Reptiles Essays - Sphenodontia, Living Fossils, Reptile, Amniotes

Reptiles Reptiles are vertebrate, or backboned animals constituting the class Reptilia and are characterized by a combination of features, none of which alone could separate all reptiles from all other animals. The characteristics of reptiles are numerous, therefore can not be explained in great detail in this report. In no special order, the characteristics of reptiles are: cold-bloodedness; the presence of lungs; direct development, without larval forms as in amphibians; a dry skin with scales but not feathers or hair; an amniote egg; internal fertilization; a three or four-chambered heart; two aortic arches (blood vessels) carrying blood from the heart to the body, unlike mammals and birds that only have one; a metanephric kidney; twelve pairs of cranial nerves; and skeletal features such as limbs with usually five clawed fingers or toes, at least two spinal bones associated with the pelvis, a single ball-and-socket connection at the head-neck joint instead of two, as in advanced amphibians and mammals, and an incomplete or complete partition along the roof of the mouth, separating the food and air passageways so that breathing can continue while food is being chewed. These and other traditional defining characteristics of reptiles have been subjected to considerable modification in recent times. The extinct flying reptiles, called pterosaurs or pterodactyls, are now thought to have been warm-blooded and covered with hair. Also, the dinosaurs are also now considered by many authorities to have been warm-blooded. The earliest known bird, archaeopteryx, is now regarded by many to have been a small dinosaur, despite its covering of feathers The extinct ancestors of the mammals, the therapsids, or mammallike reptiles, are also believed to have been warm-blooded and haired. Proposals have been made to reclassify the pterosaurs, dinosaurs, and certain other groups out of the class Reptilia into one or more classes of their own. The class Reptilia is divided into 6 to 12 subclasses by different authorities. This includes living and extinct species. In addition, a number of these subclasses are completely extinct. The subclasses contain about 24 orders, but only 4 of these are still represented by living animals. Of the living orders of reptiles, two arose earlier than the age of reptiles, when dinosaurs were dominant. Tuataras, of the order Rhynchocephalia, are found only on New Zealand islands, whereas the equally ancient turtles, order Chelonia, occur nearly worldwide. The order Crocodilia emerged along with the dinosaurs. Snakes and lizards, order Squamata, are today the most numerous reptile species. The Rhynchocephalia constitute the oldest order of living reptiles; the only surviving representative of the group is the tuatara, or sphenodon (Sphenodon punctatus). Structurally, the tuatara is not much different from related forms, also assigned to the order Rhynchocephalia, that may have appeared as early as the Lower Triassic Period (over 2 000 000 000 years ago). The tuatara has two pairs of well-developed limbs, a strong tail, and a scaly crest down the neck and back. The scales, which cover the entire animal, vary in size. The tuatara also has a bony arch, low on the skull behind the eye, that is not found in lizards. Finally, the teeth of the tuatara are acrodont - i.e., attached to the rim of the jaw rather than inserted in sockets. Chelonia, another ancient order of reptiles, is chiefly characterised by a shell that encloses the vital organs of the body and more or less protects the head and limbs. The protective shell, to which the evolutionary success of turtles is largely attributed, is a casing of bone covered by horny shields. Plates of bone are fused with ribs, vertebrae, and elements of shoulder and hip girdles. There are many shell variations and modifications from family to family, some of them extreme. At its highest development, the shell is not only surprisingly strong but also completely protective. The lower shell (plastron) can be closed so snuggly against the upper (carapace) that a thin knife blade could not be inserted between them. A third order of the class Reptilia is Crocodilia. Crocodiles are generally large, ponderous, amphibious animals, somewhat lizardlike in appearance, and carnivorous. They have powerful jaws with conical teeth and short legs and clawed, webbed toes. The tail is long and massive and the

Breaking Down the Role of the School Superintendent

Breaking Down the Role of the School Superintendent The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a school district is the school superintendent. The superintendent is essentially the face of the district. They are most responsible for the successes of a district and most assuredly responsible when there are failures. The role of a school superintendent is broad. It can be rewarding, but the decisions they make can also be especially difficult and taxing. It takes an exceptional person with a unique skill set to be an effective school superintendent. Much of what a superintendent does involves working directly with others.  School superintendents must be effective leaders who work well with other people and understand the value of building relationships.  