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incredibuild 原理-回复Incredibuild is a distributed computing software that aims to optimize and accelerate the build and compilation process. It allows users to harness the power of multiple computers and distribute the workload, significantly reducing build times and improving productivity. In this article, we will explore the principles behind Incredibuild in detail, step-by-step. We will delve into several key components, including task distribution, caching mechanisms, and workload balancing.1. Task Distribution:The first step in understanding Incredibuild's principles is to comprehend how it distributes tasks among multiple machines. Incredibuild achieves this by utilizing a task scheduler that takes the build process and breaks it down into smaller, discrete tasks. These tasks can range from compiling a single source file to linking object files, among others.Once the tasks are generated, Incredibuild's task scheduler determines the various dependencies and recommends an optimal distribution of tasks across the available machines in the network. It prioritizes tasks based on dependencies, ensuring that dependenttasks are executed before their dependents.2. Caching Mechanisms:To avoid redundant work, Incredibuild employs a sophisticated caching mechanism. When a task completes on one machine, Incredibuild stores the compiled output and associated metadata in a centralized cache. If the same task needs to be executed again, instead of recompiling, Incredibuild retrieves the previously cached results, reducing build times.Additionally, Incredibuild's cache mechanism also applies to dependencies. When a task is dependent on the output of another task, Incredibuild checks if the dependency is already present in the cache. If found, it retrieves the cached result, avoiding unnecessary compilation and further reducing build times.3. Workload Balancing:Efficient distribution of workload is crucial for maximizing the benefits of Incredibuild. To achieve this, Incredibuild dynamically monitors the performance and resource utilization of each available machine in real-time. It gathers information such as CPU utilization, memory usage, and network latency.Using this data, Incredibuild's workload balancer intelligently assigns tasks to machines, taking into account their current workload and available resources. This approach ensures that no single machine is overwhelmed or underutilized, thereby optimizing the overall build process.4. Parallel Processing:One of the most significant advantages of Incredibuild is its ability to harness the power of parallel processing. Incredibuild leverages multiple machines to execute tasks simultaneously, greatly accelerating the build process.By distributing tasks across machines, Incredibuild reduces the time required for each individual task's execution. This parallelization is especially beneficial for large-scale projects with numerous source files and dependencies.5. Error Handling and Recovery:Incredibuild provides robust error handling and recovery mechanisms. In case of a failure on any machine, Incredibuild automatically detects the issue and redistributes the failed tasks toanother available machine. This ensures that the build process continues seamlessly, without manual intervention or interruption.Incredibuild also allows users to configure and customize error handling policies. For example, it can be configured to retry failed tasks a certain number of times or to skip them entirely. Such flexibility empowers users to tailor the error handling process to their specific requirements.In conclusion, Incredibuild utilizes task distribution, caching mechanisms, workload balancing, parallel processing, and error handling to optimize and accelerate the build and compilation process. By intelligently distributing tasks across multiple machines, caching previous results, balancing workloads, and handling errors efficiently, Incredibuild boosts productivity and minimizes build times.。
Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK 2.3.0.0 GA Gecko SDK Suite 4.3June 7, 2023Thread is a secure, reliable, scalable, and upgradeable wireless IPv6 mesh networking Array protocol. It provides low-cost bridging to other IP networks while optimized for low-power /battery-backed operation. The Thread stack is designed specifically for Connected Homeapplications where IP-based networking is desired and a variety of application layers maybe required.OpenThread released by Google is an open-source implementation of Thread. Googlehas released OpenThread in order to accelerate the development of products for the con-nected home and commercial buildings. With a narrow platform abstraction layer and asmall memory footprint, OpenThread is highly portable. It supports system-on-chip (SoC),network co-processor (NCP), and radio co-processor (RCP) designs.Silicon Labs has developed an OpenThread-based SDK tailored to work with Silicon Labshardware. The Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK is a fully tested enhanced version of theGitHub source. It supports a broader range of hardware than does the GitHub version,and includes documentation and example applications not available on GitHub.These release notes cover SDK version(s):2.3.0.0 GA released on June 7, 2023Compatibility and Use NoticesFor information about security updates and notices, see the Security chapter of the Gecko Platform Release notes installed with this SDK or on the TECH DOCS tab on https:///developers/thread . Silicon Labs also strongly recommends that you subscribe to Security Advisories for up-to-date information. For instructions, or if you are new to the Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK, see Using This Release.Compatible Compilers:GCC (The GNU Compiler Collection) version 10.3-2021.10, provided with Simplicity Studio.Contents1New Items (1)1.1New Components (1)1.2New Features (1)1.3New Radio Board Support (1)2Improvements (2)3Fixed Issues (3)4Known Issues in the Current Release (4)5Deprecated Items (5)6Removed Items (6)7Multiprotocol Gateway and RCP (7)7.1New Items (7)7.2Improvements (7)7.3Fixed Issues (7)7.4Known Issues in the Current Release (8)7.5Deprecated Items (8)7.6Removed Items (8)8Using This Release (9)8.1Installation and Use (9)8.2OpenThread GitHub Repository (9)8.3OpenThread Border Router GitHub Repository (9)8.4Using the Border Router (9)8.5NCP/RCP Support (10)8.6Security Information (10)8.7Support (11)New Items 1 New Items1.1 New ComponentsNone1.2 New FeaturesAdded in release 2.3.0.0•The versions of OpenThread and the OpenThread Border Router have been updated. See sections 8.2 and 8.3.•Thread 1.3.1 (experimental)o IPv4/v6 public internet connectivity: NAT64 improvements, optimization of published routes and prefixes in network data o DNS enhancements for OTBRo Thread over Infrastructure (TREL)•Network Diagnostics Improvements (experimental)o Child supervision by parento Additional link quality information in child tableo Uptime for routers•Support for the ot-cli sample application with CPC on Android Hosto The ot-cli sample application can now be used with CPC on an Android host. To build, download the Android NDK toolchain, define the environment variable "NDK" to point to the toolchain, and run the script/cmake-build-android script instead of script/cmake-build.1.3 New Radio Board SupportAdded in release 2.3.0.0Support has been added for the following radio boards:•BRD4196B - EFR32xG21B•BRD2704A - Sparkfun Thing Plus MGM240PImprovements 2 ImprovementsChanged in release 2.3.0.0•Support for “diag cw” and “diag stream”o diag cw start - Start transmitting continuous carrier waveo diag cw stop - Stop transmitting continuous carrier waveo diag stream start - Start transmitting a stream of characters.o diag stream stop - Stop transmitting a stream of characters.•Bootloader support for sample applicationso The bootloader_interface component has been added to the Thread sample apps. The component introduces support for bootloaders and also results in the creation of GBL files when building.•Reduction to code size of Certified OpenThread Librarieso The pre-built certification libraries no longer include JOINER functionality.Fixed Issues 3 Fixed IssuesFixed in release 2.3.0.01023725 Fixed an issue where detached MTDs on the Thread network hit an assert while re-attaching to the OTBR after the OTBR is rebooted.1079667 Fixed an issue where devices can no longer communicate after reporting transient out-of-buffers condition.1084368 Fixed failing HomeKit HCA test when using board 4186c and the DMP application.1095059 Added openthread 'diag stream' and 'diag cw' CLI commands. See Improvements section for additional details.1113046 Radio PAL now maintains max channel power table.1126570 Addressed a memory leak associated with PSA keys which occurs when otInstanceFinalise() is called without power cycling.1133240 Fixed a bug in setting link parameters in the meshcop forwarding layer.1139318 Request to Reduce Codesize of Certified OpenThread Library. See Improvements section for additional details. 