Science and Technology Business Models: Nanotechnology

Science and Technology Business Models: Nanotechnology Reviewing the business model of nanophase, we can explain that, nanophase business model always uses circuitous merchandise to the customers, for most of its interest .to solve problems the companys make use of the owners knowledge and also thing or substance which is produced .To discover dissatisfying wants set of people work together, cooperate with an imminent customers .Which meet the needs of the favored markets ,internationally and few domestic sales were made through discerning practiced person acting for another in business and an agent who supplies goods .To enhance the size of their interest nanophase also got occupied in systematic investigation of material,machinery,grant license and promoting strategy of formal union or association .Staff members manufactured only those materials in the market which had high equipment and which economically gave tough competition. Nanocrystalline materials also assured to add the most value of giving moral benefit to play proper role to their performance. To the customers request nanocryatalline materials were established by the person who is skilled in the field of engineering. So that they get maximum profit most of the times in most of the cases .The key elements of this model are What is nanotechnology? Nanotechnology is the branch of knowledge involving systematic observation of their knowledge which is combining form of one thousand millionth instrument that measures or records -the world smallest particle of chemical element that can take part in chemical reaction and group of atoms forming smallest fundamental unit of chemical compound. This equipment always assures to change the way of living, the way of striving against disease, the way of producing and the way of traveling through universe. History of nanophase technologies and corporation. In the mid of 1980 they founded the signs of nanophase technology by investigation. RICHARD SIEGEL an international scientists who did the systematic investigation of materials and who elaborated the physical vapor synthesis By making use of (pvs) process ,the task of nanophase was to manufacture the combining form of one thousand millionth structured materials. -Protecting the intellectual property. Nanophase was also booming in protecting its equipment, tools and processes with official document. -Reducing manufacturing costs. To reduce manufacturing cost, Nanophase placed an important research on its machinery for its development on systematic investigation of materials. They were also provided with money by the company to improve making of articles for their financial profit of its production. -Financing operations. Nanophase has financed say about $19,558,069 which private company offered for equity securities. In 1997 public offered 4,000,000 common shares at $8.00 a share to increase $28,837,936 for the development of the company. -Transition and changes in management. In elaborating high technology their executives tried to speed their condition to raise the financial profit. Developing so many projects nanophase had to undergo and did not have enough products and customers also brought into existence a dependable interest stream. -The science of nanotechnology at nanophase. Using metallic cerium, copper, iron etc. nanotechnology is used to manufacture nanocrystalline particles. Marketing strategy used by nanophase is to develop their business with their team work which they used on nanotechnology with new applications to tie up with new customers. This stage of growth in business included different activities such as estimating and accomplishing capable market opportunities. Growth of this long term plan which recognized the lead customers in each market and which successfully made their way into the market .nanophase also formed a technical team by appointing a proper engineer so that they can come out with proper solution. one-third of the staff were expertise in various fields such as material related, including science of elements and their combination, ceramic products, science of properties and interaction of matter and energy, applications of science to design and uses of various machines and building. To find out precisely what kinds of functions are needed to the customers nanophase had applied nanoparticles skill and appointed the best expertise t o understand the needs of the customers and also their problems. The team also formed partnership deed so that they can give proper services to the customers. Once they done with proper services, staff and team members moved to sales department. By selling the products they had also set a target in minds of the customers. To make their business success they tried to make the maximum profit. The companys main motive was firstly to fit its primary business strategy and then to make maximum significant customers .The role of collaborative relationship of marketing strategy with the customers started developing when the staff members started fulfilling all the needs of the customers .Maintaining relationship with the customers helped them in arranging systematic chemistry which helped the people to do things they cant have done in any other way .To cooperate and manage with the customers was too expensive and was also time consuming .Then to some staff members and management of the comp any expected that the expenses would decrease when there is production development of the company. For introducing nanoparticles to the prospective customers, agents started bringing their years of industrial experience and contacts. The experience of the sales agent which were selected by the company were very fast and they also had cost efficient way to increase the sales long term plan of the nanophase. The company always tries to form close relationship with selected agents so that that can speed with their production horizontally and can be applied on certain things. The problems faced while forming this strategy was majorly seen in the year 2001.This year prove very difficult for nanophase .The profit of the company temporarily declined in economic activities. The company also declined in manufacturing sector which resulted badly in companies primary customer base .Because of the capability of nanotechnology revenue continued to remain strong so that it was still very difficul t to animate the revenue of future expected customers who were also going through different profitable challenges and also degenerating their business activity .these were the problems in this strategy. There are many competitors to compete against nanophase. The technology of nanophase is not properly defined and it is also new, so there are many new competitors who can start their business .The competitors who plan their long-term policy in chemical companies and also from the other participants who form their own industry, nanophase can face competition from these competitors. There are five types of industry who can give competition to nanophase. First, there are many chemical companies which are situated in United States, Europe and Asia. This states form their company and they have started manufacturing silica, carbon black and iron oxide nanocrystalline on a very large scale so that they can sell this to maximum customers. They started their manufacturing worldwide so that they can become famous and tie-up their companies name with Bayer AG, Cabot Corporation etc.They also have an ample amount of financial, technical wealth, big investigation, more increasing staffs and huge advertising and mechanized capability. Secondly, there are OEMS who have started making nanocrystalline resources which are manufactured only by their owners and were used only for their products. They are trying to follow with view of overtaking some application that includes biotechnology, petroleum, computing and microelectronics etc. These companies are capable enough to sell nanocrystalline resources which are not useful in their own operations but which are needed for outside customers. Thirdly, these start-up companies are the most important companies which will compete the strategy of nanophase. The companies are Light-year technologies INC, Argonide Corporation, Tal materials INC, Nanomat, Oxonica ltd, Nanopowders industries, Nanopowder enterprises, Nano source technologies these all are private ltd company. They are trying to develop employees in research organization to develop nanotechnology because they were trying to trying to make them official because they were investigated by some scientists and engineers. Fourthly, they have the ability to manufacture nanocrystalline materials in small quantities using one out of two manufacturing process. Finally, Altair nanotechnologies are still upcoming competitor who are planning strategy to compete nanophase. Yes, there is management strength in this company. Nanophase has managed all ups and downs of the company. Nanophase has reviewed the business model. It has very well managed the marketing strategy of the company. This company has also faced the upcoming problems. Company had faced some major problem in 2001.but it was solved till the year 2002-2003.company has also fulfilled all the needs of customers. Many new technologies have also invented by the company .They also processed PVS. Due to which nanoparticles were produced. Due to nanotechnology there is certain development in product markets etc. It has also looked after health and personal products .It has managed in all fields. In technical, sale or manufacturing department. This shows management of nanophase, became strength of this company. REFRENCE/BIBLOGRAPHY- Nanophase case study 6-19, module handbookPG-49, 44, 45, 50,51,52,53. Nanophase Technologies Corporation, 2001 annual report. Nanophase technologies corporation, 2000 annual report; sec from 10-q, May 15, 2002 www.nanophase.com : Nanophase 2001 Annual Report: Sec from 10-k 405, 1997.