A superintendent must be adept at establishing working relationships with many interest groups inside the school and within the community itself to maximize their effectiveness. Building a strong rapport with the constituents in the district makes fulfilling the required roles of a school superintendent a little easier. Board of Education Liaison One of the primary duties of the board of education is to hire a superintendent for the district. Once the superintendent is in place, then the board of education and the superintendent should become partners. While the superintendent is the CEO of the district, the board of education provides oversight for the superintendent. The best school districts have boards of education and superintendents who work well together. The superintendent is responsible for keeping the board informed of events and happenings in the district and also making recommendations about daily operations for the district. The board of education may ask for more information, but in most cases, a good board will accept the superintendent’s recommendations. The board of education is also directly responsible for evaluating the superintendent and thus, can terminate the superintendent should they believe they are not doing their job. The superintendent is also responsible for preparing the agenda for board meetings. The superintendent does sit in on all board meetings to make recommendations but is not allowed to vote on any of the issues. If the board votes to approve a mandate, then it is the duty of the superintendent to carry out that mandate. District Leader Assistant Superintendents – Large districts have the luxury of hiring assistant superintendents who specialize in one or two specific areas such as transportation or curriculum. These assistant superintendents meet regularly with the superintendent and receive their direct instruction from them, but manage the daily operations of their area. Small districts typically do not have assistants, so all the responsibility would fall on the superintendent.Principals/Assistant Principals – The superintendent is responsible for evaluating and making recommendations to hire/maintain/terminate principals/assistant principals. The superintendent has regular meetings with principals about specifics of the daily operations of their buildings. The superintendent must have principals/assistant principals that they trust fully to do their jobs because having an ineffective principal in a school can be disastrous.Teachers/Coaches – The amount of interaction between a superintenden t and the teachers/coaches in the district typically depend upon the superintendent themselves. This is a duty that primarily falls on the principal/assistant principal, but some superintendents, especially in smaller districts, like to have one on one interaction with their teachers/coaches. The superintendent will be the one who makes a recommendation to hire, maintain, or terminate to the board of education, but most superintendents take the direct recommendation from the building principal in this matter. Support Personnel – The superintendent is almost always directly responsible for hiring, maintaining, terminating support personnel. This is a primary role a superintendent. A strong superintendent will surround themselves with good, trustworthy people. While the superintendent is the head of the district, the support personnel are the backbone of the district. The administrative professionals, custodians, maintenance, security, kitchen staff, etc. play such a large role in the daily operations that it is essential to have people in those positions that are there to do their job right and work well with others. This falls on the superintendent of the district. Manages Finance The primary role of any superintendent is to develop and maintain a healthy school budget. If you are not good with money, then you will likely fail as a school superintendent. School finance is not an exact science. It is a complicated formula that changes from year to year especially in the realm of public education. The economy almost always dictates how much money is going to be available for the school district. Some years are better than others, but a superintendent must always figure out how and where to spend their money. The toughest decisions a school superintendent will face are in those years of deficit. Cutting teachers and/or programs is never an easy decision. Superintendents ultimately have to make those tough decisions to keep their doors open. The truth is that it isn’t easy and making cuts of any kind will have an impact on the quality of education the district provides. If cuts must be made, the superintendent must examine all options thoroughly and ultimately make cuts in the areas where they believe the impact will be the least. Manages Daily Operations Building Improvements/Bond Issues – Over the years the buildings in a district go through normal wear and tear. Also during this time, the overall needs of the district will change. The superintendent must evaluate the needs of the district and make recommendations as to whether to try to build new structures through a bond issue and/or make repairs on existing structures. There is a balance between the two. If the superintendent feels like passing a bond is a necessity, they must first convince the board and then convince the community to back it.District Curriculum – The superintendent is responsible for ensuring that the approved curriculum meets district, state, and national standards. This process typically begins at the individual building site, but the superintendent