How to Major in Success by Following Your Passion

If you’ve thought that getting good grades makes you a successful student, think again. In his book, Major in Success, Patrick Combs clearly outlines what being successful really means for students, no matter how old they are. The difference between mediocrity and greatness is not family or intelligence, Combs says, it’s extraordinary drive. How do you get extraordinary drive? It’s all about passion, baby, about discovering what it is you love to do. Combs suggests you: Admit what really interests youPinpoint your true aspirations (including the ones your family might not agree with)Discover the many jobs related to your interest (Combs shows you how) Feel your fears and do it anyway. What I really like about this book is that Combs anticipates the arguments against his ideas and answers them with helpful exercises that walk you through what he’s trying to get you to realize, experience, and act on. His own passion for helping others find their passion is evident. So many other books on success focus on more tangible advice, and that’s important too, but if underneath all that surface stuff your fire isn’t blazing, satisfaction is going to be hard won, if won at all. Trust your emotions, Combs writes. Choose enjoyment, satisfaction, and learning over dollars. He also suggests your best job may not be what you’re good at, and that life is very generous to those who follow their passions and pursue their dreams. I find that inspiring, not only for twenty-somethings just starting out, but also for those of us who have tried a career or three and are still searching for the one that brings us joy. The older we get, the more important that becomes. Combs provides plenty of exercises for discovering which job that might be. He also discusses: Power journalingDealing with fearSetting goalsChoosing the classes that really matterManaging time and stressFinding a coachNetworking in professional organizationsInterviewing effectively Major in Success is filled with practical advice about the things that really matter in life, the things that lead to true success. About the Author Patrick Combs is a best-selling author, inspirational speaker, and humorous entertainer. He is in the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame and has an off-Broadway solo comedy act. You can lots of helpful stuff for students at goodthink.com, one of Patricks early sites where you will also find great tips on writing, speaking, and planning meetings. Google Patrick Combs and you will find him at patrickcombs.com and at livepassionate.com, the site for his company, MIGHT, an online tool and community that enables people to accomplish phenomenal results in record time. And, of course, you can find him everywhere on social media. I love it when I find a company that generously shares information that helps others succeed. Patricks company, Good Thinking Co., is one of those companies. Goodthink.com is filled with witty, inspiring quotations, movie lists, book lists, favorite essays, stories, videos, seminars, and links to other helpful sites. Patrick Combs has published two other books: Man 1, Bank 0 - the true story of one mans battle against his bankGearing Up (Inside and Out) for a Great Life You can pay a little extra for signed copy. Go forth and be successful. Theres an abundance of advice available and no excuse not to!

Junta Fighter, Poet and Human Rights Defender Juan Gelman Dies at 83

Juan Gelman was a poet from Argentine, who denounced the despotism of his country’s military junta in his poems (which claimed to mark an appearance of new literary movement called â€Å"new Spanish American poetry† that changed not only the world, but the word), died on Tuesday at his home in Mexico City at the age of 83. Mr. Gelman is thought to be one of the most outstanding authors in Spanish. He got the Cervantes Prize in 2007, which is considered to be one of the greatest annual literature awards in Spanish-speaking countries. Gelman is famous not only for his poems, but for his constant struggle against the regime of tyranny in his homeland. Poet had first-hand knowledge of the horrors of military junta: among the kidnapped in 1976 citizens who have any connection to socialism and dissidents were his daughter Nora Eva, his son Marcelo Ariel and his son’s wife, Maria Claudia Garcia, who was seven months pregnant. Juan Gelman was determined to find out what happened to his disappeared family members. Fortunately, his daughter managed to survive, but his son and daughter-in-law got killed, while his granddaughter was given away to a family in Uruguay, where she was taken care of. Eventually, after 24 years, in 2000, he managed to find his granddaughter. Poets unstoppable search for what was left of his family made Gelman a hero for all the people who fight for human rights. Juan Gelman was born in 1930 in Buenos Aires in the family of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. As a child he enjoyed reading books of Russian and European authors. Gelman was going to study chemistry in the University of Buenos Aires, but he never finished his education. Gelman joined communists instead and worked as a journalist and editor for left-leaning newspapers. He was a remarkable political activist, that is why he was forced to leave Argentina after the Argentine coup in 1976. Gelman, who wrote over 20 books, was widely known and respected in Spain as well as in Latin America – mostly because he devoted himself to the work against far-right strain of governance in Argentina. In his compositions he often refers to such subjects, as injustice and oppression. Every his book is truly a work of art. All of his works are an impressive mix of painful life experience, politics and vivid optimism. Nobody could be possibly left untouched by them. Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, president of Conaculta, Mexico’s culture and arts council, announced Gelmans death on Twitter and called him a â€Å"poet of the Mexican soul†. President of Argentina Cristina Fernà ¡ndez de Kirchner declared a three-day national period of mourning. Jorge Coscia, the nations culture secretary, said about Gelman: â€Å"His whole life was a committed poem†. Could there be a better praise for a poet?

