Friday, December 29, 2006
Learning Project Management through the Movie Industry
I saw my parents last weekend. They have been running a movie related business, Mom 2 Pop for a decade now... they shut it down. They had 7000 titles in tapes, and a thousand DVD. The business was a rental setup that loaned 50-100 movies to apartment projects each month, paid for by the management company as fringe benefit for its tenants. In the monthly shipment were the "new releases."
I helped inventory many times, and 8000 movies is only a drop in the bucket, of total number worldwide. Also, some new releases in the old days cost $100 just to get them on release date. Each month after release the tape goes down in value. They kept the entire collection old and new movies in storage shelves at one of the apartment sites, and thereby avoided the storefront debacle. Good business idea, eh? But they are retired now.
So they were looking for a suitable place to market, giveaway, or trade all those tapes. Flea markets were okay but sales were just barely enough to cover expenses. Other avenues also proved too negative.
It turns out "Habitat for Humanity" was a very willing organization. Mom donated the tapes all to the charity group "who build those houses," she said. "They have the hardest working people you ever saw."
Is that the saddest or happiest story you have heard this year? What is more lonesome than an old video sitting in storage? Is happiness then in going to a new life donated to earnest people? Movies are not living things; they are dumb, and expendable. You tell me. PD
Thursday, December 28, 2006
From Swayze with Shove
Date: 9/4/2006 9:00:13 PM
Subject: Your pick for the DUMBEST MOVIE EVER!!!
My personal pick for the "dumbest movie ever" would have to be "Roadhouse" with Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliot. It is a favorite among male viewers in western Nebraska, so unfortunately, I've been exposed to this little cinematic "classic" waaaaaay more than I care to be! Share your thoughts on the barkers out there.
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From: Bonnie.Nicholson
Date: 9/5/2006 8:48:45 AM
One of the dumbest movies I have ever seen is The Grudge. It was built up to be this terribly scary, exciting movie, and it was absolutely awful. The only thing scary about it was the fact that I paid $6 to go see it. There are a lot of them out there, but this one takes the cake!
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From: John.Wyatt2
Date: 9/6/2006 7:59:27 PM
I LOVE Road House!! (Being male.) Besides, I like just about anything Patrick Swayzee has done (Even "Next of Kin").
But the worst of all time, in my humble opinion, is "Robot Monster." Even worse than Ed Wood's "Plan 9 From Outer Space!" Robot Monster has aspace monster in a lousy gorilla suit with a fishbowl helmet, chasing after this poor woman hiding in a cave. I've never been able to watch more than about 15 minutes of that turkey!
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From: Robert.Jones59
Date: 9/6/2006 10:22:54 PM
Subject: Bugs and Clowns...
Ok I have two all time dumb/stupid/garbage/waste-o-money movies. You know the ones... the ones you rent because the original was good... or the dvd box looked interesting.
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation: I liked the first one... all campy and looked like it was made to be silly. But the sequel... OMG it was down right garbage, bad acting, illogical stuff happening, and goofy props. Save your time and money.
Mr. Jingles: Ok the cover had a scary looking clown (like the Killer Clowns from Outerspace kind of scary). The story on the box made it sound sort of interesting and my son likes seing creepy clown movies. Well I lasted about a whole 2 minutes with this one.I looked like it was filmed on with a 80's VHS camera. And the acting, well i imagine that the actor negotiation was like "hey billy, wanna be in my movie I am filming in the morning?".
I like weird movies but these took the cake.
Robert
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From: TAMMY.OWSLEY
Date: 9/10/2006 2:52:52 AM
Thats easy, dumb, dumb and dumber. I know..Jim carey is awesome but as much as i try I can not like that movie. I like road house though, patrick swayzee is just a bonus to the movie. Another selection of dumb movies would be all the friday the 13 movies or freddy crugar really anything that entails chopping people into pieces, i just dont get. I like a scary movie when its a good one..Silent hill was a great movie. Weird but i liked it. Oh yeah the rob zombie movies(house of a thousand corpses and ther was one more after that...oh my, something is wrong with that guy..
Tamara
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From: Jennifer.Swoboda
Date: 9/11/2006 6:43:02 PM
Subject: Re: "Next of Kin"-LOL!
OMG! Liam Neeson has to want to crawl in a hole every time they re-run this hillbilly flick! Can you imagine? Unfortunately, this is regarded as another classic here in Nebraska. I have had the "pleasure" of seeing it at least three times. My brother is a hillbilly (for real) and he LOVES "Nest of Kin" and "Road House". You set him up with some adult beverages and a block of Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliot movies and he's in heaven.
Jennifer Swoboda
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From: Ron.Berry3
Date: 10/18/2006 6:36:27 PM
Subject: Re: Your pick for the DUMBEST MOVIE EVER!!!
Yeah I apologize I like Roadhouse only for the soul reason I like to watch people get their butts kicked. Other than that the movie was horrible. The plot was weak but it was ok I suppose.
However my worst movie I have ever seen wuld be Waterworld starring and written by Kevin Costner. Now don't get me wrong I like him some what as an actor for instance his Robin Hood Prince of Theives role he played was outstanding. But he needs not to direct or write anything in the future.
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From: Jennifer.Swoboda
Date: 10/26/2006 8:06:47 PM
Subject: Re: My Pick for dumbest Movie isn't even out yet
This is so cool! Thanks for sharing the link with us! It is a pleasure to receive feedback from someone with first-hand knowledge of a truly bad flick.
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From: Patrick.Darnell
Date: 11/30/2006 11:26:20 AM
Subject: Re: Report from the Middle
This is funny... well maybe humorous, and if anyone does a fact check on me I claim memory fade!
This has to do with why we remember some things and forget others. I would like to set the record straighter. The Swayze’s are not, nor have ever been, Bad Boys.
I played football against Patrick Swayze in Houston high school ball. He was at Waltrip, when I was at Lamar. He was a linebacker, my job as offense guard was to detain him as much and as often as I could, which I did easily with joy.
My connection to Swayze’s: Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club His mother Patsy Swayze is a well known choreographer of among others; Urban Cowboy, Thelma and Louise and Letters from a Killer) ran a huge dance studio, where my sister Sylvia religiously went to class in the 60’s. My sis is a great dancer for it.
Patrick and his brother are not bad boys in any stretch of the imagination... and that is why their movies suck. I am just an average schmuck, so that has to hurt, eh?
For instance: This is the list of Patrick Swayze DANCE SCHOOL OF COMPANIES: Houston Jazz Ballet Company, Harkness Ballet Theater School, New York; Joffrey Ballet Company; Eliot Feld Ballet Company via his international fan club site.
I think Patrick S. had to quit football due to his career... or something. I just know I missed the opportunity smashing him the next year when we played Waltrip. Patrick's brother, less famous, taller was skating the Houston Galleria Ice Rink one night 1970-ish when I and my sister and others were there ice skating. I skated up beside him and said "my sister goes to your mom's studio.” He replied "Oh, yeah?" Then I said I was having trouble ice skating... and he said: "You just move... let your body move, and he showed me extremely gracefully how to move the body and the feet naturally follow." Of course I was there to get his attention for my older sister, but I remember him as a genuinely nice guy, lanky but extremely graceful.
Too bad Swayze can do no better than play a part he is not suited for. He should be doing re-makes of Ginger and Fred movies.
My conclusion: Patrick Swayze was in a music video about Roxanne?? Or sort of a Jet/shark street fights knockoff. He was great in that role. The girl I recognized from the Swayze Studios, she was a bit too classy for the role in the music video... but those two should never have separated. Actually I think she might have married him; they would have danced their way to the 21st century. Dance Fever; American Idol; Celebrity boxing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reality shows!!!!!!!!!!!! CTUOnline~/... instead Swayze is a cross-dressing , lonesome broke cowboy, serial killer on death row. I cannot believe the Swayzes aren't among the incredibly rich walking self-loathing today, 35 years later.
P. Swayze is one out of about five millions of us who are famous for no other reason than we grew up strong, married the right person, had great kids cars and dogs, and pay our taxes. I cannot relate to Swayze's roles in movies. Something needs to be said for working class and how it is not represented anywhere. I cannot remember a working class actor since....? The movie career of Swayze: what a waste of time and talent.
That's my report from the middle.... here in Bryan, Texas, "...where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and our children are all above average." Patrick Darnell
Swayze MOVIES: This is scary to think about:
Skate town U.S.A. - "Ace" 1979
The Outsiders - "Darrel Curtis" 1983
Uncommon Valor - "Kevin Scott" 1983
Grandview U.S.A. - "Ernie (Slam) Webster" 1984
(Patrick and Lisa choreographers)
Red Dawn - "Jed Eckert" 1984
Youngblood - "Derek Sutton" 1986
Steel Dawn - "Nomad" 1987
Dirty Dancing - "Johnny Castle" 1987
Tiger Warsaw - "Chuck (Tiger) Warsaw" 1988
Road House - "Dalton" 1989
Next of Kin - "Truman Gates" 1989
Ghost - "Sam Wheat" 1990
Point Break - "Bodhi" 1991
City of Joy - "Dr. Max Lowe" 1992
Father Hood - "Jack Charles" 1993
Tall Tale - The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill - "Pecos Bill" 1994
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar - "Vida Boheme" 1995
Three Wishes - "Jack McCloud" 1995
Letters from a Killer - "Race Darnell" 1998
Black Dog - "Jack Crews" 1998
Forever Lulu (aka Along for the Ride) - "Ben Clifton" 2000
Donnie Darko - "Jim Cunningham" 2001
The Green Dragon - "Sgt. Jim Lance" 2002
Waking Up In Reno - "Roy Kirkendall" 2002
One Last Dance - "Travis MacPhearson" 2003
(Patrick also Producer)
11:14 - "Frank" 2003
George and the Dragon - "Garth" 2004
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights - "Dance Class Instructor (cameo)" 2004
Keeping Mum - "Lance" 2005
Jump! (filming completed June2006 - now in post-production) - "Richard Pressburger "
Sunday, December 24, 2006
What do you want for Christmas on your Planet?
