Cisco Systems Business Analysis Essay examples -- Technology Companies

Cisco Systems Cisco Systems - World's Leading Network Hardware Products Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco operates in one industry segment and creates hardware and software solutions that link computer networks so that people have easy access to information without regard to differences in time, place or type of computer system. Networking is a multi-billion dollar global market whose growth is spurred by the belief that the Internet is changing the way we work, live, play, and learn. Over the last year, there has been a key shift in the role of the Internet and in how the Internet is perceived. What was once a fairly complex tool used by an elite group of highly technical individuals is now a technology driving economic change globally by creating new jobs and market opportunities. The Company markets its products through its direct sales force, single and two-tier distributors, value-added resellers, service providers and system integrators. This multiple-channel approach allows customers to select the channel that addresses their specific needs and provides the Company with broad coverage of worldwide markets. Customers benefit from Cisco networking solutions through more efficient exchange of information, which in turn leads to cost savings, process efficiencies, and closer relationships with customers, prospects, business partners, suppliers, and employees. Cisco solutions are the networking foundation for companies, universities, utilities, and government agencies worldwide. The Company was founded in late 1984 by a small group of computer scientists from Stanford University seeking an easier way to connect different types of computer systems. Cisco Systems... ...Internet. Their relationship with Hewlett-Packard covers a broad range of initiatives including technology development, product integration, professional services, and customer service. Last May, GTE announced that it would build a national network based on Cisco's products, enabling service providers to rapidly deploy value-added services and drive next-generation Internet offerings. And the goal of their collaboration with Alcatel is to offer complete networking solutions to telecommunications carriers and other Internet service providers worldwide. Each of Cisco's strategic alliances will create a sustainable competitive advantage for both companies in order to optimize products, price points, distribution, and services. Through these relationships, Cisco will provide its customers the ability to become global networked businesses well into the next century.

Racism from past to present

Racism is the belief that a race is superior to all other races and has the right to manage all other races. This term emphasizes the superiority In terms of the biological differences, such as color and gender. In the history, although racism was used to organize daily life in clans, with Greeks it gained its negative meaning. With the Renaissance and the Reform, Europeans discovered new nations and places. However, according to Europeans' understanding, these new people can only be slaves. Therefore, racism has actually begun. The first modern fascist leader ofEuropean, Mussolini had a strong belief about being racist. He did not give right to live to any thought but his thought. He killed many people. In Dalton, Hitler was another fascist leader who murdered millions of people because of their races. Thus racism has become known. Basically, as both Connelly (2004, p. 72) and Shah (2010, Para. L) say that people have tendency to be superior to others. Shah adds that racism has been used as weapons. As it was in the past, racism still exists all over the world. Proponents of the idea that racism still exist claim that due to laws, racism Anton exist.They also mention that according to the universal Declaration of Human Rights, all humans are equal. They may have a point but laws cannot prevent racism and racists. Laws are valid only racists are caught. In the united States for example, although punishment is serious, racism exists in the aspect of black and white. Blacks have separate neighborhood from whites, they do not like whites' thoughts or they do not have a white person in their environment. The reason for this is that in the past, whites saw and used blacks as slaves. In today, there is not a comprehension about Ewing slave but whites still humiliates blacks.This causes white racism. Moreover, racists do not have to show how they believe or they do not have to discriminate. They can only have thoughts of being racist and laws cannot catch or prevent t his kind of thoughts. The reason why racism still exists is the human nature regarding inferior and superior. First, in the aspect of superior, they are naturally arrogant people. This class thinks that they are superior to everyone in everything. Therefore, they humiliate other races. Due to physical characteristic of other races, they make a trooper for specific races and they become prejudice.Europeans prejudice about Arabians can be given as an example. They think that Arabians are dirty and they smell bad. This situation causes racism today. Moreover, superior race thinks that they have the right to determine other races' rights, such as how they think, where they can live or whether they can live or not. Hitler for example, had a great power to take lives of Jewish people. Today, similarly to Hitter's reason, there is a problem called smuggling of people. Generally, people who are smuggled are from either Africa or Middle East, they were never European.Smuggling soul exists be cause superior races think that they can employ them illegally. Second, in aspect of inferior people, there is a fear of superior ones. Being a criminal race produces that kind of fear. As Russell (1 998, p. 124) mentions Willow's thesis about black crime causes white fear, white racism caused by Black and Latino men. If they did not have this high rate of crime, there would not be white fear. Furthermore, another kind of fear from superior happens as action and reaction. If Europeans are racists to Arabians, then stay away from Europeans because they feel inferior.Another reason why racism still exists is what happened in history. They may have not happened because of racism but they trigger racism today. First, events about economy have really changed the world. After the Reform and the Renaissance, colonialism came into the world. India was one of the countries colonized by England. As Marvin states, â€Å"At any rate, no serious effort has ever been made to colonize the country , and the English who go to India think only of acquiring the largest amount of money in the shortest possible time, and returning home to enjoy it in their beloved fatherland† (2006, p. ). Thus, today racism still exists between India and England. Second, political history caused racism today as well. In the history, states struggled for independence. In Ottoman Empire, for example, there were many nations who live peacefully. However, when the Ottoman Empire started to fall down, Armenian rebelled. They wanted to have their own country in the soil that they live in but it belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Because of this situation, Ottomans and Armenian had disagreement. Then that disagreement cause today the so-called Armenian genocide. Now, Turkey andArmenian are prejudiced to each other because of what happened in history. Bad treatment to Armenian or reverse produces racism in both countries. All in all, racism still exists in our world. People should remember that as worl d and politic changes, terms meanings will either be change or be broaden. While the term racism was used for people who support his race, then it is used for humiliation. In our world, it almost lost its meaning because today anything can be racism, such as prejudice or difference of thoughts among nations. Racism is not biological differences anymore.