Research Proposal for Ace Cable Company - 2143 Words

Research Proposal for Ace Cable Company RES 351 Research Proposal for Ace Cable Company Research problem and purpose The main purpose of the revenue that Ace Cable Company has is to bring in new clients while maintaining existing ones. When looking into the problem of clients canceling their service with Ace Cable one of the first items to consider is the customer paying for something he or she prefers and is the customer paying for something he or she does not want? Other forms of the issue would be how to bring in new clients, what types of service can Ace Cable offer to new and existing clients, and to find the root cause to the clients who do drop their service. With pertaining questions to the existing customers as†¦show more content†¦The goals are feasible enough to reach as well as build new growth for the company. With the feedback Ace Cable receives from surveys, Ace Cable can build and answer research questions, build a hypothesis, recognize variables, build a research design with the necessary instrument to use for the data analysis approach, and fi nd the results needed for a successful and growing business. Research questions Customer Questions: †¢ How would they determine the value he or she pays for their service, versus the quality of Ace Cable’s Services? †¢ What additional services would you like Ace Cable to provide to them? †¢ Are you experiencing any issues with your cable service? †¢ Would you refer your friends and family to Ace Cable? †¢ How would you rate the overall satisfaction with your service from Ace Cable? Non Customer Questions: †¢ What do you like about our current cable company? †¢ What additional services would you like from you current cable provider? †¢ How would you rate the price you pay for the service you currently receive? Hypothesis What factors would lead Ace Cable to acquiring new customers and expanding their current footprint in their immediate area? This is the general question Ace Cable will be researching. The hypothesis is, if Ace Cable can gather information on what products and services their current customers like and dislike and haveShow MoreRelatedEssay on Millau Viaduct Project Management2076 Words   |  9 PagesThe Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road bridge which spans the valley of the river Tarn situated alongside the Township of Millau in Southern France. The viaduct standing over 343 meters tall was the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridge and was proposed as the missing link in the A75 auto route that connects Paris in the north to Perpignan in the south. 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Strategic Communication and Social Media in Business †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Communication and Social Media. Answer: Introduction Social media is an online communication group where users are allowed to share and receive to a wide audience while focusing more on the content of information as well as participating in sharing ideas and giving feedbacks. Social media improves customer communication and helps a company save on cost.Whereas business communication is a way of passing information about products or services to customers, this is effectively achieved through social media. The use of social mediahas helped improve many business functions making them effective and grow fast for the past years and changed the way potential customers interact with products of their interest. The coverage of customers has also been improved as there are increased interconnection channels between customers and companies and this has helped to ensure efficient and effective communication. Most companies that have adopted social media, it has helped them to completely change their way of operation. The paper therefore discusses the impact of social media on contemporary business communication under a case study of mobile phones business.(Meredith, 2012) The impact of social media on contemporary business communication Social media basically plays a great role in helping a company gets many sales, building a conversation with customers and make companys brand well known to customers. Most mobile phone business companies are using social media to interact and connect with their customers. The companies use social media platform to connect with customers by sharing latest information about the products, sharing images of the new products or of any changes made currently on the product. In the long run this ensures information about new product or about changes made on the existing product reaches the customers on time thus creating a longlasting relationship with the customers. (Basri, 2016) The companies also use social media platforms like Facebook, twitter and Instagram in advertising the mobile phones. This will help the company cover a wide audience since the world has got many users of the social media platforms and once they visit their media pages, they will tend to come across the advertisem ent and all the information about the new products. This will eventually enable the company make a lot of sales because the advertisement captures many customers worldwide.