Disney and Pixar: Partnership Agreement

Disney and Pixar: Partnership Agreement Introduction In January 2006, the US based media and entertainment company Walt Disney announced that it would acquire its animation partner Pixar for US$ 7.4 billion in stock. The deal was expected to be finalized by mid-2006. Disney had already been in partnership for producing and distributing animation films with Pixar since 1991. However, in January 2004, owing to differences with Disneys then CEO Michael Eisner, Pixar had announced that it would partner with another distribution company in 2006. But Robert Iger, who took over from Eisner on September 30, 2005, revived talks with Pixar and finally succeeded in acquiring it. Our project will examine the partnership agreement between Disney and Pixar and the incidents that led to the break-up of ties. We will discuss how the new CEO Robert Iger, who succeeded Michael Eisner, went on to re-establish ties with Pixar and Steve Jobs, who held 50.6% equity stake in Pixar. The questions we seek to answer through this case are: 1. Is there a synergy between Disney and Pixar? 2. Did Disney pay too much to acquire Pixar? 3. Is the Pixar acquisition in the best interest of Disneys shareholders? 4. Will the difference in corporate culture allow Disney and Pixar to work effectively together? 5. Will this acquisition be successful? History The Disney Story Walt Disney Animation Studios is the subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. It was founded in 1934 when Walt Disney initiated the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was Walt Disneys first feature length animation film. The move however started in 1937, when selected animators from the ‘shorts division were moved into the features division. Snow White was an unprecedented success when it was released in February 1938. It moved critics and audiences alike and is considered one of the true animation classics of all times. After, the viability of feature length animation was firmly established with the success of Snow White, WDAS would go on to make a series of critically acclaimed and successful animated features like Dumbo, Cinderella. They would also expand into new segments like live action features, television and theme parks. Since its founders death in 1966, The Walt Disney Company had narrowly survived takeover attempts by corporate raiders. Its shareholders Sid Bass and Roy E. Disney brought on Michael Eisner and former Warner Brothers chief Frank Wells to replace Ron W. Miller in 1984 and turn the company around. During the second half of the 1980s and early 1990s, Disney revitalized. Beginning with The Little Mermaid (1989), its flagship animation studio enjoyed a series of commercial and critical successes that helped reinvigorate the American animation industry. Disney also broadened its adult offerings in film when then Disney Studio Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg acquired Miramax Films in 1993. Disney acquired many other media sources, including ABC and ESPN. However, by this time, the competitive scenario changed again. Many new studios had risen up and were producing high quality animated features. Also there was significant tiredness and indifference from the audience who had had enough of Disneys storytelling and animation styles. The rise of new studios also increased demand for artists and stencillers, driving salaries up, causing the budgets of hand drawn animation features to inflate. The rise of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) was also eating into Disneys market share. Starting from 2000 onwards, massive layoffs had reduced staff to 600. Also the Studio decided to focus on CGI animation for future releases instead of the traditional animation methods to compete with Pixar, Dreamworks and Blue Sky Studios. This led to the shutdown of the Paris Studio in 2003 and the conversion of the Orlando Studio into a theme park attraction in 2004. Michael Eisner Story In 1976, the Chairman of Paramount Pictures, recruited Michael Eisner from ABC and made him president and CEO of the movie studio. During his tenure at Paramount, the studio turned out such hit films as Saturday Night Fever, Grease, the Star Trek film franchise, and Beverly Hills Cop, and hit TV shows such as Happy Days, Laverne Shirley, Cheers and Family Ties. Diller, the Chairman of Paramount, left in 1984, and Eisner expected to assume Dillers position as studio chief. But he was passed over. Eisner then lobbied for the position of CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Michael Eisner took over as CEO of the Walt Disney Company in 1984 and turned it into a media giant whose interests included movies, sports franchises, theme parks and television networks. During the early part of the 1990s, Eisner and his partners set out to plan The Disney Decade which was to feature new parks around the world, existing park expansions, new films, and new media investments. While some of the proposals did follow through, most did not. These included the Euro Disney Resort (now Disneyland Paris), Disney-MGM Studios (now Disneys Hollywood Studios), Disneys California Adventure Park, Disney-MGM Studios Paris (eventually opened in 2002 as Walt Disney Studios Park), and various film projects Frank Wells, COO of Walt Disney. died in a helicopter crash in 1994. When Jeffery Katzenberg was passed over for Wells post, he resigned and formed Dreamworks SKG with partners Steven Spielberg and David Geffen. Dreamworks would go on to become one of the biggest and most successful movie studios of all time and a big competitor to Disneys animation features. Instead, Eisner appointed Michael Ovitz, one of the founders of the Creative Artists Agency, to be President, with minimal involvement from Disneys board of directors, which included many influential and respected members. Ovitz lasted only 14 months and left Disney in December 1996 via a no fault