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In today's technologically advanced age, where fabrics and designs can be manufactured on the cheap, fast-fashion clothing has become increasingly popular with consumers. Among fast-fashion retailers, Zara stands out as a model for the marriage of technology and fashion. The retailer, owned by Intidex, doesn't advertise, rarely has a sale, and manufactures almost all of its clothing in-house. In other words, Zara is changing the retail fashion game.
While other companies had been making tablets long before Apple, it was the Apple iPad that made tablet computers an industry mainstay. By 2013, the iPad had faced competitive threats from several manufacturers, but none had overtaken the iPad as the market leader. Although numbers vary depending on the sources, by the beginning of 2013, Apple controlled over 64 percent of the tablet market, according to iSuppli.
Annual reports for nonprofits tend to have a few basic themes that you'll see again and again. Find out about the themes for annual reporting for nonprofits with help from an experienced accountant in this free video clip.
Segment disclosure is typically a very particular part of an annual report. Find out what part of an annual report is segment disclosure with help from an accounting professional in this free video clip.
There are two different ways to do hierarchy organizational charts depending on your needs. Make a hierarchy organizational chart with help from a technology and communications expert in this free video clip.
Massively Parallel Processor and Symmetric Multiprocessor are competing forms of databases. Servers called nodes store the data in both MPP and SMP databases. MPP databases are scalable, while SMP systems are simpler to maintain.
In 1972, five former IBM engineers in Germany banded together to form SAP AG, a computer software corporation concerned with system analysis and program development. The SAP acronym came to mean "Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing" and also branded the company's premier software product for enterprise resource planning. Understanding and implementing common SAP topics helps business owners manage all aspects of operation.
Improving milk production for a nursing baby is something you can do in a few key ways depending on your preferences. Get tips on improving milk production for a nursing baby with help from a family case worker in this free video clip.
Prejudice is one of the many things that has no business being in the workplace. Deal with prejudice at work with help from a public relations and human resources professional in this free video clip.
Changing the management is one way to fix a broken web team. Learn how to fix broken web teams by changing the management with help from a professional certified mediator in this free video clip.
Operations projects have a few certain key performance indicators that you need to be familiar with to make sure everything is going as it should. Learn about key performance indicators for operations projects with help from the CEO of AutoClaims Direct, Inc. in this free video clip.
Comgenie Awesome File Manager is a homebrew application that allows PlayStation 3 users to modify game files by installing patches. Depending on your preference, you may want to install a new patch to repair a bug or host a challenge lobby in a popular game such as Modern Warfare 2. To change the patch through Comgenie Awesome File Manager, download the new patch file to a PC and use a USB flash drive to copy the file to the gaming console.
The Capability Maturity Model Integration, or CMMI, is a process-improvement approach developed by the Software Engineering Institute to "integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes." It's basically a collection of best practices on how to improve one's business processes.
The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is an online archive of information about the structures of proteins, protein complexes and nucleic acids -- DNA and RNA strands. The PDB provides tools to search the archive, as well as organize and annotate the data. Researchers can look up three-dimensional images of protein and nucleic-acid structures, and use online tools to manipulate the images. The site also contains experimental data, educational resources and information about protein families and interactions. The Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics maintains the data bank.
A good mission statement for life can help make sure you're always on the right path. Learn about good mission statements for life with help from a human resources professional in this free video clip.
If you're a business analyst its a good idea to have a few goals. Learn about good goals for a business analyst with help from a business consultant and marketing expert in this free video clip.
An adverse risk manager is a person that completes a very specific and important job. Learn what an adverse risk manager does with help from a certified financial planner in this free video clip.
Java-based software and a host of customer relationship management -- CRM -- methodologies form the core of ATP Dynamo. Part of the Oracle Corporation since Nov. 2, 2010, ATG Dynamo is an identifier for Art Technology Group, Inc., the company first introducing it, and the products, services and resources it provides. A look inside shows that ATG Dynamo products can address the specific Web commerce business needs of mid-to-enterprise size businesses, as well as create a fully integrated, Web-based CRM system.
Maximo or IBM Maximo Asset Management is an asset-management software. The software is a strategic asset managment solution that uses the Key Performance Indicators of a business to create metrics that measure business asset performance. Business assets include ordering and shipping goods, employees work productivity and management efficiency.
The Java programming language serves as the foundation for many business and server applications, due to its portability and popularity. That being so, these applications must contend with the functions of the Java language and its execution environment: the Java Virtual Machine. Knowing how to manage the settings of the JVM becomes crucial when dealing with high-volume Java business applications, such as WebSphere Process Server.
Data transformations import data from one database to another, but you must configure the transformation in your Business Intelligence Server to make the transformation. The OLEDB drivers perform the data flow transformations, and the configurations set up how the data is transported. You set up a transformation package on your SQL server to handle the imported data.
