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The Evolution of Computers

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StrategyDriven Editorial Perspective Article | The Evolution of ComputersComputers have come a long way from the first models unveiled in 1940. Through the decades, thanks to improved engineering as well as advancements in separate computer parts, modern computers accomplish tasks that were mere science fiction five decades ago. Here is a brief look at how computers evolved.

The Beginning

Modern machines have lightning-fast components thanks to innovations such as silicon wafer dicing. Several generations back, however, computers looked and worked much differently. Far from the lightweight laptop you use today, first generation computers used vacuum tubes and magnetic drums to store information. John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly invented the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, or ENIAC, and the first model weighed 30 tons and took up about 1800 square feet.

The ENIAC required a team of technicians to maintain it around the clock. Reprogramming it took weeks. These first computers were costly to build, and they generated a great deal of heat. They also used up a lot of electricity.

The Second Wave

By 1956, engineers developed computers that used transistors, which transformed them into more manageable machines that were smaller, lighter, and less expensive to build. These computers were more efficient to run than first-generation models, although they still generated self-damaging heat. Symbolic language came into use with this generation. The first types of programming languages were COBOL and FORTRAN.

The Third Generation

By 1964, computers began to look more like machines modern people know. Integrated circuits were the stars of the new semiconductor technology. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, making the machines lightweight as well as faster. Keyboards and monitors took the place of punch cards and calculation printouts. Numerous applications could run on a single machine. The price also went down so more people could buy computers.

The Revolution

Microprocessors were developed in 1971, ushering in the fourth generation of computers. We are still in this generation, though changes have come quickly in the last four decades. The Intel 4004 chip was the first microprocessor, allowing thousands of integrated circuits to fit onto one silicon chip. The industry never looked back.

In 1981, IBM introduced the first personal computer. Three years later, Apple unveiled the Macintosh. Computer networks developed, and Tim Berners-Lee is credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web and the necessary protocols and programming language, paving the way for the internet. Vincent Cerf also worked to develop the language and structure of what would become the information superhighway we know today.

The evolution of the computer is a fascinating journey. Looking at the earliest incarnations of this ubiquitous machine reminds us that everything began at some point, and development continued due to curiosity that drove innovation. The next time you grab your laptop to send an email, take a moment to remember those pioneers who started the digital age.

How Music Artists Use Strategy-Driven Tactics to Rise to Fame (And What Businesses Can Learn from It)

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Strategy-Driven Tactics|How Music Artists Use Strategy-Driven Tactics to Rise to Fame (And What Businesses Can Learn from It)Artists are in the business of themselves and it is exceptionally difficult work. Showcasing and creating art and then making a thriving business model out of it is not something anyone can do, especially if they don’t have a big-name label leading you through the process.

Artists are the ideal business to look to when searching for new, innovative ways to expand your business and grow an audience.

Narada Rose, stage name Dertee, is a UK dancehall artist who has continuously pushed for his music to reach greater audiences, and his strategy-driven methods towards fame are something every business can and should take note of when designing their own expansion and marketing efforts.

Reinvention and Creation

One of the biggest lessons that businesses can learn from artists like Dertee is that to truly innovate and grow one must pursue their art again and again. Resting on your laurels is a sure-fire way to become innocuous in the future and to fade from the public eye as a result.

Only by trying new things again and again, and by creating work after your big hit even if it doesn’t succeed in the same way, can you push your business towards greatness.

Dertee did this after his successful EP, “Defeating Gravity”. Though his follow-up and first album, “Breaking Barriers”, did not see the same recognition, it did not stop him. Only a year later he collaborated with Bramma and they produced a song that received over 1 million views on YouTube (on a personal account, no less).

Once again, even with this success, he has continued to push and create and has only just recently released yet another single, even during lockdown. Businesses need to take this sort of perseverance to heart and lead forward with the goal of building a better tomorrow.

Building Recognition

Artists build recognition in a multitude of ways and that sort of diversification is exactly what businesses need to build the necessary trust signals.

For Dertee, it was winning the Best Male Artist Awards from the REYAC panel in Birmingham, as well as establishing his own account and publishing his own music. On top of digital success, he has also played at a variety of events throughout the UK.

This sort of encompassing approach is essential for businesses of all types. By aiming for rewards, certifications, and by partaking in events that increase your national and international infamy, you set the right groundwork for expansion and success.