will have the final say as to whether the district should adopt and use the curriculum.District Improvement – One of the main duties of a superintendent is to be a constant evaluator. Superint endents should always be looking for methods, both large and small, to improve their district. A superintendent who does not have a vision for continuous improvement is not doing their job and does not have the best interest of the district in mind. District Policies – The superintendent is responsible for writing new district policies and revising and/or reviewing old ones. This should be a yearly endeavor. New issues constantly arise, and policies should be developed detailing how these issues will be handled.District Reports – States require superintendents to submit various reports concerning teacher and student data throughout the school year. This can be a particularly tedious part of the job, but it is necessary if you want to keep your doors open. Being proactive throughout the year and keeping up with this data as you move along will make completing these reports easier in the long run.Student Transfers – A superintendent makes the decision whether to accept or deny a transfer to potentially incoming and outgoing students. In order for a student to receive a transfer, both superintendents must agree to the transfer. If the receiving superintendent agrees to the transfer, but the outgoing superintend ent does not, then the transfer is denied. Transportation – Transportation can be an enormous role for a superintendent. The superintendent is responsible for purchasing enough buses, keeping them maintained, hiring bus drivers, and creating routes that maximize efficiency. In addition, they must develop bicycle routes, walking routes, and snow routes. Lobbies for the District Builds Community Relations – A superintendent must build relationships with all members of the community. This includes parents of students, the business community, and those who live in the community without any direct ties to the school such as senior citizen groups. Creating strong ties with these groups will be invaluable when it comes time to try to pass a bond issue.Works with the Media – The superintendent is the face of the district in good times and in times of crisis. Superintendents in large markets will be in the news consistently and must advocate for their district and their students. An outstanding superintendent will seek out opportunities to partner with the media.Builds Relationships with Other Districts – Building relationships with other districts and their superintendents can be valuable. These relationships allow for an exchange of ideas and best practices. They also can be extremely beneficial in difficult times of crisis or tragedy.Builds Relationships with Politicians – A superintendent must lobby on their districts behalf on key political issues that will positively or negatively affect the district. Education has increasingly become more political, and those who neglect this aspect aren’t maximizing their effectiveness.

Chess game Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chess game - Coursework Example This is very true. Palm has even managed to convince the readers further by the use of the findings from an experiment that proved positive. In my opinion, the author is right because my performance in classroom has also been improving considerably because I regularly play chess. Christine Palm’s assertion that playing chess game improves the concentration of the students thereby making them score very high marks is very logical and right. For instance, the author asserts â€Å"Similarly, a 5‑year study of 7th and 8th graders by Robert Ferguson of the Bradford, PA School District showed that test scores improved 173% for students regularly engaged in chess classes, compared with only 4.56% for children participating in other forms of "enrichment activities† (Palm, 1990). According to my opinion, this is a clear proof that playing chess improves the academic performance of students. In my opinion, Christine Palm has managed to maintain the logic behind this issue. This is true since I have also experienced lots of improvements in my academics because I have been repeatedly playing chess game. Playing chess has improved my socialization aspects. In addition, I have realized improvements in my academics. For instance, playing Chess has made me improve in subjects like mathematics. Moreover, I have also learnt how to reason logically and critically trough playing Chess. Playing chess has also made me develop good problem solving skills. I have also developed good analytical skills through playing Chess. As such, it seems to me that Chess game improves academic performance in the students as I have experienced

