Mock meeting Free Essays

IMO or other proper name which is convenience for you to pronounce. I am the only one son at mine family , mine father was a businessman and mine mother was a housewife. I have pass mine primary school at S. We will write a custom essay sample on Mock meeting or any similar topic only for you Order Now R. J. K. C AND secondary school in S. M. K Amelia. Basically, I quite active during mine secondary school , for example , I have represent mine school as a badminton player at MRS. Amelia and I also represent mine school in the BBS competition, and I get second on that particular competition as well. As a result , I get a very good comment from mine secondary school as well. As you information which I have mention in mine resume, I am a fresh graduate from MUM Amelia with the course Bachelor of Business Administration Honor Marketing Management last year. During the internship , I have learn more Clearly about marketing which we can’t learn on the textbook . I have a real experience on that during mine internship at . Overall I have several strengthen and weakness which I would like to addressed (a,b)(a,b). Whatever I am a fresh graduate but I have some working experience which is I have been work as promoter for White COFFEE for Super For around a year during mine weekend holiday. ‘ have been award winning customer satisfaction and interpersonal skills during mine part time work . You can refer at the resume which have submitted as well . Furthermore , I could speak fluently in Hookier , Japanese and Korean . 1 am can speak well In Bases Malaysia , English and Chinese as well . Moreover , I am able to using the basic computer operating system Microsoft Office and Window 7 , even Window 8. Now, I also taking night course for UBS control system at Sinai College . Just Like what the phrases mention , study never stop or effecting by any of the factor . How to cite Mock meeting, Papers

Asset Allocation and Audit Attributes †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Asset Allocation and Audit Attributes. Answer: Introduction The Audi is a German automobile manufacturer that design, engineers, market, produces and distributes the luxury vehicles. This brand is a member of the Volkswagen group and having the roots at Germany, Bavaria, Ingolstadt. The report talks about the brand analysis of the Audi, it includes the brand equity, brand resonance model, and the brand asset allocation. The paper also shows the assessment of the performance of the brand considering the BAV BRANDZ models. Based on the overall analysis it shows the most suitable model that reflect the equity of the Audi. Audi AG is a German company that was funded by the August Horch in the year 1910. The brand involves the manufacturing and the designing of the luxurious automobiles and the SUVs. Since the brand came into the existence it is serving the elite and technophiles groups. It has been focusing on the technology and the innovation. The logo of the brand is 4 rings' that indicated the four autonomous motor-vehicle manufactures that include DKW, Audi, Horch, and Wanderer. The brand quality refers to as the commercial value that derives from customer perception in regards to the brand name of particular service or product. The brand AUDI has been playing a significant role in the groups of brands. The brand service is available for the high and the middle-income people. The cars of the Audi brand are fulfilling the demand of the customers such as comfort, speed, and reliability which is improving the perception of the customer towards the brand (Gurhan-Canli, Hayran, and Sarial-Abi, 2016). The vehicles of Audi were able to achieve the hearts of the people with the help of the combination of the luxury speed and the affordability. This is the reason that the brand equity of the Audi is increasing because of the global subsidiary availability. This is making the customer aware of the services provided by the brand. The brand has formed the repair and the assembly points in major markets across the world so that they can make the car affordable for custom ers. Brand resonance of Audi The brand resonance shows the relationship that the customer has with the product. Brand having the strong resonance will be able to get the benefit from the increased customer loyalty along with the decreased vulnerability (Huang, Yen, Liu, and Chang, 2014). Audi is filled with the quality in this model of resonance: Brand Salience:- Brand sailence talks about the awareness of the brand, Audi has strong awareness after BMW. The brand consists of the High depth/ high breadth. The brand is having the high digital recognition that is 9 million facebook like. The brand contains the strong heritage. Approximately 93% of the consumers recognize the brand, and 74.32% consumers recall the brand. Brand performance:- The Audi is continuously bringing the change in the performance. Audi is continuously bringing improvement in the performance of the products they are delivering (Tolba, and Hassan, 2009). The brand reduced the emission to break their own records with 24th Du Mands winner Audi R8. The brand introduced Quttro which is 4WD (four-wheel-drive-system). this technology was built by the brand to enhance the performance of the race car. Audi always comes up with new innovation and technology such as Audi TT Offroad concept, Audi TFSI engine technology. Brand imagery:- Brand imagery is the aesthetic appearance of the brand's core messaging. Sports and innovation is the brand imagery of audio. The brand products show that the brand is for the modern customer who is looking for the sporty automobiles (Varol, 2016). Audi is the successful brand in the eyes of the customers. it is the preference of the people who are looking for different and sporty cars (Magnusson, Krishnan, Westjohn, and Zdravkovic, 2014). Brand judgments:- The judgment talks about the preference of the customer's opinion and evaluation (Andehn, M., Andehn, LEspoir Decosta, and LEspoir Decosta, 2016). The customer believes that the brand is continuously improving the quality and it is able to regain the credibility after the 80s reputation. Design of the cars of the audio is becoming a strength of the brand as per customers. The customers of the brand feel smarter and they will be able to challenge the old conventions and the habits. The respondents of the Audi Brand are emotional associations that consist of the prestige, power, beauty, safety and the happiness. Brand resonance:- The nature of the relationship that makes the customer feel that