Data Mining Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Data Mining - Research Paper Example Data mining tools are vital because they have significantly reduced the time taken in answering business questions, which were traditionally too much time consuming to analyze. Currently, most organizations have adopted and implemented the existing data mining software and hardware platforms to improve the value of their stored data. These hardware platforms can be integrated with new products and system as technology advances. Integrating data mining hardware platforms with other parallel processing computers or high performance client/server improves the analysis of massive databases (Hoptroff & Hoptroff, 2001). Foundation of Data Mining Data mining techniques emerged as a result of product development and a long process of research. This idea was first developed when businesses began storing business information on computers. Significant improvements have been witnessed in data access and generated technologies, which allow users to search their data, in real time (Williams & Simo ff, 2006). Data mining software is currently available for use, in the business world, because of the three technologies that support it, and they include data mining algorithms, massive data collection, and powerful multiprocessor computers (Williams & Simoff, 2006). The amount of raw data stored in business databases is currently exploding. A database is measured in gigabytes and terabytes. In the current, competitive business environment, raw data alone does not provide enough information for studying and predicting the market environment. This has called for the need to convert these terabytes of raw data into other significant insights that easily provide a guide for their investment, marketing and management strategies (Prabhu, 2004). Data Warehouses Significant improvements in data transmission, data capture, storage capabilities, and processing power are enabling companies to consolidate their various databases into data warehouse (Prabhu, 2004). Data warehousing is the proc ess of centralizing data retrieval and data management. Data warehouses store large amounts of data based on certain categories that make data more easily to sort, retrieve, and interpret. They also enable managers and executives to manage a series of business transactions, and other information that help in making informed business decisions. Researchers have predicted that all companies shall have adopted and integrated data mining tools, in their business, by the year 2020 (Prabhu, 2004). Companies benefit from data mining when meaningful patterns and trends are extracted from the stored data. How Data Mining Works Data mining tools employ modeling as a technique for performing data analysis. Modeling involves the creation of a model in one situation that is known, and applying the results in another situation where the results are unknown (Kargupta, 2007). Computers are equipped with lots of information about a number of situations, whose answers are known. The data mining softw are, on the computer, runs through the data, and filters the aspects of data that match the designated model. Once the model is developed it can be applied in similar situations, whose answers are unknown. This technique has been in use over the past centuries, but it recently became applicable, in the business field, when communication and data storage capabilities required the collection and storage of huge amounts of data, and the ability to automate

Global Warming - Causes, Impacts, the Way Ahead Essay

Global Warming - Causes, Impacts, the Way Ahead - Essay Example The effects of global warming are already obvious as many of the impacts are adversely experienced by the common man these days. For instance, there have been notable variations in the climatic patterns all around the globe. In last couples of decades, the incidence of climatic disasters like floods, hurricanes, landslides and droughts became more and more frequent at different parts of the world. There is widespread consensus in the scientific community that driving force behind climatic changes can be attributed to 20th-century humans’ activities that disturbed the natural atmospheric and the ecological balance and eventually leads to climate change and global warming. The objective of this easy is to analyses the causes and impacts of global warming. The last century industrial revolution greatly influenced global surface temperatures by raising the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and hence changing the concentrations of aerosols and ozone layer. These changes modified the land cover of earth’s surface and it changed the radiative balance governing the earth on various timescales and at varying spatial scales. Various studies show that in last 100 years the average temperature of the air near earth’s surface has risen by 1.3 Fahrenheit (Venkataramanan & Smitha, 2011). The increase in temperature results various changes in the physical system of earth. For instance, it accelerates the melting of glaciers and poles ice that raises the sea level. The rise in sea level would have devastating effects as it would submerge a large number of islands like the Maldives laying at very low sea level and hence hundreds of thousands of human lives would be at risk. Also, the rise in global temperature changes the wind pattern across the globe. It would result in colder winters in Europe and more rain in West Africa. On the other hand, there would be an acute scarcity of rain in central Africa (Venkataramanan & Smitha, 2011).  

