Waste Management individual coursework

Brief overview The modern day industrial societies are concerned with environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources. A lot of waste is generated by businesses, households and the construction industry globally on daily basis. Engineering has a role in designing ways of effectively managing waste through various means like green technology and exploiting waste to produce alternative sources of energy (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012, p. 71). The management of waste through proper disposal or recycling is important in protecting the environment. Engineering has a great role in ensuring sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection. Mechanical engineers are actively engaged with how the society uses natural resources. It discovers, designs, maintains, improves and repairs machineries like cars, airplanes and industrial equipment which human beings depend on for their daily lives (Wang & Koh 2010, p. 49). In the future, mechanical engineering will deliver solutions that will sustain and protect the existence of man on the planet. There are two major ways in which engineering can help in mitigating the problem of waste management which are preventing waste in engineering and management of waste. The next section will look at the two methods, their advantages, disadvantages and cases where they have been used successfully. Waste prevention (Designing out waste in mechanical engineering) Green manufacturing is an emerging concept in engineering that aims to achieve sustainable development in the manufacturing industry. Dornfeld (2010, p. 56) defines green manufacturing as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that conserve energy and natural resources, are non-polluting and are economically safe and sound for users. There is an increasing need for mechanical engineers and engineering in general to innovate new ways of creating products that minimise waste of resources. Rynn (2010, p. 87) asserts that for mechanical engineering to b e able to design products that are friendly to the environment, issues of sustainability should be part of all the decision making processes in engineering. This covers all the steps from product design to its end life and after that the needed efforts in regaining its value rather than disposal. The main objective for green manufacturing is to produce products that can be remanufactured, recycled or reused. As such green manufacturing process reduces the environmental impact of a manufacturing process than it was in the past. Green manufacturing systems include measures to reduce the volume of hazardous waste produced, change the energy mix to include the use of more renewable resources and cut down the volume of coolant consumed in the manufacturing process. The other measure that reduces waste of resources is lean manufacturing which has been successfully used by Toyota in its manufacturing plants. The lean manufacturing system as used by Toyota managed to reduce seven types of w astes in the company’s manufacturing process. Toyota reduced overproduction, inventory, transportation, motion, over processing, defects and waiting times (International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing & Li 2010, p. 77). Most of these wastes are related to the desire to minimise the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process. For instance, a reduction in the waiting times saved company resources like lighting and air conditioning. Many machines used in the production process consume a lot of energy even when not processing any products. As such the idle time used for allowing the smooth flow of products wastes a lot of energy. The lean manufacturing processes, initiatives, strategies and techniques are advantageous in terms of reducing operational costs and also aim at boosting, restoring and significantly improving organisational competitiveness. Lean manufacturing reduces the manufacturing time by eliminating the wastes in the manufactur ing process. A reduction in manufacturing time leads to a subsequent reduction in operational costs in the form of labour, energy and other utilities. In so doing, it helps organisations in retaining, maintaining and significantly increasing their revenues, widening their margins and generation of savings from lowering costs. Lean manufacturing helps companies in saving space which raises the levels of efficiency and savings. According to Davim (2013, p.64), lean manufacturing has a potential of increasing the productivity of a company by approximately 75% to 125%. This is because the elimination of wastes and any other unnecessary practices at the workplace assists the employees to work without distractions and in so doing maximise output. The elimination and reduction of waste in the production process helps the companies in increasing earnings and profits by reducing wasteful use of resources. In addition to this, the elimination of unnecessary tasks and job positions helps compa nies in reducing labour expenses and in return increase their earnings (Skrabec 2013, p. 33). Despite the aforementioned benefits that come with lean manufacturing, there are various barriers that prevent organisations from fully implementing it in their manufacturing processes. The capital cost requirements of emission control and waste management are extremely high with long payback period (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012, p. 88). This makes it very difficult for most companies as this translates into higher product prices which would drive away potential customers. In other instances the capital input exceeds the direct economic gains thus frustrating the successful implementation of green manufacturing. The other barrier is that the manufacturing industry relies on certain technologies and processes that may cause undesirable effects but cannot be ignored like the volatile organic compound used in automotive manufacturing. Waste management (use of recycling and reuse) Waste management entails reducing the amount of waste that the manufacturing industry disposes on the environment (Ku?hnle 2010, p. 96). In reusing and recycling of waste products, the manufacturing industry reuses old or waste products to produce new products. Waste management reduces environmental pollution, energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and consumption of fresh raw materials by reducing the reliance on conventional waste disposal (Hesselbach & Herrmann 2011, p. 54). The manufacturing firms should therefore aim at reducing waste at each and every phase of the production process. The first step is to identify the areas where waste is high in the manufacturing process and then find out what needs to be recycled using cost benefit analysis. Nikon has successfully managed to do this and is recycling its wastes to produce new products. Recycling of old products is important because it helps in environmental conservation. Reusing of resources relaxes the strain placed on n atural resources which are increasingly getting depleted. The other advantage of recycling old products is that it reduces energy consumption (Shina 2008, p. 65). The manufacturing process uses large amounts of energy in processing the raw materials into finished products. Recycling helps the manufacturing companies in minimising energy consumption which is important for massive production like refining and mining. In addition to this, it also makes the production process effective in terms of cost which raises the margins for the manufacturers (Association for Manufacturing Excellence 2008, p. 162). Although product recycling is very beneficial to the manufacturers, there are some barriers that hamper the successful implementation of recycling old products in the manufacturing process. The first barrier is that the recycling process is not always cost effective because at times companies are forced to open up new factories thus raising their operational costs (Wang et al 2011, p. 2 2). A new factory by itself may even cause more pollution in terms of transportation, cleaning and storage. Other than operational challenges, the other major limitation of recycling is that the recycled products are not always as durable as the original products. Products made from trashed waste are cheap and less durable and may not generate sustainable revenue for organisations like other products. Key lessons learnt and how these can be used to improve the future Both lean manufacturing and waste reuse are important in reducing wastes that emanate from the manufacturing processes. Lean manufacturing should be used in eliminating wastages in the production process in order to ensure that organisations minimise operational costs. However, the findings reveal that both methods should be implemented in the manufacturing process in order to improve the waste management in mechanical engineering. Key conclusions and recommendations Waste management should be included in all the stages of the manufacturing process in order to ensure sustainability in engineering. Owing to the fact that the quality of recycled products is often lower than the other original products, it is recommendable to embrace lean manufacturing in order to ensure that wastages are eliminated in the production process. References Association for Manufacturing Excellence (U.S.) (2008). Green manufacturing: Case studies in lean and sustainability. New York: Productivity Press. Davim, J. P. (2013). Green manufacturing processes and systems. Heidelberg: Springer. Dornfeld, D. (2010). Green Manufacturing: Fundamentals and Applications. Berlin: Springer US. Hesselbach, J., & Herrmann, C. (2011). Glocalized Solutions for Sustainability in Manufacturing: Proceedings of the 18th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Technische Universita?t Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, May 2nd – 4th, 2011. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing, & Li, S. (2010). Mechanical engineering and green manufacturing: Selected, peer reviewed papers from the International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Green Manufacturing (MEGM) 2010, November 19-22, 2010, in Xiangtan, China. Stafa-Zurich: TTP, Trans Tech Publications. Ku?hnle, H. (2010). Distributed manufacturing: Paradigm, concepts, solutions and examples. London: Springer. Rynn, J. (2010). Manufacturing green prosperity: The power to rebuild the American middle class. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger. Shina, S. G. (2008). Green electronics design and manufacturing: Implementing lead-free and RoHS-compliant global products. New York: McGraw-Hill. Skrabec, Q. R. (2013). The green vision of Henry Ford and George Washington Carver: Two collaborators in the cause of clean industry. New York: Productivity Press. Wang, L., & Koh, S. C. L. (2010). Enterprise networks and logistics for agile manufacturing. London: Springer. Wang, L., Ng, A. H. C., Deb, K., & SpringerLink (2011). Multi-objective evolutionary optimisation for product design and manufacturing. London: Springer. Worrell, W. A., & Vesilind, P. A. (2012). Solid waste engineering. Australia: Cengage Learning.