PATRICK.DARNELL: Please fill out the following information for Santa Claus: Gazillionaire Worksheet II
A. At the start of turn #6, record the following from the menu of the planet you are on.
1. Name of your company:___________________________
2. Name of the planet you are on:______________________
3. Cargo - identify the cargo on your ship by looking in the “marketplace”:
________________________________________________
4. How many tons of cargo are you carrying? ___________________
5. How much money have you got? (Don’t forget to count any money you
have in the bank)
______________________________
6. Do you owe Mr. Zinn money? (circle one) yes no
If “yes”, how much do you owe?___________________
How much interest did you pay last week to Mr. Zinn? ______________
7. Do you have any loans out from the bank? yes no
If yes, how much?______________ Amount of interest paid last
week:_____________
8. On the planet you are currently on, what is the planet special being offered? go to “explore planet” and then click on “planet special”.)--9:04pm
PATRICK.DARNELL: Final note and I will go: Especially submit how much you all are going to pay out...
It's Christmas Eve, and we are contemplating that million dollar idea, right team? Remember greater is to give than to receive. You all have my best wishes, and warmest regards for this, another Christmas Eve, 2006. God Bless you! >>PD
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Report from the Middle
Earlier this year my wife and I were in Manhattan and stayed only two blocks from ground zero. We visited the site at night when few are around. It is a yawning hole in the ground with a train station at the bottom. It resembles nothing either of us has ever seen before.
The 9/11 challenge, though well past, has taken strength in millions of survivors to locate what was destroyed; to find solace, security and new strength. I think survivors world-wide want strength because the question is on their minds: What then is the next challenge? For me the challenge is to identify my benchmarks of strength, and release myself for spiritual upgrade. PD
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Legal Framework Essay: Making a Mole hill out of a Sand trap
By Patrick Darnell
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Read the case and discuss the outcome of the case, whether the holdings of this case could lead to unlawful excuses for discrimination in other settings and/or against other classes, and the ethics of incorporating the principles of this case into DWIInc's EEO/ ADA policy book and training manual. (Task Detail; 2006)
The vernacular of golf is fully bound in traditions and fairness of centuries of play of the sport. Today, in highest level of play there is the test of a regulation official tournament play called the “Q School” of sponsored competition.
The Public is allowed to visit sites of play, and watch four rounds of weekend golf from Thursday to Sunday. Golf carts as a mode to ambulate a course on the last two days is forbidden since 1997, in spirit of “starting from a completely equal point of departure for all the highest level qualifying players.”
That all said: 100 plus years history of golf has witnessed many modifications in equipment. The modifications will have transpired in more efficient equipment and mechanical modes of ambulation. Additionally, at present commerce power of golf in the USA affects 25 million golfers, with the four day tour generating approximately $300 million per tournament. Reason of existence is not about equipment, rather the rules of fairness, so says the petitioners and the dissenting judges.
“The basic rules of Golf, the hard cards, and the weekly notices, apply equally
to all players in tour competitions. ‘The Masters’ Tournament which is golf at
its very highest level ...the key is to have everyone tee off on the first hole
under exactly the same conditions and all of them be tested over 72-hole event
under the conditions that exist during the four day event" (Stevens, May 29,
2001).
Thus, first theory: Can equal play be affected by irregular modifications?
(Not the same modifications) >> equal Odds
Equal odds >> equal play
Also, what are odds of equal modifications in ranks of professionals, with some portion of $300 million per tournament at stake? That dollar figure is from not only commercialization, but in endorsement of TV exposure of garments and golf gewgaws that Professionals use in tournament.
Someone, someday in a high level future golf tournament is going to have only one good leg and uncanny modifications to help him or her walk or ride the course, regardless the odds of equanimity. And all those gizmos will be for sale at your local retailers’ after seeing them on TV all weekend.
“Whether happenstance events are more or less probable than the likelihood that a golfer afflicted with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome would one day qualify for the NIKE Tour and PGA Tour, they at least demonstrate that pure chance may have a greater impact on the outcome of elite golf tournaments than the fatigue [pain differential]resulting from the enforcement of the walking rule (Pg. 9, of 27)
Theory two: Is golf a Game of odds with many variables? Consider this flow chart:
Equal play >> Golfer >> one-legged handicap >> chance to make good Tee off >> chance to make good, efficient, shots to hole >> chance to sink ball in hole >> chance to make fewer shots than competing high level golfers >> qualifying for PGA... For goodness sakes
...Just qualifying for PGA = equal play
In context of the second theory above: Was it ethical to let C. Martin golf in the finals? In context of pain differential to play in the finals, Martin who cannot walk the course will be in a similar amount of fatigue in the course progression as the fatigue of those who walk.
Get it? The golf cart is a high tech crutch for a severely handicapped, disabled athlete, as much as a “Carbonized Max Aluminum-Headed Driver golf club” is a crutch to the less strong player, who can putt, but cannot drive. Modifications are arbitrary.
“No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns leases sub-lets, or operates a place of public accommodations (42 USC 12182).”
I think that is why courts ruled against walking rule of the petition. “The walking rule that is contained in petitioner’s ‘hard cards’ based on an optional condition buried in an appendix to the Rules of Golf is not an essential attribute of the game of golf.”
It never ceases to amaze what lengths Americans will go to determine effects laws have on the individual. The entire lengthy debate in the record focuses on consequence of participants, spectators, and owners of events, to determine fairness to all.
How can the ADA be applied to this and other cases?
“Its application to petitioner’s tournaments cannot be said to be unintended or unexpected [because] even if it were, ‘the fact that a statute can be applied in situations not expressly anticipated by Congress does not demonstrate ambiguity. It demonstrates breadth.” (Pennsylvania Dept of Corrections v Yeskey, 524 US at 212)“But surely, in a case of this kind, congress intended that an entity like the PGA not only give individualized attention to the handful of requests that it might receive from talented but disabled athletes for a modification or waiver of a rule to allow them access to the competitions, but also carefully weigh the purpose, as well as the letter, of the rule before determining that no accommodation would be tolerable Justice Stevens; May 29, 2001).”
Thus, a once successful golfer who has unfortunately lost use of one leg could pose a certain hazard or danger to himself and the assembled at the work-place. If the golfer is leaving tire tracks all over the course, and injury occurs because the other golfers find swooshed turf in the fairway, and thus lose strokes, then the context of diversity compliance in the workplace is defeated. The warranted core competency of the company is compromised.
reasonable
Find Law, (2002) Retrieved on 25 September 2006 from caselaw LP findlaw scripts getcase
Jennings, M.M.; (2006) Business Its Legal, Ethical, and Global Environment, 7th edition, Arizona State University, 2006
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; (n.d.) the ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual with a Disability; retrieved from website eeoc gov, September 25, 2006
US Department of Justice; (2006) Executive Order 13271, retrieved September 26, 2006, from usdoj gov dag cftf execorder
Friday, December 15, 2006
There may be no joy in Japan for JavaJoy
Select a region of the world (not North America) where you feel a market for high-end coffee brewing equipment exists. Beginning with your knowledge of domestic data sources, research your selected region using the Cybrary and the Internet. Summarize your search strategy and research results.
Hank has doubts that funds will be available to contract with an external research organization. He asks if you would be able to perform adequate marketing research by yourself using information on the Internet. (CTUOnline: Task Detail 2006)
I have found shopping out functional marketing tools for international ventures for independent region Japan, claims high prices. Sprouting practical sources from very start is easier said than done.
Contriving limit hypothesis’s about international regions, like Japan, often come out as conjecture, biased and otherwise less-than qualitative sourced. Tunnel vision opinions and ambivalent generalizations come ready-made from incomplete history, and stilted associations stemming from one-sided interviews during, say, post-war reconstructions. If quantitative documentation exists, it is embedded in research techniques that are patent process of international marketing researchers. It is difficult to wrestle from multinationals what is their livelihood.
Technique for marketing research outside USA has many implicit land mines, and explicit barriers. If a successful marketing researcher, like Kraft International, Nestle and perhaps Hilton were actually sharing freely its international coffee sources and supply business information on the internet, those groupings would be soon out of business. So multinational corporate effectively builds a moat around a fortress for itself.
Just as JavaJoy is unwilling to post names and addresses of its entire supply chain for all to see, also others humbly take a back step to sharing information over the internet. In a catholic case for JavaJoy Inc, making sound judgments’ about sectors outside USA, less is not more. If JavaJoy does not expect funds enough to hire a successful international marketing group, it will have to wait until it is better suited financially.