termination with a severance package of $38 million in cash and 3 million stock options worth roughly $100 million at the time of Ovitzs departure. The Ovitz episode left a bad taste in the mouth and people were very disappointed with Eisners high handedness and autocratic style of working. By 2003, Disneys fortunes had flagged and Roy E. Disney, the son of Disney co-founder Roy O. Disney and nephew of Walt Disney, resigned from his positions as Disney vice chairman and chairman of Walt Disney Feature Animation, accusing Eisner of micromanagement, flops with the ABC television network, timidity in the theme park business, turning the Walt Disney Company into a rapacious, soul-less company, and refusing to establish a clear succession plan, as well as a string of box-office movie flops starting in the year 2000. On March 3, 2004, at Disneys annual shareholders meeting, a surprising and unprecedented 43% of Disneys shareholders, predominantly rallied by former board members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold, withheld their proxies to re-elect Eisner to the board. This effectively ended Eisners stint at Disney. On March 13, 2005, Eisner announced that he would step down as CEO one year before his contract expired. Eisners replacement was his longtime assistant, Robert Iger. The Pixar Story Pixar started in 1979 as the Graphics Group, a part of the Computer Division of Lucasfilm.It is based in Emeryville, California. It was launched with the hiring of Dr. Ed Catmull from the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), where he was in charge of the Computer Graphics Lab (CGL).. The team at Pixar under Dr. Catmull worked on creating Motion Doctor, which allowed traditional cel animators to use computer animation with minimal training. Initially, Pixar started off as a computer hardware company whose core product was the Pixar Image Computer, a system primarily sold to government agencies and the medical community. One of Pixar Image Computers biggest customers was Disney Studios. However, The Image Computer never sold well. In a bid to drive sales of the system, Pixar employee John Lasseter—who had long been creating short demonstration animations, such as Luxo Jr., to show off the devices capabilities—premiered his creations at SIGGRAPH, the computer graphics industrys largest convention, to great fanfare. This would begin Pixars journey into the world of animated feature films. Poor sales of Pixars computers threatened to bankrupt the company, And Lasseters animation department began producing computer-animated commercials for outside companies to bring in much needed revenue. Early successes included campaigns for Tropicana, Listerine, and LifeSavers. The team began working on film sequences produced by their parent, Lucasfilm or worked collectively with Industrial Light and Magic, ILM is another Lucasfilm company, on special effects. In 1986, Steve Jobs purchased Pixar from Lucas Films shortly after he left Apple Computer. Jobs paid $10 million as capital into the company. The newly independent company had 45 employees and was headed by Dr. Edwin Catmull, President, and Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, Executive Vice President and Director. Jobs served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pixar. Pixar has made 10 feature films beginning with Toy Story in 1995 and each one has achieved critical and commercial success. Pixar followed Toy Story with A Bugs Life in 1998, Toy Story 2 in 1999, Monsters, Inc. in 2001, Finding Nemo in 2003 (which is, to date, the most commercially successful Pixar film, grossing over $800 million worldwide), The Incredibles in 2004, Cars in 2006, Ratatouille in 2007, WALL-E in 2008, and Up in 2009 (the first Pixar film presented in Disney Digital 3-D). John Lasseter Story Lasseter was born in Hollywood, California. When he was in college., he heard of a new program at California Institute of the Arts and decided to leave his current college to follow his dream of becoming an animator.. Lasseter was taught by three members of Disneys Nine Old Men Eric Larson, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. On graduation in 1978 , Lasseter joined The Walt Disney Company, as a Jungle Cruise skipper at Disneyland in Anaheim. He later obtained a job as an animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation, Since the release of 101 Dalmatians in 1961, Lasseter felt WDFA had hit its creative peak and there was no innovation coming through in either the animation or the storytelling. In 1980 or 1981 he came across some video tapes from one of the then new computer-graphics conferences, and he experienced as a revelation.He saw the huge potential of this new technology in revitalizing the creative juices at WDFA. Lasseter realized that computers could be used to make movies with three dimensional backgrounds where traditionally animated characters could interact to add a new, visually stunning depth that had not been conceived before. During this time, Lasseter tried to sell his ideas to Disneys top bosses and he got the approval to do a short test film on the famous story Where the Wild things are. However,he unknowingly stepped on some of their direct superiors toes by circumventing them in their enthusiasm to get the project into motion. One of them, the animation administrator Ed Hansen disliked it so much that when Lasseter and Wilhite tried to sell the idea to him and Ron Miller, which they at that time were already aware of, they turned it down. A few minutes after the meeting, Lasseter was summoned by Hansen to his office, where John was told that his employment in the Walt Disney Studios had been terminated. While putting together a crew for the planned feature for Disney, he had made some contacts in the computer industry, among them Alvy Ray Smith and Ed Catmull at Lucasfilm Computer Graphics Group. After being fired, Lasseter visited a computer