Accounting treatment for inventory and loans

Runing Head: Fiscal Accounting Work 1 Your name: Course name: Professors’ name: Date Part A QUESTION ONEDetermine whether or non Large Mart would lawfully be allowed to alter its stock list cost flow premise from FIFO to Weighted-Average-Cost, and what ( if any ) legal demands would restrict Large Mart’s ability to do this alteration.Large Mart is lawfully allowed to alter its stock list accounting system from FIFO to leaden mean cost method. Harmonizing to International Financial Reporting Standards, an entity shall alter its policies merely if the alteration consequences in fiscal statements supplying dependable and more efficient information about effects of minutess, events or conditions on entity’s fiscal place and hard currency flows. The alteration should be adopted retrospectively pregnant accommodations should be made as if the new policy has ever been in being ( Hussey, 2010 ) . Disclosure should be made on the ground for alteration in policy, sum of alteration for current period and anterior periods.IRS allows one to take an stock list accounting po licy but requires the entity to utilize it systematically twelvemonth to twelvemonth. However, the IRS mandates the company to use stock list alterations method. In such a instance, the IRS must be informed in order to get permission for revenue enhancement twelvemonth when the initial execution of the new method of stock list cost was done ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . As such, it is required that Form 3115 of the IRS be completed and submitted at the beginning of the twelvemonth when the alteration was initiated ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . The alteration should be attached to revenue enhancement return for the twelvemonth in order for the alterations to take topographic point. More so, the concern must hold been ongoing for at least one twelvemonth.Discuss what impact ( if any ) a alteration from the FIFO cost flow premise to the Weighted-Average cost flow premise would hold on the fiscal place ( balance sheet ) of Large Mart. PLEASE NOTE: You are Not required to cipher the sum of impact of this alteration on the balance sheet. Alternatively, delight disco urse the POTENTIAL impacts of such a alteration in general.First in first out FIFO usually considers that the stock list bought is the stock list that should be sold foremost. As internal operations of the company continues, the FIFO calculates the existent cost. This is of import for merchandises that have a comparatively shorter shelf life, such merchandises are food markets. As such FIFO allows realisation of both cost and net income incurred on a merchandise. This besides applies in the fabrication industry because FIFO helps in accounting for the cost of the natural stuffs every bit good as the cost incurred in selling every merchandise and therefore the net income ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . If FIFO is used but the stock list is damaged or destroyed in any manner, one should cognize precisely the loss in order to account for its value. Nonetheless, FIFO gives the merchandise cost for each merchandise manufactured. If the natural stuffs for the two units vary, so each of these units will hold different cost. If the cost of marked up to acquire the merchandising monetary value, the units will hold changing selling procedure ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . Average Costing Method The monetary values can be set based on the mean stock list cost by increasing the monetary value of the norm. This allows for a lower net income border for expensive stock list. Despite the fact that there will be a lower net income border, this will be addressed by the higher net income border on the side of lower-cost stock list. This is specifically good for companies that are used to blending their stock lists as they come. This method is applied for mean net income degrees every bit good as mean nonexempt income. It besides works good in delegating the mean cost of production of a given merchandise every bit good as when the stock lists are assorted this non possible to delegate a given cost to a unit. One chief disadvantage of the mean costing method is the commixture of the stock list and hence doing it hard to account for every merchandise particularly merchandises which cost higher ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . In the event that some stock list bought has to be returned, the mean will be inaccurate utilizing this method. As such, the bing stock list may be sold for a lower monetary value grade in order to do a sensible monetary value. Further to this, in the event that some stock list is to be disposed by using price reductions, it should be based on the mean cost. Notably, some will be sold at a loss because their purchasing monetary value will be higher than others. In this event, the full stock list must be sold in order to acquire the norm cost back. Impact on The Balance Sheet FIFO usually reports higher stock list in current assets and therefore a higher current ratio. In the period of worsening cost of stuffs. FIFO leads to a higher cost of goods sold, lower net income and accordingly lower income revenue enhancement. The stock list method that is employed by a company in the event of a profitableness ratio, the balance sheet is affected. As a consequence, the current ratio is higher, ( the current ratio is computed by spliting the current assets with the current liabilities ) ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) .. On the contrary, a company using the norm weighted cost on the other manus studies an mean stoping stock list. This produces current ration. More so, the stockholders equity is higher in this instance under FIFO method since the norm weighted method outputs a average plus base ( plus less liabilities leads to a higher FIFO ) . In add-on, other balance sheet ratios to see include, plus turnover ( gross revenues divided by assets ) , return of equit y ( net income divided by average amount of assets ) , and stock list turnover ( COGS divided by the average stock lists ) ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . QUESTION TWO a )Explain how Large Mart must account for the depreciation of the equipment that was used in the edifice of the new machinery AND explicate why this intervention is required. Large Mart should handle depreciation as a concern disbursal for the twelvemonth and therefore bear down it to the net income and loss history. This is because it was incurred in the class of enlargement of concern. Since the depreciation disbursal belongs to 4 months of concern, every month is allocated an disbursal utilizing the consecutive line method ( Hussey, 2010 ) . This is necessary so that the right disbursal of depreciation is charged every monthExplain how Large Mart must account for the loan every bit good as the payment of involvement during the clip that the new machinery was built AND explicate why this intervention is required.Large Mart should account and enter the burden in general leger. First, it should debit the vase for the sum of burden which were given out by the company every bit good as the recognition short-run notes which are collectible for the part that is non to be paid during that fiscal twelvemonth ( Hussey, 2010 ) .Because the entire sum of loan is d ue to be paid back in less than a twelvemonth, there is no demand for long-run note collectible. Normally, there will be occasional monthly payments. When these payments are made, two variables to be considered are involvement and rule ( Elliott & A ; Elliott, 2008 ) . Principle refers to the original sum borrowed while the involvement is the cost incurred as a consequence of the adoption which is calculated based on the outstanding sum each twelvemonth. Entries are usually made by debiting notes collectible for the rule sum ( Hussey, 2010 ) . As such this is achieved by debiting involvement disbursal for the sum collectible and crediting for the entire payments. Part B( 0.5 Markss )1/5/201x Dr Computer a/c 5000 Cr Cash a/c 3500 Cr Discount received 1500 To enter purchase of computing machine in hard currency 2/5/201x Dr. Cash a/c 3500 Dr. price reduction received 1500 Cr Computer 5000 To enter return of computing machine to seller and forfeiture of price reduction 2 ) ( 1 grade ) – Cost of car= 45000 + 1000 = $ 46000 11/5/201x Dr. Car a/c $ 46000 Cr. Creditor/Vendor a/c $ 46000 To enter purchase of a auto on recognition 20/5/201x Dr. Car a/c $ 48000 Cr. Creditor $ 46000 Cr. Cash ( painting logo ) $ 2000 To enter purchase of auto and bringing 1/6/201x Dr. Creditor a/c $ 46000 Cr. Discount received $ 2300 Cr. Cash $ 43700 To enter payment to creditor. 3 ) ( 1.5 Markss ) – Before reappraisal ; Cost of the car= $ 48000 Depreciation =48000-2000 7 = $ 6571 per annum After reappraisal ; Cost of the auto = $ 46000 Depreciation=46000-2000 7 = $ 6286 per annum Reappraisal therefore has an consequence on depreciation as it has decreased depreciation disbursal from sh. 6571 to sh. 6286 per annum To enter consequence of reappraisal 1/7/201x Dr Car a/c $ 46000 Dr. Loss on reappraisal $ 2000 Cr. Car $ 48000 Mentions Elliott, B. , & A ; Elliott, J. ( 2008 ) .Fiscal Accounting and Reporting. New York, NY: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Hussey, R. ( 2010 ) .Fundamentalss of International Financial Accounting and Reporting. Michigan: World Scientific.