Freshwater supply is the most important prerequisite for sustaining human life and achieving sustainable development. UNEP-IETC, In May 1991, UNEP's Governing Council took a decision to further strengthen UNEP's role in sustainable urban and freshwater basin management by calling for the creation of an International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC). The Centre was inaugurated in October 1992 in Japan and its offices in Osaka and Shiga officially opened in April 1994 (UNEP, 2004).
Tap water is the main ingredient of fresh-brewed coffee. Water quality may influence buying impulse of the potential JapanJoy consumer. In European sectors a record reports:
“Wyndham James, Progreso's managing director, said: ‘We definitely think there is room for us in the market. This is a bona fide commercial venture. We will be launching smart, contemporary outlets that provide consumers with fantastic coffee and help growers through ready-made retail outlets’" (Economist; 2006). Progreso has a unique process that “helps growers.”
Therefore if I ask: what is the condition of tap water in Ethiopia, because much coffee is grown in Ethiopia, interesting combinations appear in non-commercial web-sites.
Martin Walshe, Senior Water Adviser at the UK Department for International
Development (DFID), said:
"The importance of water and its fundamental contribution to sustainable development is now recognized, but the contribution of water to poverty reduction will only be realized if it is set in the broader context of social and economic development and environmental improvement. At a regional level groundwater is of huge importance in Africa, Asia and Central and South America.
Nationally, countries from Palestine to Denmark are dependent on groundwater and
examples of local reliance can be drawn from Mexico City to Ethiopia" (Vanguard
June 10, 2003).
Abstract: This article describes a dispute between the coffee giant Starbucks
and Oxfam. The Fairtrade movement to certify ethically-grown coffee has caught
on with consumers, so when Oxfam accused Starbucks of cheating Ethiopian
farmers, customers responded angrily. Starbucks denies the charges and counters
that it buys more Fair-trade coffee than anyone. (Economist; 12/2/2006)
Every internet site introduces persistent links and notes one can investigate, but for a fee. Not everyone is librarian science intellect, and many searches lead to many dead ends in secondary sources. I venture to concede doing international survey in-house is counter-productive, because quantitative primary research is needed, opposed to secondary Internet style analysis. This concludes my introduction; are there any questions?
So, the question becomes “How difficult is it to identify a regional coffee buying behavior?”
1. Were you able to find useful sources of data on the buying behavior for your product in that region?
Key consideration: The stakeholders and owner are not confident enough to spend funds on a qualified international market research partner; I refer to as Marketing Research Consultant, MRC.
Confidence is low already. How is some not-so-familiar aspect of secondary research somehow going to improve confidence? Yes, I have found some useful sources of data to further discourage forming a JapanJoy branch. It is difficult at this time to find useful secondary sources for coffee buying behavior in Japan.
Scouring the various sources, has initially given little more than antagonisms, and self-loathing. Let’s go back to Kraft International. Kraft International campus was built as it stands today in Northbrook, IL since late 1980’s. Kraft Foods is built on a simple held patent of how to process ingredients to make cheese that is an altogether synthetic food group. The beautiful Kraft International HQ that they built is testament to a very successful united global market research effort. As I once applied there, do you think I even could get my foot in the door? No, I was not allowed even to visit their library. So I am reticent about Kraft sharing today.
If, unfortunately, wrestling information from Kraft Intl is dead-ending illusive, then moreover, giant multinational corporations everywhere are in various stages of winding down or introducing segment market coffee products worldwide, based on their costly, primary, and controlled group research. Any news released from a MNC coffee related marketing venture is stale tales. Kraft and others releases news only in self-interest, and why not?
Furthermore, as mentioned the push-back is also energetic as poverty-stricken regions looks for criteria guiding real-time futures. It turns out Ethiopia is trade-marking its “famous brands of beans” in the faces of the middlemen, Starbucks, who skirt around new policies like Fairtrade.
I strongly regard Japan is never going to buy retail coffee paraphernalia from JavaJoy International since Japan is effectively investing much in Ethiopia’s potable water and sanitation recovery. Ethiopia therefore will no doubt become a first level trade partner with Japan. It will supply raw food to its benefactor, including coffee bean, with its new irrigation and sanitation systems, developed by Japan for its own CoffeeJoy Luck Club retail markets.
2. Did you generate enough data to support a strategic initiative into that region?
Key consideration: What makes a culture drink fresh-brewed coffee?
The recent market testing activities of the Oxfam Organization and its new partners is in advance of JavaJoy International bid for the Japan independent sector market. There is no strategic initiative to enter Japan coffee products market with retail products. The only way in is with raw beans or OEM patents. Japan traditionally controls imports in the Nippon Kiritsu, meaning umbrella of MNC that is Japan industry. If new generation Japanese want fresh-brewed coffee, Nippon will control its own bean and water.
If JavaJoy has OEM strategies and introduces a patent for brewing, then the Nippon Kiritsu may address the possibility of allowing coffee related imports. JavaJoy might be called in to collaborate.
Should there have been one good source that correlates JavaJoy in its JapanJoy International storming for the in-house marketing team, that search will have included joining the fee-based following Japanese internet sources: Associations · Trade Councils · Events and Shows · Trade Magazines
A better search will have included additionally access to primary search:
International consumer Research, Product life cycles, Ability for Regional consumer affording JavaJoy gourmet coffee systems
documentations. What are the global Regions? Global regions are loosely defined
as “a synthesis of country clusters...” where Japan is an independent relative
member. The USA is included in the Anglo Region (Griffin, Pustay, 2006):
Regional Clusters:
· Anglo · Latin America · Germanic · Latin European · Nordic Near Eastern · Arabian · Far Eastern
Independent clusters:
· Brazil · India · Israel · Japan
(Griffin, 2006, p 103)
3. What is your recommendation to Hank on how to research the international market?
Key consideration: Going International is at what stage of actualization for JavaJoy Inc?
It is common for Owner/ Managers to fail to set deadlines on all decisions and if made rarely stick to them. In our case finding missions, for best region has no time limit stated. The imposition of due dates is however mandatory for the research of going international. Because the event is costly and demands much attention, due dates are more critical.
The Marketing team led by the research must enforce push-back and delegate tasks, and schedule steps leading toward obtainable objectives. Recommended for now is to say marketing research for incursion of Japan should be tabled. No more valuable time should be spent on Japanese buying habits. Further work in this sector is counter-productive. Other international regions will prove more conducive to JavaJoy Inc middle market temperament.
Economist; 12/2/2006Storm in a coffee cup, Vol. 381 Issue 8506, p66-67, 2p, 1c Article COFFEE FARMERS ETHIOPIA STARBUCKS Corp. DUNS Number: 030327733 OXFAM Organization FAIRTRADE Foundation
Griffin, and Pustay (2006), p 103, Simcha, Ronen and Oded Shenkar, Clustering countries on attitudinal dimensions: a review and synthesis, Academy of management review, vol 10, no 3 (1985) p 449
Nicola, Clark, (11/15/2006) Tassimo scales back work after sales Disappoint, By: Clark, Nicola, Marketing (00253650), 00253650, 11/15/2006 Database: Section: News Kraft is slashing marketing activity for its Tassimo coffee range following poor sales.
UNEP Gigiri, (11th – 13th March 2003) UNEP / DGDC / UNESCO / UN-HABITAT / ECA ASSESSMENT OF POLLUTION AND VULNERABILITY OF WATER SUPPLY AQUIFERS OF AFRICA CITIES Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Zambia LAUNCHING WORKSHOP Nairobi, Kenya,
Vanguard HEADLINE: (June 10, 2003) Nigeria; UNEP Urges Action to Better Manage the Globe's Groundwater’s LOAD-DATE: June 10, 2003
Sunday, December 10, 2006
GI, Going International
Your presentations were very well received. Yet, having no previous work experience with moving into international markets, you think it might be best to contract with an external service to research international markets. In the discussion board, meet with your marketing team and discuss the following challenges ahead of you. (CTU, Task Detail; Dec 2006). Consider and discuss the following:
Key consideration: Is it profitable and will it add value?
Most USA based companies go forward in international markets because costs of materials, components, assemblies and real estate often is less than in US. In JavaJoy desire is to “look” at international opportunities and risks. Could it turn out that the firm has a high “ratio of outsourcing?”
Paul Strassman says, “A company’s outsourcing ratio [is] defined as purchases divided by sales...” The worksheet Strassman provides “only indirectly computes amounts a company purchases.” For most company decisions to Going International, GI, effort is related to “basis for decreasing taxation” liabilities (Strassman, Paul A; March 2005).
Without more contextual information, reasons for owner Hank Sanchez’s brainstorm to go international is assumed to “add value via tax savings... and that includes payroll, depreciation, cost of interest and taxes, plus all profits”(Strassman, Paul A; March 2005).
2. What would you expect of them?
Key consideration: “What portion of its internal business controls” is JavaJoy willing to give up for international growth (Para. Strassman; March 2005)?
Strassman warns “Unfortunately, none of generally accepted accounting or financial reports reveals how much a company has placed its business functions in hands of suppliers.” I find international expansion to be a natural evolution for JavaJoy GI. I also believe there are numerous suitors vying for opportunity to share in risks, costs and profits of the coffee brewer.
Would the future partner be very willing to divulge annual expenses and its debt or litigation, in transparency as known in negotiations? Transparency on JavaJoy’s side is “labor and directly related expenses, depreciation costs, interest costs, non-op costs minus expenses, special income, subtracted losses, income taxes, and other income” (Strassman, Paul A; March 2005).