1139449 Fixed an issue where devices stopped receiving during Tx storm.1142231 Radio SPINEL no longer asserts when no entries are available in source match table.Known Issues in the Current Release 4 Known Issues in the Current ReleaseIssues in bold were added since the previous release. If you have missed a release, recent release notes are available on https:///developers/thread in the Tech Docs tab.482915 495241 A known limitation with the UART driver can causecharacters to be lost on CLI input or output. This canhappen during particularly long critical sections thatmay disable interrupts, so it can be alleviated byrepeating the CLI or waiting long enough for statechanges.No known workaround754514 Double ping reply observed for OTBR ALOC address. No known workaround815275 Ability to modify the Radio CCA Modes at compile-time using a configuration option in Simplicity Studio is cur-rently not supported. Use the SL_OPENTHREAD_RADIO_CCA_MODE configuration option defined in openthread-core-efr32-config.h header file included with your project.1041112 OTBR / EFR32 RCP can miss forwarding packets froma CSL child if it configures an alternate channel for CSLcommunication.Due to this issue, OTBRs based on GSDK 4.2.0.0 arenot expected to pass Thread 1.2 certification unless thecustomer use cases demand a waiver to exclude alltests that require changing the primary channel. Avoid configuring alternate CSL channels until this issue is addressed.1094232 Intermittently, ot-ctl terminates after a factoryresetwhen using a CPCd connection.No known workaround1064242 OpenThread prefix commands sometimes fail to addprefix for OTBR over CPC.No known workaround1117447 Outgoing key index can be set to 0 under unknowncircumstances.No known workaround1132004 RCP can become unresponsive when receiving excessive beacon requests. This issue was seen with 3 devices sending beacons requests every 30 ms. Workaround is to reduce the number of beacon requesters and/or increase time between the requests.1143008 The OTBR can sometimes fail to transmit a CSL packet with the error "Handle transmit done failed:Abort". This could happen ifOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_REQUEST_AHEAD_US is set to low. SetOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_REQUEST_AHEAD_US to 5000.For the OTBR, you can either:1. Modify the value ofOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_REQUEST_AHEAD_US in ot-br-posix/third_party/openthread/repo/src/core/config/mac.hor2. Pass the value during setup as follows:sudo OTBR_OPTIONS="-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS='-DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_REQUEST_AHEAD_ US=5000'" ./script/setup1148720 Intermittently, SED current draw is too high. No known workaroundDeprecated Items 5 Deprecated ItemsNone.Removed Items 6 Removed ItemsRemoved in release 2.3.0.0•The ot-remote-cli component has been removed. There is no replacement for this component because the functionality provided by the component is no longer required.•The Silicon Labs HomeKit extension is no longer included with this release.7 Multiprotocol Gateway and RCP7.1 New ItemsAdded in release 2.3.0.0Added a new application z3-light_ot-ftd_soc that demonstrates Zigbee and OpenThread Concurrent Multiprotocol functionality. It features a router on the Zigbee side and a Full Thread Device (FTD) on the OpenThread side. See the project description or app/framework/sce-narios/z3/z3-light_ot-ftd_soc/readme.html for details.First GA-quality release of CPC GPIO Expander module. The Co-Processor Communication (CPC) General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) Expander is a software component designed to enable a Host device to utilize a Secondary device's GPIOs as if they were its own. With the CPC GPIO Expander, the Host device can seamlessly integrate with the Secondary device and make use of its GPIO capabilities. See https:///SiliconLabs/cpc-gpio-expander/README.md for documentation.Added antenna diversity and coex EZSP command support to Zigbeed.Added better assert reporting to Zigbeed.Added bt_host_empty application (option: -B for the run.sh script) to the multiprotocol docker container.Zigbeed now includes an implementation of emberGetRestoredEui64() which loads the CREATOR_STACK_RESTORED_EUI64 token from the host_token.nvm file.The multiprotocol container now sets the size of syslog to 100 MB by default. Users are able to change the size by modifying the "/etc/logrotate.d/rsyslog" and "/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf" files and restarting the rsyslog service inside the container.7.2 ImprovementsChanged in release 2.3.0.0Reduced CPC Tx and Rx queue sizes to fit the DMP NCP on the MG13 family.Configured options on the multiprotocol RCP projects to provide ~3.3k in RAM savings, particularly for the MG1 part. This was accom-plished by•Reducing•The number of user