Angels Demons Chapter 3235

â€Å"Sorry for the slow flight,† the pilot apologized, emerging from the cockpit. â€Å"Had to trim her back. Noise regulations over populated areas.† Langdon checked his watch. They had been airborne thirty-seven minutes. The pilot popped the outer door. â€Å"Anybody want to tell me what’s going on?† Neither Vittoria nor Langdon responded. â€Å"Fine,† he said, stretching. â€Å"I’ll be in the cockpit with the air-conditioning and my music. Just me and Garth.† The late-afternoon sun blazed outside the hangar. Langdon carried his tweed jacket over his shoulder. Vittoria turned her face skyward and inhaled deeply, as if the sun’s rays somehow transferred to her some mystical replenishing energy. Mediterraneans, Langdon mused, already sweating. â€Å"Little old for cartoons, aren’t you?† Vittoria asked, without opening her eyes. â€Å"I’m sorry?† â€Å"Your wristwatch. I saw it on the plane.† Langdon flushed slightly. He was accustomed to having to defend his timepiece. The collector’s edition Mickey Mouse watch had been a childhood gift from his parents. Despite the contorted foolishness of Mickey’s outstretched arms designating the hour, it was the only watch Langdon had ever worn. Waterproof and glow-in-the-dark, it was perfect for swimming laps or walking unlit college paths at night. When Langdon’s students questioned his fashion sense, he told them he wore Mickey as a daily reminder to stay young at heart. â€Å"It’s six o’clock,† he said. Vittoria nodded, eyes still closed. â€Å"I think our ride’s here.† Langdon heard the distant whine, looked up, and felt a sinking feeling. Approaching from the north was a helicopter, slicing low across the runway. Langdon had been on a helicopter once in the Andean Palpa Valley looking at the Nazca sand drawings and had not enjoyed it one bit. A flying shoebox. After a morning of space plane rides, Langdon had hoped the Vatican would send a car. Apparently not. The chopper slowed overhead, hovered a moment, and dropped toward the runway in front of them. The craft was white and carried a coat of arms emblazoned on the side – two skeleton keys crossing a shield and papal crown. He knew the symbol well. It was the traditional seal of the Vatican – the sacred symbol of the Holy See or â€Å"holy seat† of government, the seat being literally the ancient throne of St. Peter. The Holy Chopper, Langdon groaned, watching the craft land. He’d forgotten the Vatican owned one of these things, used for transporting the Pope to the airport, to meetings, or to his summer palace in Gandolfo. Langdon definitely would have preferred a car. The pilot jumped from the cockpit and strode toward them across the tarmac. Now it was Vittoria who looked uneasy. â€Å"That’s our pilot?† Langdon shared her concern. â€Å"To fly, or not to fly. That is the question.† The pilot looked like he was festooned for a Shakespearean melodrama. His puffy tunic was vertically striped in brilliant blue and gold. He wore matching pantaloons and spats. On his feet were black flats that looked like slippers. On top of it all, he wore a black felt beret. â€Å"Traditional Swiss Guard uniforms,† Langdon explained. â€Å"Designed by Michelangelo himself.† As the man drew closer, Langdon winced. â€Å"I admit, not one of Michelangelo’s better efforts.† Despite the man’s garish attire, Langdon could tell the pilot meant business. He moved toward them with all the rigidity and dignity of a U.S. Marine. Langdon had read many times about the rigorous requirements for becoming one of the elite Swiss Guard. Recruited from one of Switzerland’s four Catholic cantons, applicants had to be Swiss males between nineteen and thirty years old, at least 5 feet 6 inches, trained by the Swiss Army, and unmarried. This imperial corps was envied by world governments as the most allegiant and deadly security force in the world. â€Å"You are from CERN?† the guard asked, arriving before them. His voice was steely. â€Å"Yes, sir,† Langdon replied. â€Å"You made remarkable time,† he said, giving the X-33 a mystified stare. He turned to Vittoria. â€Å"Ma’am, do you have any other clothing?† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† He motioned to her legs. â€Å"Short pants are not permitted inside Vatican City.† Langdon glanced down at Vittoria’s legs and frowned. He had forgotten. Vatican City had a strict ban on visible legs above the knee – both male and female. The regulation was a way of showing respect for the sanctity of God’s city. â€Å"This is all I have,† she said. â€Å"We came in a hurry.† The guard nodded, clearly displeased. He turned next to Langdon. â€Å"Are you carrying any weapons?† Weapons? Langdon thought. I’m not even carrying a change of underwear! He shook his head. The officer crouched at Langdon’s feet and began patting him down, starting at his socks. Trusting guy, Langdon thought. The guard’s strong hands moved up Langdon’s legs, coming uncomfortably close to his groin. Finally they moved up to his chest and shoulders. Apparently content Langdon was clean, the guard turned to Vittoria. He ran his eyes up her legs and torso. Vittoria glared. â€Å"Don’t even think about it.† The guard fixed Vittoria with a gaze clearly intended to intimidate. Vittoria did not flinch. â€Å"What’s that?† the guard said, pointing to a faint square bulge in the front pocket of her shorts. Vittoria removed an ultrathin cell phone. The guard took it, clicked it on, waited for a dial tone, and then, apparently satisfied that it was indeed nothing more than a phone, returned it to her. Vittoria slid it back into her pocket. â€Å"Turn around, please,† the guard said. Vittoria obliged, holding her arms out and rotating a full 360 degrees. The guard carefully studied her. Langdon had already decided that Vittoria’s form-fitting shorts and blouse were not bulging anywhere they shouldn’t have been. Apparently the guard came to the same conclusion. â€Å"Thank you. This way please.† The Swiss Guard chopper churned in neutral as Langdon and Vittoria approached. Vittoria boarded first, like a seasoned pro, barely even stooping as she passed beneath the whirling rotors. Langdon held back a moment. â€Å"No chance of a car?† he yelled, half-joking to the Swiss Guard, who was climbing in the pilot’s seat. The man did not answer. Langdon knew that with Rome’s maniacal drivers, flying was probably safer anyway. He took a deep breath and boarded, stooping cautiously as he passed beneath the spinning rotors. As the guard fired up the engines, Vittoria called out, â€Å"Have you located the canister?† The guard glanced over his shoulder, looking confused. â€Å"The what?† â€Å"The canister. You called CERN about a canister?† The man shrugged. â€Å"No idea what you’re talking about. We’ve been very busy today. My commander told me to pick you up. That’s all I know.† Vittoria gave Langdon an unsettled look. â€Å"Buckle up, please,† the pilot said as the engine revved. Langdon reached for his seat belt and strapped himself in. The tiny fuselage seemed to shrink around him. Then with a roar, the craft shot up and banked sharply north toward Rome. Rome†¦ the caput mundi, where Caesar once ruled, where St. Peter was crucified. The cradle of modern civilization. And at its core†¦ a ticking bomb. 33 Rome from the air is a labyrinth – an indecipherable maze of ancient roadways winding around buildings, fountains, and crumbling ruins. The Vatican chopper stayed low in the sky as it sliced northwest through the permanent smog layer coughed up by the congestion below. Langdon gazed down at the mopeds, sight-seeing buses, and armies of miniature Fiat sedans buzzing around rotaries in all directions. Koyaanisqatsi, he thought, recalling the Hopi term for â€Å"life out of balance.† Vittoria sat in silent determination in the seat beside him. The chopper banked hard. His stomach dropping, Langdon gazed farther into the distance. His eyes found the crumbling ruins of the Roman Coliseum. The Coliseum, Langdon had always thought, was one of history’s greatest ironies. Now a dignified symbol for the rise of human culture and civilization, the stadium had been built to host centuries of barbaric events – hungry lions shredding prisoners, armies of slaves battling to the death, gang rapes of exotic women captured from far-off lands, as well as public beheadings and castrations. It was ironic, Langdon thought, or perhaps fitting, that the Coliseum had served as the architectural blueprint for Harvard’s Soldier Field – the football stadium where the ancient traditions of savagery were reenacted every fall†¦ crazed fans screaming for bloodshed as Harvard battled Yale. As the chopper headed north, Langdon spied the Roman Forum – the heart of pre-Christian Rome. The decaying columns looked like toppled gravestones in a cemetery that had somehow avoided being swallowed by the metropolis surrounding it. To the west the wide basin of the Tiber River wound enormous arcs across the city. Even from the air Langdon could tell the water was deep. The churning currents were brown, filled with silt and foam from heavy rains. â€Å"Straight ahead,† the pilot said, climbing higher. Langdon and Vittoria looked out and saw it. Like a mountain parting the morning fog, the colossal dome rose out of the haze before them: St. Peter’s Basilica. â€Å"Now that,† Langdon said to Vittoria, â€Å"is something Michelangelo got right.† Langdon had never seen St. Peter’s from the air. The marble faà §ade blazed like fire in the afternoon sun. Adorned with 140 statues of saints, martyrs, and angels, the Herculean edifice stretched two football fields wide and a staggering six long. The cavernous interior of the basilica had room for over 60,000 worshipers†¦ over one hundred times the population of Vatican City, the smallest country in the world. Incredibly, though, not even a citadel of this magnitude could dwarf the piazza before it. A sprawling expanse of granite, St. Peter’s Square was a staggering open space in the congestion of Rome, like a classical Central Park. In front of the basilica, bordering the vast oval common, 284 columns swept outward in four concentric arcs of diminishing size†¦ an architectural trompe de l’oiel used to heighten the piazza’s sense of grandeur. As he stared at the magnificent shrine before him, Langdon wondered what St. Peter would think if he were here now. The Saint had died a gruesome death, crucified upside down on this very spot. Now he rested in the most sacred of tombs, buried five stories down, directly beneath the central cupola of the basilica. â€Å"Vatican City,† the pilot said, sounding anything but welcoming. Langdon looked out at the towering stone bastions that loomed ahead – impenetrable fortifications surrounding the complex†¦ a strangely earthly defense for a spiritual world of secrets, power, and mystery. â€Å"Look!† Vittoria said suddenly, grabbing Langdon’s arm. She motioned frantically downward toward St. Peter’s Square directly beneath them. Langdon put his face to the window and looked. â€Å"Over there,† she said, pointing. Langdon looked. The rear of the piazza looked like a parking lot crowded with a dozen or so trailer trucks. Huge satellite dishes pointed skyward from the roof of every truck. The dishes were emblazoned with familiar names: Televisor Europea Video Italia BBC United Press International Langdon felt suddenly confused, wondering if the news of the antimatter had already leaked out. Vittoria seemed suddenly tense. â€Å"Why is the press here? What’s going on?† The pilot turned and gave her an odd look over his shoulder. â€Å"What’s going on? You don’t know?† â€Å"No,† she fired back, her accent husky and strong. â€Å"Il Conclavo,† he said. â€Å"It is to be sealed in about an hour. The whole world is watching.† Il Conclavo. The word rang a long moment in Langdon’s ears before dropping like a brick to the pit of his stomach. Il Conclavo. The Vatican Conclave. How could he have forgotten? It had been in the news recently. Fifteen days ago, the Pope, after a tremendously popular twelve-year reign, had passed away. Every paper in the world had carried the story about the Pope’s fatal stroke while sleeping – a sudden and unexpected death many whispered was suspicious. But now, in keeping with the sacred tradition, fifteen days after the death of a Pope, the Vatican was holding Il Conclavo – the sacred ceremony in which the 165 cardinals of the world – the most powerful men in Christendom – gathered in Vatican City to elect the new Pope. Every cardinal on the planet is here today, Langdon thought as the chopper passed over St. Peter’s Basilica. The expansive inner world of Vatican City spread out beneath him. The entire power structure of the Roman Catholic Church is sitting on a time bomb. 34 Cardinal Mortati gazed up at the lavish ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and tried to find a moment of quiet reflection. The frescoed walls echoed with the voices of cardinals from nations around the globe. The men jostled in the candlelit tabernacle, whispering excitedly and consulting with one another in numerous languages, the universal tongues being English, Italian, and Spanish. The light in the chapel was usually sublime – long rays of tinted sun slicing through the darkness like rays from heaven – but not today. As was the custom, all of the chapel’s windows had been covered in black velvet in the name of secrecy. This ensured that no one on the inside could send signals or communicate in any way with the outside world. The result was a profound darkness lit only by candles†¦ a shimmering radiance that seemed to purify everyone it touched, making them all ghostly†¦ like saints. What privilege, Mortati thought, that I am to oversee this sanctified event. Cardinals over eighty years of age were too old to be eligible for election and did not attend conclave, but at seventy-nine years old, Mortati was the most senior cardinal here and had been appointed to oversee the proceedings. Following tradition, the cardinals gathered here two hours before conclave to catch up with friends and engage in last-minute discussion. At 7 P.M., the late Pope’s chamberlain would arrive, give opening prayer, and then leave. Then the Swiss Guard would seal the doors and lock all the cardinals inside. It was then that the oldest and most secretive political ritual in the world would begin. The cardinals would not be released until they decided who among them would be the next Pope. Conclave. Even the name was secretive. â€Å"Con clave† literally meant â€Å"locked with a key.† The cardinals were permitted no contact whatsoever with the outside world. No phone calls. No messages. No whispers through doorways. Conclave was a vacuum, not to be influenced by anything in the outside world. This would ensure that the cardinals kept Solum Dum prae oculis†¦ only God before their eyes. Outside the walls of the chapel, of course, the media watched and waited, speculating as to which of the cardinals would become the ruler of one billion Catholics worldwide. Conclaves created an intense, politically charged atmosphere, and over the centuries they had turned deadly: poisonings, fist fights, and even murder had erupted within the sacred walls. Ancient history, Mortati thought. Tonight’s conclave will be unified, blissful, and above all†¦ brief. Or at least that had been his speculation. Now, however, an unexpected development had emerged. Mystifyingly, four cardinals were absent from the chapel. Mortati knew that all the exits to Vatican City were guarded, and the missing cardinals could not have gone far, but still, with less than an hour before opening prayer, he was feeling disconcerted. After all, the four missing men were no ordinary cardinals. They were the cardinals. The chosen four. As overseer of the conclave, Mortati had already sent word through the proper channels to the Swiss Guard alerting them to the cardinals’ absence. He had yet to hear back. Other cardinals had now noticed the puzzling absence. The anxious whispers had begun. Of all cardinals, these four should be on time! Cardinal Mortati was starting to fear it might be a long evening after all. He had no idea. 35 The Vatican’s helipad, for reasons of safety and noise control, is located in the northwest tip of Vatican City, as far from St. Peter’s Basilica as possible. â€Å"Terra firma,† the pilot announced as they touched down. He exited and opened the sliding door for Langdon and Vittoria. Langdon descended from the craft and turned to help Vittoria, but she had already dropped effortlessly to the ground. Every muscle in her body seemed tuned to one objective – finding the antimatter before it left a horrific legacy. After stretching a reflective sun tarp across the cockpit window, the pilot ushered them to an oversized electric golf cart waiting near the helipad. The cart whisked them silently alongside the country’s western border – a fifty-foot-tall cement bulwark thick enough to ward off attacks even by tanks. Lining the interior of the wall, posted at fifty-meter intervals, Swiss Guards stood at attention, surveying the interior of the grounds. The cart turned sharply right onto Via della Osservatorio. Signs pointed in all directions: Palazzio Governatorio Collegio Ethiopiana Basilica San Pietro Capella Sistina They accelerated up the manicured road past a squat building marked Radio Vaticana. This, Langdon realized to his amazement, was the hub of the world’s most listened-to radio programming – Radio Vaticana – spreading the word of God to millions of listeners around the globe. â€Å"Attenzione,† the pilot said, turning sharply into a rotary. As the cart wound round, Langdon could barely believe the sight now coming into view. Giardini Vaticani, he thought. The heart of Vatican City. Directly ahead rose the rear of St. Peter’s Basilica, a view, Langdon realized, most people never saw. To the right loomed the Palace of the Tribunal, the lush papal residence rivaled only by Versailles in its baroque embellishment. The severe-looking Governatorato building was now behind them, housing Vatican City’s administration. And up ahead on the left, the massive rectangular edifice of the Vatican Museum. Langdon knew there would be no time for a museum visit this trip. â€Å"Where is everyone?† Vittoria asked, surveying the deserted lawns and walkways. The guard checked his black, military-style chronograph – an odd anachronism beneath his puffy sleeve. â€Å"The cardinals are convened in the Sistine Chapel. Conclave begins in a little under an hour.† Langdon nodded, vaguely recalling that before conclave the cardinals spent two hours inside the Sistine Chapel in quiet reflection and visitations with their fellow cardinals from around the globe. The time was meant to renew old friendships among the cardinals and facilitate a less heated election process. â€Å"And the rest of the residents and staff?† â€Å"Banned from the city for secrecy and security until the conclave concludes.† â€Å"And when does it conclude?† The guard shrugged. â€Å"God only knows.† The words sounded oddly literal. After parking the cart on the wide lawn directly behind St. Peter’s Basilica, the guard escorted Langdon and Vittoria up a stone escarpment to a marble plaza off the back of the basilica. Crossing the plaza, they approached the rear wall of the basilica and followed it through a triangular courtyard, across Via Belvedere, and into a series of buildings closely huddled together. Langdon’s art history had taught him enough Italian to pick out signs for the Vatican Printing Office, the Tapestry Restoration Lab, Post Office Management, and the Church of St. Ann. They crossed another small square and arrived at their destination. The Office of the Swiss Guard is housed adjacent to Il Corpo di Vigilanza, directly northeast of St. Peter’s Basilica. The office is a squat, stone building. On either side of the entrance, like two stone statues, stood a pair of guards. Langdon had to admit, these guards did not look quite so comical. Although they also wore the blue and gold uniform, each wielded the traditional â€Å"Vatican long sword† – an eight-foot spear with a razor-sharp scythe – rumored to have decapitated countless Muslims while defending the Christian crusaders in the fifteenth century. As Langdon and Vittoria approached, the two guards stepped forward, crossing their long swords, blocking the entrance. One looked up at the pilot in confusion. â€Å"I pantaloni,† he said, motioning to Vittoria’s shorts. The pilot waved them off. â€Å"Il comandante vuole vederli subito.† The guards frowned. Reluctantly they stepped aside. Inside, the air was cool. It looked nothing like the administrative security offices Langdon would have imagined. Ornate and impeccably furnished, the hallways contained paintings Langdon was certain any museum worldwide would gladly have featured in its main gallery. The pilot pointed down a steep set of stairs. â€Å"Down, please.† Langdon and Vittoria followed the white marble treads as they descended between a gauntlet of nude male sculptures. Each statue wore a fig leaf that was lighter in color than the rest of the body. The Great Castration, Langdon thought. It was one of the most horrific tragedies in Renaissance art. In 1857, Pope Pius IX decided that the accurate representation of the male form might incite lust inside the Vatican. So he got a chisel and mallet and hacked off the genitalia of every single male statue inside Vatican City. He defaced works by Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini. Plaster fig leaves were used to patch the damage. Hundreds of sculptures had been emasculated. Langdon had often wondered if there was a huge crate of stone penises someplace. â€Å"Here,† the guard announced. They reached the bottom of the stairs and dead-ended at a heavy, steel door. The guard typed an entry code, and the door slid open. Langdon and Vittoria entered. Beyond the threshold was absolute mayhem. Angels Demons Chapter 3235 â€Å"Sorry for the slow flight,† the pilot apologized, emerging from the cockpit. â€Å"Had to trim her back. Noise regulations over populated areas.