Costs divided into the net sales will give a ratio: if it exceeds 50% the ratio will have meant JavaJoy GI releasing greater portions of control to suppliers international or otherwise.
Determination by using risk aversion ratios is the best way to approach an outsourcing market research partner. It will set the grammar of negotiations when expectations are reviewed with prospects.
3. How would you go about finding such a partner?
Key Consideration: Where does coffee come from?
The “innovations in global commerce have lowered costs and expanded the reach of purchasing transactions” means JavaJoy GI probably has already trans-national pipelines (Strassman, Paul A; March 2005).
Chief Information Officers are key personnel for deciding on an international research partner. Innovation in information technology is a major indicator for merging with any other company. To be a “strategic” partnership, JavaJoy GI will be obliged to look at costs of “intra-organizational matters from those that deal with suppliers to customers” (Strassman, Paul A; March 2005).
Once biggest and best, and most efficient supplier is found, JavaJoy has opportunity to find out if they are involved in international market research or have it in their sights. Outsourcing market research is a very good item for opening up vertical markets with their new prospect. Also cost reductions can be realized as the relationship becomes more transparent.
4. What would your selection criteria be?
Key consideration: So far high price of JavaJoy Inc products has limited growth.
“The JavaJoy product line is very well known and highly respected in coffee industry but, due to its high price JavaJoy has had limited success” (CTU, Task Detail, 2006). Selection for a GI partner is based on the vision statement Hank Sanchez, JavaJoy Owner, has developed. Marketing forecasts will have included research into these categories:
· Company must grow
· How can this growth be accomplished
· What are possible alternative approaches
· Which are best strategy/ approach
· What growth can be anticipated
· What are threats to growth
Moreover, ultimate decisions concerning “how to grow” constitute strategic planning; providing accurate and timely information, and supporting strategic planning process. To provide the answers, the potential partner must appear willing and able to provide and deploy control for gathered data and developed information about:
· Current market size
· Growth potential
· Buying habits
· Distribution channels
· Competition
· Cultural diversity
· Costs versus added value
5. Is marketing research process you have learned applicable partly or wholly in this JavaJoy GI effort?
Key Consideration: With his new market growth vision as the driver, Hank wants to “recast his 5-year strategy to take advantage of expanding markets,” and has decided international incursion is a remedy (CTU, Task Detail; Dec 2006).
Discussion: Learn > Plan > Deploy
Learn >> we have been learning frameworks of market research, and those lessons will provide structure to facilitate as we search for an international research partner. The firm is not looking for another middleman partner, as JavaJoy GI is already high priced. The method then is in applying what has been learned to what will be international strategic planning with all contingency. Define general research areas as primary and secondary. Qualify proposed questions for each area with qualitative research. Apply 6 stages of the marketing research process in extensive research.
Plan >> Clarifying the Research Question ~ Proposing Research ~ Designing the Research Project ~ Data Collection and Preparation ~ Data Analysis and Interpretation ~ Reporting the Results ~ (Cooper & Schindler, 2006, p. 86)
· Can JavaJoy survive in international high-end coffee brewing markets?
· What are trends in coffee consumption?
· How will competition measure up in international markets?
Deploy >> thus, JavaJoy GI will have found a partner who will have capacity in delivering:
• Product acceptance
• Coffee consumption
• Competition
• Regional analysis
• Global partnerships
• Financial
Marketing campaigns
• Primary Research
• Secondary Research
• Qualitative Research
• Quantitative Research
• International Research Companies
• e-commerce transactions
• Automated marketing campaigns
• Full reporting capabilities
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Internet Research
• Analyze
• Reduce
• Interpret
• Develop Website Catalog
• Recommend (CTU, DB; Dec 2006)
6. Is it more cost effective to do research yourself?
Key Consideration: Core Competency of JavaJoy Inc...
“Because of the ease of use of [International Financial Reporting Standards, IFRS] software, even students who lack technical expertise can work with the system in a structured way, and I can finally concentrate on my core competence as a physician, says Gerhard Polak, Manager and Publisher, on Going International”(SAP; 06/01).
JavaJoy GI can learn from every GI industry some fundamental lesson. JavaJoy is not an international marketing firm. Historically, JavaJoy takes bean and grinds and brews it to perfection.
I am certain that rummaging around for a suitor to partner up with is the only answer that will have most positive impact toward implementing growth and expansion visions of Hank Sanchez and JavaJoy GI.
Once its immediate business-system needs are satisfied, JavaJoy GI will investigate additional ways in which it can benefit from hiring consulting groups. The result will be praises for its professionalism and responsiveness to global outsourcing. JavaJoy GI will continue in its role as partner exploring how the solution can further improve its global markets doing business overseas.
CTU Online, (Dec 2006) Small Group Discussion Board, MKT350-0604B-03, JavaJoy Inc
CTU Online, (Dec 2006) Task detail, MKT350-0604B-03, JavaJoy Inc
SAP 50 077 808; (06/01) GOING INTERNATIONAL Business One Promotes Medical Training, sap com contact sap
Strassman, Paul A; (March 2005) Outsourcing: what ratio is right, Baseline, 2001-2006 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc, baseline mag international
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Opportunity or RisK? Data Mining: Privacy, Compliance and Data Flow
Managing Project X Opportunities and Risks
Introduction
- Uncover and prepare for opportunities/ risks
- Understand opportunity/ risk
- Identify opportunities/ risks
- Evaluate new products and services
- Assess internal capacities to excel in schedule, assembly and delivery (paraphrased, Power Decisions Group, Inc. Dec 2006)
Use tools such as: - Online, wireless local area networking
- Phone, Mail, Surveys
- Hybrid Methods, Focus Groups
- Qualitative Methods
- Quantitative Methods
"Services for the public are designed so there is one route to perform multiple tasks with different agencies.” Gary Robinson, Washington CIO
Discussion: Opportunities
Several opportunities stand out. The following list is made in hopes that savings can be multiplied throughout the whole Project X.
1. Assembly Revisions
Major Innovations discovered by work teams while assembling the prototypes may qualify as unmistakable revisions in the final builds. Savings from on job discoveries will be touted as major events of opportune and lead to earlier delivery of products, and greater ROI.
2. Internet Technology Advantages
Ripping out the wires and using wireless solutions to fulfill the gamut is today a security and networking management solution industry ideally situated for key providers.
According to a recent survey by Aberdeen Group, '88% of best-in-class service organizations view the connection between the field and back office as a top strategic priority. If your company doesn’t already have some type of communication solution in place — such as calling techs via cell phones or a scheduling and optimization field service data solution — it will soon. But your solution can be more than just connectivity between the field and the office. You can leverage complementary technologies to make the most of your investment" (Chapin, Khristen; October 2006).
3. Supply Chain
Unified just-in-time based delivery of piece parts and hardware can be the biggest opportunity to capture the imaginations of the work teams. In-the-field operations have opportunity to make a wish come true with the mobile voice over internet protocol, VOIP. More efficient onsite comm can boost the delivery of dwindling supplies, and ensure teams' efficiency when at the site of larger re-tools, or do-over’s, with VOIP.
4. Post PERT weighted averages analysis
After meetings to discuss worst case situations of major headings of the WBS, opportunity is abundantly portrayed in scarcity of resources. For instance if the total project is using up next years' entire supply of armored steel, what is available in the next two quarters of the next year. Then the major opportunity is to advise production of this condition. Opportunity does not always have to be dramatic. Many opportunities are simple good turn attitudes.
Discussion: Risks -- Let’s Call this Data Mining
Data mining -- finding gems of insight from sophisticated or basic analysis of your internal databases and WBS, and margin trend data -- is a key part in ...Development & Naming assignments, as well as New Project [Risk Management] Development.
(Power Decisions Group, Inc. Dec 2006)
The search for hidden risk elements is no less a savings when found. A dollar saved is a dollar return on investment. “Simply put, an analysis data mining effort searches for meaning and insight among the stacks of data and related data already within a project management organization. ...Thus, data mining is the search and the use of techniques that squeeze out meaning. Tools include advanced statistical tests and modeling, and the use of neural networks” (Power Decisions Group, Inc; Dec 4, 2006).
Consolidate the risks on a collaborative level and the “business as usual” in government contracts may be sarcasm of the past. Success breeds success in every knowledge base for Project X. Project management juggles expectations of states' and Uncle Sam and finally finds relief from more diverse companies' vying for a slice of government pie. Risk Management no longer means being locked in to particular vendors with only a self interest in pushing their own products, services or securities.
1. No Substitutions if untested, or not certified
In the search for austere methods for procurement of resources, there is a great risk in substituting materials. Testing may not be finished on some materials, or the testing is pending. Sometimes austerity may lead to incomparable solutions. The risk is in compromised performance, reliability and injury.
2. Security is at stake
With information being generated through the pipeline to executives outside the office, the underpinning of earlier wireless LAN was “vulnerable to security breaches and caused enterprises to be leery of the technology” (McAdams, Jennifer; November 7, 2006). McAdams reports: “’We’ve always believed management and security aren’t separate and distinct issues,’ Greg Murphy, AirWave Wireless.”
“’Balancing the needs of security and business-integration requirements is our biggest challenge,’ says Tom Jarrett, Delaware CIO" (Aitoro, Jill R; November 13, 2006). Jarrett says: “As more agencies want to collaborate, the data owners need a higher assurance of data [integrity] and its proper uses” reports Aitoro.
