Analyzing Risks Management of Risk Rating Scale

Question: Discuss about the Analyzing Risks Management of Risk Rating Scale. Answer: Part A Likelihood of risk according to risk rating scale (AE; extremely likely, likely, possible, unlikely to rare). Product malfunction causing injury to a consumer rare (E) Malfunction in the product is highly unlikely to happen but in exceptional circumstances it may occur Worker injured on-the-job from tripping on loose carpet square possible (C) Injury to worker while performing certain job might occur at some time due to carelessness while performing the task. Interest rate rise increases repayment costs on business borrowings possible (C) Increase in repayment cost due to increase in interest rate might occur. If due to market forces the interest rate is increased then, it will result in increase in cost at which the company repay its borrowings. One of your product component suppliers goes into receivership unlikely (D) The company knows well in advance about the credibility of its suppliers so receivership is not expected but due to unexpected crises it may occur. Staff fraud due to possible software loopholes/backdoors - unlikely (D) Frauds are not expected from the staff employees but due to some loopholes it may occur (Southern Cross University, 2015) b) Level of impact value (15; insignificant, minor, moderate, major to catastrophic) Product malfunction causing injury to a consumer -minor (2) It may cause minor injury which requires medical treatment. Also, it will be covered by local media coverage. Worker injured on-the-job from tripping on loose carpet square - minor (2) Minor injury will result in loss of some days of work. This will cause inconveniency and local media coverage. Interest rate rise increases the repayment costs on business borrowings moderate (3) Significant level of financial and corporate impact on the company One of your product component suppliers goes into receivership - moderate (3) It would cause significant impact on the corporate objectives of the company. Staff fraud due to possible software loopholes/backdoors - major (4) Due to staff fraud, major financial impact is caused and the business is interrupted as the critical system becomes unavailable for minimum one day. It will result in adverse and extended national media coverage. c) Overall risk priority for treatment (high, medium, low) Product malfunction causing injury to a consumer high Because customer is the essential part of the business and if the issue remains unsolved then, mouth publicity will affect the overall sales of the product. Worker injured on-the-job from tripping on loose carpet square high Proper treatment of worker must be the top priority as the injury would result in loss of some days of work and also loss of trust of workers. Interest rate rise increases repayment costs on business borrowings medium As interest rate is affected by market phenomenon, the company could do less towards solving this problem. One of your product component suppliers goes into receivership medium Supplier receivership matters cannot be solved immediately as it involves various parties. Staff fraud due to possible software loopholes/backdoors high Fraudulent activities must be taken into consideration on high priority basis as it involves financial loss to the company. Also, proper action must be taken to stop these activities to occur in future (Broadleaf, 2014). Part B Knowing now that GM suffered massive losses as a result of badly misjudging the mood of the US consumer and the impact of the global financial crisis, what basic rule of thumb for assessment of consequence should GM have applied in this case? Due to incorrect judgment of the mood and taste of the consumers in the United States, General Motors suffered a great loss. Even though there was demand of hybrid and fuel efficient vehicle, the company wrongly assessed the trends in the market and preferences of the customers. Financial crisis was also one of the important reasons of the shift in demand of consumers adding to the further lowering of demand(Sturgeon Biesebroeck, 2010). The basic rule of thumb that GM should have applied for assessing consequences is acquiring adequate and important information and data about the current needs of its customers. Risk management specialist must have knowledge about the current trends in the automobile sector and needs to know what actually a customer is demanding(Carmohn, 2010). Also, information about various releases in the market by the competitors must be collected and updated, so that customer reaction can be noted and further action can be taken according to the impact created by the other automobile release (Xu, 2005). With rising oil prices, falling confidence in the finance markets and raised environmental concerns among the general public, what likelihood and consequence would you assign to this situation, and what resultant overall risk priority would you generate? Due to rise in the prices of oil, the automobile industry is facing a competitive pressure in the market. Due to global financial crisis the confidence of people in the financial markets is falling(Rosenfeld, 2009). Also, now the customers demand