, 2,200 Londoners died in an incident when coal smoke from home heating and industry combined to form toxic smog of sulfur dioxide gas and airborne combustion particles. Air pollution does not just affect us but also affects our environment. Many health effects due to air pollutio...

Social Marketing in New Zealand †SunSmart

Social Marketing in New Zealand – SunSmart 1.Introduction:New Zealand is a famous tourist attraction, not only the beautiful scenery but also the beautiful sunlight brings the good reputation. However, the potential threat behind the beautiful sunlight. It also brings excessively irradiation to New Zealander, causes the high proportion of skin cancer. Therefore, this report will focus on the social marketing issues in New Zealand, deal with Auckland Cancer Society. The report will perform detailed social marketing analyses on Cancer Society of New Zealand and Health Sponsorship Council project ‚ SunSmart, including the evaluation of marketing strategies and performance; also provide recommendations to improve their overall performance.2. Social Issues Background:The Water and Atmospheric Research Institute of New Zealand conducted has the conclusion based on the research which focused on New Zealand sunlight irradiation situation in the past 3 years: compared with North America inhabitant who are on identical latitude, Ne w Zealander accepted irradiation were 40% more.New ZealandThat result was equal to New Zealand moves 450 kilometers to equator in the geographical position. In addition, New Zealand‚s air condition is pure also causes the penetrability of sunlight to be very high. The expert generally believed that intense irradiation causes New Zealand to become one of highest rate of skin cancer disease countries. New Zealand probably has 50,000 people to suffer skin cancer every year, including more than 200 people to die because of the most serious skin disease - malignant melanoma (Segal, Cynthia G.,2006). Therefore, for people‚s health, enjoying sunbathe must be moderate, although the bronze skin is indubitable to make people looks sexy and healthy.3. Goals and Objectives of SunSmart:3.1 The goal of the SunSmart programme is to warn people of skin cancer and encourage the sun protection behaviour in daily life.3.2 The objective of SunSmart aims to:Protect New Zealand children especiall y...

History paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History paper - Essay Example It was this political acumen and leadership that set Lincoln apart from Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S. Grant. One of the biggest challenges Lincoln faced in the beginning of his presidency was the Southerners’ secession from the Union. The Southerners, who were supporters of slavery, did not trust Lincoln and his policies to stop the expansion of slavery. Lincoln thought that secession was illegal, and he was willing to go to war if necessary, to defend the Union. When South Carolina’s men fired on the Union troops at Fort Sumter, it was the beginning of the Civil War. Lincoln called for 75,000 men to put down the rebellion. In 1860, Lincoln inducted into his cabinet, several of the men against whom he had run for the Republican nomination for president. Lincoln did not have much political experience, so he needed experienced people in his government. He appointed former New York Senator, William H. Seward, as Secretary of State and Salmon P. Chase, a Radical Republican, as Secretary of the Treasury. Later, he nominated Chase to be the Chief Justice of the United States. Between 1861 and 1865, Lincoln was determined to keep the Union together, and to accomplish this, he nominated the best politicians to his cabinet, even though he disagreed with them on some issues. President Lincoln kept George B. McClellan, an outspoken critic of his administration, in command of the Eastern Army, including Virginia. However, in 1862, McClellan was dismissed from office not because he disliked Lincoln, but because of his failure in the battlefield. He did not pursue the army of Northern Virginia after General Robert E . Lee had surrendered, which could have ended the war in the East. Slavery was one of the most controversial issues during Lincoln’s presidency. In a letter written to New York journalist Horace Greeley in 1862, Lincoln wrote that his presidency’s principal goal was to preserve the Union at all

A Multi-proxy Reconstruction of the Late Quaternary Site at Deeping Coursework

A Multi-proxy Reconstruction of the Late Quaternary Site at Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire - Coursework Example Through the analysis of the ecology that thrives in the region, one can distinctly identify the environmental conditions of the time. Although different proxies have analyzed different aspects of the ecology, this paper will highlight the analysis of different types of mollusks extracted from a sentiment sample from Deeping St. James. Through the identification and description of the mollusks in the sentiment, the paper will present a reconstruction of the environment of the pond and describe the environmental conditions of the time. Introduction Climate change accounts for the conditions evident geographically today. Archeologists have ventured into describing the probable processes and stages that resulted to the current environment. As environmental changes occur, a shift in the organisms that can thrive in certain ecological conditions occurs. Understanding the past environment can help in putting the current environment into perspective. Deeping St. James in Lincolnshire is one of the characteristic sites that that contains evidence of the climatic changes over time leading to the deposition of different materials. Climatic changes in the region have comprised periods of temperate conditions followed by extremely cold conditions. Different researchers have studies the palaeo-environment and produced different proxies that can suffice in providing information concerning the site over time (Haslett, 2002:1-2). A multi-proxy analysis approach is one of the critical ways in providing relevant information while reconstructing the past environment. The primary concern in Deeping St. James would was being able to analyze the different species of mollusks thriving in the environment today. A morphological and ecological definition of the species would shed light into the nature of past environment. This paper will analyze the species and provide a sketch of the reconstruction of the site during the ipswichian stage. The reconstruction of the palaeo-environment pro cess begins with an analysis of the stratigraphy at Deeping ST. James in order to establish the geological framework of the site (Haslett, 2002:1-2). A thorough analysis of the available proxy records is essential in providing the basic palaeo-environment. The third and most critical step involves the development of a chronology of events that can help construct a dating framework. The next step involves the linking of different sequences using a correlation basis with data from other locations. Finally, a consideration of all lines of evidence helps in the synthesis of palaeo-environment. Methods In order to identify the mollusc species that thrives in the sediments at Deeping St. James Lincolnshire, there was a sample for analysis. The methods of analysis used depended on the sample and organism of interest. The source of the sample was the site of interest. The initial procedure involved an extraction of the organisms provided. After extraction, the available proxies and referenc e books served as resourceful materials in the identification of the extracted species, moreover, these materials provided information concerning the ecology of the species. The final procedure involved the development of a reconstruct of the palaeo-environment of the site. Procedure of Extraction The initial step involved sprinkling of a thin and even covering of the sample onto a petri-dish. The following step involved picking out all the shells

