Role of Firms in Science and Technology | Essay

Role of Firms in Science and Technology | Essay What roles do firms play in the generation and diffusion of new scientific and technological knowledge? Illustrate your answer by reference to one or more example. Introduction: The differences in the types of organisations, their structures, their goals and perspectives, and the way they recognise and face challenges can breed a lot of opportunities and avenues for producing and distributing new information to the world. Technology and science has made wonders for almost everyone living in this planet. It has changed the way we live. It has also introduced new sets of problems and issues which must be strategically addressed. Firms are already in the forefront of responding to changes and challenges in their environment. They respond to these challenges through strategies that make use of support systems like technology and scientific research. Today’s business and social transactions are being supported more and more by technological and scientific innovations and strategies. Knowledge of advanced technologies in the different sciences and frontiers has largely advanced most careers and business prospects. According to Dorf (2001, p. 39), [1] the purpose of a business firm is to create value for all of its stakeholders. As the firm tries to create new wealth for its shareholders, valuable products and services for its customers, it is already in the process of generating and distributing new sets of information. This includes the generation of new scientific and technological knowledge which would eventually be adopted by the society and other businesses as well. A firm then leads its market through effective technical and scientific innovation, sound business management of resources, and a solid technological strategy for the success of its business. Improved technology and increased scientific knowledge will help increase food production, efficient management of resources, allow faster access to relevant and mission critical information, and enhanced business competitiveness. Technology has the most potential to deliver business sustainability and viability through the many opportunities for research and innovation. While it cannot be denied that firms of today have a very definite and pivotal role to play in the generation of scientific and technological knowledge, much of their contribution center on how they formulate strategies to introduce new knowledge into their business functions. Technology has been known to support a lot of business and decision making processes. Technology strategy should be considered a vital part of any strategic planning. Incorporating high-end technology without careful considerations of other organisational issues is a sure formula for failure. The growth of technology presented managers with a complex variety of alternatives. Many executives and managers are using the advent of technology as an opportunity to reconsider their business operations (Irving and Higgins, 1991).[2] Many still feel that technology and any available scientific knowledge can solve a lot of organisational problems. Unfortunately, other executives see technology as a panacea for various organisational ills. Sometimes, the introduction of technology may increase organisational and societal problems. Firms have a definite role when it comes to the way technology and scientific knowledge is generated and distributed. With their technological and scientific knowledge at hand, they can be technology enhancers, identifiers of new markets, sources of customer exploration, and a gateway for information interchange. However, powerful technologies and scientific knowledge can have the potential for great harm or great good to mankind (O’Brien, 2001).[3] Competition in the business environment has led to a lot of advanced technological and scientific research and development. Investment in a lot of monetary and manpower resources has increased the need for firms to compete with each other in the introduction of new technologies which may alter the political, economic, and social landscape. Gene Amdahl was interested in starting a new computer firm to compete with International Business Machines (Goodman and Lawless p. 66).[4] He understood quite clearly that he needed a new technological design, a service and support system, and a good library software. He chose to design his computer to be IBM-compatible. Regardless of the technological wonders he designed into his new computer, it would operate all the existing IBM software. This strategy has greatly enhanced his customers’ access to new IBM technologies as well as his own. While his company has tailored itself from another company’s technology, it was able to create and generate a new set of ideas which not only enhanced his company’s image but IBM’s as well. High technology firms who generate a lot of technological and scientific knowledge have been able to identify new markets in the fields of computers, biotechnology, genetic engineering, robotics, and other markets. These firms depend heavily on advanced scientific and engineering knowledge. Michael Dell, for example, started building personal computers in his University of Texas dorm room at age 19 (Ferrell and Hirt, 1996).