Four foods common throughout Mexico Essay

Corn, and corn tortillas in particular, are common throughout all of Mexico. Corn tortillas are considered the â€Å"bread† of Mexican culture. Beans are almost always served as a side dish with all meals. Chilies, squash and tomatoes are all indigenous foods that thrive in the arid regions and are used for flavoring and as side dishes throughout the country. Chilies are also often integrated into main dishes. B. Comparison and Contrast of foods from three regions of Mexico Food from the Mexican plains region is typically more heavy with fats and starches. The region’s cuisine relies on meat and dairy products (most notably beef and cheese) in addition to the traditional beans and corn found elsewhere throughout the country. Tropical Mexico relies heavily on the fish and seafood that are abundant along the coast for its main dishes. It also incorporates food locally grown on plantations such as coffee, bananas, avocado, limes, tomatoes and tropical fruits such as mango, tamarind and coconut. Ceviche, a blend of raw fish, lime juice and vegetables, is very popular. Southern Mexican cuisine uses chayotes and cactus and relies heavily on chicken dishes, often marinated. Mole sauce, using chilies and chocolate originated in Southern Mexico and is used as a ceremonial dish at baptisms, weddings, and the Day of the Dead festivals. Even grasshoppers, which are quite abundant, are often eaten fried. Beans and avocados are also used in many dishes. Meat from goats and pork along with chilies and tortillas are often found in dishes from all regions. Chocolate and vanilla are two items that put Mexico on the map and quite popular throughout the country as flavorings. Chocolate is used in sauces as well as for drinking and often infused with cinnamon. Mexican cuisine is very reliant on the food sources most abundant in the region and so range the gamut from seafood to cactus. 6. Comparison and Contrast of food and customs of India’s Northern and Southern regions In Northern India wheat, tea, masala, pickled fruits and vegetables, garlic and eggs are commonly used. Most dishes are prepared by boiling, stewing or frying. Unleavened bread and a vegetable dish are served at breakfast and lunch. Dinner is the same with the additional of a few extra dishes. All meals are served with tea and lemonade in the summer. Hydrogenated oils are used for cooking. In Southern India, banana leaves serve as plates and boiled rice comes with every course. Vegetables and lentils make up the first two courses while rice and yogurt are in the third course. All are accompanied by pickles, chutney and fried wafers. Dessert is only served on special occasions. Coconut, plantain and fish are often used and tend to be spicy. They use peanut and sesame oil in addition to hydrogenated vegetable oil and prepare dishes by steaming. Rice, coffee, chutney fruits and vegetables are integral to the cuisine. Grains cooked into cereals are popular. Chickpeas and lentils are used in nearly every meal. Spicy vegetable curries, deep-fried, salty foods and sweets are popular as snacks. The foods of both regions are highly vegetarian, per religious beliefs. Neither region eats beef nor traditionally drinks alcohol. The spices and condiments heavy in Southern Indian cuisine are the influence of Jews and Christians. In the North, wheat is the staple food while rice reigns in the South. Northern Indians drink tea with their meals while Southern Indians prefer coffee. Since Pakistan was once part of India, the cuisine of the Northern region is very similar to that of Pakistani food. The foods of both regions are influenced heavily by their respective religions as well as the influx of foreign traders in earlier centuries. 7. A. Five foods indigenous to Caribbean In Jamaica, dukunnu is made with cornmeal, sugar, raisins spices and coconut and wrapped in banana leaves and boiled or baked. Jamaica also uses turn cornmeal made of cornmeal blended with peas, spices, coconut milk, saltfish and sometimes other ingredients. Peppers are indigenous all over the Caribbean and are commonly used to spice up dishes such as marinated â€Å"jerk† meats. Manioc, sweet potatoes and yams are served as a side dish or deep fried. There is heavy reliance on fish, including conch and shellfish. B. Identify the Caribbean country or island: 1. Sofrito – Cuba and Puerto Rico 2. Picadillo – Cuba 3. Jerk Foods – Jamaica 4. Sancocho – Dominican Republic 5. Moros y Cristianos – Cuba 6. Habichuelas con Dulce – Dominican Republic.