graphics conference at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, where he met and talked to Catmull again. Before the day was over, Lasseter had made a deal to work as an interface designer with Catmull and his colleagues on a project that resulted in their first computer animated short: The Adventures of Andrà © and Wally B. Lasseter oversaw all of Pixars films and associated projects as executive producer. He also personally directed Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Toy Story 2, and Cars. Lasseter has won two Academy Awards, for Animated Short Film (Tin Toy), as well as a Special Achievement Award (Toy Story). He was also nominated on four other occasions in the category of Animated Feature, for both Cars (2006) and Monsters, Inc. (2001), in the Original Screenplay category for Toy Story (1995) and in the Animated Short category for Luxo, Jr. (1986), while the short Knick Knack (1989) was selected by Director Terry Gilliam as one of the ten best animated films of all time. Corporate Culture at Pixar At most studios, a specialized development department generated new movie ideas. Pixar assembles cross-company teams for this purpose. Teams comprise directors, writers, artists and storyboard people who originate and refine ideas until they have the potential to become great films. Pixar believes in finding people who will work effectively together and ensures a healthy social dynamics in the team and this, they believe helps the team solve problems. Another important tenet in Pixar is the creation of a peer culture, where employees encourage people throughout the company to help each other produce their best work. At Pixar, daily animation work is shown in an incomplete state to the whole crew. This process helps people get over any embarrassment about sharing unfinished work, so they become even more creative. It enables creative leads to communicate important points to the entire crew at once. And sometimes a innovative piece of animation sparks others to raise their game. At Pixar, the belief is that, the most efficient way to resolve the numerous problems that arise in any complex project is to trust people to address difficulties directly, without having to get permission. So, everyone is given permission to communicate to anyone. Within Pixar, members of any department can approach anyone in another department to solve problems without having to go through proper channels. Managers understand they dont always have to be the first to know about something going on in their realm, and that its okay to walk into a meeting and be surprised. Special attention is given to craft a learning environment, this reinforces the mindset that everyone is learning and that its fun to learn together. â€Å"Pixar University† trains people in multiple skills as they advance in their careers. It also offers optional courses (screenplay writing, drawing, sculpting) so people from different disciplines can interact and appreciate what each other does. While many people dislike Post-Mortems of projects as they would rather discuss what went right than what went wrong and after investing extensive time on a project, theyd like to move on. So post-mortems at Pixar are structured to stimulate discussion. Pixar asks post mortem participants to list the top five things theyd do again and the top five things they wouldnt do. The positive-negative balance makes it a safer environment to explore every aspect of the project. Participants also bring in lots of performance data including metrics such as how often something had to be reworked. Data further stimulates discussions and challenges assumptions based on subjective impressions. Corporate Culture at Disney Under autocratic former CEO Michael Eisner, control rather than collaboration was the norm and unit heads became afraid or unable to make decisions. With Disney vying for a share of digital market, the timing of the upheaval could hardly have been worse. Fortunately, new chief executive Bob Iger is a completely different animal to Eisner and immediately set out to restore harmony. Achieving this involved transforming the culture rules almost beyond recognition. Unlike his predecessor, Iger: * Rules by consensus * Shows faith in his subordinates * And is willing to keep a low profile and let others take the plaudits. No longer shackled by central control, key players in the organization now enjoy greater freedom to call the shots. And while Eisner overtly pooh-poohed any ideas he did not like, Iger values and encourages the contributions of others. Consequently, during weekly meetings the dialogue no longer flows just one way. The CEO visits rank and file to show them that their efforts are appreciated and has made his office a more welcoming place. This might seems as trivial gestures to some but the effect on morale can be priceless. But perhaps Igers most significant attribute is the trust he places in his people to get the job done. In contrast, Eisner cramped the style of others by insisting on being involved in anything and everything. In time, Disney gained a reputation of being slow to react. But Iger tells his people to go for it and will only get involved when it is absolutely necessary. Igers back seat style of leadership has allowed scriptwriters more freedom and the studio chief greater decision making power. Disney and Pixar: The Partnership During the 90s there was an explosive growth in the use of CGI in animation and live action feature films. Soon CGI animation came to dominate special effects in both kinds of features. The barrier between animation and special effects were shattered and the enhancement of Hollywood films using CGI became second nature and often went unnoticed. In 1991, due to losses suffered from their computer hardware business, there was serious financial strife at Pixar. This resulted in substantial layoffs in their computer department. Pixar made a $26 million