3. State of Distribution
While the state of distribution of products is “fairly status quo,” say the resellers and distributors, there may be hidden under radar, price creep due to fuel prices and other concerns that could bust smaller distributors, and Project X. For instance the often ignored distributors of the cutting-edge technology needed for Project X are not all-that-established. In fact the “up and comers” who provide innovative access to emerging technologies are small specialty distributors. These are the distributors to watch in the early deliverables of the high tech Project X defense systems.
4. Political Winds
“Regardless of what changes come with November elections, states are most likely to adopt proven success models” says Aitoro ...Such as “statewide data-center-consolidation initiatives” (Aitoro, Jill R; November 13, 2006). As government may struggle to appease the many stakeholders “influencing decisions, the change in political favor" is a major risk that could and will change the scope and funding of any federal or state projects. The best way to deal with political wind-shifts is to force the privates sectors to “do their homework, and take more time on risk issues, making for better partnerships” (Aitoro, Jill R; November 13, 2006, p15).
Collaboration by the companies that currently hold contracts, such as “McLean, Virginia based Northrop Grumman, San Diego based Technology Integration Group and Marketware Technologies in Sacramento” can move a project into completion by showing and proving cost savings of 30% in $100 million in contracts by these leading companies. That is a lot of risk management.
The idea is to circumnavigate the “bureaucratic process,” says Clark Kelso, CS CIO. “These were not just some general services that led to some leveraged procurements; we gave all agencies a chance to be involved in designing specifications and programs.” Surely, this will take the large out of the hands of the few.
References
Aitoro, Jill R; (November 13, 2006): By the time... government VAR, Feature, State of the states, P 9-12, GovernmentVAR com
Chapin, Khristen; (October 2006) Integrated Solutions, Three Steps to Field Service Success, retrieved date: 15 November 2006 WesP CorryPub %20PDFs ISM06
Kelso, Clark (November 13, 2006): By the time... government VAR, Feature, State of the states, P 9-12, GovernmentVAR com
McAdams, Jennifer; (November 7, 2006) Ripping out the wires, VARBusiness Tech Advantage Series, VARBusiness, article p 45-50, varbusiness com
Power Decisions Group, Inc. (Dec 4, 2006) San Francisco, Tools & Techniques
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Ethanol
There is a black hole absorbing a sun being captured by one of our telescopes. I almost had a cosmic thought yesterday. It was about size and probability, in relation to this planet and all of the other solid parts of the universe, which could be condensed into some small portion of the void of space, leaving much open space.
The same idea as putting all of the inhabitants of this planet in one spot on the rock. We could all fit on the Island of England with twenty square meters each. I think the lot I live on is about that size. There is a lot of open space. As I drive up and down the highways and byways around Houston, I am always intrigued by the open spaces everywhere. Not beautiful to the Olympic committee, but definitely nothing but miles and miles of a Texas that only Texans, native and adopted, can appreciate.
Well, I was concerned that I misplaced this invitation to the blog.
The word out is to use available land to grow poplar trees instead of corn for ethanol. They produce something 2.5 times the raw material. The hybids grow very fast.
I guess I'm out. See you.
d2r2
Monday, December 04, 2006
If We Were All Here It Would Be Too Full
This is the space for MooPig Wisdom, you big dummy.
Dear ones,
I was going to raise a family and be the guy outside working on the tractor.
Instead, the family raised itself and I'm the guy sitting here typing on the blog.
Well, I type a little slow. It takes me some time to get going and I started late.
Just worked 11 hours at the retail Christmas store. I came to Mom and Dad's for some of Dad's stew and Carl's Corn chowder before I go back home to walk Vinnies cat. He is getting good at it.
Mug of stew almost got me back to normal.
Love, Dave
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Global Position Mission
Opportunity Abroad: Must be targeted
Following the Basics of Principles of Marketing, global or anywhere in the universe, Customers and Markets are made of these things:
Product
Distribution
Promotion
Price
Introduction: Global Position Mission
Somewhere in the infinite body of knowledge that is market research may lay the answer for any business success in the face of adversity. The three I's of success are innovation, ingenuity, and indomitability. The Owner and Stakeholders are pushing the boundaries of technical innovation for exploring holistic systems, devising and executing business strategies and goals. An ideal of successful marketing in global terms is the determination propelling JavaJoy Inc forward in its business. Consider these tips and tools for global strategy decisions, in context of partnering with Multinational Corporations, as means to JavaJoy Inc’s future home.
Questions to Consider
How resistant is the owner and stakeholders of JavaJoy to doing business completely differently, with a new partner?
Is the current domestic business of JavaJoy resistant to change greater in scale than the pressure of urgency to start plans for global expansion? Or, is the executive willing to spread the news to its present workforce?
Is the path to global expansion brave, determined, and impossible to defeat or paved in risk to frighten and dissuade?
Those suffering risk aversion are not the first choice for starting foreign business strategies, or partnering with. Is the firm ready to recruit new people?
The development of business strategy from a position of strength will propel the firm into the international markets they desire. Preparations must be done with least disruption possible. Is the firm willing to play a subordinate role in this mission?
Some Companies that are already in the country of choice, such as Hilton is with its "370,000 rooms worldwide with catering services" make the transition easily. The question is "How does Hilton forecast global demand for its product and services?"(EWeek; June 19, 2006).
Hilton "imports data from six systems into one data warehouse that requires 7 million rows, running on Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and analyzing 1.4 million records a day" (2006). How much buy-in is JavaJoy willing to front in IT and other system upgrades?
Is JavaJoy willing to re-define its business in context of global partnership? Thus, like Eric Lundquist says: ...some claim all the talk about 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 versions of anything is simply marketing spin ...I argue that a new set of characteristics does require a new definition. (EWeek; June 19, 2006, Pp. 10)
Does JavaJoy Inc require alignment with their own markets before taking on a partner? If so these will be asked of the potential partners: Ask four key questions, that are similar to all previous primary problem areas:
What do we know now about our markets, our market opportunities, and our own strategic and marketing goals?
What are the best marketing and operational opportunities as we understand them now?
How can we frame our marketing and strategic options based on what we know now?
What do we need to know that we do not know now -- about strengths, weaknesses, our products, our markets, and our customers?
How willing is JavaJoy to adopt a broad view of Marketing Intelligence? At (Blog)red we use the "Intelligence Platform with three components: data, ideas, and management drivers." Will JavaJoy compromise its quality standards for partnership privilege?
How willing is JavaJoy to pinpoint decision-making to drive market research objectives and design? How much share of cost in intense, primary research is JavaJoy willing to pay?
Even after shouldering expenses in primary research, is JavaJoy willing to pay for more to answer: Do we have solid marketing information, or is more funds for market research needed?
Does the partner being considered for global diffusion have a strong customer base of US citizens who are looking for the familiar as they travel to foreign lands as tourists and business agents?
Is the executive at JavaJoy willing to talk to enough firms until they find several with which they are comfortable? And, wait long enough to obtain background materials, references or examples of past work?
Decisions of the magnitude that JavaJoy is suggesting do not come without problems. As mentioned before, the elected company leaders, VP's, CFO, President, and the advisors who are on the tangent of global venture must identify the strengths within their business that makes transparency possible. Does JavaJoy believe Transparency is their position of strength?
Global leaders establish structured goals. Why structured? The goal as practiced must withstand both implicit and explicit threats abroad. The goals must be accomplished easily, and become the "open standard." Do the leaders of JavaJoy believe its Technology will be structured, as mentioned before, to support say, the first goal of "Creditworthiness?"
Having sufficient credit backed with austerity and technology is the first and most important tool in the toolbox. Does JavaJoy have in place technology that will cope with inflows/ outflows of cash in differing denominations?
Do JavaJoy's gathered planners make goals that in principle will thwart crisis and global hegemony or subjugation?
Can JavaJoy remain functional in crisis where there is interruption in cash-flows throughout the supply chain, and to creditors?
The analysis will most probably be inconclusive, but it is on record that the process is started. When JavaJoy Inc proceeds will it go with its advisors from say: "JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley to ensure market makers have a common interest from the start (Strong, Norman; 7/12/2006)?"
Conclusion
In context of market research management the corollaries do after all exist between Basic Principles of Marketing and the impulse to find a partner for global incursion. The previous list of questions needs further refinement if a path to partnership is desired by the firm, JavaJoy Inc.
References
Lundquist, Eric, E. D.; eWeek, June 19, 2006; Ziff Davis Media, front cover, MacDonald, John go eWeek com web log
Vass, Will; VP, CIO Sun Microsystems, eWeek, June 19, 2006
Thompson, David; CIO Symantec, eWeek, June 19, 2006
Strong, Norman; 7/12/2006, How to default: a primer, leftbusinessobserver
Griffin, Ricky W, and Pustay, Michael W; International Business, a Managerial Perspective, fourth Edition, 2005, Pearson/ Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle river, NJ
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Project Risk Management
“Who are the project stakeholders? Keep in mind that you work for a publicly-owned company and the customer is the Department of Defense” (CTUOnline; 2006).
• Apply the basic competencies of the project manager in understanding and planning for risk
• Use effective communication techniques.
• Communicate risk effectively to all project stakeholders (CTUOnline; 2006)
According to chapter 2 of the PMBOK guide, the “Projects and project management are carried out in environments broader than that of the project itself” (PMBOK Guide; 2004, p 19).