(Jussila, Krkkinen and Leino, 2013) Social media ensures a company receives customer feedback in a fast manner. For instance, if the mobile phone sold to the customer had a problem with its features, the customer can raise a complaint through the social media platform and attended to as quick as possible hence building a good reputation for the company and attract more customers in the long run. The company also uses social media in carrying out market research in order to find out current and more information about their competitors and look for ways of outsmart them. (Capriotti, 2009) They also use the platform to research on demographic data so that they can have a hint of the population they are supposed to serve; this information helps the company plan on the quantity of products to produce so that they satisfy their customers demand. Frequent communication made to customers through social media also helps the company get an opportunity to raise the brand awareness, the brand loyalty and the recognition of the pro duct brand to all individuals. (Grayson, 2014) Social media has however presented a great impact on how business operates today since companies always have a lot to gain from using social media and little to lose. According to the case study of mobile phones business,most operations in the companies have changed to be more efficient and effective through the use of social media. Use of this platform has enabled quick approach to customers all over the world, quick access to products and wide spread of information. Marketing of products has also been made easy through the use of social media because customers are fetched easily online which gives a great chance to get more customers within a short period as compared to looking for customers physically. This in return helps the company increase on sales.Social media is a good tool that ensures efficient and proper customer service as argued by experts .This is because the platform offers an opportunity that makes it easy for customers to have a close relationship with the company.T hrough this platform, the company is able to receive information from customers about what they prefer and their needs.Experts also suggest that social media provides a friendly environment for customers to raise their problems which are fixed faster than the regular way the company might have done.Customer engagement with the company is also achieved through the use of social media especially in the marketing field. The rapid growing use of internet by most people helps to create a long lasting relationship in business operation activities. (He, Wang, Chen, Zha, 2015) Despite social media expressing various benefits to companies, there are various risks and challenges involved in using the platform. Organizations mostly are structured in a hierarchical manner. The use of social media crushes this because most of the customers are attended to directly without following the long traditional procedure of the hierarchy.Adopting the social media platform in business operations hinder the implementation of the company policy rules and regulations to customers. This in turn results to a major challenge of risky business since most customers are not aware of the company policy and rules therefore end up engaging in business without conforming to any rules. Another challenge companies face from adopting the use of social media is decrease in production due to destructions by many social networking activities. In the past production was consistent due to the involvement of man power but today most production activities depend on technology which when distra cted lowers production. Some competitors use social media platform to post inappropriate material and hateful messages against their competitors. This in the end ruins the reputation of such companies because most customers will have the access to the information. Organizations that depends so much on social media platform where they save some of their sensitive data, might end up losing all this if such systems fail or get corrupted by third party. Such scenario results to a major challenge that such company will face. Use of social media also denies physical interactions with customers during marketing process. Lack of direct interaction with customers may not provide enough information about what the customer needs. However the use of social media has various benefits to the companies that have embraced the platform. First social media has enabled most companies create efficiency in operations within the organization. It has also helped in speeding up innovation as well as creating new services which was never in existence and improve services and ensure fast production. To add to that the platform has also ensured better delivery of product and services.In addition, social media has also helped enhance the advertising and marketing activities.The platform provides detailed information about products being introduced in the market, ensure it reaches many customers and also ensure better understanding of the products according to customer preferences. The use of social media helps create a point of contact between customers and the product. By doing these customers expect fast response about the product and incase of any problem they expect to be attended to immediately. Social media ensures fast feedback from consumers and act upon that feedback as fast as possible. New opportunities are also created through the use of social media that individuals might have missed out if they do not use social media platforms. Customers are kept happy by addressing any negative comments or experience they face giving the company an opportunity to outsmart their competitors. (He, Wang, Chen, Zha, 2015) Social media also creates a chance for the company to learn about its target audience and