Microsoft Internet Marketing Strategies and Competitive Advantage

Microsoft Internet Marketing Strategies and Competitive Advantage Introduction Internet technology inspired a business and commerce revolution not witnessed before. Once used for military purposes, internet communication nowadays provides an important platform for business to business, and business to customer interaction. Company websites have become primary tools where potential customers source for information on particular corporate products before making the actual purchase.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Microsoft Internet Marketing Strategies and Competitive Advantage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, websites have become important cost-effective marketing platforms where businesses launch products and display crucial marketing information for the end users (Arnold, J. et al, 2011, p. 56). Despite the unmistakable advantage however, the rise of the internet and other online technologies have led to creation of security loopholes that, when maliciously explo ited, negatively exposes the concerned businesses (Garfinkel Spafford, 2002, p. 48). This discussion will focus on internet technology, marketing and security from the perspective of Microsoft, a leading US software development firm whose products like windows have become a household name. Specifically, the discussion will concentrate on description and evaluation of Microsoft’s website in terms of product information, corporate contact information, tailoring of products for customers based on their taste and provision of customer information at purchase. Additionally, there will be an analysis and evaluation of Microsoft’s privacy and security policies as well as the envisaged corporate response to a security breach. In this regard, there will be special emphasis on a security breach on the company’s website and system sometime on October this year, which caused a scare among customers and prompted a quick reaction from Microsoft’s security team. Furthe rmore, the discussion will tackle the company’s internet marketing strategies and the competitive advantage that its website offers. Finally, there will be recommendations on two tools that the author feels are necessary in the firm to ensure greater security for its customers.Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Microsoft Website A corporate website is a business’s online window and a vital gateway to online business success (Catalano Smith, 2000, p. 118). While a â€Å"good† corporate website is relative, web content in any credible website must identify specific problems to which they extend solutions to customers as well as the important goals they help customers attain. Additionally, web content must establish credibility and also present a call to action that nudges the customer to take the next step in buying the product or service. In Microsoftâ⠂¬â„¢s case, the website home page conspicuously displays the tabs linking to product information. Though a bit cluttered, the respective pages provide a somewhat brief explanation of the products under software, business software and hardware and entertainment categories. The approach the company has undertaken in dispensing its product information is understandable given the large portfolio of the products they offer under every category. The layout through the product information arrangement in the pages displays a subtle acknowledgement of the size of the product portfolio hence the efforts to balance the information available. In a nutshell, Microsoft’s website offers precise product information that is necessary and enough to help a potential customer make an informed decision. On a face value, the company’s website has not given any special emphasis on the contact information. The website displays the â€Å"contact us† tab in the traditional way that is c haracteristic of most corporate and private websites. The â€Å"contact us† link however leads to a detailed page that offers e-mail, chat and telephone links through which to reach the company. The above three links further have sub links that easily enable a prospective customer to access the required information with more precision. It is necessary however, to enhance the â€Å"contact us† link on the home page in a way that enhances a â€Å"good† customer service perception.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Microsoft Internet Marketing Strategies and Competitive Advantage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is a concerted effort to develop products to the specific needs of customers. Given the dynamic and varying nature of corporate needs, Microsoft’s website has done well in expounding the basic meaning of products, where they suit and where they best fit. One of the stren gths the website displays concerning customization of products for customers is avoidance of blanket statements that tend to lure customers with the belief that the company can sort their software problems â€Å"no matter what they are†. Microsoft’s website lacks an online portal that will enable customers place online orders, perhaps due to the complexity and specificity of the company’s products. It is apparent that the company relies on the contact information â€Å"further assistance† and possibly for provision of customer information on purchase. As a result, there is an acute lack of customer purchase information in the website. Despite the links however, it is a strategic failure for the website not to avail such information even in the most general terms. Microsoft Internet Marketing Strategies and Competitive Advantage Initially, Microsoft’s resources and innovation helped it to enjoy some sort of monopoly status in internet and software d evelopment market. However, the company nowadays is facing stiff completion from counterfeits and other rising companies such as Google and Apple (Boone Kurtz, 2011, p. 175). The company has in place a marketing strategy that places emphasis on internet marketing. Some of the internet strategies include, collaboration with social networking sites especially aimed at promoting its search engine Bing, placing ads in rival search engines and promoting offers through their main website (Beyazitoglu, 2010, p. 98). While the above strategies are likely to pay dividends, they are part of the traditional internet marketing strategies whose effectiveness is likely to face limitation. However, social networking sites are yet to give their full potential in terms of marketing, hence it is a smart strategy which the company needs to improve and concentrate on in order to stay competitive.Advertising Looking for research paper on it? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to McDaniel Gitman (2008, p. 108), competitive advantage is largely based on a company’s ability to outdo competitors by doing what they do better or by doing it in a completely different way. While Microsoft’s website is up to date, it offers little competitive advantage compared to its rivals. The only competitive advantage perhaps the website provides is the fact that is offers the company’s flagship products like Windows which have almost become a necessity for all computer users. Privacy/ Security Policy and Response to Security Breach In the backdrop of increased corporate espionage, web security has become a top priority in many organizations (Mackey, 2003, p. 78). Microsoft has an elaborate privacy policy that clearly stipulates the kind of information the company collects from the website and what it uses it for. According to the policy, the company clarifies that it collects personal information with a customer’s consent, explains the uses of the personal information, gives information on how to contact it in case of any issue regarding privacy and also highlights on a customer’s choices and options concerning promotional communication from the company. Generally, the policy is comprehensive and addresses most of the concerns an average Microsoft website users would be interested in regarding privacy. It is important to note that Microsoft has one of the most elaborate cyber security systems in the corporate world (Ratliff Ballard, 2006, p. 24). Despite assurance of security of personal information in the website, an attack on the website in October this year cast doubt on the company’s ability to detect and repulse hackers out to siphon information. In the attack, hackers remotely transferred source codes from the Microsoft website by sending passwords to an external e-mail account in Russia. The attack that according to the company lasted for 12 days used the QAZ Trojan malware which gained acce ss to the company system through an employee e-mail. It is possible that Microsoft did not secure their network’s access points effectively exposing their remote access system that resulted in security breakdown. The company’s response to the breach included invitation of FBI Computer Analysis Response Team that examined the company’s PC’s and including a review of network logs whose sole aim was to detect traceable fingerprints of the intruder. Additionally, Microsoft blocked and in some cases limited access of some of its employees to its network outside their office. By this action, Microsoft prevented a return of any hacker to its network. Security Recommendations In light of the above security breach it is important that the company beefs up its virus scanning/protection as well as network access point protection. The above attack may have happened due to a breakdown of virus and access point protection systems. Logging systems also have become some of the most vulnerable security points in any network system (Bhasin, 2003, p. 67). It is also important that the company disables unused ports besides initiating close monitoring of the logging system. Conclusion Given its ability to help businesses slash costs like in the case of Dell, the internet’s potential in business and commerce is yet to reach its epitome. Besides e-commerce, there are still more innovative applications that corporations are yet to exploit. Growing global access to the internet, especially by previously unreached populations especially in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe offer a great marketing opportunity. However, the threat from illegal intrusion is also growing by the day. It is therefore prudent for corporations to invest in secure internet technologies through research and development in order to ensure safe internet transactions, while guarding against data theft. References Arnold, J. et al. (2011). Web Marketing All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies. New York: Springer Verlag. Beyazitoglu, F. (2010). Business Marketing the Case of Microsoft. New York: John Wiley Sons. Bhasin, S. (2003). Web security basics. London: Sage Publications. Boone, L.E. Kurtz, L.D. (2011). Contemporary Marketing. New York: Springer. Catalano, F. Smith, B.E. (2000). Internet marketing for dummies. NJ: Infobase Publishers. Garfinkel, S. Spafford, G. (2002). Web security, privacy and commerce. London: McGraw-Hill. Mackey, D. (2003). Web security: for network and system administrators. New York: Routledge. McDaniel, C. Gitman, L.J. (2008).The Future of Business: The Essentials. London: Cengage Learning. Ratliff, B. Ballard, J. (2006). Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004. Chicago: Cengage Learning.

