Industry Best Practices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industry Best Practices - Research Paper Example More devices are being used today than were ever before. This has made protecting network while providing access very difficult and expensive in the industry. It is important to ensure that local user access is very tightly secured today while remote user access is just as simple and sound as local. Given the use of devices and technology today, all users are remote while all end points are unsafe. The user demand will increase in the coming years and demand access to business resources from any location will also increase. The future is gearing up towards a universal access control model, one that inverts the network. In this the protection will be more focused towards application resources. In universal access control, the entire access network field is level. In this setting, no user, device or location is given preference or trusted blindly. The focal point of such an access control field are its information resources. These include the applications, the data and the services. Th us in all its benefits and advantages, the biggest advantage of universal access control is that it ensures all resources are available easily at any point and at any location. However, universal access control is just made available. It Is not made universally accessible as one of the best practices in the industry. The IT department of any telecommunication company needs to come up with a strategy to establish and sustain universal access control. Universal access control has made protection of devices, data and resources more easy. With the growing evolution of laptops and mobile traditional networks cant be protected completely by IT. Thus the most dangerous and notorious attacks on the networks come from local users than from remote users. Thus implementation of universal access control ensures protection from these attacks. It is important for IT managers to assume that any user and device as a potential risk point. Implementation of universal access control has become a criti cal norm in the industry. IT managers must now assume that any user and device is a potential risk point. It does not matter if the user is gaining access remotely or by directly plugging into the LAN. Thus universal access control in a remote connectivity environment, serves to provide the following three important objectives: (REMOTE CONNECTIVITY) 1. Provision of adequate security: The security system should ensure that users are validated with passwords to protect network attached resources from unauthorized access. The greater the number of levels of security provided, the more secure the network resources and information would become. 2. Easy administration: The security systems should be easily accessible, easy to use and most be protected from unwanted tampering by other users. 3. Transparency: Users can attempt to implement circumvent security methods which are difficult to use. So the universal access control model implemented should ensure logging in from both the work sta tion attached to corporate LAN as well from home office. Implementation of universal access control is costly. It takes heavy costs for IT, infrastructure and other costs have escalated sharply and heavily. Thus the implementation of universal access control is a costly procedure. . Works Cited REMOTE CONNECTIVITY. (n.d.). Retrieved 1 14, 2012, from Sonic Wall:

Shutter Island Essay Example for Free

Shutter Island Essay This movie was confusing from the beginning, Edward Teddy Daniels a previous World War II veteran whom suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome and constantly has flashbacks. Shutter Island follows U.S. Marshall Daniels and his partners Chuck Aule while the investigate the disappearance mental patient from Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminal Insane. Teddy requested the assignment for personal reasons. But he wonders was he hasn’t been brought to the island and conspiracy. Fire is an symbol for Teddy whole existence every time Teddy is around (ex. The matches he lights in Ward C) the fire in the cave with Dr. Solando and when he starts an fire and blows up Dr. Crawley’s car. He constantly played with fire that burnt down his own apartment killing four people one of which was his own wife Dolores Chanal. He has produced this whole conspiracy theory that somehow the government has begun doing experimental testing on patients at the asylum. In reality Teddy has been declared insane and was sent to Shutters Island. Upon arriving at the institution. Teddy is the subject of the experiment; the doctors attempt to have Teddy regain his life back. Dr. Crawley and Dr. Sheehan began implanting false memories into Teddy’s mind. Teddy is delusional claims that he is an U.S. Marshall to justify his own presence. Dr. Crawley who invented Racheal Solando for him to discover what happen to the 67 patient which is actually Edward (Teddy) Daniels. Teddy’s partner who is really Dr. Sheehan is in on the experiment he tries to steer Teddy in right direction. He encourages Teddy to continue the hunt he tries to push fear on Teddy by even taking him to an Mausoleum. And he is always playing with Teddy whether its real or delusional He even gives Teddy an admission form that says it’s really 67 patients at the asylum so Teddy’s Feel that he has to find Racheal whom is supposedly escaped which she really turns out to be a nurse whom has treated Teddy while he has been a patient at Ashecliffe Hospital. While on the hunt for the missing patient Teddy encounters different obstacles. Dr. Crawley and Dr. Sheehan are is slowly taking Teddy off his meds so he starting to feel body tremors and withdrawals. Sheehan and Crawley began to monitor his doses for the role playing experiment in the film Teddy begins to have more vivid hallucinations while he’s awake his meds are meant to suppress all types of psychosis not to trigger more going off the meds make Teddy really unsteady. When Teddy reaches the lighthouse he is confused and is starting to second guess everything that he has been going through. He has developed his own explanation. Though it was an complete delusional fantasy. At this point the experiment is judged to have failed or succeeded , If Teddy accepts this fabricated account that the Drs. Have succeeded in attempting to implant a false memory. Teddy has been through this before and realizes that there is no way out Shutter Island Teddy struggles with being Lobotomize but reconsiders and decides that lobotomy would be better than chasing Andrew Laeddis for the rest of his life he figure they’ll just try to keep forcing the Lake House, Racheal Solando, and the other delusions he was having over and over again. Teddy made the choice to take the lobotomy and thus die a good man. â€Å"It is better to live as a monster or die a good man†. He refuses to accept the reality that he was just a an maintenance man who love to play with fire whose wife died because of this, and is stuck in a delusion in which he is Teddy Daniels an U.S. Marshall hunting down a suspected killer Andrew Laeddis an false identity other than a man that killed his wife. Throughout the entire movie the audience is caught up in the Teddy story thinking that he is actually sent to the island to find a suspected escapee. Even his flashbacks trigger the watcher to think Teddy has really had a hard life losing his children, killing his beloved wife whom the audience thought she actually killed the children which causing Teddy is become an alcoholic. Unbeknown to the watcher Teddy is playing the role of a functioning adult whose is trying desperately trying to figure up what is really happening on Shutter Island. The Drs. are trying so hard to get a major breakthrough with medicine by giving the opportunity to reenact his own fabricated story. The viewer is rooting for Teddy only to realize he is leading them a on wild goose hunt because in fact he is insane and can’t grasp the concept on reality what’s real, fake, makeup, or just plain lunacy. One question are there two possible endings were Teddy and Andrew possibly real was Teddy really married was a government it coverup did Teddy knows too much about the Nazis and espionage? This moving was scaring at the same time interesting because it is an movie one would possibly have to see more than once to get an complete understanding.

Is Human Population Growth A Threat Environmental Sciences Essay

Is Human Population Growth A Threat Environmental Sciences Essay Even though population is often considered a sensitive topic, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the concept that population growth threatens the environment. The rapid increase in population growth over the past few centuries has led to an increasing interest in, and a growing concern for population growth as one of the key threats to the environment. A threat to the environment can be in many different forms, such as soil erosion, climate change, deforestation, wastes, and pollution. The aim of the following essay is to explore how population growth is considered to contribute to these issues and degrade the environment. In order to achieve this aim the essay will be split into two main parts. The first section will outline theories that argue population growth is a threat to the environment. This will be supported by Malthus and Meadows et al. In order to gain a succinct analysis this essay will concentrate on the natural environment, in particular exploring how defor estation is threatened by population growth. However, the second part of the essay will challenge this and purport that population growth does not endanger the environment. It will argue that an increasing population could improve environmental quality. It also will claim if resources are managed sustainable then population growth will not negatively affect the environment. This is supported by Tiffen and Mortimore and Fox. Local case studies are used as micro studies show the relationship between population and deforestation more clearly, as macro studies are affected by many other influences. Finally the conclusions reached are population growth is not the root cause of environmental damage. If resources are managed sustainably and new technologies are used, then population growth itself would not threaten the environment. A positive correlation between population growth and environmental damage Overpopulation [is] our number one environmental problem (Rodnguez-Tnias 1994:1379). Since 1650 the rate of population growth has increased. This has resulted in a rapid increase of the world population which rose from 3.3 billion in 1965 to over 6 billion by the year 2000. Thus world population almost doubled in just 35 years and the rate of growth itself was also rising. Moreover a billion people were added to the world population from 1987 to 1999, an increase equivalent to the total world population in 1804 (Panayotou 2000). This relatively recent increase in world population has led to a mounting concern for how population growth affects the natural environment and natural resources (Meadows et al 2005:28). There are many reasons as to why population growth is seen as a threat to the environment. For example, human populations use up natural resources, omit greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, destroy habitats resulting in loss of biodiversity, and increase air and water pollution levels. Hence, almost all environmental issues are either directly or indirectly related to population. Furthermore, it is often reported in the media that a growing population is an environmental threat, further increasing the concern. For example Andrew Woodcock reports in The Independent that a booming population is a threat to climate change (2006 online). There has been a simultaneous trend of a growth in population and a steep decrease in environmental quality and an increase in resource depletion (Panayotou 2000).Consequently, population growth is often considered the greatest and key threat to the environment. The debate on the correlation between population and the environment began over 150 years ago when classical political economists such as Malthus (1798) identified a relationship between population and food supply. He argued that population grew exponentially, whereas food supply would only grow arithmetically, resulting in major food shortages. He claimed that the pressure on agricultural land would result in a decline in environmental quality, forcing cultivation of poorer quality land. He criticised the idea that agricultural improvements could be made and expand with limits and claimed that the power of population growth was greater than the earths ability to support man. Malthus concluded that population growth must limited to remain within environmental restrictions, as the earths resources are finite. Malthus theory that the size of population is dependent on food supply and agricultural methods, This idea was resurrected in the 20th century, by key publications, most notably The Limits to Growth by Meadows et al (1972) and The Population Bomb by Ehrlich (1968). This new body of work by contemporary authors is referred to as neo-Malthusianism. The debate however has shifted from agricultural land to concerns about the role of population growth in the depletion of other natural and renewable resources, and the effect of population growth on climate change and on biodiversity loss. Meadows et al (1972) argued that population growth can create problems because of environmental limits. They argued that population growth cannot continue indefinitely and used past data to predict future trends in world population, resource depletion, pollution and food production. They claimed that the limits of the planet will be reached within the next century and that population could therefore not carry on growing. In their 30 year update in 2005 they argued their conclusions were even more imp ortant today. They claimed that there is now land scarcity and the limits have been approached, which is especially serious as population keeps rising and resources are being depleted. Growth in the globes population could lead to the possibility for a potential catastrophic overshoot (Meadows et al 2005). Livi-Bacci (2001) points out that in Bangladesh the limits have already been reached, hence population cannot carry on growing. This is similar to Ehrlich (1968) who argued that there should be action to reduce population growth otherwise there would be mass starvation. The growth of world population increases the demands on natural resources, making it difficult to protect these resources, thus declining environmental quality (Sitarz 1993). Hence there are reasons to worry about the effect population growth will have on the environment in the long term (Sen 1994). Consequently the consensus is that there is a population problem (Neumann 2004:817). Population growth causes problems in the local environment. There is no single guide to analysing the state of the environment; therefore the relationship between population and environment is usually evaluated in terms of individual resources or measurements of environmental quality (Panayotou 2000). Environmental quality can be measured by the stock of forests or by the absence of air and water pollution. The affect population growth has on deforestation has received considerable attention as forests play a key role in wildlife habitats, the carbon cycle, and a source of raw material. At the global scale deforestation contributes to global warming, and at a local scale leads to soil degradation (Fairhead and Leach 1995, Nyerges and Green 2000). There is evidence which supports Malthusian arguments that an increasing population has a negative effect on environmental stocks. The role of population growth is particularly clear in fragile environments such as forests (Livi-Bacci 2001). The cause of deforestation is frequently seen as a result of population pressures as population growth increases the need for arable land, resulting in a conversion of forest land to other uses (Cropper and Griffith 1994). Malthus argued population growth would result in a higher need for agricultural land and this results in a decline of forest land particularly in Africa and Latin America (Livi-Bacci 2001). 60% of the worlds deforestation is a result of the need for more agricultural land (Pimentel and Pimentel 1999). Each year, 70 million people are added to world population, mostly in developing countries and 15 million square kilometres of forests disappear(Panayotou 2000:25). This research led to many people hypothesising that more people m ust result in fewer forests, as the higher the population growth, the faster this process will take place (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 1990, Rudel 1991). This will cause a steep decrease in forest size from year to year. Forests frequently owe their origins to depopulation, therefore resulting in the conclusion that population growth causes deforestation, especially in poor and developing countries (Fairhead and Leach 1994). This affect is more observed at the local level, for example Cropper and Griffith (1994) used panel data for Asia, Africa and Latin America between 1961 and 1988 and found a positive relationship between deforestation and population growth. Additionally, Fairhead and Leach (1995) identified that there was an observed decline in forests in The Ziama Forest Reserve in Guinea as a result of growing populations, which have moved away from traditional methods. IUCN report on Ziama states that forest cover in this part of Guinea is now only 20% of what it was at origin' and t he report emphasizes that the forest is regressing rapidly (cited in Fairhead and Leach 1995:1029). Therefore the decline of forests reflects the populations who cleared it (Fairhead and Leach 1994). Furthermore Sambrook et al (2004) did a study of 450 traditional hillslope farms in the Dominican Republic, and found there was positive relationship between population pressure and deforestation. They found that for the entire 1987 farm sample, 52% of the variation in deforestation is explained by population pressures (p36). This effect can also been seen at the country level, for example in Thailand deforestation was caused by demographic pressure from migration (Livi-Bacci 2001). Consequently, population growth causes a disproportionate negative impact on the environment (Ehrlich and Holdren 1971:1212). There is a conventional wisdom that population growth is responsible for deforestation. This supports the neo-Malthusian view that population growth is the root cause of environmental degradation, and growing demands for finite resources. Therefore the solution is direct population control (Panayotou 1996). If population growth is a major threat to the environment then steps must be taken to reduce the rates of growth. Livi-Bacci (2001) argues that a decline population increase will diffuse the issue of the environment. Therefore there is an immediate need to develop strategies aimed at controlling world population growth (Sitarz 1993:44). This means that there needs to be support for family planning throughout the world especially in developing countries which have the highest rates of population growth, and less access to family planning (Barlett 1994). Therefore, slowing the increase in population, especially in the face of rising demand for natural resources, can help protect the environment. As population size reaches even higher levels the environment is at risk and the outcome is impossible to predict, therefore policies to reduce population are needed (Upadhyay and Robey 1999). However, the next section will counter this and argue population growth is not a threat and therefore there is no need for population controls. Population growth is not the key issue for threats to the environment There is scepticism about whether population growth is the key threat to the environment, as Monbiot (2008 online) writes is population really our number one environmental problem? Even though there is evidence of a correlation between population growth and a decrease in environmental quality, a nearly perfect correlation does not necessarily imply causation. Otherwise, it would be expected that countries with the highest population such as China and India would have the highest use of natural resources (Panayotou 2000). The worldwide average per capita use of forest resources is 0.75 ha, whereas in China, a country which approximately 20% of the world population uses less that average forest resources with only 0.11ha/capita (Pimentel and Pimental1999). Some problems have been raised over the Malthusian view of population growth threatening the environment. The world has coped with fast increases in population, even though Malthus predicted terrible disasters. At the time he wrote there were fewer than a billion people in world but he felt the earths limits had past. The world population has grown six times larger since 1798, but contrary to what Malthus predicted, food production grew even higher (Sen 1994). Clearly, Malthus (1798, 1803) did not foresee the technological advances of the last two centuries as a result of the industrial and agricultural revolutions. Like other classical writers he assumed that land productivity was fixed (Panayotou 2000). Boserup opposes Malthus theory arguing that agricultural methods depend on population size (Darity 1989). Boserup (1965) theorised that population determined agricultural methods, therefore the power of initiative and new innovations would overcome the power of demand. This means po pulation growth would not continue to degrade the environment as communities would switch to new and more intensive methods of the land. Thus population growth does not result in a degradation of the environment because populations will change to another system with a higher carrying capacity. Therefore, the issue is not the numbers of people, but how those numbers relate to available resources (Barlett 1994:9). Technological changes and better management of resources would ensure that a population can expand the earths capacity. It can be argued that population growth is in fact the driving force for efficiency and technological innovation ensuring growth without damaging the environment (Panayotou 1996). For example an increase in agricultural yields can offset the effect of population growth on deforestation as a 10% increase in agricultural yields from technological change would result in a 1.1% reduction in deforestation (Panayotou 2000). Therefore the effects of population gro wth can be reduced by modern technology and increased efficiency (Cropper and Griffiths 1994). Consequently, an environmental crisis can be avoided if steps are taken to conserve and manage resources and demand sustainably (Upadhyay and Robey 1999). Therefore the natural environment and resources has never been fixed but has expanded due to innovation. The limits to growth are not defined as they are connected to the effects of technological growth and cultural choices (Livi-Bacci 2001). This rejects Malthuss argument as he assumed land productivity was fixed, whereas Boserup (1965, 1976) argues that famine is not possible as technological changes would allow food production to keep up with population growth. In addition, more efficient and environmentally sound agricultural technologies must be developed and put into practice to support the continued productivity of agriculture (Pimentel and Pimentel, 1996). Meadows et al (1972) and Ehrlich were wrong to suggest population growth would lead to environmental degradation as it may result in conservation or an improvement of the natural environment. This view does not restrict the levels of population but suggests it can actively improve the environment. Tiffen and Mortimore (1994) argued against Malthusian views and pointed out that population growth does not necessarily threaten the environment as better management and investment would ensure the natural environment is protected. Agricultural labour requirements increased not because of a larger amount of cropped land but because of larger labour requirements, as Boserup suggests. They pointed out that an increasing population would increase access to sources of knowledge and using technologies. This enables outputs to rise faster than population growth. Like Tiffen and Mortimore, Murton (1999) also argued against Malthusian arguments. He used example in the Machakos district in Kenya whi ch showed that environmental conservation occurred during periods of population increase. Therefore, population growth is an important means of improving environmental quality. Therefore, if resources are management sustainably then population growth can protect the environment. He found population growth has a positive influence on forests as farmers became more dependent on non-agricultural sources of income. Therefore, Malthus is wrong to suggest there would be a catastrophe as population increase can have a positive influence on forests. This is supported by Fox (1993) who did research on forest resources in a Nepali village Bhogteni in 1980 and 1990 and found despite an annual population growth rate of 2.5%, forests were found to be in much better condition in 1990 than they were in 1980 (p89). Thus population growth had a positive influence on forest resources. He found that Nepali farmers began to develop their own methods for conserving the forests through community manageme nt. This result in an increase of forest resources as in 1980 private woodlots had 179 trees/ha compared to 489 trees/ha in 1990. Therefore population growth does not necessarily lead to downward spiral of land degradation. Fairhead and Leach (1994) also identified a counter-narrative for their evidence, as local residents argued they had created the patches of forest around their villages, not destroyed it. Oral history suggests that the villages encouraged and managed the growth of forest islands around their villages. Therefore, it is not necessarily the case that the area was originally forest prior to increase of the population. It is conceivable that management of the local resources was partially responsible for the spread of forest areas, from earlier savanna-like conditions. They point out that more villages actually resulted in more forest islands. The Ziama region was originally bare rock not forest land. Therefore there is a broader narrative (Fairhead and Leach 1995). T herefore the wrong interpretations were made based on stereotypes (Fairhead and Leach 1994). Conversely, oral history is not fact, or based on empirical evidence and cant apply these local/village findings everywhere. Hence the validity of these arguments is questionable. While this rejects Malthusian arguments, as population growth did not lead to further environmental degradation, it does not confirm Boserups hypothesis that population growth would lead to new innovations. Furthermore, population growth creates the incentive to protect the environment, as costs of existing resources increase and benefits from substitutes are realised (Panayotou 2000). Therefore the rapid population growth in Bhogteni may have resulted in an increased willingness of the villages to seek better management for forest lands. Thus forests would not have been perceived as threatened if there was not a high population growth rate. Fox (1993) also argues that other variables contributed to the management of the forest in Bhogteni, such as an introduction of a new road and changes in forest tenure. Nevertheless, while population growth can trigger land use changes it is not the root cause of environmental damage. The