The project stakeholder organization is made up of those who front the resources, and back the bonds and funds to make the projects possible. The ones who own a stake in the monetary underwriting of projects are often called, stakeholders or sponsors. Also, as described in section 2.2 PMBOK Guide, the interdependence of the project management and the stakeholders is prevailing, and immediate (2004, p 25-26).
Essentially, the sponsors whether individuals or organizations, are willing to risk involvement and funds to see the project completed. Project management teams are obliged to “determine [stakeholders’] requirements and expectations” and proportion the measured risks accordingly. The goal is to “ensure a successful project” (2004, p 25-26).
The most feared word in the relationship between stakeholder and project management is: ignore. The stakeholders and sponsors have started the ball rolling, and it is imperative they contribute throughout the project life cycle. Smartly the Project Manager, who is the captive liaison for the project continuity, must never fail to update, and reiterate essential knowledge to the stakeholders. Expect dramatic damage reports should one ignore the other.
Therefore, in this instance of project length of 5 years or more, and resource provided by hefty supply chains, the stakeholder list is rather extensive. The best placement of the stakeholder is in the shared values and norms of each knowledge base in the project. Therefore the sponsors vary according to the category of their financial responsibilities.
In larger category the stakeholders are the Project Management Organization, and the Customer/ End-user of our Department of Defense project. The cross-functioning influences of multiple categorical stakeholders will play heavily in the “acquisition and final use of the war machine developed” (2004, p 25-26).
PMBOK Guide claims the “key stakeholders on every project include:
• Project Manager
• Customer/ End-users
• Performing organization
• Project team members
• Project Management team
• Sponsors
• Influencers
• PMO (2004, p 25-26)
The initial response to the question: “Who are the project stakeholders, bearing in mind the DOD is the end user stakeholder,” is in a stakeholder analysis. During the Scope definition as discussed in PMBOK Guide chapter 5, it is important to “identify influence and interests of the various stakeholders and document their needs, wants and expectations” (2004, p 110).
As all analysis is quantitative, “the analysis diligently selects, prioritizes, and quantifies” those conditions. The Guide also states there is “high risk in quantifying expectations” that are non-specific, such as “customer satisfaction” (paraphrased, (2004, p 110).
The scope places high priority on the identification of the stakeholders. As part of our exercise the stakeholders can be declared in the statements of the scope risk management phase. Certain assumptions in the scope risk management have to be proven if found false, especially if the assumptions are part of the stakeholders’ claims. The same can be said for scope boundaries, and “scope priority requirements risk management” (2004, p111).
According to PMBOK Guide: Quality risk management also is paramount to end-users’ enduring stability. The various quality standards for industry apply as reference to a quality expectation. Improper inspections, lack of maintenance, or rushing through a task can produce negative consequences for “any and all of the project stakeholders” This is an understatement when the negative turns out to be a plane crash due to “defects, poorly organized user documentation or numerous extraneous features” (2004, p 180).
Some Quality Standards Organizations in context are:
• International Organization for Standardization, ISO
• Total Quality Management, TQM
• Six Sigma
• Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
• Design reviews
• Voice of the Customer
• Cost of Quality, COQ
• Continuous Improvement
• Communications Planning
• Performance Reporting
• Risk Management
(2004, p 180)
Conclusion: Who are they?
1) The Project Manager is the elected liaison from the ranks, placed by the stakeholders
2) The Customer end-user is the US citizenry as represented in the Department of Defense:
a. The class of military personnel due to use and maintain the end product
b. B2G, business to Government, B2B, and B2C; all lien-holders and bond holders
3) The Performing Organization, or PMO, is the labor groups who are affected by the completion or non-completion of the project. This could be a large group in this case.
4) The Team Members are the “dozen nuclear scientists, engineers, and technology professionals including military personnel” and all their distaff members
5) The Project management Team is my esteemed colleagues
6) The Sponsor is the US government Department of Defense, DOD
7) The Influencers will have been identified as stakeholders in each of the risk management knowledge phases such as:
8) Members of Committee in Legislatures, the Judicial, or the Executive
a. Security Organizations
b. Environmental organizations
c. Lobbyists
d. Risk Management Organizations
The list includes but is not limited to the above. It is abridged for this discussion, though it will include in the end many watch groups, accounting branches and other business groups local, nationally and internationally.
Reference:
CTUOnline (November 2006) Task Detail, MPM450 03 0604B Managing Project Risk and Opportunities
Pmi org (2006) retrieved from web, Nov 15 2006 Project Management Institute (PMI) The Largest Project Management Association. Retrieved October 19, 2006, from pmi org info default asp
PMBOK; (2004) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK Guide, third edition, 2004 project management Institute, 4 Campus Blvd, Newton Square, PA 19073 USA
Monday, November 27, 2006
Is your National VP Sales shy about getting involved in production?
Task Detail: “Julie Hogan is JavaJoy's National Sales Manager, and is in the process of rolling out JavaJoy's first non-coffee brewing system - a tea brewer. While the sales channels are the same as for the coffee brewing equipment, the end users (tea drinkers) are certainly different. Julie is desperate to know how the new product is being received because she needs to give the manufacturing department a production forecast for the coming quarter - and the forecast is due in two weeks! Assuming some time to work on this project:” (CTUOnline; Nov 2006)
1. What information can you develop for Julie in the time frame available?
Of the six market research rationales listed here, the first four can be somewhat achieved with some elegance in the next two weeks. The last two require more effort, and will be difficult to wrap up without quantitative research or refined interpretation for additional qualitative research. Marketing will pursue these objectives:
1) Clarifying Research Question
2) Proposing Research
3) Designing Research Projects
4) Attempting Data Collection and Preparation
5) Attempting Data Analysis and Interpretation
6) Reporting the Results (Cooper, D; 2006)
Assumption: Julie Hogan is a live wire with 500 amps of persuasion at her finger tips, as National Sales Manager. She can weld the project shut with just a little more marketing information. Moreover, if we read ahead in the task list -- the mind of Sanchez-- she is headed toward becoming the international sales manager.
The information needed is: How many units TeaJoy Brewers will we produce in production cycles following roll out? For a “congealed” data standard, hurry up method is not the best way to go. But, supply chains in manufacturing wait for no one.
At last measure Julie Hogan is 94% of the way to unleashing the new tea brewer. She is only 1/8 of an inch away from welding the deal closed. However, Mrs. Hogan, without a production estimate is at the farthest point from her marketing goal as a person can be. So she must ask key questions of key persons, soon. Sitting on the production estimate will make the TeaJoy trial a short-run.
2. What you would say to Julie. Submit 4 – 5 paragraphs which describe a type of marketing research she can use to gauge the consumer’s response to the tea brewer.
We must not lose face. Therefore we look at this opportunity to incorporate a time line of events. Two weeks is ten working days, or fourteen days when including weekends. To hit upon the most pertinent research question most apt, is to promote. Guidance for production quantities depends on resources that are hidden in end-user customers’ opinions, and vendors’ inputs who sell the equipment. To contact busy people during their work day is nearly impossible, unless the surveyor has a lure. The actual lure is right under our noses, in the form of the internet.
Proposing a type of research that is last minute and relates to work schedules we consider the various time frames. The manpower hours needed to find reliable numbers for this last minute decision is more or less 10 days x 8 hrs = 80 hours available in the traditional work-a-day. In contrast, internet is available 24 hours at seven days or a total of 24 hrs x 14 days = 336 hours available. Why not multiply our TeaJoy exposure to the maximum?
Much greater hours, 4 to 1 more, on the internet suggests immediately go to a free web business log site, known as Blog, and write a new, free Tea Sippers’ ‘Blog. On your new TeaJoy web Blog site. Advertise free tea-related prizes for entering preference surveys, or promise a door prize such as the newest Play Station, for how many, how much and when is tea preferred as an end-user or as a reseller. Sounds easy? It is. As national sales manager Mrs. Hogan has a large e-mail list she can invite to visit new TeaJoy Blog site, over and over, 24/7.
Moreover, since production predictions calls for extreme marketing research that exposes benchmark cases correlated to TeaJoy roll out, that is concurrent task to pursue. For instance, Julie Hogan might have a teenager at home who can type in some keywords to browsers, and activate some secondary sources for starters. That is not because Mrs. Hogan is not comfortable with the net, it is because her own child will work more cheaply than others, and probably has some web technique, and empathy for her mother’s task. This action could enhance the roll out in several ways, to make an educated production turn round: as in “Customers Seven Steps in the Benchmarking Process” (1-HBR; Nov 06).
3. Include the information that could be obtained.
A quick visit to Harvard Business Review publishing website revealed some favorable Key words. No doubt clear evidence in secondary research can be gathered from efforts online and from regional business agents, using incremental planning approach:
1 “Functional areas within JavaJoy to be benchmarked
a) partners that will benefit most from benchmarking
b) based upon cost, importance and potential of changes
2 “Identify key factors and variables with which to measure functions
a) financial resources
b) Product strategy.
3 “Select best-in-class companies for each area to be benchmarked
a) lowest cost
b) highest degree of customer satisfaction
c) can be direct competitors, foreign and domestic
d) parallel competitors with replacement or substitute products or services
e) latent competitors which might backwards- or forwards-integrate into your market
f) Out-of-industry firms with whom do not compete such as FedEx or Wal-Mart logistics
4 “Measure performance of best-in-class for each benchmark considered
a) SEC, Government
b) Companies themselves
c) Trade associations, Articles in press or trade journals
d) Analysts in the market
e) Credit reports
f) Clients and vendors
g) Interviews with other organizations willing to share their prior research or ‘swap’..." (2-HBR; Nov 06).
