System Tools
The following instructions tell us how to back up our System Registry on Windows XP. This is done in case any problems occur to the system registry. Once the computer is turned on and fully loaded, we can begin. First, we have to back up the system registry in case anything goes wrong. To do this, left click the start button located on lower left corner of your screen. This will bring up the start menu. Bringing your mouse cursor over “All Programs” will cause new folders and applications to appear on the screen.
Find the folder named “Applications” and hover your mouse cursor over it. Another set of folders and applications will show up, one of which is entitled “System Tools”. A last set of applications appear. Find the application named “Backup” and left click on this once. The Backup Utility should appear on the screen. Navigate to the tab named “Backup” and left click on it once. This will bring us to a screen where we can choose what to backup. First, left click the “Job” menu on the upper left hand corner of the screen. This should bring down a menu and here left click “New”.
Since we want to back up our system registry, head to left hand of the screen to see a list of checkboxes. Check the one with the title “System State” that is located under My Computer. Lastly, click on the button named “Browse”. This brings us to a screen where the backup file will be saved. The destination folder is My Documents, so we’ll choose that one. Click on the “Save” button and we’re brought back to the backup utility. Having done this, we may now click on the “Start Backup” button found on the lower right portion of the screen.
A new screen will prompt us on what to do, here we left click “Start Backup” and the back up now begins. Once the back-up is done, simply left click “Close”. We have now successfully backed up our system registry. Week 7: There are instances when the government does not have the capabilities to adequately supply the public with a certain good or service. In these cases, the government can choose to team up with private institutions to fulfill the present demand. This is an instance of public-private partnership.
PPP is advantageous to those individuals who will be able to benefit from the good or service that will be provided. PPP is often seen in infrastructure projects, where the government contracts private firms to construct road and rail networks, hospitals, schools and other projects for the public. The government also benefits from PPPs, mainly because it would be more costly for the government to use their own resources to construct such projects. Contracting firms that specialize in infrastructure creation reduces costs and saves money.
Furthermore, the benefits that PPP provides also expand to the employment sector. With the government hiring private firms, employment rates may rise due to the increased demand for private services. However, there are also inherent risks in using private firms. Firstly, accountability may be a complication. Since private firms are the ones mainly working on a project, if accidents occur due to a fault in the project, it would be difficult to pinpoint who is responsible. Moreover, the public views public infrastructure as part of the government’s role.
Thus, any actions taken by the contracted private firms may reflect onto the government’s image. The problem of adverse selection and moral hazard also adds to the riskiness of PPP. The government does not have perfect information regarding the private firms. There is no perfect process in determining which firm can provide the best services, thus the government faces the risk of hiring non-optimal firms. Also, once the government has chosen a private firm, there lies the risk that the budget allotted by the government for the project may not be efficiently handled by the chosen firm.
In comparison to the private finance initiative (PFI) being used mainly by the United Kingdom, PPP has the same objectives. PFI is actually a kind of PPP, both are cases where both public and private sectors team up to design, build, finance, and operate (DBFO) amenities and services for public use. However, the major difference lies in the organization and management of PPP. Compared to PFI, PPP suffers from overcomplicated projects, excessive costs, and inefficiency. PFI focuses on specific projects such as prisons, hospitals, and schools; while PPP works on multi-functional territories such as transport.
(PFI Intelligence Bulletin, 2003) I believe that given the risks involving private firms, there are several services that should remain in the hands of the government. One of which is public safety. The government should be able to adequately provide the public with services like law enforcement and fire departments. I view this as an important role of the government, which is to keep its citizens safe. I do not think that this responsibility should be passed on to private firms. This is the reason why I believe that publicly funded services will not be replaced by PPP or PFI.
There are still services that must be provided by the government alone. Reference: PFI Intelligence Bulletin. (2003, May). Taking Flight. SMi Group Newsletter . Week 9: Energy Performance and Cost Minimization at Supersun Background Supersun is a supermarket franchise in California. In light of recent changes in the industry, such as tighter profit margins and intense competition, the company has been looking at different strategies to strengthen their consumer base and improve overall operations.
One of the main approaches that Supersun has considered is cost-minimization, particularly in the area of energy consumption. The supermarket industry has energy costs as one of its main operating expenditures, next only the shelf stock. By reducing the capital spent on energy or improving current energy performance, Supersun will be able to significantly reduce costs. Problem Energy consumption at Supersun has become one of the largest factors contributing to the company’s increasing operating costs. There have been significant price escalations in the recent months, mainly in gas and electricity.