A gap analysis is a crucial step an organization takes to achieve software quality. A concrete plan, business environment, technical environment and users are all important factors to consider when conducting a gap analysis for a software application. The success of a software application gap analysis depends on proper preparation, research and consideration of all internal and external factors. Organizations conduct gap analysis to identify the limitations of a software application or the differences -- or delta -- between current and desired levels of performance. They use the results from the gap analysis to develop strategies to eliminate the gap…
Forty years ago, IBM engineers developed a software package known as Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing to manage a company's diverse business functions under one application. Still used, the system includes financial systems, warehousing, production planning, plant maintenance and other key business components. With SAP you can control and strategize your budget to meet your small business' bottom-line expenses.
Employee engagement or a lack thereof is a problem for some companies or organizations. Deborah Schroeder-Saulnier of Right Management notes that research of her organization has shown that more than half of all workers in organizations with more than 50 employees have reported themselves as being unengaged in their work. In order to deal with this lack of engagement, business owners and executives can develop organizational plans designed to strategically increase employee involvement. Developing such a plan requires extensive research and careful planning.
Simplifying and downsizing before it's mandatory makes life after retirement easier, less costly and far less emotionally draining than if you wait until finances or health demands it. By beginning the downsizing process as early as possible, you remain in command of the decisions. In addition, you proceed in small steps and maximize tax deductions when your income is higher.
SAP is a business solutions software that offers the capability to integrate and manage data related to financial accounts, sales, personnel records and archived documents. The core business data related to vendors, sales and materials are stored in the form of master records. One such master record used to maintain purchase orders is known as purchasing information record or PIR. The PIR contains integrated information related to production material and the vendors supplying the material.
Lean manufacturing seeks to eliminate waste in the workplace. This waste includes wasted time, unnecessary motion and all tasks that don't add value. Lean Six Sigma is the manufacturing quality standard of keeping all products within six standard deviations of variation so that only 34 in 10 million products are outside of these set quality limits. Lean manufacturing, when combined with Lean Six Sigma, seeks to improve process quality while eliminating waste.
Using tightly wrapped wiring around a rotating magnet, a magneto uses movement, usually provided by an engine, to create an electric current. This current is often used to provide electricity to spark plugs in gasoline engines, and because of the prevalence of gas-fueled engines, magnetos are common in everything from automobiles to lawn mowers. The wire winding makes magnetos difficult to visually diagnose when engines have spark-plug issues, so test a magneto to determine if it still creates current.
Shareholder redemption is a very specific business term that you're going to want to familiarize yourself with. Learn about shareholder redemption with help from an accomplished consultant, financier, and marketing expert in this free video clip.
When performing a performance audit there are a few key milestones that you'll need to be aware of. Learn about key audit milestones in performing a performance audit with help from an accomplished consultant, financier, and marketing expert in this free video clip.
Many websites require Adobe's Flash and Reader plugins to display correctly. Instead of offering these programs as regular downloads, Adobe uses a third-party download manager to transfer and install its software. GetPlus by NOS Micro takes over the download process, installing its own plugin which Adobe uses to install software directly. GetPlus offers a number of advantages, but many users consider it unnecessary bloatware.
Misuse of the Internet at work can cost an organization thousands of dollars in lost productivity from each employee. Even an hour each day lost to Internet misuse by a single employee, at ten dollars per hour, adds up to $2,500 per year. While your organization can block websites or install software to monitor employees' activities, this can have a negative impact on the work environment. Fostering a positive organizational culture, on the other hand, can itself reduce misuse of the Internet. If employees feel their work is more rewarding than the distractions provided on the Web, they are less…
In IMVU, an online virtual community that focuses on social interaction, users control their 3D avatars in chat rooms via an Actions menu. A user can instruct his avatar to change body position or mood or to interact physically with another avatar. Unblocking certain actions depends on your level of access. Free account holders or “Guest_” account holders can’t use Access Pass and VIP Club membership actions without a special subscription. VIP Club members must permit other account holders access for physical contact with their avatars.
T-Mobile USA has been a subsidiary of the German holding company Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile International AG. However, in March 2011, Deutsche Telekom agreed to sell T-Mobile to the U.S.-based telecommunications holding company AT&T in exchange for cash and stock. This deal will make Deutsche Telekom one of the largest stockholders in AT&T, with an 8 percent share and the right to appoint a member to AT&T’s board of directors. The deal is expected to close sometime in 2012, pending regulatory approvals.
Growing and running a successful business is possible, in large part, due to the application of benchmarking techniques. Benchmarking allows business managers and owners to gain perspective on the state of the company and set measurable goals for the future. More specifically, in-house business assessments (internal benchmarking) and outside company comparisons (external benchmarking) help managers determine the strengths and weaknesses of the business and how it can effectively grow.