In this comprehensive and helpful outline form HBR Five, Six and Seven headings relate to data analysis.
“...5. Measure [TeaJoy Brewer] performance for each variable; begin comparing the results in an ‘apples-to-apples’ format; determine the gap between your firm and best-in-class examples.
6. Specify those programs and actions to meet and surpass the competition [to enhance] potential areas discovered...
7. Implement these programs”
(Paraphrased; 2-HBR, Nov 26 2006)
The last increments of our hurry up tasks include careful analyses leading to descriptions of very speicialized:
• Marketing analysis: A major un-met need among certain groups of customers, or target markets
• Product description: Ideas for a product to meet the need
• Competitor analysis: Major competitors to the product
• Advertising plan: How the target markets will be informed of the new product
(4-HBR, Harvard Business Review, Nov 2006)
4. Discuss your thoughts on the accuracy of whatever information you are able to gather in two weeks.
Accuracy will be low, but best practices will have been used. In context of the first four stages of qualitative data collecting, from the above discussions that introduced six major stages of marketing research: TeaJoy will be unable to prepare a unified production schedule for the manufacturing departments at the end of 336 hours.
The first four increments can be pursued quickly and possibly resolved in qualitative analysis. The final two analysis stages require the attention of those who are very busy, and hard to track down, owners and executives. Our research will entail "How to Mobilize the Executive Team for Strategic Change" to create the proposal that is due in two weeks or sooner (4-HBR, Harvard Business Review, Nov 2006).
Costs of producing it over the course of the year, Julie Hogan’s TeaJoy Brewer will be produced in a manner that reflects demand. In any new venture the cost accounting management is vital to establishing the price the consumer will pay for our product.
Julie Hogan will be very busy doing her regular tasks, and her related follow up duties of coordinating final promotions, printing and sales reps for the two weeks up to roll out. The final data analysis is up to the marketing department. A TeaJoy task team could be appointed to follow through with the best-case demand percentages most expected. Accuracy remains in the data analysis, as to how many units to produce next year. So let’s get cracking on the internet, and e-mails.
Working in this framework we will build on JavaJoy qualitative market statement, and make a benchmark with new products for our customers. Working to improve the management of TeaJoy division we see “...there a variety of views, formats and content regarding business [marketing opportunities and research] plans” (5-HBR; 2006). “The firm can choose from a few different approaches -- from simply trying harder, to emulating the best-in-class, changing the rules of the industry or leapfrogging the competition with innovation or technology from outside the industry.
In an ideal world the marketing research could answer all the pertinent questions for a production model and the price structure. Best practices in market research will justify financial resources and product strategy. Learning and understanding can often be used to simplify framework of analysis. Therefore at the end of the promotion sound advice to TeaJoy’s Mrs. Hogan is “...Always feel free to estimate results, as exact measures are usually disproportionately difficult to obtain and often do not significantly add value to the [end result]” (3-HBR; Nov 2006)
References:
Cooper, D, & Schindler, P, (2006) Marketing Research, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin
CTUOnline; (Nov 2006) Session: MKT 350 Phase 2 Discussion Board 1, Task List
1-HBR, Harvard Business Review, (Nov 2006) Various Approaches to Building Products and Services Approaches to Product development, Adapted “Field Guide to Consulting and Organizational Development” managementhelp org misc product-devapproaches and authenticityconsulting, 11/27/06, Harvard Business School Publishing
2-HBR, Harvard Business Review, (Nov 2006) Approaches to Market Research, managementhelp org mrktng mk_rsrch needs, 11/27/06, Harvard Business School Publishing
3-HBR, Harvard Business Review, (Nov 2006) Approaches to Competitor Market Analysis, managementhelp org mrktng cmpetitr cmpetitr, 11/27/06, Harvard Business School Publishing
4-HBR, Harvard Business Review, (Nov 2006) Approaches to Marketing Intelligence, marketing-intelligence co uk sitemap, 11/27/06, Harvard Business School Publishing
5-HBR, Harvard Business Review, (Nov 2006) the Mechanics of pricing, short term pain for long term gain, Approaches to Marketing Management bullet point com archives market BP3806, 11/27/06, Harvard Business School Publishing
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Accounting Mixed-costs Mastery
Company: Claire’s Anteeks, Incorporated
Date: June 12, 2006
To: Sheepsmell Compostholestoy, CPA; Accounting Manager at Claire's Anteeks
From: Patrick Darnell, CBW and BMW
Subject: Historical Marker – Mixed Costs Mastery
Refer: Changing the course of business for Claire’s Anteeks, Incorporated, by determining the fixed and variable portion of each mixed cost such as utility costs, maintenance costs, and beyond.
Dear Mr. Compostholestoy:
The gift of Accounting Management is not to be taken frivolously. In the business of increasing the efficiency of manufacturing and non-manufacturing numerations the result is only limited by the specificity of the query. Mixed costs are a semi-fixed-cost “plus” semi-variable-cost classification that algebraically can define the future of Claire’s Anteeks.
With mushrooming competition coming in from the globalization of manufacturing, Claire’s Anteeks may use now its new technology of mixed cost corollaries to maneuver through the ensuing storm.
Never look the gift-horse of “accounting by managerial inquiry” in the mouth, without first considering the source. Benefits to be achieved are the “higher level” of care by Claire’s Anteeks special employees and managers, who want to achieve best operating practices.
Frankincense and myrrh may only be tree sap, but like the gifts of managerial accountancy they are more precious than gold.
We in accounting management are recommending further classifications of internal costing strategies, using mixed costing technology. Internally at Claire’s Anteeks, our non-manufacturing costs and manufacturing costs can be flexible or capacity driven.
Direct and indirect costs organized by categories for “planning and evaluating” will benefit in-house security, and will make certain continuing growth and improvement of Claire’s Anteeks. Please read the following to see why I am so confident you will find compelling reasons to seek various cost strategies.
Yours truly,
Patrick Darnell
Ps. Your invoice is in the mail.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Virgin Blogger posting his first posthole
Thanks for listening.
Sheepsmell Swell
Sunday, November 19, 2006
RiskStorming
By Patrick Darnell
11/19/2006 Managing Project Risk and Opportunities
Project management is a liaison career, where the Project Manager is collecting information from stakeholders in the company he represents, and translating that into tasks to assign his subordinates and contractors to execute and take a project to completion. As projects roll along, the informed PM is responsible to inform his customer who hired his company in first place of how things are going. Customers will have suggestions, and upgrades, and second thoughts for pieces to drop and parts to add. Essentially, stakeholders will have last word input as to what fits core competency of their own company.
There is complexity to measure. It is implicit value our Project Manager adds as leader in his or her ability to handle divergence of strategies and risks. All core focus topics, including risk, are augmented by weighing and learning of the Project Manager. Thereby, the endorsed role, of Project Manager in charge of reserves of information to be doled out to various involved groups, is well defined.
Even when the Project Manager “brings up risk management and sees questioning looks in [the] eyes” of his project team members; his project knowledge intuition tells him that “all will soon realize that risk management means different things to different people” (Task Detail; 2006).
This discussion paper tries to pull together several layers of very comprehensive and lengthy bodies of information, to summarize the blending of many secondary resources for reason of illuminating some of the thinking behind management of risk.
Anticipating Risks
George Jucan in his review of PMBOK Third Edition “provides a comprehensive classification through knowledge area definitions.” This is useful because “...One of the main reasons to estimate project complexity is to be able to compare projects” (Jucan; June 21, 2006). For example:
In some cases, maybe the human resources aspect of the project needs special attention because of high turnover or labor unrest in the specific department. For fixed-price projects, maybe the cost dimension is more important, while the first project for a new customer might have an increased focus on scope management to fully satisfy the client (Jucan; June 21, 2006).
Project Manager’s role in defined terms is; he will be able to “summarize the above considerations, and apply [to] project complexity ...as project integration management [using] indicators that:”
· Consolidate indicators of other eight knowledge areas: scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, and procurement.
· Ask: Is it objective at organization level, to be valid for any undertaken project?
· Ask: Is it subjective at project level, to account for the unique characteristics of each project? (Jucan; June 21, 2006)
Chapter Eleven of the Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK, identifies risk management as one of the nine most important awareness structures. Using simple scales with three choices each for “probability and for impact” we can turn the confused facial expressions to concentration on responses to early warnings of risky business (PMBOK, 2004).
Risk Management is not the act of going through the proposals and pointing out why every task has a high potential to fail. No, that is not the higher purpose for understanding risk. Truer intention rises above this single-minded intuition; rather risk identification means to remove masks of risks inherent in all projects. A risk managed is a resource conserved.
Risk is Iterative
Risk management fits the iterative processes of project management like keys unlocking closed doors to opportunities that have doors to other opportunities. “Many processes are fashioned in response to critical cost areas, and to redundancy” that indicate and rectify risk (Krajewski, L J, & Ritzman, L P; 2005). A template for qualitative risk analysis might take a form like the one in Dick Billows article.
