Bill Gates :: essays research papers

Skinny, shy and awkward, teenaged Bill Gates seemed an unlikely successor to his overachieving parents. His father, powerfully built and 6'6'' tall, was a prominent Seattle attorney, and his gregarious mother served on charitable boards and ran the United Way. While he showed enormous talent for math and logic, young Bill, a middle child, was no one's idea of a natural leader, let alone a future billionaire who would reinvent American business. Born in 1955, Gates attended public elementary school, and enrolled in the private Lakeside School at age 12. The following year, Gates wrote his first computer program, at a time when computers were still room-sized machines run by scientists in white coats. Soon afterwards, he and his friend Paul Allen wrote a scheduling program for the school—which coincidentally placed the two in the same classes as the prettiest girls in school. Still in high school, Gates and Allen founded a company called Traf-O-Data, which analyzed city traffic data. Gates set off for Harvard University intending to become a lawyer like his father. Still shy and awkward, he rarely ventured out to parties unless dragged by his friend Steve Ballmer, whom he later repaid by naming him president of Microsoft. One day in December 1974, Allen, who was working at Honeywell outside of Boston, showed Gates a Popular Mechanics cover featuring the Altair 8800, a $397 computer from M.I.T.S. computing that any hobbyist could build. The only thing the computer lacked, besides a keyboard and monitor, was software. Gates and Allen contacted the head of M.I.T.S. and said they could provide a version of BASIC for the Altair. After a successful demonstration at the company's Albuquerque headquarters, M.I.T.S. contracted with Gates and Allen for programming languages. The pair moved to New Mexico and started Micro-soft (they dropped the hypen later). Although the company's first five clients went bankrupt, the company struggled on, moving to Seattle in 1979. The following year, IBM asked Gates to provide an operating system for its first personal computer. Gates purchased a system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) for $50,000 from another company, changed the name to MS-DOS, and licensed it to IBM. The IBM PC took the market by storm when it was introduced in 1981—and licensing fees streamed into Microsoft, ensuring the company's survival over the next several years. Microsoft continued concentrating on the software market, adding consumer applications like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.

Organizational Change and Development

In the past, people have been treated the organization as a closed system, that is to say, organizational behavior and performance are the results from unilateral decision by managers, ignoring the existence of the environment. However, as an open system, the organization and its external environment are interaction and mutual penetration. Environment should be seen as the organizational material, energy, the ultimate resource of information and the key to organization renewal. This paper will discuss the contribution of environmental determinist theories by interpreting Institutional Theory, Population Ecology, Resource Dependence Theory and Business Ecosystem Theory. 2. Institutional theory Starting from the sociological system theory, institutional theory focuses on the isomorphism and similar between organizations, and put it down to the requirements of the institutional environment outside the organization. (Tidd, 2001) In institutional theory, the organization faces with two different environments: technical environment and institutional environment. Technological environment requires the organization must be efficient and organized by the principle of maximum production, while the institutional environment requires organizations must be legitimacy. Meyer and Rowen pointed out that many organizations even had to have the internal operations separated from organizational structure in order to reduce the negative impact from the institutional environment requests on the efficient operation. DiMaggio and Powell further put forward three mechanisms lead to convergence of the organizational type and organizational behavior. Camarinha-Matos, & Afsarmanesh, 2007)The first one is forcing mechanisms, such as government regulations and cultural expectations. The second one is imitation mechanism. When faces with uncertainty problem, organizations tend to adopt the solution used by other organizations in the same organizational field. The last one is regulatory mechanisms, which comes from development and complication of professional networ ks in professional training, and organizational field. Sequential studies take a large number of empirical analyses on the mechanism above. Take Galaskiewicz and Wasserman for example, they confirmed the importance of networking to the mechanism of imitation. They noted that, although the successful organization may be easy to become the object of imitation, the organization managers tend to imitate the organization they trust, such as those that have the interpersonal association with their own organization.

