Essay --

Mobile computing has been a is part of the enterprise for the last couple of decades, but not until the recent advancements in hardware, software, and wireless networks, has mobile computing has become a key part of enterprise. The cConsumerization of mobility has had the biggest influence on enterprise mobility in the past five years. SToday, smart phones, tablets, mobile infrastructure, management, and wireless data plans have become a trillion-dollar business. Today, the ability to connect wirelessly to the internet Internet or to a private network from almost anywhere has revolutionized the idea of mobility in the enterprise. The adoption of mobile devices in the enterprise has been started from with two-way radios with antennas to communicate simple voice or text messages. We have also saween the onset of personal digital assistants (PDAs) with screens that can could do some of the functions of personal computers. 1.1 Portable Computing Some of the first mobile computers that came to the market in late 1970s and early 1980s were inspired by Alan Kay’s Dynabook concept from 1968. In 1968, Alan Kay as a PhD candidate envisioned a mobile computing device. He later in his 1972 proposal (Kay 1972) "â€Å"A personal Personal Ccomputer for Cchildren of Aall agesAges" † (Kay 1972) described it as the Dynabook. The proposal outlines the requirements for a conceptual portable educational device that’s intended primarily for children. Although the Dynabook concept was originally presented as a mobile computing device for children, some entrepreneurs and thought- leaders, especially John Ellenby, saw the portable computing as a new market. John also realized that the initial price point for as innovative a concept as the Dynabook c... ...rs. Wireless connectivity probably had the biggest impact on mobile computing. It, Wireless connectivity allowed development of devices and applications that could communicate wirelessly with networks. The next era of innovations were focused on convergence. T, this helped in the designing of a hybrid device that combined the functionality of used to be multiple separate mobile devices. Multiple digital mobile devices, such as like Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, voice recorders, music players, cameras, and games, etc.,were now integrated into one integrated mobile device. The era of smart phones was focused on content rendering and consumption on mobile devices. Mobile apps becaome popular among smart phone users. To create more interactive and meaningful digital experiences, digital ecosystems and mobile data services came into existence.

Ford’s E-Business Strategy

Jacques Nasser, Ford Motor Company president and chief executive officer announced a new vision for the firm in the fall of 1999: to become the â€Å"world’s leading consumer company providing automotive products and services. † Key to that dream was the transformation of the business using Web technologies. Brian P. Kelly (Kelly), Ford’s e-business vice president, described Ford’s plan to rebuild itself as a move to â€Å"consumer-centric† from â€Å"dealer-centric,† and stated that Ford would transform itself from being a â€Å"manufacturer to dealers† into a â€Å"marketer to consumers. Kelly explained that the main objectives of Ford’s e-business strategy were to bring speed, convenience, and information to customers rather than just focusing on cost cutting. The strategy was based around the principle â€Å"The consumer is King† and using the net, customer orders would be sent directly to factories and suppliers whi ch will eventually allow Ford to deliver cars to consumers within days of ordering. Some of the e-business initiatives that Ford put in place to transform the company into an e-commerce company is mentioned below. Improving Efficiency in Supply Chain: 1. Ford believed that using the internet improved the efficiency of its supply chain, so in mid-1999, the company along with Oracle, created AutoXchange that allowed online B2B transactions with its suppliers. This e-commerce tool helped Ford and its suppliers swap information and bids on goods and services worth nearly USD 300 billion. The company expected to reduce its purchasing bill by 10% through the use of AutoXchange. 2. Until February 2000, the company followed the ‘push’ operations model, but by collaborating with GM and DaimlerChrysler, Ford set up an online marketplace cum private exchange – ‘Covisint’. This substantially reduced the operating costs and brought efficiency to the business. ‘Covisint’ followed the ‘pull’ model which allowed Ford to first take the order from a customer and then manufacture the car according to the customer’s specifications, thus the traditi onal supply chain became a demand chain. 3. To optimally utilize the features of Covisint, Ford launched the Ford Supplier Network (FSN). FSN was used to share information with its suppliers over the web. By increasing the flow of information between suppliers and Ford, it reduced the vehicle delivery time. Focusing on the Demand Chain: 1. In partnership with Microsoft, Ford developed CarPoint an auto buying website in 1999. Retail customers could order cars through this website. In addition to developing this website, Ford also got into alliances with reputed portals like Yahoo. com, iVillage. com and bolt. com. These alliances gave Ford insight into the preferences and buying habits of various segments of the society. . In late 1999 Ford realized that customers’ queries should be resolved quickly to get closer to those who use the net and for this it established a new e-CRM company ‘Percepta’ a joint venture with TeleTech holdings. 3. In continuation with the e-CRM strategy, Ford in 2000 launched another e-commerce initiative to supplement CarPoint. com and Ford. com; it was called ‘Ford Int ernet Retail System’ (FIRST). FIRST was aimed at facilitating communication of leads and orders between the company and its dealer network. This system gave customers capability and options for buying a car like never before, right from research to financing options. 4. Another e-commerce tool – MyFord. com launched in February 2002, offered personalized service information like the maintenance schedules to owners All the above initiatives helped Ford to gain competitive advantage and they achieved the vision of the Build-to-Order (BTO) system that was conceived before the launch of e-commerce initiatives. It was estimated that a Web-enabled, BTO system could reduce distribution costs by almost USD 2,600 per vehicle. About USD 1,400 of these savings would be in physical costs such as freight, sales commissions, and advertising. The balance would be in â€Å"phantom† costs associated with the current â€Å"push† vehicle distribution/sales system, such as price discounts and stockout costs. Adding together all the supply-chain savings thus identified(back-end, on-line direct sales, and build-to-order) would produce an estimated total potential cost reduction of about USD 3,643 per vehicle, amounting to 14 percent of total vehicle cost. Source: GS Research Analysis) With the means of e-business websites, Ford established a direct connection with its customers. Now when customers came to FordDirect. com they had the ability of choosing the features of the car they wanted to buy. This reduced the role of the middlemen and so dealers felt that they were being gradually excluded from the value chain. To avoid channel conflicts arising out of online retailing Ford began a number of initiatives. One of the main initiatives was to share the ownership of FordDirect. om with its 4200 dealers in the US. Ford also facilitated the communication of leads and orders between the company and its hugh dealer network through Ford Internet Retail System (FIRST). In addition to this, using MyFord. com the company enabled Ford dealers to inform vehicle owners about recommended maintenance, remind them of oil change and provide information about tyre care, safety, insurance, loans and leases. It also provided dealers a vehicle locator tool to help them find a vehicle on another dealer’s stock.