consumers,whereby it gives insights about what your audience need.Getting to know what your customers need helps an organization discover various creative waysof how to reach their audience which can be through advertising hence leading to increased conversions. If social media is done correctly, it will also help the company increase its sales. Customers that are interested in the advertised product on a social media platform will eventually respond to the sales messages and to add to that, having a social media presence gives an opportunity to know about the product in the long run gives the company a chance to gain more sales and build their brand name. (Thallmaier, n.d.) Conclusion Social media has a great impact in branding many companies.Having social media strategy makes it easy to achieve great awareness about product, company image and increased customer loyalty.It also ensuresefficiency in all business operations.However, companies should also be aware of the negative influence that social media might bring to the company. According to previous studies, social media is seen to be the most used platform for promotion that involves collecting of information from customers and attracting users to any unique product .Furthermore, social media being a new phenomenal should be subjected to change in order for it to be valuable bad explore its development in core business. References Basri, W. (2016). Social Media Impact on Small and Medium Enterprise: Case Review of Businesses in the Arab World. Arts And Social Sciences Journal, 07(06). https://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2151-6200.1000236 Capriotti, P. (2009). Economic and Social Roles of Companies in the Mass Media. Business Society, 48(2), 225-242. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0007650307305724 Grayson, D. (2014). Social intrapreneurism and all that jazz. Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing. He, W., Wang, F., Chen, Y., Zha, S. (2015). An exploratory investigation of social media adoption by small businesses. Information Technology And Management. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10799-015-0243-3 Jussila, J., Krkkinen, H. and Leino, M. (2013). Innovation-related benefits of social media in Business-to-Business customer relationships.International Journal of Advanced Media and Communication, 5(1), p.4. Meredith, M. (2012). Strategic Communication and Social Media: An MBA Course From a Business Communication Perspective.Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), pp.89- 95. Thallmaier, S. Customer Co-Design.

Ergonomics Organizational Ergonomics Essay Example

Ergonomics Organizational Ergonomics Essay QUESTION 4. DICUSS ERGONOMICS. HOW IS ERGONOMICS RELATED TO QUALITY? Ergonomics is also known as human factors engineering. It is the study concerned with the understanding of the interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theoretical principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well being and overall system performance. Ergonomics is the study of work in relation to the environment in which it is performed (the workplace) and those who perform it (workers). It is used to determine how the workplace can be designed or adapted to the worker in order to prevent a variety of health problems and to increase efficiency as well as quality of products and services. The study helps in understanding how work is done and how to work better towards quality improvement. Domains of Specialization Ergonomics denotes the science of work; it is a systems-oriented discipline, which now applies to all aspects of human activity. Ergonomists must have a broad understanding of the full scope of the discipline, taking into account the physical, cognitive, social, organizational, environmental and other relevant factors since domains of specialization represent deeper competencies in specific human attributes or characteristics of human interaction:- †¢Physical Ergonomics Physical ergonomics is concerned with human anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity. The relevant topics include working postures, materials handling, repetitive movements, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, workplace layout, safety and health. †¢Cognitive Ergonomics Cognitive ergonomics is concerned with mental processes, such as perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response, as they affect interactions among humans and other elements of a system. We will write a custom essay sample on Ergonomics Organizational Ergonomics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ergonomics Organizational Ergonomics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ergonomics Organizational Ergonomics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The relevant topics include mental workload, decision-making, skilled performance, human-computer interaction, human reliability, work stress and training as these may relate to human-system design. †¢Organizational Ergonomics Organizational ergonomics is concerned with the optimization of sociotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies, and processes so as to id in quality improvement in every aspect of the organization. The relevant topics include communication amongst workers departments, crew resource management, work design, design of working times, teamwork, participatory design, community ergonomics, cooperative work, new work paradigms, organizational culture, virtual organizations, tele-work, and quality management.?