† Langdon checked his watch. They had been airborne thirty-seven minutes. The pilot popped the outer door. â€Å"Anybody want to tell me what’s going on?† Neither Vittoria nor Langdon responded. â€Å"Fine,† he said, stretching. â€Å"I’ll be in the cockpit with the air-conditioning and my music. Just me and Garth.† The late-afternoon sun blazed outside the hangar. Langdon carried his tweed jacket over his shoulder. Vittoria turned her face skyward and inhaled deeply, as if the sun’s rays somehow transferred to her some mystical replenishing energy. Mediterraneans, Langdon mused, already sweating. â€Å"Little old for cartoons, aren’t you?† Vittoria asked, without opening her eyes. â€Å"I’m sorry?† â€Å"Your wristwatch. I saw it on the plane.† Langdon flushed slightly. He was accustomed to having to defend his timepiece. The collector’s edition Mickey Mouse watch had been a childhood gift from his parents. Despite the contorted foolishness of Mickey’s outstretched arms designating the hour, it was the only watch Langdon had ever worn. Waterproof and glow-in-the-dark, it was perfect for swimming laps or walking unlit college paths at night. When Langdon’s students questioned his fashion sense, he told them he wore Mickey as a daily reminder to stay young at heart. â€Å"It’s six o’clock,† he said. Vittoria nodded, eyes still closed. â€Å"I think our ride’s here.† Langdon heard the distant whine, looked up, and felt a sinking feeling. Approaching from the north was a helicopter, slicing low across the runway. Langdon had been on a helicopter once in the Andean Palpa Valley looking at the Nazca sand drawings and had not enjoyed it one bit. A flying shoebox. After a morning of space plane rides, Langdon had hoped the Vatican would send a car. Apparently not. The chopper slowed overhead, hovered a moment, and dropped toward the runway in front of them. The craft was white and carried a coat of arms emblazoned on the side – two skeleton keys crossing a shield and papal crown. He knew the symbol well. It was the traditional seal of the Vatican – the sacred symbol of the Holy See or â€Å"holy seat† of government, the seat being literally the ancient throne of St. Peter. The Holy Chopper, Langdon groaned, watching the craft land. He’d forgotten the Vatican owned one of these things, used for transporting the Pope to the airport, to meetings, or to his summer palace in Gandolfo. Langdon definitely would have preferred a car. The pilot jumped from the cockpit and strode toward them across the tarmac. Now it was Vittoria who looked uneasy. â€Å"That’s our pilot?† Langdon shared her concern. â€Å"To fly, or not to fly. That is the question.† The pilot looked like he was festooned for a Shakespearean melodrama. His puffy tunic was vertically striped in brilliant blue and gold. He wore matching pantaloons and spats. On his feet were black flats that looked like slippers. On top of it all, he wore a black felt beret. â€Å"Traditional Swiss Guard uniforms,† Langdon explained. â€Å"Designed by Michelangelo himself.† As the man drew closer, Langdon winced. â€Å"I admit, not one of Michelangelo’s better efforts.† Despite the man’s garish attire, Langdon could tell the pilot meant business. He moved toward them with all the rigidity and dignity of a U.S. Marine. Langdon had read many times about the rigorous requirements for becoming one of the elite Swiss Guard. Recruited from one of Switzerland’s four Catholic cantons, applicants had to be Swiss males between nineteen and thirty years old, at least 5 feet 6 inches, trained by the Swiss Army, and unmarried. This imperial corps was envied by world governments as the most allegiant and deadly security force in the world. â€Å"You are from CERN?† the guard asked, arriving before them. His voice was steely. â€Å"Yes, sir,† Langdon replied. â€Å"You made remarkable time,† he said, giving the X-33 a mystified stare. He turned to Vittoria. â€Å"Ma’am, do you have any other clothing?† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† He motioned to her legs. â€Å"Short pants are not permitted inside Vatican City.† Langdon glanced down at Vittoria’s legs and frowned. He had forgotten. Vatican City had a strict ban on visible legs above the knee – both male and female. The regulation was a way of showing respect for the sanctity of God’s city. â€Å"This is all I have,† she said. â€Å"We came in a hurry.† The guard nodded, clearly displeased. He turned next to Langdon. â€Å"Are you carrying any weapons?† Weapons? Langdon thought. I’m not even carrying a change of underwear! He shook his head. The officer crouched at Langdon’s feet and began patting him down, starting at his socks. Trusting guy, Langdon thought. The guard’s strong hands moved up Langdon’s legs, coming uncomfortably close to his groin. Finally they moved up to his chest and shoulders. Apparently content Langdon was clean, the guard turned to Vittoria. He ran his eyes up her legs and torso. Vittoria glared. â€Å"Don’t even think about it.† The guard fixed Vittoria with a gaze clearly intended to intimidate. Vittoria did not flinch. â€Å"What’s that?† the guard said, pointing to a faint square bulge in the front pocket of her shorts. Vittoria removed an ultrathin cell phone. The guard took it, clicked it on, waited for a dial tone, and then, apparently satisfied that it was indeed nothing more than a phone, returned it to her. Vittoria slid it back into her pocket. â€Å"Turn around, please,† the guard said. Vittoria obliged, holding her arms out and rotating a full 360 degrees. The guard carefully studied her. Langdon had already decided that Vittoria’s form-fitting shorts and blouse were not bulging anywhere they shouldn’t have been. Apparently the guard came to the same conclusion. â€Å"Thank you. This way please.† The Swiss Guard chopper churned in neutral as Langdon and Vittoria approached. Vittoria boarded first, like a seasoned pro, barely even stooping as she passed beneath the whirling rotors. Langdon held back a moment. â€Å"No chance of a car?† he yelled, half-joking to the Swiss Guard, who was climbing in the pilot’s seat. The man did not answer. Langdon knew that with Rome’s maniacal drivers, flying was probably safer anyway. He took a deep breath and boarded, stooping cautiously as he passed beneath the spinning rotors. As the guard fired up the engines, Vittoria called out, â€Å"Have you located the canister?† The guard glanced over his shoulder, looking confused. â€Å"The what?† â€Å"The canister. You called CERN about a canister?† The man shrugged. â€Å"No idea what you’re talking about. We’ve been very busy today. My commander told me to pick you up. That’s all I know.† Vittoria gave Langdon an unsettled look. â€Å"Buckle up, please,† the pilot said as the engine revved. Langdon reached for his seat belt and strapped himself in. The tiny fuselage seemed to shrink around him. Then with a roar, the craft shot up and banked sharply north toward Rome. Rome†¦ the caput mundi, where Caesar once ruled, where St. Peter was crucified. The cradle of modern civilization. And at its core†¦ a ticking bomb. 33 Rome from the air is a labyrinth – an indecipherable maze of ancient roadways winding around buildings, fountains, and crumbling ruins. The Vatican chopper stayed low in the sky as it sliced northwest through the permanent smog layer coughed up by the congestion below. Langdon gazed down at the mopeds, sight-seeing buses, and armies of miniature Fiat sedans buzzing around rotaries in all directions. Koyaanisqatsi, he thought, recalling the Hopi term for â€Å"life out of balance.† Vittoria sat in silent determination in the seat beside him. The chopper banked hard. His stomach dropping, Langdon gazed farther into the distance. His eyes found the crumbling ruins of the Roman Coliseum. The Coliseum, Langdon had always thought, was one of history’s greatest ironies. Now a dignified symbol for the rise of human culture and civilization, the stadium had been built to host centuries of barbaric events – hungry lions shredding prisoners, armies of slaves battling to the death, gang rapes of exotic women captured from far-off lands, as well as public beheadings and castrations. It was ironic, Langdon thought, or perhaps fitting, that the Coliseum had served as the architectural blueprint for Harvard’s Soldier Field – the football stadium where the ancient traditions of savagery were reenacted every fall†¦ crazed fans screaming for bloodshed as Harvard battled Yale. As the chopper headed north, Langdon spied the Roman Forum – the heart of pre-Christian Rome. The decaying columns looked like toppled gravestones in a cemetery that had somehow avoided being swallowed by the metropolis surrounding it. To the west the wide basin of the Tiber River wound enormous arcs across the city. Even from the air Langdon could tell the water was deep. The churning currents were brown, filled with silt and foam from heavy rains. â€Å"Straight ahead,† the pilot said, climbing higher. Langdon and Vittoria looked out and saw it. Like a mountain parting the morning fog, the colossal dome rose out of the haze before them: St. Peter’s Basilica. â€Å"Now that,† Langdon said to Vittoria, â€Å"is something Michelangelo got right.† Langdon had never seen St. Peter’s from the air. The marble faà §ade blazed like fire in the afternoon sun. Adorned with 140 statues of saints, martyrs, and angels, the Herculean edifice stretched two football fields wide and a staggering six long. The cavernous interior of the basilica had room for over 60,000 worshipers†¦ over one hundred times the population of Vatican City, the smallest country in the world. Incredibly, though, not even a citadel of this magnitude could dwarf the piazza before it. A sprawling expanse of granite, St. Peter’s Square was a staggering open space in the congestion of Rome, like a classical Central Park. In front of the basilica, bordering the vast oval common, 284 columns swept outward in four concentric arcs of diminishing size†¦ an architectural trompe de l’oiel used to heighten the piazza’s sense of grandeur. As he stared at the magnificent shrine before him, Langdon wondered what St. Peter would think if he were here now. The Saint had died a gruesome death, crucified upside down on this very spot. Now he rested in the most sacred of tombs, buried five stories down, directly beneath the central cupola of the basilica. â€Å"Vatican City,† the pilot said, sounding anything but welcoming. Langdon looked out at the towering stone bastions that loomed ahead – impenetrable fortifications surrounding the complex†¦ a strangely earthly defense for a spiritual world of secrets, power, and mystery. â€Å"Look!† Vittoria said suddenly, grabbing Langdon’s arm. She motioned frantically downward toward St. Peter’s Square directly beneath them. Langdon put his face to the window and looked. â€Å"Over there,† she said, pointing. Langdon looked. The rear of the piazza looked like a parking lot crowded with a dozen or so trailer trucks. Huge satellite dishes pointed skyward from the roof of every truck. The dishes were emblazoned with familiar names: Televisor Europea Video Italia BBC United Press International Langdon felt suddenly confused, wondering if the news of the antimatter had already leaked out. Vittoria seemed suddenly tense. â€Å"Why is the press here? What’s going on?† The pilot turned and gave her an odd look over his shoulder. â€Å"What’s going on? You don’t know?† â€Å"No,† she fired back, her accent husky and strong. â€Å"Il Conclavo,† he said. â€Å"It is to be sealed in about an hour. The whole world is watching.† Il Conclavo. The word rang a long moment in Langdon’s ears before dropping like a brick to the pit of his stomach. Il Conclavo. The Vatican Conclave. How could he have forgotten? It had been in the news recently. Fifteen days ago, the Pope, after a tremendously popular twelve-year reign, had passed away. Every paper in the world had carried the story about the Pope’s fatal stroke while sleeping – a sudden and unexpected death many whispered was suspicious. But now, in keeping with the sacred tradition, fifteen days after the death of a Pope, the Vatican was holding Il Conclavo – the sacred ceremony in which the 165 cardinals of the world – the most powerful men in Christendom – gathered in Vatican City to elect the new Pope. Every cardinal on the planet is here today, Langdon thought as the chopper passed over St. Peter’s Basilica. The expansive inner world of Vatican City spread out beneath him. The entire power structure of the Roman Catholic Church is sitting on a time bomb. 34 Cardinal Mortati gazed up at the lavish ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and tried to find a moment of quiet reflection. The frescoed walls echoed with the voices of cardinals from nations around the globe. The men jostled in the candlelit tabernacle, whispering excitedly and consulting with one another in numerous languages, the universal tongues being English, Italian, and Spanish. The light in the chapel was usually sublime – long rays of tinted sun slicing through the darkness like rays from heaven – but not today. As was the custom, all of the chapel’s windows had been covered in black velvet in the name of secrecy. This ensured that no one on the inside could send signals or communicate in any way with the outside world. The result was a profound darkness lit only by candles†¦ a shimmering radiance that seemed to purify everyone it touched, making them all ghostly†¦ like saints. What privilege, Mortati thought, that I am to oversee this sanctified event. Cardinals over eighty years of age were too old to be eligible for election and did not attend conclave, but at seventy-nine years old, Mortati was the most senior cardinal here and had been appointed to oversee the proceedings. Following tradition, the cardinals gathered here two hours before conclave to catch up with friends and engage in last-minute discussion. At 7 P.M., the late Pope’s chamberlain would arrive, give opening prayer, and then leave. Then the Swiss Guard would seal the doors and lock all the cardinals inside. It was then that the oldest and most secretive political ritual in the world would begin. The cardinals would not be released until they decided who among them would be the next Pope. Conclave. Even the name was secretive. â€Å"Con clave† literally meant â€Å"locked with a key.† The cardinals were permitted no contact whatsoever with the outside world. No phone calls. No messages. No whispers through doorways. Conclave was a vacuum, not to be influenced by anything in the outside world. This would ensure that the cardinals kept Solum Dum prae oculis†¦ only God before their eyes. Outside the walls of the chapel, of course, the media watched and waited, speculating as to which of the cardinals would become the ruler of one billion Catholics worldwide. Conclaves created an intense, politically charged atmosphere, and over the centuries they had turned deadly: poisonings, fist fights, and even murder had erupted within the sacred walls. Ancient history, Mortati thought. Tonight’s conclave will be unified, blissful, and above all†¦ brief. Or at least that had been his speculation. Now, however, an unexpected development had emerged. Mystifyingly, four cardinals were absent from the chapel. Mortati knew that all the exits to Vatican City were guarded, and the missing cardinals could not have gone far, but still, with less than an hour before opening prayer, he was feeling disconcerted. After all, the four missing men were no ordinary cardinals. They were the cardinals. The chosen four. As overseer of the conclave, Mortati had already sent word through the proper channels to the Swiss Guard alerting them to the cardinals’ absence. He had yet to hear back. Other cardinals had now noticed the puzzling absence. The anxious whispers had begun. Of all cardinals, these four should be on time! Cardinal Mortati was starting to fear it might be a long evening after all. He had no idea. 35 The Vatican’s helipad, for reasons of safety and noise control, is located in the northwest tip of Vatican City, as far from St. Peter’s Basilica as possible. â€Å"Terra firma,† the pilot announced as they touched down. He exited and opened the sliding door for Langdon and Vittoria. Langdon descended from the craft and turned to help Vittoria, but she had already dropped effortlessly to the ground. Every muscle in her body seemed tuned to one objective – finding the antimatter before it left a horrific legacy. After stretching a reflective sun tarp across the cockpit window, the pilot ushered them to an oversized electric golf cart waiting near the helipad. The cart whisked them silently alongside the country’s western border – a fifty-foot-tall cement bulwark thick enough to ward off attacks even by tanks. Lining the interior of the wall, posted at fifty-meter intervals, Swiss Guards stood at attention, surveying the interior of the grounds. The cart turned sharply right onto Via della Osservatorio. Signs pointed in all directions: Palazzio Governatorio Collegio Ethiopiana Basilica San Pietro Capella Sistina They accelerated up the manicured road past a squat building marked Radio Vaticana. This, Langdon realized to his amazement, was the hub of the world’s most listened-to radio programming – Radio Vaticana – spreading the word of God to millions of listeners around the globe. â€Å"Attenzione,† the pilot said, turning sharply into a rotary. As the cart wound round, Langdon could barely believe the sight now coming into view. Giardini Vaticani, he thought. The heart of Vatican City. Directly ahead rose the rear of St. Peter’s Basilica, a view, Langdon realized, most people never saw. To the right loomed the Palace of the Tribunal, the lush papal residence rivaled only by Versailles in its baroque embellishment. The severe-looking Governatorato building was now behind them, housing Vatican City’s administration. And up ahead on the left, the massive rectangular edifice of the Vatican Museum. Langdon knew there would be no time for a museum visit this trip. â€Å"Where is everyone?† Vittoria asked, surveying the deserted lawns and walkways. The guard checked his black, military-style chronograph – an odd anachronism beneath his puffy sleeve. â€Å"The cardinals are convened in the Sistine Chapel. Conclave begins in a little under an hour.† Langdon nodded, vaguely recalling that before conclave the cardinals spent two hours inside the Sistine Chapel in quiet reflection and visitations with their fellow cardinals from around the globe. The time was meant to renew old friendships among the cardinals and facilitate a less heated election process. â€Å"And the rest of the residents and staff?† â€Å"Banned from the city for secrecy and security until the conclave concludes.† â€Å"And when does it conclude?† The guard shrugged. â€Å"God only knows.† The words sounded oddly literal. After parking the cart on the wide lawn directly behind St. Peter’s Basilica, the guard escorted Langdon and Vittoria up a stone escarpment to a marble plaza off the back of the basilica. Crossing the plaza, they approached the rear wall of the basilica and followed it through a triangular courtyard, across Via Belvedere, and into a series of buildings closely huddled together. Langdon’s art history had taught him enough Italian to pick out signs for the Vatican Printing Office, the Tapestry Restoration Lab, Post Office Management, and the Church of St. Ann. They crossed another small square and arrived at their destination. The Office of the Swiss Guard is housed adjacent to Il Corpo di Vigilanza, directly northeast of St. Peter’s Basilica. The office is a squat, stone building. On either side of the entrance, like two stone statues, stood a pair of guards. Langdon had to admit, these guards did not look quite so comical. Although they also wore the blue and gold uniform, each wielded the traditional â€Å"Vatican long sword† – an eight-foot spear with a razor-sharp scythe – rumored to have decapitated countless Muslims while defending the Christian crusaders in the fifteenth century. As Langdon and Vittoria approached, the two guards stepped forward, crossing their long swords, blocking the entrance. One looked up at the pilot in confusion. â€Å"I pantaloni,† he said, motioning to Vittoria’s shorts. The pilot waved them off. â€Å"Il comandante vuole vederli subito.† The guards frowned. Reluctantly they stepped aside. Inside, the air was cool. It looked nothing like the administrative security offices Langdon would have imagined. Ornate and impeccably furnished, the hallways contained paintings Langdon was certain any museum worldwide would gladly have featured in its main gallery. The pilot pointed down a steep set of stairs. â€Å"Down, please.† Langdon and Vittoria followed the white marble treads as they descended between a gauntlet of nude male sculptures. Each statue wore a fig leaf that was lighter in color than the rest of the body. The Great Castration, Langdon thought. It was one of the most horrific tragedies in Renaissance art. In 1857, Pope Pius IX decided that the accurate representation of the male form might incite lust inside the Vatican. So he got a chisel and mallet and hacked off the genitalia of every single male statue inside Vatican City. He defaced works by Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini. Plaster fig leaves were used to patch the damage. Hundreds of sculptures had been emasculated. Langdon had often wondered if there was a huge crate of stone penises someplace. â€Å"Here,† the guard announced. They reached the bottom of the stairs and dead-ended at a heavy, steel door. The guard typed an entry code, and the door slid open. Langdon and Vittoria entered. Beyond the threshold was absolute mayhem.