for fuel efficient vehicles due to rising concern about environment. The government has also made various regulations related to environment safety and emission control (National Academies Press, 2016). The likelihood of occurring of this situation is unlikely. Because the event is not expected to occur but at the same time, there is a slight possibility of its occurrence sometimes. When we talk about the consequences, it has catastrophic impact on both financial and corporate objectives of the company. It demands for major steps on the part of management to deal with the situation. Business is interrupted to a great extent and international media coverage plays a major role in affecting the image of the company (Popov et al., 2016). High risk priority is generated for this situation as it calls for immediate actions and counter actions to be taken to save the company from the major impact of increase in oil prices and global financial crises. References Broadleaf, 2014. Setting priorities for risk treatment and assurance of controls. [Online] Available at: https://broadleaf.com.au/resource-material/setting-priorities-for-risk-treatment-and-assurance-of-controls/ [Accessed 13 September 2016]. Carmohn, S., 2010. An analysis and explanation of the failure of General Motors on the basis of the theoretical framework of path dependency in the field of Crisis Management. GRIN Verlag. National Academies Press, 2016. Impacts On The Automotive Industry. [Online] Available at: https://www.nap.edu/read/1806/chapter/7 [Accessed 13 september 2016]. Popov, G., Lyon, B.K. Hollcroft, B., 2016. Risk Assessment: A Practical Guide to Assessing Operational Risks. John Wiley Sons. Rosenfeld, H., 2009. The North American Auto Industry in Crisis. [Online] Available at: https://monthlyreview.org/2009/06/01/the-north-american-auto-industry-in-crisis/ [Accessed 13 september 2016]. Southern Cross University, 2015. Risk Likelihood and Consequence Descriptors. [Online] Available at: https://scu.edu.au/risk_management/index.php/4 [Accessed 13 September 2016]. Sturgeon, T. Biesebroeck, J.V., 2010. Effects of the crisis on the automotive industry in developing countries : a global value chain perspective. [Online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46443928_Effects_of_the_crisis_on_the_automotive_industry_in_developing_countries_a_global_value_chain_perspective [Accessed 13 September 2016]. Xu, J., 2005. Market Research Handbook: Measurement, Approach and Practice. New York: iUniverse.

Culture of Australia free essay sample

The question of identity is always a difficult one for those living in a culture or group, yet belonging to another. This difficulty frequently remains in the mind of most immigrants, especially the second generations who were born in a country other than their parents. Younger generations feel as if they are forced to change to fit the social standards despite previous culture or group. Furthermore those who wish to adopt a new identity of a group or culture havent yet been fully accepted by original members due to their former identity. Living with a different culture to our roots can lead to changes in our lives. Migrating to Australia has affected a lot of authors from Alice Pungs vignettes of Growing up Asian in Australia. Michelle Law displays her exclusion from the Australian culture by preparing exotic lunches with her mother, as well as her hairless Chinese body compared to the school girls. We will write a custom essay sample on Culture of Australia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Being seen as a distinct outsider to the Australian culture can influence one to change their way of life to fit in and form friendships. Sunil an Indian schoolboy was faced with the choice of constantly being bullied over his differences or adapting to the community by altering his name to Neil. Changing for others an lose your place in your original identity and culture. After visiting Hong Kong, Michelle momentarily feels identical to her surroundings with her Chinese ethnicity. After mispronouncing words when ordering at a Cantonese Mc Donalds, Michelle comes to realise that she feels just as excluded in Hong Kong as she did in Australia. This sense of displacement caused by multiple cultures can question Michelles judgement, Am I more Asian or more Australian? The feeling of not fitting in can lead us to changes in our life to fit social standards despite our previous culture or way of life. Alice Pung addresses the idea of multiculturalism in her novel Unpolished Gem. Two of the themes in this novel where she portrays her culture are through personal identity and the impact of the past. A major influence on Alices identity was when she was a young child and her grandmother would tell her stories about events that occurred in Cambodia. In Alices teenage years, her beloved grandmother has a stroke, developed disabilities and eventually had passed away. It is around this time where serious psychological problems occur for Alice. This almost forces her into a mental state in which she knows she does not fit in with the Australian culture. She believed she had to do everything she could to change that otherwise Alice knew she would