Changing Labor Markets and Demographics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Changing Labor Markets and Demographics - Essay Example Based on this, economic security is not only achievable by one being in employment but also the amount of work and the remuneration he or she gets from employment (Schiller, 2008). Two approaches are instrumental when measuring the length of time that one works. These include the number of weeks one spends at work in a year and the number of hours one spends in a week. Cumulatively, this leads to the computation of the sum of hours a worker spends in employment for a whole year. According to available statistics, the higher the number of weeks spent at work by households, the lower the rates of poverty. This statement directly affects workers who work part time. There are more full time workers than part time in the economy. This insinuates that the work experience of the poor is not properly highlighted by such a rate of incidence. According to the U.S Department of Labor, â€Å"persons who have devoted 27 weeks or more to working or looking for work and who lived in families with incomes below the official poverty threshold† are denoted as the working poor (U.S Department of Labor, 2012). In chapter 8 of the same book, Schiller traces back the poverty situation in America during the 1960s. During this period, many Americans believed that targeted assistance and economic growth could eliminate poverty. This was the War on Poverty initiated by Lyndon Johnson. The results of the war include an improved economy, 70 per cent rise in house incomes and an expanded employed labor hitting the 70 million mark. The U.S government dedicated a significant proportion of its expenditure than ran into billions of dollars into programs that aid the poor. However, poverty is yet to disappear in totality (Lofquist, Lugaila, Lofquist, & Feliz, 2012). This is because even the 1980s and 90s, economic expansions have only reduced the population of the poor in the U.S dismally. The fact that increased economic growth is unable to tame poverty levels is an issue that has elici ted numerous debates. One such debate focused on the existence of an underclass. These poor people have been alienated along social lines. These persons fail to match with the conventional values, prosperity and incentives (Jenkins, 2012). Schiller decided to explore the culture of poverty to understand the reason behind the existence of this group within the American population. This culture spans back to the colonial times when poverty was regarded as the symptom of sin or a vice. This was attributable to the availability of opportunities of economic security that could be acquired by self except the black man. In this context, the poor people were considered as morally bankrupt and received harsh treatment. For instance, the shoulders of the paupers in Pennsylvania were marked with letter P to serve as warning to unsuspecting members of the population. These kinds of culture portray how some behaviors and norms contributed to the difficulties when addressing poverty (Lofquist, Lu gaila, Lofquist, & Feliz, 2012). Mishel, Bivens, Gould and Shierholz in The State of Working America, examine how the policy driven inequality blocks affect the living standards for the low and middle income Americans. The authors share the view that the United States’ economy has done nothing to improve the living standards for majority of American households. This is because wealth inequality accruing from unfair rise in income and wages characterizes the economy. The rise in this trend is attributable to policy responses that

How Could Demand Elasticity Lead To Pricing Decisions?

How Could Demand Elasticity Lead To Pricing Decisions? How Could the Knowledge of Demand Elasticity Lead to Make Pricing Decisions? Making pricing decisions Price sensitivity is not just about charging high prices to maximize revenue. It might also relate to cut prices sometimes dramatically to encourage people who may otherwise not be part of the market to use the services or goods being provided. In business, it is like business of education, learning of price elasticity of demand. This concept is a cornerstone in any discussion of microeconomic principles and pricing for marketing effectiveness. Practically, price elasticity of demand involves the idea that consumers are affected by manipulations of price. On the producer part of view, price represents a distinct reflection of the production and marketing costs incorporated in bringing the product to the marketplace as well as the beginning point in the calculation of revenue and profit. On the consumer part, price is a critical ingredient in the image and value-conceptualization of a product. Elasticity of demand is dependent on the knowledge of the determinants of demand and helps firms and policy makers plan of consumer behavior in the market place. Products that can be replaced are likely to have a positive cross price elasticity of demand because the change in price makes them relatively more or less expensive in relation to each other. Similarly co-relative goods will give rise to a cross price elasticity of demand value that is negative. Strategic pricing  clarifies the relationship between market segmentation and price, and delivers the tools your organization needs to stay focused on value as you determine break-even, define price elasticity, and analyze tradeoffs between features and price points. Using strategic pricing tools yields is a better positioning approach. What I want to bring out here is a company director isnt only concern about calculating numbers profits. The number is a meaning at the end; when taking about price elasticity of demand it is used to see how sensitive the demand for a product is to a price change. The higher the price elasticity, the more sensitive consumers are to price changes. The very high price elasticity suggests that when the price of a product goes up, consumers will buy a great deal less of it and when the price of that good goes down, consumers will buy a great deal more. The very low price elasticity