Principles of Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Principles of Economics - Essay Example At ceteris peribus, an increase in the prices of alcohol will cause a fall in the quantity demanded and consumed of a product (Becker, 2001). This would help mitigate the economic impacts of over consumption of alcohol. However, the economists must put into consideration the fact that the demand curve of alcohol is normally inelastic given the fact that it is addictive. They therefore have to realize that an increase in the tax level may lead to a small decline in the quantity of the product consumed. The second option that can be pursued by an economist is moral persuasion. In this case, economists will prefer explaining the marginal cost and marginal benefits of consuming alcohol. In this case, the marginal cost will be higher than the marginal benefits hence economists will promote campaigns against the use of alcohol (Frank & Bernanke, 2007). They will therefore influence the enactment of legislation to bar teenagers from using alcohol; limit the number of drinking hours among ot her measures that reduce the consumption level. When some drugs are prescribed for use, they will influence the demand and supply of other products. For instance, the demand for products used in the manufacture of a drug will increase if the quantity of the drug prescribed has been increased. ... The elasticity of the two curves will determine the effectiveness of the policies formulated to regulate the performance of the economy. A shift in the supply curve will lead to a change in the new equilibrium point. If the demand curve were inelastic, a huge shift in the supply curve would result into relatively small changes in the equilibrium price (Boyes & Melvin, 2008). Elasticity of the demand curve will therefore influence the economic impact of the shift in the supply curve. For instance, a shift in the supply curve would only result in an increase in the equilibrium price if the demand curve were perfectly inelastic. Policymakers will therefore determine the effectiveness of their decisions when considering the steepness of the demand curve (Frank & Bernanke, 2007). Similarly, the elasticity of the supply curve will influence the net effect of a shift in the demand curve. Where the supply is inelastic, a shift in the demand curve will cause little or no change in the equilib rium quantity because even with an increased demand, suppliers will not be able to expand the quantities supplied. Prices will therefore increase but the quantity supplied will remain relatively constant. The elasticity of either the demand and supply curves are normally important when formulating policies aimed at influencing economic performance i.e. the government can increase the taxes imposed on goods with inelastic demand because this would not significantly affect the amount of the good consumed (Becker, 2001). For an increasing cost industry, entry of a new firm will result in an increase in the unit cost of production. When a firm enters the market, it will cause the prices of the resources used in

