Abstract
A theatrical analysis of on Off Broadway play called "Eat the Runt".

Tags:eat, the, runt

Abstract
The paper explains that Armstrong Holdings could not remain competitive for very long if it did not offshore some or all of its manufacturing. The paper then also points out the risks involved with such a strategy and warns that Armstrong must be diligent in not exporting proprietary knowledge or techniques or it risks being undermined by foreign competitors who acquire its intelligence.

Outline:
Overview
Offshoring/Outsourcing & Globalization
Effects of Global Outsourcing & Off-shoring
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Outsourcing, and its sister strategy of off-shoring, are by-products of globalization and the U.S. market has been deeply impacted by globalization. Armstrong Holdings (Armstrong) itself utilizes offshoring strategies since it has long maintained a manufacturing facility in Mexico. The U.S. economy has been one of the global economy's hardest hit by some of the side-effects of globalization: outsourcing and off-shoring. Outsourcing or the contracting out of functions previously handled in-house, and off-shoring, which is the use of overseas firms to provide a product or service previously handled nationally, both contribute to shrinkage of jobs and manufacturing (Globalization, 2005, p.1). Armstrong, in order to maintain its competitive edge, like most other companies availing themselves of these strategies, is merely taking advantage of a market strategy."

Tags:globalization, cometition, intelligence, risks, economy

Abstract
This paper discusses E-Bay's attempt to ward off its competitors Google (Google Base), Microsoft (Live Expo), and Craigslist with its combination of Kijiji, Skype, and Yahoo.

From the Paper
"E-Bay's development of Kijiji, acquisition of Skype, alliance with Yahoo and other acquisitions combine to form a powerful platform from which E-Bay can counter the competitive assaults of Google and Microsoft. Microsoft's Live Expo of course is already defunct and E-Bay's package of combined applications is most likely more than enough to defeat Google's Google Base. There is however a cogent reason why E-Bay's strategy might fail-seamlessness. Google Base is not an aggregation of disparate software applications that were never..."

Tags:Google, Microsoft, Live Expo, Google Base, E-Bay, Skype, Kijiji, Yahoo

Abstract
This paper discusses outsourcing in addition to off-shoring as a means to not only cut costs, but also to better organizational performance. The paper focuses on the common problems encountered with outsourcing and how to fix the problems. The paper also describes the writer's personal experiences with outsourcing and its potential benefits.

From the Paper
"The outsourcing of finance and accounting services is on the rise. There were many inaccuracies handled when HR and IT started being outsourced which has somewhat been circumvented. The risks that have hindered some HR and IT outsourcing agreements have subsequently impeded finance and accounting outsourcing agreements furthermore. Companies began to modify their existing outsourcing plans due to the uncertain dangers once encountered that are now stable with outsourcing agreements. Outsourcing was once perceived as a cost reduction strategy. Now, companies consider it as a strategy for organizational efficiency and process improvement. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to retain staff in these positions at a single company."

Tags:efficiency, HR, costs, profits

Abstract
Offshoring projects are costly and complicated, and their payoffs are uncertain. As jobs are moved overseas, this controversial strategy creates an anxiety filled atmosphere, for those remaining onboard. This paper shows that job security is one of the primary factors in job satisfaction, and with the threat of offshoring looming overhead, significant damage can be caused to employee morale. The paper shows that, in addition, there are many functional and structural challenges that lie ahead for companies who augment their staff through offshoring. Despite these challenges, offshoring is certain to be an important strategy for many organizations. As such, this paper shows that analyzing current trends in offshoring and staff augmentation is an important topic.

Outline:
Introduction
Evolution of Outsourcing
Types of Jobs Being Off-shored
Destination Countries
Reverse Offshoring and Multi-shoring
Conclusion
References

From the Paper
"Political stability of a country is also a significant factor in whether or not the country will be involved in offshoring trends. But, although political stability is important, according to Shramm (2004), economic conditions are even more critical (4). Creating foreign operations is a large investment for organizations, and even building outsourcing relationships can see significant time and money invested into developing that relationship. For this reason, it does not serve a company to make such an investment in a country where economic fluctuations , such as significant shifts in currency, in relation to the dollar, or even rapidly rising wages, can eat away at the savings the organization hopes to realize over the course of several years."

Tags:call, center, infrastructure, India, farmshoring, globalization

Abstract
This paper discusses how the musical play, "The Fantasticks", originally strikes the viewer as both an effective and humorous parody of the Shakespearean romantic drama, "Romeo and Juliet", and the classical Greek and Roman myth of Primus and Thisbe, upon which Shakespeare's play is based. It looks at how, when examined for its deeper theatrical and literary significance, the play's "spine", or story, and structure of theatrical staging also conveys to the viewer a more coherent explanation of the moral dilemma that underlines story of thwarted, adolescent love and the purpose of Romantic theater in general.

From the Paper
"The distance of the wall that the children must overcome, emotionally, embodies this separation. "You must always leave the wall," is one of the final tropes underlined at the end of the play, by the narrative voice of the storyteller. In other words, in true love, one must also have distance as well as reinforcement of desire and connection. The play's use of the wall creates a connection not only with "Romeo and Juliet," but also with the Classical Greek myth of Primus and Thisbe, where the two mythical personas whispered to one another to communicate across the distance of the wall. An infamous balcony that barred the two of them from communicating physically likewise separated the romantic protagonists Romeo and Juliet."