they are connected with the brand. Audi customers are engaged through social networks. The brand loyalty is relatively low due to the high competition but it is improving in last few years (Zarantonello, and Schmitt, 2013). Brand asset allocation The brand assets allocation is the allocation fo the funds by the brand to get the maximum benefit in low risk. The company believes in investing the amount in the development of the technology and the innovation to get the best result that can be used by the brand to create the distinct value of the brand product (Raftery, 2014). The Audi brand investment is supporting the brand with the values of the Olympic games continues to pay off. The shared symbol of the Audi brand that is interconnecting rings, these rings provide a powerful vision link that strengthens the brand connection with the customers. The success of the brand models leads to the differentiated market propositions for Audi. The brand reflects a high level of association and the awareness of the visual properties. The below model talks about the evaluation of brand equity which reflects the performance of the brand and the relation of the brand with their customers (Salamovska, and Todorovska, 2016). BAV model is used by the companies to measure the brand equity of thousands of brand across the world (Tavassoli, Sorescu, and Chandy, 2014). It consists of the four categories that are used by to evaluate the brand equity of AUDI. Differentiation- The customer believes that the products provided by the brand are unique and distinct from the other brands because the brand comes with a unique design with the innovation. Relevance- Consumers from high and middle-income group find it suitable for them, the reason being the brand is able to fulfill the demand of the comfort and speed. Appreciation- Every unique and distinct product launched by the Audi is getting the appreciation because every time the brand is coming up with updated technology and design along with the improved quality. Knowledge- The brand awareness of the Audi is increasing day by day, the customers are familiar with a brand. Though, the knowledge about the brand core meaning is lacking somewhere. Brandz model The brandz model is developed by the Milward Brown and WPP, which is the pyramid shape. The model shows the brand building of the company, it is also used to measure the performance of the company in terms of the brand (Ho-Dac, Carson, and Moore, 2013). It consists of the five parameters such as bonding, advantage, performance, relevance, and presence. Bonding- The uniqueness of the products and service provided by the Audi cannot be beaten by anyone else. Advantage- The Brand is providing luxury cars having different design and innovation in the products. The after sales service of the company is better from the other companies. Performance- It delivers the performance in terms of meeting the desired expectations of the customer from the brand. Relevance- It offers recognition to the customer in the society or in the market along with this it adds value to the status of the customers. Presence- The presence of the Audi brand is available globally, the products of the brand had played a vital role in enhancing the brand presence in the market. The above model is two different model which is used by the company for the evaluation of the brand equity of the company. This model speaks about the true picture of the company. Conclusion The report throws light on the brand quality of the Audi automobiles. The analysis of brand resonance model, BAV model, and the BRANDZ model is discussed which shows the brand relationship with the customers. A different model is used for the different purpose which is discussed in the report. Considering three model, according to me the brand resonance model is the most appropriate model that reflects the quality of the Audi brand. This model not only shows the relationship of the brand with the customers but it also shows the brand equity of the Audi. This model shows the six building blocks of the brand that talks about the brand equity of the company with the help of which company can easily evaluate the brand equity in one go. References Andehn, M., Andehn, M., LEspoir Decosta, P. and LEspoir Decosta, P., 2016. The variable nature of country-to-brand association and its impact on the strength of the country-of-origin effect. International Marketing Review, 33(6), pp.851-866. Gurhan-Canli, Z., Hayran, C. and Sarial-Abi, G., 2016. Customer-based brand equity in a technologically fast-paced, connected, and constrained environment. AMS review, 6(1-2), pp.23-32. Ho-Dac, N.N., Carson, S.J. and Moore, W.L., 2013. The effects of positive and negative online customer reviews: do brand strength and category maturity matter?. Journal of Marketing, 77(6), pp.37-53. Huang, C.C., Yen, S.W., Liu, C.Y. and Chang, T.P., 2014. The relationship among brand equity, customer satisfaction, and brand resonance to repurchase intention of cultural and creative industries in Taiwan. International Journal of Organizational Innovation (Online), 6(3), p.106. Magnusson, P., Krishnan, V., Westjohn, S.A. and Zdravkovic, S., 2014. The spillover effects of prototype brand transgressions on country image and related brands. Journal of International Marketing, 22(1), pp.21-38. Raftery, A.M., 2014. The size, cost, asset allocation and audit attributes of Australian self-managed superannnuation funds (Doctoral dissertation). Salamovska, S.M. and Todorovska, M., 2016. Brand Valuation and Marketing Assets AssessmentTheoretical Background vs. Contemporary Managerial Issues. strategic management, 21(4), pp.37-44. Tavassoli, N.T., Sorescu, A. and Chandy, R., 2014, December. Employee-based brand equity: Why firms with strong brands pay their executives less. American Marketing Association. Tolba, A.H. and Hassan, S.S., 2009. Linking customer-based brand equity with brand market performance: a managerial approach. Journal of Product Brand Management, 18(5), pp.356-366. Varol, S., 2016. Analyzing brand loyalty in automotive sector using the hidden Markov model and support vector machine. Lamar University-Beaumont. Zarantonello, L. and Schmitt, B.H., 2013. The impact of event marketing on brand equity: The mediating roles of brand experience and brand attitude. International Journal of Advertising, 32(2), pp.255-280. Zarantonello, L. and Schmitt, B.H., 2013. The impact of event marketing on brand equity: The mediating roles of brand experience and brand attitude. International Journal of Advertising, 32(2), pp.255-280.