[5] His innovative ideas and prototyping techniques have made Dell Computer one of the leading PC companies in the world with sales of $2.9 billion. Because of his company’s capacity to use technology to perform decision-making and focus on new customer demands and tastes, he was able to identify strategic markets for his PC Company all around the world in different contexts. When he shifted to new markets, other industry players followed. These industry players created another set of opportunities to explore other means. Through the early 1990s, Dell sold directly to the consumer through its toll-free telephone line (Schneider and Perry, 1990).[6] Eventually, it expanded its sales to the Internet and has logged a significant percentage of its overall sales from the Internet. This strategy has lowered overhead for the company. The web site is a significant part of Dell’s strategy for moving into the new millenium. Company officials predict that within the next few years, more than half of their sales will be from the web. Supporting such a booming online sales are a robust infrastructure of communication devices and networks, Dell servers, and electronic commerce software from Microsoft. Just as with the globalisation of markets, changes due to advances in technology is not new to business marketing. Yet, technology change is expected to create new ways of marketing that haven’t existed (Dwyer and Tanner, 1999).[7] Du Pont, for example has developed a Rapid Market Assessment technology that enables the company to determine if a market, usually a country or region previously not served) warrants development (Bob, 1996).[8] The result of the analysis is a customer-focused understanding of the foreign market, independent of the level of economic development of that country or region. Technology is changing the nature of business-customer interaction. If applied well, benefits increase to both parties. In the area of retail marketing for example, technology can be used to enhance interaction between retailers and customers. Point-of-sale scanning equipment is widely utilized by supermarkets, department stores, specialty stores, membership clubs, and others-hundreds of thousands of firms in all. Retailers can quickly complete customer transactions, amass sales data, reduce costs, and adjust inventory figures (Berman and Evans, 1998).[9] At some restaurants, when dinner is over, the waiter brings the check-and a sleek box that opens like the check presentation folder used by many restaurants revealing buttons and a miniscreen. The waiter brings it over and disappears discreetly. Following instructions on the screen, you verify the tab, select the payment type (credit card or ATM card), insert the card into a slot, and enter your personal identification number of PIN. You can then enter a tip-a specific amount or, if you want the device to figure the tip, a percentage. Completing the transaction triggers a blinking light. This summons the waiter who then removes the device and the receipt is printed on ano ther terminal (Berman and Evans, 1998).[10] In this manner, the restaurant, as a firm was able to innovate on new ways to make customers make further exploration and application of this new mechanism. This in turn introduced another set of mechanisms for making billing charges to customers in another business setting (like electricity and water bills). With this illustration, innovation on a new technology can be of great help to different industry players. With signature capture, shoppers sign their names right on a computer screen. At Sears, the cardholder uses a special pen to sign a paper receipt-which becomes the cardholder copy-on top of a pressure-sensitive pad that captures the signature, stores it, and displays it on the checkout terminal screen so a clerk can compare it with the one on the back of the credit card. Sears has a brochure explaining the procedure is entirely voluntary and electronic signatures are not stored separately and can be printed only along with the entire sales receipt. Again, innovation centered on how customers can be better served has generated a whole new set of ideas for other firms to research on. Gateway for Information Interchange The web or the Internet has generated a lot of research interests nowadays. People rely on the web for retrieving and sending information. It’s being used for almost all sorts of business and personal transactions like in the area of learning and commerce. Stanford University Library’s HighWire Press began in early 1995with the online production of the weekly Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC). By March 2001, it was producing 240 online journals giving access to 237,711 articles (Chowdhury and Chowdhury, 2001).[11] The journals focus on science, technology, medicine and other scientific fields. HighWire’s strategy of online publishing of scholarly journals is not simply to mount electronic images of printed pages; rather by adding links among authors, articles and citations, advanced searching techniques, high-resolution images and multimedia, and interactivity, the electronic versions provided added dimensions to the information being provided in printed jour nals. The dimensions allowed readers boundless opportunities to follow up what they have initially started. The role of firms here has been magnified quite a bit. Technical and scientific information can be distributed at the least possible time possible and in as many people as possible. In another setting, consider the tremendous savings now those millions of Internet users are able to work from home – or at least, dial into the office more than drive there. Many offices are using the Internet to save