break down mentally. Alice was forced to attempt to fit the social standards of Australia. The actions of adopting a new identity by putting yourself into a different group can lead to not only the new group not fully accepting you but also your original group will see you as a totally different person. At the age of 13 I played basketball for the under 14s side. We were all very close and had formed great friendships throughout the season. The following season I was asked to play above my age group. Without thinking twice I accepted what I thought was a great opportunity. A few days pasted and it was the day of my first training session with the older group. Throughout the 2 hours of training I did not enjoy myself at all. No one would pass me the ball and it was as if they didnt want me there. To be honest I didnt want to be there neither. I decided to return to my own age group and play with my old friend. At the next training session with my original team I realized the same thing was happening, no one would pass me the ball or even acknowledge that I was on the court. It turns out I had changed as a person and found myself caught between the two teams. The moral of that experience was by trying to fit in with a new group I found that I had lost my original identity and forgot where I belong. There are a variety of scenarios that result in us trying to change. Whether it is a result of a different culture or even past experiences. People also feel as if they are forced upon change, and even if you find yourself with a new identity or culture, you may not be fully accepted by original members of that group or culture. The power of a group however is often the cause of losing our individual identity. In conclusion the question remains of whether Change of an identity is right or wrong?

32 Doctors Later Still No Cure Essays - Perception, Pain, Acute Pain

32 Doctors Later Still No Cure There's no way to describe the feeling of helplessness. Since I was a little girl, I can remember my mothers' illness. I can remember her playing with us, regardless of how much pain she was in, just because she cared that much. Now I'm eighteen, and the same woman still pushes aside her health to be a part of my life. I cannot describe the frustrations! 32 doctors later, still there is no cure, for her illness. After her diagnosis was read, she was referred to a chronic pain therapist. My mothers' goals consist of getting out of bed, and eating. If she can accomplish these few things, her day is complete. The feeling is unsurpassable to me that my mother must live in chronic pain for the rest of her life. The thousands of dollars of antibiotics have served not as a cure, but the opposite, a poison, which has infected her liver. Why now at such a young age should she be burdened with these problems? Why someone so loving and caring for others? My mother is my life. I pray each day th at maybe someway our roles can be reversed, and for just one day she can live without pain. She made me realize that I shouldn't take things for granted, because it's never guaranteed to stay with me for the rest of my life. Also, each day of my life I should be thankful, no matter how absurd the day was. I believe all things happen for a reason, the happiest of things to the less- unfortunate circumstances. If there is one thing that I will always remember, it is that, God has a special plan for everybody, and a road that will lead us to where we need to go, although some of our roads will take us on separate journeys. Bibliography n/a Poetry and Poets

Common Classroom Etiquette and Rules for Students

Common Classroom Etiquette and Rules for Students There are a few standard rules that every student should observe at all times when it comes to behavior in the classroom. Respect Others You are sharing your classroom with several other people who are just as important as you. Dont try to make others feel embarrassed. Dont make fun of others, or roll your eyes, or make faces when they are speaking. Be Polite If you must sneeze or cough, dont do it on another student. Turn away and use a tissue. Say excuse me. If someone is brave enough to ask a question, dont laugh or make fun of them. Say thank you when someone else does something nice. Use appropriate language. Keep Supplies Stocked Keep tissues and other supplies in your desk so youll have one when you need it! Dont become a constant borrower. When you see your eraser or your pencil supply shrinking, ask your parents to restock. Be Organized Messy workspaces can become distractions. Try to clean your own space often, so your clutter doesnt interfere with the classroom workflow. Make sure you have a space for storing supplies that must be replenished. This way, you will know when your supplies are running low, and you wont have to borrow. Be Prepared Maintain a homework checklist and bring your finished homework and projects to class with you on the due date. Be on Time Arriving late to class is bad for you and it is bad for other students. When you walk in late, you interrupt the work that has begun. Learn to be punctual. You also risk the possibility of getting on the teachers nerves. This is never good. While the Teacher is Talking