The Natural Resources of the African Community

The write up is on the African community. In Africa, most of the natural resources such as water, forests, soils and many more are on the rapid rate of extinction due to man’s exploitative nature without putting up the right conservation measures. Man exploits these resources in order to get their daily needs. The high population rates and the level of poverty contribute a lot to this kind of behavior.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Natural Resources of the African Community specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this paper, energy, water and forests have been identified as the three main areas that can be improved. There has been a cry in Africa over the shortages on these vital resources whereby the members are forced to acquire them expensively, because of this, measures to ensure their conservation is necessary. For each of the above mentioned resource, actions can be taken to cut down on their misus e. For water, it is necessary to have the water act that sets regulations and ensures that they are followed to the letter. In the case of energy, it is necessary to look for alternative renewable source of energy that is least costly and is environmental sensitive. In the issue of forests, laws should be enacted to ensure that those who go against them are answerable and pay heavily for their actions. According to a research done by Mwingi Godfrey on the conservation of water in South Africa, the following is important to ensure a sustainable use; Pressure management, this will control the chances of pipe bursts thus reducing the amount of losses through leakages, and in connection to this is the repairing of the faulty pipes and tapes to reduce the leakages. It is also vital to put up water meters for drafting payment schedules, this reduce the amount of water used for both domestic and commercial purposes. Water used for washing dishes and in flushing toilets is also a lot; there fore, re-use should be considered as some water can be used twice, this is called grey water. Dual flush system should be adopted because of its minimal water usage. In case of irrigation, conservative measures should be applied such as mulching and watering at the right time to avoid wastage (Water conservation para. 4). On energy, it is important to consider all the types of renewable energy sources such as wind, tides and waves, solar and biogas energy. If these entire sources are harnessed then the cost on electricity can be greatly reduced. Solar and biogas are the most efficient sources of energy that can be embraced to ensure a cost effective use. Practices such as putting off lights and all electrical appliances when not in use should be implemented. Use of energy saving bulbs should not be ignored (Fourteenth session of the United Nations commission on sustainable development para. 5).Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In considering forest resources in Africa, it is important to ensure that growing more trees is encouraged by emphasizing on the plant two as you cut down one should be encouraged, looking for alternative sources of energy and construction materials to reduce on logging done daily. Education campaigns on the importance of forests should be carried out. Conservation of these resources is a long time process which requires a timeframe of not less than five years. For water conservation, all the above mentioned ideas can be implemented in twenty years time, this due to ignorance with the people in Africa and lack of required skills to implement the strategies. For energy, a period of more than twenty years can be possible considering the lack in technical knowhow, awareness and lack of money to adopt the renewable sources. This case applies to forests because carrying out awareness and huge amount of money is required to carry out a forestation process. In the process of implementing the earlier mentioned ideas in order to conserve the above resources, many challenges are experienced. These include lack of money for proper funding, ignorance by the people on the importance of the resources and how to conserve them, poverty level and high population growth is also a threat as people have no alternative to get their daily needs apart from exploiting them and others. In order to counter the challenges mentioned, it is important to seek funds from the developed countries, carry out campaigns to educate the people on the importance of the resources and hoe to use them sustainably and providing an alternative for each of the mentioned resource to ensure its sustainability. Works Cited Fourteenth session of the United Nations commission on sustainable development, Department of environmental and tourism affairs, SEP 2005. Web. Water conservation. SAAF Environmental services. Feb. 2009. 04 April,2011. http://www.af.m il.za/ecopages/water.htmAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Natural Resources of the African Community specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on The Natural Resources of the African Community was written and submitted by user Julissa C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Financial Services Report

Financial Services Industry Report In order to succeed in the global market, it is imperative to know the various global financial institutions and the sources of funds for international operations. This paper will identify the role of financial institutions in the global economy and explore changes this industry will be experiencing during the next decade. In addition, this paper will demonstrate the impact these changes will have on Campbell Soup Company. Financial institutions have the ability to serve as agents for its clients providing financial services. These services include, but are not limited to the facilitation of money, such as credit; investments-related services; stock exchange; and any other accounting or finance services. The global financial system (GFS) refers to those financial institutions and regulations that act on the international level, as opposed to those that act on a national or regional level (Global financial system, 2005, p1). The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank are considered to be the most important international institutions. The Internal Monetary Fund acts as a lender of last resort to governments in financial distress, e.g. balance of payments crisis, currency crisis and debt default. Decisions are based on quotas, or the amount of money a country provides to the fund (IMF at a glance, 2005, p1). The World Bank aims to provide funding, take up credit risk or offer favorable terms to development projects mostly in developing countries that could not be obtained by the private sector (What is the World Bank, 2005, p1). The only global international organization that deals with the regulations of trade between nations and settles trade disputes and negotiates international trade agreements is the World Trade Organization (What is the WTO, 2005, p1). An important area of international finance is the financing international trade and ... Free Essays on Financial Services Report Free Essays on Financial Services Report Financial Services Industry Report In order to succeed in the global market, it is imperative to know the various global financial institutions and the sources of funds for international operations. This paper will identify the role of financial institutions in the global economy and explore changes this industry will be experiencing during the next decade. In addition, this paper will demonstrate the impact these changes will have on Campbell Soup Company. Financial institutions have the ability to serve as agents for its clients providing financial services. These services include, but are not limited to the facilitation of money, such as credit; investments-related services; stock exchange; and any other accounting or finance services. The global financial system (GFS) refers to those financial institutions and regulations that act on the international level, as opposed to those that act on a national or regional level (Global financial system, 2005, p1). The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank are considered to be the most important international institutions. The Internal Monetary Fund acts as a lender of last resort to governments in financial distress, e.g. balance of payments crisis, currency crisis and debt default. Decisions are based on quotas, or the amount of money a country provides to the fund (IMF at a glance, 2005, p1). The World Bank aims to provide funding, take up credit risk or offer favorable terms to development projects mostly in developing countries that could not be obtained by the private sector (What is the World Bank, 2005, p1). The only global international organization that deals with the regulations of trade between nations and settles trade disputes and negotiates international trade agreements is the World Trade Organization (What is the WTO, 2005, p1). An important area of international finance is the financing international trade and ...