root cause results from market failures, especially in developing countries where property rights are neither defined nor enforced. Thus the private cost of deforestation is zero. Therefore, because they have no right of ownership to the land they have no incentive to protect it and make efficient land-use decisions (Panayotou 2000). We should recognize, however, that the immediate threat to these lands is not population growth but bad forest management policies. Before population can be cited as the cause of forest degradation, forest policies must be implemented that provide incentives for local people to manage forest resources (Fox 1993). It is often the conclusion that population drives deforestation, however, the context must be kept in mind, such as open access forest resources, low levels of education, insecurely held agricultural land. These all combined prevent response to population growth. Therefore a more complete analysis should look at all these factors. Furthermore, other issues also affect the rate of deforestation. Holdren (1991) used a mathematical formula I = P x A x T to show how population, affluence and technology have an impact on the environment. He claimed that environmental policies should focus on consumption rathe r than population growth. Population growth is a factor among other issues. While the Brundtland Report (1987) states that population growth is not the central problem. Furthermore, if a country has a higher income then the rate of deforestation is likely to be slower. As income rises, people use other energy sources and modern agricultural techniques which reduces the demand for agricultural land. Therefore reducing the rates is population growth is not necessarily the best method for decreasing the rate of deforestation (Cropper and Griffiths 1994). Therefore all of these factors are responsible for a deterioration of the environment and all need to be tackled. Therefore population is only one factor among many, and the interactions of these factors are crucial for driving the deforestation process. Policies are needed to tackle poverty in developing countries and high consumption levels in developed countries first (Saxena and Nautiyal 1997). However, it depends what level is being studies as micro studies may find significant negative effects on resources from population pressures on the local environment, while macro studies identify no resource constraints at the national or global level. This distinction between macro or aggregate, analysis and micro, or more disaggregated analysis is one that you could develop further. One of the points that this leads to is questions of control of resources and the uses to which they are put. Macro-level and micro-level analysis may lead to different insights and conclusions in this regard. Micro studies-even though better analyse the effect of population growth also mask the wider socio-economic factors which may result in environmental degradation (Murton 1997). Therefore there are complications for tracing the effect of world population on the global environment (Panayotou 2000) The interlocking crises in population, resources, and environment (Ehrlich and Holdren 1971). The Malthusian theory of population growth and resource degradation is clearly a myth that needs to be slain.p97 (Fox1993). Conclusion From examining the evidence above it is clear that there is little agreement on the relationship between population and environment, there is a tremendous variation in findings and their interpretation. The selective use of evidence gives rise to outcomes that range from the most pessimistic to the most optimistic. The objective of this essay was to review analytically and critically the arguments on the population-environment interface. This essay has outlined Malthusian arguments of population growth causing environmental degradation. This essay has also explored counter-evidence to this, arguing that innovation and a better management of resources can offset the effects of population growth. This essay has also argued that other factors affect are the cause of deterioration in environmental quality. A more complete analysis should incorporate these factors and their interaction with population growth. It is generally agreed that population growth is an indirect threat to the environment. Therefore direct threats need to be addressed. Issues such as poverty need to be solved to improve environmental quality, not reducing population numbers. However, whether evidence is used from macro or micro scales can skew the results. To conclude that much more empirical research, with more sophisticated models, is necessary before we can fully understand the role of population dynamics (density, growth, distribution and composition) on deforestation. Javas population quadrupled in the last 100years. However, environmental damage was due to economic reasons not population growth. Failure to improve agricultural productivity and to create non-agriculutral employment has intensified population pressures. Panayotou (1996).

The Behavioral Segmentation Examples Marketing Essay

The Behavioral Segmentation Examples Marketing Essay According to Philip Kotler Market segmentation is sub-dividing a market into distinct and homogeneous subgroups of customers, where any group can conceivably be selected as a target market to be met with distinct marketing mix. In other words, Market Segmentation is a method of dividing a market into smaller groupings of consumers or organizations in which each segment has a common characteristic such as needs or behavior. Finding the most revealing way to segment a market is more an art than a science Any useful segmentation scheme will be based around the needs of customers and should be effective in revealing new business opportunities. Peter Doyle All markets are heterogeneous. This is evident from observation and from the proliferation of popular books describing the heterogeneity of local and global markets. Consider, for example, The Nine Nations of North America (Garreau, 1982), Latitudes and Attitudes: An Atlas of American Tastes, Trends, Politics and Passions (Weiss, 1994) and Mastering Global Markets: Strategies for Todays Trade Globalist (Czinkotaet al., 2003). When reflecting on the nature of markets, consumer behavior and competitive activities, it is obvious that no product or service appeals to all consumers and even those who purchase the same product may do so for diverse reasons. Effective marketing and business strategy therefore requires a segmentation of the market into homogeneous segments, an understanding of the needs and wants of these segments, the design of products and services that meet those needs and development of marketing strategies, to effectively reach the target segments. Thus focusing on segments is at the core of organizations efforts to become customer driven; it is also the key to effective resource allocation and deployment. The level of segment aggregation is an increasingly important issue. In todays global economy, the ability to customize products and services often calls for the most micro of segments: the segment of one. Following and implementing a market segmentation strategy allows the firm to increase its profitability, as suggested by the classic price discrimination model, which provides the theoretical rationale for segmentation. The most common B2B segmentation techniques used by software companies are: SEGMENTING BY HORIZONTAL DISTINCTION A horizontal market is a market so diversified that its products and/or services are broad enough to meet the needs of multiple industries. The audience for horizontal markets shares characteristics across industries. Based on the scope of horizontal markets, the marketing efforts that support them must reach this spectrum of buyers and prospective buyers. Because horizontal markets are broad, marketers often segment them into subsets. These groups are typically based on demographic factors such as the prospects income, location or job title. Horizontal Segmentation Example To use telcos as an example they will even further segment their buyers and prospects to address specific needs. To increase sales of home Internet services, they can target a specific subgroup, such as senior citizens, low income users or parents with school-age children. SEGMENTING BY SIZE Because the demands of business-to-business customers are so polarized, a common tactic is to segment markets based on company size. Companies do this because the thinking and strategies behind a larger company is typically radically different from the approach of a smaller business. Larger businesses typically employ a more formal procurement process seeking the lowest bid possible. Small businesses tend to learn towards a more personal and inclusive type of business arrangement. Sometimes, leveraging basic information like the size of the company, its annual revenues, or the business own clientele roster will tell you how you may or may not work together. In some case you can be even more specific and count the number of installs of your software the company could potentially buy. Size Segmentation Examples   Targeting companies who see $500 million/year in revenue. Only targeting the largest companies in your region based on number of employees. I spent a long time in the contact center software space. We sold by number of agent seats. If a company had more than 500 agent seats they were enterprise and if they had less than 500 seats, they were mid-market. SEGMENTING BY VERTICAL If a product fulfills a common need thats widely seen across an industry then vertical segmenting is used. Ineffective for most