Why Everybody Is Talking About Write My Essay...The Simple Truth Revealed

Why Everybody Is Talking About Write My Essay...The Simple Truth Revealed What to Expect From Write My Essay? The author begins working on your purchase. To examine the favorite hooks is an ideal way. Should you need someone to compose an essay for me, you've arrived in the correct location. At first, it may seem that writing essays is a simple process which certainly does not take away a relatively large amount of time. If your aim is to persuade, select a subject that you're essay about. There are various explanations for why you might struggle with an essay. With us, you may rest assured you will receive an ideal essay for appropriate money. Getting essay help is currently simpler than ever! Superior solution is to cover essay. Our essay writing service knows the way to help you. Essay writing might be an ordeal to somebody who finds it hard to think of an intriguing topic or make an attractive essay introduction that may hook a reader. Writing an essay at our company is completely stress-free. Don't ever be tempted to borrow topics or feel as if you need to make particular edits since they told you to achieve that. There's no need to continue your search or search for somebody who will have the ability to compose an essay for you within a limited time. You may imagine what type of an essay you are going to get from somebody who doesn't speak fluent English. Needless to say, before you pay a person to compose an essay you probably would like to do a little research. If the one thing you've been thinking of lately is is there anybody to compose my essay for me, then you're at the most suitable place. You may choose to compose an essay by yourself, but another assignment might require all your time too. Now so there is a documentation of the info accum ulated you may need to earn bibliography cards. Writing content employing different writing styles enables students to understand how to compose distinctive papers employing the writing styles. The formats are determined by the writing style used. If you're tired of completing essays and would like to relax and revel in yourself, you can reach us with a simple write my essay' request and we guarantee your task is going to be delivered with no delays. A personal statement is extremely easy. The reality is, only a few of students are in fact passionate about writing essays. There are lots of vital elements which make essay writing homework such a daunting job to finish. The Benefits of Write My Essay College essays are a stressful part of the college application practice. Students spend the majority of their time studying and, naturally, writing. When a student arrives to us and asks write my essay, for us, it is a tremendous honor to help you in your academic matters and we're going to always do our very best to implement your purchase excellently! Not all the students may afford expensive assistance each time they get stuck with assignments, so many start searching for experts who can write papers free of charge. Fina lly, should a writer do a bad job, he fails to get paid. Most writers will miss something which others are going to naturally see. Hiring reliable essay writers provide a lot of benefits and advantages. Being an on-line essay writer is by no means a simple job. Well, bellow you'll have an opportunity to find acquainted with advantages of our company. If you do not want to complete countless essays, missing deadlines and spending hours online, struggling to look for credible sources, there's no better choice than to get in touch with a professional writing company that will finish your assignment with no mistakes or flaws. Although the applicant can offer edge, but nevertheless, it shouldn't be offensive. Should you need someone professional to assist write my paper at no cost, you don't have a lot of legit choices. Irrespective of how insightful and well-written your essay might be, all effort is going to be rendered worthless if the job isn't delivered after the deadline. If you're displeased with the standard of the essay, you're going to receive your money back. Browsing our essay writing samples can offer you a good idea whether the sites that help write papers quality of our essays is the sites that help write papers quality you want to get. Top Write My Essay Choices Essay writing services are everywhere, the ideal answer for everybody who has wish for a person to compose my essay for money, and they're here to remain. Browsing the internet you will discover millions of essay writing resources. You may treat our on-line essay service as an internet library tailored to your distinct needs. Students are welcome to produce their essay help queries and have them addressed through our 24x7 on-line chat facility.

The Invasion of Normandy in World War II (D-Day)

The Invasion of Normandy began on June 6, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Commanders Allies General Dwight D. EisenhowerGeneral Bernard MontgomeryGeneral Omar BradleyAir Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-MalloryAir Chief Marshal Arthur TedderAdmiral Sir Bertram Ramsay Germany Field Marshal Gerd von RundstedtField Marshal Erwin Rommel A Second Front In 1942, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt issued a statement that the western allies would work as quickly as possible to open a second front to relieve pressure on the Soviets. Though united in this goal, issues soon arose with the British who favored a thrust north from the Mediterranean, through Italy and into southern Germany. This approach was advocated by Churchill who also saw a line of advance from the south as placing British and American troops in a position to limit the territory occupied by the Soviets. Against this strategy, the Americans advocated a cross-Channel assault which would move through Western Europe along the shortest route to Germany. As American strength grew, they made it clear that this was the only approach they would support. Codenamed Operation Overlord, planning for the invasion began in 1943 and potential dates were discussed by Churchill, Roosevelt, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at the Tehran Conference. In November of that year, planning passed to General Dwight D. Eisenhower who was promoted to Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) and given command of all Allied forces in Europe. Moving forward, Eisenhower adopted a plan begun by the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), Lieutenant General Frederick E. Morgan, and Major General Ray Barker. The COSSAC plan called for landings by three divisions and two airborne brigades in Normandy. This area was chosen by COSSAC due to its proximity to England, which facilitated air support and transport, as well as its favorable geography. The Allied Plan Adopting the COSSAC plan, Eisenhower appointed General Sir Bernard Montgomery to command the invasions ground forces. Expanding the COSSAC plan, Montgomery called for landing five divisions, preceded by three airborne divisions. These changes were approved and planning and training moved forward. In the final plan, the American 4th Infantry Division, led by Major General