CPC endpoints to 0•Tx CPC queue size to 15 from 20•Rx buffer count to 15•Disabling OpenThread RTT logsFor further savings, customers can look into reducing the Tx and Rx queue sizes further. Note that the downside to this change would be a reduction in message throughput due to added retries. Also, customers can look into reducing the NVM cache size based on need. As a last resort, customers may also choose to disable CPC security on both the RCP and the host. We do not recommend the last option.Changed zigbee_ble_event_handler to print scan responses from legacy advertisements in the DMPLight(Sed) app.The rcp-xxx-802154 apps now by default support 192 µsec turnaround time for non-enhanced acks while still using 256 µsec turnaround time for enhanced acks required by CSL.7.3 Fixed IssuesFixed in release 2.3.0.01078323 Resolved issue where Z3GatewayCPC asserts when there is a communication failure with the NCP during address table initialization. We will now try to reconnect to the NCP upon failure.1080517 Z3GatewayCPC now automatically handles a reset of the NCP (CPC secondary).1117789 Fixed an issue where modifying OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_PLATFORM_RADIO_SPINEL_RX_FRAME_BUFFER_SIZE caused a linker error when building Zigbeed.1118077 In the CMP RCP, Spinel messages were being dropped under heavy traffic load due to CPC not keeping up with the incoming packets. Fixed this by bundling all Spinel messages ready to be sent over CPC into one payload on the RCP and unbundling them on the host. This dramatically improves the efficiency of CPC so that it can keep up with the incoming radio traffic.1129821 Fixed null pointer dereference in Zigbeed in an out-of-buffer scenario while receiving packets.1139990 Fixed an assert in the OpenThread Spinel code that could be triggered when joining many Zigbee devices simultaneously.1144268 Fixed an issue where excessive radio traffic can cause the Zigbee-BLE NCP to get into a state where it continually executes the NCP and CPC initialization.1147517 Fixed an issue with Z3GatewayCPC on startup that could cause the reset handling of the secondary to not work correctly.7.4 Known Issues in the Current ReleaseIssues in bold were added since the previous release. If you have missed a release, recent release notes are available on https:///developers/gecko-software-development-kit.811732 Custom token support is not available when using Zigbeed. Support is planned in a future release.937562 Bluetoothctl ‘advertise on’ command fails with rcp-uart-802154-blehci app on Raspberry Pi OS 11.Use btmgmt app instead of bluetoothctl.1074205 The CMP RCP does not support two networks on the same PAN id. Use different PAN ids for each network. Support is planned in a future release.1122723 In a busy environment the CLI can become unresponsive in the z3-light_ot-ftd_soc app. This app is released as experimental quality and the issue will be fixed in a future release.1124140 z3-light_ot-ftd_soc sample app is not able to form theZigbee network if the OT network is up already.Start the Zigbee network first and the OT network after.1129032 Experimental concurrent listening feature on xG24 de-vices is disabled in this release.Support is planned in a future release.1143857 Antenna Diversity is not available on the CMP RCP forxG21 and xG24 parts, since the antenna diversityhardware is used for concurrent listening.Intended behavior.7.5 Deprecated Items None7.6 Removed Items None8 Using This ReleaseThis release contains the following•Silicon Labs OpenThread stack•Silicon Labs OpenThread sample applications•Silicon Labs OpenThread border routerFor more information about the OpenThread SDK see QSG170: Silicon Labs OpenThread QuickStart Guide. If you are new to Thread see UG103.11: Thread Fundamentals.8.1 Installation and UseThe OpenThread SDK is part of the Gecko SDK (GSDK), the suite of Silicon Labs SDKs. To quickly get started with OpenThread and the GSDK, start by installing Simplicity Studio 5, which will set up your development environment and walk you through GSDK installation. Simplicity Studio 5 includes everything needed for IoT product development with Silicon Labs devices, including a resource and project launcher, software configuration tools, full IDE with GNU toolchain, and analysis tools. Installation instructions are provided in the online Simplicity Studio 5 User’s Guide.Alternatively, Gecko SDK may be installed manually by downloading or cloning the latest from GitHub. See https:///Sili-conLabs/gecko_sdk for more information.The GSDK default installation location has changed beginning with Simplicity Studio 5.3.