infers the opposite, that changes in price have little influence on demand. When measuring elasticity, what is being measured is the responsiveness to demand to its determinants, such as income and other goods. This gives rise to income elasticity of demand and cross price elasticity of demand. Income elasticity measures the responsiveness of demand to a change in income. Cross price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price of another good. Demand elasticity of make pricing decision will define how the market will react to changes in price. Understanding of this will allow companies to make informed decisions on how should approach the final sale of the good which is achieved through marketing. Background Historically elasticity of demand thinking has been primarily applied to the marketing mix variable of price. However, the concept can also lend meaningful insights into the administration of the other marketing mix and environmental variables in a context of causality. There exists a rich body of literature exploring the more extensive uses of elasticity of demand. However, basic marketing texts, and presumably introductory classes, typically do not feature the wider applications of the tool. At the beginning of 20 century, economist started to found out that demand consisted of more than simple purchasing power. It reverberate desire as well as ability to purchase, and new experiences with advertising and salesmanship were proving that desire could be increased and carved by factors other than the existence of supply. An extra idea of the market concerned its capacity to adjust itself automatically to an amicable balance. It had long been held that competitive forces would normally, in the long run, dissipate tendencies of unbalance, but as competition decreased in some industries and trades, the assumptions found in traditional economic theory became increasingly invalid. A third idea was that cost was the principal determinant of price, at least in the long run. Concepts of the elasticity of demand were still another influence upon the thinking of early marketing theory. Alfred Marshals concept of elasticity of demand has long been used by marketing writers as a theore tical basis for selling, advertising and the promotional work of marketing in general. (Fig 1. Price Elasticity of Demand (PED) It was devised by Alfred Marshall.) Content Price elasticity of demand is defined as the measure of responsiveness in the quantity demanded for products as a result of change in price of the same products. To say it in another way, its percentage change in quantity demanded as per the percentage change in price of the same products. In economics and in business, the price elasticity of demand is a measure of the sensitivity of quantity demanded to changes in price. It is measured as elasticity, which it is measures the relationship as the ratio of percentage changes between quantities demanded of a good and changes in its price. A price fall usually results in an increase in the quantity demanded by consumers. The demand for a good is relatively inelastic when the change in quantity demanded is less than change in price. Goods and services for which no substitutes exist are generally inelastic. Marketing strategy focus on the decisions marketers make to help the company satisfy its target market and achieve its objectives. Price, of course, is one of the key marketing mix decisions and due to all marketing decisions must work together; the final price will be impacted by how other marketing decisions are made. Every companies view price as a key selling feature, but some firms, for example those seeking to be viewed as market leaders in product quality, will de-emphasize price and concentrate on a strategy that highlights non-price benefits e.g. quality, durability, service, etc. Such non-price competition can help the company avoid potential price wars that often break out between competitive firms that follow a market share objective and use price as a key selling feature. Understanding how price changes impact the market requires the marketer have a firm understanding of the concept economists call elasticity of demand, which relates to how purchase quantity changes as prices change. Elasticity is evaluated under the assumption that no other changes are being made and only price is adjusted. The logic is to see how price by itself will affect overall demand. Obviously, the chance of nothing else changing in the market but the price of one product is often unrealistic. For example, competitors may react to the marketers price change by changing the price on their product. Despite this, elasticity analysis does serve as a useful tool for estimating market reaction therefore it leads to make pricing decisions. Price elasticity of demand elasticity plays an important part when it needs to make piecing decision Marketing Essentials: economics knowledge to pricing from a marketing perspective (supply, demand, price elasticity). And the knowledge of income elasticity of demand for different products helps firms predict the effect of a business cycle on sales as well. All countries experience a business cycle where actual GDP moves up and down in a regular pattern causing booms and slowdowns or even a recession. The business cycle means incomes rise and fall. Elasticity deals with three types of demand scenarios: (1) Elastic Demand, (2) Inelastic Demand and (3) Unitary