Raymond O. Barton, was to land at Utah Beach in the west, while the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions landed to the east on Omaha Beach. These divisions were commanded by Major General Clarence R. Huebner and Major General Charles Hunter Gerhardt. The two American beaches were separated by a headland known as Pointe du Hoc. Topped by German guns, capture of this position was tasked to Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudders 2nd Ranger Battalion. Separate and to the east of Omaha were Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches which were assigned to the British 50th (Major General Douglas A. Graham), Canadian 3rd (Major General Rod Keller), and British 3rd Infantry Divisions (Major General Thomas G. Rennie) respectively. These units were supported by armored formations as well as commandos. Inland, the British 6th Airborne Division (Major General Richard N. Gale) was to drop to the east of the landing beaches to secure the flank and destroy several bridges to prevent the Germans from bringing up reinforcements. The US 82nd (Major General Matthew B. Ridgway) and 101st Airborne Divisions (Major General Maxwell D. Taylor) were to drop to the west with the goal of opening routes from the beaches and destroying artillery that could fire on the landings (Map). The Atlantic Wall Confronting the Allies was the Atlantic Wall which consisted of a series of heavy fortifications. In late 1943, the German commander in France, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, was reinforced and given noted commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. After touring the defenses, Rommel found them wanting and ordered that they be greatly expanded. Having assessed the situation, the Germans believed that the invasion would come at the Pas de Calais, the closest point between Britain and France. This belief was encouraged by an elaborate Allied deception scheme, Operation Fortitude, which suggested that Calais was the target. Split into two major phases, Fortitude utilized a mix of double agents, fake radio traffic, and the creation of fictitious units to mislead the Germans.  The largest fake formation created was the First US Army Group under the leadership of Lieutenant General George S. Patton.  Ostensibly based in southeastern England opposite Calais, the ruse was supported by the construction of dummy buildings, equipment, and landing craft near likely embarkation points. These efforts proved successful and German intelligence remained convinced that the main invasion would come at Calais even after landings commenced in Normandy.   Moving Forward As the Allies required a full moon and a spring tide, possible dates for the invasion were limited. Eisenhower first planned to move forward on June 5, but was forced to delay due to poor weather and high seas. Faced with the possibility of recalling the invasion force to port, he received a favorable weather report for June 6 from Group Captain James M. Stagg. After some debate, orders were issued to launch the invasion on June 6. Due to the poor conditions, the Germans believed that no invasion would occur in early June. As a result, Rommel returned to Germany to attend a birthday party for his wife and many officers left their units to attend war games at Rennes. The Night of Nights Departing from airbases around southern Britain, the Allied airborne forces began arriving over Normandy. Landing, the British 6th Airborne successfully secured the Orne River crossings and accomplished it objectives including capturing the large artillery battery complex at Merville. The 13,000 men of the US 82nd and 101st Airbornes were less fortunate as their drops were scattered which dispersed units and placed many far from their targets. This was caused by thick clouds over the drop zones which led to only 20% being marked correctly by pathfinders and enemy fire. Operating in small groups, the paratroopers were able to achieve many of their objectives as the divisions pulled themselves back together. Though this dispersal weakened their effectiveness, it caused great confusion among the German defenders. The Longest Day The assault on the beaches began shortly after midnight with Allied bombers pounding German positions across Normandy. This was followed by a heavy naval bombardment. In the early morning hours, waves of troops began hitting the beaches. To the east, the British and Canadians came ashore on Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches. After overcoming initial resistance, they were able to move inland, though only the Canadians were able to reach their D-Day objectives. Though Montgomery had ambitiously hoped to take the city of Caen on D-Day, it would not fall to British forces for several weeks. On the American beaches to the west, the situation was very different. At Omaha Beach, US troops quickly became pinned down by heavy fire from the veteran German 352nd Infantry Division as the pre-invasion bombing had fallen inland and failed to destroy the German fortifications. Initial efforts by the US 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions were unable penetrate the German defenses and troops became trapped on the beach. After suffering 2,400 casualties, the most of any beach on D-Day, small groups of US soldiers were able to break through the defenses opening the way for successive waves. To the west, the 2nd Ranger Battalion succeeded in scaling and capturing Pointe du Hoc but took significant losses due to German counterattacks. On Utah Beach, US troops suffered only 197 casualties, the lightest of any beach, when they were accidentally landed in the wrong spot due to strong currents.  Though out of position, the first senior officer ashore, Brigadier Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., stated that they would start the war from right here and directed subsequent landings to occur at the new location.  Quickly moving inland, they linked up with elements of the 101st Airborne and began moving towards their objectives. Aftermath By nightfall on June 6, Allied forces had established themselves in Normandy though their position remained precarious. Casualties on D-Day numbered around 10,400 while the Germans incurred approximately 4,000-9,000. Over the next several days, Allied troops continued to press inland, while the Germans moved to contain the beachhead. These efforts were frustrated by Berlins reluctance to release reserve panzer divisions in France for fear that Allies would still attack at Pas de Calais. Continuing on, Allied forces pressed north to take the port of Cherbourg and south towards the city of Caen. As American troops fought their way north, they were hampered by the bocage (hedgerows) that crisscrossed the landscape. Ideal for defensive warfare, the bocage greatly slowed the American advance. Around Caen, British forces were engaged in a battle of attrition with the Germans. The situation did not change radically until the US First Army broke through the German lines at St. Lo on July 25 as part of Operation Cobra. Resources and Further Reading US Army: D-DayUS Army Center for Military History: Invasion of Normandy

The Relationship Between Attention And Child Television...