Tags:shakespeare, romeo, juliet, primus, thisbe

Abstract
The paper concentrates on the five key areas of competitive analysis, e-business strategies and systems recommendations. The paper provides an analysis of how the cafe can use networks and telecommunications more effectively and explores the role of customer relationship management (CRM) in the ongoing operations of the cafe. The paper also discusses the systems development and outsourcing decisions of creating and maintaining applications internally versus purchasing them from software companies. The paper includes figures and an appendix containing a table that compares Web 2.0 applications.

Outline:
Introduction
Competitive Advantage
E-Business Strategy
Use of Networks and Telecommunication Technologies
Customer Relationship Management
Systems Development and Outsourcing

From the Paper
"In the casual dining and QSR industry the competition for customer loyalty is fierce in the 21rst century, orders of magnitude more intense than the 1950s and 1960s when The Broadway Cafe was founded initially successful. The use of integrated marketing communications (IMC) by causal dining and ASR competitors to The Broadway Cafe have been successful in increasing customer loyalty, retention and re-purchase rates over time. The bargaining power of buyers is also introducing entirely new services into the causal dining and QSR industry. Panera Bread for example pioneered the offer of free WiFi Internet connections within their deli/bakeries. The strategic direction of offering more services at little or no cost to buyers to entire them to be loyal and eat at their cafes and QSRs is considered to be a competitive advantage Panera Bread has been able to successfully use to gain buyers, or customers, over time."

Tags:e-business, networks, telecommunications, systems, development, outsourcing

Abstract
The paper describes how BEC has developed and implemented a rather robust information system that supports all major business activities and functions at the company's retail operations and corporate headquarters. The paper relates that in terms of on-site support at the company's retail outlets, BEC has developed a turnkey package of hardware and software. The paper explains that each store effectively has the same cloned system which includes a decentralized database for supporting daily transactions.

From the Paper
"BEC has developed and implemented a rather robust information system that supports all major business activities and functions at the company's retail operations and corporate headquarters. In terms of on-site support at the company's retail outlets, BEC has developed a turnkey package of hardware and software. That is, each store effectively has the same cloned system which includes a decentralized database for supporting daily transactions. The Transaction processing system itself supports five basic applications including: membership, rental, sales, inventory control, and..."

Tags:sdlc, systems analysis, systems design

Abstract
This paper provides an analytical review of Jonathan Larson's 1994 rock-opera, "Rent," which opened off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 25, 1996, less than twenty-four hours after Larson's death. The paper explains that although Larson had written several other rock musicals, including "Sacrimmoralinority" and "Superbia," both of which generated some attention and money, "Rent" was his first show to move to Broadway. The paper asserts that, although the opera is set in the late 1980s, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, it is still highly relevant to modern audiences; not only are AIDS and other diseases still a major problem in our society, but the story contains truths about compassion, greed, selfishness, and above all, love. The paper adds that the collision between the worlds of bohemians and the bourgeoisie is largely the subject of Larson's play. The paper's author shares a personal concept of the play, and impressions of the actors, environment, production, and materials that would be necessary to recreate it. This paper contains a symbolic image, created by the author.

From the Paper
" The play takes place over the course of a year. It opens on Christmas Eve, "9 P.M., Eastern Standard Time," according to Mark, the narrator, and the first act concerns the rest of the night. The second act picks up at New Year's Eve, and the finale takes place on the following Christmas Eve. It is set mainly in Alphabet City, a neighborhood in the East Village of Manhattan, which during the 1980s contained an eclectic mix of disadvantaged minorities and struggling white artists. A riot broke out in 1988 in Alphabet City's Tompkins Square Park; a similar incident occurs in the play. The political situation in the country was fairly conservative at this time, but this neighborhood contained people on firmly on both sides of the poverty and politics lines, leading to much of the conflict in the plot. The bohemians (which most of the play's characters identify as) idealized freedom and creativity, the bourgeoisie were more materialistic and craved security. The collision--and worse, indifference--of these two worlds is largely the subject of Larson's play."

Tags:bohemian, bourgeoisie, Alphabet, City, Broadway, Superbia

Abstract
This paper explains that Whoopi Goldberg (real name, Caryn Elaine Johnson) grew up in a New York housing project, became a single, teenage mother and dropped out of high school because she was convinced that she was not able to understand basic lessons. (Later she found out that she had dyslexia.) The author points out that, in 1983, Goldberg's career took off when director Mike Nichols attended her show at the New York's Dance Theater Workshop and immediately signed her for a one-woman Broadway show; Steven Spielberg chose her to play the lead in "The Color Purple" for which she received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. The paper concludes that Goldberg represents a true pioneer in the motion picture industry not only because of her groundbreaking roles, which place her at the forefront of the black female actors in America today, but also because Goldberg's portrayal of white actors created an environment that breaks down social barriers while tacitly acknowledging and reinforcing others.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Analysis of Selected Goldberg Roles
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Goldberg endured the unendurable for several months ("I had this caseworker who was nasty as hell"), which makes her reaction to her initial success more understandable. Even though she's won a Grammy, a Golden Globe Award and received an Emmy nomination, Goldberg reports that absolutely nothing in her life has come close to the sense of accomplishment that she felt when, after five years on public assistance, she was able to support herself through acting: "The greatest thing I ever was able to do was give a welfare check back. I brought it back to the welfare department and said, 'Here. I don't need this anymore.""

Tags:purple, awards, political, welfare, pioneer