Look at the teacher to make eye contact, unless youre writing notes.Dont whisper.Dont pass notes.Dont throw things.Dont laugh.Dont make funny faces to make other people laugh. When You Have a Question Wait for your turn to ask a question. If someone else is speaking, simply wait with your hand raised (or whatever process your teacher requires).Dont say me, next or oh when youre waiting with your hand raised. You will be noticed. When Working Quietly in Class Dont hum or fidget to distract other students.Keep your hands and feet to yourself.Dont brag if you finish first.Dont make rude comments about another students work or habits. When Working in Small Groups Respect the work and the words of your group members. If you dont like an idea, be polite. Never say thats dumb, or anything that would embarrass a classmate. If you really dont like an idea, you can explain why without being rude. Speak to fellow group members in a low voice. Dont speak loud enough for other groups to hear. During Student Presentations Dont try to distract the speaker.Keep your eyes on the speaker.Dont make rude comments.Try to think of a question if the speaker invites the class to ask. During Tests Remain quiet until everyone is finished.Dont get up and walk around unless its absolutely necessary. Everybody likes to have fun, but there is a time and a place for fun. Dont try to have fun at the expense of others, and dont try to have fun at inappropriate times. The classroom can be fun, but not if your fun involves rudeness.

Cost of capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cost of capital - Essay Example e returns to the company and the risks involved in the investment on purchasing the supplier has to be analysed and this process is known as the investment appraisal. Investment Appraisal is defined as; â€Å"Evaluation of the attractiveness of an investment proposal, using methods such as internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), or payback period (PP). Investment appraisal is an integral part of capital budgeting, and is applicable to areas even where the returns may not be easily quantifiable such as personnel, marketing, and training† (Gotze, Northcott, & Schuster, 2009, p24). Payback period, as the name indicates, computes the time taken for the project to generate cash flows to break even. In other words, it is the number of years that will be taken by the project to pay back the initial investment to the company (Emery, 2007). The payback period for this proposal is found to be 4 years (4 * $ 500,000). Net Present Value utilizes the discounted cash flows and computes the total worth of the project to the company. The cash flow estimates for the life of the project are discounted to present values and the net sum of the cash flows (including any outflows) provides the Net Present Value of the project (Gillespie, Lewis, & Hamilton, 1997). It indicates that the project will increase the worth of the company by this value. In this case, the NPV of the proposal is computed as shown below: The cost of capital in most cases is volatile and changes during the life of the project. This can affect the returns and the Net Present Value computed during the project start up. The internal rate of return is used to compute a maximum discount rate that can be applied to the project without incurred any losses and gives an indication of the margin of safety of the project (Emery, 2007). IRR calculation works on trial and error basis. Initially the NPV for an assumed rate is determined and based on this value; another rate is selected so that the new NPV

Film Prompt(you can make any topic by your idea) Movie Review

Film Prompt(you can make any topic by your idea) - Movie Review Example It helps to commemorate this fact that a white man can be spared and all black men can be killed just because of different of color. Lee is saying through his film that because racism underpins all forms of entertainment even today, racist stereotypes are still alive. For me, the most poignant moment in the film came near the end. There is this horrible shootout between the police and the rap group who is there to perform. There is a mix of black and white performers in that rap group. But, all the black group members are killed by the police and one white member is spared. This makes the white man realize that no matter how hard he may try to mingle with another race, the society will still not let go of the idea of white supremacy. The modern day minstrel show created by Lee is different from a typical or traditional show. For example, when Glover is dancing and his partner jumps in to dance in rhythm, it is different because what he does is â€Å"an occupation traditionally held by African Americans†

Microsofts Stakeholder Analysis