Ethics, Values, and Career Success

Ethics, Values, and Career Success One of the most important personal successes in society is career success. A person's values and later his ethics are the building blocks of a successful career. Achieving career success leads to a higher level of personal fulfillment. Understanding one's values can help to choose a career path that is conducive to his development as a person. Values are usually the result of acceptable cultural behavior and learned behavior from families. Values tend to lead to goals and ethics help a person to reach those goals.People hold certain beliefs concerning the aspects of work. These beliefs show how people should conduct themselves and what type of challenges the work environment will offer to them. Work values include several general categories. These include extrinsic or instrumental values, intrinsic and cognitive values, relational or social values, and power or self-enhancement values (Ravlin, 2007). Values, defined by businessdictionary.com, are important or endearing beliefs shared by members of a culture about what is good or desirable and what is not.Work values will differ based on a culture from a certain region or nation. Work values influence perceptions of people in a work environment when contexts are not clearly defined. Values also influence behavioral decisions. Values also lead to goals, which lead to certain behaviors. Certain values play more important roles in influencing particular behavior. "For example, dominant honesty value produces more ethical decisions" (Ravlin, 2007, p. 909). The relationship between work values and behavior play sometimes small roles and other times larger roles depending on the situation. Work value similarities generate a more productive work environment and positive attitudes. Values are the building blocks for ethics (Work Values, 2007).Values and ethics are both very important in careers and professional environments. Ethics as defined by Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary Unabridged...