consumer markets, vertical segmenting is an effective strategy when working with a niche product geared for a niche industry. Single industries like that and other industries commonly identified by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system are often identified as vertical segments. Determining the end function of business customer tells how and at what level in the supply chain a companys product will be used. And this knowledge drives how the company positions and marketsits product. Its a simple question how and by whom will my product be used? A hanger warehouse may only target companies in the retail industry, a graphic software firm may only target design departments or design houses, while a supply chain management developer may count freight companies among his prospects. Vertical Segmentation Examples   A navigation software vendor that only focus on the cruise or trucking industries. A gauge manufacturer that only services the automotive industry Selling exclusively to wholesalers in a vertical industry (combined segmenting) Identifying a department function within a larger corporation SEGMENTING BY GEOGRAPHY While geographic segmenting is often used to leverage characteristics shared by a population living in the same region, small businesses, those with capacity limitations, and consumer-driven companies often use geographic criteria to target prospects. As a Silicon Valley-based company, you may not be able to service prospects west of a designated time zone. Or even more specific, you may segment your prospects to a select number of surrounding zip codes. Very plainly, where are your customers concentrated? Once you understand this data, youll no longer want to focus on any other geographic information. These same criteria can (and should) be applied to other geographic factors including population growth rates, economic factors, and isolated spoken language. Geographical Segmentation Examples   Introducing a unique product for the same unique geographic segment. A promotional campaign targeting one region to increase sales. SEGMENTING BY BEHAVIOR Very simply, this segmenting targets prospect groups based on their buying behavior. How are your customers using your product, how often are they using it, and what is the challenge your prospects face? Those questions, coupled with the propensity of your prospect to actually pull the buy trigger, are the cornerstone of behavioral segmenting. Other behavioral segmenting rules may include brand loyalty, order sizes, and any purchase procedure requirements. Behavioral Segmentation Examples A software company that releases a product geared for early technology adopters. A travel agency targeting travelers who prefer vacationing during the Christmas holiday. Between 80 and 90% of software startups fail within the first three years, depending on how failure is defined. While they mostly run out of money, the root of the problem is often poor marketing, specifically poor segmenting and targeting. Most people think of marketing as promotion through events, advertising, social media, direct email, or viral methods. But those activities, correctly and collectively known as marketing communications, are the very last marketing activities that should be done. Marketing is better described as bringing the right product to the right market at the right price at the right place. If this function is executed poorly, nothing else matters and nothing else can be done to fix the problem. No amount of promotion or creative sales technique will save a company that practices poor segmenting and targeting. A common mistake, made by open source and proprietary software companies alike, is to create something and then look for a market that will buy it. The company that designs a product and then enters the market looking for a customer will struggle. The company that first asks potential customers about their most pressing problems and then designs a compelling product to solve one of these problems is far more likely to succeed, even more so if the problem is a priority to the customer. Unfortunately, software companies tend to have a technology bias rather than a market bias. Why do so many software companies get this wrong? And more importantly, what can they do to get it right, or at least as right as possible? There are a number of reasons why poor marketing is prevalent, including technology arrogance, lack of market information, indecision, and ignorance of segmenting and targeting. The latter is particularly common, and in open source and other software communities, it generally takes the form of creating differently priced product feature sets, licensing, and support packages for different target segments. That kind of segmenting only starts to be successful after a company becomes well established and has enough customers that meeting their differing needs becomes a priority. A new open source company trying to go to market for the first time should instead focus on developing a clear idea of who they are selling to, what their customers problems are and why the customers would use this product over any other. Pricing models should clearly serve t he needs and preferences of that single target. Ideally, a company should identify their target market and the value they bring to it before their product even enters the design stage. But that rarely happens. At a minimum, they should have a market in mind before they take the product to market. It is less important that the target market is the absolute right one than it is to have a target market that is more or less in the right direction. If there is no target to aim for, there is no way to measure progress or success. If there is no target market, it is impossible to build critical mass or penetration. And, trying to sell into multiple segments to see which one works the best usually fails as the company will run out of time and money before finding the answer. Segmentation Challenges In Business-To-Business Market Business-to-business markets are characterized in a number of ways that makes them very different to their consumer cousins. Below summarizedare the main differences between consumer and business-to-business markets, and set out the implications for segmentation: B2B markets have a more complex decision-making unit:  In most households, even the most complex and expensive of purchases are confined to the small family unit, while the purchase of items such as food, clothes and cigarettes usually involves just one person. Other than low-value, low-risk items such as paperclips, the decision-making unit in businesses is far more complicated. Segmenting a target audience that is at once multifaceted, complex, oblique and ephemeral is an extremely demanding task. Do we segment the companies in which these decision makers work, or do we segment the decision makers themselves? Do we identify one key decision maker per company, and segment the key decision makers. In short, who exactly is the target audience and whom should we be segmenting? B2B products are often more complex:  Just as the decision-making unit is often complex in business-to-business markets, so too are b2b products themselves. Even complex consumer purchases such as cars and stereos tend to be chosen on the basis of fairly simple criteria. Conversely, even the simplest of b2b products might have to be integrated into a larger system, making the involvement of a qualified expert necessary. Whereas consumer products are usually standardized, b2b purchases are frequently tailored. This raises the question as to whether segmentation is possible in such markets if every customer has complex and completely different needs, it could be argued that we have a separate segment for every single customer. In most business-to-business markets, a small number of key customers are so important that they rise above the segmentation and are regarded as segments in their own right, with a dedicated account manager. Beneath these key customers, however, lies an array of companies that have similar and modest enough requirements to be grouped into segments. B2B target audiences are smaller than consumer target audiences:  Almost all business-to-business markets exhibit a customer distribution that confirms the Pareto Principle or 80:20 rule. A small number of customers dominate the sales ledger. Nor are we talking thousands and millions of customers. It is not unusual, even in the largest business-to-business companies, to have 100 or fewer customers that really make a difference to sales. Personal relationships are more important in b2b markets:  A small customer base that buys regularly from the business-to-business supplier is relatively easy to talk to. Sales and technical representatives visit the customers. People are on first-name terms. Personal relationships and trust develop. It is not unusual for a business-to-business supplier to have customers that have been loyal and committed for many years. There are a number of segmentation implications here. First, while the degree of relationship focus may vary from one segmentation to another, most segments in most b2b markets demand a level of personal service. This raises an issue at the core of segmentation everyone may want a personal relationship, but who is willing to pay for it? This is where the supplier must make firm choices, deciding to offer a relationship only to those who will pay the appropriate premium for it. On a practical level, it also means that market research must be conducted to provide a full understanding of exactly what relationship comprises. To a premium segment, it may consist of regular face-to-face visits, whilst