Microsofts Stakeholder Analysis MICROSOFT CORPORATION Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics and personal computers and services. The company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on 4th April 1975 to develop and Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft Office suite, and Internet Explorer web browser. Its flagship hardware products are Xbox game consoleand the Microsoft Surface series of tablets. It is the worlds largest software maker measured by revenues. 1.1THE OBJECTIVES This assignment is going to discuss about Microsoft Corporation stakeholders interests either in conflict or coincide, the mapping exercise and with analysis. Also the Porter’s Five Forces Model on Microsoft relating to competitions among the operators in the same industry and the approach this company adopted on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how the approach has been of competitive advantage to the organization. 2.0STAKEHOLDERS A stakeholder is anybody or group that has interest in a project or enterprise who could directly be affected by business operations or its outcomes. They can either be internal or external stakeholders as listed below (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2011):- (A).Those that are mostly affected by the business operations and outcomes are the investors, the customers, employees, suppliers and communities at large. According to (R. Edward Freeman, 1984) (B).Those who guide and influence the organization in carrying out the business specifically the government, regulatory authorities, non-governmental organizations and civil societies and the industry organization. According to (Archie B.Carroll, 1991). FIG.1: MICROSOFT CITIZENSHIP REPORT 2013 PG. 7 Microsoft recognizes its bigger responsibility in developing and sustaining relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, both internal and external to the organization. According to Microsoft Citizenship report 2013, stakeholders are categorized into two groups: those who are directly affected by the business operations and outcomes (namely, investors, customers, employees, suppliers, and the community at large) and those who guide and influence us in carrying out our business (specifically, government and regulatory agencies, non-government and civil society groups and industry organization). Investors Pursuant to the Corporate Governance (CG) Manual, it is the duty of the Board to promote and uphold stockholders’ rights such as the right to vote, pre-emptive right, right to timely receive relevant information, right to dividends and the appraisal right. The Board shall ensure that the company remains faithful to its undertaking to make timely disclosures of material information and transactions that could potentially affect the market price of the company’s shares. Customers Customers are important stakeholders at Microsoft Corporation because they are driven force of sales and revenue generation. Organization must provide products that are of high quality and at affordable price. Microsoft continually strives to satisfy its customers’ expectations and concerns regarding quality of service. They commit us to continually improve the way they do things to better serve their customers. Employees Microsoft is committed to the development and welfare of its employees. As the Company sustains its efforts in building a high performance culture to fully respond to the requirements of the new business environment, employees are continuously trained and developed to enable them to achieve excellent performance founded on our Corporate Mission. All employees are required to attend a 5-day training a year which is monitored on a monthly basis. Career development programs are implemented to ensure professional growth through skills and job enrichment opportunities, learning and development programs, performance management and promotion systems. Yearly employees are mandated to go for a 5-day mandatory training requirement. The training of employees are based on the competencies which are analyzed and evaluated every year to ensure that employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle the job. Each employee has its yearly Training Plan to address the gap on the competencies. Employees are compensated based on performance and over-all qualifications. Adequate provisions for medical, health and other essential benefits; and workplace safety are provided to promote employee welfare and well-being. Uprightness and impartiality are observed in conflict resolution. Human Resource (HR) Programs for the employees are continuously reviewed and enhanced to ensure their overall effectiveness and responsiveness. The Company is further committed in sustaining and/or further enhancing the high level of engagement of employees. Guided by the results of an employee engagement survey conducted, focused and deliberate initiatives are undertaken to help ensure employee job satisfaction and motivation. Employee communication is strengthened to keep employees well-informed on significant developments. Employees are likewise encouraged to give feedback and suggestions to Management to further improve on the yearly corporate governance, corporate and operational performance, thereby promoting employee accountability and empowerment. Commendations are given to employees who show exemplary customer service through published emails and the President’s Awards which go with a cash prize to employees who meet the criteria of Customer Service Award, Great Idea Award and Quality Award. Communities Beyond the confines of our boardroom and corporate walls, Microsoft embarks