Bioinformatics assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bioinformatics - Assignment Example Tasks 1-7 are related to the material in Section B. Task 8 is to be found in Section C and uses the peptide sequence that was allocated to you. Marks are shown in parentheses. Task 1 (no marks) Write down the peptide sequence (near the start of section B) in single letter format (put a space between each letter): C G L V P V L A E N Y N K S Task 2 (8 marks) What do you conclude about the top seven matches for the peptide sequence? The results show that the matches are all peptide sequences which code for transferrin protein, except for one match, ICA, which codes for an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase in pigs. The sequence matches code for different forms of transferrin proteins in various species. For example the 14 amino acid sequence is codes for serotransferrin in humans while it forms part of the protein code for lactotransferrin in horse. This shows that the same peptide sequence codes for the same protein in different species. Task 3 (1 + 1 marks) Write down: a) The number of amino acid residues: 698 b) The relative molecular mass (Mr): 77,064 Task 4 (2 marks) What are the details against TITLE? Protein Chain A: 329 residues Ligands: CO3 338(A) Metal: FE 339(A) Water: ?138 Task 5 (1 + 2 + 1 + 4 marks) a) What is the number of cleavages for pepsin (at pH 1.3)? 214 b) Why is the pH quoted? The pH can affect the catalyst activity of an enzyme. Extreme pH can denature the active site of the enzyme. pH also gives an idea of the optimum temperature at which the enzyme is able to work. Changes in pH affect the actions of the enzyme. Therefore, at different pH, the hydrolytic action of the pepsin differs. Therefore, it is important to quote the pH. c) What is the number of cleavages for trypsin? 79 d) By reference to average peptide fragment lengths, which of the above two enzymes would be better for producing peptides for amino acid sequencing (and why)? Pepsin can cleave at a greater number of sites than trypsin. This means that cleavage by pepsin can produce much shorter peptide fragments compared to cleavage by trypsin. For amino acid sequencing, usually if the peptide is less than 50 amino acid residues, there is no need to further cleave the peptide. The peptides which are 50 AA residues or less can be sequenced by a cyclic procedure, where the AA is first labelled, cleaved and indentified; the process is then repeated on the shortened fragment. However if the peptide is longer than 50 residues, there is a need to first shorten the protein chain before the cyclic procedure is carried out. This means that the enzyme which makes smaller fragments is suitable for sequencing in this case. Calculating the length of the peptide fragments: Pepsin: 698/214? 3 AA Trypsin: 698/79?8 AA In this case, pepsin makes a fragment which is equal to a single AA. This means that pepsin is more suitable. Task 6 (1 + 1 + 4 marks) a) What is the name of the amino acid residue to which carbohydrate is attached? Asparagine b) What is the position number of th is amino acid in the protein’s amino acid sequence? 432 c) How are sugars attached to proteins? Via glycosidic bonds Task 7 (1 + 1 + 1 + 4 marks) a) Number of disulphide bridges: 8 b) Number of strands: 13 c) Number of helices: 15 d) Why are disulphide bridges important for those proteins that have them? Disulphide bonds have an important role in the stability of proteins. They also help to bring about folding in the proteins. The disulphide bond lowers the entropy of the unfolded form of the protein, thus lowering its

Promoting Creativity for life Using Open-Ended Materials by walter F Essay

Promoting Creativity for life Using Open-Ended Materials by walter F. Drew and Baji Rankin - Essay Example The most vital of the creative arts is the teachers, families and the children who build up inner resources, making it potential, direct and a clear expression. The main aim of indulging in the creative arts is to pass the information, think critically, and have the mutual feeling that bonds the children with their teachers. The thoughts and feelings through locomotion and visual perceptions are elaborated through the procedure of playing and the creative arts that are formed. According to researches, children have spontaneous, creative self-expression which usually intensifies the sense of competence and the behavior that they portray as the mature to the adulthood stage. The passion of creative art formation is usually viewed as a playful behavior, where those involved have the willingness to collapse their daily rules and their effects. Play is based on the mind state, and it brings about the unexpected characters, the unlearned forms of free expression, the generation of association, which represent the distinct value of order and harmony, thus producing the sense of well being (Drew and Rankin 2004). Play and art formation, stimulate the acts of courage and is usually equal to the act of faith that caters for their belief outcomes. These are the actions require and builds resilience, advocacy, outcome and the capability to focus and act according to their intentions even of the outcome is usually renowned; when the children act to endure the uncertainty and the ambiguity that is usually supposed to enable them to pursue their immediate goals. These actions produce great sense of competence to the children, as they grow up to become reliable students. The children extend and deepen their comprehension through various experiences with the different materials used. This strategy is familiar to many early childhood t eachers, and it has been exhibited through the brain research, which implicates the

Tech Mahindras takeover | Analysis

Tech Mahindras takeover | Analysis 1. Research Question Will The takeover of Satyam Computers by Tech Mahindra be profitable to Mahindra and Tech Mahindra? The primary objective of this essay is to answer the above research question through primary and secondary data along with the use of various analytical tools in order to come up with an effective answer to the above question. The first company in the research question, Satyam Computers is an IT company which is prominent all over the world. My essay will investigate the aftermaths of one of the biggest scams in the world, the Rs 7000 crore scam committed by the chairman of Satyam Computers on the company. My essay also follows the second company mentioned in the research question, Tech Mahindra which decided to take over Satyam Computers as it was beneficial to them. On the whole, my essay will evaluate this takeover and predict whether this would be profitable to Tech Mahindra and its parent company Mahindra Mahindra. 