Middle Eastern Comparative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Middle Eastern Comparative Law - Essay Example The clear path is what most refers to as the philosophy of sharia, and one of the basics of sharia. It is a core foundation on which the faith is based on; that God created the souls of every individual and â€Å"appointed a divine law for each.† The only path that is clear and straight is the Sharia (BBC). Throughout Islamic history, God has sent out messages to different people across the world to guide them to the clear and straight path. All the messengers have reminded mankind that they exist in the divine guidance of their creator. The Sharia clusters all human actions into five categories; obligatory, permitted, recommended, disliked and forbidden. Obligatory actions must be executed, and God rewards people who perform them with good intentions. The opposite of these actions are the forbidden ones. Recommended actions are those that should be done, and the opposite of them is the disliked actions. Permitted actions are neither encouraged nor discouraged. Another core principle to the Sharia is that it covers all aspects of human life. Four key parts make up the classical Sharia Manuals; laws regarding individual acts of worship, laws relating to commercial activities, laws relating to the issues of marriage and divorce, and penal laws (BBC). Sacred law is very distinctive from secular law although there are notable similarities such as the reference to a mutually consented set of laws. One of the most notable differences is that sacred law is very rigid to changes as compared to the secular law. Those adhering to sacred law are guaranteed of a rigid set of laws that is well understood by the population and also faces little opposition. Although some of the systems that utilise sacred law are a bit oppressive, a large portion of the public respects the law (Dien 56). Secular law on the other hand is a bit adaptive and changes from time to time to accommodate emergent issues. Since it is prone to changes, the public is not always of the

Arduino-Based Temperature Automated Curtain Railing System

Arduino-Based Temperature Automated Curtain Railing System CHAPTER 5 THE SOLUTION 5.1Â  Overview The goal of Arduino-Based Temperature Automated Curtain Railing System is to ease the daily operation of residential curtains by automating the curtains where the curtains doesnt require human effort and operates by using electric powered motors. Based on the implementation methods discussed in the previous chapter, the proposed solution to achieve the goal and objectives is thoroughly explained and evaluated in this chapter. Arduino-Based Temperature Automated Curtain Railing System has two methods of application. A temperature module sensor is integrated into the system to read and send temperature data which then the systems evaluates and decides in closing and opening the curtains. Also, a Bluetooth module is added to give the system the capability to be connected and controlled by users through a smart phone. For this application, an existing Android app is used to establish the connection between the smartphone and the Arduino microcontroller. The prime language used in this sy stem is C++. 5.2Â  Arduino Microcontroller #include #define btRX 3 // BT RX pin #define btTX 4 // BT TX pin #define ledClose 9 // Close indicator LED #define ledOpen 10 // Open indicator LED #define swClose 11 // Curtain Close limit switch input #define swOpen 12 // Curtain Open limit switch input #define ledOn 13 // Power ON and RECV indicator LED #define LM35pin A0 // LM35 temp pin #define motRev A5 // Motor Reverse control pin #define motFor A4 // Motor Forward control pin Figure 5.1: Declaring the pins The microcontroller pins are first declared. Each module is assigned to a pin. The declared value is used later on throughout the code instead of the pins. 5.3Â  Initializing System Components void measTemp() { reading = analogRead(LM35pin); // Read sensor tempC = reading / 9.31; // Convert to Celcius delay(100); } Figure 5.2: Initialize LM35 Temperature sensor System reads the value produced from the LM35 pin. The value produced by the sensor is in voltage metric and is converted to Celsius. The parameter delay is set to 0.1 seconds. measTemp(); // Take a temperature reading if (HC05.available()>0) { char inByte = HC05.read(); delay(100); Figure 5.3: Initialize HC-05 Bluetooth module Bluetooth module reads the temperature data from temperature sensor and sends the data to any smartphone device connected through Bluetooth. The parameter delay is set to 0.1 seconds. void blinkLED() { digitalWrite(ledOn, LOW); delay(50); digitalWrite(ledOn, HIGH); delay(50); } Figure 5.4: Initialize LED indicator LED is set to blink by turning on and off for 0.05 second intervals. This is used later on as to indicate the system is running. 5.3Â  Curtain Initializing Functions void chkStatus() { openStat = digitalRead(swOpen); closeStat = digitalRead(swClose); if (openStat == HIGH closeStat == LOW) // Curtain is open { digitalWrite(ledOpen, HIGH); digitalWrite(ledClose, LOW); HC05.println(Curtain OPEN); } else if (openStat == LOW closeStat == HIGH) // Curtain is closed { digitalWrite(ledOpen, LOW); digitalWrite(ledClose, HIGH); HC05.println(Curtain CLOSED); } else if (openStat == LOW closeStat == LOW) // Curtain state not known { // so close it first HC05.println(Initialise..); delay(500); HC05.println(Waiting to CLOSE); //displays this while curtain closing { blinkLED(); closeStat = digitalRead(swClose); digitalWrite(motRev, HIGH); digitalWrite(motFor, LOW); }while (closeStat == LOW); //Wait until Close Sw = HIGH digitalWrite(motRev, LOW); digitalWrite(ledOpen, LOW); digitalWrite(ledClose, HIGH); HC05.println(Curtain CLOSED); } Figure 5.5: Function to initialize the curtain The curtain functions are presented above. The function detects if the open switch is engaged and the close switch is not. If its true, then red LED is switched on indicating the curtain is open and Curtain OPEN character is sent to the Bluetooth module which later sends to any connected smartphone. Else if, the yellow LED is switched on indicating curtain is closed and Curtain CLOSE character is displayed on smartphone. Else if the function is unable to read the switch or if the curtain state is unknown, the curtain is closed first by default and only then system begins its function. Waiting to CLOSE is displayed while curtain is closing. 5.4Â  AUTO/MANUAL Mode Selection case 3: // Select Manual Mode on smartphone HC05.println(Manual ON); autoStat = 0; break; Figure 5.8: MANUAL mode selection The code above switches the default auto mode to manual, giving access to Bluetooth module to receive and send command from connected smartphones. Manual ON is displayed in smartphone indicating that manual mode has been enabled and ready. The case switch statement here is set as case 3. case 4: // Select Auto mode on smartphone HC05.println(Auto ON); autoStat = 1; break; Figure 5.9: AUTO mode selection The code in Figure 5.6 switches from manual mode to auto, enabling the temperature module to control the whole system automatically based on temperature.Auto ON is displayed in smartphone indicating that auto mode has been enabled and live. The user has no control on the system in this mode, unless select manual mode. The case switch statement here is set as case 4. 