office space, materials, and transportation costs. Using email and other electronic documents also saves energy, by saving paper. People who are online are able to explore most of the advantage technology and science has to offer them. It gives them the power to filter out what is and what is not useful. Newspapers are also going online. Arguably, of all the technologies, telecommunications, and the Internet, along with a renewable energy, has the most potential to deliver sustainability and the vision of integrated optical communication networks, is compelling enough for people to understand the underlying role that technology firms play in today’s technology-based society. Computer networks and the Internet have largely been the biggest technological br eakthroughs made throughout the century. And the possibilities are even growing bigger for firms to do more to leverage its use. Conclusion: Firms play a very important role in the generation of new information and their eventual diffusion into the overall structure of businesses and society as well. Firms are seen as responsible generators of new ideas which not only help them attain competitive advantage over their rivals but also are also unconsciously improving the lives of people from different places around the globe. Competing firms explore different technical and scientific innovations which match their business strategy especially in a globalised business setting. The rate at which firms do research and development has spawned the need for further collaboration and cooperation even among their competitors in order to protect their strategic advantage. The introduction of technological and scientific standards has helped guide the introduction of new knowledge to definite direction to take. Firms also serve as a window to a lot more opportunities for information exchange and interaction between customers and even their competitors. The Internet has been the biggest contributor to the generation, infusion, and distribution of knowledge. It has also provided a lot of opportunities for firms to invest their time and resources in order to facilitate easier access to their products and services. It has also created a new set of commerce and learning methods which allowed more and more people to get involved even if time and distances presented challenges. The driving force behind all of these innovations is change. Without it, firms will not be motivated to introduce new sets of ideas and distributed them. Knowledge is empowerment. Acquiring technical and scientific knowledge through the initiatives of different organizations not only increases further competition but also improves the different political, social, and economic dimensions of society. The generation and diffusion of scientific and technological knowledge will not be possible if firms are not aware of the changes that are constantly shaping their business landscape. Today’s challenges is not on how technological and scientific information can be generated and distributed. It is more on using this knowledge on the right place and at the right time. Bibliography Books Berman, B and Evans, J (1998), Retail Management: A Strategic Approach, Prentice  Hall, New Jersey. Bob, Donarth (1996), Global Marketing Management: New Challenges Reshape  Worldwide Competition. Chowdhury, G and Chowdhury, S (2001), Information Sources and Searching on the  World Wide Web, Library Association Publishing, London. Dorf, Richard (2001), Technology, Humans, and Society: Towards A Sustainable World,  Academic Press, San Diego, California. Dwyer, F and Tanner, J (1999), Business Marketing: Connecting Strategy, Relationships,  and Learning, Mc-Graw Hill, Singapore. Ferrell O and Hirt, G (1996), Business: A Changing World, 2nd edn, Times New Mirror  Higher Education. Goodman, R and Lawless, M (1994), Technology and Strategy: Conceptual Models and  Diagnostics, Oxford University Press, New York. Irving, R and Higgins, C (1991), Office Information Systems: Management Issues and  Methods, John Wiley and Sons, Ontario. O’Brien, James (2001), Introduction to Information Systems: Essentials for the  Internetworked E-Business, McGraw-Hill, Singapore. Schneider, G Perry, J (1990), Electronic Commerce, Thomson Learning, Singapore. Footnotes [1] Dorf, Richard (2001), Technology, Humans, and Society: Towards A Sustainable World, Academic Press, San Diego, California. [2] Irving, R and Higgins, C (1991), Office Information Systems: Management Issues and Methods, John Wiley and Sons, Ontario. [3] O’Brien, James (2001), Introduction to Information Systems: Essentials for the Internetworked E-Business, McGraw-Hill, Singapore. [4] Goodman, R and Lawless, M (1994), Technology and Strategy: Conceptual Models and Diagnostics, Oxford University Press, New York. [5] Ferrell O and Hirt, G (1996), Business: A Changing World, 2nd edn, Times New Mirror Higher Education. [6] Schneider, G Perry, J (1990), Electronic Commerce, Thomson Learning, Singapore. [7] Dwyer, F and Tanner, J (1999), Business Marketing: Connecting Strategy, Relationships, and Learning, Mc-Graw Hill, Singapore. [8] Bob, Donarth (1996), Global Marketing Management: New Challenges Reshape Worldwide Competition. [9] Berman, B and Evans, J (1998), Retail Management: A Strategic Approach, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. [10] Berman and Evans. [11] Chowdhury, G and Chowdhury, S (2001), Information Sources and Searching on the World Wide Web, Library Association Publishing, London.