Physics Fields and Disciplines of Study

Physics Fields and Disciplines of Study Physics is the branch of science which is concerned with the nature and properties of non-living matter and energy that are not dealt with by chemistry or biology, and the fundamental laws of the material universe.  As such, it is a huge and diverse area of study. In order to make sense of it, scientists have focused their attention on one or two smaller areas of the discipline. This allows them to become experts in that narrow field, without getting bogged down in the sheer volume of knowledge that exists regarding the natural world. The Fields of Physics Physics is sometimes broken into two broad categories, based on the history of the science: Classical Physics, which includes studies that arose from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 20th century; and Modern Physics, which includes those studies which have been begun since that period. Part of the division might be considered scale: modern physics focuses on tinier particles, more precise measurements, and broader laws that affect how we continue to study and understand the way the world works. Another way to divide physics is applied or experimental physics (basically, the practical uses of materials) versus theoretical physics (the building of overarching laws as to how the universe works). As you read through the different forms of physics, it should become obvious that there is some overlap. For example, the difference between astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology can be virtually meaningless at times. To everyone, that is, except the astronomers, astrophysicists, and cosmologists, who can take the distinctions very seriously. Classical Physics Before the turn of the 19th century, physics concentrated on the study of mechanics, light, sound and wave motion, heat and thermodynamics, and electromagnetism. Classical physics fields that were studied before 1900 (and continue to develop and be taught today) include: Acoustics: The study of sound and sound waves. In this field, you study mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids. Acoustics includes applications for seismic waves, shock and vibration, noise, music, communication, hearing, underwater sound, and atmospheric sound. In this way, it encompasses earth sciences, life sciences, engineering, and the arts.Astronomy: The study of space, including the planets, stars, galaxies, deep space, and the universe. Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, using mathematics, physics, and chemistry to understand everything outside of the Earths atmosphere.Chemical Physics: The study of physics in chemical systems. Chemical physics focuses on using physics to understand complex phenomena at a variety of scales from the molecule to a biological system. Topics include the study of nano-structures or chemical reaction dynamics.Computational Physics: The application of numerical methods to solve physical problems for which a quantitative theory already exists. Electromagnetism: The study of electrical and magnetic fields, which are two aspects of the same phenomenon.Electronics: The study of the flow of electrons, generally in a circuit.Fluid Dynamics / Fluid Mechanics: The study of the physical properties of fluids, specifically defined in this case to be liquids and gases.Geophysics: The study of the physical properties of the Earth.Mathematical Physics: Applying mathematically rigorous methods to solving problems within physics.Mechanics: The study of the motion of bodies in a frame of reference.Meteorology / Weather Physics: The physics of the weather.Optics / Light Physics: The study of the physical properties of light.Statistical Mechanics: The study of large systems by statistically expanding the knowledge of smaller systems.Thermodynamics: The physics of heat. Modern Physics Modern physics embraces the atom and its component parts, relativity and the interaction of high speeds, cosmology and space exploration, and mesoscopic physics, those pieces of the universe that fall in size between nanometers and micrometers. Some of the fields in modern physics are: Astrophysics: The study of the physical properties of objects in space. Today, astrophysics is often used interchangeably with astronomy and many astronomers have physics degrees.Atomic Physics: The study of atoms, specifically the electron properties of the atom, as distinct from nuclear physics which considers the nucleus alone. In practice, research groups usually study atomic, molecular, and optical physics.Biophysics: The study of physics in living systems  at all levels, from individual cells and microbes to animals, plants, and entire ecosystems. Biophysics overlaps with biochemistry, nanotechnology, and bio-engineering, such as the derivation of the structure of DNA from X-ray crystallography. Topics can include bio-electronics, nano-medicine, quantum biology, structural biology, enzyme kinetics, electrical conduction in neurons, radiology, and microscopy.Chaos: The study of systems with a strong sensitivity to initial conditions, so a slight change at the beginning quickly become major changes in the system. Chaos theory is an element of quantum physics and useful in celestial mechanics. Cosmology: The study of the universe as a whole, including its origins and evolution, including the Big Bang and how the universe will continue to change.Cryophysics / Cryogenics /Low-Temperature Physics: The study of physical properties in low-temperature situations, far below the freezing point of water.Crystallography: The study of crystals and crystalline structures.High Energy Physics: The study of physics in extremely high energy systems, generally within particle physics.High-Pressure Physics: The study of physics in extremely high-pressure systems, generally related to fluid dynamics.Laser Physics: The study of the physical properties of lasers.Molecular Physics: The study of the physical properties of molecules.Nanotechnology: the science of building circuits and machines from single molecules and atoms.Nuclear Physics: The study of the physical properties of the atomic nucleus.Particle Physics: The study of fundamental particles and the forces of their interaction.Plasma Ph ysics: The study of matter in the plasma phase. Quantum Electrodynamics: The study of how electrons and photons interact at the quantum mechanical level.Quantum Mechanics / Quantum Physics: The study of science where the smallest discrete values, or quanta, of matter and energy become relevant.Quantum Optics: The application of quantum physics to light.Quantum Field Theory: The application of quantum physics to fields, including the fundamental forces of the universe.Quantum Gravity: The application of quantum physics to gravity and unification of gravity with the other fundamental particle interactions.Relativity: The study of systems displaying the properties of Einsteins theory of relativity, which generally involves moving at speeds very close to the speed of light.String Theory / Superstring Theory: The study of the theory that all fundamental particles are vibrations of one-dimensional strings of energy, in a higher-dimensional universe. Sources and Further Reading Simonyi, Karoly. A Cultural History of Physics. Trans. Kramer, David. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2012.Phillips, Lee. The Never-Ending Conundrums of Classical Physics. Ars Technica, August 4, 2014.Teixeira, Elder Sales, Ileana Maria Greca, and Olival Freire. The History and Philosophy of Science in Physics Teaching: A Research Synthesis of Didactic Interventions. Science Education 21.6 (2012): 771–96. Print.