deal with Disney to produce three computer-animated feature films, the first of which was Toy Story. Despite this, the company was losing money and Steve Jobs was thinking about divesting his shares in Pixar. Only after confirming that Disney would distribute Toy Story for the 1995 holiday season did he decide to give it another chance. The film went on to gross more than $350 million worldwide. Disagreements started to crop up between Disney and Pixar from their next project together, Toy Story 2. Originally intended as a straight-to-video release (and thus not part of Pixars three-picture deal), the film was eventually upgraded to a theatrical release during production. Disney refused to consider this feature film as part of the three picture deal as demanded by Pixar. Pixars first five feature films have collectively grossed more than $2.5 billion, equivalent to the highest per-film average gross in the industry. Though profitable for both, Pixar later complained that the arrangement was not equitable. While Pixar was created and produced, and Disney only handled marketing and distribution, Profits and production costs were being split 50-50, and not only that, Disney exclusively owned all story and sequel rights and also collected a distribution fee. The lack of story and sequel rights was perhaps the most onerous aspect to Pixar and set the stage for a contentious relat ionship. The two companies attempted to reach a new agreement in early 2004. The new deal would be only for distribution, as Pixar intended to control production and own the resulting film properties themselves. The company also wanted to finance their films on their own and collect 100 percent of the profits, paying Disney only the 10 to 15 percent distribution fee. More importantly, as part of any distribution agreement with Disney, Pixar demanded control over films already in production under their old agreement, including The Incredibles and Cars. Disney considered these conditions unacceptable, but Pixar would not concede. Disagreements between Steve Jobs and then Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner made the negotiations more difficult than they otherwise might have been. They broke down completely in mid-2004, with Jobs declaring that Pixar was actively seeking partners other than Disney. Pixar did not enter negotiations with other distributors. After a lengthy hiatus, negotiations between the two companies resumed following the departure of Eisner from Disney in September 2005. In preparation for potential fallout between Pixar and Disney, Jobs announced in late 2004 that Pixar would no longer release movies at the Disney-dictated November time frame, but during the more lucrative early summer months. This would also allow Pixar to release DVDs for their major releases during the Christmas shopping season. An added benefit of delaying Cars was to extend the time frame remaining on the Pixar-Disney contract to see how things would play out between the two companies. Acquisition by Disney Disney announced on January 24, 2006 that it had agreed to buy Pixar for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal. Following Pixar shareholder approval, the acquisition was completed May 5, 2006. The transaction catapulted Steve Jobs, who was the majority shareholder of Pixar with 50.1%, to Disneys largest individual shareholder with 7% and a new seat on its board of directors. Jobs new Disney holdings exceed holdings belonging to ex-CEO Michael Eisner, the previous top shareholder, who still held 1.7%; and Disney Director Emeritus Roy E. Disney, who held almost 1% of the corporations shares. As part of the deal, Pixar co-founder John Lasseter, by then Executive Vice President, became Chief Creative Officer (reporting to President and CEO Robert Iger and consulting with Disney Director Roy Disney) of both Pixar and the Walt Disney Animation Studios, as well as the Principal Creative Adviser at Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs and builds the companys theme parks. Catmull retained his position as President of Pixar, while also becoming President of Walt Disney Animation Studios, reporting to Bob Iger and Dick Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studio Entertainment. Steve Jobs position as Pixars Chairman and Chief Executive Officer was also removed, and instead he took a place on the Disney board of directors. Lasseter and Catmulls oversight of both the Disney and Pixar studios did not mean that the two studios were merging, however. In fact, additional conditions were laid out as part of the deal to ensure that Pixar remained a separate entity, a concern that analysts had had about the Disney deal.Some of those conditions were that Pixar HR policies would remain intact, including the lack of employment contracts. Also, the Pixar name was guaranteed to continue, and the studio would remain in its current Emeryville, California location with the Pixar sign. Finally, branding of films made post-merger would be Disney†¢Pixar (beginning with Cars). EXHIBITS Name of Feature Film Studio Total Gross 1 The Lion King(1994) Disney $783,841,776 2 Finding Nemo(2004) Disney/Pixar $864,625,978 3 Shrek(2001) Dreamworks $484,409,218 4 Monsters Inc(2001) Disney/Pixar $525,366,597 5 Toy Story 2(1999) Disney/Pixar $485,752,179 6 Aladdin(1992) Disney $504,050,219 7 Snow White(1937) Disney $184,925,486 8 Ice Age(2002) 20th Century Fox $383,257,136 9 Incredibles(2004) Pixar $631,442,092 10 The Little Mermaid(1989) Disney $183,355,863 Exhibit 1 : Top Grossing Animated Feature Films DIS 1-yr chart Exhibit 2 Disney Stock Price from Aug 06 to Jun 07 We start off our analysis using Porters Five Forces of Competition to understand Disneys situation in the industry and the rationale behind its actions. * Threat of New Entrants * Bargaining Power of Suppliers * Bargaining Power of Buyers * Threat of Substitutes * Rivalry among competing firms Threat of new entrants: CGI animation movie industry is a robust industry which is urdergoing a period of phenomenal growth. This is an attractive segment for movie studios to venture into as revenues from live action movies are falling while their budget rises ever higher. CGI animation movies are an interesting option for many movie studio to increase their toplines without hurting their bottomlines. In this regard, we have seen many established movie studios partner with independent animation studios from within and outside the United States in creating CGI animation movies. While, these movies have not been able to garner the critical or commercial acclaim of that of Pixar, the quality and quantity of such ‘outsourced CGI animation movies are increasing YoY and represent a significant threat to the market pull of existing players in the segment. So we would rate the threat of new entrants as high. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Resources needed for making CGI animation are the technology behind the animation, the story and the animators. Pixar has been a pioneer in creating the technology for animation and with its acquisition, Disney has backward integrated with its supplier, hence reducing the uncertainty in its environment. Both Disney and Pixar have a large team of dedicated scriptwriters and animators, all of whom work under short or long term employment contracts, the loss of a few of the talent will not reduce the quality of the output of either Studios. However, scriptwriters in US are unionized and have in the past gone on strike against major studios to renegotiate revenue sharing agreements from movie revenue. The strike cost studios hundreds of millions of dollars in lost opportunities, movie shooting delays and cost overruns. So the employees cannot be taken for granted and Disney will have to strike a fine balancing act to please both it employees and shareholder s if it wants to get the best work of the employees. We would rate the bargaining power of suppliers as medium. Bargaining Power of Buyers: While in the past, almost the entire revenue receipts from movies came from the theatergoing public within the US, due to the effects of globalization and technology diffusion, the receipts can now be classified on basis of geography and the mode of delivery of content. Worldwide movie market outside United States have become big movie spinners for Hollywood movies, sometimes receipts from offshore markets exceed that of the US market. The important markets outside of US for Hollywood movies are: * Japan * United Kingdom * China * Europe Studios sells distribution rights of their movie to other studios, who are often better placed to reach out to these markets. Since Disney and Pixar have a large brand following and pull, they are better placed that most other studios to negotiate for more favourable distribution contracts. Since all movies made by Pixar till now have been movie spinners for everyone associated with it, Disney has considerable clout in negotiating for contracts. The mode of delivery of movie content can be classified into: * Theatrical Release * DVD Release * Internet Release * Satellite TV Release Other than a theatrical release, the release of DVDs and the Satellite TV rights of the movie are a significant revenue stream. The reasons stated earlier regarding Disney and Pixars unique brand placement help them negotiate the best contracts in both types of releases. Internet release is a new phenomenon and is not a significant enough part of the revenue to affect the dynamics. Overall, we would rate the bargaining power of buyers to be low. Threat of Substitute Products: A big threat facing movie studios in general is movie piracy. Piracy is causing a meltdown in both movie and the music industry causing many studios to fail and others to change their business model. Piracy initially started off with CDs and DVDs, but with the advent and diffusion of broadband internet, online piracy is on the rise. Piracy since the 80s has been the biggest threat to the survival of movie studios as they lose billions of dollars worth of revenue receipts because of it. Since CGI movies appeal to all demographics, live action as well as traditional animated movies can be thought of as substitute products. However, historical data suggests that there is considerable cross selling between these genres and it is unlikely that somebodys interest in a different genre is going to prevent him from watching CGI movies. Overall, We would rate the threat of substitute products as medium. Intensity of Competition among existing players: The existing players in the segment are very aggressive and spend a lot on advertising and media to promote their movies. Further consolidation within the industry looks unlikely in the short term future as most studios in the segment have backers with deep pockets. Looking into the future as the frequency of CGI movie releases by major studios increases, the intensity of competition and one upmanship between studios will rise inflating budgets and reducing margins. So, we would rate the intensity of competition between existing players as high. We will summarize the competitive scenario in this grid. Threat of New Entrants High Bargaining Power of Suppliers Medium Bargaining Power of Buyers Low Threat of Substitutes Medium Rivalry among competing firms High As you can see, Disney is functioning within a dynamic environment with a fairly high degree of uncertainty. We have tried to analyze the reasons behind Disneys acquisition by breaking down the reasons of why companies go for MA. Given below is a pictorial representation of the same, Reason 1: To Increase Market Power When a firms size, resources and capabilities increase, it increases its ability to compete. With the acquisition of Pixar, Disney gains access to Pixars pool of talented artists and creative and technical teams. These artists and content developers are big assets in this industry as good talent is hard to find and harder to replace. With the increase in resources, Disney Pixar combine can create more movies per year potentially resulting in a significant value addition to Disney. Reason 2: Horizontal Acquisition Companies go in for acquisitions of firms competing in the same marketspace for obtaining: * Cost Based Synergies * Revenue Based Synergies This is an obvious case of the latter. Pixars last six movies have reportedly earned more than $ 2.5/3.2 billion in total whereas Disneys last movie Chicken Little was only a moderate success. Disney plans to exploit Pixars creative and technical teams in combination with its well established and huge distribution system to increase its revenue. Disney in recent years have been unable to connect with its audience and hence create movies that ha