Advantages of Global Marketing

Advantages of Global Marketing Globalisation To define the key processes for globalisation, a number of issues exist in order to clearly define the different perspectives of globalisation (e.g. Neoliberal, Counter-hegemonic etc) and the particular branch (e.g. economic, cultural etc). Globalisation itself is the process facilitating the international operation of financial and investment markets mostly due to deregulation and improved communications. Fischer (2003) proposes the ongoing process of greater interdependence among countries and their citizens. Harris defines globalisation as an economic process increasing the internationalism of production and distribution of goods and services whereas Friedman defines it as that loose combination of free trade agreements, the Internet and the integration of financial markets that is erasing borders and uniting the world into a single, lucrative, but brutally competitive marketplace (cited in Datta-Ray et al., 2008). Dicken (2011) proposes 4 parallel processes; localisation -concentration of economic activities with varying degrees of functional integration, internationalisation -the dispersion of economic activities across national boundaries with low levels of functional integration, globalisation demonstrating geographical spread and a high degree of functional integration regionalisation- same but slightly less widely dispersed. Global jobs refer to posts held by knowledge workers-a concept coined by Drucker (cited in Wartzman, 2014) to mean an individual employed in the task of developing or using knowledge. Drucker further clarified this by defining them as those who work differently than those of an industrial and agricultural age cerebrally rather than physically involved. Today, the roles are no longer mutually exclusive however, as those physically involved, may well contribute significant knowledge. The question can be asked as to whether companies should act as if there is a single market motivated by the same demands, or should they account for local or cultural differences when developing or marketing the cultures they serve? Globalisation is more than administering to foreign markets from a single corporate HQ. It is the globalization of the HQ itself, with different senior corporate functions being located in many parts of the world. By achieving this, the company in effect becomes local mimicking the behaviour of an indigenous company because key corporate decisions are made within the countrys borders even though those decisions have global impact. A company truly becomes global when it mimics a local company in as many different countries as it can. The possibilities of entering the global market require serious research and investment in order to produce successful results. Jones (2016) pointed out that many organisations have neither the proficiency nor the required strategic contacts in order to commence the global marketing process and concluded that there were advantages in the hiring of intermediary companies to act as representatives. Griffith (2013) outlined necessary management skills namely planned and improvisational decision making and soft skills which enhance the decision process-essential owing to the dynamic nature of the global markets. Delaney (2016) listed 4 advantages of global marketing-(a) Cost reduction and savings from an increasingly expanding market that strives to remain competitive. This is largely reliant on communications advances with multimedia and international broadband internet input, (b) Improved product and service effectiveness largely also due to significantly improved communications and multi-media awareness, (c) stronger competitive advantage compared to the number of firms that as of yet have failed to embrace globalisation and (d) heightened customer awareness regarding the global phenomena where customers can monitor the progress of their delivery. Additionally, negotiations with an increasingly diverse clientele generates significantly valuable experience in global trade. According to Neveling et al. (2014), ethics plays a key role on Chinese society, however ethics in business is relatively new territory, driven by reflections on economic reform, tradition and the influence of both Marxist philosophy foreign business ethics. China has a poor reputation in this filed with numerous examples e.g. when Toyota discovered a Chinese manufacturer using their logo on its cars, litigation ruled against Toyota when in the eyes of the court, the Toyota brand was not recognised in China. Subsequently, China is becoming a target for international litigation resulting in threats of sanctions. China has relented and is improving as a result. Neveling et al. (2014) also discussed the Chinese requirement for technology leading to increased multinational business transactions. The Chinese market is viewed with caution regarding breach of patents and theft, however the size of the market has acted as a deterrent for withdrawal by global corporations. References Datta-Ray, B., Deb, B., Sengupta, K. (2008). Globalization and North East India. New Delhi: Concept Pub. Co. in collaboration with North East India Council of Social Science Research. Delaney, L. (2016, September 28). Why Develop a Global Marketing Strategy? Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://www.thebalance.com/why-develop-global-marketing-1953314 Dicken, P. (2015). Global shift: mapping the changing contours of the world economy. New York: The Guilford Press. Fischer, S., (2003). Globalization and its challenges. The American Economic Review 93.2 (May 2003): 1. Griffith, D., Hoppner, J., (2013). Global marketing managers. International Marketing Review30.1 (2013): 21-41. Jones, C. (2016, June 20). Globalisation is a reality but are we ready for it? Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://www.fenews.co.uk/featured-article/globalisation-is-a-reality-but-are-we-ready-for-it-12194 Neveling, A., Malan, D., Yortt, A., (2014). Globalisation and its influence on ethical decision-making in business: China and intellectual property. African Journal of Business Ethics. 8(1). doi:10.15249/8-1-17 Wartzman, R. (2014). What Peter Drucker Knew About 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2014/10/what-peter-drucker-knew-about-2020

