... PLAYER Good game design is player-centric. That means that above all else, the player and her desires are truly considered. Rather than demanding that she do something via the rules, the gameplay itself should inherently motivate the player in the direction the designer wants her to go. Telling players they must travel around the board or advance to the next level is one thing. If they don’t have a reason and a desire to do it, then it becomes torture. In creating a game, designers take a step back and think from the player’s viewpoint: What’s this game about? How do I play? How do I win? Why do I want to play? What things do I need to do? MEANINGFUL DECISIONS Distilled down to its essence, game design is about creating opportunities for players to make meaningful decisions that affect the outcome of the game. Consider a game like a boxing match. So many decisions lead up to the ultimate victory. How long will I train? Will I block or will I swing? What is my opponent going to do? Where is his weakness? Jab left or right? Even those few, brief questions don’t come close to the myriad decisions a fighter must make as he progresses through a match. Games invite players into similar mental spaces. Games like Tetris and Chess keep our minds busy by forcing us to consider which one of several possible moves we want to take next. In taking these paths, we know that we may be prolonging or completely screwing up our entire game. The Sims games and those in Sid...
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...the research upon which article is based. The author has worked for a number of companies in the two-sided markets discussed in this paper including Bloomberg, Microsoft, and Visa. © David S. Evans 2002. Abstract “Two-sided” markets have two different groups of customers that businesses have to get on board to succeed—there is a “chicken-and-egg” problem that needs to be solved. These industries range from dating clubs (men and women), to video game consoles (game developers and users), to credit cards (cardholders and merchants), and to operating system software (application developers and users). They include some of the most important industries in the economy. Two-sided firms behave in ways that seem surprising from the vantage point of traditional industries, but in ways that seem like plain common sense once one understands the business problems they must solve. Prices do not and prices cannot follow marginal costs in each side of the market. Price levels, price structures, and investment strategies must optimize output by harvesting the indirect network effects available on both sides. By doing so, businesses in two-sided industries get both sides on board and solve the chicken-and-egg problem. There is no basis for asking regulators or antitrust enforcers to steer clear of these industries or to...
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...The Reader’s Digest condensed version of The Road to Serfdom The Road to Serfdom FRIEDRICH A. HAYEK The condensed version of The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek as it appeared in the April 1945 edition of Reader’s Digest The Institute of Economic Affairs First published in Great Britain in 1999 in the ‘Rediscovered Riches’ series by The Institute of Economic Affairs 2 Lord North Street Westminster London sw1p 3lb Reissued in the ‘Occasional Paper’ series in 2001 This condensed version of The Road to Serfdom © Reader’s Digest, reproduced by kind permission The Road to Serfdom is published in all territories outside the USA by Routledge. This version is published by kind permission. All other material copyright © The Institute of Economic Affairs 1999, 2001 Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders associated with this edition. In some cases this has not been possible. The IEA will be pleased to include any corrections in the next edition. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. isbn 0 255 36530 6 Many IEA publications are translated into...
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...This week's graded topics relate to the following Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs): A | Given an organizational requirement to conform business practices to both the law and best ethical practices, apply appropriate ethical theories to shape a business decision. | I | Given specified circumstances of a business decision to expand to international markets, determine what international legal requirements or regulatory controls apply. | Topics for This Week's Discussion * Introduce yourself to your professor and the rest of the class. (not graded) * Thread over TCO A/I (graded) * Ethics and Patent Rights Post 9/11 (graded) * Q & A Forum for your questions and comments (not graded) | | There is a drop down arrow next to the "Select a Topic" box. Click on this arrow to select topics for discussion. | ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Select a Topic: Bottom of Form The World Bank Situation (graded) | Class, please read Chapter 2, problem 5 from the Jennings text, p. 72. This week, we will discuss the Wolfowitz situation at the World Bank. Consider the questions at the end of the problem as you make comments in the threads this week. What are the ethics here? Was Wolfowitz trying to do the right thing? Does that make a difference ethically? Throughout the week, I will bring in further questions. Be sure to read the lecture and the international ethics article stated in your reading for the week as well. | ...
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...------------------------------------------------- Top of Form The Rise and Fall of Enron | The rise and fall of Enron is an important, complex story. In its early days Enron did the right things for the right reason and garnered substantial credibility. Later successful operations were replaced with the illusion of successful operations. In the last phases Enron milked its credibility to sustain operations through loans. When its credibility with lenders crumbled the loan funds dried up and the corporation imploded. It is reminiscent of the old cartoon of the wily coyote who runs off a cliff. For a period of time after the coyote leaves solid ground he is suspended and tries by furious windmilling to stay suspended but eventually plummets to the ground. In Enron's case the magical period of suspension after it had left the solid ground of economically profitable operation lasted for years. The History of the Natural Gas Industry Natural gas, primarily methane, was originally an unwanted byproduct of petroleum extraction. For many years when an oil well vented gas it was simply flared; i.e., burned off. But people eventually learned the uses and virtues of natural gas and built pipelines to convey it to the cities where it took the place of coal gas for residential and industrial lighting and heating. The market for natural gas has three major types of economic units: 1. Suppliers, 2. Customers, 3. Pipeline companies. In a competitive market the fluctuations in the supply of...
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...Transactions and Strategies Economics for Management This page intentionally left blank Transactions and Strategies Economics for Management ROBERT J. MICHAELS Mihaylo College of Business and Economics California State University, Fullerton Australia • Brazil • Japan • Korea • Mexico • Singapore • Spain • United Kingdom • United States Transactions and Strategies: Economics for Management Robert J. Michaels Vice President of Editorial, Business: Jack W. Calhoun Publisher: Joe Sabatino Sr. Acquisitions Editor: Steve Scoble Supervising Developmental Editor: Jennifer Thomas Editorial Assistant: Lena Mortis Sr. Marketing Manager: John Carey Marketing Coordinator: Suellen Ruttkay Marketing Specialist: Betty Jung Content Project Manager: Cliff Kallemeyn Media Editor: Deepak Kumar Sr. Art Director: Michelle Kunkler Frontlist Buyer, Manufacturing: Sandee Milewski Internal Designer: Juli Cook/ Plan-It-Publishing, Inc. Cover Designer: Rose Alcorn Cover Image: © Justin Guariglia/Corbis © 2011 South-Western, Cengage Learning ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means— graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, information storage and retrieval systems, or in any other manner—except as may be permitted by the license terms herein. For product information and technology assistance, contact us at Cengage Learning Customer & Sales Support...
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... in DTH signals directly come from the satellite to your DTH dish. Also, with DTH, a user can scan nearly 700 channels! DTH offers better quality picture than cable TV. This is because cable TV in India is analog. Despite digital transmission and reception, the cable transmission is still analog. DTH offers stereophonic sound effects. It can also reach remote areas where terrestrial transmission and cable TV have failed to... From slums to high rises, interior villages to the swankiest locations, one consumer electronic appliance that you’ll see in Indian homes is the TV. A report from a market research firm pegs TV sales at 1.87 corer units in 2011, with a growth rate of 9 per cent per annum. In the mid 80s, after the Asian Games had kicked off the television revolution in India, the content provider was the state channel Doordarshan. There were no fights over the remote because apart from the fact that most TVs didn’t come with a remote, there was only one channel to watch. The typical Indian family gathered to cry with soaps, watch mythological series in wonder and awe and entertain themselves with an odd movie or two each week. The situation changed in the 90s as the skies opened and private operators were allowed to beam content...
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...onoECONOMICS RESOURCE | 1 ECONOMICS RESOURCE | 1 ECONOMICS 2009-10: FUNDAMENTALS OF ECONOMIC THINKING Table of Contents Preface to the Economics Resource .................................................................................. 5 Fundamentals of Economics ............................................................................................ 7 The Basic Economic Problem—Scarcity ............................................................................................ 8 Production of Goods and Services .................................................................................................... 10 Increasing Costs ............................................................................................................................... 12 The Factors of Production ............................................................................................................... 14 Benefit-Cost Analysis – Marginal Decision-Making ......................................................................... 15 Marginal Utility and Waffles ............................................................................................................ 17 More on Marginal Utility and the Effect of Prices ............................................................................ 19 Individual and Social Goals .............................................................................................................. 20 Positive and Normative Economics...
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...Note from the Authors: “Creative Entrepreneurship” was born out of the desire, want and curiosity of kbs+’s staff to understand the crazy world of entrepreneurship. “Creative Entrepreneurship” curates the perspectives of leading entrepreneurs and venture capitalists as a guide for people interested in learning more. Each writer graciously contributed their work to create a curated resource for creative entrepreneurs. This book is the teaching and inspirational aid for our kbs+ Ventures Fellows – a highly select group of kbs+ staffers from all levels and areas of the agency – who go through a six-month educational program to immerse themselves in the startup and venture capital world. Share this entrepreneurial inspiration with friends using @kbspvc or #kbspvcbook. If you would like to share any inspiration, thoughts or feedback, please contact us at @kbspvc anytime – we look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for downloading our book! Darren Herman Taylor Davidson Creative Entrepreneurship Darren Herman Taylor Davidson a kbs+ partner We have received explicit permission from all authors of the works found in this book. Unless otherwise stated, we do not claim to have written or own any of this work. We are purely aggregating it into a simple book format for the education of anyone who picks up this book. The price of this book is free; if anyone tries to sell this book to you, please report them to us. Hopefully this book inspires you as much as it does...
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...S O N SOUTH-W ES TE THO M RN MBA series in ’s Eco n o mi cs Managerial Economics A Problem Solving Approach Luke M. Froeb Vanderbilt University Brian T. McCann Purdue University Australia Brazil Canada Mexico Singapore Spain United Kingdom United States Managerial Economics: A Problem-Solving Approach Luke M. Froeb VP/Editorial Director: Jack W. Calhoun Editor-in-Chief: Alex von Rosenberg Sr. Acquisitions Editor: Mike Worls Sr. Content Project Manager: Cliff Kallemeyn Brian T. McCann Art Director: Michelle Kunkler Sr. First Print Buyer: Sandee Milewski Printer: West Group Eagan, MN Marketing Manager: Jennifer Garamy Marketing Coordinator: Courtney Wolstoncroft Technology Project Manager: Dana Cowden COPYRIGHT ª 2008 Thomson South-Western, a part of The Thomson Corporation. Thomson, the Star logo, and SouthWestern are trademarks used herein under license. Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 09 08 07 06 ISBN-13: 978-0-324-35981-7 ISBN-10: 0-324-35981-0 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storage and retrieval systems, or in any other manner—without the written permission of the publisher. For permission to use material from this text or product, submit a request online at http://www.thomsonrights...
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...IN THIS CHAPTER YOU WILL . . . 1 Learn that economics is about the allocation of scarce resources Examine some of the tradeof fs that people face Learn the meaning of oppor tunity cost See how to use marginal reasoning when making decisions TEN OF PRINCIPLES ECONOMICS Discuss how incentives af fect people’s behavior The word economy comes from the Greek word for “one who manages a household.” At first, this origin might seem peculiar. But, in fact, households and economies have much in common. A household faces many decisions. It must decide which members of the household do which tasks and what each member gets in return: Who cooks dinner? Who does the laundry? Who gets the extra dessert at dinner? Who gets to choose what TV show to watch? In short, the household must allocate its scarce resources among its various members, taking into account each member’s abilities, efforts, and desires. Like a household, a society faces many decisions. A society must decide what jobs will be done and who will do them. It needs some people to grow food, other people to make clothing, and still others to design computer software. Once society has allocated people (as well as land, buildings, and machines) to various jobs, 3 Consider why trade among people or nations can be good for everyone Discuss why markets are a good, but not per fect, way to allocate resources Learn what determines some trends in the overall economy 1 TLFeBOOK 2 4 Ten Principles...
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...Mergers & Acquisitions in India With specific reference to Competition Law This research paper is a copyright of Nishith Desai Associates. No reader should act on the basis of any statement contained herein without seeking professional advice. The authors and the firm expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person who has read this research paper, or otherwise, in respect of anything, consequences by any such and of of anything in February 1, 2010 done, or omitted to be done person reliance upon the contents of this research paper. Nishith Desai Associates www.nishithdesai.com TABLE OF CONTENTS I. II. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 3 Mergers and Amalgamations: Key Corporate and Securities Laws Considerations. ...................................... 7 III. Acquisitions: Key Corporate and Securities Laws Considerations................................................................. 10 IV. Competition Law ............................................................................................................................................ 21 V. Exchange Control............................................................................................................................................ 24 VI. Taxes and Duties ...................................................................................................
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...BUSINESS STRATEGIES Strategic management involves the formulation and implementation of the major goals and initiatives taken by a company's top management on behalf of owners, based on consideration of resources and an assessment of the internal and external environments in which the organization competes.[1] Strategic management provides overall direction to the enterprise and involves specifying the organization's objectives, developing policies and plans designed to achieve these objectives, and then allocating resources to implement the plans. Academics and practicing managers have developed numerous models and frameworks to assist in strategic decision making in the context of complex environments and competitive dynamics.[2] Strategic management is not static in nature; the models often include a feedback loop to monitor execution and inform the next round of planning.[3][4][5] Harvard Professor Michael Porter identifies three principles underlying strategy: creating a "unique and valuable [market] position", making trade-offs by choosing "what not to do", and creating "fit" by aligning company activities with one another to support the chosen strategy.[6] Dr. Vladimir Kvint defines strategy as "a system of finding, formulating, and developing a doctrine that will ensure long-term success if followed faithfully."[7] Corporate strategy involves answering a key question from a portfolio perspective: "What business should we be in?" Business strategy involves answering the...
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...This book has been optimized for viewing at a monitor setting of 1024 x 768 pixels. MADE TO STICK random house a new york MADE TO STICK Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die • • • C H I P H E AT H & D A N H E AT H Copyright © 2007 by Chip Heath and Dan Heath All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Random House and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Heath, Chip. Made to stick : why some ideas survive and others die / Chip Heath & Dan Heath p. cm. Includes index. eISBN: 978-1-58836-596-5 1. Social psychology. 2. Contagion (Social psychology). 3. Context effects (Psychology). I. Heath, Dan. II. Title. HM1033.H43 2007 302'.13—dc22 2006046467 www.atrandom.com Designed by Stephanie Huntwork v1.0 To Dad, for driving an old tan Chevette while putting us through college. To Mom, for making us breakfast every day for eighteen years. Each. C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION WHAT STICKS? 3 Kidney heist. Movie popcorn. Sticky = understandable, memorable, and effective in changing thought or behavior. Halloween candy. Six principles: SUCCESs. The villain: Curse of Knowledge. It’s hard to be a tapper. Creativity starts with templates. CHAPTER 1 SIMPLE 25 Commander’s Intent. THE low-fare airline. Burying the lead and the inverted pyramid. It’s the...
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