on initiatives to help improve the lives of people in the communities. They do this by embedding corporate social responsibility in its business and engaging her employees through volunteerism initiatives. As a responsible corporate citizen, they contribute to building a sustainable society in partnership with non-government organizations, government institutions, and other civic organizations on projects that promote entrepreneurship, education and the environment. In line with this, Microsoft continued to build on the employee-driven volunteer program, â€Å"Save a Soul for Better Tomorrow: The Boys Town Orphanage in Pasay is one of the most successful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavors of Microsoft. In December 2012, Microsoft instituted a donation drive among its employees and business partners in support of the relief efforts for Typhoon Pablo victims in Eastern Mindanao. Suppliers Microsoft aspires to maintain mutually beneficial relationships only with suppliers that uphold fairness, accountability, integrity and transparency in their own businesses. Microsoft is using the list of accredited suppliers of Microsoft which serve the requirements of Microsoft, from capital expenditures to operating expenditure items, as well as service requirements. Suppliers are required to undergo stringent accreditation process before they are authorized to do business with Microsoft. Among the criteria used for accreditation are legitimacy of operations, capacity for continuous business operations, quality and prices for goods and services, track record, compliance with regulatory bodies and transparency in relationship. Microsoft purchases, as a general rule, are made on the basis of competitive bidding through accredited and qualified suppliers. Environment As for the environmental responsibility starts from within Microsoft by adopting policies, standards and practices to make our workplace, not just a conducive environment for work, but a place that works toward the betterment of the environment as well. FIG. 2: THE MICROSOFT STAKEHOLDER MAPPING This is a tool of analysis that is use to analyze the level of interest of different types of stakeholders in an organization or in a project. It helps manager to prioritize various opinions, influences and interest to go into any project or business. It will display each stakeholder group interest in a particular project that can influence it either positively or negatively. Different stakeholder groups have different commitment and expectation from the organization, in which the manager has to meet and any conflict should be resolved amicably or diplomatically for the smooth running of the organization and if their opinion is the same, the better for the organization. 3.0 POTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL ON MICROSOFT CORPORATION fig. 3: PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL ON MICROSOFT CORPORATION (www.doughtycentre.info adapted from core values for the practice of public participation by the international association for public participation – pg.12) This model consists of five threats, which will be outlined and applied to Microsoft’s current situation below: 3.1.THREAT OF NEW ENTRY The threat of entry for Microsoft is relatively low for all of their divisions. In the personal computing business, they have a strong hold of the majority share of operating systems that are used by consumers. Currently, there is really only one main competitor with any real market share, which would be Apple and the Max OS Open source projects such as Linux do not currently pose much of a threat because it is much more of a tech niche market. Creating an OS can take years and requires expansive knowledge of computing. Microsoft has been building off of their knowledge from old versions of their OS’s for years. In this company, all voiced consumer interests and demands are being filled. There would be very little that a new firm could do to differentiate a new gaming console from anything this company currently do or will do with the next generation. It has also been producing these systems long enough to understand how to minimize its costs with the components they choose, leaving little chance for cost advantage. 3.2.THREAT OF RIVALRY The threat of rivalry is relatively low for Microsoft. From an operating system standpoint, there are not many competitors who make operating systems. Because of this, Microsoft does not feel that they need to constantly be surveying a large amount of companies to see what price or sales trends are occurring. Prices are rather static because of this. The only type of differentiation created between operating systems is what software it can run. However, the numbers of software packages that are only available on one platform are getting smaller every year. One thing to mention would be that Windows can be installed on Apple hardware, while Mac OS X cannot be installed on a large majority of non-Apple products (with the exception of building a Mackintosh which would require more knowledge than most casual computer users have.)However, the gaming division of Microsoft is under a high threat of rivalry from Nintendo and Sony. It is