5.4Â  Bluetooth Initializing Functions (MANUAL MODE) switch (inByte) { case 1: // Open Curtain MANUAL MODE HC05.println(Waiting to OPEN); do { blinkLED(); openStat = digitalRead(swOpen); digitalWrite(motFor, HIGH); digitalWrite(motRev, LOW); }while (openStat == LOW); digitalWrite(motFor, LOW); digitalWrite(ledOpen, HIGH); digitalWrite(ledClose, LOW); HC05.println(Curtain OPEN); break; Figure 5.6: OPEN Curtain Bluetooth Command The code on top shows the OPEN curtain function through Bluetooth connection. The code also enables the Bluetooth module to send curtain status in real time. Once curtain is fully open, the red LED is switched indicating the curtain is fully open. The green LED blinks, indicating the motor is running and executing. Curtain OPEN is displayed on smartphone screen when the curtain has successfully completed the open process. The function above is declared as a case switch statement giving it case 1. The Android application installed in the smartphone recognizes the case 1 function when the command setting for a specific button is set to 1. case 2: // Close Curtain MANUAL MODE HC05.println(Waiting to CLOSE); do { blinkLED(); closeStat = digitalRead(swClose); digitalWrite(motRev, HIGH); digitalWrite(motFor, LOW); }while (closeStat == LOW); //Wait until Close Sw = HIGH digitalWrite(motRev, LOW); digitalWrite(ledOpen, LOW); digitalWrite(ledClose, HIGH); HC05.println(Curtain CLOSED); break; Figure 5.7: CLOSE Curtain Bluetooth Command The code on top shows the CLOSE curtain function. Yellow LED is turned on when the curtain is fully closed. As the curtain closes fully, Curtain CLOSED is displayed on smartphone screen. The case switch statement here is set as case 2. 5.4Â  Temperature Sensor Initializing Function (AUTO MODE) else if (autoStat == 1 tempC > 32 openStat == HIGH openClose == 1) // Temperature exceeds 32 { measTemp(); HC05.println(tempC,1); // Send Temperature data //HC05.println(Waiting to CLOSE); //displays this when curtain closing do { blinkLED(); closeStat = digitalRead(swClose); digitalWrite(motRev, HIGH); digitalWrite(motFor, LOW); }while (closeStat == LOW); // Wait until Close Sw = HIGH digitalWrite(motRev, LOW); digitalWrite(ledOpen, LOW); digitalWrite(ledClose, HIGH); HC05.println(Auto CLOSED); // display when curtain closed openClose = 0; } Figure 5.10: Curtain CLOSE when temperature high The above code initializes the curtain to close when the temperature exceeds 32-degree Celsius in automatic mode. When temperature exceeds the fixed value, the temperature data is sent to Bluetooth module and is displayed to connected smartphone. While closing, the LED is set to blink indicating the system is running and Waiting to CLOSE is displayed on smartphone. When the curtain is fully closed and the close switch is engaged, AUTO CLOSED is displayed on smartphone. else if (autoStat == 1 tempC { measTemp(); HC05.println(tempC,1); // Send Temp data //HC05.println(Waiting to OPEN); //displays this when curtain opening do { blinkLED(); openStat = digitalRead(swOpen); digitalWrite(motFor, HIGH); digitalWrite(motRev, LOW); }while (openStat == LOW); // Wait until Open Sw = HIGH (Open switch click) digitalWrite(motFor, LOW); digitalWrite(ledOpen, HIGH); digitalWrite(ledClose, LOW); HC05.println(Auto OPEN); //displays this when curtain fully opened openClose = 1; } Figure 5.11: Curtain OPEN when temperature low (AUTO) The above code initializes the curtain to open when the temperature goes below 32-degree Celsius in automatic mode. When temperature goes below the fixed value, the temperature data is sent to Bluetooth module and is displayed to connected smartphone. While opening, the LED is set to blink indicating the system is running and Waiting to OPEN is displayed on smartphone. When the curtain is fully opened and the open switch is engaged, AUTO OPEN is displayed on smartphone.

The Destruction of Family in 1984 :: essays research papers

The family unit of Oceania in George Orwell’s book, 1984, plays an important part to society. These families are broken rather than households of affection and comfort. Oceania’s government, called the Party, controls the families in every aspect. With these non-existent families, there is a cycle of breaking down of family and a stronger Party as times passes until a there is force strong enough to end it. These families that lead to corruption in society should be avoided in order to prevent a totalitarian government from rising. In order to keep their power, the government purposefully breaks up families in Oceania. The pieces of these hollow and artificial families are the building blocks of the vast and manipulative Party. Families need to be non-existent so that the people cannot unite or feel loved. However, the Party also needs to have total control over the children. In Oceania, it is normal to turn other people in when you have any suspicions that the person does not have genuine love for the Party. Even family members give each other up. The government-controlled families create a cycle of breaking down of family and a stronger Party. The future families that will produce more probes disguised as children. With more children taught to continue the legacy of the Party, there is increased authority of the government. As government gains more power, the people lose will over their own lives. This should not be the way of life for people, where you can be erased from history at any given time. There is no doubt that there are many families that are just as and maybe more inexpressive and false than the families in Oceania. However, the greater masses of the people don’t believe in a strict society of absolute control. If enough families were to border upon the Parsons family, then the domino line would be in effect. Through his book, Orwell attempts to warn us that the destruction of families is dangerous. If allowed to continue, the government will have too much control over a mindless society that could be turne d any which way the ruling class chooses. Ultimately, dysfunctional families create a selfish and unsuspecting society that is ruled by a government of great dominance over the people. The Destruction of Family in 1984 :: essays research papers The family unit of Oceania in George Orwell’s book, 1984, plays an important part to society. These families are broken rather than households of affection and comfort. Oceania’s government, called the Party, controls the families in every aspect. With these non-existent families, there is a cycle of breaking down of family and a stronger Party as times passes until a there is force strong enough to end it. These families that lead to corruption in society should be avoided in order to prevent a totalitarian government from rising. In order to keep their power, the government purposefully breaks up families in Oceania. The pieces of these hollow and artificial families are the building blocks of the vast and manipulative Party. Families need to be non-existent so that the people cannot unite or feel loved. However, the Party also needs to have total control over the children. In Oceania, it is normal to turn other people in when you have any suspicions that the person does not have genuine love for the Party. Even family members give each other up. The government-controlled families create a cycle of breaking down of family and a stronger Party. The future families that will produce more probes disguised as children. With more children taught to continue the legacy of the Party, there is increased authority of the government. As government gains more power, the people lose will over their own lives. This should not be the way of life for people, where you can be erased from history at any given time. There is no doubt that there are many families that are just as and maybe more inexpressive and false than the families in Oceania. However, the greater masses of the people don’t believe in a strict society of absolute control. If enough families were to border upon the Parsons family, then the domino line would be in effect. Through his book, Orwell attempts to warn us that the destruction of families is dangerous. If allowed to continue, the government will have too much control over a mindless society that could be turne d any which way the ruling class chooses. Ultimately, dysfunctional families create a selfish and unsuspecting society that is ruled by a government of great dominance over the people.

Apple Inc.