Binders Bookstore essays

Binder's Bookstore essays As partners of Binders Bookstore, we have collectively chosen to automate our business. There is a need for our company to be computerized; the manual approach is not cohesive. We need to investigate our needs and evaluate the products available to suit our company. It is imperative to move our bookstore into the technological age due to the high volume of sales, and competition. The management team at Binders will create an information system that will more than double the productivity and revenue. Dont be caught unaware. In todays business world, being on top of things is the name of the game-and online competitive intelligence is the winning play. (Carroll, 2002) Binders Bookstore is at a major crossroads with their business practices. After being in business for 15 years, they need to reevaluate their current situation in regards to office automation. The three owners have chosen to create a business plan to facilitate this process. As a planning tool, the business plan guides you through the various phases of your business. A thoughtful plan will help identify roadblocks and obstacles so that you can avoid them and establish alternatives. (SBA) In the first phrase of planning, Binders identified its background, business needs, purpose, constraints and assumptions. Currently, the second phrase captures the business requirements that include: inventory; customer database and marketing. Binders vision will aid in the success of reaching projected revenue targets while competing with the large retails. We opened Binders 15 years ago with a vision, to provide our local customers an inviting atmosphere and a variety of reading material. We know our customers by name and can always suggest new arrivals. However, our staff of three and our manual cash register can just not keep up with the business any longer. We need to do more than revamp; we need to i...

