The Golden Age of Sail in Saint John - 1071 Words

Even as the Golden Age of Sail was coming to a close, Saint John had remained at the top – the fourth largest shipbuilding center in the world and one of the greatest in North America. Their affluence took a turn during 1877, when the Great Fire of Saint John devastated the city. It shattered not only the lives of city shipbuilders and merchants, but crippled local citizens as well. Summers in Saint John were typically dry and muggy, though on June 20, 1877 there was an eerie uncharacteristic breeze. Although the cause of the original spark remains unknown, it is believed to have started from McLaughlan Son’s boiler shop or from a nearby sawmill. As wood is a naturally rapid burning agent, it led to the quick demise of many wood built city structures. The structures in the Market Square area burnt rapidly – destroying â€Å"over 80 hectares (200 hundred acres) and 1612 structures including eight churches, six banks, fourteen hotels, eleven schooners and fou r woodboats in just over a nine hour period.† It was a period of despair, as men and women were completely drained after â€Å"dragging bedding, pieces of furniture and other articles through the streets, a vain task in many cases, as the new places of refuge sought out often proved as unsafe as those that were deserted.† Several business owners and residents lost everything they had  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ leaving many Saint John natives with nowhere to go. Support quickly began to pour in from all around the world, with donations reaching inShow MoreRelated The Life and Accomplishments of Sir Francis Drake Essay3752 Words   |  16 Pagesfellow sailors. And most of all, he was admired for his wealth and fame he brought to his country and all who did business with him. Many companies were able to be formed from the wealth he bought to investors like Sir William Winter, George Winter, John Hawkins, Sir Francis Walsingham, Sir Christopher Hatton, and Lord Burghley. It is my belief that Francis Drake’s motivation for the attacks on the Spanish monarchy are a indirect result of the attacks on the Protestants by the Roman Catholics inRead MoreThe Colonization Of The Americas2078 Words   |  9 Pagesdiscovered the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. Francisco Pizarro crushed the Incas of Peru in 1532. Silver was now very popular in Spain and it set off a price revolution in Europe that increased consumer costs by about 500%. 1519 – Hernan Cortes set sail from Cuba to Mexico, his purpose being gold. The Aztecs attacked the Spanish but a combination of smallpox and conquest gave way to Spanish rule. The Roman Catholic mission was the sole institution in colonial New Mexico. But in 1680, Pope’s RebellionRead MoreDiscovery of America6704 Words   |  27 Pagesexpedition that they hoped would bypass Portugals lock on Africa and the Indian Ocean reaching Asia by travelling west.[5] Funding campaign In 1485, Columbus presented his plans to John II of Portugal, the King of Portugal. He proposed the king equip three sturdy ships and grant Columbus one years time to sail out west into the Atlantic, search for a western route to the Orient, and return. Columbus also requested he be made Great Admiral of the Ocean Sea (for they called the Atlantic the OceanRead MoreQuestions Macbeth Essay3342 Words   |  14 Pagesa fine young Squire. 9) The Squire’s appearance contrasts with that of the Knight because he was dressed well. The Squire wore a short gown with long and white sleeves, while the Knight wore armor. 10) The Squire was some twenty years of age. 11) The Squire’s talents are riding a horse properly, make songs, poems, and recite, draw, write, dance and joust. The Squire’s talents contrast with the Knight because all the Knight did was joust and kill. 12) The Squire sleeps so littleRead MoreAp European History Outline Chapter 10 Essay example5639 Words   |  23 Pagesdraw rational conclusions based on observation * Burckhardt saw the emergence of the modern world emerge from that of the pre-modern, or medieval, period * Some criticize Burckhardt for overlooking the continuity between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance * Scholars agree that the Renaissance (1375-1527)was a transition from medieval to modern times * Different from the feudal fragmentation of medieval times, Renaissance Europe was characterized by growing nationalRead MoreRenaissance And Discovery Of The Renaissance4916 Words   |  20 Pagesworld empirically and draw rational conclusions based on observation. Burckhardt saw the emergence of the modern world emerge from that of the pre-modern, or medieval, period. Some criticize Burckhardt for overlooking the continuity between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance . Scholars agree that the Renaissance (1375-1527)was a transition from medieval to modern times Different from the feudal fragmentation of medieval times, Renaissance Europe was characterized by growing national consciousness andRead MoreFigurative Language and the Canterbury Tales13472 Words   |  54 Pagesmoral principle. 