Team â€Å"Death Spiral† examined the stewardship and business performance of Apple Inc. by undertaking a strategic analysis of Apple Inc. ’s previous, present and potential future strategic and market performance. The internal workings of the firm were examined to reveal a culture of constant innovation and a drive to create easy to use, life improving products. A two tiered corporate structure with Steve Jobs and Tim Cook being at the apex of anagement and a horizontally flat structure of vice presidents the decision making process is not complicated by various vertical levels of command and decision making. Apple Inc. ’s internal structure has become flexible as divisions are specifically established to develop the latest product and maintain a competitive advantage. Apples industry segments were than explored and it was noted that it was not possible to absolutely define a market which Apple consistently performed in. Apple Inc. ’s multi-functional pro duct base gave a clearly indication of the underlying strategic management at play.It was accepted that Apple has defined its own market segment, that of ‘mobile electronic devices’. The four main strategic management themes of M. E. Porter (focus, differentiation and cost leadership), G. Hamel & C. K. Prahalad (structuralist), W. C. Kim and R. Mauborgne (reconstructionist) and J. Ridderstrale and K. Nordstrom (intellect, uniqueness and innovation) were examined in light of Apple Inc. ’s most recent performance. The Blue Ocean Strategy and the Funky Business Strategy models were found to be the most applicable and helped explained Apple Inc. s sustained and phenomenal rise in business performance. Finally, strategy recommendations for the future direction of Apple Inc were explored by the use of a Strategy Canvas. Possible pitfalls and hypothetical futuristic products were also explored. The single most strategic liability identified was the departure of the CEO Steve Jobs from Apple which could potentially be catastrophic if not fatal for the Apple brand. † ! ! Apple Inc. has transformed over its 30 year existence; there have been changes in leadership, product types, company logo and name.Apple Inc. experienced decline in the early to mid-nineteen nineties but has experienced unprecedented growth and success since the return of the founding father figure of Steve Jobs. Yoffie and Kim (2010) highlight the misdirected and turbulent time Apple experienced in the 1990’s until the turn around and change (1998) in ethos/philosophy of Apple as purported by Jobs. Job’s aim was to reduce the number of product models, change the mode of distribution to larger outlets and promote Apple as a ‘hip alternative to other computer brands’ (Yoffie & Kim, 2010, p. 4).Apple Inc. ’s current mission statement states ‘Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and pr ofessional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and Apps Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices’ (Apple Inc, 2010c). This mission statement highlights and gives a strong indication of where the strategic direction Apple Inc. ntends to progress; not only do they strive to have the best products but they intend to stretch vertically across product lines. To emphasis this, Ostdick (2010) comments on the personal drive of Steve Jobs and his belief that all product innovations can be recycled into other projects. The underlying guiding ethos is just because one piece of technology doesn’t work in one project, how we can potentially use it outside its intended use to produce something new and successful. Parallel to the financial success of Apple Inc. is the longevity and stabilit y of its board of directors and corporate structure of the firm.There are seven members on the board of directors from various professional backgrounds. The average tenure of these members is six years with more than half sitting for more than ten years (Apple Inc, 2009). Organisational structure is horizontal with Steve Jobs and Tim Cook acting as chief executive and operating officers respectively. Beneath this pinnacle are nine vice presidents who preside over areas such as retail, hardware engineering and marketing (see appendix 1 for the current executive structure of Apple Inc. ) (Apple Inc, 2010c).These vice presidents administer the day to day running of fourteen individual divisions (see appendix 2 for the current organisational chart of Apple Inc. ). In terms of strategy; Apple Inc. has dedicated divisions purely for further development of the iPhone and iPod. The flexibly of the firm is highlighted here; with † 0 research and development, Apple are prepared to speci fically develop these products. It would be logical to infer when their product life cycles reach their pinnacle; new divisions may be made to further develop the current products at th time. hat Apple Inc. ’s culture internally is a positive workplace where generous employee benefits are available. Employees are subjected however to a strict process of ethics and business processes outlined in e outline their document ‘Business Conduct: The Way We Do Business’ (Apple Inc, 2009). Externally Apple Business . Inc. is embracing the latest sustainable practices in various operational areas and hence attempting to improve their triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental) or Corporate Social Responsibility credentials (Esty & Winston, 2009).Apple provide educational programs for their staff Esty 2009 . and are engaging the community with educational programs and scholarships (Apple Inc, 2009 Over Apple 2009). the last five years a cultural change has occurr ed in relation to environmental responsibilities. Apple responsibilities. recycling programs have been established, carbon emissions saving have been implemented upstream and downstream of the supply chain; and a further commitment to produce environmentally safe products (Apple Inc, 2010b). ! † # !The first challenge in analysing the industry that Apple operates in is defining that industry. Apple has created its own industry of â€Å"Consumer Technology† by choosing to compete in, and redefine segments of more traditional industries. Apple operates in segments of the Computer, Consumer Electronics, Music, Movie/Video, and Telecommunications Industries. positioned itself in selected segments of the market. In each industry it has Although Apple has its roots in the Computer Industry it is no longer just focused on computers. st The change of name in January 2007 from Apple Computers to Apple Inc reflects this change of direction (Honan, 2007). . Despite this Apple gene rated almost 14 BN USD of sales from personal computers in 2009, its second highest † 1 level in history and 32% of the company’s total sales. Even in its traditional market segment Apple Inc. does not dominate the market with an estimated 4. 2% share of the global market in 2009 (Yoffie & Kim, 2010).Apple Inc. continues to gain ground, particularly in their home market, the USA. Apple PC sales are estimated to be only 10. % of the US market in the 3 quarter of 2010 (see Appendix 3) (Ash, 2010), up from 8% in 2009 (Yoffie & Kim, 2010), overtaking Acer to become a distant 3rd to Hewlett Packard and Dell Computers. The personal computer industry is a USD $425 BN industry dominated by companies producing what are still referred to as â€Å"IBM compatible† machines that predominantly use Microsoft Windows operating systems. Major industry leaders include Hewlett Packard (HP), Dell Computers, Acer, Lenovo is a Chinese company that purchased the loss making personal rd Toshiba and Lenovo. computer business of IBM in 2005. IBM no longer manufactures personal computers. The industry is can be characterised as being in a mature growth phase with rising sales and falling prices. Leading industry consultants the Gartner Group forecast sales growth in unit shipments of almost 20% in 2010 with significant falls in unit prices (Anonymous (The Australian), 2010). The industry is highly price competitive and fragmented with thousands of smaller companies competing with the major players using common commoditised components.Apple stands apart from the pack offering a highly differentiated product, with its own operating system and unique Apple design and style. It focuses on the personal usage market rather than the corporate market and commands premium prices for its products. Despite its small market share overall Apple commanded 91% of computers sales over USD $1,000 in 2009 (Yoffie & Kim, 2010). This allows them to maintain industry leading margins of 40 % in 2009. Apples margins have increased during recent years while their competitors have continued to decline (Yoffie & Kim, 2010).The global consumer electronics market is estimated to be in excess of USD $ 700 BN a year (Anonymous, 2010b). Consumer electronics includes entertainment, office productivity and communication equipment. The boundaries of this industry