Great Britain :: History

Great Britain Great Britain is made up of three countries, England, Scotland and Wales. It is an island off the coast of north ­west of Europe. Britain is part of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. The capital is London. Relief There are many different landscapes in Britain, from high mountains to rolling hill sand valleys. Places like Wales, the Lake District and northwest Scotland have high mountains and steep slopes made out of solid rocks. This landscape was made millions of years ago during the ice ages, when moving glaciers of ice made deep valleys, steep mountain slopes and long lakes. The southern and eastern parts of Britain are made up of smaller rocks that have weathered and become fertile farmland. The highest point is Ben Nevis  ­ 1343 metres above sea level and the lowest point is Holme Fen  ­ 3 metres below sea level. The population is 57,970,200 people, the population density at 239 people per square km. 92% of British people live in urban areas while only 8% live in rural areas. Great Britain is completely surrounded by sea, isolating it from the rest of Europe. No part of Britain is far from the sea, which is an important resource for fishing, tourism and ports. Britain’s rivers provide drinking water for towns, and irrigate farmers’ crops. However rivers can cause floods. England The northern and western portions are mountainous. The highlands - the Pennine Chain, forms the backbone of northern England. Rolling plains occupy most of central and eastern England. The western part of the central region is known as the Midlands. To the east lies The Fens, a marsh area. To the south, an elevated plateau slopes upward. Scotland The terrain of Scotland is mountainous but is divided into three regions, from north to south: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands. The Highlands occupy more than a half of Scotland, the most rugged region on the island of Great Britain. Wales Wales has an irregular coastline and many bays; the biggest is Cardigan Bay. Except for narrow and low coastal areas, mainly in the south and west, Wales is mostly mountainous. Area England  ­ 130,439km2 Scotland  ­ 78,772km2 Wales  ­ 20,768km2 Total  ­ 229,979km2 Climate Great Britain has quite cool summers and mild winters. The weather changes from day to day. The climate is temperate  ­ the country does not have long periods when it is hot or cold.

Human Resources Information System Essay

The new Human Resources Information System (HRIS) architecture will be congruent with the existing Information Technology (IT) infrastructure. Technical support will be directed and implemented from the San Jose office. Our proposal recommends a three phase approach to implementation. In the First Phase (1P), HRIS baseline requirements and increased Human Resource utility will be launched at the Riordan Corporate office in singular virtual network. Phase Two (P2) implements the HRIS baseline requirements throughout the United States. Phase Three (P3) implements the HRIS throughout the enterprise worldwide. It is essential that P1 also incorporate a central database to for analytics and reporting. With the new HRIS all personnel information will be standardized and organized for easy retrieval. Enhanced Human Resource functions such as climate surveys, payroll, complaints and employee evaluations will be centrally stored at a central server location. Access may be granted to employees at varied levels with management able to view only employees assigned to them, department heads able to access their departments HR information and senior executives and policy makers able to access all relevant HR information as identified by Riordan Human Resource and Executive management. Additionally, all Riordan employees, regardless of the OS system utilized (Microsoft or iOS) will be able to utilize the Microsoft Office software, the basis for our HRIS. Information Systems are only as good as the software they utilize. We have chosen software that is compatible with Microsoft Office software, most notably Microsoft’s HR iNTouch software and Apple’s HRWeb and iHR. These programs are user friendly, easily taught to new users, and easily deployed with Riordan’s current HR systems and have all of the HR functionality and  tools necessary for a growing company like Riordan. (CipherPoint, 2012) Riordan Director of Human Resources, Yvonne McMillan has requested that a beta-test be done at each level of the HRIS implementation to ensure that HR workflow does not stop at any level within the HR system. The personnel identified in Figure 1 will be acting as the virtual functional manager of each section. These personnel will be acting independently of the actual managers, testing the system throughout the process, identifying any problem areas, noting functionality and documenting areas of improvement. Figure HRIS architecture will include Database Management Systems (DBMS), web-based services, an HR intranet for faster and more secure HR internal management, Object Oriented Programming (OOP) and a fully automated