Discussion broad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion broad - Essay Example Based on the Output KPIs under the second objective, help grow membership, strength of brand identity is considered. However, under attitudinal and behavioral KPIs, there are no measurement tools to show the relevance of the target output KPI, strength of brand identity. In this case, the use of survey questions to identify what effect brand strength has on membership is recommended. Additionally, the behavioral KPIs should show change in page views based on recognition of brand strength. The current lack of attitudinal and behavioral KPIs indicating the role and influence of brand strength on membership merits the recommendation of a survey to showcase the associated impact of brand strength on membership growth (Paine, 2011). Under the third communication objective, the Boston IABC website, a recommendation for Output KIPs targets the number of individuals sharing a common goal that can yield to stronger relationships among chapter members. By simple counting or use of metrics in terms of percentage, output KIPs should be able to show how effective calendar events are at bringing certain members together. Additionally, under the attitudinal KIPs, focus group analysis should be considered to indicate how much of current chapter members attend similar events and how many members have distinct tastes for events. Under the Behavioral KPIs, metrics should be used to determine the rate of change in return visitors. While event registration and activity on social media can be used to strengthen relationships, the rate at which members register for the same calendar events as well as rate of attendance for certain events over others is essential in determining how successful the communication objective is (Paine ,

Evaluate an argument from the Bouwsma reading Essay

Evaluate an argument from the Bouwsma reading - Essay Example Therefore, this is not a valid argument since the premise is weak (Bouwsma 141). .The second argument states that if we are able to detect the deception through the five senses, then we are not deceived about the world around. Bouwsma states that if the evil genius decides to deceive us and we do not notice, we will be deceived. For instance, if he misleads us in to thinking that everything that exists in nature such as people, flowers, and trees is mere paper, we will be deceived if we do not use the five senses. This is because the evil genius uses illusions by making things look and sound like the real things. He creates illusions because he knows they will easily make us mistake things for what they are not; thus, deceiving us. Bouwsma (144) gives an example of Tom, who experiences the illusion that everything around him is just paper. However, tom is not deceived because he to detects the illusion and differentiate the real flowers from paper. The plan of the evil genius was to make paper look so much like flowers that Tom would not tell the difference, but Tom recognized the difference. Thus, if we are able to detect deception using the five senses, then we are not deceived about the world around. Therefore, were can conclude that this argument is valid because the premise is true (Bouwsma 145). .The third argument states that if we are not able to detect the deception through the five senses, then we are not deceived about the world around. As Bouwsma states, the evil genius uses illusions to deceive people, and for us to detect these illusions we must be able to use the five senses; thus, detect deception. If Tom would be able to detect the illusion in these things, then he would have been deceived. However, according to, the evil genius can detect illusion. For this reason, he sees the illusion and can sense the real thing, which human beings cannot sense. Thus, the