Essay on Achiles’ Shield in the Iliad - 3993 Words

Achiles’ Shield as an Element of Contradistinction in the Iliad The Iliad is an epic of death. It is a tale of conflict, battle, agony, and horrific mutilation. Honor and glory are attained through warfare. The great shield of Achiles stands out in this context because it depicts the glories of an orderly, functioning, productive civilization. This depiction of life stands in stark contrast to the scenes of death that constitute a large portion of the narrative. An examination of the shield of Achiles in Homer’s Iliad reveals many ideas in conflict: love and honor, the pleasures of life versus a heroic death, free will and destiny. By viewing the shield as an element of contradistinction—that is to define it on the basis of†¦show more content†¦The shield of Nestor can be viewed as representing the importance of familial bonds and cooperation betwen generations and embodies this role which Nestor plays for the Achaians (Atchity 148-49): â€Å"So he [Nestor] spoke, and took up the wrought shield of his son / Thrasymede s, breaker of horses. It lay in the shelter / al shining in bronze. Thrasymedes caried the shield of his father† (book 14, lines 9–11). Nestor is the oldest and one of the wisest of the Greeks fighting in Troy. Although his physical strength has waned in his old age, he stil embodies the spirit and bravery of a great warior. He inspires the younger generation to go courageously into batle. The younger wariors honor and respect Nestor. This cooperation betwen generations is exemplified by father and son exchanging armor as they take on the enemy. Odyseus and Telemachos provide another example of father and son arming together as they prepare to fight the suitors in The Odysey. Atchity points out that the shield of brave Aias â€Å"is make by the best of al mortal artisans. The artifact perfectly identifies Aias. His solid mortality is contrasted with the semidivinity of Achiles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (155). As Aias wilingly and confidently goes head to head with Hektor, he is armed with a fine shield created by a gifted mortal craftsman. By contrast, Achiles, son of the goddes Thetis, is given armor forged by Hephaistos, the god of fire. With such godly armorShow MoreRelated Homers Iliad Essay3961 Words   |  16 PagesHomers Iliad The Iliad is an epic of death. It is a tale of conflict, batle, agony, and horific mutilation. Honor and glory are atained through warfare. The great shield of Achiles stands out in this context because it depicts the glories of an orderly, functioning, productive civilization. This depiction of life stands in stark contrast to the scenes of death that constitute a large portion of the narative. An examination of the shield of Achiles in Homer’s Iliad reveals many ideas in conflict: