Is Development Methodologies In Financial :: essays research papers

Introduction & Overview of the Company Marks and Spencers is a large UK based retailer with 683 branches in 2 continents. Following the deregulation of the UK financial sector in the mid eighties the company decided to use its experience, capital, and brand power to branch into the lucrative financial services industry offering personal loans, life insurance & pensions, and savings & investments services such as Unit Trusts and ISAs through the company Marks and Spencers Financial Services. Financial Services is now one of the fastest expanding areas of Marks & Spencers, MSFS employs more than 1,400 staff at its purpose built headquarters in Chester, and has dedicated financial services areas in 70 M&S stores across the country. The Information Systems department has 50 employees who come from analysis, design, & programming backgrounds, much of which has been gained with Marks & Spencers plc. The majority of these employees are based in the Chester head office, and systems are developed ‘in-house’. IS project s under development include the introduction of Individual Savings Accounts, with other likely future projects including telephone banking, credit cards, and auto/property insurance. The fact that MSFS has entered the Financial Services Sector comparatively recently and with a established IS knowledge base from the parent company has meant that existing information systems have been well developed in terms of technology and are compliant with the latest industry regulations. Therefore there is little or no need for redevelopment of existing systems in the short to medium term, and the ISD focus is almost exclusively on new market areas requiring Information Systems that can be started from scratch. The main exceptions to this are the possibility of introducing data warehousing to tap the potential of both MSFS’ and the parent company’s client database to better target MSFS customers, and the need to adapt existing systems for the introduction of the Euro, projects which will involve redesign of existing data stores and software. The company has grown very quickly, and IS projects have consequently grown considerably as can be seen by the size of the IT department. While there are still small to medium sized projects, some that are currently being considered will be on quite a large scale with several senior analysts working on each project. These projects are anticipated to require an IT department expansion of 50% over the next two years. Although MSFS’ IS projects share certain common characteristics in terms of their requirements, such as the need for a common ISD structure across projects, they vary considerably in size and strategic importance, with future developments looking likely expand those differences.

Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Effect is a term for the role the atmosphere plays in helping warm the earth’s surface. The atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming short-wave ( or ultrviolet) soalr radiation, which is absorbed by earth’s surface. The earth receives energy from the sun, which warms the earth’s surface. As this energy passes through the atmosphere, a certain percentage gets scattered. Some part of this energy is reflected back into the atmosphere from the land and ocean surface. The rest (70%) actually remains behind to heat the earth. n order to establisha balance, therefore, the earth must radiate some energy back into the atmosphere. As the earth is much cooler than the sun, it does not emit energy as visisble llight. It emitsthrought is frared or thermal radiation. However, certain gases in the atmosphere. Without this blanket effect, the earth would be around 30oC colder than it normally is. These gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide along wi th water vapour, comprise less than one per cent of the atmosphere. They are called ‘greenhouse gases† as the working principle is same as that which occurs in a greenhouse. Just as the galss of the greenhouse prevent the radiation of excess energy, this ‘gas blanket’ absorbs some of the energy emitted by the earth and keeps temperaature level intact. This effect was first recognized by a France scientist, Jean-Baptiste Fourier, who pionted out the similarly in what happen in the atmosphere and in a green house. Hence he terms the greenhouse effect. This gas blanket has been in place ever since the creation of the earth. Since the industrial revolution human activities have been releasing more and more of these greenhouse gases into atmosphere. This leads to the blanket becaming thicker and upsets gses are called ‘sources’ and those that remove them are known as ‘sink’. A balance between ‘source’ and ‘sink’ maintains the level of these greenhouse gases. Humankind upsets this balance when new source that interfere with the natural gas. When we destroy forest, the carbon stored in the treeescapes as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Increasing agricultural activities, changes in land use patterns, and other sources lead to rising level of methane and nitrous oxide. Industrial processes also release artificial and new greenhouse gases like CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), while automobile exhaust fumes lead to ozone generation. The resulting enchaned greenhouse effect is more commonly referred to as global warming or climate change. Global warming is a result of the increase of thickness of the greenhouse gas layer that is release into the atmosphere through human activity like burning fossil fuel. Increase greenhouse gas concerntration may be resulting in more heat being trap in the atmosphere and increasing global temperature emitted by the cars we drive, the furnaces we use to heat our homes and the industries that produce oil and gas, create electricity and develop products for the world’s marketplace. These greeghouse are completely human caused. They harm stratospheric ozone and so are not as directly responsible for global warming as carbon dioxideis. The question of reducing their presence in the stratosphere is being taken care of in another global convention, the Montreal Protocol. These gases are particularly effective in absorbing long wave radiation from the earth’s surface and preventing heat from escaping. Alhtough the views and opinions of people across the world vary on issues relating to the cause of global warming and its possible impacts, there is a common understanding that is is a cause for major global concern and must be adressed immediately. Greenhouse Effect Greenhouse Effect is a term for the role the atmosphere plays in helping warm the earth’s surface. The atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming short-wave ( or ultrviolet) soalr radiation, which is absorbed by earth’s surface. The earth receives energy from the sun, which warms the earth’s surface. As this energy passes through the atmosphere, a certain percentage gets scattered. Some part of this energy is reflected back into the atmosphere from the land and ocean surface. The rest (70%) actually remains behind to heat the earth. n order to establisha balance, therefore, the earth must radiate some energy back into the atmosphere. As the earth is much cooler than the sun, it does not emit energy as visisble llight. It emitsthrought is frared or thermal radiation. However, certain gases in the atmosphere. Without this blanket effect, the earth would be around 30oC colder than it normally is. These gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide along wi th water vapour, comprise less than one per cent of the atmosphere. They are called ‘greenhouse gases† as the working principle is same as that which occurs in a greenhouse. Just as the galss of the greenhouse prevent the radiation of excess energy, this ‘gas blanket’ absorbs some of the energy emitted by the earth and keeps temperaature level intact. This effect was first recognized by a France scientist, Jean-Baptiste Fourier, who pionted out the similarly in what happen in the atmosphere and in a green house. Hence he terms the greenhouse effect. This gas blanket has been in place ever since the creation of the earth. Since the industrial revolution human activities have been releasing more and more of these greenhouse gases into atmosphere. This leads to the blanket becaming thicker and upsets gses are called ‘sources’ and those that remove them are known as ‘sink’. A balance between ‘source’ and ‘sink’ maintains the level of these greenhouse gases. Humankind upsets this balance when new source that interfere with the natural gas. When we destroy forest, the carbon stored in the treeescapes as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Increasing agricultural activities, changes in land use patterns, and other sources lead to rising level of methane and nitrous oxide. Industrial processes also release artificial and new greenhouse gases like CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), while automobile exhaust fumes lead to ozone generation. The resulting enchaned greenhouse effect is more commonly referred to as global warming or climate change. Global warming is a result of the increase of thickness of the greenhouse gas layer that is release into the atmosphere through human activity like burning fossil fuel. Increase greenhouse gas concerntration may be resulting in more heat being trap in the atmosphere and increasing global temperature emitted by the cars we drive, the furnaces we use to heat our homes and the industries that produce oil and gas, create electricity and develop products for the world’s marketplace. These greeghouse are completely human caused. They harm stratospheric ozone and so are not as directly responsible for global warming as carbon dioxideis. The question of reducing their presence in the stratosphere is being taken care of in another global convention, the Montreal Protocol. These gases are particularly effective in absorbing long wave radiation from the earth’s surface and preventing heat from escaping. Alhtough the views and opinions of people across the world vary on issues relating to the cause of global warming and its possible impacts, there is a common understanding that is is a cause for major global concern and must be adressed immediately.