The concept of sky credit card Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The concept of sky credit card - Essay Example From the research it can be comprehended that aggressive marketing and easy availability of credit cards has resulted in credit cards being used to finance consumer purchases as a way of life. Research suggests that socialization as a consumer begins in infancy with children making their first purchase at the average age of eight years. There has been a change in attitude towards credit card which implies that consumers are more willing to use credit to finance their consumption. The widespread us of credit cards reflects the consumer preference for using credit cards and technological advancements have made it possible for the creditors to offer revolving credit. The credit card has allowed for convenience in purchasing but still one needs to go to the shops and cash machines to use the credit card. For the first time, Sky TV and Barclays have joined hands to introduce an interactive credit card known as Sky Credit Card which offers the convenience to make purchases right from the c omfort of the living room through the television. The users will be able to place the SkyCard in the second slot of their set-top boxes and through the remote control they can manage their accounts and make purchases. The attitude-behavior relationship in consumer finance differs from that in social settings. The consumers may have favorable attitudes towards borrowing but having low incomes poor credit history may impose constraints on the level of credit that they would like to enjoy.

Marketing Plan for HIV drug Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing Plan for HIV drug - Essay Example Promotional aspect of marketing mix is usually considered to be marketing communication. It is all about conveying a common message across different media channels so as to ensure that it reaches target audience. Marketing communication is a strategic approach adopted by a company in order to reach target audience. In this study a product would be outlined which is losing significance in modern world. HIV or AIDS is regarded as a global problem. In its early years it was an incurable disease but in present scenario it is a health problem which can be effectively addressed. The percentage of death rate is considerably falling due to introduction of various treatment and retroviral drugs. However the problem is linked with lack of awareness program about HIV drug. Young people often do not remember about these drugs or are not determined to consume HIV drugs. Through this study a marketing campaign will be designed that could influence target segment to purchase HIV drug and prevent su ch diseases from spreading. HIV is a global issue that has contributed towards death percentage rise. Modern treatments had been introduced by government and healthcare agencies to prevent this disease. There are new drugs being introduced which can eradicate this kind of disease from its roots. HIV drugs are being developed at a faster rate and it is inclined towards saving lives of HIV victims. There are few issues associated with marketing of HIV drug. Firstly it has been observed that individuals are less likely to accept their disease. This in turn restricts drug makers or health care agencies to efficiently reach out to target audience. Death rate due to HIV aids have been decreasing over the years and negligence has been main cause for this issue. On the other hand, individuals who agree to purchase this drug at times are not able to afford such high priced drugs. Affordability is a major area of concern for HIV victims. There are individuals affected by HIV

Letter of Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Letter of Advice - Essay Example Good communication tips are indispensible in constructive relationships (Allen, 2002). Proper communication skills enable one in effectively conveying one’s feelings, thoughts and information that are crucial for building an interpersonal experience. It is important to note of the barriers that hinder effective communication and relationships. Most barriers in communication stem from self-protection. However, there are unavoidable circumstances, especially, if partners come from backgrounds that possess disparity (Wood, 2012). The intensity of the situation regards the level of disparity. The crucial thing for partners is that they realize these differences. In turn, they should be aware of how the same affects their communication. Individuals possess fears and insecurities that hinder one from wholly experiencing the benefits of a relationship. The light thing about these fears is that people learn about the same. This comes from the fact that partners may fear judgment from the same. Besides, they fear ridicule and appearing stupid in front of partners. This fear is coupled comes with the view that someone is sensitive of being overpowered. In this sense, fear impairs communication in notable ways. To begin with, a partner would not communicate true thoughts because one preempts what the other partner would like. This creates a situation where an individual stifles one’s emotions and thoughts. ... It articulates as a case of personal insulation. Insensitivity expresses in notable ways. For instance, it comes as a method of diverting others’ concerns. In typical instances, one would turn a mutual conversation towards oneself. It deviates from the person who engages in talking. This occurs when a partner does not have proper listening skills. In certain instances, it comes as a method of attracting attention to oneself. Besides, a partner may experience discomfort out of a conversation. A prominent scenario in such situation regards the fact that partners might not be aware of the same. Additionally, assumptions can be momentous barriers to effective communication. In such instances, information that is sent articulates in a different way for the receiver. This creates misunderstanding that hampers the whole relationship. A typical example regards utilizing signs in communication with the belief that the other partner would understand. Furthermore, labeling and judging ma kes a significant obstacle to communication. In many communication instances, a partner gains control of situations by name-calling. On the other end, judging may consist of praising. Both of the situations do not create adequate scenarios for objective interpretation and response to messages. In terms of listening, it is essential for partners to realize that the same goes beyond hearing. In this sense, partners should involve ears, hearts and minds. Partners must be ready to exert efforts in listening. The first step is mindfulness in the same. It involves full presence in communication. This involves striving to understand the other person without imposing one’s thoughts, ideas and feelings (Wood, 2012). Mindful listening involves adopting the perspective of another

Virtuoso Teams Essay Example for Free

Virtuoso Teams Essay In a day-by-day shrinking world where new organizations are popping up like mushrooms on a wet forest floor, what can be the one factor that sets you apart from the rest? The common answers would be better technology, brilliant strategies, great work atmospheres and many other such options. While one can’t deny the importance of all this, isn’t it obvious that every business unit on the planet is aware of these factors and trying in their own way to improve upon them. In a world where complex and intricately-woven ideas generally sound â€Å"smarter† it is often a simple and honest idea that does the trick. While thinking of better ways of resource utilization and profit maximization, we often end up overlooking the most conveniently available resource available to us- the â€Å"human resource†. While human capital management and human resource development (HRD) may now sound like run-of-the-mill terms, companies can take these concepts beyond their conventional boundaries to chart new stories of success. â€Å"Virtuoso teams† are the call of the future. When big, discontinuous change is required, a different sort of team and leadership is needed. These Virtuoso Teams make the difference between real success and just achieving another modest result. What are these â€Å"virtuoso teams†? Are they the proverbial genies from an Arabian Nights story that can make all our problems disappear? Well, not quite so fantastic but somewhat equally efficient, these teams are an elite squad- Revolutionaries that are catalysts for big change. They are utterly unique in the ambitiousness of their goals, the intensity of their conversations, the degree of their esprit, and the extraordinary results they deliver. Not bound by the usual rules of the game, these teams comprising of brilliant individuals working together and yet always competing with one another are dynamic and charismatic in their approach. In a world where there is no dearth of talent or skill, the star achievers are no more content with their accomplishments. There is always a hunger for more. Self-actualization needs makes a majority of workers hop jobs in the search for better prospects. The talent-drain problem is one of the major causes of concern in all major companies. A great idea would be to group such star achievers in teams and put before them the toughest challenges whereby they can not only use their exceptional individual skills but also collaborate for doing something truly remarkable. Traditionalists criticize such teams branding them â€Å"too risky, too temperamental, too ego-centric, and too difficult to control†. But they forget an important fact, the innovators and change agents in today’s world are individuals with these very same characteristics. What if Mark Zuckerberg and his team of innovators had preferred â€Å"playing it safe† instead of charging ahead with their self-belief. The world never would have shrunk so close as it has through â€Å"FACEBOOK†. We may call people like Zuckerberg mavericks and temperamental even ego-centric but who can deny that feeding one’s ego is what actually keeps the crà ¨me-de-la-crà ¨me striving for continued excellence. Virtuoso Teams tell some of the most compelling and wide-ranging stories of remarkable team leadership ever assembled. These teams are intense and intimate. They assume that their customers are every bit as smart and sophisticated as they are, so they don’t cater to a stereotypical â€Å"average.† Leaders of virtuoso teams put a premium on great collaboration—and they’re not afraid to encourage creative confrontation to get it. Top companies are realizing that such teams not only engage some brilliant minds in realizing their true potential but help the company as a whole do much better. Other employees are motivated and work harder to be a part of this elite team, top management can delegate responsibilities to these teams and be sure of effective solutions and the team members have what they crave for most- jobs that challenge them to keep doing their best. The future of business enterprises can be defined through proper handling of these virtuoso teams.