Narwhal Animal Facts - Unicorn of the Sea

Narwhal Animal Facts - Unicorn of the Sea The narwhal or narwhale (Monodon monocerus) is a medium-sized toothed whale or odontocete, best known for its long spiral tusk that many people associate with the unicorn myth. The tusk is not a horn, but a protruding canine tooth. The narwhal and the only other living member of the Monodontidae family, the beluga whale, live in the worlds arctic waters. Carl Linnaeus described the narwhal in his 1758 catalog Systema Naturae. The name narwhal comes from the Norse word nar, which means corpse, combined with whal, for whale. This common name refers to the mottled gray-over-white color of the whale, which causes it to somewhat resemble a drowned corpse. The scientific name Monodon monocerus comes from the Greek phrase meaning one tooth one horn. Fast Facts: Narwhal Scientific Name: Monodon moncerusOther Names: Narwhal, narwhale, unicorn of the seaDistinguishing Features: Medium-sized what with a single large protruding tuskDiet: CarnivorousLifespan: Up to 50 yearsHabitat: Arctic circleConservation Status: Near ThreatenedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: ArtiodactylaInfraorder: CetaceaFamily: MonodontidaeFun Fact: The narwhals tusk is on its left side. Males have the horn, but only 15% of females have one. The Unicorn Horn A male narwhal has a single long tusk. The tusk is a hollow left-handed spiral helix that grows from the left side of the upper jaw and through the whales lip. The tusk grows throughout the whales life, reaching a length from 1.5 to 3.1 m (4.9 to 10.2 ft) and weight of approximately 10 kg (22 lb). About 1 in 500 males has two tusks, with the other tusk formed from the right canine tooth. Around 15% of females have a tusk. Female tusks are smaller than those of males and not as spiralized. There is one recorded case of a female having two tusks. Initially, scientists speculated the male tusk might be involved in male sparring behavior, but the current hypothesis is that tusks are rubbed together to communicate information about the ocean environment. The tusk is rich with patent nerve endings, allowing the whale to perceive information about the seawater. The whales other teeth are vestigial, making the whale essentially toothless. It is considered a toothed whale because it does not have baleen plates. Description The narwhal and beluga are the white whales. Both are medium-size, with a length from 3.9 to 5.5 m (13 to 18 ft), not counting the males tusk. Males are typically slightly larger than females. Body weight ranges from 800 to 1600 kg (1760 to 3530 lb). Females become sexually mature between 5 and 8 years of age, while males mature at around 11 to 13 years of age. The whale has mottled gray or brown-black pigmentation over white. Whales are dark when born, becoming lighter with age. Old adult males may be almost entirely white. Narwhals lack a dorsal fin, possibly to aid in swimming under ice. Unlike most whales, the neck vertebrae of narwhals are jointed like those of terrestrial mammals. Female narwhals have swept-back tail fluke edges. The tail flukes of males are not swept back, possibly to compensate for the drag of the tusk. Behavior Narwhals are found in pods of five to ten whales. The groups may consist of mixed ages and sexes, only adult males (bulls), only females and young, or only juveniles. In the summer, large groups form with 500 to 1000 whales. The whales are found in the Arctic ocean. Narwhals migrate seasonally. In the summer, they frequent coastal waters, while in the winter, they move to deeper water under pack ice. They can dive to extreme depths up to 1500 m (4920 ft) and stay under water about 25 minutes. Adult narwhals mate in April or May offshore. Calves are born in June or August of the following year (14 months gestation). A female bears a single calf, which is about 1.6 m (5.2) feet in length. Calves start out life with a thin blubber layer that thickens during lactation of the mothers fat-rich milk. Calves nurse for about 20 months, during which time they remain very close to their mothers. Narwhals are predators that eat cuttlefish, cod, Greenland halibut, shrimp, and armhook squid. Occasionally, other fish are eaten, as are rocks. It is believed rocks are ingested by accident when whales feed near the bottom of the ocean. Narwhals and most other toothed whales navigate and hunt using clicks, knocks, and whistles. Click trains are used for echo location. The whales sometimes trumpet or make squeaking sounds. Lifespan and Conservation Status Narwhals can live up to 50 years. They may die from hunting, starvation, or suffocation under frozen sea ice. While most predation is by humans, narwhals are also hunted by polar bears, walruses, killer whales, and Greenland sharks. Narwhals hide under ice or stay submerged for long periods of time to escape predators, rather than flee. At present, about 75,000 narwhals exist worldwide. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies them as Near Threatened. Legal subsistence hunting continues in Greenland and by the Inuit people in Canada. References Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 824. Nweeia, Martin T.; Eichmiller, Frederick C.; Hauschka, Peter V.; Tyler, Ethan; Mead, James G.; Potter, Charles W.; Angnatsiak, David P.; Richard, Pierre R.; et al. (2012). Vestigial tooth anatomy and tusk nomenclature for Monodon monoceros. The Anatomical Record. 295 (6): 1006–16. Nweeia MT, et al. (2014). Sensory ability in the narwhal tooth organ system. The Anatomical Record. 297 (4): 599–617.

Buying decision making process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buying decision making process - Essay Example Product specification: Product specification may be defined as statement of need by the consumer. It states what the consumer wants to buy and what the supplier is required to offer. Specifications may be simple or complex depending upon the nature of the product. The success of the buying depends much on his / her correct statement to buy the product. Some times the product specification may be used as form of contract to buy in bulk or regular quantity. Supplier selection: Supplier selection is one of the basic and crucial decisions that a buyer has to take considering supplier’s many performance and relationship factors. A number of criteria may be used for evaluation of supplier like reliability of the source, correctness and competency of design, capacity of the product, production rate, quality control, lead time, trouble shooting facilities, etc. A questionnaire covering major and important factors is recommended to facilitate evaluation of supplier. Commitment: No commitment is a state of wish and hope and may lead to illusion. Commitment throws responsibility on supplier to supply the correct product as per agreed specification on time, render after sales service etc. The commitment brings not only development but success of the supplier for strengthening long business relationship, opening for repeat purchases etc. The supplier takes challenges to test himself / herself and brings self-discipline through commitment. Participation (decision making): Participation or decision making is nothing but the behavior of the train operating company of buying and using the rolling stock. The train operating company can buy the rolling stock through established commercial process like direct advertising in news papers, magazines etc. inviting tenders, through sales person or authorized agent / representative etc of the supplier company of