buy custom Patents in Australia essay

buy custom Patents in Australia essay Patent laws in Australia play a significant role in determining the rights and obligations of a business and to its technological output. Duncan (2005) says that Patent Law in Australia is governed by the Patents Act 1990 (Cth). The patent protection under this Act has a wide application in the country. Patent protection can also be obtained in most other industrialized countries. Duncan (2005) also indicated that the grant of a patent confers on the patentee the exclusive right to exploit the invention and to authorize another person to exploit the invention (p. 416). In order to be patentable an invention must be a manner of manufacture within the meaning of s 6 of the statute of monopolies. This implies that the essence that it has not been published used or sold anywhere in the world before the patent application was filed. Duncan (2005) noted that the Patents Act specifies that an invention must be useful in order to be patentable but this requires only that the results promised in the patent specification can all be achieved if the instructions in the specification are followed (p. 416). The Australian patent law is aligned with international standards and on the other hand Australia adheres to the Paris convention for the protection of industrial property Caenegem (2010). The countrys Patents act 1990 provides two main categories of patents which include standard patents and innovation patents. Caenegem (2010) says that the Australian Law does not have a separate statute covering so called utility models and therefore to some extent the innovation patent fulfils that function. This confers protection for a shorter term on the basis of a simplified application procedure which does not require substantive examination prior to sealing for inventions consisting of a limited number of claims (Caenegem, 2010). In Australia the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property entails no change to the law which does not bar patents for business methods staying in line with Japan and New Zealand (Colston Middleton, 2005). It states that there is little evidence to suggest that business method patents either stimulate or inhibit innovation in Australia. Colston Middleton (2005) indicated that this calls for IP Australia to maintain records of the number of business system patents and their significance and to report annually. The Australian Patent Law is therefore intended to encourage inventive ingenuity and the industrial progress of society under the public policy and it is through the reward of invention that this will be achieved ( Clark, et.al, 2010). Clark, et.al (2010) noted that it is appropriate that patents be used wherever possible to protect the interests and rights of those utilizing electronic commerce as a means of doing business (p. 129). It is required that a business system shows novelty and inventiveness for a standard patent which is measured against prior disclosures officially recorded anywhere in the world. They continue to say that most patents do not involve major breakthroughs but involve improvements on existing technology. Clark, et.al (2010) noted that in Australia a patent should not be given for something that is obvious. The Australian Patent Act provides that an invention is patentable if it is a manner of manufacture which compared to the prior art base existing before the claim. Clark, et.al (2010) says that what is not patentable includes business schemes such as methods of office management and product promotion (p. 130). It is important to note that the standard patent provides a legal monopoly for twenty years duration from the date of complete specification. Clark, et.al (2010) commented that the first step involved in acquiring a patent involves the lodging of an application with the Patent Office in Canberra by the inventor, an assignee, or legal representative of the inventor. The patent application must be for one invention only and include either a complete or a provisional specification describing the invention. According to Clark, et.al (2010) an advantage of electing to proceed with a provisional specification is that it allows the owner of an invention to gain protection at the earliest possible date while giving the inventor further time to work on the invention (p. 131). Another advantage of patenting is that it is designed to provide an incentive to small business to invest in innovation and is already considered to provide a relatively cheap patent right that is quick and easy to obtain. Business system or method patents Clark, et.al (2010) says that though patent law is much in flux there has been a recent trend by patent authorities in Australia as in the US, toward awarding patents for methods of doing business. In addition, these methods of doing business patents have been described as soft patents because in contrast to conventional and long standing patent law requirements, no physical invention is involved (Clark, et.al, 2010). However, studies show that these are among the most controversial forms of legal protection for some businesses both in the bricks and mortar world and in cyberspace. They are known to be the most important