Database Design and Implementation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Database Design and Implementation - Assignment Example A major downside of this site is that it is very slow. The seller is not required to pay any fee for posting an item for sale. The sites has strong measures and applications installed that ensures that it is fraud proof and the sellers can list as many items as they want as opposed to most online purchasing sites. E-bay is one of the leading online shopping market place where buyers and sellers transact a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. It has become a multi-billion dollar company after it was founded back in 1995. It has included buy-it-now as a standard shopping, an expansion from its original auction format. A number of items, from cars to antiques, are listed by a seller who then chooses to only accept bids for the item thus enabling the buyer to purchase the item immediately. The first buyer eager to pay the sellers stated price gets the item on a buy-it-now option. All the three sites have five major entities that is; the auction, product, payment, seller and the buyer. Of the four entities only three are actively involved at any given time, mostly, the auction, product and the buyer. The three entities have major common attributes across the three sites most of which were identified as the generic attributes. The product id, seller/.buyer id and the product id alongside other attributes formed the major attributes across the three sites. The other attributes that were rejected were either irrelevant or less important and could be retrieved through the major attributes such as the auction, seller/buyer or product ids. Normalizing the possible tables consisting of the entities alongside their attributes led to the rejection or dropping off of some attributes to avoid data redundancy. The product name, product description, product prices and product image from the auction table can be compressed into a different table named product with a primary key being product id. The auction table therefore will be normalized

Impact of TESOL Continuing Professional Development programs (CPDs) Research Paper