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND FINANCE - Essay Example The exchange rate of the local currency comes down due to interplay of demand and supply. The floating exchange rate system based on demand and supply is a self-adjusting mechanism in market economy. But, stability in exchange rate is very important for the growth of the economy. Therefore, the central bank of a country exercises its monetary authority to ensure that the local currency is traded around the desired or target exchange rate. The central bank closely monitors movements of exchange rate of the country’s currency. It will intervene in the market by resorting to open market purchase or sale of currencies to maintain stability or for influencing the exchange rate of the local currency in relation to foreign currencies. Spanjers (2009, p. 10) stated â€Å"As the expectation of stable exchange rates tends to promote trade and thus welfare, the monetary authority of each country commits itself to exchange rate targets.† Central bank also in its liquidity managemen t through monetary policies influences money supply in the country with a view to regulate interest rates and keep inflation under control. Money supply in a country will also influence the behaviour of exchange rates. The interest rates and inflation are closely linked to the behaviour of the exchange rate. Gold standard system In Bretton Woods Conference in 1914 the participant countries have agreed to adopt gold standard system which envisaged economic discipline among the nations. But, it could not succeed in achieving the objectives mainly due to currency devaluation spree post-World War-I by the countries to maintain or improve their exports. While devaluation strategy was adopted to make the countries’ products competitive in the world market, in order to make the local products more competitive locally, they also introduced trade restrictions which made the imports costlier. These measures taken by the governments for protecting their national economies had severe imp act on the international trade. To stem this tide in international economy, International Monetary Fund was created in Bretton Woods in 1944 with the aim of preserving global monetary order. The exchange rates of the currencies fixed in relation to US Dollar or gold could not work smoothly for a long period. Defending these fixed exchange rates has become increasingly difficult due to several factors. Under the fixed exchange rate regime the country has to continuously monitor the system and impose several restrictions on transactions involving foreign exchange. These restrictions are likely to encourage black market operations in foreign exchange. The question of devaluation of the currency for a country with fragile economy is the greatest cause for concern. The countries’ current account imbalances caused failure of the system because under consistent deficit in current account a currency cannot be kept artificially at a higher exchange rate. Stability in Floating exchange rates and economy The stability factor, being the major concern relating to exchange rates, could not be addressed in floating exchange rate system based on demand and supply for currencies as well. The process of self adjustment expected to come into play is affected by several factors. For example, when a currency becomes weak, the imports become costlier and exports more profitable and the volume of exports is expected to increase. The increased demand for local currency due to exports and

Finance for Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Finance for Innovation - Essay Example This paper illustrates that financial resources are critically essential in all innovation process aspects and all financial sources are significant. A good financial innovator is Kueski.com, a financial innovator located in Guadalajara in Mexico, which chose a banking platform in Mambu cloud to operate its magnificent and fast-growing lending business. Kueski.com is an innovator that offers online loans through a complicated risk algorithm drawing on several sources of data like a client’s social profile so as to assess his/her creditworthiness. Venture capital industry is regarded as a solution for financial innovation since it addresses most needs for technology startups. Venture capital typically funds innovations through rich investors, university endowment funds, pension funds as well as other institutional investors for a certain period of time. Venture capitalists actively invest and are involved in assisting strategy, operations, marketing, and personnel. Usually, the y restrict give restriction to entrepreneurs from getting funds from other potential investors without explicit permission from the venture capitalists. Venture capital involves specialized funds that are invested and managed in companies by people who best understand the industry that they are investing. The funds offered by venture capital and the equity share kept by managers are sensitive to the ability and experience of the capital providers and how mature the firm that is being funded is. Venture capital usually boosts the value of the funded firms especially if the investors are experienced. There are several stages that venture capital provides funds; Venture capitalists provide finance for research, assessing and developing the initial concept of a business before it reaches the startup stage. It finances businesses that require more funds after the development stage to initiate sales and commercial manufacturing.