Demand. For marketers the important issue with elasticity of demand is to understand how it impacts company revenue. Strategic Pricing  define the relationship between market segmentation and price, and delivers the tools to the organization needs to stay adjusted on value as determine break-even, define price elasticity, and analyze tradeoffs between features and price points. Using strategic pricing tools yields a better positioning approach. Opportunity cost is the cost expressed in terms of the next best alternative sacrificed. Opportunity cost is central to the whole study of both economics and business as it is at the heart of the decision making that characterizes the essence of both subject disciplines. Value helps to explain why the demand curve slopes downwards from left to right. At higher prices, consumers have to sacrifice more utility (the satisfaction gained) from consuming other products. For some in a market, the price they are being asked to pay does not represent value for money in other words they recognize that the sacrifice of other goods and services they have to make represents a negative impact on their utility. This is all very theoretical but it is what we do when we make decisions about spending every day. Elasticity varies among products because some products may be more essential to the consumer. Products that are necessities are more insensitive to price changes because consumers would continue buying these products despite price increases. Conversely, a price increase of a good or service that is considered less of a necessity will deter more consumers because the opportunity cost of buying the product will become too high. Price elasticity of demand is defined as the measure of responsiveness in the quantity demanded for a commodity as a result of change in price of the same commodity. In other words, it is percentage change in quantity demanded as per the percentage change in price of the same commodity. In economics and business studies, the price elasticity of demand (PED) is a measure of the sensitivity of quantity demanded to changes in price. It is measured as elasticity, which is it measures the relationship as the ratio of percentage changes between quantity demanded of a good and changes in its price. A price drop usually results in an increase in the quantity demanded by consumers. The demand for a good is relatively inelastic when the change in quantity demanded is less than change in price. Goods and services for which no substitutes exist are generally inelastic. Demand for an antibiotic, for example, becomes highly inelastic when it alone can kill an infection resistant to all other antibiotics. Rather than die of an infection, patients will generally be willing to pay whatever is necessary to acquire enough of the antibiotic to kill the infection. The primary objective of a business is to provide quality products and services to customers, and through this to make a profit as a strongly related objectives measure. Many organizations fail to make an appropriate profit because they do not know how to price their products or services. Pricing is the critical element in achieving a profit and is a factor that all firms should seek to control. In order to set prices appropriately, a firm must understand their products, the market for these, production and distribution costs, and the competition. Especially with the growth of the Internet and electronic commerce networks, the marketplace responds very rapidly to technological advances and international competition. Thus, the need to be continually sensitive to the many factors that affect pricing, and to be ready to adjust organizational behavior appropriately, is greater than ever. Here, we present a literature review and overview of this important subject and related pricing decis ion support issues. Conclusion In my opinion, the theory behind price sensitivity is based on an understanding of the aims of an organization and the concepts of price elasticity of demand and consumer surplus. Most private sector business organizations will need to make a profit to survive. This may not translate to a profit maximizing approach but nevertheless they will be looking to generate profits from activities. Part of this process will be looking at what happens to revenue. Revenue is the amount received from the sale of goods and services and is found by multiplying the price of a product by the quantity sold. Price has an important function in markets. It acts as a signal to both producers and consumers. For producers it gives them some indication about the returns they can expect from sales in relation to their costs in other words whether it is worth producing a good or not. For consumers it provides an indication about value. Value is a very important concept in economics and business. It is difficult to define because we all have a different interpretation of what value means. In essence, the value we place on a good or service is indicated by the price we are willing to pay to consume that good or service. Price sensitivity therefore is important to all businesses when considering their pricing strategies. They will need to have some understanding of how their market will react to changes in price and thus what the impact is on their revenue. Understanding of this will allow companies to make informed decisions on how should approach the final sale of the good which is achieved through marketing.