to a price-conscious segment a quarterly phone call may be adequate. B2B buyers are longer-term buyers:  Whilst consumers do buy items such as houses and cars, which are long-term purchases, these incidences are relatively rare. Long-term purchases or at least purchases, which are expected to be repeated over a long period of time are more common in business-to-business markets. In addition, the long-term products and services required by businesses are more likely to require service back up from the supplier than is the case in consumer markets. A computer network, a new item of machinery, a photocopier or a fleet of vehicles usually require far more extensive aftersales service than a house or the single vehicle purchased by a consumer. Businesses repeat purchases (machine parts, office consumables, for example) will also require ongoing expertise and services in terms of delivery, implementation/installation advice, etc that are less likely to be demanded by consumers. In one sense this makes life easier in terms of segmentation. Segments tend to be less subject to whim or rapid change, meaning that once an accurate segmentation has been established, it evolves relatively slowly and is therefore a durable strategic tool. The risk of this is that business-to-business marketers can be complacent and pay inadequate attention to the changing needs and characteristics of customers over time. This can have grave consequences in terms of the profitability of a segment, as customers are faced with out-of-date messages or benefits that they are not paying for. B2B markets drive innovation less than consumer markets:  B2B companies that innovate usually do so as a response to an innovation that has happened further upstream. In contrast with FMCG companies, they have the comparative luxury of responding to trends rather than having to predict or even drive them. In other words, B2B companies have the time to continually re-evaluate their segments and CVPs and respond promptly to the evolving needs of their clients. B2B markets have fewer behavioral and needs-based segments:  The small number of segments typical to b2b markets is in itself a key distinguishing factor of business-to-business markets. A review of over 2,500 business-to-business studies shows that B2B markets typically have far fewer behavioral or needs-based segments than is the case with consumer markets. Whereas it is not uncommon for an FMCG market to boast 10, 12 or more segments, the average business-to-business study typically produces 3 or 4. Part of the reason for this is the smaller target audience in business-to-business markets. In a consumer market with tens of thousands of potential customers, it is practical and economical to divide the market into 10 or 12 distinguishable segments, even if several of the segments are only separated by small nuances of behavior or need. This is patently not the case when the target audience consists of a couple of hundred business buyers. The main reason for the smaller number of segments, however, is simply that a business audiences behavior or needs vary less than that of a (less rational) consumer audience. Whims, insecurities, indulgences and so on are far less likely to come to the buyers mind when the purchase is for a place of work rather than for oneself or a close family member. And the numerous colleagues who get involved in a B2B buying decision, and the workplace norms established over time, filter out many of the extremes of behavior that may otherwise manifest themselves if the decision were left to one person with no accountability to others. It is noticeable that the behavioral and needs-based segments that emerge in business-to-business markets are frequently similar across different industries. Needs-based segments in a typical business-to business market often resemble the following: A price-focused segment, which has a transactional outlook to doing business and does not seek any extras. Companies in this segment are often small, working to low margins and regard the product/service in question as of low strategic importance to their business. A quality and brand-focused segment, which wants the best possible product and is prepared to pay for it. Companies in this segment often work to high margins, are medium-sized or large, and regard the product/service as of high strategic importance. A service-focused segment, which has high requirements in terms of product quality and range, but also in terms of aftersales, delivery, etc. These companies tend to work in time-critical industries and can be small, medium or large. They are usually purchasing relatively high volumes. A partnership-focused segment usually consists of key accounts, which seeks trust and reliability and regards the supplier as a strategic partner. Such companies tend to be large, operate on relatively high margins, and regard the product or service in question as strategically important. Some Common Traps of Segmenting Customers Segmentation is the action not the objective Segmentation has to stem from clear objectives and strategy. All too many businesses are still picking through the leftovers of static, research-based segmentation projects based on little more than executive philosophy. With no financial modeling to back them up, no wonder these projects failed. The Smart Marketers Handbook (circa 1970) may well say segment or die but that doesnt mean segmentation works or that it has to be the same for every business. Too big to handle To make segmentation easy to grasp, its all too tempting to split the marketplace into a few simple customer segments. For instance, five to ten segments makes it all straightforward enough for a business to understand, and large enoughà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨to allow economies of scale in product development. However, its no help with customer management or value engineering. After all, for any large business, some of the segments could contain millions of consumers. Thats hardly getting close to the customer! The frozen state Another key requirement of most legacy segmentation approaches is stability. If an organization is going to create a few large segments and develop propositions for them, the last thing they want is a customer jumping from one segment to another. That means segments are designed to be static, or frozen. Businessesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨can then measure performance over time and be confident about returnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨on investment. But the awkward customers keep getting in the way. They will insist on changing: age, jobs, homes, marital status, parental status, consumption to name but a few. Fixed state segmentation fails to reflect the dynamic behavior of customers and becomes increasingly irrelevant in marketing campaigns. Problems with referencing Market research can be a wonderful thing, but when an individual focus is needed it becomes less helpful. Unfortunately, many companies rush into segmentation by starting with market research. Customers and prospective customersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨are asked what they want, need and do, and the research project then builds segmentation models. However, once a company starts referencing these segments back to the existing and prospective customer databases it hits some serious problems: The only way to create references, within the rules of the Marketing Research Society on respondent anonymity, is to set up algorithms using common data and recreates the segments on the database. However, if you didnt start with the database itself, there will be very few common items to draw upon. The scoring process therefore becomes very unsophisticated and insensitive, and the chance of placing more than 50% of customers into the right segments with anything above 70% probability are quite slim. That means companies can spend years (and millions) picking up the pieces. The solution is to start with your own data, and any data from a third party, to build the segmentation upwards. Once youve identified the key variables, then you can do the market research. Differentiation or just different colored envelops? The best segmentation framework in the world will still not deliver a return if a business cannot conceive and execute worthwhile strategies. After all, whats the point in having segments if the customer experience is hardly different across each one? All too often organizations think the best use of segmentation is in creating different communications for different groups of people. Frankly, if thats the only reason for segmentation, its not worth the expense. It creates minimal difference, and wont justify the cost. At the end of the day segmentation can only pay for itself by delivering lower conversion costs, higher prices and improved margins. True segmentation means different propositions for different customer groups, not just different colored envelopes in their direct mail. Poor resource allocation and ROI assessment All too often organizations allocate resources by product or business function. Yet if you are serious about segmentation, you need to follow a scientific method to allocate resources and assess returns across different segments. One challenge to this is, of course, the fact that segments are not stable. How can you allocate suitable resources if customers shift segments? The answer for many organizations is to only segment at the macro level, for example: By geography By sector By consumer / B2B Segment bleed this sector is not for you Segmentation may look good on paper, but customers are forever breaking out of