Technological Change And Manufacturing Process Innovation Business Essay

Technological Change And Manufacturing Process Innovation Business Essay Due to market research and marketing analysis about what consumer needs or wants, company has to develop new product and services or improve them with the creation of new idea, design or technology to satisfy consumer. Also to compete with other competitors to be first to introduce one new product, industry needs to constant innovation. For example in 2010, because of low barriers to entry to New Zealand banking market, the banking industrys initiative to innovate their products and services such as make easier for customers to switch banks and competitive interest rates and it leads to high customer satisfaction ratings and increase in profits. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3objectid=10845099 Competition in an industry is always affected by rivals racing to be first to introduce one new product or product enhancement after another Product innovation is the development of new products, changes in design of established products, or use of new materials or components in the manufacture of established products. Thus product innovation can be divided into two categories of innovation: development of new products, and improvement of existing products. New product development describes the complete process of bringing a new product or service to market. There are two parallel paths involved in the process: one involves the idea generation, product design and detail engineering the other involves market research and marketing analysis. Improvement of existing products includes, but is not limited to, improvements in functional characteristics, technical abilities, or ease of use. 2. Marketing innovation Introduce of new ways to marketing products like costing, packaging and promotion, can attract buyers interest, and increase industry demand and product differentiation which can lead company to change the competitive positions of rival firms. For example, companies like Dell; they use one-to-one marketing strategy for customers to customize their products based on what they need to satisfy them more. It shows that marketing innovation can sustain business growth without introducing new products. the introduction and implementation of new marketing methods, like costing, packaging and promotion etc.///////Introduce of new ways to market products, can spark a burst of buyer interest, widen industry demand, increase product differentiation, and lower unit costs-any or all of which can alter the competitive positions of rival firms and force strategy revisions. Innovation is very important to sustain business growth and innovation new products should be strong enough to enter into market place 3. Technological change and manufacturing process innovation Development in technology manufacturing process can make industry to produce high quality product at lower cost which can lead to higher industry profitability. As the increase in technological changes, lots of companies automate their manufacturing processes which can leads to increase production and reduce expenses. However, it also has disadvantage such as loss of many factory job so CEO has to consider carefully about implementing this strategy to not to have conflicts between labor forces. Advances in technology can dramatically alter an industrys landscape, making it possible to produce new and better products at lower cost and opening up whole new industry frontiers. 4. Changes in who buys the product and how they use it change in buyer demographics and how consumer use the products can change how customers make purchasing decisions, where customers purchase the product and how customer consider value. And it can cause more competition between other competitors. Shifts in buyer demographics and the ways products are used can alter how customers perceive value, how customers make purchasing decisions, and where customers purchase the product. 4. Increasing globalization Even though globalization has benefits to developing country, it also brings negative effect such as eliminates jobs, lower wages, and exploits workers on standards of living in some country. Therefore some countries are now trying to restrict globalization. Due to globalization, lots of global company like Apple or Samsung tries to manufacture their product in low-wage country to export and import at a very low cost. It can be benefit to developing country. However, it will decrease manufacturing jobs in developed countries. Moreover, because of low-wage in developing country, wages for employee in developed country is underestimated. Even though, the standard cost of living is higher than what they earn. Lastly, there were some serious social issue about Nike that they treated workers in low-wage country very badly, people were working in terrible environment with very low-wage. According to this, global company only thinking about utilize labor force because of low wage without co ntribute toward productivity in developing country. Question 3 b) Some people view the increasing globalization as a threat to many local markets and see it as it makes poor people become poorer and wealthy people become wealthier because profit is unevenly distributed. But Increasing globalization can be beneficial and may develop many countrys economy, politics, culture and environment. It also made the world easy to exchange information all over the world which makes global company to exchange faster or use knowledge efficiently to cope with rapid changes in global market. Because of globalization, global companies like Apple, Samsung or Nike are trying to manufacture their product in low-wage country to export and import at a very low cost. And to do that, they have to build their facilities, training staff and develop good relationship in country which can offer solutions for unemployment and trade problems. It also brings new production methods and management techniques. Moreover it also spreads out new types of technology faster. The company has to adopt new technology to increase their quality of products and sales. Due to globalization, new technology spreads out the world faster which makes company to satisfy their customer expectations efficiently. It is beneficial and may develop many countries economy, politics, culture and environment. And it could also bring happiness to customer by satisfying their needs. But some people view the increasing globalization as a threat to many local markets They see it as it makes poor people become poorer and wealthy people become wealthier. But if people understand globalization in a different way, it might help and develop the economy of many countries. Growth of modern electronic communication, made the world easy to transmit information all over the world Globalization offers solutions for trade problems and unemployment in many countries It also spreads out knowledge, new types of technology and cheaper economic polices It also brings new production methods and management techniques. Products can be exported and imported at a very low cost. It can be perceived either as a problem or an opportunity. Nike has spent the last four years building facilities, training staff, and developing relationships in China Question 4 1) Value Chain Analysis Value Chain Analysis is tools for managers to check that company is utilizing their resources effectively and efficiently to produce benefits for the company or wasting their resources unnecessarily during operations. By analyzing primary activities and support activities of companys operations can figure out their competitive advantage. Moreover, it helps to find ways to give satisfaction to customers. Primary activities for Dell Inbound logistics Dell stores the component for computers until they need for them on production and assembly line. So suppliers are located close to the factory plants to reduce costs. Dell relies mostly on their suppliers and they are using just in time deliveries with their suppliers with good relationship. Also they let suppliers to deliver items like monitors and speakers directly to the customers to reduce inventory costs. Here goods are received from a companys suppliers. They are stored until they are needed on the production/assembly line. Goods are moved around the organization. Dell relies mostly on its highly reliable supplier, where Dell streamlines its operation and relies on its computer monitor supplier to ship directly to the customer. As long as its supplier retains its leadership position, Dell would collaborate with it to achieve mutual success. 1. All those activities concerned with receiving and strong externally sourced materials 2. Just in time ordering 3. Close to suppliers Operations The offer customization option for customers to satisfy exactly what they need and all the goods are manufactured with (build-to-order) system to reduce expenditure on stock and cost. This manufacturing process is their main competitive advantage to grow business. This is where goods are manufactured or assembled. Every Dell system is built to order. Customers get exactly what they want. Dell uses knowledge gained from direct customer contact before and after the sale to provide award-winning reliability and tailored customer service. 1. The manufacture of products and services- the way in which resources inputs are converted to outputs 2. Build-to-order 3. Customizations options Outbound logistics Dell delivers the finished good to their customers directly which can makes them to communicate easily with customers and build good relationship. This direct model gives them benefits such as finding out sales trends and understands what customer need or what customer dont want. When Dell introduced the direct model, its competitors were selling computers to end consumers via distributors. Dell, on the other hand, sells directly to consumers and is continuously communicating with them and benefiting, especially in two areas, seeing sales trends and learning about unmet customer needs. The company also relies on customers knowledge of what they want to purchase and when they want to complete the transaction to drive the direct business model. Dell leverages this source of customer knowledge by making it as easy as possible for a customer to place a customized order electronically. 1. All those activities associated with getting finished goods and services buyers 2. Close to customers 3. The monitor example 4. Room for improvement 5. Evening delivery Marketing and sales Dell offers online-sales or telesales directly with customer and without any retailers. Advantage of direct model is that the company can continuously in contact with its customers which helps them to get an idea of how to innovate their sales and marketing strategy and they also can reduce cost on researching market trends. Dells direct to customer model solve the problem for additional capital for marketing and sales. By selling directly to consumer it eliminated retailers along the way. One advantage of this kind of system is that the firm is continuously in contact with its customers and they are benefiting in two areas concerning sales and marketing, seeing sales trends and learning about unmet costumer demands. 1. Essentially an information activity- informing buyers and customers about products and services 2. China/ credit card/ shop essential 3. What about people who dont computers 4. Improve a lifestyle brand Services Dell provides Dell provides installation services by Dell experts as well as 24/7 online support for large businesses and institutions as well as for small businesses and home PC users. Asset recovery and recycling services in an environmentally friendly manner are offered. PC support services in case of malfunctions and protection services against accidental damage are provided. Dell spent dollars training well-educated business segment managers provide state-of-the art advice to customers. The company also initiated a collaborative customer-solution teams that collaborate with customers to fulfill any unmet customer needs. Because of the nature of work of Dells employees they are continually being inspired to stay abreast of technology threats and opportunities that may alter the competitive landscape in the future. 1. All those activities associated with maintain product performance after the product has been sold 2. Service a poor 3. People dont lick offshore support, usually stressed when they call and this adds to their stress 4. If something goes wrong the pc has to return in the past Supporting activities for Dell Procurement It is on this activity that Dell is weak because Dell do not enjoy protected by trademark or patent or copyright technology. The technology being used in the industry is shared by all industry players. 1. Sourcing and negotiating with materials suppliers 2. Lowering the bargaining power of Intel and Microsoft Human resource management Dells mission statement is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. Dell employees, direct salespeople, help-desk operators, engineers, and the like all have to be knowledgeable and customer focused to ensure Dells continued competitiveness. 1. Those activities concerned with recruiting, developing, motivating and rewarding the work force of a business 2. Potential for spinning it off as a separate business unit 3. Hosted payroll Technology development Technology is an important source of competitive advantage. And here is one strength of Dell for the firm enjoys better access to technology. Dell introduces the latest relevant technology much more quickly than companies with slow-moving indirect distribution channels. 1. Activities concerned with managing information processing and the development and protection of knowledge in a business 2. Lagging behind in technology research and development Infrastructure Dell revolutionized the traditional value chain of computer manufacturing industry by introducing the direct to customer model. Dell also employed a global business consultancy, to help it develop a set of metrics to judge business-unit performance. By doing so, daily decision making were more efficient. The chief financial objective that steered managerial evaluation at Dell was return on invested capital (ROIC). Which leads to no inventory build-up, Dell turns over inventory every six days on average, keeping related costs low. 1. Concerned with a wide range of support systems and functions such as finance, planning, quality control and general senior management 2. Reacting to problems by change in senior management Operation to meet adding value, improve quality, add efficiency and increase profit Receiving and distributing raw material Converting raw material into a finished product Identifying customers and distributing the product Supplier relationship process Sharing data with suppliers Investment Privileged suppliers Long time relationship with suppliers Sending latest news about new products or services by email to build good relationship with customers. . Question 4 2) Benchmarking †¢ In todays competitive marketplace, all firms are seeking ways to improve their overall performance. One such method of improvement, recently adopted by many firms, is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a technique used to evaluate internal business processes. In this analysis, managers determine the firms critical processes and outputs, baseline those processes, then compare the performance of each process against a standard within the industry. Dell offers similar products, serves different customers, and use different strategies to achieve their goals. Dell can learn from the competition. The most effective way to learn about the industry is by benchmarking world-best practices. This practice has been successful for Dell in the past and should be a continuing evolution of benchmarking annually.