Job Description Analysis Essay -- Human Resource Resources

Job Description Analysis Introduction With the changing responsibilities of today’s human resource Personnel, one of the main functions that needs redress is the accuracy of the documentation pertaining to Job Descriptions, Performance Standards, and performance Evaluations or appraisals. In many organizations these documents are either outdated or non-existent. With the adoption of recent regulatory provisions, compliance to these regulations has becomes a major concern to HR departments everywhere. The availability and accuracy of these documents has become more critical to most organizations and their legal departments. Our group decided to analyze the aptness of these documents for one of our group member’s organizations as it pertains to his job responsibilities. The documentation pertaining to the Project Analyst position within this company was found to be outdated, cumbersome and incomplete with relation to the modern HR requirements. Much of the original documentation requirements were never used, did not exist, or did not pertain to this specific job. The following pages will document our objectives and solutions to these issues. Job Description A job description is simply a lis of responsibilities and functions that are required in a particular position. The original job description for te analyst positions was lenghthy but incomplete. As we discussed the form, we discovered it was possible to shorten the document and include pertinent information...

Mariam and Laila Essay

Les miserables by Victor Hugo and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossieni both have tragic themes. Les miserables is a story set during 1815 in Digne, France (Hugo, 1994) about the struggles and quest for freedom of a convicted man by the name of Jean-Valijean. During the course of the story, his encounters and connection to two of the most important characters in his life – Fantine and Cosette was actually the main plot of the story. A Thousand Splendid Suns had its name through a poem entitled â€Å"KABUL. † This poem symbolizes Mariam, who is one of main characters in the story. It is a poem describing the beauty of the city of Kabul and how on the same city, a person is able to see a splendid sun each day (Hosseini, 2007). Aside from having the same themes, both stories (Les miserables and A Thousand Splendid Suns) also was able to show its readers the conflicts and the hardships that women during those times face. In Les miserables, Fantine was forced to become a â€Å"prostitute† in order to provide for her daughter (Hugo, 1994). This was because she was laid off from the factory she works for after her employers discovered that she has an illegitimate child. A thousand Splendid suns, on the other hand, shared to readers the story of young Mariam who was forced to marry, was discriminated by the society and finally was imprisoned for her honesty (Hosseini, 2007). The two stories, although written on different genres by authors of different cultures speaks of the experiences of every man and women. It talks of life in general (Jean’s search for freedom, Mariam questioning the meaning of her life, Javert’s obsession to make all offenders of the law pay and Cosette’s unconditional love for Marius). The two stories, amidst its dark tone give its readers a choice on whether to stay in the dark side of life or to eventually come out of the sun and continue living despite of all the struggles they need to overcome. The characters in both stories are unforgettable. In Les miserables, readers see a young Jean who seems to prefer being an outlaw. During the coursework of the story, readers are able to witness how the goodness in every man has won over Jeans’ weaknesses. He turns out to be the hero who saves the future of Fantine and Cosette. While on A Thousand Splendid Suns, readers are presented with two very powerful women – Mariam and Laila. Their strengths come not from physical attributes but from being able to walk through the storms of life and still stand unabashed. The difference between the two literary pieces can be seen with the way human values was depicted by the main characters. Mariam in A Thousand Splendid Suns showed readers a very important human value which is honesty. Amidst the knowledge that she can be imprisoned for her admission of accidentally killing her husband, she still surrendered herself to the authorities and accepted her fate. Jean-Valijean in Les miserables, run all his life from the responsibility of what he has done in the past. He lived a life outside the prison bars but was a prisoner of his own fears. Among the two, we can say that it was Mariam who was truly free for she has died while â€Å"paying† for her sins and thus, leaves the society without guilt in her heart. Les miserables is a literary piece with timeless life lessons. It is still popular today because it speaks of human nature in general. A Thousand Splendid Suns is also acclaimed not only because it depicts of the harshness of society’s pressures but it also reminds us that is always the truth which can set us free. There is nothing better than having to read books that not only touches the spirit and soul but also tickles every reader’s imagination. References: Hosseini, K. (2007). A Thousand Splendid Suns. Bandung: Mizan Media Utama. Hugo, V. (1994). Les Miserables. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Classics.