CalPower, one of the energy providing companies in Califoria, has announced its second price hike of the year, with electricity prices increasing by 8. 8 percent on average. The government has also issued the “clean air” legislation, which has necessitated lower CO2 emissions from products that emit such elements. These factors have forced Supersun to look into energy saving methods to be able to cut down energy consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions whilst maintaining an efficient and productive operation. Proposal
Supersun must develop a plan in order to reduce energy consumption in order to reduce overall operating costs. A 10 percent decrease in energy use can amount to a 9 percent increase in profit margins and a 10 percent improvement to earnings per share. Reduction of energy use is equivalent to increasing sales per square meter, only this entails less capital expenditure and improves budget costing. One proposal to achieve this is a company-wide energy saving campaign that aims to reduce energy consumption. First, the reduction of refrigeration units used in the supermarkets.
Some products can, instead of being refrigerated, be stored in normal shelves. Since refrigeration amounts to more than half the energy consumption of Supersun, this can effectively reduce costs. The replacement of the current refrigerator units with more energy-efficient ones is another undertaking to reduce energy costs. Though this may amount to a large increase in capital expenditure in the short run, the amount that can be saved in the long run far outweighs the cost of purchasing new equipment. These can also be considered an upgrade of current equipment, and not as a total loss of funds.
This will help the company in the long run, considering the trend of increasing energy costs. Week 11: Greetings and a good day, employees! The management has received reports regarding the e-mails sent thru the company e-mail system. We thank you for the honesty in informing us of your problems. The issues you have raised are being taken into consideration by the management. We assure you that steps are being taken to resolve these issues. However, in order for us to fully understand the situation, we would to go over the company policy regard staff e-mails.
The company monitors the e-mails that go in and out of the system. This is done not to spy on the employees’ personal lives, rather to assure that work is done effectively and efficiently. We would like to emphasize the importance of e-mail etiquette in using the company e-mail system. Remember, how you communicate with other individuals shows how the company communicates. Avoid the use of unnecessary slang terms and the use of smilies or emoticons, especially when dealing with other clients. Also observe the use of proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Our actions represent the company itself, so bear in mind that we must be polite and professional when using the e-mail system. The management would also like to note the prohibition on certain details when using the company e-mail system. We would like to remind everyone that the staff e-mail system is strictly for work related communication only. The company does not condone the use of the system for personal use, since employees are free to use their own e-mail account for personal use. Also, please avoid sending unknown attachments along with your message, especially when dealing with clients.
Kindly inform the client or the recipient of your message that you shall be sending them a file before you send attachments. This allows for a better understanding and assures your recipient that the attachment is not a virus. We trust that this message will bring about an understanding of the issue and help in resolving it. Remember, the management is here to look out for its employees and provide a safe and friendly working environment. We thank you for your time and cooperation. Week 17: Being able to reach out to your target market is one of the best ways for service providing companies to succeed.
Having a solid consumer base, identifying what the market wants, and knowing the proper strategies on how to get them to use your service are all important to a company. This firm deals with insurance, and is looking to change their current state of customer relations and brand identity. Communication is one of the key factors in drawing in potential customers. The current method that the insurance company is using is a personal approach. Customers have to either head to the insurance office or call them via telephone. All communication is done this way.
The company also stores customer files in a filing room. Given the following situation, the company has multiply ventures it can choose to take. The main objective of the company in this aspect is to provide customers and employees a better way to retrieve, file, and communicate information via technological upgrades of the current assets in the company. The company plans to this by establishing a computerized database which both customers and employees can access. A faster and more streamlined process will be the end result when this objective is fulfilled.
A strong market image also improves the chances of a customer choosing your company’s service. Currently, the insurance company only has advertisements found in newspapers and magazines. The image that the company projects is that of any traditional insurance company. This may turn off potential customers who are looking for an insurance company that looks reputable. The company has the following objective for their market image: create a brand image that exhibits professionalism, service, and loyalty.
The company also plans to create a corporate website which will enable them to create more modern image. The company will also venture into television advertisements, in order to appeal to a larger and wider consumer base. The planned outcome upon fulfillment of this objective is an increase in the consumer base of the company and a wider variety of customers. Given these objectives that the company plans to achieve within a six months to a year, we can see that the insurance company has a new strategy that will give them an advantage in the insurance market.
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