Dieppe Raid in World War II

The Dieppe Raid took place during World War II (1939-1945).  Launched on August 19, 1942, it was an Allied effort to capture and occupy the port of Dieppe, France for a short period. The primary objective of the raid was to gather intelligence and test strategies for the invasion of Europe. Despite the element of surprise being lost, the operation went forward and was a complete failure. The largely Canadian forces that landed suffered losses of over 50%.  The lessons learned during the Dieppe Raid influenced later Allied amphibious operations. Background Following the Fall of France in June 1940, the British began developing and testing new amphibious tactics which would be needed in order to return to the Continent. Many of these were utilized during the commando operations conducted by Combined Operations. In 1941, with the Soviet Union under extreme pressure, Joseph Stalin asked Prime Minister Winston Churchill to expedite the opening of a second front. While British and Americans forces were not in a position to launch a major invasion, several large raids were discussed. In identifying potential targets, Allied planners sought to test tactics and strategies that could be used during the main invasion. Key among these was whether a large, fortified seaport could be captured intact during the initial phases of the attack. Also, while infantry landing techniques had been perfected during the commando operations, there was concern regarding the effectiveness of the landing craft designed to carry tanks and artillery, as well as questions regarding the German response to the landings. Moving forward, planners selected the town of Dieppe, in northwest France, as the target. The Allied Plan Designated Operation Rutter, preparations for the raid began with the goal of implementing the plan in July 1942. The plan called for paratroopers to land east and west of Dieppe to eliminate German artillery positions while the Canadian 2nd Division assaulted the town. In addition, the Royal Air Force would be present in force with the goal of drawing the Luftwaffe into battle. Embarking on July 5, the troops were aboard their ships when the fleet was attacked by German bombers. With the element of surprise eliminated, it was decided to cancel the mission. While most felt the raid was dead, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the head of Combined Operations, resurrected it on July 11 under the name Operation Jubilee. Working outside of the normal command structure, Mountbatten pressed for the raid to go forward on August 19. Due to the unofficial nature of his approach, his planners were forced to utilize intelligence that was months old. Changing the initial plan, Mountbatten replaced the paratroopers with commandos and added two flank attacks designed to capture the headlands that dominated Dieppes beaches. Fast Facts: Dieppe Raid Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: August 19, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesLord Louis MountbattenMajor General John H. Roberts6,086 menGermanyField Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt1,500 menCasualties:Allies: 1,027 were killed and 2,340 were capturedGermany: 311 killed and 280 wounded Early Problems Departing on August 18, with Major General John H. Roberts in command, the raiding force moved across the Channel towards Dieppe. Issues quickly arose when the eastern commando forces ships encountered a German convoy. In the brief fight that followed, the commandos were scattered and only 18 successfully landed. Led by Major Peter Young, they moved inland and opened fire on the German artillery position. Lacking the men to capture it, Young was able to keep the Germans pinned down and away from their guns. Lieutant Colonel The Lord Lovat of No. 4 Commando, at Newhaven after returning from the Dieppe Raid. Public Domain Far to west, No. 4 Commando, under Lord Lovat, landed and quickly destroyed the other artillery battery. Next to land were the two flank attacks, one at Puys and the other at Pourville. Landing at Pourville, just to the east of Lovats commandos, Canadian troops were put ashore on the wrong side of the Scie River. As a result, they were forced to fight through town to gain the only bridge across the stream. Reaching the bridge, they were unable to get across and were forced to withdraw. To the east of Dieppe, Canadian and Scottish forces hit the beach at Puys. Arriving in disorganized waves, they encountered heavy German resistance and were unable to get off the beach. As the intensity of the German fire prevented rescue craft from approaching, the entire Puys force was either killed or captured. A Bloody Failure Despite the failures on the flanks, Roberts pressed on with the main assault. Landing around 5:20 AM, the first wave climbed up the steep pebble beach and encountered stiff German resistance. The attack on the eastern end of the beach was stopped completely, while some progress was made at the western end, where troops were able to move into a casino building. The infantrys armor support arrived late and only 27 of 58 tanks successfully made it ashore. Wounded on the beach at Dieppe, August 19, 1942. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-291-1205-14 / Koll / CC-BY-SA 3.0 Those that did were blocked from entering the town by an anti-tank wall. From his position on the destroyer HMS Calpe, Roberts was unaware that the initial assault was trapped on the beach and taking heavy fire from the headlands. Acting on fragments of radio messages which implied that his men were in the town, he ordered his reserve force to land. Taking fire all the way to the shore, they added to the confusion on the beach. Finally around 10:50 AM, Roberts became aware that the raid had turned into a disaster and ordered the troops to withdraw back to their ships. Due to heavy German fire, this proved difficult and many were left on the beach to become prisoners. The deadly result of enfilade fire during the Dieppe Raid of 1942: dead Canadian soldiers lie where they fell on Blue Beach. Trapped between the beach and fortified sea wall, they made easy targets for MG 34 machineguns in a German bunker. The bunker firing slit is visible in the distance, just above the German soldiers head. Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-291-1205-14 / Koll / CC-BY-SA 3.0 Aftermath Of the 6,090 Allied troops that took part in the Dieppe Raid, 1,027 were killed and 2,340 were captured. This loss represented 55% of Roberts total force. Of the 1,500 Germans tasked with defending Dieppe, losses totaled around 311 killed and 280 wounded. Severely criticized after the raid, Mountbatten defended his actions, citing that, despite its failure, it provided vital lessons which would be used later in Normandy. In addition, the raid led Allied planners to drop the notion of capturing a seaport during the initial stages of the invasion, as well as showed the importance of pre-invasion bombardments and naval gunfire support.