assets that why they are known as Patents for Business schemes in Australia. The subject matters that may be patented under this category are extremely broad for example those covering hardware devices, software programs, internet applications, electronic commerce products, data processing system such as ATMs and card readers and even new financial products. Clark, et.al (2010) says that a business method patent is in most respects just like any other patent expected that the subject matter relates in some way to a method of doing business (p. 135). Registering a patent for a business scheme is straightforward, with the usual tests applied by IP Australia, with the added requirement that the scheme gives rise to as physical, artificially created end result. One of the major examples in Australia is a patent filed by EDS that effectively patents a software application that asks the online customer if they would like fries with their burger. Clark, et.al (2010) determined that a problem which the decision to admit business methods patents has created is that it also has raised a long-debated question of whether patents actually prmote or hinder innovation. It is fundamental to realize that unlike the giving of copyright in every eligible publication regardless of its literary merit, it was never the object of patent laws to grant a monopoly for every trifling device that would naturally occur to any skilled mechanic, operator, or computer programmer (Clark, et.al, 2010). There is a view in Australia that such an indiscriminate creation of exclusive privileges tends to obstruct, not stimulate invention, creating a class of speculative schemers who make it their business to watch the advancing wave of improvement and to use patent monopolies to impose what amounts to a heavy tax upon industry without actually contributing anything to its real advancement. This may not therefore be in the best inter crests of the public to grant them on the scale that is occurring in the US (Clark, et.al, 2010). Patentable subject matter is to be determined by the application of flexible principles and is not to be fettered by contrived constraints or a strict test. Clark, et.al (2010) says that this is a direct contrast to the difficulties experienced in Europe with explicitly defined exclusions. They further says that the Full Court found that in both the US and Australia, the courts had adopted a broad approach to determining patentable subject matter in order to adapt to new technology and inventions but this did not mean that there were no restrictions on what is patentable (Clark, et.al, 2010). The court said that it did not matter whether an invention was referred to as a business method or business system since all that mattered was that the principle for determining patentable subject matter needed to be applied. According to Dodgson, Gann Salter (2008) patents can provide temporary monopolies for inventors and therefore they should be an incentive to innovate. It has however been noted that patents often work better in theory than in practice. Dodgson, Gann Salter (2008) further say that they are expensive to acquire and difficult to enforce and trade. In Australia patents of business systems or methods are used by large firms to create thickets slowing down the diffusion of innovations and limiting opportunities or new entrants. Only few patents in Australia have potential financial value and small firms often lack the capabilities and resources necessary for turning their patented technology into a successful business (Dodgson, Gann Salter, 2008). It is also notable that considerable amounts of social resources are spent on acquiring, defending, and disputing patents, often too little purpose. In addition Dodgson, Gann Salter (2008) noted that it is also possible to imagine prize based systems running alongside the existing patent system (p. 291). Currently the patent system does not seek to differentiate between the novelties of different patents. In this context, studies indicate that once an inventor has been able to demonstrate that his or her invention achieves a uniform standard of novelty this can be recognized in a patent. Dodgson, Gann Salter (2008) says that expert technical assessments performed by patent officers are also used to judge the degree of novelty of an invention. In Australia business system inventions can be excluded from patentability if they are not considered as being within a field of technology. Dodgson, Gann Salter (2008) indicated that a major fear is that business system patents will become pervasive, creating inefficiencies and dampening initiative without a corresponding increase in innovation. The Australian data allow some insight into the wider distribution of corporate patents (Haunss Shadlen, 2009). Businesses in Australia are clearly selective in what they patent in Australia compared with the USA. It is notable that where a business system patents in both USA and Australia, the number of patents taken out in Australia is usually much less. Haunss Shadlen (2009) noted that on average the number of Australian patents acquired is less than 6% of those acquired in the US in electronics, information technology, and telecoms (p. 195). Possible explanations