This chapter introduces the learner to the meaning of competitive advantage and posits that a firm’s strategy is defined as the managers’ theory about how to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The manner in which a firm creates its competitive advantage by creating more economic value than its rivals, and explains that profitability depends upon value, price, and costs is demonstrated. The...

Historically, erythema ab igne (EAI) was commonly seen on the shins of individuals working in front of coal stoves or sitting close to a fireplace. In the more recent past, this condition has been primarily observed after repeated application of heating pads. Today, unintentional and unperceived exposure to heat from laptop computers needs to be considered as a potential trigger. A rising numbe...

With the intention of bridging the 'digital divide' many programmes have been launched to provide computers for educational institutions, ranging from refurbishing second hand computers to delivering low cost new computers. The fast and economical provision of large quantities of equipment is one of the many challenges faced by such programmes. If an increase is to be achieved in the sustainabi...

Die aktuellen Entwicklungen zeigen, dass Kinder heute immer früher mit Computern in Berührung kommen. Darauf muss auch im Rahmen der schulischen Bildung reagiert werden. Kinder können schon in der frühkindlichen Erziehung an die Nutzung des Computers herangeführt werden. Am Beispiel verschiedener Initiativen, wie „One Laptop per Child“ und „Klassenzimmer der Zukunft“ wird gezeigt, welche Möglic...

Squeak Etoys is a free software program and media-rich authoring system with a user-friendly visual interface. The software is designed to help six to twelve year-old students learn through interaction and collaboration, and comes preinstalled on XO laptop computers. The goal of the One Laptop Per Child initiative is to create novel educational opportunities for the world’s children by providin...

While personal computers have been used for over twenty years in live music contexts, the proliferation of powerful and affordable portable systems (laptops) has spurred the emergence of new music creation styles and venues outside of academia. Laptop performance is the practice of live computer music using software tools exclusively. This paper surveys the current state of laptop performance p...

Three years of graduating business honors cohorts in a large urban university were sampled to determine whether the introduction of ubiquitous laptop computers into the honors program contributed to student achievement, student satisfaction and constructivist teaching activities. The first year cohort consisted of honors students who did not have laptops; the second and third year cohorts were ...

The conventional computers are not usable in dark, as the user cannot see the keyboard to operate properly. But there are many situations where the user may like to work on his computer under low light conditions, such as, during nights, while traveling in flights/ trains having low lights, working in the garden during evening etc. So it is necessary to provide some light to the laptop to opera...