2. Theoretical Framework To analyze my research question effectively, I will be applying various business theories to extract a considerable answer to my research question. I will be using the following theories and analytical tools in my essay:- SWOT Analysis Lewins force field Analysis PEST Analysis on the eve of takeover. The Wheel of Fortune- Post Merger and Pre Merger Analysis Graphs showing the rise and fall in share price before and after the takeover 3.Areas of study IB Business and Management HL Module 1: Mergers and acquisitions. Ethics and CSR. 4. Method of Research and Plan of Action I will undertake extensive research of the scam by investigating it in leading Business Magazines such as Business World and also include the various interviews that the chairman Mr. Ramalinga Raju has given since the scam. Secondary research will also include examining official documents like the letter of confession of Ramalinga Raju when he quoted the exact amount of the scam and also stated the reasons for it. Further research will also include visiting the Satyam Computers head office in Hyderabad and scheduling interviews with a leading manager from Tech Mahindra who was appointed at Satyam to smoothen conditions over there. Abstract Will The takeover of Satyam Computers by Tech Mahindra be profitable to Mahindra and Tech Mahindra? In this case, Tech Mahindra acquired a scam-hit Satyam Computers as they felt that it would be beneficial for them to strengthen their hold in the IT industry as it has done for itself in the Automobile industry. As The Mahindra Group does not have a strong presence in the IT sector, they have taken the decision to acquire Satyam Computers in order to have a stalwart hold in the IT sector. The main aspect which drew attention towards this project was why The Mahindra Group decided to acquire Satyam Computers. The motive behind this project is to analyze as to what were the reasons on behalf of Tech Mahindra to acquire Satyam Computers. Through research it has been found that there were many benefits for Tech Mahindra behind this acquisition. Through this acquisition, they would become the 4th largest IT firm in India and would also bring them a great deal of popularity in the IT sector. Tech Mahindra would be introduced to many new industries from manufacturing to financial services and also into the Aerospace industry as Satyam has a strong presence in the aerospace sector too. Hence, this acquisition would make them pioneers in the IT sector. After analyzing using the analytical tools, and rise in share price of Satyam as well as Tech Mahindra before and after its acquisition. It was concluded that Tech Mahindras acquisition of Satyam was in fact beneficial for Tech Mahindra. Hence, the final conclusion would be that Tech Mahindra, through this acquisition would improve not only the condition of Satyam but also the stand of The Mahindra Group in the IT sector. Introduction:- Background information of both the companies Tech Mahindra- The Mahindra Group, with a net worth of US $6.3 billion is one of the top 10 industrial houses in India. It is a market leader in multi-utility vehicles in the Indian market and worlds second largest producer of tractors. The Mahindra Group has a leading presence in the major sectors of the Indian economy including the financial services, trade, retail and logistics, automotive components, IT and Infrastructure. It is also the proud recipient of the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honor. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. The US based Reputation Institute recently ranked Mahindra among the top 10 Indian companies in its Global 200: The Worlds Best Corporate Reputations list. The Mahindra Group has many verticals of its business ranging from Automobiles to IT. Automobiles, Farm Equipment, Infrastructure and Real Estate, Engineering Services and IT are its main verticals. The IT vertical of Mahindras business is called Tech Mahindra. With more than 25000 employees, Tech Mahindra Ltd formerly known as Mahindra British Telecom (MBT) is an Indian Information Technology service provider headquartered in Pune, India. It is the 6th largest software exporter in India (Nasscoms, 2007) and 2nd largest Telecom Software Provider in India (Voice Data, 2007) and JV between Mahindra Mahindra Limited (MM) and British Telecommunications plc (BT). Tech Mahindra is a leading provider of solutions and services to the telecommunications industry, with a majority stake owned by Mahindra Mahindra Limited, in partnership with British Telecommunications plc. With total revenues of Rs 44,647 million in the year ended March 31, 2009, Tech Mahindra serves telecom service providers, equipment manufacturers, software vendors and systems integrators. Satyam Computers:- Satyam, Indias No. 4 software services exporter, was founded in 1987 by its chairman B Ramalinga Raju, who was born into a family of farmers. He started Satyam Computers with 20 employees and bagged multitude of IT projects from US companies. Satyam debuted on the Indian markets in 1991, followed by a listing in New York in 2001. In 2008, it launched a secondary listing on Euronext Amsterdam under NYSE Euronexts new fast path process for cross listings in New York and Europe. Satyam, based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, now has 52,865 employees. Satyam Computers is a leading global business and information technology Services Company, which delivers consulting, systems integration, and outsourcing solutions to clients in numerous industries across the globe. Satyam leverages deep industry and functional expertise, leading technology practices, and an advanced, global delivery model to help clients transform their highest-value business processes and improve their business performance. The companys professionals excel in engineering and product development, supply chain management, client relationship management, business process quality, business intelligence, enterprise integration, and infrastructure management, among other key capabilities. Satyam also caters other services such as Enterprise Integration and Infrastructure Management. It specializes in Sheet Metal Parts and Fabrication in the fields of Automobiles and Electrical Industries. Satyam Computers also has a strong presence in the Aerospace Industry. Satyam, who se clients include General Electric, Nestle, Qantas Airways, and Fujitsu, also specializes in business software, and offers back-office outsourcing and consulting services. It competes with local players such as Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and Infosys Technologies as also global majors such as IBM and Accenture, for outsourcing deals. PART iii- RESEARCH FINDINGS 3.1: Background information of the scam:- Though Mahindra Group has a strong hold in the Automobile sector, they felt the need to advance in the IT sector as Mahindra was a small player in the IT sector. They realized that the fastest way to grow in the IT sector was through Mergers and Acquisitions. In the year 2007, Mahindra started scouting for companies to acquire in the IT sector. In 2008, as a part of their plan, Mahindra sent feelers to Satyam Computers and offered Satyam an opportunity to merge with them. This proposal was at the time when B. Ramalinga Raju was still the Chairman and more importantly it was before the fraud was admitted. Though Raju wanted to merge with Tech Mahindra, he chose not to answer this proposal. Soon after this, Ramalinga Raju admitted to the fraud and Satyam was almost driven to bankruptcy. Mahindra felt that this was the breakthrough they required in the IT sector and lunged at it. A graduate in B.Com, Raju did MBA from Ohio University. Before Satyam, Raju ventured into other businesses such as construction and textiles. 3.2: The conditions leading to the scam, the reasons, and its aftermaths:- It started with Satyams plans to buy Maytas properties and Maytas Infrastructure Company for a proposed $1.6 billion. Satyam had planned to acquire about a 51 per cent stake in Maytas Infrastructure costing $300 million and a 100 per cent share in Maytas Properties which would cost them $1.3 billion. Satyam would buy 31 per cent stakein Maytas Infra from promoters at Rs 475 per share with an open offer to public for 20 per cent stake at Rs 525 per share. It seemed that this deal would empty Satyams treasury and would bring in debt along with adding almost $1.48 billion to the promoters kitty. The news of this acquisition sent shockwaves across the country questioning the hidden lines behind the deal. Soon after Ramalinga Raju announced that Satyam was going to acquire Maytas Infrastructure and Maytas Properties, he invited the wrath of the investors in a conference call. Faced with shareholders revolt and heavy criticism over corporate governance issues, Satyam withdrew the offer within hours of making the proposal. But by that time, the damage was done. What had shocked investors is that this will be funded out of cash reserves and debt in 75:25 ratios. The big question was why a share swap option couldnt have been considered instead of draining Satyam Computers cashreserves. 