are that only genuinely significant business systems are patented on a global basis or that where Australia lacks industrial depth it is seen as unnecessary to take out patents. The Patents Act of 1990 governs applications for and the maintenance of patents in Australia. Goldscheider (2002) says that the business system or method that qualifies for patent is product or process within the field of the useful as opposed to fine arts, one that is economically valuable, is new and involves an inventive or in the case of an innovation patent an innovative step (p. 430). He further says that patent protection has applicable to all segments of technological development, involving products, processes, or composition. Goldscheider (2002) indicated that the applicability of patent has now extend beyond traditional areas of technology to such things as computer programs, business methods, bacteria, gene sequences, and microorganisms. Advantages and disadvantages of patenting business methods One of the advantages of patent systems in Australia is that they are one of the oldest policies to promote innovation (Arup Caenegem, 2009). Arup Caenegem (2009) commented that patent policy is based on a conundrum is designed to increase innovation and that it operates by initially suppressing the dissemination of new patented technologies (p. 29). Patenting business systems involves significant positive and negative externalities and these externalities need to be added to private costs and benefits in order to estimate the net return to the society. It is also important to note that the anticipated positive externalities are the underlying rationale for the patent protection intervention in the economy. Arup Caenegem (2009) say that business method patents are expected to induce more innovation, generating increased consumer surplus, spillovers of knowledge, enhanced productivity and higher economic growth (p. 30). One the major disadvantages of patenting business methods is i ts effects on losses as a result of exercising of monopoly power that is lower output, less competition and reduced consumer surplus.. Patents in business systems results to rise in direct transaction and rent seeking costs and indirect costs due to misallocation of resources. Arup Caenegem (2009) says that the impacts on innovation, competition, and resource allocation become priority categories, within which benefits and costs should be identified. They also said that if a patent system induces more innovation, which in turn affects resource allocation and through the grant of the patent monopoly, competition. According to Arup Caenegem (2009) many of the patents owned by such firms may not be used in the sense of being worked but they used for strategic impacts such as misleading competitors about the key directions of research, making significant patents harder to find, challenging other firms in cross licensing negotiations and preventing entry to a market. Due to patenting practice in Australia there has been dramatic increase in the number of software patents obtained (Terashima Altman, 1996). This therefore reflects the size and the importance of the Australian market. As a result of patenting on the noticeable changes especially from the practitioners point of view is that business systems are now simply examined in terms of merit that is whether the invention claimed is sufficiently novel and inventive, and time and money is not wasted on arguments as to whether the subject matter claimed is capable of being protected by patent (Terashima Altman, 1996). Moreover, Arup Caenegem (2009) noted that effective patent protection helps trade in technology, both domestically and internationally. This implies that an effective patent system, accessible to foreign technology supplier allows Australian firms to import technology that would otherwise be unavailable or would only be available at higher cost (Arup Caenegem, 2009). This in turn increases productivity and enhances competition in the Australian economy. Arup Caenegem (2009) says that the importance of technological imports is demonstrated by over 90% of patents registered in Australia, and which are owned by foreigners (p. 106). It was discovered that the patent privileges were the best system yet devised to balance the tradeoff between maintain incentives to invest and fostering the diffusion of new technology. It is worth noting that uncertainty as to which of several contending parties will receive patent protection and how much protection patents will afford as an imperfection in the existing patent privilege scheme (Arup Caenegem, 2009). Patent privileges can lead to losses in allocate and productive efficiency although for a patent holder, this can rarely act as a pure monopoly because of the availability of alternative and substitute products and processes and also because some scope for imitation almost always exists. Suthersanen, Dutfield Chow (2007) says that the innovation patent system that was introduced in July 2001 plays a fundamental role of filling the gap that exists with regard to minor and incremental innovations. Suthersanen, Dutfield Chow (2007) also says that this type of business method patent in Australia offers a quick, less expensive, and simple