•Windows: C:\Users\<NAME>\SimplicityStudio\SDKs\gecko_sdk•MacOS: /Users/<NAME>/SimplicityStudio/SDKs/gecko_sdkDocumentation specific to the SDK version is installed with the SDK. API references and other information about this release are available on https:///openthread/2.1/.8.2 OpenThread GitHub RepositoryThe Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK includes all changes from the OpenThread GitHub repo (https:///openthread/openthread) up to and including commit dae3ff2c5. An enhanced version of the OpenThread repo can be found in the following Simplicity Studio 5 GSDK location:<GSDK Installation Location>\util\third_party\openthread8.3 OpenThread Border Router GitHub RepositoryThe Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK includes all changes from the OpenThread border router GitHub repo (https:///openthread/ot-br-posix) up to and including commit de7cd7b20. An enhanced version of the OpenThread border router repo can be found in the following Simplicity Studio 5 GSDK location:<GSDK Installation Location>\util\third_party\ot-br-posix8.4 Using the Border RouterFor ease of use, Silicon Labs recommends the use of a Docker container for your OpenThread border router. Refer to AN1256: Using the Silicon Labs RCP with the OpenThread Border Router for details on how to set up the correct version of OpenThread border router Docker container. It is available at https:///r/siliconlabsinc/openthread-border-router.If you are manually installing a border router, using the copies provided with the Silicon Labs OpenThread SDK, refer to AN1256: Using the Silicon Labs RCP with the OpenThread Border Router for more details.Although updating the border router environment to a later GitHub version is supported on the OpenThread website, it may make the border router incompatible with the OpenThread RCP stack in the SDK.8.5 NCP/RCP SupportThe OpenThread NCP support is included with OpenThread SDK but any use of this support should be considered experimental. The OpenThread RCP is fully implemented and supported.8.6 Security InformationSecure Vault IntegrationWhen deployed to Secure Vault High devices, sensitive keys are protected using the Secure Vault Key Management functionality. The following table shows the protected keys and their storage protection characteristics.Thread Master Key Exportable Must be exportable to form the TLVsPSKc Exportable Must be exportable to form the TLVsKey Encryption Key Exportable Must be exportable to form the TLVsMLE Key Non-ExportableTemporary MLE Key Non-ExportableMAC Previous Key Non-ExportableMAC Current Key Non-ExportableMAC Next Key Non-ExportableWrapped keys that are marked as “Non-Exportable” can be used but cannot be viewed or shared at runtime.Wrapped keys that are marked as “Exportable” can be used or shared at runtime but remain encrypted while stored in flash.For more information on Secure Vault Key Management functionality, see AN1271: Secure Key Storage.Security AdvisoriesTo subscribe to Security Advisories, log in to the Silicon Labs customer portal, then select Account Home. Click HOME to go to the portal home page and then click the Manage Notifications tile. Make sure that ‘Software/Security Advisory Notices & Product Change Notices (PCNs)’ is checked, and that you are subscribed at minimum for your platform and protocol. Click Save to save any changes.8.7 SupportDevelopment Kit customers are eligible for training and technical support. Use the Silicon Laboratories Thread web page to obtain infor-mation about all Silicon Labs OpenThread products and services, and to sign up for product support.You can contact Silicon Laboratories support at /support.Silicon Laboratories Inc.400 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78701USA IoT Portfolio /IoT SW/HW /simplicity Quality /quality Support & Community /communityDisclaimerSilicon Labs intends to provide customers with the latest, accurate, and in-depth documentation of all peripherals and modules available for system and software imple-menters using or intending to use the Silicon Labs products. Characterization data, available modules and peripherals, memory sizes and memory addresses refer to each specific device, and “Typical” parameters provided can and do vary in different applications. Application examples described herein are for illustrative purposes only. Silicon Labs reserves the right to make changes without further notice to the product information, specifications, and descriptions herein, and does not give warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the included information. Without prior notification, Silicon Labs may update product firmware during the manufacturing process for security or reliability