3.3: Research findings of incidents which added to Satyams ethical miseries:- A severe blow to the Hyderabad-based IT provider facing criticism from investors on its decision to acquire Maytas was of World Bank banning it for 8 years.The World Bank has banned Satyam from providing it services for eight years for alleged malpractices, including bribery. The ban would severely impact the business prospects of the Hyderabad-based company, already battling to retain and attract fresh business in a recession-hit global market. The World Bank debarment had been meted out for improper benefits to bank staff and lack of documentation on invoices.† Satyam started providing IT services to the World Bank in 2003. Two years later, allegations of bribery surfaced. In 2007, an internal World Bank investigation found that former VP Mohamed Muhsin had secured contracts and purchase orders worth $100 million for the Indian firm in return for Satyams stock options (ADRs) at preferential prices. After which he was banned permanently from the bank. However, Satyam was allowed to work for the bank till 2008. There have also been allegations against Satyam of causing security breaches at the bank. World Banks records, which contain sensitive financial information, have reportedly been illegally accessed over the last year. This raised greater questions over the ethical behavior of Satyam. Due to this, an investigation was carried out into the accounting statements of Satyam and there were found to be large gaps in the balance sheet along with inflated profit margins and others in _ _ _ _ (Date). Ramalinga Raju then admitted to committing a fraud of Rs.7000 crore and held himself accountable for the gaps in the balance sheet and other accounts. On January 7, 2009, Ramalinga Raju wrote a confession letter to the board of directors as well as to the Chairman of SEBI regarding the fraud that was committed by him. In the letter, he stated how he had tampered with the accounts and the balance sheet by inflating the profits and the bank and cash balances, by accruing non-existent interests and by overstating debtors position. The following is an extract from his letter of confession:- Dear Board Members, It is with deep regret and tremendous burden that I am carrying on my conscience, that I would like to bring the following facts to your notice:- Inflated (non-existent) cash and bank balances of Rs.5040 crore (as against Rs.5361 crore as reflected in the books) An accrued interest of Rs.376 crore which is non-existent. An understated liability of Rs.1230 crore on account of funds arranged by me. An overstated debtors position of Rs.490 crore (as against Rs.2651 reflected in the books) 3.4: Graphs Showing the Share Price of Satyam Computers and Tech Mahindra before and after the scam and the Takeover. 3.5: Tech-Mahindra Satyam deal:- After the scam, the condition of Satyam went from bad to worse. Hence, the Government seceded to appoint four directors for Satyam till someone took over Satyam and made conditions better for Satyam. Later, the Government held a bid for the takeover of Satyam Computers. According to IT analysts, the chances of a strategic takeover have brightened after the company announced the possible dilution of stake by founder and promoter B Ramalinga Raju. Despite the recent developments, IT analysts reckon that the fourth-biggest software exporter is a good buy, as the India outsourcing story is intact. IBM, it is reckoned, has strong expertise across verticals. So, it was well positioned to leverage on its strengths. An acquisition of a company like Satyam would further strengthen the Big Blues global services delivery capability. Another expected buyer was the US headquartered Cognizant. A Satyam buy will help to build significant scale and bring it into the big league of IT players, according to market trackers. However, the unexpected winner turned out to be Tech Mahindra, coming out from the blue and taking the bidding by storm. Tech Mahindra had won the bid for Satyam Computer after bidding at Rs 58 per share. Tech Mahindra would pay Rs 1, 757 crore for a 31 per cent stake in Satyam. Satyam would operate as a special purpose vehicle until Tech Mahindra raises its stake to 51%.No other bid was within at least 90 per cent of Tech Mahindras bid. While LTs bid was at Rs 46/share, WL Ross bid for Satyam stood at Rs 20/share. Spice Corp, IBM and iGATE were among those confirmed names that dropped out of the race after showing an interest in the company. On April 13, 2009, Kiran Karnik, the MD at Satyam announced that IT services provider Tech Mahindra had offered the highest bid at Rs 58 per share and become the new owner of the company. Tech Mahindra, however, would run Satyam as an independent company with separate liabilities. Part IV: ANALYSIS 4.1: Benefits behind the takeover of Satyam by Tech Mahindra:- The Mahindra Group is one of the top 10 industrial houses in India. It has proven to be a pioneer in the automobile industry and also has a leading presence in the major sectors of the Indian economy including the financial services, trade, retail and logistics, automotive components, IT and Infrastructure. Tech Mahindra (IT) is a provider of solutions and services to the telecommunications industry, with a majority stake owned by Mahindra Mahindra Limited, in partnership with British Telecommunications plc. The Mahindra group, although strong in the automobile industry, is not well-balanced in the IT sector. Hence, it needed to diversify itself into the IT sector and create a name for itself there just like it has done in the automobiles and farm equipment sectors. Having a strong hold in the IT sector would prove beneficial for Mahindra as it would enhance its versatility. The downfall of the IT service giant Satyam Computers provided a breakthrough for Tech Mahindra. Tech Mahindra won the bid for Satyam at the price of Rs 58/ share in the presence of giants like IBM, iGATE, LT and WL Ross. After Tech Mahindra won the bid for Satyam Computers, Anand Mahindra, the owner of The Mahindra Group revealed the motive behind the takeover saying, â€Å"We want to be the leader in the IT field and that is our vision for Mahindra Satyam. But right now, the immediate task is to bring the company back on track.† Tech Mahindra prior to the acquisition specialized in Telecom services, Equipment manufacturing, Software vendoring and in System Integration. Whereas after the acquisition, they would specialize in other fields where they have a lack of experience like Consulting services, Outsourcing solutions, Engineering and Product Development, Supply Chain management, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Integration, Infrastructure management, etc. Satyam also provides engineering services to many of the component manufacturers in the world today especially in Sheet Metal Parts and Fabrication which are used in Automobile and Electrical Industries.This deal with Satyam would also bring Tech Mahindra into new industries from manufacturing to financial services. It would also introduce Satyam into the Aerospace Industry as Satyam has a strong presence in it. With skill strength of about 6,000 engineers, the work in this vertical would be dealt with effectively. Through this takeover, Tech Mahindra has become the 4th largest IT service firm in India only behind Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro Technologies and Infosys Technologies. Prior to this takeover, Tech Mahindra drew almost 50% of its revenues from a single client- British Telecom plc. But with the takeover of Satyam, they would be servicing the customers of Satyam like Ford, Opel, etc. who require designs, drawings, etc. from the engineers of Satyam. Mr. C.P. Gurnani, the to-be CEO of Mahindra Satyam said that it would be beneficial for Satyam to be associated with the 65- year old Tech Mahindra. This is because of the fact that the company would get 110 of Tech Mahindras customers for the Enterprises Services business. Getting Satyam back on track would be no easy task as there would be many challenges that have to be faced after the takeover. These challenges will be quoted below. 