are loosely defined as product innovation and technology but convergence is blurring the edges. Leading Global companies include (by one industry definition) Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, IBM and Nokia (The Engineer, 2010). The industry is characterized by product lifecycles which are getting shorter, † nd products more technologically advanced and complex. Your phone is a computer; your fridge can connect to the internet. You can watch TV on your computer or phone and watch U-tube on your television! The industry is competitive with many global players with established market pres ence being challenged for market share by both other established players and new emerging brands. Prices are being driven down by aggressive competition. Manufacturers are seeking to lower costs through mass production in low cost countries, notably China. In this environment, branding is critical.Products are too complex for many consumers to rationally compare features, functionality and price in an effective manner. Products are often purchased on the basis of the perceived price performance, with consumers associating with the product brand. Apple is well positioned in this regard with a strong brand associated with Style, Quality, Useability and â€Å"Cool† despite having only a limited range of products within this broader industry definition. $ The music industry is a well-established consumer industry, traditionally controlled by the recording companies.Major players Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI and Warner Music controlling in excess of 70% of the industry with a larger number of small â€Å"independents† making up the rest. Global sales are in order of USD $ 25 Billion in 2009 (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, 2010b). The dominate trend in the industry is the rapid uptake of digital download of music as the consumer preferred method of distribution. This is undermining the power of the recording companies in favour of the internet based retailers and resulting in revenue contraction. Total recorded music sales evenue has been in decline for the past decade, declining by 7% in 2009. This is despite continued high growth in internet based digital music sales up 12% in 2009. Music sales through digital channels accounted for USD $4. 2 billion of music sales in 2009, representing 27% of global sales growing from a base of just USD $20 million in 2003 (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, 2010a). Apples iTunes is a leading player in the digital sales channel revolution, arguably the industry leader in legal internet music sales. This is the segment of he industry that Apple chose to compete in and † redefine for its own purposes. Intellectual property issues remain a major challenge for this industry with internet based peer to peer file sharing significantly eroding industry sales. $ %& † The multibillion dollar movie industry is dominated by large movie studios with distribution traditionally handled by theatres, then a secondary market through video/DVD rentals or retail stores and a tertiary revenue stream through television rights. Apple is involved only in the distribution part of the business through film download for rent or sale.This challenges the traditional video store business, with a new model. To date, video downloading has promised more than it has delivered (Kane, 2007). The market is becoming increasingly crowded with an increasing number of companies entering the market including internet heavy weight Google which owns YouTube and retail heavy we ight WalMart (Ogg, 2010). Economies of scale make this an industry that favours natural monopolies or oligopolies. Multiple large scale players as well as a myriad of minor companies are jostling for critical mass.As with most internet based businesses price and convenience are the driving factors. Apples assault on the internet movie sale and rental market leverages their success in music with i-Store, their strength in video capable devices, iPods, iTouch and iPads and established leadership in video processing computers. !# The software industry has many segments including proprietary operating systems, business applications, personal applications and entertainment applications. Most providers focus on selected sectors where they can establish market leadership.Microsoft focuses on operating systems for PC (Windows) and business productivity tools that run on PCs. IBM focuses on large scale enterprise systems and predominantly business software and integration services. A plethor a of other companies large and small compete for leadership in all the gaps in between. Economies of scale are particularly important as the variable production costs are very low. Apple has maintained its own proprietary operating systems for its computing devices to preserve product differentiation and unique usability features. However this has been at significant evelopment cost. Application development has been left to third parties who compete to provide market leading solutions. With the advent of the Apps Store, Apple has entered the software distribution business with a 30% gross margin, leveraging the enterprise of thousands of independent † 2 software developers large and small. By tight integration with their systems the App Store provides a captive high margin marketplace for software. This is another niche segment that Apple has chosen to compete where there are synergies with the t existing businesses.By providing a distribution system Apple has been able to enc ourage more developers to create applications for their computing devices. More applications extend th the functionality and desirability of their products, driving sales. This is a profitable symbiotic relationship. Despite being a relatively small player in the industry segments, Apple is an undisputed financial success. It is now the third largest company in the world, as measured by market capitalisation, d behind only Exxon Mobil and Petro-China. At the close of trade on the 12th of November the Apple Inc shares were valued at USD $308. 3 (Refer to Figure 1. ) each, valuing the entire comp company at over USD $ 282 billion. During the past year the company’s shares have increased in value by over 50% increased (Yahoo Finance, 2010).The stock is trading on a Price to Earnings Multiple of 20. 42 times compared to an industry (Personal Computers) average of 15. 80 times (Stock Call, 2010). The company’s high valuation compared to its sales of 3. 5 times can be attrib uted to the high margin and high growth performance of the business. In the 3rd quarter of 2009 the company reported a net profit margin of 21. 8% compared to an industry average of 4. 53%. Total sales were 67% a year earlier (Stock Call, 2010). On these metrics the company share price does not seem excessive. . † 3 ! ! † Apple Inc. has been defined as being involved in the new technology industry. The products they deliver stretch across multiple industry boundaries; some products compete in established markets, others are market leaders in contemporary industries spanning product development and product delivery (Yoffie & Kim, 2010). This makes an analysis of Apple’s competitive strategy challenging and difficult.Singular theories may fit individual product lines, but not reflect the true direction that this multi-faceted company is taking as a whole. Porter’s (1980) generic theories are an example of this; the three strategies of focus, differentiation a nd cost leadership provide information on specific products such as computers and software; but fail to examine products like the iPad and iTunes (Porter, 1998 see Part 1). An analysis of iTunes best illustrates the timeliness and limitations of the application of the out-dated theory of Porter to Apple Inc. Tunes adopts both a differentiation strategy (by providing the download of music at various download qualities, the ability to download movies and tv shows; and combining it all into an easy to use product) and a cost leadership strategy (this is achieved by providing a competitive priced service for the customer, and a cost effective way for Apple to update firmware of its products). Consideration was given to the theories of Hamel & Prahalad (1994), however the structuralist approach does not encompass the true nature of Apple’s efforts over the last ten years.In contrast the reconstructive theories of Chan Kim and Mauborgne (2005) and their â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategyâ €  in particular allow a greater analysis of the strategic positioning instigated by Apple. The Reconstructionist’s view helps accommodate advances made by Apple Inc. in redefining and creating new technology. Utilising Chan Kim and Mauborgne’s six principles helps in assessing Apple Inc. ’s value chain matrix; and their innovation in product development (Chan Kim & Mauborgne, 2005), (Chan Kim & Mauborgne, 