reasons. Such changes will not alter the specifications or the performance of the product. Silicon Labs shall have no liability for the consequences of use of the infor -mation supplied in this document. This document does not imply or expressly grant any license to design or fabricate any integrated circuits. The products are not designed or authorized to be used within any FDA Class III devices, applications for which FDA premarket approval is required or Life Support Systems without the specific written consent of Silicon Labs. A “Life Support System” is any product or system intended to support or sustain life and/or health, which, if it fails, can be reasonably expected to result in significant personal injury or death. Silicon Labs products are not designed or authorized for military applications. Silicon Labs products shall under no circumstances be used in weapons of mass destruction including (but not limited to) nuclear, biological or chemical weapons, or missiles capable of delivering such weapons. Silicon Labs disclaims all express and implied warranties and shall not be responsible or liable for any injuries or damages related to use of a Silicon Labs product in such unauthorized applications. Note: This content may contain offensive terminology that is now obsolete. Silicon Labs is replacing these terms with inclusive language wherever possible. For more information, visit /about-us/inclusive-lexicon-projectTrademark InformationSilicon Laboratories Inc.®, Silicon Laboratories ®, Silicon Labs ®, SiLabs ® and the Silicon Labs logo ®, Bluegiga ®, Bluegiga Logo ®, EFM ®, EFM32®, EFR, Ember ®, Energy Micro, Energy Micro logo and combinations thereof, “the world’s most energy friendly microcontrollers”, Redpine Signals ®, WiSeConnect , n-Link, ThreadArch ®, EZLink ®, EZRadio ®, EZRadioPRO ®, Gecko ®, Gecko OS, Gecko OS Studio, Precision32®, Simplicity Studio ®, Telegesis, the Telegesis Logo ®, USBXpress ® , Zentri, the Zentri logo and Zentri DMS, Z-Wave ®, and others are trademarks or registered trademarks of Silicon Labs. ARM, CORTEX, Cortex-M3 and THUMB are trademarks or registered trademarks of ARM Holdings. Keil is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. 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How to Gain a Competitive EdgeCopyright © 1999-2008 Edward Lowe Foundation. All rights reserved. How To Gain A Competitive EdgeExamine your business and its key operations, policies and relationships with customers to determine what you should work on to compete more effectively.What You Should Know Before Getting StartedGaining a Competitive Advantage∙Marketing Position∙Company Resources and Opportunities∙Evaluation of Opportunities∙Defining the Process∙Choosing a Competitive EdgeChecklistResourcesWhat To ExpectThis Business Builder will help you to become more competitive by identifying the features of your operation you should focus on to maximize your efficiency and your product's appeal.What You Should Know Before Getting Started [top]By accurately identifying and analyzing your firm's target market and its relative competition, you may recognize potential opportunities for success in selling your product or service. These opportunities, which your competitors may have overlooked, will provide your firm with the vision to develop marketing mixes far superior to your competition.To ensure your firm's market staying power and survival in today's marketplace, it is important for you to gain and maintain a competitive differential advantage in your target market.The state of the economy has a profound impact on your customers' buying habits. Twenty-first century customers have become more concerned with repaying their debts, lowering capital expenditures, and reducing costs by concentrating on products or services that satisfy their basic needs. Although not willing to lower their standards, both individuals and corporations are more selective in identifying products or services to satisfy their needs.Before getting started you will need to familiarize yourself with some basic terminology as it relates to customers and their markets.The First Step Is To Analyze Your Competition. What type of competition exists in your target market, and what impact will it have on the firm's ability to gain a competitive edge?The uniqueness of your firm's product or service, the number of competitors, the size of your competitors, the overall demand and the price will all be key factors in your gaining the competitive edge.There are four basic forms of competitive structures that differ based upon the number of competitors, relative ease of market entry, types of products and knowledge of the