Inquiry-Based Essay Reflection Essay

Before walking in this course, I had it stuck in my head that intervening in a research paper was bad. I learned that it was ok to insert myself into the essay. I could intervene and put a couple of my own perspectives into the essay. In high school, it was prohibited to use your own perspectives and words into the essay. The only major thing I had to consider is having the content and my perspective balanced so that my paper could sound credible. Of course, there were advantages and disadvantages to writing inquiry-based research essays. I noticed several advantages when I was working on my inquiry-based research essay. First, I was given the opportunity to pick a topic. Though this made me think a lot, gathering hand-selected topics and choosing one to write about was beneficial. It made me rethink about what interested me and what bored me. For instance, in essay 3, I originally started with a topic about black holes in space. Initially, it seemed like an interesting thing to talk about. However, as I kept researching this paper, there were large amounts of physics formulas and concepts being mentioned and repeated. It kept scaring me and making me doubt writing about it. I was going nowhere with the essay. After much consideration, I disposed of the subject and started a new one. The new one was about music and its stimulation, thus giving the reader and I a common ground. Second, the grading after turning in would be fair. If everyone had to write about one topic, the grading would be based upon who wrote the better. But, with the option of choosing a topic, the grading would be more upon individuality and the concept’s presentation, making it fair for everyone. Like advantages, there are also disadvantages that I noticed when doing this type of work. First, when starting essay 3, I was uncertain about using â€Å"I†. In high school, I was taught to not use â€Å"I† at all in a paper. It was a struggle for me to use â€Å"I† because I did not know what to say. I felt as if the quotes would make my own opinions matter at all.

Introducing Media Argumentative Essay Topics

Introducing Media Argumentative Essay Topics Ok, I Think I Understand Media Argumentative Essay Topics, Now Tell Me About Media Argumentative Essay Topics! Therefore, the topic needs to be debatable! You can also select an emotional topic. Contradictive Your topic should stir a number of opinions among the general public. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's critical to at all times be critically considering the world around us. It can be hard to hold back from making some derogatory comments about your opposition, particularly if you truly feel strongly about the subject of your paper. In choosing your topic, it's frequently a good concept to start with a subject which you already have some familiarity with. Now, if you'd like to understand how to compose a grant proposal with some funny twist to it, it's necessary for you to stick with us too. For this reason, you need to do some preliminary research prior to making the last decision on a topic. The Pain of Media Argumentative Essay Topics Remember your essay shouldn't be a string of jokes, it's a narrative it ought to have a start, middle and the end. In an argumentative essay, you ought to keep in mind that you've got to choose 1 side of the argument. Personal remarks against any individual, religion, or region ought to be avoided, as a way to sideline controversies. The issue is that everybody's interpretation of what makes a great society diffe rs. Relevant Topics that are related to your society will engage the reader in the very best possible way. F. Bacon The main goal of the capital isn't to get as much money as possible, yet to make sure that money results in a better life. Also, it must be a road map for the remainder of the Essay writing service reviews you shouldn't explicitly announce what and how you'll be arguing. For instance, in college, you might be requested to compose a paper from the opposing standpoint. The role of assigning an essay to middle school students is to make awareness and permit them to develop writing skills. You will be assigned a topic, or your professor will enable you to select your own. Numerous topics for college needs can use humor as the very best weapon to make a sheet of paper that would eventually draw more students to the writing, though they do not enjoy the ideas of writing. Students are accustomed to the fact which their professors give them with the assignment's topic. To write a strong argumentative essay, they should begin by familiarizing themselves with some of the common, and often conflicting, positions on the research topic so that they can write an informed paper. In the majority of the cases at schools and colleges, the students are allowed to pick out a topic independently. Many students think that it is a waste of time. Media Argumentative Essay Topics Secrets That No One Else Knows About There are many steps which you should take as a way to write an outstanding essay. The 50 titles we've listed are only the tip of the iceberg all you need to do is be creative and think beyond the box. Ensure you give clear explanations of the things on your list also. Humorous essays are frequently a great deal more fun to write. If when you are preparing a report you merely analyze specific literature, the essay demands a superb penetration into the issue. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Media Argumentative Essay Topics Choosing topics for argumentative essays is critical for your general success. There are three sorts of argumentative essays. An argumentative essay is a certain kind of academic writing. It is one of the most widespread types of writing. There are a few vital know-hows for presenting an essay which has an argumentative tone. Thus, for your coursework, you are going to want to have the very best ideas. In many professional contexts, respectful argumentation is the thing that leads to the growth of new suggestions and perspectives. If you've got to compose your whole essay in 1 day, do your very best to give yourself breaks so you don't burn out. Normally, it doesn't include references and quotes in it. To do so, you want to get a guide to compose the very best essay on the selected topic. If you're in a college and wish to compose an argumentative essay, you should decide on a subject of high importance.