their segments. If someone from the Medium Size segment takes a shine to a proposition developed for Small Size Segment, you dont want to turn their business down. Yet this can ultimately damage a brand, particularly in a mature market. Segmentation isnt monotheism Segmentation is most powerful when it addresses a specific problem. Moreover, as most businesses face many problems, segmentation must be multi-dimensional. Value, needs, behavior, product, demographics, customer state, preference, credit segmentation can take any number of approaches, making your organization as flexible as possible to meet business challenges. One hurdle to overcome is the senior executives preference for simpler, easy to understand concepts. Todays marketer has to be able to explain and demonstrate the benefits of multi-dimensionality against seductively simpler segmentation. Some examples of failed products because of faulty segmentation: BPL Contributor Jim Lawless. The product BPL Batch Programming Language Interpreter. Why it was judged a commercial failure I sold about 10 copies. What went wrong I didnt really do enough research to find out if the target market was in existence. I was hoping that network admins and support staff members would find it easier to use than batch files and less complicated than any of the free scripting language options available. So, I just rushed to get the MVP  [1]  (Minimum Viable Product) out the door. I never did provide a compiler that would build a stand-alone EXE. I think that might have met with more success. I didnt do much as far as advertising the existence of the product. Time/money invested I only spent a few weeks coding and documenting it in my spare time. Support issues sometimes took a whole evening, but nothing major. It did not have any impact on my finances, as I had invested nothing but my time. Current product status I will still address support issues with this product for registered users, but I dont actively sell it. Ive open-sourced the program and it still really isnt seeing heavy use. Comments: Here the contributor does recognize that there was a need for a proper market analysis before investing time and efforts in developing the product. The product developed did not have a clear market to cater to and had some essential features missing which the segment to which it was marketed needed. Another reason for the failure of the product could be that it was focused on a very small niche. DRAMA Contributor Andy Brice. The product DRAMA (Design RAtionaleMAnagement) was a commercialization of a University prototype for recording the decision-making process during the design of complex and long-lived artifacts, for example nuclear reactors and chemical plants. By recording it in a structured database this information would still be available long after the original engineers had forgotten it, retired or been run over by buses. This information was believed to be incredibly valuable to later maintainers of the system, engineers creating similar designs and industry regulators. The development was part funded by 4 big process-engineering companies. Why it was judged a commercial failure Everyone told us what a great idea it was, but no one bought it. Despite some early funding from some big process engineering companies, none of them put it into use properly and we never sold any licenses to anyone else. What went wrong? Lack of support from the people who would actually have to use it. There are lots of social factors that work against engineers wanting to record their design rationale, including: The person taking the time to record the rationale probably isnt the person getting the benefit from it. Extra work for people who are already under a lot of time pressure. It might make it easier for others to question decisions and hold companies and engineers accountable for mistakes. Engineers may see giving away this knowledge as undermining their job security. Problems integrating with the other software tools that engineers spend most of their time in (e.g. CAD packages). This would probably be easier with modern web-based technology. It is difficult to capture the subtleties of the design process in a structured form. A bad hire. If you hire the wrong person, you should face up to it and get rid of them. Rather than keep moving them around in a vain attempt to find something they are good at. We took a phased approach, starting with a single-user proof of concept and then creating a client-server version. In hindsight it should have been obvious that not enough people were actively using the single-user system and we should have killed it then. Time/money invested At least 3 man-years of work went into this product, with me doing most of it. Thankfully I was a salaried employee. But the lack of success of this product contributed to the demise of the part of the company I was in. Current product status The product is long dead. Comments: In addition to what the entrepreneur mentioned about what went wrong with the product, we can see that the early adopters (4 companies) are not stable customers. From what the entrepreneur has mentioned, it does seem that the four big companies were approached without having a product. How do you measure the effectiveness of the segmentation process? Net Marketing Contribution Marketing profitability is based on an investment in marketing and sales required to achieve certain levels of sales and gross margins. Net marketing contribution is a financial measure of marketing profitability and is computed as shown below: Net Marketing Contribution = Segment Size x Market Share within Segment x Product Price x Product Margin Marketing Expenditure Net Marketing Contribution for Segment NMC for segment = Segment Size x Market Share within Segment x Product Price x Product Margin Marketing Expenditure Marketing Return on Sales for segment = NMC for segment/Sales for Segment Marketing ROI for Segment = NMC for Segment/ Marketing Expenditure for Segment How exactly are companies segmenting? The trends in the product development process of companies as per our survey results is shown below If we see the result according to the size of the respondent companies the small and medium companies show the below trend The large companies showed the below trend The two most important factors when deciding a segment for all the companies were the value proposition fit and then the revenue potential of the segment, the size of the segment in terms of importance came after the aforementioned factors. The general trend across companies shows that Vertical and Horizontal segmentation are the most important basis for targeting segments, the next most important basis is the size of the clients. However, there is a clear variation in this trend according to the size of the companies. For the large companies the most important basis for targeting segments is the business vertical, Horizontal distinction and size of the clients share the position of being sec

Aylmers Struggle for Perfection in Nathaniel Hawthomes, The Birthmark

Aylmer's Struggle for Perfection in Nathaniel Hawthome's, The Birthmark Aylmer's struggle for scientific perfection transcends human possibility in Nathaniel Hawthome's "The Birthmark." He attempts to perfect that which nature rendered imperfect. When the quest for human achievement opposes divine design it has no chance of succeeding. This key element in Aylmer's twisted love leads to the demise of what he seeks so desperately to perfect, his beautiful wife. Georgianna's "fatal flaw of humanity" (Hawthorne 167), the birthmark, blocks her from perfection in his eyes, and thus blemishes Aylmer's prideful ideals. Her alleged inferiority to science leads to her death and Aylmer's complete failure as both a scientist and a spouse. From the beginning of "The Birthmark, " Hawthorne describes Aylmer as a man with some degree of physical finery that alludes to perfection "... cleared his fine countenance ... " (164). He is described as a man with a passionate and ardent interest in science; in fact, he devotes almost his entire life in this pursuit. "He had devoted himself... too unreservedly to scientific studies ever to be weaned from them..." (165). This scientific background shows that Aylmer's love for Georgianna is his "second passion" (165). Georgianna comes second in his pursuit of happiness whereas science could be called his first love. He becomes obsessed with the idea of changing his beloved to suit his fancy. Georgianna possesses a mark upon her cheek, hardly a cause for concern to the average human. The mark is "deeply interwoven ... with the texture and substance of her face" (165). The minuscule mark is crimson and in the peculiar shape of a tiny hand. It changes with Georgianna's moods. When she is rosy che... ...horne Question. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1963. Brooks, Cleanth and Robert Penn Warren. "Interpretation of the Birthmark." Donohue 185-188. Fogle, Richard Harter. Hawthorne's Fiction: The Light and the Dark. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Heileman, P, B. "Hawthorne's The Birthmark: Science as Religion." Donohue 180-195. Rucker, Mary E. "Science and Art in Hawthorne's 'The Birthmark', " Nineteenth Century Literature 41 (1987)- 445-61. Wagoner, Hyatt H. Hawthorne: A Critical Study. Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1963. Weinstein, Cindy. "The Invisible Hand Made Visible: 'The Birthmark'." Nineteenth Century Literature.. 48 (1993), 44- 73. Zanger, Jules. " Speaking of the Unspeakable: Hawthorne's 'The Birthmark'. "Modern Philology: A Journal Devoted to Research Medieval and Modem Literature. 80 (1983): 364- 371.