Crime News Analysis Essay -- Communication, Media, Newspaper

Introduction In this crime news analysis I will be focusing on the right wing tabloid newspaper ‘The Sun’ and the left wing broadsheet ‘The Guardian.’ I will be analysing the article of the student riots in both newspapers, and seeing whether there are similarities or differences in the way in which the event is presented. The incident occurred when a demonstration against higher tuitions fees got out of hand whereby some protesters used violent tactics to voice their opinions. Quantitative and Qualitative Within a news article, the qualitative aspect is usually the images and the quantitative is the amount of text used. Quantitative data is usually seen as more favourable and it is common within broadsheets like ‘The Guardian,’ whereas tabloids such as ‘The Sun’ tend to use more qualitative data (Ericson et al, 1991). Tabloids usually target the working class who are stereotypically deemed to be less educated, therefore using numerous pictures almost makes it equivalent to a child’s story book, whereas ‘The Guardian’ is richer in text and aimed at the middle class thus has more of a debate (Schlesinger et all, 1991) . ‘The Sun’ uses 3 pages, has 8 images and uses about 20% of text. Whereas, ‘The Guardian’ uses 5 pages, 3 images and has about 65% as text. The journalist tend to be specific on what they believe make an article appealed to their readers. News value There are many criminal events that occur every day, however only a few are selected as they are deemed to be newsworthy. Chibnall (1977) claimed that a story is classed as newsworthy if it is dramatized, immediate and involves structured access. ‘The Sun’ could be seen to use all these elements, for example they over emphasize on the violence that occurred and ... ...labelled them as such (Hayward, 2006). In this case, if the label is accepted there could be more protests and riots because the individuals may believe that this is the quickest way to get the message across, UKUncuts activist also claimed within ‘The Guardian’ that ‘more high profiled campaigns could be expected’. Conclusion Overall, it is clear that there is a contrast between both of the newspapers. It could be argued that the production of newspapers is mainly to fulfil the readers expectations, for example, the readers of ‘The Sun’ expect to read a dramatic story which is why the editors select specific words and images, whereas the ‘The Guardian’ readers may prefer more of an intellectual debate (Schlesinger et all, 2010). They both tell the same story but in different ways, consequently it is up to the reader to decide which they believe or prefer.

Cannon

Select a company you believe to be innovative (this should be an internationally known company). Explain what makes this company innovative? In your answer, use relevant theory and examples to illustrate why you believe the company is innovative. Cannon – an innovative company Founded in 1937 with the specific goal of making the best quality camera available to customers, Canon’s passion for the power of image has since extended its technology into many other markets and has established it as a world leader in both consumer and business imaging solutions. Its solutions comprise products, ranging from digital compact and SLR cameras, through broadcast lenses and portable X-ray machines, to multi-function and production printers, all supported by a range of value added services. Canon invests heavily in R&D to deliver the richest and most innovative products and services to satisfy customers’ creative needs. In my essay I will show that through disruptive, strategic and product innovation Canon remains the leader in the market of all its products. Canon has proved that disruptive innovation brings many benefits to businesses. Christensen and Raynor (Christensen and Raynor, 2003) justify that new entrant firms will win with leading firms of an industry through disruptive innovation, by commercializing a simpler, more convenient product that sells for less money and appeals to new or unattractive customer set. Canon has proved that the best way for an upstart company to attack established competitors is to disrupt them. Disruptive innovations do not attempt to bring better products to established customers in existing markets. Rather, they disrupt and redefine that trajectory by introducing products and services that are not as good as currently available products. Still, disruptive technologies offer other benefits – typically, they are simpler, more convenient, and less expensive products that appeal to new or less-demanding customers (Todd and Bessant, 2009). Once the disruptive product gains a share in the new or low-end markets, the improvement cycle begins. In addition, the pace of technological process exceeds customers’ ability to use it; the previously not good enough technology eventually improves to intersect with the needs of the more demanding customers. When that happens, the disruptors are on the path that will ultimately beat the incumbents. Throughout Canon’s history, the company has used disruptive innovation in order to gain market share. In 1982 Canon developed the first personal copier. It gained its name because the reproduction elements were all contained in a cartridge that users could just replace themselves when they ran out. Canon’s desktop photocopiers were a new-market disruption; in that they enabled people to begin conveniently making their own photocopies, rather than taking their originals to the corporate high-speed photocopy center where a technician had to run the job for them. The high-speed Xerox machine was very complicated, needed servicing frequently and only a technician could operate it. When Canon made photocopying so convenient, people ended up making a lot more copies, therefore through disruption innovation Canon has created new value network. Additionally, Canon’s innovation sources come from monitoring the market and following and adjusting to its competitors. In 1987 Ricoh revolutionized the photocopier industry with the release of the first digital photocopier. Thus, Canon followed releasing their digital photocopier