2. alliteration: repetition of initial consonant sounds. It serves to please the ear and bind verses together, to make lines more memorable, and for humorous effect. †¢ Already American vessels had been searched, seized, and sunk. -John F. Kennedy †¢ I should like to hear him fly with the high fields/ And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land. -Dylan Thomas, â€Å"Fern Hill† 3. allusion: A casual reference in literature to a person, place, event, or another passage ofRead MoreThe Philippine Architecture: Spanish Colonial Period18287 Words   |  74 Pagesgroupings of each citizen were simply adopted from the Spaniards. Religion is the center of Spanish influence, which was adopted by the Filipinos. In most of Filipinos’ houses, there must exist an altar, a specific place where the Sto. Nià ±os and Saints were positioned. Through this influence, the space inside the typical house of a Filipino was added and later on became divided. In the building types, the main four classifications of each were the Military architecture which made the PhilippinesRead MoreWalts Whitmans Vision of America in Leaves of Grass17685 Words   |  71 Pages†©The†©Modern†©Library:†©NY,†©2001.†©Ã‚ «Song†©Of†©Myself »,†©page†©113,†©paragraph†©51,†©lines†©21†©to†© 23.†© 4 †© Walt†©Whitman’s†©vision†©of†©America†©in†©Leaves†©of†©Grass,†©TM†©2012†© I†©believe†©that†©he†©was†©veritably†©convinced†©that†©such†©a†©country†©could†©exist,†©at†©a†©young†© age†©that†©is,†©but†©that†©he†©gradually†©started†©to†©change†©his†©mind†©through†©the†©years,†©especially†© because†© of†© the†© war.†© Toward†© the†© end†© of†© his†© life,†© he†© became†© more†© skeptical†© about†© how†© things†© were†© going†© to†© turn†© out,†© which†© is†© why†© he†© tried†©Read MoreConfucianism in Journey to the West31834 Words   |  128 Pagesof how the Buddhist monk Sanzang (ä ¸â€°Ã¨â€" ), accompanied by his disciples Sun Wukong (Ã¥ ­â„¢Ã¦â€šÅ¸Ã§ © º), Zhu Bajie (çÅ' ªÃ¥â€¦ «Ã¦Ë†â€™), Sha Wujing (æ ²â„¢Ã¦â€šÅ¸Ã¥â€¡â‚¬) and Yulong Santaizi (玉é ¾â„¢Ã¤ ¸â€°Ã ¥ ¤ ªÃ¥ ­ ), traveled to the Western Regions to obtain the sacred scriptures is well-known among Chinese of all ages. In the 1570s, Wu Cheng’en (Ã¥  ´Ã¦â€° ¿Ã¦  ©) wrote the story’s most celebrated version, later published as the novel Journey to the West, also known as Xiyouji (è ¥ ¿Ã¦ ¸ ¸Ã¨ ® °).[1] Over the last few decades numerous television adaptations of Wu Cheng’en’s novel appeared

Analysis Of Harlan s Movie Jud Suss - 939 Words

One of the strongest tools a government can wield is public opinion. Harlan’s movie Jud Suss was used as a propaganda tool to subvert the Jewish population by demonizing them. Harlan’s movie is especially dangerous due to the statement he makes where he asserts the claim that he based the entire film on historical facts. Through this Harlan attempts to justify the movie through an allusion to historical views of the Jewish population. Although Jud Suss did have an artistic flare to it, Harlan’s claims of its integrity are inaccurate as the movie was used to incite the public; through the rewriting of â€Å"historical facts†, the surrounding public controversy and the trial conducted about Harlan’s work. To begin, Harlan’s first defense is the fact that he claims to have used the official records to obtain the facts surrounding Jud. The Duke Carl is a man who lives extravagantly, whose taste rivals none in his domain. Jud is painted as a man who utilizes this to subvert the Duke into becoming his puppet which is simply a false accusation. Jud maybe a smart, cunning man but it was the Duke, who lived beyond his means and Jud was blamed as the cause. Granted Jud may have enabled the Duke, however it was the Duke who led his people into chaos by not understanding them. Historical records state the tension which existed in the court as the Duke, a catholic, was not very well reviewed by the Lutheran majority. Another glaring problem is the fact that it was most likely the court

British Airways free essay sample

Going into more deep and applying this theory to such company as British Airways I can say that Product strategy is the main strategy of Marketing Mix (4 P’S). Without Product strategy there is no Place, Price and Promotion. Speaking about BA it is transporting industry its product is not physical and cannot be touched. British Airways product strategy includes flight  services, quality of flights, various destinations across Europe and  the world, executive class, business class, speed, security, support  facilities and years of experience. Nowadays, the main aircrafts which BA uses to transport people are Airbus A318-100, Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321-200, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 737–400, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777–200, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787–8, Boeing 787–9. Most of the airplanes which are 77% use either Rolls-Royce or IAE alliance engines. Another 23% is divided between General Electric  and the  CFM International  consortium. To the year 2012 BA operates over 400 aircraft, carries over 62  million passengers annually, and serves more than 200 destinations. The centrepiece of the airlines long-haul fleet is the Boeing 747-400; with 55 examples in the fleet, British Airways is the largest operator of this type in the world. British Airways is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and the now defunct Canadian Airlines. The alliance has since grown to become the third largest, after SkyTeam and Star Alliance. British Airways parent company, International Airlines Group, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the FTSE 100 Index. On 12 November 2009, British Airways confirmed that it had reached a preliminary agreement to merge with Iberia. On 14 July 2010, the European Commission approved the merger under competition law, also allowing American Airlines to co-operate with the merged entity on transatlantic routes to the United States. The merger was completed on 21 January 2011, formally creating the International Airlines Group, IAG, the worlds third-largest airline in terms of annual revenue and the second largest airline group in Europe. In 2012, IAG purchased British Midland International (BMI) and announced plans to open a new subsidiary based at London City Airport operating Airbus A318s. [4] British Airways was the airline partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games. On 18 May 2012 it flew the Olympic flame from Athens International Airport to RNAS Culdrose while carrying various dignitaries including Lord Sebastian Coe, Princess Anne, Olympics minister Hugh Robertson and London Mayor Boris Johnson, together with footballer David Beckham. History [edit] Main article: History of British Airways A Boeing 747-100 in BOAC-British Airways transition livery. British Airways (BA) was created in 1974, when the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways Corporation (BEA) were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board. [5] Following two years of fierce competition with British Caledonian, the second-largest airline in Britain at the time, the Government changed its aviation policy in 1976 so the two carriers no longer would compete on long-haul routes. [6] British Airways and Air France operated the supersonic airliner Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde; the worlds first supersonic passenger service first flew in January 1976 from London Heathrow to Bahrain. 7] Services to the US were inaugurated to Washington Dulles airport on 24 May 1976; flights to New York JFK airport started on 22 September 1977. A service to Singapore was also operated in co-operation with Singapore Airlines, as a continuation of the flight to Bahrain. [5] Following the Air France Concorde crash in Paris and a slump in air travel following the 11 September attacks in New York in 2001, it was decided to cease Concorde operations in 2003, after 27 years of service. The final commercial Concorde flight was BA002 from New York JFK to London Heathrow on 24 October 2003. 8] A British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident in transitional scheme with BEA livery but with British Airways titles. In 1981, the airline was instructed to prepare for privatisation by the Conservative government. Sir John King, later Lord King, was appointed Chairman, charged with bringing the airline back into profitability. King was credited with transforming the loss-making giant into one of the most profitable air carriers in the world, while many other large airlines struggled. 9] The flag carrier was privatised and was floated on the London Stock Exchange in February 1987. [10] In July 1987, British Airways effected the takeover of Britains second airline, British Caledonian. [11] The formation of Richard Bransons Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984 created a strong competitor for BA. In 1993, the intense rivalry between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic culminated in the former being sued for libel arising from claims and counter claims over a dirty tricks campaign by BA against Virgin. British Airways campaign against Virgin included poaching Virgin Atlantic customers, tampering with private files belonging to Virgin and PR undermining the reputation in the City. Following a libel case, British Airways agreed to pay ? 110,000 damages to Virgin (and ? 500,000 to Branson) and ? 3 million legal costs causing BA management to apologise unreservedly for the alleged dirty tricks campaign. An action filed in the US in 1993 by Virgin against BA over domination of the trans-Atlantic routes was thrown out in 1999. 12] Six months after the dirty tricks campaign, Lord King stepped down as chairman in 1993 and was replaced by former deputy, Colin Marshall, while Robert Ayling took over as CEO. [13] British Airways first Concorde at Heathrow Airport on 15 January 1976. In 1992, British Airways expanded through the acquisition of the financially troubled Dan-Air, giving BA a much larger presence at Gatwick airport. In March 1993, British Asia Airways, a subsidiary based in Taiwan , was formed to operate between London and Taipei. Additionally in 1993, BA purchased a 25% stake in Australian airline Qantas in March, and acquired Brymon Airways in May to form BA Connect. [13] In September 1998, British Airways, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Canadian Airlines, formed the Oneworld airline alliance. Oneworld began operations on 1 February 1999, it is one of the largest airline alliances in the world, behind only SkyTeam and Star Alliance. [11] Benefits under CEO Robert Aylings leadership included cost savings of ? 750m and the establishment of Go Fly in 1998. 14] However, one year on, in 1999, British Airways reported an 84 percent drop in profits, its worst for seven years. [15] In March 2000, Robert Ayling was removed from his position and British Airways announced Rod Eddington as his successor; Eddington would make further workforce cuts due to reduced demand following the 11 September attacks in 2001. [8] In September 2004, BA announced the sale of its Qantas stake. [16] In September 2005, Willie Walsh, former Aer Lingus pilot and Managing Director, became the Chief Executive Officer of the company. 17] In January 2008, BA unveiled its new subsidiary OpenSkies which takes advantage of the liberalisation of transatlantic traffic rights between Europe and the United States. As of 2008, OpenSkies flies non-stop from Paris to New York and Washington D. C. [18] British Airways and Iberia merged in January 2011, forming the International Airlines Group, one of the worlds largest airlines On 30 July 2008, British Airways and Iberia, a Spanish fellow Oneworld partner, announced a merger plan; the two airlines would retain their original brands, similar to KLM and Air France in their merger agreement. 19] An agreement to merge was confirmed in April 2010. [20] In July 2010, the European Commission and US Department of Transport permitted the merger and to co-ordinate transatlantic routes with American Airlines. [21][22] On 6 October 2010, the alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia formally began operations; the alliance generates an estimated ? 230 million annual cost-saving for BA, in addition to ? 330 million by the Iberia merge. [23][24] British Airways ceased trading on the London Stock Exchange on 21 January 2011, after 23 years as a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. 25] On 21 January 2011, British Airways and Iberia merged, resulting in the worlds third-largest airline in terms of annual revenue and the second largest airline group in Europe. [20][26] Prior to merging, British Airways owned a 13. 5% stake in Iberia, thus it received ownership of 55% of the combined International Airlines Group, Iberias other shareholders received the remaining 45%. [27] In September 2010, Willie Walsh, the CEO of IAG, announced that IAG is looking at other airlines; and that a shortlist of twelve possible acquisitions existed. 28] In early November 2011, IAG announced an agreement in principle to purchase British Midland International from Lufthansa. [29] Fleet [edit] British Airways 747-400 and 777 aircraft at London Heathrow Terminal 5 With the exception of the Boeing 707 and early Boeing 747 variants from BOAC, the airline as formed in 1972-4 inherited a mainly UK-built fleet of aircraft. The airline introduced the Boeing 737 and Boeing 757 into the fleet in the 1980s, followed by the Boeing 747–400 (British Airways is the largest operator with 57), Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 in the 1990s. 11][13] Boeing-built aircraft for British Airways are allocated the customer code 36, which appears in their aircraft designation as a suffix, such as 737–436, 747–436 and 777–236. [80] Although British Airways utilises a large Boeing fleet, it has always operated aircraft from other manufacturers. [81] British built aircraft were transferred from BEA (e. g. Trident) and BOAC (e. g. VC10), and in the 1980s the airline operated the Lockheed L-1011. [82] It also operated the DC-10 and Airbus A320-100 through the acquisition of British Caledonian Airways in the 1980s. In August 1998, British Airways placed its first direct Airbus order, for 59 A320/A319s, to replace its own ageing fleet of Boeing 737s and A320-100s. [83] British Airways replaced the L-1011 and DC-10 tri-jet fleet with more fuel-efficient, twinjet, Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft in the 1990s. In September 2007, BA placed its first order for long-haul Airbus jets, consisting of 12 firm orders for Airbus A380s and seven options. [84] The Boeing 757 was withdrawn from British Airways service in late 2010. 85] British Airways will take delivery of its first Airbus A380 in July 2013 and have three in service by the end of the year. [86] It will begin regular services to Los Angeles on 15 October 2013, followed by Hong Kong from 15 November 2013. [87] The combined International Airlines Group entity, that BA is now a part of, operates over 400 aircraft, carries over 62 million passengers annually, and serves more than 200 destinations. [20] As of May 2013 the British Airways fleet includes the following aircraft.

Information Technology Impact on the Purchasing Department Essay Example

Information Technology Impact on the Purchasing Department Essay The purpose of this paper is to discuss of the various ways in which information technology has changed the purchasing department, in particular how the Internet has impacted on the purchasing department. Will be outlined the most well known information system, their objectives and the e-purchasing. An example from daily business life will be illustrated in the second part of this paper. 1. Introduction IT is transforming the way that business is conducted. Computers prepare invoices, issue checks, keep track of the movement of stock, and store personnel and payroll records. The personal computers are changing the patterns of office work, and the spread of information technology is affecting the efficiency and competitiveness of business, the structure of the work force, and the overall growth of economic output. Purchasing department has been radically changed by the development of the Information Technology (IT). Simply the communication channels widened enormously, and the information exchange has became significantly faster and broader, simplifying several steps with regards to purchasing, and also enhancing the fast decision making. Also the quality has improved, costs have been reduced, and speed has increased. Many communication channels are available like Internet, email, telephone, mobile communications, fax, video conference calls, GPS, etc. business is now able to operate in 24 hours, seven day a week. 2. Information Technology and Purchasing The Internet can be used by purchasing department for many specific purchasing actions, like; -information search (accelerate the flow of information and increase processing capabilities. We will write a custom essay sample on Information Technology Impact on the Purchasing Department specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Information Technology Impact on the Purchasing Department specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Information Technology Impact on the Purchasing Department specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The information collected by the buyer may give a clearer picture on the market what will be useful during the negotiation of prices with supplier) -for transactions (advantages in the form of lower transaction costs can be realized if both supplier and buyer are connected to the same electronic marketplace) -follow up the delivery (online web tracking or other integrated systems) -book in advance the stock from Suppliers database The Internet allows companies to exchange data and information in secure line. These applications are significant quicker than the traditional way. Griffin (1990) identified the main cost elements of Information Systems. These are: hardware and software investments, their installation and maintenance, environmental cost (recycle pay in advance), running and security cost, networking cost, training the users. Server room needs to be allocated. The integrated systems, like Enterprise Resource System (ERR), Material Requirements Planning (MRP), System Application and Products (SAP) etc. gives many complex integrated solutions for companies. These integrated systems give complete solutions for all departments of the organization. The benefits for Information System are: -information relevance (more reliable than the human made information) -accurate and up to date information are available -speed of information delivery -improved customer service -gaining competitive advantage and avoiding competitive disadvantage -support for core business function -improved management function -improved product quality -improved communication (internal and external) -impact on the business through innovation The threats of IT systems are the accidents, nature disaster, sabotage, vandalism, theft, hacking, spam and computer viruses. Another big issue of Internet transaction and communication is trust. This is a necessary ingredient in the completion of business agreements. The Computer Purchasing Systems in practice may be used for, stock control and requisition, purchase order placing, expediting, goods receipt, reporting, transaction processing, data capturing and to allocate stock (barcode system). 3. E-purchasing E-purchasing creates value for organization by reducing cost of goods and services, giving higher productivity and reducing processing cost and gives better information and better planning. The e-purchasing can be split in two parts, the e-sourcing and e-procurement as illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1 3. 1 E-sourcing (strategic direction) using the Internet and it covers the elements of buying process which are: -knowledge specification -request for quotation, e-auction, e-tenders -evaluation – negotiation E-sourcing system should enable the sourcing team to: -analyze and model complex decisions in real time -automate the management to contract amendments and renewal -collaborate with suppliers -provide real time information E-sourcing use the internet to make decisions regarding how and where services or products are obtained. E-marketplaces play an important role in this activity, since the price and availability of products from multiple suppliers can be checked from a single point. Another benefit for E-marketplaces in terms of product sourcing is that not only they provide detailed product information from existing suppliers, they also give access to new potential partners and suppliers. Furthermore, the use of reverse auctions and online exchanges enables procurement officers to obtain better prices as they encourage competitive bidding between suppliers. . 2 E-procurement (process driven) covers the following areas of the buying process: requisition, authorization, order, receipt, payment E-procurement is Business to Business (B2B) purchase and sales over an electronic network such as the Internet. The Internets rapid growth has driven many companies to add an electronic commerce component to the ir operations to gain competitive advantage. A well managed E-procurement also could help to reduce inventory levels. Kalakota an Robinson (2001) have identified seven basic e-procurement models: ModelsCharacteristics EDI NetworksTrading partners and customers imple transaction cost value added network charges Business to employee (B2E) requisition applicationsfast buying automated approvals and standardized requisition procedures provide supplier management tools Corporate procurement portalsimproved control over procurement process, business rules can be implemented custom, negotiated prices posted in a multi-supplier catalogue spending analysis and multi-supplier catalogue management First generation trading exchanges: community cataloguesindustry content, news new sales channel for distributors and producers product content and catalogue aggregation service Second generation trading exchanges: transaction orientedrequisition process and purchase order transactions supplier, price and products availability discovery catalogue and credit management Third generation trading exchanges: collaborative supply chainsynchronize operations and enable real time fulfillment process transparency, resulting in restructuring of demand and the supply chain Industry consortia: buyer and supplier ledthe next step in the evolution of corporate procurement portals 3. 3 Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) The EDI were developed in 1970s to exchange of business transactions in electronic format. The main functions for EDI are: query handling, transaction handling, funds transfer and technical data. The benefits for using EDI are; reduced cost, elimination of paperwork, time saving and increased efficiencies, improved supplier management, enhanced service and quality, improved access and communication. 4. Examples Few examples brought from the world of the pharmaceutical business and Clinical Research Organization (CRO) outsourcing. The changes due to the IT development could be categorized in many different ways, all very valid ones, I chose to bring separate examples to its ‘slow implementation’, and to its ‘fast implementation’. 4. Slow implementation It utilizes more the ability of calculating/computing of the IT devices – not that much the speed of interactions through the novel communication channels. The example I would like to give is around the costing process when preparing a complex clinical trial to be outsourced to a CRO. A task w ith this level of complexity, requiring the work of so many service lines, individuals with various hourly rates, working of various task durations – most of the time in various countries – so preparing an overall proposal to undertake a clinical trial cannot be done in any other ways than by using ultra sophisticated pricing tools. Most of the times these pricing tools are based on the main features of Microsoft Excel, some other times specially designed software platforms are prepared to handle this specific task. Speaking of Microsoft Office Applications – which are probably the most commonly used ones of the type in Europe – needless to point out that the Proposal Document reviewed by the Sponsor company purchasing (outsourcing) department is initially prepared in MS Word – saved in final stage as Adobe . pdf – to prevent accidental modifications. When the outsourcing process leaves the proposal stage and enters the Bid Defense phase, it is the most common to have the clinical trial displayed as a MS Project simulation, where both the Sponsor Purchasing Department and the CRO to be hired can go through the entire project length, try various scenarios, adjust timelines, etc. Last but not least during the purchasing process MS PowerPoint presentations are most commonly employed to outline the message to be conveyed and to enhance the communication. Still at the IT ‘slow’ implementation, I would like to point out the boost of the various communication channels in line with the integration of the advanced IT technologies. The most information pathways are through e-mails and phone calls, but also specially designed internet secure web areas are quite often available to deposit and access essential documentation and updates when necessary. The uses of such web areas are obviously very restricted by applying the strictest policies to ensure the confidentiality of the data exchanged are always maintained. Phone communications and face-to-face meetings just very recently are to be dropped to the favor of video-conference calls which can host several participants at the same time, regardless of their geographic position. One word for the contrary IT does indeed enhance communication to an incredible extent, however it cannot replace the human contact not even the most developed video conferences will ever be able to offer the same level of confidence between the parties in business as a single handshake, and a clear look in each other’s eyes. Body language is mostly excluded whilst the communication uses advanced IT technology and it’s been said that more business is being done besides a white sheet table than in any large meeting rooms. 4. 2Fast Implementations I would like to point out a single example to a process which utilizes the ‘speedy’ way of the IT technology. This is the large scale drug distribution from the depots of country level coverage in the direction to the regional depots and pharmacies (the example taken is from Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE) and drug distribution in Romania). CEE is an enhanced single interconnect Ethernet technology designed to enable the convergence of various applications in data centers, such as LAN, SAN and HPC. These applications are designated for transport over existing storage networks with a high throughput and low-latency communication. CEE may also be called Data Center Ethernet. The price of any pharmaceuticals may depend on a number of things, details of which the frame of this paper will not permit to analyze in-depth. One of the determining factors however is the price induced directly by the market itself. This becomes increasingly important when it comes to trading between National Depots and the regional ones as well as trading with the pharmacies. The available offers and the needs in this close community will drive the prices extensively. This is further complicated by making the price of the various products dependent on the volume of the transaction as well as on the other items purchased at the same time. It all works rather as an auction, and it is all online, real time purchase. The players are in complex communication among each other on an ongoing basis, and the deals are being instantaneously sealed when the reach the common sense. To be able to do such auction-based trading, the IT had to reach an extremely high level of development. Major investments had to be carried out to upgrade the available equipments to ensure this level of communication between the parties. Being a country just recently catching up and somewhat behind in their infrastructure, the relevant purchasing departments had to undergo a thorough change. There were players, who preferred to stay conservative and pursue to earlier fashion of business: after a few years they are no longer on the market. This is the level of seriosity how such things shall be perceived. 5. Conclusion The advance of IT changed completely the main stream of purchasing in relatively short time, and applying the most recent technology has become a matter of survival for the parties in business. With the rapid changes in technology in the recent time, business organizations are rushing to keep pace with these changes. However, mostly dont give sufficient thought and attention to how they can best execute them. Many of us may not notice or may forget an organizations culture and people behind these developments. Bibliography Ricky W. Griffin, Management, (3rd Edition) (1990), Houghton Mifflin Ravi Kalkota, Marci Robinson, (2001) M-Business: The Race to Mobility, McGraw-Hill Companies Emiliani, ML 2000, ‘Business-To-Business Online Auctions: Key Issues For Purchasing Process Improvement’, Supply Chain Management, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 76-186. MCB UP Ltd Oliver Dempsey (2008), Business Organisation and Information Technology, IIPMM Graham Curtis and David Cobham (6th Edition) (2008), Business Information Systems, FT Prentice Hall Donald W. Dobler, David N. Burt (1996), 6th Edition, Purchasing and Supply Management – Text and Cases, The McGraw-Hill International Editions Conor Hannaway, Gabriel Hunt (1999), The Management Skills Book, Gower Paul Bojic, Andrew greasley, Simon Hickie (4th Edition) (2008), Business information Systems, FT Prentice Hall