Multinational Company Requirements

Discuss the factors that a multinational company needs to consider in setting up a factory in a developing country? (20) A multinational company is any organization that has its headquarters in one country, but with operating branches, factories and assembly plants in other countries. A factory is an industrial building where workers gather and concentrate resources to manufacture goods and operate machine processing one product to another i. e. value adding. Developing country is a nation that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers but it wants to become more advanced socially and economically.It is a nation with a low living standard, undeveloped industrial base, and low Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. Factors needed to be considered in setting up a factory:- * Natural Routes * Site Requirement * Access to the market * Availability of raw materials * Skilled labour * Power Supply * Industrial Linkage or Strategic Importance * Governmen t incentives One of the factors needed to be considered is the Site requirement. In developing country the land rents and values are cheaper so it’s an advantage to the company.The Land must be cheap, flat, undulating, and well-drained so that the construction of the factory is economical and environmentally friendly. The land chosen must be competent enough for alterations when considered necessary. Moreover, the climate and weather conditions at the site are favorable for production of goods throughout the year. Another factor is the access to the Natural Routes. The firm would be of great benefit if there is major land or sea route for transportation of raw materials and industrial goods. Road, Rail and Air Transport are available. This would give speedy and cost-effective transport.Other factors are the access and availability to the market place and raw materials. The distance between the site and market or raw material’s site should be brief and rapid enough for greater, inexpensive and reliable supply of raw materials and industrial goods. The raw materials should be available at an affordable and discounted price. One other factor is the presence of skilled labor force. Factory should be situated in an area where cheap work-force is on hand. A decent numbers and ample variety of workers are available, with reasonable skilled and knowledge, at or near the site.Another factor is the presence of power supply. There should be ample sources of power like electricity and gas, with an adequate amount and at cut-rates. The factory should be situated in an area where government may provide incentives and reduce taxes. The incentives could be in form of grants, low interest rates, simplified planning procedures and training. Another factor is industrial linkage or Strategic Reason. The firm should be established in area which is closed to linkage industries such as suppliers and customers from which some benefit could be gained.It should be apart f rom similar and rival organization in order to reduce competition and gain greater market share in that area. Perhaps the major factor that a multinational company needs to consider is the choice of the developing country. The chosen country should have good communication links with the country where headquarters of the multinational firm is located. The country shouldn’t be that much meager and poverty-stricken that sales aren’t lucrative and corporation doesn’t prosper. Language, legal and cultural differences with local workers and government officials could lead to misunderstandings.The host country or chosen country’s policies should be favorable and these ethnic and literary divergences are overcome. Consequently, a multinational organization should set up factory in that location which satisfies all these aspects. However, it is unlikely that all the factors will be available at any one particular location. So the location for a factory is to be ch osen in such a way, that the total cost of bringing all the inputs together, producing the goods, and distributing the products to the market, are minimized and maximum profit is generated.