2009).To contrast explanations for Apple’s recent success and to provide analysis for their future; the theories of Ridderstrale and Nordstrom (2000) in their ground breaking book â€Å"Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance† will contrast a different view of competitive strategy. The use of Funky Business as an ideology helps explain the rise of emotional buying and how important the utilisation of innovation is in the 21 century business environment. Furthermore, examples will be given to illustrate the synergies which exist between the Funky Business philosophies and the creation of Blue Oceans which ultimately coalesce into a strategic position. t † 4 Swimming in a Blue Ocean A broad definition of Chan Kim and Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean strategy is the ability for a company to move from a red ocean (an industry where competitors offer similar products or services with the aim to become a cost/market leader); to a blue ocean (an undefined and new industry that may incorporate industries, or create a new industry based on differentiation and lower operating cost) (Chan Kim & Mauborgne, 2005). Apple Inc. is in some respects a contradictory company when it comes to its strategic analysis for its expansive product mix delivers in more than one â€Å"ocean†.For the purpose of this strategic analysis (and recommendations for the future) specific example’s will be given where Apple Inc. has gained a competitive advantage by defining their own unique Blue Ocean. Chan Kim and Mauborgne (2005) provide a fundamental analytical tool to analyse Apple’s competitive strategies. This methodology comprises 5 formulation and execution principles to competitive advantage. They are as follows: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Reconstructing Market Boundaries Focus on the Big Picture, not the Numbers Reach Beyond Existing Demand Get the Strategic Sequence Right Overcome Key Organisational HurdlesReconstructing Market Boundaries Apple’s current resurgence has its beginnings in one of its original blue oceans; i. e. the creation of iTunes changed how people downloaded and listened to music. iTunes was originally used to compete with the illegal download music market, the now defunct ‘ Napster' being an example. Apple’s aims were to provide a low cost option for customers, high quality downloads and a music player interface (Chan Kim & Mauborgne, 2005).From an administrative point of view iTunes gave Apple control of digital rights and with five major record labels contributing to the service gave them a distinct competitive advantage (Yoffie & Kim, 2010). Blue Oceans however are not constant and as good ideas make money the competitive advantage for iTunes would have eroded if it did not diversify. To compete with growing technology demands, movies and TV shows were introduced to the iTunes store for purchase and rental. This differentiation created a new Blue Ocean for Apple Inc. / â€Å"Currently iTunes is the market leader in visual media. Concurrently the iTunes store has the largest downloadable content on the internet . It provides a catalogue of eight million tracks, two thousand films (total downloads daily average are in excess of fifty thousand) and twenty thousand TV episodes (Anonymous, 2010c). Prime Facie analysis reveals that the popularity of iTunes cannot be solely attributed to the product delivery; but a concurrent innovation and integration with the portable products that Apple has created over the last decade.It co uld be argued that the iTunes blue ocean was strengthened by the continual improvement in storage size and screen resolution quality of it iPod and iPhone range. Apple Inc. can now be seen entering its next stage in differentiation. To do this Apple Inc. has introduced the iPad (Feb 2010); revolutionising tablet computing. Building on its iPhone operating system, Apple is attempting to reconnect with business people. Unlike iTunes, iPad services will not be the low price of music downloads.Apple will attempt to lure high profile media conglomerates to allow subscription through their iTunes service at a higher premium price (Yoffie & Kim, 2010). Even though news articles are sold at a premium price; the ability to distribute them via iTunes gives Apple Inc. a low internal cost. The most recent venture by Apple Inc. to create a unique user experience the creation of multiplayer online gaming on the iPhone; multiplayer gaming traditionally has been the domain of PC and console develop ers (Gametraders, 2010). With this venture Apple Inc. opes to refine how people play games with each other. iPhone customers will have the capability to game wherever they can take their iPhone (Apple Inc, 2010a). This strategic move can be seen as a blue ocean for Apple Inc. which will provide a service no other mobile phone provider offers with the quality of the gaming experience. In addition to this Apple Inc. are not actually investing in gaming; they are using their iPhone and OS4 operating system as a go between. With other companies vying to have their games on the popular iStore; Apple Inc. have created for them a low cost product. 1Focus on the Big Picture, not the Numbers Apple’s current focus is on being a lifestyle company. It integrates its products and makes them easy for the end user to operate. Steve Jobs openly states that his products start with an idea and a need to alleviate customer demands (Ostdick, 2010). This strategic thinking helps formulate new Blu e Oceans. It allows companies such as Apple to create products unrestricted by current industry 1 In February 2010, Apple announced that the iTunes store had recorded its 10 billionth song download (Johnny Cash’s â€Å"Guess Things Happen That Way†) (Ostdick, 2010). // standards and norms. Greg Joswiak the vice president builds on this philosophy stating they never let . vice-president technology go to waste. In an interview with Reena Jana from the Harvard Business Review blog he generalises on key points concerning the innovative strategies of Apple Inc. ‘Think of this strategy as s Think smart recycling of internal ideas and engineering, especially when cross-pollinated with other cross ollinated products’ (Jana, 2010). These comments were made in wake of the iPad release.Jana (2010) . demonstrates how the iPad is a hybridisation of the iPhone and a laptop; and how the iPhone was just hybridisation an update of the iPod. Reach Beyond Existing Demand The fundamental tenet of this principle is, ‘Instead of concentrating on customers they (companies) need to focus on non-customers. And instead of focusing on tead customer differences, they need to build on powerful commonalities in what buyers value’ ( (Chan Kim & Mauborgne, 2005). Apple do this well. It is important to ). ote that there would be a minority of people that do not inority own at least one Apple product. However their competitive strategy in reaching beyond existing demand would be to sell products to existing customers in industries they would not normally consider using an Apple product. As stated in â€Å"Focusing on the big picture† tated (above), the ability to build upon and reuse technology in an innovative way is allowing apple to reach new markets and potentially new customers. ! † # $% & † ‘ ( † / Get the Strategic Sequence Right Apple Inc. as excelled in their strategic sequencing when it comes to the redevelopment and innovation of their portable products. Chan Kim and Mauborgne (2005) stress the importance of price, cost and adoption. Figure 2 (Golijan, 2010) illustrates the chronology of the iPod and Apple Inc. ’s development of the product. The timeline highlights the quality of sales on the left hand side; over the ten year period models evolved and became more accessible at varying price points. The success of the products allowed Apple Inc. to diversify and continually improve the product.Within this industry no other competitor has been able to hold consistent sales growth and product innovation as the iPod. Overcome Key Organisational Hurdles Yoffie (2010) clearly highlights the trouble’s Apple has encountered with several changes in management in the 1990’s. Since the second coming of Steven Job’s Apple has been a stable entity and has not experienced the organisational problems of the past. Recent economic performance would indicate there has been no lead ership or structural change within Apple Inc. It is of interest to note that otentially when Steven Job’s rejoined Apple Computers as the CEO there was a tipping point and a push towards a new Apple Inc. He changed the name, the logo and the ethos of the company and personally pushed Apple Inc. into its current successful position (Jana, 2010). Let’s Get Funky As shown above Apple Inc. has exhibited clear Blue Ocean strategy elements during its history, and yet after the dramatic decline during the 90’s to the stellar success now being experienced, Apple