The Relationship between Learning, Attention, and Children Television Programs Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Specific Aims The specific objective of this study is to establish the relationship between attention and child television programs by improving on existing research. The study aims to focus on the impact of different types of television on the cognitive attention of children. Children’s education and development are important topics, and parents always want to educate their children in the best possible way. Nowadays, children spend a lot of time watching television; however, most parents are not so confused about how to select television shows for their children. Naturally, they want their†¦show more content†¦Usually, there are two kinds of children television shows, live action shows and cartoons. There has emerged research, which argued that viewing television cartoons could have immediate negative effects on young children’s cognitive function including self-regulation and working memory (Lillard and Peterson, 2011). Therefore, watching cartoons is not a good idea to entertain children. There is increased concern that increased exposure to television has a negative impact on the cognitive development of a child. It has been linked to late language development and the development of attention disorders (Landhuis, Poulton, Welch Hancox, 2007). A majority of studies conducted on the impact of television have not compared different types of content. According to the CDC, the number of children getting ADHD is rising rapidly (CDC, 2015). Correspondingly, research has indicated that there is an increasing number of children watching cartoons such as â€Å"SpongeBob†, â€Å"Bob’s burgers† and â€Å"The Simpsons.† Most of the parents are extremely worried about the impact of the content that their children watch on television because of warning from research findings. They are also worried about the children live action shows such as â€Å"Kid Nation,† â€Å"Sesame Street† and â€Å"Teletubbies†? In our study, we are going to test if the live action

Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus Free Essays

Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus Overview The Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling provides a rigorous and integrated set of quantitative tools to understand and ex plain financial instruments, financial risk and corporate value and the fundamentally important relationship between them. The emphasis throughout is on t he practical modelling of real life problems and opportunities. Techniques such as no-arbitrage pricing, duration, convexity and portfolio analysis – including the trade-off between risk and return – are explained and applied. We will write a custom essay sample on Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus or any similar topic only for you Order Now The course analyses the use of options for financial risk management, and the valuation of different types of option using binomial pricing models, the Black Scholes model and other techniques. It also int roduces and applies Value at Risk measures, their potential us es and their limitations. Study Unit 1 – Fundamental concepts in financial maths and modelling Study Unit 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of financial maths and modelling in the five areas of: interest rat e mathematics; modelling the values of a series of fixed or growing future cashflows; modelling the term structure of int erest rates using no arbitrage relationships; selected issues in probability and statistical models; and modelling the maths of Value at Risk. Study Unit 2 – Modelling the maths of debt Study Unit 2 looks at modelling the maths of debt in the main areas of: present values, fut ure cash flows, timing and risk; and interest rat e sensitivity and duration models, in particular value relationships with respect to yield, maturity, coupon rate and coupon frequency. Study Unit 3 – Modelling the maths of foreign exchange Study Unit 3 introduces the c oncepts of modelling t he maths of foreign exchange in the four areas of: quoting conventions; hedging using forward foreign exchange cont racts; the relationships bet ween foreign exchange rates, interest rates and inflation rates and applying VaR to foreign exchange risk management. Study Unit 4 – Modelling the maths of derivatives Study Unit 4 covers the maths and modelling of derivatives in t he two areas of: int roduction to derivatives mathematics; and modelling capital market swap mathematics. Study Unit 5 – Modelling the maths of options Study Unit 5 covers the maths and modelling of options in the four areas of: option payoff mathematics; option payoff maths in the context of hedging; option valuation modelling; and options arbitrage and the put-call parity relationship. Study Unit 6 – Modelling the maths of portfolios and corporate finance Study Unit 6 introduces the fundamental concepts of modelling the maths of port folios and corporate finance in the t wo areas of: modelling port folios – analysis of risk and return, and modelling for corporate finance – corporate valuation and the impact of changing capit al structure. Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) Study Unit 1 – Fundamental concepts in financial maths and modelling Unit introduction 1. 0. 1 Notation and rules of algebra 1. 0. 2 Financial modelling Section 1 – Interest rate mathematics 1. 1. 1 Interest calculations and quoting convention s 1. 1. 2 The time-value relationship Section 2 – Modelling values of a series of future cashflows 1. 2. 1 Infinite series cashflows (perpetuities) and their valuation 1. 2. Finite series cashflows (annuities) and their valuation Section 3 – Modelling the term structure of interest rate s: no arbitrage relationships 1. 3. 1 Zero coupon, forward and par structures of interest rates: different forms of yield curves 1. 3. 2 No arbitrage relationships between zero coupon, forward and par rates Section 4 – Probability and stati sti cal models: selected issue s 1. 4. 1 Measures of central location (or central tendency), dispersion and correlation 1. 4. 2 Frequency distributions in theory and in practice Section 5 – Modelling the maths of Value at Risk 1. . 1 Modelling the maths of Value at Risk for single risks 1. 5. 2 Extending the modelling of Value at Risk Study Unit 2 – Modelling the maths of debt Section 1 – Short term debt 2. 1. 1 Short term debt issuers, market participants and market conventions 2. 1. 2 Calculation of interest and valuation of short term debt instruments Section 2 – Longer term debt 2. 2. 1 Analysis and valuation of bonds 2. 2. 2 Real interest rates and inflation indexing Section 3 – Interest rate sensitivity and duration models 2. 3. Duration and int erest rat e price sensitivity, relative and absolute measures 2. 3. 2 Interest rate immunisation, convexity and modified convexity Study Unit 3 – Modelling the maths of foreign exchange Section 1 – Foreign exchange mathematics 3. 1. 1 Converting between currencies: using spot foreign exchange rates 3. 1. 2 Converting between currencies: determining and using forward foreign exchange rat es 3. 1. 3 The maths of foreign exchange risk management 3. 1. 4 Applying Value at Risk to foreign exchange risk management Study Unit 4 – Modelling the maths of derivatives Section 1 – Introduction to derivative s mathematics 4. 