Essay --

Every day, advances in technology lead us nearer and nearer to fully autonomous robots, but even today, robots play a huge role in our lives. Robots exist obviously in software, just look at your smartphone, but robots in hardware exist too, recently, robots such as â€Å"Asimo,† â€Å"Watson,† and â€Å"Deep Blue† were able to perform actions which were thought to be exclusively human such as scaling stairs, making meaningful conversation, and playing chess. But with so many robots already existing, and the rapid progress we are making in the field of robotics, will robots eventually become the dominant life form? This question has puzzled philosophers and sci-fi authors alike for decades; however, the truth of the matter is that robots already have taken over. Without robots in our lives, we simply could not survive as we are. Additionally, robots are not plagued by consciousness, and would never jeopardise their own existence as humans so often do. Finally, ro bots today have the ability to reproduce themselves; this innate and conventionally biological trait is what turns a mere object into an animate life-form. Robots play an integral part in our society, they run our businesses, maintain our economy and do our manufacturing, without them, the routines we have set would crumble. Robots however, are not dependant on human existence; they could theoretically remain self-sufficient forever. By 2014, active cell phones will outnumber humans. These devices are a prime example of consumer robotics and artificial intelligence; we are connected to them at all times, and could not communicate without them. Furthermore, we rely on our robots to run our industry, manufacturing, business administration and plant automation would not be possible without ... ...anufacture. This is shown in many robotic assembly lines, where robots are able to produce a product, or indeed another robot, in a fraction of the time it would take a human to do so. This vastly superior reproduction process not only qualifies robots as a bona fide life form, but also sets them higher from humans with respect to dominance. Robots play a huge role in the life of the human race, but robots, while they are the servants of the human race, are dominant already. Robots are quicker, smarter and more powerful than any biological life form, pocket calculators will outsmart even the cleverest humans, it is for this reason that we rely on them so much, and with them having a greater survivability and a better reproduction system than humans, it is obvious why robots already are superior, and therefore more dominant in numbers, strength and size, than humans.

Cell Phones: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The prevalence of cell phones in American culture shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone. Cell phone use has risen In the united States from approximately 91,000 users 985 to In 2007 and n 2009 was somewhere In the neighborhood of 280,000,000, which means that approximately 90% of Americans own cell phones. And Americans arena the only ones. According to a February 2010 article on www. Cobwebs. Com, there are approximately 4. 6 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide and that number is expected to surpass five billion by the end of the year.I had to wonder, what are the advantages and disadvantages of 90% of Americans (New York Times, May 13, 2010) and nearly 85% of the world's population using cell phones? I figure there had to be quite a few advantages for so many people to have cell phones, so I asked around. The number one answer I found was the convenience. Peoples' ability to be reached at all times, able to reach others at all times, and how fast communication with others has become. Can't reach someone by phone? Send a text. Text messages are delivered almost Instantaneously and there's no need to eave a message and Walt for a call back anymore.Many others cited having a cell phone In case of emergency. According to Pew Internet, In 2006, 74% of cell phone users reported using their cell phones in emergency situations. While cell phone bills are usually not lower than landlines bills alone, the long distance cost is significantly less for cell phone users. Long distance costs are included in the overall minute usage for most cell phone subscriptions, whereas many landlines providers charge by the minute for long distance calls. As cell phone technology advances, so o the tools available to cell phone users.A growing number of users report using their phones for such things as listening to music, checking email, keeping their daily calendars, making grocery lists, and even keeping track of daily calorie intake. (New York Times, May 13, 2010). There are many organizational tools available on the new generation of â€Å"smart phones† as well as many different navigational tools. GAPS locators In phones are subscribed to by many parents of underage cell phone users. Cell phones can also be used as cameras and video recorders and those photos and ideas are easily emailed to others or uploaded to sites such as Twitter and Faceable.Entertainment is even making the list of advantages to having a cell phone these days. As I mentioned previously, users can listen to music on their cell phones, but it doesn't stop there. Technology has advanced so much that users can now watch television shows and movies on their phones. So it seems I was correct about how many advantages must be out there, but what about the downside? The very first thought I had was about the ban on cell phones in schools and what a huge disruption cell phones must be In the classroom. That issue Is Just part of the larger issue of the widespread distract ion cell phones cause.Everywhere you go you see cell phones In use – In the coffee shop, the movie theater, the grocery store, even church, and while driving. Going back to the cost of cell phones, while heavy long distance users may notice a relief in their long distance landlines. There are costs for air time usage, text message usage, broadband usage, music purchases, games purchases, and app purchases, not to mention the dreaded overage costs. Some cell phone companies charge as much as sixty cents per minute or every minute of air time over your allotted plan.Add that to long contracts and hefty fees for canceling contracts and cell phones become quite an expensive venture. The ever-increasing technology is adding to these costs as well. Newer, smarter phones released every few months are of course attractive to users, but on top of the cost of upgrading phones on a regular basis is the added cost of the service provider's data package. In order to utilize these newer sm art phones, the data package is a requirement and on average costs something like an additional $30 ere month. Aside from financial impact, what about health impact?There seems to be quite a bit of worry over the radio frequency radiation given off by cell phones and cell phone towers. There is much argument about whether or not this sort of radiation is of any real concern, but according to www. Contemporaries. Com, there are many very serious health concerns to think about. There are reports that cell phone use can cause disturbances in sleep and concentration, fatigue, and headache. According to a BBC News report (wry. News. BBC. Co. UK), â€Å"Cell phones image key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alchemist's disease †¦Researchers have found that radiation from cell phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement. † Reports linking cell phones to sterility in men, eye tissue damage, and increased chances of depr ession and cancer have also been published. In researching the negative effects of cell phones, I happened across some even more sinister effects. Take â€Å"setting† – â€Å"the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other chital device.These messages, photos, and images are then often being further disseminated through email and internet-based social networking websites well beyond their original intended recipients. † (wry. Mass. Gob) There have been hundreds of reported cases of setting – a handful of those cases involving suicide and/or sex offense criminal charges such as child pornography in the cases involving high school students. According to www. Masc.. Com, 39% of high schools students admit to sending these types of messages and 48% say they've received them.Another very dangerous habit Americans have developed is talking on their cell phone while driving. Muff have four times the risk of being in a crash if you're on the phone while driving. † (www. Unfathomable. Com) What's even scarier are the results of a Car and Driver Magazine study that found testing while driving is much worse than driving while intoxicated. The results of this study showed that unimpaired, it took the test driver . 54 seconds to brake when indicated to do so. Add four feet to that time for legally drunk drivers, thirty six feet for drivers reading email and events feet for drivers reading a text. Http://www. Zinc. Com/id/31 545004/site/ 14081 545). According too report by the National Safety Council, 28% of accidents involve talking or testing on cell phones. I couldn't help but notice that the risks seem to outweigh the benefits considerably, but I also admit that I'm still addicted to my cell phone. There has been their use elsewhere and I think there needs to be much more, although, I'm not certain how feasible that would be to accomplish. At any rate, we all make our own choices and we all need to make smarter choices about our cell phone use.