Connecting Through Art

People respond to artists differently than most businesses because art, especially mediums like music, is evocative. Its entire purpose is to take the listener from one state of mind into another — to connect with them through the power of sound even if it only lasts a moment.

Businesses need to use art and this connection when trying to appeal to their customers. It is only by becoming living and organic can businesses effectively market to their audience.

How To Thrive In A Co-Working Space As A Business

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Co-working Space|How To Thrive In A Co-Working Space As A BusinessCo-working spaces have certainly become more popular over the years for their affordability and opportunities that it provides for businesses of all sizes. Whether it’s a temporary space in between offices or a permanent one, this is an environment that can work for you. Here are some tips to thrive in a co-working space as a business.

Use All The Features Available

Co-working spaces have a lot of benefits that come with the package you pay for. Depending on the type of co-working space, it will also depend on the number of amazing benefits that can come with your membership and the level of packages that are available. Some of the best ones might include a personal gym for members only, coffee and tea-making facilities, and even a bar. When you’re paying for this space, you might as well to take full advantage of all the features available because it’s a package that is worth utilizing, especially if it can help your business in a variety of ways. Working in a coworking environment certainly has it’s perks and in some cases, can be better than non-serviced buildings.

Network With Those Around You

Networking is a great way of meeting new people, and you can certainly get this when it comes to co-working spaces. There will be lots of people from all different backgrounds, and with these spaces, you usually get a lot of different businesses, start-ups, and individuals. You want to take full advantage of meeting these people and creating connections. You never know how they might be able to help you on your journey as a business. The influence that some might have could be life-changing, so start shaking hands and making small-talk!

Alternate Locations

There is usually a lot of different spaces within a co-working space, and it can certainly be beneficial to alternate between different locations. This can help your productivity, and it’s not something you would always get with a non-serviced building. You’ve got the freedom to go wherever and enjoy different setups whether it’s a sofa with a coffee table or a traditional desk area. It can also be great to do when you’re feeling particularly unmotivated to get anything done that day. Switch it up every couple of days or even every day if you prefer.

Keep The Productivity High For Team Members

Keeping your productivity levels high is important, especially for any team members that you might have who work with you in this co-working space. As much as it can be great for meeting new people, it can also pose as a distraction. Make sure you have a schedule that you can stick to and not deter from too much when it comes to your working day. Taking regular breaks is important, but it’s good to keep to a schedule in order to keep yourself motivated and productive.

A co-working space is definitely something worth considering if you think it’s the right fit for you. Use these tips to help you thrive!

Who Knew There Were So Many Financially-Rewarding Nursing Careers?

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Nursing Career|Who Knew There Were So Many Financially-Rewarding Nursing Careers?Becoming a fully-trained doctor is a massive undertaking and something that can take many years. A medical student can start college at the age of eighteen and still be doing exams as they approach their thirtieth birthday.

Sure – they ultimately wind up making a lot of money. But getting to that point is by no means easy. There are all kinds of pitfalls and struggles along the way.

However, taking one of the top online LPN programs provides an alternative route into the medical profession. And it is no less rewarding. Many senior nurses get paid over the odds for the work that they do. And they develop specialisms to rival those of any fully-trained physician.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

The opportunities to help people who have psychiatric disorders, for instance, are considerable. Psychiatric nurse practitioners work alongside physicians and provide mental health support for patients with identifiable disorders in the DSM-5.

While these nurses work alongside psychiatrist physicians, they are almost always specialists in their own right, providing front-line care to those who need it most.

Nurses who want to go into this field require a Master of Science In Nursing – the lowest degree requirement for becoming a nurse practitioner. Getting an MBA, however, is usually pretty straightforward. You just put in a couple of years of your time and get a significant pay-off when you come out on the other side. Psychiatric nurse practitioners typically earn around $105,000 per year, translating to around $51 per hour worked.

Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse

Nurses who can work in neonatal intensive care are in high demand right now. Hospitals need professionals who can work alongside doctors and provide the correct level of attention to premature babies.

Currently, this area of medicine is experiencing rapid growth. New technologies are coming online that are allowing premature babies to make it to maturity when they simply wouldn’t in the past.

The work, however, is also becoming more labor-intensive. More babies are viable, so hospitals need more staff to look after them all. And that’s pushing up demand for certain types of nurses – particularly those able to work in the neonatal unit.

Salaries for neonatal nurses, therefore, are going up quickly. The latest figures suggest the average nurse in this professional earns $102,000 per year, translating to roughly $54 per hour.

There are employment opportunities in various settings, including birth centers, intensive care units, and well-baby units.

Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Administering anesthetics is a highly specialist job, requiring an immense level of skill and training. Anesthetists must understand how to prepare and administer sedatives in a variety of settings, including operating theatres. It is essential to get it right to protect the patient and ensure the operation is a success.

Pay in the sector, therefore, is tremendous. A qualified nurse anesthetist can earn upwards of $167,000 per year, translating to around $80 per hour.

The growth outlook for the sector is also quite considerable. For instance, the BLS expects demand for anesthetist services to grow a whopping 17 percent annually, with only a moderate slow down as we go into the mid-2020s.

The requirements for the role are also relatively mild. As a minimum, you need to have completed a master’s degree from an accredited institution and completed an anesthesia educational program. You also need to complete the National Certification Examination – as all nurses must.

These nurses find employment in a variety of settings, including surgical and pain-management centers.

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Nursing Career|Who Knew There Were So Many Financially-Rewarding Nursing Careers?General Nurse Practitioner

What if you don’t want to specialize in any particular area? Do you still have options?

It turns out that you do. Currently, there’s significant demand for general nurse practitioners – people who can slot into practically any medical setting.

General nurse practitioners can offer their services in hospitals and specialize in particular fields if they want to progress their careers.

General nurse practitioners earn an average of $107,000 per year. If they work forty hours per week, that translates to $51.45 per hour – which is a very competitive rate of pay, compared to most other sectors.

The requirements are a Master of Science in Nursing and a Nurse Practitioner License for the relevant state. Nurses can change from one state to another, but there are rules governing this that they must observe. These nurses tend to have the most options when it comes to choosing where to work. They can offer their skills in practically every setting.

So, are you considering pursuing a career in nursing that rewards you financially? You probably should!

How to Develop a Digital Marketing Strategy for 2020

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, How to Develop a Digital Marketing Strategy for 2020

Every business needs to have a digital marketing strategy in 2020. If your business has any kind of online presence at all, as every business should at this point, digital marketing is essential to your survival.

But just throwing money at your digital marketing isn’t going to get you very far. If you want your marketing to have an impact and achieve your goals, you need to have a solid strategy at the core. Developing a comprehensive strategy doesn’t have to be difficult; you just need to approach it in the right way. Here’s what you need to know to develop your digital marketing strategy in 2020.

Start by Defining Your Brand

Throughout all of your digital marketing campaigns, the essence of your brand should shine through. The first stage of planning for any new marketing campaign should be working out what you want to say and what you want to convey to your audience. Messaging is very important with regards to marketing, and all your marketing needs to convey something about the nature and ethos of your business.

Having a clear and detailed definition of your brand and what it stands for is essential if you want to put together a thoughtful marketing strategy.

Set Yourself SMART Goals

SMART goals are goals that are simple, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. This means that they should be easy to understand and you should have a clear idea of how you will achieve them. There’s nothing wrong with setting yourself ambitious goals, but if you set yourself unrealistic goals, then you will be setting yourself up for failure and frustration.

Keep Things Scaled

You do need to make sure that you keep your digital marketing strategy scaled as much as possible. This means that you should be exploring your budget and keeping things under a tight level of control. Letting the costs balloon is one of the easiest ways for your company to end up in trouble. You can’t trade a fantastic marketing campaign for an unhealthy financial situation. Luckily, there are options for small businesses including solutions such as small business SEO packages. This will provide the marketing service you need without the heavy costs that larger companies endure.

Call in Professional Help If You Need It

Not every business is in a position to do their own digital marketing to the best of their ability. Some businesses will be better served by calling in an external digital marketing agency like Smartboost to handle their strategizing for them. There is no sense struggling to put together a comprehensive digital marketing strategy if you don’t have access to the resources and knowledge that you need. Hiring a marketing agency to do things for you might be a smarter move financially than trying to do it all yourself.

Always Track Your Results

It is only by tracking the results of past marketing campaigns that you can learn the lessons you need to improve future campaigns. The data and feedback that your campaigns produce is the most useful tool you have for refining your marketing strategy and improving your approach for the future. You can never know too much when it comes to your past campaigns and the impacts that they have. Knowing what has worked and what hasn’t enables you to take a more considered approach the next time.

A coherent strategy is an essential foundation for any successful marketing campaign. If you don’t have an overarching strategy, your marketing is inevitably going to be aimless and unfocused. Sticking to the advice above will enable you to develop the digital marketing strategy you need to make 2020 a success.