Every company benefits by the introduction of a strategic plan to guide the business. This plan is necessary because it addresses such issues as developing a vision, identifies what direction the business will proceed in, gives an estimate as to how long it will take and, most importantly, dictates specifically how the company will achieve its goals. Management is called on to roll out a new strategic plan to its employees. Learn a few fun ways to get your employees engaged and on board.
A competitive advantage is an advantage that a company has over its competitors. Companies use their competitive advantage to sell more than their competitors and increase market share. According to QuickMBA, the two main drivers of competitive advantage are cost advantage, which allows a company to charge lower prices than its competitors, and differentiation, which enables it to offer product features and benefits that competitors cannot match. To achieve and maintain a competitive advantage, a company aims to make the best use of its resources, such as people, knowledge, materials and reputation, and capabilities, such as innovation, speed, efficiency and…
The history of the production line in American industry goes back to the 1800s. In the 21st century, according to Crest Capital, most production or assembly lines -- defined as a process that puts products together in a systematic order -- rely on automation. Computers run automated production lines, and sometimes play a role in designing and monitoring them.
Running a business is a constant challenge -- from managing inventory to tracking sales to making sure your employees get paid -- every minute of every day requires a coordinated effort. Enterprise resource planning solutions like those from Epicor and Oracle consolidate many of the tasks and responsibilities that consume your time so you can maximize your efficiency. Epicor and Oracle offer much of the same functionality to help you make the most of your time but vary in certain features and scope.
Both businesses and nonprofit organizations need economic resources in order to run the processes needed to pursue their intended purpose. Such resources can include disparate items such as funds, equipment and even human resources, but in general can be reduced to labor, production materials and human-made means of production. Since different organizations are intended to pursue different purposes, so too do their resource needs differ. Still, certain rough conclusions about an organization's resource needs can be made based on its organizational structure, this being the scheme that the organization uses to establish its chain of command and delegate duties and…
Your company may have an income goal for the year. To generate the income, you need a strategy. A part of the strategy may involve dominating a particular market, for example. To implement the strategy you need a structure and a process for support. It's not the responsibility of just the marketing unit within the organizational structure to deliver on the income goal. Company leaders must align all units and functions to work together to effectively deliver on the revenue generation strategy.
For a business to grow and develop, its workforce must evolve as well. One means of doing that is by providing employees with opportunities for development that are subsidized by the company. Another method is through a formal program of organizational development, where the employer provides a curriculum of educational opportunities to improve the overall skill level of the organization.
If you run a website, you are in competition with millions of other websites and blogs for visitors, customers and search engine position. To gain an advantage over competitors, you need to know all that you can about them, and you can get this information through a process known as “competitive intelligence.” One way to gain competitive intelligence is to explore the pages on a website that a competitor doesn't want search engines to index. You can often get a glimpse of this information in your competitor's "robot.txt" file.
Stand out from your cheer competitors by flaunting an edgy, messy ponytail. Most competitive cheer teams, which are also known as all-star teams, prefer to wear the traditional, sleek high-up ponytail or a neat half-up, half-down hairdo. A teased, messy ponytail can help a team stick out in the minds of the judges and is particularly appropriate if your music, routine and competition uniforms are more cutting edge than traditional.
Geographical competitive advantage means that you have some type of business advantage based on your geographical location. Learn about the definition of geographic competitive advantage with help from a business consultant in this free video clip.
Businesses use cost-benefit analysis to determine the intangible and tangible costs, and benefits to their business models when they undertake certain actions or choose not to do so. Government and nonprofit institutions also focus on benefits and costs when trying to spend the least money to make the most improvement in societal problems. Tangible cost benefits refer to costs and benefits that these organizations can easily measure in dollar terms.
Effective educational leaders create a strategic framework for their school that includes strong vision and value statements. This helps guide the school and makes sure that the school is focused on providing an education supportive of its students and community. A vision statement communicates what the school wants for the future, including future action and the future result of this effort. Value statements are objectives that support the school's vision. Once vision and values statements are agreed upon, the challenge becomes carrying them out long-term.
While your competitors might have a better product or a cheaper price, the structure of your company could become its competitive advantage. In 2011, companies that rely on the traditional organizational form -- a vertical chain of command -- often cannot function as efficiently as those with a more modern design. However, changing your company's structure can also cause new problems.
Assessing the risks of every potential hire is important for a business owner or human resources team looking to acquire employees with the best chances of succeeding for the company in the long term. A risk assessment checklist helps with this process and lists the criteria most important to the business owner or HR team, including identity verification, criminal background information and employment history.
A concentric organizational chart is used to represent a company’s structure and corporate hierarchy. Although there are pros and cons involving the use of organizational charts, concentric charts alleviate common problems associated with the typical structure. While the main goal of an organizational chart is to provide a blueprint of the layers of management and work divisions, the circular structure of the concentric chart diverges from the traditional top-down approach to management.