Inc. has also displayed some new, contemporary strategic rudiments.Examining the quirky and mildly eccentric philosophy’s of Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordstrom as extolled in their manifesto â€Å"Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance† (2000) it is apparent that much of the success of the ‘second life’ of Apple Inc. (circa 2000 to the present) can be attributed to a metamorpho sis in business thinking and to these ‘new’ strategic philosophy’s and ideas. As an example, central to the â€Å"Funky Business† strategic model are the three core elements of: Make Room for Grey Matter – in the ‘global village’, a company’s future depends on the intellect of its teams members.Consumers want, demand a dream, emotion, not products and services; Only the Best Rake in the Pot – In order to succeed a company must be number one in its field or even better – Unique; and Permanent Innovation – Creativity leads to the redefining of the company and its markets and yet the constantly changing † /0 environment of the market implies the constant search for innovation, with innovation being a state of the mind (Laville, 2000).Jobs and his cohorts, since the near fatal demise of Apple Computers in the mid 1990’s have reposition and focused the Apple brand with the global ‘lifestyle†™ village in mind (Yoffie ; Kim, 2010). Central to this theme is the enabling of consumers to engage in quasi-voyeurism, transporting their minds and bodies into ‘Mac/Apple World’, experience music, connecting to the internet and most importantly to each other in the Global community. Apple has been an industry leader in the enabling of the consumer to participate in the web world through a number of primary senses. Steve) Jobs’ ability to reinventing himself and redefine Apple (in its second incarnation) using ideologies akin to that of the Funky Business model resonant with the changing landscape brought about by the globalization phenomenon. Thus Jobs’ ability to connect with the community through technological change, institutional change and the evolution of values (Young ; Simon, 2005) allowed Apple to ride the crest of the wave through the first decade of the millennium harnessing the three underlying forces of excess: growth of markets (eg.China, India, Russia, etc. ), Ongoing overabundance of supply (which has exceeded demand since the 90’s and knows no bounds! ) and technological progress (lowers the cost of information, lower barriers and the world becomes a smaller more accessible environment) (Laville, 2000), (Yoffie ; Kim, 2010). Apples’ Funky Business strategy is exemplified by its innate ability to understand the dynamics of the world of competition and how it has changed.Accordingly, Apple is able to compete in this new environment by realize that the established and entrenched large scale structures of traditional companies don’t ‘hack it’ and that the single most important facet of this new age of business, is the intellectual capital to identify products and get them into production quickly (Musatov, 2001), examples include Apples industry benchmarking and leadership products: iMac (1998), iPod (2001), iTunes (2003), iPhone (2007) and the iPad (2010) (Yoffie ; Kim, 2010).Thus, i t is not the production facility that is the most important, per se, but the minds who operate it. In interviews with Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordstrom (Anonymous, 2010a) (Anonymous, 2010e), it is clear that one economic model for the 21 century that conceptualize a Funky Business strategy can be illustrated by the strategic direction of Apple over the last decade plus, understanding of st † /1 market forces, individual choice (or knowledge of the individual), freedom to choose and the ability to re-invent or innovate regularly and expediently. † Apple Inc. trategy for the iPad (launched in January 2010) echo with the core elements of creating a new Blue Ocean and Funky Business principles, as described above. These (as expressed by industry commentators) were Apple' core strategic elements for the iPad launch: â€Å"consideration of s future applications of current products as they are developed† (innovate), â€Å"crowd-source hype and ideas around pricingà ¢â‚¬  (sell the dream, the emotion, not so much the device) and of course the core Funky Business principle of, â€Å"Don’t focus on being first; focus on being the best† (Uniqueness) (Jana, 2010).Coincidently, as this new ‘Tablet’ Blue Ocean gathers depth and breadth for Apple, the competition are not far behind with the announcement of Samsungs new ‘Galaxy Tab’ in November 2010 (Anonymous, 2010d), the time between launch, maturity and loss of competitive advantage shrinks with each new development and innovation. â€Å"The Age of Paradox† written by Charles Handy (1995) points out that the Sigmoid Growth Curve can be used to plot out, the life of any organism, life cycle of a product or the life of an organisation.Every new life, organisation, project, or initiative, commences with some faltering at the start, grows, matures, declines and ultimately perishes. If this was the only underlying concept to this ideological graph it would not be of any use, but rather, the positive and encouraging use of this model is that a firm can proactively start its own new sigmoid curve in any new area it wants rather than watching the old curve maximise, then decline.During any new development phase an organisation will experience what is known as a â€Å"dip† or a setback; this can be due to a lack of resources, loss of direction, ineffectiveness, poor productivity and/or loss of a competitive advantage. This is completely normal and team morale must remain high through this temporary stage known as ‘ dipping' Every time there is a new growth curve (new idea, . change in goals, new product, etc. ), it intercepts with the old Sigmoid Curve, and either climbs or descends but ultimately the cycle of a major dip will commence associated with ccompanying anxiety and setbacks. † / The dip can represent a significant challenge for any organisation, as it was for Apple Inc. with a loss of direction between 1985 un til December 1997 with several changes of CEO’s at the helm (Scully, 1985 – 1993) and the (Spindler and Amelio years 1993 – 1997) (Yoffie & Kim, 2010). Apple management, you could say, went through a case of ‘ Paradigm Block' ‘the inability or refusal to see ; beyond the current models of thinking’ (JCU, Competitive strategy course notes, session two slide 11). † † † * & + † , † – † & † & * There are different eras of product interests and management change that Apple has gone experienced its inception in the 1980’s when they launched the Apple 1. Mapping the most recent period of Apples growth on a strategic canvas, from the launch of the iMac in 1998 through to the iPad launch (2010) we can visualize a series of interconnected sigmoidial curves gradually increasing with each new innovation and product launch, as shown in Figure 3.In fact, the gradual treadline † / ncreasing to the right in Figure 3 reflects a buoyant and productive company with clear growth from strategic product development, delivery and acceptance (depending on the market KPI used). Presently, given the rapid development by other competitors in the tablet market, Apple Inc. would need to accelerate innovation and product delivery within the next 6 – 12 months to avoid another dip and loss of competitive advantage. This may require a change or transition in new management and of course a new updated product e. g. pdated iphone from 4 to 5 with more capabilities and apps (See Figure 4 Strategy canvas). . * &/ ! &0 1 & Future strategy scenarios which Apple may need to engage in order to reinvent itself in the ensuing post 2010 era are many and varied. Given Apples’ history to date and without climbing the walls of the Apple head office and being a fly on the wall it is unwise to predict what Apple may come up with next. They will however need to improve their product range or in novate around their range of iPhone, iPod, iTunes and iPad etc. o maintain market capital. They need to be constantly innovative and invest in their R&D department to have any chance of keeping the current Blue Oceans, ‘Blue’, and require time (which is no luxury in the Funky Business world of the 21st century), to develop new Blue Oceans. Potentially Apple could develop a strategy to have a lifestyle package called Apple â€Å"iHome† that would be able to accommodate the current avant garde movement of the new ‘energy gurus’ that are environmentally friendly and the ‘tech heads’ that enjoy the Apple brand.The iHome could be similar to the CBus system, Smart system or Building system as they are commonly known, they could † /2 incorporate their existing range and facilitate new ideas such as an iPhone that has a de novo chip which instead of using an security access card or conventional key you just swipe your iPhone