Impact of TESOL Continuing Professional Development programs (CPDs) - Research Paper Example Impact of TESOL Continuing Professional Development programs (CPDs) Therefore, despite the numerous continues development programs available, the success of such programmes are measured by how best such trainees are able to transfer knowledge gained to their respective duties, skills improvement, in addition to job performance. Due to developments in information technology, there are increasing perceptions that ICT has resulted in major improvements in education, and may transform the learning process when implemented effectively (Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005). However, there are still arguments that discussions on ICT improving education are far-fetched, and that ICT has not always resulted to outright improvement of such programs (Smeets, 2005). Therefore, effectiveness of such teachers training programs related to ICT and other platforms have resulted in different findings depending on how such learning programs are implemented in different learning environments. This paper examines the challenges and impact of various professional training programs on both teachers and students. The article investigates several research papers on professional training programs, and outlines various findings to make a general summary regarding the impact of such programs. Short in-service teacher training (INSET) courses are one way in which the skills and knowledge of teachers may be revitalized through enhancing their skills and knowledge on specific aspects.... INSET courses are aimed at facilitating and stimulating new ideas in teachers and as a platform for teachers to meet and share with new colleagues their experiences and skills. However, the impact of the INSET courses according to Lamb may not be effectively realized without proper follow up of the participants. The motivation and stimulus gained by teachers is fast eroded and teachers are frustrated when trying to implement all newly learned ideas; teachers enroll in such professional development courses to learn new ideas, but have difficulties applying the learned concepts and ideas in a static learning system, which does not encourage or facilitate them to apply such ideas (Lamb, 2005). This brings about tensions and frustrations in teachers. However, Bridges (2007) in a controlled group trial on the effectiveness of INSET reports the group actually registered impressive growth in skills, though on what the researcher termed as cautious positive results in an intensive immersion INSET. A study on Tanzania primary teachers on INSET programs showed that such INSET trained teachers were much better in introducing and developing lessons, in addition to involving students in class group work, which was found to improve learning (Hardman & Dachi, 2012). However, in another study, Bridges (2007) asserted that multiple assessments resulted in a lower self-reporting as the participants did not have enough time to express their concerns in the learning process. Despite this, INSET was found to have a varied degree of positive growth in knowledge acquisition. This reveals that measurement of the programme’s success in this case has to be based on enough feedback from such teachers, and how best class lessons improve. One way to measure the success of INSET programme in

Compare and contrast the fixed and flexible budgets Assignment

Compare and contrast the fixed and flexible budgets - Assignment Example However, in unstable business scenario, flexible budget is always more relevant as it helps the business to effectively manage possible changes in the business environment, which would be hazardous if not well managed. Therefore, budget managers are usually faced with the task of adopting the right type of budget for their organisations depending on business situation. This paper explores fixed and flexible budgets, their differences, preparation procedures and functions. A fixed budget (static budget), is a type of budget that remains unchanged over the budget period regardless of changes in the level of activity of the organisation. A fixed budget is â€Å"prepared of for one level of activity for a definite time period† (Dutta 2004 p. 25). On the contrary, a flexible budget is a budget which is designed to change with changes in activity level. It is also referred to as variable budget because it takes into account cost behaviour, such as fixed and variable costs, in connection with changes in output level or turnover (Weygandt, Kieso & Kimmel 2010). A fixed budget remains constant relative to the variation in the actual level of activity attained. This makes it inflexible. On the other hand, a flexible budget changes with the variation in the level of actual activity, which makes it flexible (Tulsian & Tulsian 2005). A fixed budget is developed based on one level of activity and relies on the assumption that no change will occur in the prevailing circumstances, which is impractical. On the other hand, a flexible budget is based on various levels of activity (Weygandt, Kieso & Kimmel 2010). In a fixed budget, all costs are related to a single level of activity. As such, variance analysis fails to provide valuable information about cost differences. On contrary, flexible budget analyses each cost on the ground of cost behaviour and thus gives important information about cost variances (Tulsian & Tulsian 2005). Under fixed budgets, the comparison of

Nanotechnology and water purification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Nanotechnology and water purification - Essay Example It has been proved that contaminated water is the worldwide cause of death and is responsible for different complex diseases to have affected mankind as well as plants and other marine animals. Industries too, are facing major obstacles in the path of advancement, because of this problem. Water is the elixir of life without which any living creature cannot survive. The problem is that since it is so vital to mankind, human beings are unable to stop using water whether it is for drinking or external uses. There is no substitute for water and all countries ranging from the developed Western countries like the UK, USA or Germany to developing nations like India, Brazil, China and under-developed countries like South America and Africa, are facing this major problem of water pollution. Water is the main element for survival for every living being and so, paradoxically, it is also where bacteria and germs thrive and water becomes the breeding ground for new germs which are capable of killing humans and other animals. The Industrial revolution which made things easier for mankind is also responsible for water pollution. Ironically, it is the increased levels of contaminated water which are also creating havoc for these very industries whose existence in the first place gave rise to water pollution. But, no steps are being taken to curb this menace. To safeguard itself from the devastating effects of contaminated water, mankind came up with different ways to purify water so that it could be 100percent pure and germ-free. Human beings began by simply boiling water because the process of boiling water sterilizes it so that it becomes germ-free and fit for human consumption. Then they discovered that chlorine and iodine could also be used for purifying water but it was found to be leaving a strange after-taste. At last, they started purifying water by using the process of osmosis and reverse osmosis. (Meyer,