back up of data to ensure zero data loss. The HR intranet will require no additional installation of hardware but will utilize a secure â€Å"tunnel† accessed through a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which will secure the data and will minimize access to those within Riordan’s HR network. At this time the Riordan HR Department uses their Information System to track very basic employee information. The bulky and outdated software currently used by Riordan is memory heavy and bulky. The move to updated software can be done after regular work hours. Training on the new software should be done prior the to release of the new HR software. All employees in HR will need training to include, Managers, Recruiters, Employee Relation Specialist, Human Resource Personnel, and Payroll Specialists. All future upgrades and changes should be based on the employee feedback with greater weight being given to employees who use the new system more (something that is easily tracked with the new HR reporting software. The proposed graphical user interface (GUI) was a standard setup, which can be easily manipulated and customized by the individual user. Department managers have the option of identifying applications in the software the all employees must have, ensuring that the HR baseline functionality is not hindered by customization. â€Å"The reputational damage done to a company that has been victimized by a breach can be significant, as we’ve seen that customers who  have been victimized by a breach are more likely to blame the organization that was breached than the thieves that perform the crime,† said Mike Morelli, Director of BreachShield (Data Security, 2012). With a new Information System comes new Information Security issues, and this IS upgrade is no different. The cost of keeping pace with complex IT issues and the ever-expanding need for data security can drive even simple costs of upgrade to uncomfortable levels. It is recommended that Riordan outsource part of thei r Information Security (IS) needs to a qualified company. Most companies in the United States manage their IS needs in-house, which requires specialists and a constant monitoring of emerging threats. We recommend several resident Information Security specialists to facilitate collaboration to an outsourced company specializing in Information Security. This will reduce cost and will not remove IS expertise from Riordan. Data Base Integrity must be included in the Information Security planning process. Security controls must include the DBMS (Data Base Management System), Identify security controls (Critical Assets) for Riordan HR system: Data Encryption, Transition Control, Backup and Recovery Protection. In summary, the Three Phase or 3P approach to implementation will make the process simple, testable, and easy for Riordan’s Human Resources department. The expanding needs of the growing Riordan employee pool and the complex HR tangle common to a multi-national structure can be easily handled by the 3P approach. Security of informati on, employee training, employee feedback and management oversight all play significant roles in our plan for the new and improved Riordan Information System. References CipherPoint software, inc.; CipherPoint announces data security solutions suite for healthcare organizations. (2013). Information Technology Business, , 73. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1428354374?accountid=458 Data security; affinion security center augments data breach solution. (2012). Information Technology Newsweekly, , 91. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/926634711?accountid=458 Kuyumcu, N. (2005). Hamilton hospital upgrades HR system. Canadian Healthcare Manager, 12(8), 37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205830894?accountid=458

The Digestive Process Of Medicine - 901 Words

The most common way to take medicine is orally. Once the medicine is ingested through the mouth, it goes through the digestive process to eventually be distributed into the organs and tissues. The medication can travel through the body more than once if the medication was not fully dissolved in the first travel through. Within the stomach, acidic juices help to break down nutrients from food or other substances and eliminate bacteria that were on or in the ingested substance. (Howell, 2016) The digestive process happens when food or anything ingested passes through the gastrointestinal tract. The typical route of the consumed food is the mouth, to the esophagus, to the stomach, next to the small intestine then lastly to the large†¦show more content†¦And if the pill has a very strong outer coating, it may dissolve in the small intestines. The gastric juices help to dissolve the medicine because of its high acidic levels. (Howell, 2016) Stomach acid, also known as gastri c juices, is mostly made of hydrochloric acid and also consists of water, electrolytes, enzymes, mucus, and intrinsic factor. Gastric acid in the body helps to protect the gastrointestinal tract from harmful bacteria that has been consumed. Since stomach acid is very acidic, it is able to do all of its needs such as, break down nutrients and kill harmful bacteria. (Lehman, 2016) (McDade Cloos, 2009) The concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach acid varies between 5,000 and 10,000 parts per million. Levels of pH vary between1 and 12. If a substance has a pH of 12 it is the very basic, while a substance with a pH of 1 is very acidic. Stomach acid has a pH that varies between 1 and 3, making it very acidic. In comparison to water, normal gastric juices’ levels are 100,000-1,000,000 times more acidic. (McDade Cloos, 2009) (National Center for Family Learnings, 2014) Foods and liquids have different effects on medication in the body. For example, Norman Tomaka re search shows that hot liquids can affect the outer coating, releasing the medicine quicker. Dairy products