Achievement-Driven Project Management
Risk Event
Probability of Occurrence
Magnitude of Impact
From this survey, the bias of risk is in two areas: 1. the probability of occurrence, and 2. the magnitude of impact.
The language of Project Management is “intensely combed through for every project in iterative trials of cause and effect to cleanse to acknowledge best practices for each project. The work is amazingly correlated as simply: Realization >> Strategic Choice >> Tactical Contingency... Moreover, sub-processes today also employ sophisticated feedback tools developed to help in cost control;” the major indicator of risks: cost overruns (Bredillet, Christophe N; 2002).
Risk is beat down by frequent reporting, and auditing of changes in iterative vernacular. A risk identified and scoring high in both “probably will occur, with high magnitude of impact” is a risk that needs further study. And to make sure the additional study will be done with controlled experiments that provide quantitative results.
Conflict is an unavoidable pretext in project context, as each entity has unique and differing thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Therefore, it is important to learn ways to minimize and manage this difficulty, in order to ensure “efficient and harmonious iterative interactions during the project’s life-cycle” (CTUOnline, Live Chat; Nov 2006).
Risk Management
Dick Billows, PMP, GCA of 4PM says, “We can do a few minutes of risk management on even the smallest project and get good return for the effort. Dealing with risk does not have to be a paperwork jungle.” Project managers run the risk of “fighting fires for the rest of the project... [When] even a small project can under-take a simple risk assessment process,” at the first team meetings, says Billows. “Because the sponsor wants to start quickly without wasting time on things like risk management, Project Managers often skip the risk assessment process” (Billows, Dick, 2006).
The handiest way to “prioritize our risks in terms of their significance” (Billows) for the project -- “Automated Mobile Defense System, AMDS,” -- is to use qualitative techniques like the survey template above to pre-qualify certain risk areas for higher costing quantitative techniques of risk analysis. This team and project manager have been assigned to “lead Project X, which will design, develop, test, demonstrate and deploy 10 AMDS units to a location to be determined by the DOD assuming a successful demonstration” (CTUOnline, Task Detail; 2006).
The PMBoK framework provides the fundamentals of project management in respect to the type of project to be completed and is structured around 5 basic progression placeholders. Those progressive process groups are Initiate, Plan, Execute, Control, and Close.
George Jucan in his article Complexity Matters describes time savings is “at the start... Taking your time to measure before you cut is always good advice. In a Project Manager's world, spending the time to plan the project and open up probable risks is proven to dramatically increase the chances of success” in:
· Planning: defining the scope of the project risk and putting a value to it makes the necessary campaign to carry it out.
· Executing: Now that we have identified our project risk and planned for its purpose, our next step is to put our plan into action by adjusting and...
· Controlling: we monitor all aspects of the project risk. We review and check the integrity of all inputs and outputs in respect to the project threats.
· Closing: we make sure the final product has the quality and completion that was originally planned and that all risks are conserved in documentation and covered monetarily.
Therefore, the project starts with half a day of teams “risk-storming” to identify, and qualify risks in each of the sub-processes. After that they will determine the risks most impacting the life-cycle and put some heavier tools of quantitative analysis to work. This will have unlocked potential for increased probability and impact of events positive to the project.
Conclusion
The beauty of project management is that with knowledge and learning, the wheel doesn’t have to be re-invented each time a project begins. Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBoK, is a compilation of processes and knowledge areas generally accepted as best practices in context of Project Management discipline (pmi org, 2006). Each new project gives rise to opportunity to re-visit honesty and integrity. In a lifetime of projects, a little reliability goes a long way to satisfy all risks in projects.
References
Billows, Dick; (2006) Risk management & analysis prevention not lots of paperwork, 4PM Project management training and certification, Denver, CO, The Hampton Group
Bredillet, Christophe N; (2002) PMI July 14 2002, Seattle, International Educational Network, PPT, founding principles for the development of a value added network for global education
CTUOnline (November 2006) Live Chat, MPM450 03 0604B Managing Project Risk and Opportunities
CTUOnline (November 2006) Task Detail, MPM450 03 0604B Managing Project Risk and Opportunities
Encarta MSN online dictionary; (2003) English: American 2003
Jucan George, MSc, PMP, OCP, SSGB (June 21, 2006) Complexity Matters, [Gantt head]>home>departments>Project Portfolio Management, retrieved 10/10/06
Kotter, John P and Cohen, Dan S; (2002) the Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations (Hardcover) HBS Press Book, Pub. Date: June 17, 2002, 208p
Krajewski, L. J., & Ritzman, L. P. (2005) Operations Management Processes and Value Chains, 7th ed, Upper Saddle River, NJ, AK: Pearson Prentice Hall
PMBOK; (2004) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK Guide, third edition, 2004 project management Institute, 4 Campus Blvd, Newton Square, PA 19073 USA
Pmi org (2006) retrieved from web, Nov 15 2006 Project Management Institute (PMI) The Largest Project Management Association. Retrieved October 19, 2006, from pmi org info default asp
Friday, November 17, 2006
MSN says: Blog it and they will Come
"So is the hope of every blogger — or Web diarist — out there. Because everyone, whether they admit or not, wants to be heard, and a blog offers the perfect environment for just that.
Several of my readers have written to ask me what blogs ("Web logs") are all about. To be frank, I hadn't really been a big reader of blogs. But once I decided to delve deeper into the world of online Web logs and do some research, I discovered a brave new world out there. And sure, while I found some blogs to be pointless, others narcissistic, and yet others downright weird, I also discovered that there are many people out there who are interesting writers with unique perspectives on the world around them. In other words, I was pleasantly surprised, and it sucked the crabbiness right out of me — although my editor doesn't think so. (Regardless, don't worry; there are plenty of opportunities all around waiting to refill my crabby heart.)
You see, when the Internet first became a part of our common lexicon and people got a tiny amount of technical knowledge, personal Web pages became all the rage (and bane) of the Internet. I don't know how many of these are on the Net but I think I can safely say too many.
Blogs are a little different. While a blog can have many of the same qualities as a personal Web page, a blog is usually seen as more of a diary or a commentary, a core upon which a virtual community can form. (At least, that's my take on it, and from what I've read, there are as as many definitions for blog as there are bloggers.) Bloggers write about whatever is on their minds, be it personal, philosophical, or political. All of a sudden, their opinions are out there, for all to read, and their audience may just join them and create a community around one of their entries or ideas. And while personal Web pages were pretty much only for those who knew how to code a Web page, blogs can be created by anyone with an Internet connection since those who host blogs often provide the simple software and design choices that enable non-techie types to express themselves on the Web.
So what blogs are out there? There are blogs about hairless cats, blogs about politics, blogs extolling the virtues of nudist colonies, and blogs that serve the close-knit community of scientists studying the mating habits of paramecium. In other words, there are almost as many blogs as there are reasons to blog. And, according to comScore Networks, a company that provides information regarding consumer behavior in various industries, nearly 50 million Americans, or about 30 percent of the total U.S. Internet population, visited blogs in the first quarter (Q1) of 2005. That is a lot of people reading, interacting, and listening to what you have to say.
A blog by any other name is still a weird word
As I mentioned at the beginning of the column, as human beings, we have this need to express ourselves, and a blog is the perfect place to do that. Now, expression, as we know, comes in many forms, and so do blogs. Some blogs are strictly text based: the writer — or "blogger" — writes an entry every day, week, or however often he decides. If he develops a following of sorts, the audience expects to see his entries at certain intervals, and so a sort of community is formed. Some blogs incorporate photos, video clips, and lists, such as a list of links to other blogs or any other kind of sites. Sometimes readers of blogs can even provide comments, thereby enhancing the feeling of community.
So you can see why this type of communication is really catching on: If you nurture and pay attention to your blog, you can create a community out of thin air around yourself and your interests. For example, consider the blogs that gained notoriety during the last national election: Many of these bloggers became somewhat famous as their communities grew, and they were granted entry into the circles normally reserved for mainstream journalists.
Blogs can also be oriented toward business; they can perform such duties as exposing new products, or acting as forums to talk about everything from new inventions to changes in business practices. Remember that number of 50 million blog visitors in Q1 2005? Imagine the countless ways in which you can reach, connect, and correspond with your current — and prospective — customers.
You can see why blogs are growing more popular: It only takes a few minutes to set up a blog and it doesn't require that you be a computer geek.
Everyone else has one; I want one too
...and so now I have one. That's right: Crabby has her own blog. And while my blog isn't really where I post commentary and opinions, it is a place to read my column. But even better than that, you can access my blog (and therefore my column) using RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. RSS allows you to subscribe to "feeds," or content, from several sources and automatically combines the information into one list, a list that is contained in an RSS reader. You can quickly browse the list without visiting each site to search for new information of interest to you. It's ingenious, really; you don't have to bookmark all your favorite sites (such as my archive page); you just check in with your reader, see what's new and read what you want. When you subscribe to my blog on MSN Spaces via RSS, the moment I publish a notice that I have a new column, you can go and read it. Or, you can just read the intro and decide the content isn't for you right now.
More information about Crabby's blog
Get the latest Crabby columns with RSS.This article explains what RSS is
Crabby's Corner on MSN SpacesThis is my actual blog
Crabby RSS feedThis is a link to the place that explains how to subscribe to my RSS feed
Now, if after reading this column you're all hot to create a blog of your own, visit MSN Spaces. They make it nice and easy to get started and make your voice heard." (November 17, 2006)
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