1. 1 Payoffs for fixing derivatives and options 4. 1. 2 The maths of FRAs: cashflows, hedging, valuation and basis risk 4. 1. 3 Futures contracts: cashflows, hedging and valuation Section 2 – Modelling swap mathematics 4. 2. 1 The maths of capital market swaps including interest rate swaps 4. 2. 2 The maths of cross-currency interest rate swaps  © Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) Study Unit 5 – Modelling the maths of options Section 1 – Option payoff mathematics 5. 1. 1 Payoffs from trading strategies with single options 5. 1. 2 Payoffs from trading strategies involving more than one option Section 2 – Option payoff maths: hedging and hedged results achieved 5. 2. 1 Hedging a portfolio: options plus underlying asset/(liability) 5. 2. 2 Hedging corporate exposures with options Section 3 – Option valuation modelling 5. 3. 1 Binomial option valuation models 5. 3. 2 Black Scholes option pricing model 5. 3. 3 Arbitrage and the put-call parity relationship Study Unit 6 – Modelling the maths of portfolios and corporate finance Section 1 – Modelling portfolios: analysi s of ri sk and return 6. 1. 1 Modelling simple port folios: analysis of risk and return 6. 1. 2 Modelling multi-asset port folios portfolios including liabilities Section 2 – Modelling for corporate finance 6. 2. 1 Modelling the cost of corporate capital 6. 2. 2 Modelling the relationship between corporate value and capital structure 6. 2. 3 Modelling corporate valuation  © Association of Corporate Treasurers (01. 04. 11, subject to change) How to cite Certificate in Financial Maths Modelling Syllabus, Papers

Alignment of IT Functions and Business Processes †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Alignment of IT Functions and Business Processes. Answer: Introduction Many organizations all over the world today have welcomed the idea of information technology integration, and the organizations are increasingly becoming dependent on the IT in conducting their basic activities (Chan Reich, 2007). The alignment process can be described as a mutual synchronization of the objectives and the goals of the business and the services of Information Technology. Notably, it is challenging to achieve the complete alignment of both the business functions and the IT services (McCubbrey, 1999). This is because of the many and random changes that are happening in the world of business and the Information Technology environment. Business and IT alignment have been a critical issue since the early 1970s and many stakeholders which includes; consultants and IT and business executives have over the years tried resolving the issues that hinder the success of this alignment (Ali Green, 2009). It is also important to note that these stakeholders have regarded the alignment process as being a difficult process for several reasons which include; differences in the objectives of different organizations, communication gap, inflexible organization structure and lack of proper methodologies to handle the problem (Ali Green, 2009). Most importantly to note, it needs great effort for IT to comprehensively provide all the services that are required in an organization when the organizations are rapidly diverting their goals and objectives on a daily basis. Additionally, both business and IT are related to the fact that IT provides all the services that are required in all the levels of business to facilitate achievement of its objectives and goals. In order to heighten the alignment process there are issues that need to be addressed these includes; understanding of business strategy, fostering a strong and complex cultural relationship between business and IT, sustaining effective communication between all the groups, the strategies of both the business and IT must be clearly understood, both business strategy and It strategy must always provide support to each other and all the groups in either of the sides must have trust (Braun Winter, 2007 ). Below are some of the challenges that are experienced in the alignment of IT and business functions. Alignment Challenges Inappropriate methodologies by The International Foods Group (IFG) can substantially undermine the process of alignment (Scott, 2000). The organization compares its activities with Glow-Foods Company and then decides that it has to implement such a system that is similar to that of IFG. This is without any market research or analysis its business activities. IFG like most of other organizations rarely makes full use of IT capabilities. The only technology they use is a website that they use to advertise where customers can find their products and come nutritional recipe. Similarly to other organizations which used IT for back-office operations and regarded it as an expenditure other than a booster of business value (Scott, 2000). There are organizational factors that greatly undermine the alignment process, in many organizations, the formal information systems strategies are controlled and made by the senior management. In the case of IFG Tonya is seen taking part in the alignment pr ocess although she is busy to commit to it fully. In many organizations, this results to a misunderstanding of the business plan by both lower and middle-level management. In this regard, it is important to note that unclear business strategies like duplicating other organizations alignment plan may hinder IT-business alignment. Personal and group involvement is essential in developing clear business strategies. Also, the existing and current techniques of alignment have not captured the real advantages of alignment (Baker Niederman, 2014). In the case of The International Food Group IFG, the benefits developing the information system have not been outlined the management is only focused on developing a system that works similarly to those systems that are used in the Glow-Foods company. Similarly to other organizations, this has consequently affected the alignment of IT and business functions in most of the organizations. Most of the techniques used in developing the systems do not understand that business is not a constant entity rather it is active and keeps on changing its processes and also different organizations have different have different requirements and information system working for one company may not work for another company (Baker Niederman, 2014). Instead of driving the business many techniques follow the business. Most of the researchers and experts feel that most of the a lignment methods that are in existence are business-driven and instead they feel that they should mostly be IT-driven. For this reason, more attention should be focused on IT to determine how IT can be implemented to offer better support to the organization. Most of the researchers conducted are focused mainly on the IT side rather than the business side. Poor or inadequate understanding of the alignment process also hinders that process of linking both IT and business functions (Galup, Dattero, Quan Conger, 2009). In this case, both Ahern and Tonya dont seem to understand the processes need to align their company IFG, and it is for this reason that they have to rely on Josh who seems to have some experience out of his past work experiences (Silvius, 2008). The best conceptualization of alignment is the changing state in which organizations can effectively make use of IT processes to achieve the goals and the objectives of the organization and also to enable the organizations to compete with their competitors effectively like in this case hoe IFG want to compete with the Glow-Foods. If Information Technology is not implemented in a manner that it helps in providing the required services in an organization, then the alignment of the business and the IT is not effective (Galup, Dattero, Quan Conger, 2009). According to Henderson Venk atraman, 1993 they say that alignment cannot be considered as a single entity and explain that it has several phases which represent specific parts of the business organization. Improper understanding of what alignment entails will compromise the alignment of IT and business functions. Organizations heads and employees should comprehensively understand the whole processes involved in alignment to get to integrate both IT functions and business functions effectively. Lack of encouragement from colleague workers. In this case, Tonya is heard pledging her support to Josh who will help in developing the new system. However, she cautions him that not everyone in the organization will be supporting him in the development of the new system. This is a common trend in many organizations that aim at improving their technological advancements (Luftman, 2003). This is because many employees may fear to lose their jobs and there are those who do it because of jealous. Lack of support for the systems development team may negatively impact on the development process thus interfering with the alignment process (Luftman, 2003). In this case, the IFG Company may have difficulties in developing the systems because of the opposition that Josh is expected to receive from the companys employees. Copying of innovative technologies and lack of research many compromises the alignment process of an organization. In this case, Tonya is heard addressing Josh and his team that they should remain vigilant on the ground and report to the management about any innovative technologies that can work for IFG organization. It is clear that IFG is not undertaking any research to understand what the users need and know how they will develop their systems. Rather they keep on copying what other organizations are doing like the case of Glow-Foods Company, and in this case, Tonya instructs the team that they should also report any advancements in technology that they think can be applied in IFG. Copying informational system without conducting proper research may hinder the alignment process of the organization this is because not all information systems that work for one organization can work for another. Therefore organizations need to develop a culture of conducting research and developing th eir systems that respond to their organizational requirements and systems that will help them meet the objects and the goals of the organization Recommendations for challenges facing alignment The best way of achieving the alignment process is by developing information systems that aid the managers, the businesses, and all the other stakeholders to efficiently and effectively meet the objectives and the goals of the business (Ordanini Pol, 2001). Developers and engineers of information systems find it hard and challenging in developing information systems that can effectively and comprehensively meet the business expectations of an organization in a dynamic environment. If proper and effective information systems are not developed, they can lead to misalignment of an organization. Some of the factors that can make organizations fail to get aligned with IT include; making of IT decision by business executive who have no or little knowledge concerning IT process can lead to misalignment of organization, in other organizations Information Technology managers are involved in making decisions yet they little knowledge about the needs of the business the other main reason than contributing to the misalignment of the business is that there are disagreements and lack of trust between the IT managers and business executives, their relationship leads to the suffering of the organization. This section will examine some of the tools that should be used in modeling and development of information system to facilitate the alignment of business, and IT functions. Requirement Engineering Requirement engineering plays a major role in the development any system. The main objective of requirement engineering is identified both the user and system requirements. The processes involved in requirement engineering includes: elicitation- during this activity, the needs of the user and the needs of the business are examined, requirement analysis- this activity is used to examine the feasibility of the collected requirements, documentation- during this activity, the requirement of the stakeholders are documented in a formal document, validation- this particular activity makes it possible for the developers and engineers to determine whether the developed system is in line with the requirements of the proposed system, requirement management- during this activity all the changes in the requirements are captured and traced (Silvius, 2008). Requirement engineering in relation Information Technology and business alignment it can be implemented to capturing all necessary information of information system and business requirement engineering. For this reason, proper requirement engineering-based models should be developed to help in the alignment process. These models will help in explaining the different activities involved such as requirement elicitation- this should clarify the objects and the goals of the organization that the system under development should meet, requirement negotiation- this activity explore the different goals of the business in perspective of all the stakeholders and aid in defining agreement on the system requirements and the user requirements. Requirement specification- this activity outlines the system behavior that the system should have and also should describe the context of the company that is to use the system, requirement validation- this activity is aimed at ensuring that the final requirements of the system meet the expected requirements. Component-based system development It is with no doubts that developing an information system that is meant to meet the objectives and the goals of an organization in a rapidly changing environment is a hard task. Component-based development of information systems ensures fast and reliable development (Saunders Jones, 1992). This system development model makes it possible to develop different modules of the system, different testing of the modules and also ensures that the models are in a position to meet the requirements that are designed for and then the integration of the different models. Most importantly, component-based development makes it possible to subdivide the objectives of complex systems into small objectives which are meant to be achieved by the modules (Saunders Jones, 1992). This is key in the development of information systems for facilitating alignment of IT and business in an organization since the different business processes are carefully subdivided depending on their requirements, and then the processes are developed by the engineers in modules (Scott, 1961). Component-based also facilitates the reusability of the modules in case such systems are to be developed for another organization that has the same objectives as the first organization. Component-based development facilitates the alignment of business and IT functions of an organization as it is easy to replace, reuse, and maintain the existing components to align with the changes that may occur in the dynamic business environment Software Product Line Engineering Technology SPLE Integration of technology in the development of systems to aid in alignment of business and Information Technology is a great idea that is aimed at helping organizations to improve the alignment of their organizations (McCubbrey, 1999). The SPLE technology demonstrates the best processes of developing IT-based products at a less cost and within a short period producing systems and products that are of high quality (McCubbrey, 1999). In the context of aligning IT process with business activities, the features of SPLE can be of great importance to the organization. Most of the organizations put more emphasis in enhancing the performance of their IT departments, and therefore they raise their expectations regarding the capabilities associated with technological advancements. The main reason as to why SPLE should be integrated into alignment is because it reduces the cost associated with the development of information systems that facilitate the alignment process (McCubbrey, 1999). The a dvantages of using SPLE is that helps in improving the quality of the systems developed, and also it aids in testing the product line independently. SPLE technology is recommended for all organizations including those whose financial capability is low because it helps in developing information systems at a lower cost. Most importantly is simplifies complex systems and also facilitates the reusability of code so the organization can always change the functions of the information system with ease to match the requirement of the dynamic business environment. By so doing the alignment process will not be compromised. Business process management A business process is activities that take place within an organization and leads to layout business output. The business process always identifies the user needs and provides the services that meet the user needs (Ullah Lai, 2011). On the other side, business process management is a set interlinked process that works together to facilitate the achievement of business objects and both short-term and long-term goals (Ullah Lai, 2011). Business process management provides a systematic approach that can be effectively used manage the processes that take place within an organization (Sawhney, Prandelli Verona, 2003). Business process management is important and effective because it can be used to manage the changes that take place in a dynamic business environment thus facilitating alignment in both static and dynamic environment (Sawhney, Prandelli Verona, 2003). The main advantage that can be achieved by using business process management is that it structures and organizes the work flow of activities in an organization in a way that organization objectives and goals can be effectively achieved. Proper management of business activities can help in implementing effective alignment processes. Business process modeling tools In information systems and business engineering, business process modeling is the activities that represent organizational processes to effectively analyze manage and carry out changes that may be required in the systems processes (Skoularidou Spinellis, 2003). There are several business modeling tools that can be implemented to help in managing processes in an organization which is in a dynamic environment. Some of the most useful tools used in businesses and information systems include; six sigma- which works by effectively by identifying and improving areas of business processes. Another tool that is commonly employed in SWOT analysis- it consists of modeling tools that are used in analyzing both resources and the environment of the organization or the business. Such tools are key in ensuring that an organization remains focused on implementing alignment processes. The tools can help in case the activities and processes of the business keep on varying. In conclusion, this report focuses on the alignment of business functions and IT functions. The report has examined some of the challenges that hinder the alignment processes and also it has explained some of the techniques that can be applied to overcome the challenges that are encountered by organizations during alignment. If these strategies are used effectively applied then organizations can effectively ensure that organization remains aligned even in the most dynamic environments. References Ali, S., Green, P. (2009). IT governance mechanisms in public sector organisations: An Australian context. Handbook of Research on Information Management and the Global Landscape, 458-478. Baker, E. W., Niederman, F. (2014). Integrating the IS functions after mergers and acquisitions: Analyzing business-IT alignment. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 23(2), 112-127. Braun, C., Winter, R. (2007, March). Integration of IT service management into enterprise architecture. In Proceedings of the 2007 ACM symposium on Applied computing (pp. 1215-1219). ACM. Chan, Y. E., Reich, B. H. (2007). IT alignment: what have we learned?. Journal of Information technology, 22(4), 297-315. Galup, S. D., Dattero, R., Quan, J. J., Conger, S. (2009). An overview of IT service management. Communications of the ACM, 52(5), 124-127. Luftman, J. (2003). Assessing IT/business alignment. Information Systems Management, 20(4), 9-15. Luftman, J., Kempaiah, R. (2007). An Update on Business-IT Alignment:" A Line" Has Been Drawn. MIS Quarterly Executive, 6(3). McCubbrey, D. J. (1999). Disintermediation and reintermediation in the US air travel distribution industry: a Delphi study. Communications of the AIS, 1(5es), 3. Saunders, C. S., Jones, J. W. (1992). Measuring performance of the information systems function. Journal of Management Information Systems, 8(4), 63-82. Sawhney, M., Prandelli, E., Verona, G. (2003). The power of innomediation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 44(2), 77. Scott, J. E. (2000). Facilitating interorganizational learning with information technology. Journal of Management information systems, 17(2), 81-113. Scott, W. G. (1961). Organization theory: an overview and an appraisal. The Journal of the academy of Management, 4(1), 7-26. Skoularidou, V., Spinellis, D. (2003). Security architectures for network clients. Information management computer security, 11(2), 84-91. Silvius, A. J. (2008). The Business Value of IT: A Conceptual Model for Selecting Valuation Methods. Communications of the IIMA, 8(3), 57. Ordanini, A., Pol, A. (2001). Infomediation and competitive advantage in B2B digital marketplaces. European Management Journal, 19(3), 276-285. Ullah, A., Lai, R. (2011). Modeling business goal for business/it alignment using requirements engineering. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 51(3), 21-28.