4.2: Challenges for Tech Mahindra:- The biggest challenge that Tech Mahindra will have to face is that they have to reduce the workforce to an optimum level which will be a difficult task as Satyam Computers has about 50,000 employees most of whom are in ineffective positions whom Tech Mahindra can layoff. Another big challenge for Tech Mahindra will be to regain customer confidence. Tech Mahindra does not have the adequate experience in all of Satyams business verticals and it will be a challenge to deal with the issues relating to these verticals. Tech Mahindra has to complete all the legal liabilities of Satyam Computers. Tech Mahindra has to face challenge of merging the work cultures of both the companies as the work cultures of both the companies are not similar. It also has to face the challenge of winning over the trust of the employees of Satyam and other human resource management issues. It will also be a challenge for Tech Mahindra to repair the balance sheet of the scam-tainted company as it will be difficult to know as to where the lost money has gone. Another challenge will be to show the real profits and losses of Satyam Computers. The steps taken by Tech Mahindra have to be chosen very carefully as they are now managing one of the biggest IT giants in India. Any wrong move may result in very dire circumstances for Tech Mahindra. What is the Impact of Point of Care Diagnostics? What is the Impact of Point of Care Diagnostics? What is the Impact of Point of Care Diagnostics? Nicolas Piperno Multi-stakeholder approach to market for Point of Care Diagnostics in Canada Point of care diagnostics, otherwise referred to point of care testing (POCT), is a form of in vitro medical testing that is performed near the site of patient care, and does not involve the use of laboratory staff and facilities to provide the result. Point of carecan mean, for example, on the wards in a hospital, at a patient’s bedside, in their home, in a consulting room in a doctors office or using tele-health technologies. This concept is not new. Urine testing or blood glucose tests, for example, have been traditionally done at the bedside. Over the past few years, however, analytical systems have been developed that enable a wide range of tests to be done quickly and simply without the need for pre-preparation or sophisticated laboratory equipment.[1] These tests are designed to sample blood, saliva, urine, or other bodily fluids in order to measure proteins, nucleic acids, metabolites, drugs, dissolved ions and gases, human cells, or microbes.[2] The tests require only elementary instruction to use and some can measure multiple bodily agents.[3] Interpretation may be as simple as viewing a stripe or spot of color on a strip of paper or polymer. The key objective of POCT is to generate a result quickly so that appropriate treatment can be implemented. As technology plays a bigger role within healthcare, POCT and accompanying decision-making toolssuch as medical databases arebecoming more prominent. Other major benefits are obtained when POCT is linked directly with an electronic medical record. Results can be shared instantaneously with all members of the patient’s circle of care through a software interface enhancing communication among its members. All of these benefits can eventually lead to improved clinical and economic outcomes. With the increasing availability and use of POCT, many stakeholders stand to be impacted by its innovation, application, and market opportunities. More specifically, physicians and patients would be impacted by the clinical outcomes, and the provincial government and pharmaceutical companies would be mainly impacted by the economic outcomes. This paper seeks to evaluate how each stakeholder plays a role in the increased use of POCT, and if there are points of resistance or leverage for this idea. Physicians POCT have the greatest potential for facilitating faster decision making and therefore more effective patient triage in the emergency department or reduced operation time in the operating room. For example, assessment of the coagulation status via POCT during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery reduces the requirement for blood products, postoperative blood loss, and the time spent in postoperative high dependency care.[4] Little evidence, however, supports the use of point of care testing in primary care.[5] Hence, physicians would be able to start treatment earlier because they would not need to wait for laboratory test results to come in before they can perform any subsequent treatments. Any POCT, however, will only be beneficial if appropriate action is taken on the result. Thus, the rate limiting step in reducing length of hospital stay may not be delivery of a test result[6], but acknowledgement and communication of the result, and the appropriate action that follows.[7] Physicians, as well as nurses that would actually be the main administrators of POCT, just want to be able to do their job effectively. POCT would allow them to do that, and would therefore be a welcoming new tool for them. Challenges remain, however, in the training of staff. Even with the most sophisticated device, reliable results can be obtained only if the patient is prepared appropriately and the correct technique is used. As POCT is likely to be done by staff with limited technical background, training and quality control are critical.[8] If the POCT is linked to an online database, an opportunity arises where technicians can monitor if the POCT is being used properly and realistic results are being uploaded to the patient record. Obviously, privacy issues come into play when more than one person has access to a patient’s medical record. Medical practitioners would be strong advocates for POCT, because they are the ones that would see the on-the-field benefits of its use. The only point of resistance would be the fact that they would need to be trained every time a new POCT is put into use. A way to mitigate this would be to make the POCT device as simple as possible. This becomes less obvious when POCT devices become more sophisticated with options to measure many things at once. Additionally, medical databases will eventually become more sophisticated, and users will need to adapt to changes with the system. Not listed as a key stakeholder, but just as important is the laboratory personnel that could potentially lose their jobs because the POCT will be replacing what they do. This might also be a point of resistance. However, as stated above, there might be a possibility to reassign them as technicians that ensure the quality of the POCT results. Patients POCT will also allow patients to perform the tests themselves in the comfort of their own home. This is the case for diabetics, however POCT can also be performed for patients taking anticoagulants. A major challenge in this scenario would be compliance. Getting patients to perform POCT on their own time might result in them forgetting, especially with older patients. There are however technological tools that can correct for this such as apps that remind the patient when to perform the next test.