standard practice to make large price cuts to game consoles every six to twelve months as production costs decrease, and there is a constant â€Å"console war† going on. As soon as a console is released, a new one begins RD. 3.3.THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES Microsoft’s gaming division has a moderately high threat of substitute. I say this because there are two gaming audiences: casual and hardcore. A hardcore gamer will likely own multiple consoles to make sure they get to play every game they want to due to exclusive titles on separate consoles. This group would likely not contribute to a threat of substitute. However, casual gamers will easily substitute for a Nintendo or Sony console, or even just buy a few games on their smart phone. While Microsoft’s Xbox 360 offers many other services (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Last.fm, etc.) these services could be found elsewhere if someone is not interested in the games available on the console. 3.4.THREAT OF POWERFUL SUPPLIERS For both Windows and the Xbox 360, there is a relatively low threat of powerful suppliers. All of the resources that would need to be supplied to Microsoft by outside suppliers are available from a large number of firms. Blank media, circuit boards, processors, etc. are not in short supply in any way. Given the size and brand recognition that Microsoft has and the number of other suppliers available, many suppliers know they would have to offer a good price in order to work with them. None of the items supplied are necessarily unique, and the very few times that a supplier has tried to enter a videogame market through forward vertical integration, it has not gone very well. The only threat a supplier could hold is that the physical items needed by Microsoft are used in a wide variety of electronics. Memory chips, processors, hard drives, DVDs, capacitors, circuit boards, etc. are all used in everything now. However, a large number of game consoles have been sold by Microsoft (66 million units as of 1/9/2012.).This would suggest that the components inside each console would pass as a decent side of a supplier’s business. 3.5.THREAT OF POWERFUL BUYERS Microsoft has had deals with almost every major PC company (buyers in this instance) to include a copy of the latest Windows version as part of the cost of a pre-built PC. This has become expected from people buying non-Apple computers and if a buyer was to decide not to include this, it would probably lead to negative repercussions. There is room for tablets and some netbooks to run versions of IOS or Android OSs, but when some laptop manufacturers tried to switch from Windows being preinstalled to Linux, it did not fare well. The cost of having Windows included is also not a large amount of the cost of the computer, so it does not carry that much weight for the company building the machine. These attributes lead to a low threat from buyers.From a game console standpoint, the threat from buyers is low as well. The console gaming market is a multi-billion dollar industry and there are a large number of retailers who stock Xbox 360s. There is enough of an economic profit from consoles and associated merchandise to validate whole stores dedicated to just selling these items. The possibility of a retailer attempting to develop and distribute their own console is incredibly unlikely due to the cost and barriers. 4.0MICROSOFT – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY {CSR} FIG.4: MICROSOFT – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY {CSR} (http://www.businessrespect.net/definition.php by Mallen Baker) Compared to just a decade ago, it is now common for business people to talk about social responsibility and the importance of being good corporate citizens. Many business leaders today consider it critical to engage with shareholders, the communities in which their companies operate, and others affected by and interested in what they do. The diverse activities needed to respond to these expanded duties are widely referred to by the catchall phrase corporate social responsibility. It incorporates a host of concepts and practices, including the necessity for adequate corporate governance structures, the implementation of workplace safety standards, the adoption of environmentally sustainable procedures, and philanthropy. Take Microsoft CSR for example: -According to Microsoft 2013 Citizen Report,the company embarked on various CSR programs some of which are listed below: 4.1.GOVERNMENTS: Microsoft Corporation is working with community-based organizations and NGOs in China to increase employment opportunities for unskilled migrant workers, partnering with law enforcement officials in Canada to develop a customized system that helps police fight computer-facilitated crimes against children, collaborating in Latin America with the Organization of American States and its affiliate The Trust for the Americas to help people with disabilities gain the skills they need to start their own businesses and find employment, or working with leading companies and community organizations in Europe on a grants program to help small and medium sized enterprises improve productivity through technology, their commitment is the same: to make it possible for people to use technology to improve their lives. â€Å"Partnership and collaboration are at the center of how we do business, and that’s also how we work with governments and NGOs. It’s central to our commitment to provide leadership in our industry, to create a safe and secure computing environment, and to advance a worldwide knowledge economy that creates possibilities for hundreds of millions of people previously underserved by technology.