are shown to limit the absorption from the stomach to the blood. The pH of some liquids may also affect the distribution of someShow MoreRelatedEssay on Probiotics and Prebiotics924 Words   |  4 PagesThe digestive system is a compellation of organs that process foods consumed by humans. Our digestive system is made up of the stomach and intestines. These organs work simultaneously to break down food into smaller molecules so the body can extract nutrients and then turn it into waste. Since our digestive system constantly comes in contact with various foods, it also becomes an active site for growth of bacteria. Our digestive system contains astounding amounts of bacteria, which are both beneficialRead MoreDigestive Systems And The Digestive System Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesthought the digestive system would be a good topic because food is probably one of my favorite things, not only cause it tastes good but because it gives me the energy to do all the things I need to do throughout the day. We talked in class about how you should always get the nutrients from food and never from supplements, which I’ve always tried to do. So, what is the digestive system? The digestive system is an assortment of organs that performs the process of digestion. The process of digestionRead MoreThe Pancreas Relative Essay1428 Words   |  6 Pagessmall intestine) through a small tube called the pancreatic duct. The narrow end of the pancreas, called the tail, extends to the left side of the body. 2. Describe the functional anatomy of the duct system that conveys bile from the liver and digestive juice from the pancreas to the lumen of the duodenum. - When the liver cells secrete bile, it is collected by a system of ducts that flow from the liver through the right and left hepatic ducts. These ducts ultimately drain into the common hepaticRead MoreThe Digestive System Of The Human Body981 Words   |  4 PagesThe digestive system is one of the most overlooked systems in the human body. Although most people cannot sense the system at work like they do when they breathe in air or feel their heart beat, it still continues to deliver nutrients throughout the systems. The digestion system is responsible for nourishing the human body with the energy necessary to stay healthy and getting rid of the unnecessary materials (Marieb 1989). The digestive system is composed of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomachRead MoreThe Digestive System : Inhibition And Exocytosis1630 Words   |  7 PagesPancreatic Role in the Digestive System: Inhibition and Exocytosis The function of the pancreas has a substantial part in the regulation of the digestive system. The small intestine alongside the pancreas also contributes many features to the signaling pathways protein and other major enzymes must undergo before reaching the exocytosis stage. Specific hormones and receptors help in the necessary release of such enzyme. Secretagogues initiates particular signals throughout the progression and developmentRead MoreReal Life Uses for Metabolic and Digestive Enzymes Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesEnzymes are necessary for healthy digestion. Enzymes control all of the chemical reactions. Enzymes are crucial to all living things. There are two types of enzymes; metabolic and digestive enzymes. The role of metabolic enzymes is to grow new cells and maintain all the tissues in the body. The role of digestive enzymes is to help us digest food. Enzymes are used to break down fats, proteins, fiber, starch, dairy products, sugar and grains. The role of enzymes in the body is to make some of theRead MoreGood Digestion Is The Foundation Of Good Health906 Words   |  4 Pagesis also the barrier between the outside world and your internal physiology. Digestive disorders, treatments, causes, etc. is an expansive topic. For the sake of time, I am going to focus primarily on treating an increasingly common condition called â€Å"leaky gut syndrome†, as it can lead to many serious complications down the road. The strategies you’ll use to help fight this, will also serve to increase your body’s digestive capacity. Simply put, we need to remove this roadblock to ensure optimal digestionRead MoreThe Mythological Beginning Of Ayurveda Medicine1243 Words   |  5 Pagesand healing can occur through the connection of the mind, body, behavior, and environment. History The mythological beginning of ayurveda medicine begins with Brahma god of creation, Vishnu god of preserving creation and Shiva god of destroying creation. These three gods work in harmony together to create and maintain a balanced universe. The story of medicine begins with the â€Å"Churning of the Ocean† the belief that the bottom of the ocean contains valuable things which needed to be returned. VishnuRead MoreThe Dynamic Gastric Model ( Dgm )881 Words   |  4 PagesThe dynamic gastric model (DGM) was invented and designed by Dr. Martin Wickham and Dr. Richard Faulks from the United Kingdom. Even though the model is only half the size of the human digestive system, it can be used to investigate the effects of diet, drugs, alcohol and other factors on digestion. The figure is made of plastic and metal and is composed in two parts. The upper section is a funnel and a cylinder shaped container where food, enzyme, and gastric acid are mixed. After the hydrationRead MoreThe E volution Of Pavlov. Southwest State University Essay1477 Words   |  6 Pages Deja Tolbert The Evolution of Pavlov Southeast Missouri State University Abstract Pavlov was a Nobel Prize-winning physiologist who contributed a great deal to the field of psychology. His research into the process of the conditioned reflex is considered a milestone discovery in behavioral psychology as well as modern physiology. Pavlov focused on digestion studies which then would lead him to the act of learning and the discovery of conditioned reflexes. â€Æ' Ivan Pavlov