products, which effectively consisted of an integrated scanner and laser printer. In 2001 Canon released its first two digital personal copiers, the PC1080F and the PC1060. Furthermore, with the disruptive innovation of touch screen technology, the company has decided to launch its own touch screen display in order to compete in the market. The new Digital IXUS 200 IS features Canon’s first ever touch screen display that delivers intuitive control to the customer and greater ease of use. Canon’s success is also based on the company’s commitment to strategic innovation. Strategic innovation means experimenting with new strategies, with new combinations of the ‘What, Who and How’ of a business. If a company identifies a new customer base, it will start behaving in a way that best satisfies the specific needs of those customers. This behavior will most likely be different from that of established competitors who are serving different customers (Markides, 1997). In the case of Cannon, Xerox leased big photocopiers to corporations through a direct sales force. Canon sold its personal photocopiers to end users through a dealer network. Thus Canon has adopted a different product, along with different selling and distribution strategies. They identified a customer segment that was not currently served by existing competitors. Then they designed their products and delivery systems to fit the requirements of this customer niche. New product innovations from Canon strengthen its leadership in imaging technology. In 2009, Canon has reaffirmed its commitment to innovation in product development with the launch of 38 consumer products ranging from an innovative new Digital SLR camera in its flagship EOS range to a germ resistant calculator, and a first voice guided printer. The new SELPHY ES40 is the first printer, which talks to its user. It provides spoken instructions on how to operate the printer in seven different languages; the guidance also gives advice to assist users of all ages to simplify the printing process. Successful product innovation requires more than the management of technology; it also must address users’ problems and needs, how the product will be used, and for what purpose. Conducting marketing research to obtain customers requirements and needs is a fundamental feature of Canon’s strategic innovation process, which the company adds onto its product innovation cycle. The new EOS 7D digital SLR camera is a completely new design created to meet the specific demands of photographers. During extensive development Canon went back to the drawing board, listening to photographers worldwide, in order to design the new digital camera to meet their specific needs. Commenting on the creation of the EOS 7D, Mr. Uchidoi, Group Executive of Photo Products Group, said, â€Å"We consulted over 5,000 photographers worldwide and asked them what they most wanted to see from a camera. Matching this insight with cutting-edge technology, we were able to develop a camera that truly gives photographers the versatile tool they require to experiment with their images. † Markides (Markides, 1990) argues that successful innovative companies need to adopt a new thinki ng process. New ideas emerge more easily if managers can escape their mechanistic way of thinking and look at an issue from different perspectives or angles. Thinking ‘out side of the box’ enables Canon to create new ideas and pioneer new trends. One area, which Canon has foreseen, was the growing importance of reducing global warming and becoming more ‘green’. Long before it was in fashion, Canon introduced a collection and recycling program for used toner cartridges. The company adopted a corporate-wide lifecycle assessment to understand and reduce its carbon footprint, and it has already achieved zero waste output at its worldwide plants. Canon has jointly developed a new bio-based plastic that incorporates plant-based and organic components to use in its products (Silverstein, 2010). Therefore, innovative thinking helps the company stay ahead of the competition. Another source of innovation is building on the organizations existing core competencies to create a new product or a new way of doing business that is totally different from the way competitors currently do business. Leveraging existing core competencies is therefore one way to create new products or new ways to compete. Canon’s core competencies lay in the combination of the precision mechanics, fine optics and microelectronics technologies that underline all their products (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990). However, most major breakthroughs occur not so much from amortizing existing competencies but from exploiting them to create and accumulate new strategic assets more quickly and cheaply than competitors. A company can use a core competence of a strategic asset in one small business unit (SBU) to help improve the quality of a strategic asset in another SBU (Markides, 1990). Because Canon is in two businesses, cameras and photocopiers, in which the processes of improving dealer effectiveness, speeding up product development or improving assembly-line productivity are similar, it can improve the quality of the strategic assets in its photocopier business by transferring competencies learned in its camera business and vice versa. Leveraging core competencies among Canon’s different business units therefore reduces the costs and saves valuable time. Through the years, Canon has continually provided a lot of innovative and revolutionary products. From the company’s very first product launched, a 35 mm focal plane-shutter camera called the Kwanon, to now a days most recent products, the company has integrated innovation to all of its business units. Canon is committed to developing innovative solutions to enhance business productivity that it invests 8% of annual turnover in R&D. This devotion to innovation translates to fact that the company is consistently rated in the top five most innovative companies in the world in terms of new patent registrations. Thus concluding, throughout disruptive, strategic and product innovation Canon stays one of the leaders in its markets.