† (Steven A. Ballmer Chief Executive Officer in the Microsoft 2013 citizen report). 4.2.CUSTOMERS: As an industry leader, Microsoft recognizes its responsibility to help make the Internet safer and computing more secure. Their ultimate goal is to help create an environment in which adults, children, businesses, and other organizations can enjoy the full benefits of the Internet without concerns about their safety, privacy, or security. Meanwhile, they continue to work toward that goal with the help of government, industry, and law enforcement partners worldwide, and to help consumers and their customers understand what they can do to protect themselves and their systems. Microsoft has done a lot to improve product quality and engineering excellence over the last few years. Every year, 15,000 Microsoft developers, testers, and program managers attend mandatory training on how to write more secure code. They have also integrated security into their software development process. The results have been a significant decrease in the number of security bulletins issued for products like Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and a significant increase in the security of their esteemed customers’ systems. 4.3.LOCALCOMMUNITIES: Microsoft Local Language Program: This provides people access to technology in a familiar language while respecting linguistic and cultural distinctions. The program aims to empower individuals in local communities to create economic opportunities, build IT skills, enhance education outcomes, and sustain their local language and culture. 4.4.EMPLOYEES: Microsoft is widely recognized as a leading company for offering one of the strongest and most comprehensive compensation and benefits packages in the US. They start with competitive pay, bonuses, and stock awards to eligible employees based on individual performance. Then they add on unique offerings that might surprise you. Here’s a bird’s-eye view: Leading health wellness care: Medical hospitalization: Industry-leading health coverage, more than many other companies offer. Vision care: one annual eye exam and reimbursement for one pair of glasses or contacts per calendar year. 24 – hours health line: receive useful, easy – to –understand information and so much more, including life insurance, disability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group legal coverage, dependent and healthcare flexible spending accounts, office ergonomics’ support etc. You can notice that the company is trying to create a good environment at the office by providing all the staff with good conditions to work and develop themselves. I now recall the word of Jack Welch that says: â€Å"The recognition of the contribution of each employee, recognition for each employee the right to have a voice and a role in the success of the company – is the source of true performance. The source from which it can improve not gradually, but significantly† CONCLUSION In conclusion, Microsoft being the foremost organization in the information and technology industry worked at its humble beginning in 1975 by Mr. Bill Gates and his youth mate Mr. Paul Allen which has a rapid growth history and finally became a public quoted company in 1986 and have since remained dominant in the IT industry and is affecting people’s life all over the world positively with business partners globally and also providing aids and rescue services on emergencies through its corporate social responsibility programs and can be regarded as employer of first choice REFERENCES CSR Report. (2012). Microsoft Release 2012 Citizenship Report. Retrieved on February 9, 2012 from http://www.csrwire.com/report/1272/-Microsoft-Release-2012-Citizenship-Report.html Andrews, K.R. (1971), the Concept of Corporate Strategy, Dow-Jones Irwin, Homewood, IL. Blomback, A. Wigren, C. 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Society Business Review Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 207-223; Henderson, D. (2005), The role of business in the world today, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Vol. 17, pp. 30-2. Hirschland, M. (2005), Taking the Temperature of CSR Leaders, Business for Social Responsibility, San Francisco, CA. http://www.codeproject.com Karnani, A. (2010). The case Against Corporate Social Responsibility. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on February 9, 2013 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100.html www.doughtycentre .info – adapted from core values for the practice of public participation by the international associationfor public participation – pg.12 David Thompson. Help employees achieve a work/life balance//URL: http://goo.gl/4Fdh3.28.01.2013. 1