to unlock your car, house front door or office. The CBus system can work in conjunction with, home appliances such as air-conditioning, automated windows, lights, security video and irrigation, effectively generating a ‘smart home or â€Å"iHome†.You can remotely set up your home with the use of your iPhone through the net, and be able to monitor your home when you are away. The innovative potential of the â€Å"iHome† package is endless but the pitfalls may include, acceptance by the market, technological maturity of the appliances in question and the competitive advantage or market acceptance of these new ‘out there’ products. In essences, it would be foolhardy to recommend a strategy for Apple post 2010, in that Jobs and his self-proclaimed â€Å"mobile-devices† company are still delivering, still leading industry segments they Apple Inc. A. Company Industry Position Apple is the iconic company behind the mouse-driven Macintosh computer, the phenomenal iPod music-player and the recently launched iPhone. The company’s marked inventiveness keeps it in the lead (Economist. com website) and secures its place in the industry. Apple’s relentless efforts and continual investments in research and development are seen to usher in more innovative breakthroughs that will further fuel the company’s further growth and market expansion. B. Industry Characteristics. With its founder, Steven Jobs, at its helm, Apple creatively designs personal computers, portable digital music players and mobile communication devices and proceeds to manufacture and market them. The company as well offers to sell and to service related software, peripherals and networking solutions. (Google Finance website) Apple has such an immense following that is made up of the individual consumers, the small and mid-sized business (SMB) enterprises, the education sector, the government agencies and the â€Å"creative consumers. † (Apple Inc. 008 10-K) The latter pertains to Apple’s special niche market composed of young and trendy people who can afford to discard relatively new gadgets for want of more updated versions of the same products. The more recent ventures of the company include the selling of a myriad of products manufactured by other companies specifically to cater to such special market niche. These products include application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, accessories and peripherals of all sorts, and digital content that are all tailored for the Mac, iPod and iPhone. Apple Inc. 2008 10-K) Apple has an established market all around the world. It has set up a dynamic marketing network through its â€Å"online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, and third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. † (Apple Inc. 2008 10-K) It should not come as a surprise to know that Apple puts up with a lot of aggressive competition in all the markets it caters to – markets for computers, digital music devices, mobile communication gadgets, all the related paraphernalia and for the services attached to these products. Apple Inc. 2008 10-K) But no matter how stiff competition can be, Apple has emerged as an undisputed market leader. In fact, Apple has reaped increased earnings this economically difficult year (2008) while most of other companies incurred huge losses. In the same tune, Apple offered last Black Friday only 8% off its new MacBook, 4% off a 20-inch iMac, 5- 8% off iPods and none off iPhones while analysts predicted discounts to reach 15% (Frommer, Yahoo! Finance webpage). Apple is obviously no t keen on competing based on prices. As the company behind such signature products as iMac, iPod and iPhone, Apple can well afford to price its products higher without having to worry about losing the market to competitors offering cheaper products. Technology and its optimization are among the factors behind Apple’s success. Its products are deemed â€Å"new technology† and the technological aspects of its products are optimized for exclusivity. Thus, users of any one of Apple’s products are bound to be captured clients for the others in the company’s menu. The technological inter- relatedness of Apple’s products presents a distinct advantage that it is wisely making the most of. Apple’s products are theoretically homogeneous; the market is awash with all kinds of computers, music-players and mobile phones. But then, such products are more considered as rather unique. Author McNees has written that â€Å"in a mature market with highly homogeneous products, well-executed small differences can make [a given product] unique and [sought after]. Indeed, the leverage brought on by Apple’s industrial-design machine makes its product stand out in the market. This constitutes another major advantage enjoyed by the company. Meanwhile, there are also serious disadvantages that Apple is saddled with. For one, the company is highly susceptible to the adverse effects of a prevailing bad economic condition which both causes the market value of the company’s shares to take a dive and substantially reduces the earning and sp ending capacity of its market. Apple also happens to be in the middle of a litigation arising from its past stock option granting malpractices. Adverse findings of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at the conclusion of the investigation that it is conducting will materially damage the company’s name, financial condition and operating results. (Apple Inc. 2008 10-K) (Please see II to IX and a portion of X in the Excel document) X. Based on the foregoing, I do not recommend that the 10,000 shares of Apple be purchased now. I would recommend keeping it as cash and then buying the Apple shares when the macro-economic factors affecting the finance world and especially the stock markets have begun to improve. At this point, the market can generally do worse and Apple might just go with such downturn with no sufficient ammunition – like significant good news – available. Works Cited â€Å"Innovation Lessons from Apple.†Ã‚   Economist.com.   7 June 2007.   The Economist Newspaper Limited.   26 November 2008 .   â€Å"U.S. SEC Form 10-K of Apple Inc. for Fiscal Year ending September 2008.†Ã‚   Apple Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26 November 2008 < http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/10/21results.html>. Frommer, Dan.   â€Å"Apple’s Black Friday Sale:   No 15 Percent Discout.†Ã‚   Yahoo! Finance. 28 November, 2008.   Yahoo! 30 November 2008 < http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/136179/Apples-Black-Friday-Sale%3A-No-15-Percent-Discount>. â€Å"Apple Inc.†Ã‚   Google Finance.   29 November 2008 . McNees, Donald.   â€Å"Hat trick:   retaining customers, finding growth and achieving attractive returns are not easy in today’s mature financial markets, but a handful of companies are doing all three.†   The Free Library by Farlex. 29 November 2008 < http://www.the freelibrary.com/Hat+trick%3a+retaining+ customers%2c+ finding+growth+and+ achieving†¦-a0158908311>. White, Gerald, Ashwinpaul Sondhi and Dov Fried.   The Analysis and Use of Financial Statements.   New York:   John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998. Brigham, Eugene and Joel Houston.   Fundamentals of Financial Management.   Orlando, FL:   The Dryden Press, 1998. Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronics and software products. It was established in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, and incorporated on January 3, 1977. The company's hardware products include the Macintosh line of personal computers, the iPod line of portable media players,the iPad line of tablets, and the iPhone line of mobile phones. Apple's software products include the OS X operating system, the iTunes media browser, and the iLife suite of multimedia and creativity software.As of 2008, Apple Inc had acquired twenty-one companies, purchased a stake in two companies, and made five divestments; most of them were software companies. Apple had not released the financial details for most of these mergers and acquisitions. Apple's business philosophy is to acquire small companies that can be easily integrated into existing company projects. [4] For example , Apple acquired Emagic and its professional music software, Logic Pro, in 2002. The acquisition led to the creation of the digital audio workstation software, GarageBand, now part of the iLife software suite.The company made its first acquisition on March 2, 1988 when it purchased Network Innovations. It has also made five divestments, all in the 1990s, in which parts of the company are sold to another company. The company's largest acquisition was the purchase of NeXT in 1996 for US$400 million. In the 2000s, Apple made the most acquisitions in a single year in 2002, with six. In the 2010s, so far the most acquisitions in a single year is 2013, with 10. Of the companies that Apple has acquired, 37 were based in the US.