form of protection to encourage individuals and small to medium sized businesses to realize their good ideas (p. 125). It was intended that the innovation patent was to particularly assist SMEs to get patent protection, and protection for a sufficiently long period to encourage investment in innovation within Australia. In their research, Davison, Monotti Wiseman (2008) saod that the policy approach to review and change the patent system in Australia should seek to optimize the benefits arising from the operation of the patent system in the national interest to the extent possible and on the other hand having to the particular circumstances of the Australian economy. The Australian patent system should seek to adjust the length, strength and breadth of patent rights so as to maximize the social benefits and to minimize the social costs of Australians (Davison, Monotti Wiseman, 2008). Patents helps business methods to gain increased benefits for Australians by fostering indigenous innovation and utilizing the international patent system in developing export markets to improve Australias international competitive position. Davison, Monotti Wiseman (2008) also noted that patents in business methods reduces unnecessary social costs including those resulting from undesirable anti-competitive conductin g involving patents and also improves the efficiency of the administration of the patent system with consequent reduction of direct costs. Patents encourage research and development and simulate innovation to appear to be highly variable across technologies and industries (Merrill, Levin Myers, 2004). It has also been noted that in many cases patenting activity has departed from its traditional role and has become strategic. Merrill, Levin Myers (2004) also indicated that firms can build large patents portfolios to gain access to others technologies and reduce their vulnerability to infringement litigation. In the non manufacturing part of the economy, it is less clear that patents induce additional investment for example in software advances and business method improvements (Merrill, Levin Myers, 2004). Researchers however say that the quid pro quo for giving the patent holder the right to exclude others is to compel disclosure of the invention in terms that enable others to replicate, modify, and circumvent it. In conclusion, Park (2010) noted that the costs of patent systems are closely related to the benefits and thus the attempt to reduce the costs may also minimize the benefits thus increasing the benefits of patent systems. It is also rare that a patent right creates market power thus providing monopoly profits to its owner. Park (2010) also says that most patents fail to create market power in related markets and as a result many competitors are capable of inventing around the patented technology and thus introducing competing products into the market. Therefore, business method patent systems encourage economic entities to participate in inventive activities by providing the incentive to invent based on the fact that inventions are necessary for industrial progress in Australia. Buy custom Patents in Australia essay

The 4 pillars of SMS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The 4 pillars of SMS - Assignment Example In this regard, the 4 common pillars of SMS are safety policy, risk management, assurance and promotion. This component establishes the top management’s dedication to constantly improve safety. This is because it entails the organizational policies and structure that define the responsibilities of the management to ensure safety precautions (Waring, 2006). Organizations cannot effectively operate without the observation of safety policies, which help in reducing confusion and errors. The safety policy component is efficient for creating a proactive and predictive program because it offers new regulations that can help in improving equipment and system designs (Ludwig, 2007). For instance, the management can decide to employ new safety programs that will reduce the occurrence of risks. This SMS component determines the requirement for improved risk controls based on the appraisal of suitable risk. The pillar also offers a formal system of hazard recognition, risk evaluation, resource distribution and system monitoring. The component is suitable for creating a proactive and predictive safety program because it helps engineers develop, determine and administer a safety culture that decreases injuries (Waring, 2006). As a result, the safety risk management pillar provides a proactive response before the occurrence of risks. This is because it predicts and tries to prevent accidents through the appropriate response mechanisms. This SMS pillar comprises of coaching, communication and other activities to establish a favorable safety culture within all workforce levels. It is prudent that constant communication of safety values and performances help to support a sound safety culture. Its value in the predictive safety program is that the communication and training initiatives are essential for equipping workers with the required skills to tackle emerging threats (Ludwig, 2007). The workforce needs to acquire modern training facilities in order to prepare for