[9] However, this requires the patient to be comfortable with technological devices. Patients are another stakeholder that would be able to see the on-the-field benefits of POCT use. They will be able to take ownership of their disease if they do the POCT themselves, be able to receive feedback immediately, and not have to wait for laboratory results in which the waiting time can be often a very stressful scenario. POCT will give the impression of a faster access to healthcare in a country where wait times make it seem that the healthcare process is incredibly slow. This will increase patient satisfaction, and thus will be a reason that POCT will be favourable for them. Other ways that POCT will increase patient satisfaction would be with fewer journeys to the hospital as some tests can be done in the comfort of their own home. Furthermore, POCT can be used to figure out an optimal treatment for them. Quicker optimization of treatment, without the need for trial and error, can lead to less adverse side effects and a more comfortable healthcare experience. As for physicians and nurses, training becomes an issue because the average patient does not have technical knowledge. Again, the answer lies in the simplicity and ease of use of the POCT device. Provincial government One of the main objectives of the provincial government when it comes to healthcare is the control of its increasing costs. Healthcare has become really expensive in Canada, and it risks being not sustainable if we maintain the status quo. Innovative technologies such as POCT and the complementary medical databases can serve to reduce costs in many ways. The economic benefit of POCT can be looked at from a short term point of view or a long term one. In the short term, POCT can gain from a more effective use of resources. For example, one study comparing laboratory and POCT suggested that certain tests might be used to rule out the need for other tests as in the case of suspected urinary tract infection.[10] Fenwick et al argued that urine leucocyte esterase and nitrite tests can effectively rule out patients with suspected urinary tract infection, which could reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics as well as laboratory workload.[11] Providing a more rapid result, however, does not always save time and money. No savings can occur unless the result is acknowledged and action taken because of this result. Other short term savings involve a reduction in the length of hospital stay. The rapid availability of a result reduces the time to make decisions, thereby allowing more rapid triage, treatment, or discharge. In addition, POCT can be used to know whether a patient needs admitting to hospital.[12] This saves the hospital, and subsequently, the provincial government a huge amount of money because resources are spent more efficiently. When it comes to long term savings, societal benefits, measured through quality of life indices can be seen as a gain for the government since this would allow less sick days, and more working hours, thus, more tax revenue. There is also an option for POCT via medical databases to become an important resource for public health officials. Big data can be used to guide preventative health policy and possibly save the government millions of dollars in the avoidable healthcare costs. The government could potentially be favourable of POCT because of all of its economic benefits, however risks arise when considering the reliably of POCT results, which can negate the cost savings, and the potential for infection outbreaks – since we exposing bodily fluids to perform such tests. Furthermore, because POCT allows for testing to be decentralized from the traditional laboratory, data management and privacy becomes an issue. Provincial Governments will have to consider these risks and may impose certain regulations that might prevent the extent of the economic benefits of POCT. Pharmaceutical Companies This stakeholder comes in two types. The first type is the pharmaceutical company that is involved in diagnostics equipment. This type of stakeholder stands to gain a lot from POCT because it opens up market opportunities and additional revenue streams. The second type of pharmaceutical company is the one that is involved in drug RD and sales. These pharmaceutical companies might lose revenue as a result of a more efficient healthcare system and less inappropriate use of drugs. Pharmaceutical companies that do both might have to evaluate whether the loss in drug sales is less than the profit made from POCT device sales. Furthermore, because POCT devices will still need to go through a lot of RD, the sale price might be so high that the provincial government might not see the economic value in it. Laboratories already profit from economies of scale, and POCT would be less likely to profit from such economies since its use is decentralized. In general, lobby groups from drug companies risk being the biggest threat to the proliferation of POCT if they see it as a risk to their bottom line. Their lobby groups tend to influence government decisions on regulation and application of certain healthcare devices. Getting them on board would be critical to the widespread of POCT. Conclusion In general, the biggest wins come from doing healthcare differently. Because of the huge labour and pharmaceutical costs involved in healthcare, having the practice of medicine shift towards individuals outside of hospitals might be more economically viable. Rapid delivery of results can facilitate better clinical decision making, improved patient adherence, and greater patient satisfaction, all of which lead to improved clinical outcomes. Most stakeholders stand to benefit from POCT albeit with some concerns, however pharmaceutical companies and laboratory testing companies would be the biggest opponents of POCT. Finding ways to appease their concerns without sacrificing the added benefits of POCT would be the best way to proceed. Appendix 1: Key Stakeholders with Regard to POCT References [1] Price, C. (2001). Regular review: Point of care testing.BMJ,322, 1285-1288. [2] Meagher, R., Hatch, A., Renzi, R., Singh, A. (2008). An integrated microfluidic platform for sensitive and rapid detection of biological toxins.Lab on a Chip,(8), 2046-2046. [3] Li, H., Mccormac, M., Estes, R., Sefers, S., Dare, R., Chappell, J., Tang, Y. (2007). Simultaneous Detection and High-Throughput Identification of a Panel of RNA Viruses Causing Respiratory Tract Infections.Journal of Clinical Microbiology,45, 2105-2109. [4] Despotis GJ, Joist JH, Goodnough LT. (1997). Monitoring of hemostasis in cardiac surgical patients: impact of point ­of ­care testing on blood loss and transfusion outcomes. Clin Chem (43) 1684 ­96. [5] Hobbs FDR, Delaney BC, Fitzmaurice DA, Wilson S, Hyde CJ, Thorpe GH, et al. (1997). A review of near patient testing in primary care. Health Technol Assess (1) 1 ­230. [6] Kendall J, Reeves B, Clancy M. (1998). Point of care testing: randomised, controlled trial of clinical outcome. BMJ (316). 1052 ­7. [7] Scott MG. (2000). Faster is better—its rarely that simple! Clin Chem (46) 441 ­2. [8] Crook MA. (2000). Near patient testing and pathology in the new millennium. J Clin Pathol (53) 27 ­30. [9] CellTrak | Electronic Visit Verification | Mobile Healthcare | Hospice | Home Health| Visit Record | Home Care. Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://celltrak.com/ [10] Rink E, Hilton S, Szczepura A, Fletcher J, Sibbald B,Davies C, et al. (1993). Impact of introducing near patient testing for standard investigations in general practice. BMJ (307) 775 ­8. [11] Fenwick EAL, Briggs AH, Hawke CI. (2000). Management of urinary tract infection in general practice: a cost ­effectiveness analysis. Br J Gen Pract (50) 635 ­9. [12] Brogan GX, Bock JL. (1998). Cardiac marker point ­of ­care testing in the emergency department and cardiac care unit. Clin Chem (44) 1865 ­9.