Minimum Wage and Poverty - 1171 Words

Poverty is a significant topic that is being investigated, talked about and most importantly lived in by millions in America. Many American citizens, specifically the children are not only living in poverty, but they are living below the poverty line due to low minimum wage (Gidfar). A child living in poverty can face serious problems in the future. Reducing poverty should not be charity work. As citizens of the world it should be a social responsibility to find a way in which poverty can no longer be a living status, especially for a developed country like America. It is one of the top countries before Mexico with the highest rate of child poverty (Gidfar). In context, minimum wage has a large impact on poverty within a country, as the higher the minimum wage the more disposable income families have access to. The discussion of how the â€Å"elasticity of demand of unskilled workers† determines whether or not the minimum wage should be raised to reduce child poverty is essent ial when validating the relationship between the two variables (Rutkowski 7). While the analysis of William Even and David Macpherson’s study emphasizes the importance of taking employment in to account as a variable as an indication to prevent ‘job loss’ (2), through the clarification that although the United States view child poverty as being an â€Å"intractable problem(WaldFogel 3), there is evidence to support that a raise in the disposable income of families can lead to reduction in child poverty (Dahl andShow MoreRelatedMinimum Wage And Reduce Poverty1864 Words   |  8 PagesValley Technical College 10/01/15 Minimum Wage in America Should the federal government raise the minimum wage to reduce poverty, ensure proper pay, and protect younger generations and minorities? That is a common question discussed in recent years. In 1938 during the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a law creating a federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is important to Americans and the government because it keeps workers out of poverty and helps increase consumer purchasingRead MorePoverty And Minimum Wage Is Low4438 Words   |  18 PagesPoverty and minimum wage being low Lakeesha Grass GEN499: General Education Capstone Instructor: Sonja Bethune June 29, 2015 Increasing minimum wage will great be of beneficial to nearly 28 million workers among the nation. It will also insist businesses as well, by increasing the wages this will cause additional money to be in individuals’ pockets, in which they will put back into the economy by purchasing goods and services into their populations. Minimum wage has been a hot seatRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Should Not Reduce Poverty1214 Words   |  5 PagesMillions of Americans live in poverty, unable to find high paying jobs to support themselves and their families. Common belief persists that paying a higher minimum wage would aid in lifting people out of poverty by giving those with low paying jobs a higher income, however the evidence suggests otherwise. As the 2016 race for the White House heats up, the minimum wage battle stands at the forefront of every economic discussion. The rhetoric between candidates within and across party lines intensifiesRead MoreRaising The Minimum Wage Will Redu ce Poverty Essay734 Words   |  3 PagesFurman, Jason, and Sharon Parrot. Raising the Minimum Wage Will Reduce Poverty. Poverty. Ed. Viqi Wagner. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from A $7.25 Minimum Wage Would Be a Useful Step in Helping Working Families Escape Poverty. www.cbpp.org. 2007. 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VoicesRead MoreMinimum Wage Does Not Impact The Poverty Rate600 Words   |  3 PagesMinimum Wage Does Not Impact The Poverty Rate The Working Poor Gain Little Other than Protection In the 1930’s, during his second term as president, Franklin Roosevelt fought for and constructed many versions of legislation to end the exploitation of women and children. Finally on October 24, 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act became effective. The Act limited the hired workers to be no less than sixteen, the work week to no more than forty hours and the minimum wage to be twenty-five cents anRead MoreMinimum Wage Increase And The Effects On Family Poverty1921 Words   |  8 PagesMinimum wage has been a topic that has caused mixed feelings from all parts of the United States and other countries and it continues to be a topic of interest to many. 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