Maintaining Competitive Advantage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maintaining Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The firm applies three types of competitive advantage in its operations i.e. cost leadership, differentiation (of product, image, service, sales, distribution and marketing) and lastly focus in cost and differentiation. (Palmer and Hardy, 2000) Amazon examines activities performed in their organization and relates how each activity is connected to the other. These activities are the main sources of the advantage, they includes marketing, operation among others. By performing these strategic activities (a method commonly known as value chain) in a better and a cheaper way than its competitors the firm gains the competitive advantage. Value chain helps Amazon to understand the existing probable sources of differentiation and the general behaviour of the existing costs. Activities affecting Amazon's buyer activities are the key determinants of differentiation results. Cumulative costs in the value chain are used in determining the overall difference between the producer cost and the buyer value of Amazon. The value chain clearly indicates that competitive advantage can emanate anywhere along the chain value. According to porter (1998) competitive advantage entails managing firm's value chain as a system rather than a collection of separate parts. Amazon makes application to this by making a choice of performing activities in a way that is different from the rivals.

Dilemmas in the Intensive Care Unit Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dilemmas in the Intensive Care Unit - Case Study Example As Littleton, and Engebretson (2005) observe, a young teenager who has received no childbirth preparation will need more teaching than other;   it is also said that the woman in labor is of central importance; not the nurse, doctor or nurse-midwife (p. 506). So, the first step will be easing the tension of Rachel and providing support. For this purpose, the service of chaplain will be utilized. A chaplain will be summoned quickly to handle the fear and stress of Rachel.The second step will be to make the parents understand the seriousness of the situation. They will be advised on the importance to have a proper medical intervention as there is fetal distress. Even if they do not provide consent, considering the seriousness of the situation, the doctor on duty will be informed of the situation.As the situation is gradually getting critical, it becomes necessary to ensure the availability of staff in case of an emergency. Considering the fact that the doctor on duty is attending anot her emergency case, necessary steps will be taken to ensure the presence of staff to handle the situation to avoid risk. It is possible that the doctor on duty has got busy on another emergency that might take a long time. In addition, Rachel’s situation is getting critical.  In the second case, the ethical issue is whether to allow Yves to enter the ICU to visit Alain Trottier. As Molter (2007) observes, nurses should have the skill to model interaction between the patient and family; and, continuing rigid restrictive visiting practices when it is certain that it is not beneficial is an ethical question in concern (p. 70). In the case of Alain Trottier, it is evident that Yves, his domestic partner, was along with him in the ER and is still in the hospital. In addition, the patient has been unconscious for a day and still, there is no change in the situation and no diagnosis had been made. In addition, hospital policy allows domestic partners to be treated as married coupl es. In addition, as per the policy, it is Yves who is responsible to make decisions for the patient. Carter and Lopert   (2005, p.94) say that if possible, staff should allow some flexibility in visiting schedules and should keep family and friends apprised of the patient’s support needs.