A Brief Description Of Aldosterone

The body’s adrenal gland is responsible for the secretion of the steroid hormone aldosterone. The latter’s main function is to regulate and balance water and salt in the human system (otherwise known as the electrolyte metabolism of the body). As an extremely potent hormone, aldosterone promotes sodium retention and enhances potassium excretion in the system. The hormone also helps regulate blood pressure and bodily fluids; hence if the aldosterone levels are low or too high, symptoms can result.Aldosterone directly acts on the kidneys’ tubules and controls their reabsorption of more sodium and water from the urine. Secretion of potassium in the tubule replaces the sodium, which is then reabsorbed. Another function of the hormone is to operate on a person’s central nervous system to influence the increase of a person’s appetite for salt and their thirst. Aldosterone secretion is the result of two different bodily mechanisms. It is hypothesized that if sodium concentrates in the system are severely limited, it may cause increased rates of aldosterone.Another theory is that reduced blood flow to the kidney engages it to release the enzyme rennin which then converts inactive globulin in the blood. Other than these, studies showed that the hormone may have other target cells than originally remarked on. The editors of the Kidney International Journal in 2000 (Farman and Verrey) commented on Dr. Haim Garty’s observation that there is â€Å"Aldosterone action in non-epithelial cells. † Hence it is seen that aside from the kidneys, the hormone is also linked to the central nervous and cardiovascular systems as well as various membrane lipids.Amplified levels of aldosterone secretion often cause salt retention which in turn results in edema. Extremely high levels of the hormone can result to high blood pressure, muscle cramps and over-all fatigue. On the other hand, low levels may be an indicator of diabetes. It is prove n that the variation of the hormone levels are influenced by the person’s sex as well as the amount of sodium consumed in his or her daily diet. Pregnancy may lead to higher levels of aldosterone in women. Other symptoms of higher than normal levels of aldosterone may also result to primary or secondary hyperaldosteronism.Primary hyperaldosteronism is considered as a rare syndrome caused by an abnormality in the adrenal gland. More often than not, the gland is affected by a benign tumor and this often transpires between t hags of 30 and 50 years old. Secondary hyperaldosteronism is generally related to high blood pressure and other disorders such as cardiac failure, cirrhosis of the liver and nephritic syndrome. Various mechanisms affect the disease and causes the imbalance of the hormone’s levels in the human system.Another extremely rare disease linked to aldosterone is the Barrter syndrome which also affects the kidneys. Patients diagnosed with the Barrter Syndrome experiences loss of potassium and an increase in aldosterone. This results to potassium wasting where the kidneys remove far too much necessary potassium from the body. Incidentally, there are tests to check the aldosterone levels in the body. It is often don concurrently with other blood tests or provocative tests to determine over or under production of the hormone.