market. These structures are defined as follows:1. Monopoly.A firm that produces a product or service with few or no substitute products or services. The company that has absolute control over the price in the market is considered a monopoly. An example would be your local utility companies.2. Oligopoly.This structure exists when a few sellers of products or services control the supply of a large proportion of your market. These firms tend to set similar prices and create more difficult barriers for entry into the market. The steel industry is a classic example of an oligopoly.3. Monopolistic Competition.This structure consists of many firms with moderate barriers to entry. Firms competing in this market attempt to develop differentiated market strategies to establish their own market share. Firms selling software products would fall into this category.4. Perfect Competition.Highlighted by unlimited competition and hardly any barriers to entry, individual firms operating under this structure would be unable to influence the price or supply of a particular product or service. Agricultural products are the closest form of pure or perfect competition.Let's look at the chart below to help identify the characteristics of each type of competitor.What Is Your Target Market?A Market is an aggregate of people, who, as individuals or organizations, have needs for products in a particular class, and who have the ability, willingness and authority to purchase such products. This Business Builder will use the term market in that sense, and not use it in the more general sense of a marketplace or mass market.In reviewing your market, consider two types of markets:1. Generic Market. This market is represented by sellers offering substituteproducts or services that are dramatically different than your product from aphysical and conceptual viewpoint. The generic market is a broader market where items like automobiles, designer clothes, or vacations may all be in competitionwith each other.2. Product Market. This market is represented by sellers offering substituteproducts or services that are similar to yours from either a physical or conceptual viewpoint.How Are Market Opportunities Classified?You will need to review the needs of your existing and potential customers. If those needs are being inadequately addressed by your company, determine how those unfulfilled needs may be satisfied or how those needs currently being met by you and your competitors may be met better.To accomplish this, you will need to analyze your firm's competitors and their current activities. This will require a thorough analysis of the variables that impact your target market.There are four kinds of opportunities that your firm may pursue: market penetration, market development, product development and diversification. Listed below are some highlights relative to each opportunity.1. Market Penetration. This is characterized by a firm trying to increase existingproduct sales in its present market, for example, by developing an aggressivemarketing mix, attempting to increase product use, win competitor's customers, or target non-users. Some of the questions you might want to address are:∙Why are customers currently buying my product or service?∙What might motivate my market to buy more?∙How can I persuade my competitor's users to switch to my product or service?∙How can I motivate non-users to try my product or service?∙Can I reinspire former users of my product or service to begin purchasing again?2. Market Development. This opportunity is characterized by a firm attempting tosell its current products or services to new markets (i.e. opening your business ina new geographic area or advertising in different media to attract new customers).3. Product Development. A firm that offers new or improved products to existingmarkets is pursuing a product development opportunity.4. Diversification. This opportunity would be utilized by a firm moving into a totallydifferent line of business. It may be characterized by unfamiliar products, markets, or levels of production.Which Type Of Opportunity Should I Pursue?If you are starting a new business or trying to improve your position in your existing market, product diversification would be the least favorable opportunity to pursue. The most promising opportunities for your firm are likely to be improvements in market penetration or market development.Why Is It Important To Gain A Competitive Edge?In today's marketplace, there are thousands upon thousands of products and services available to fulfill the needs of individuals and businesses. Your ability to identify and exploit the features and associated benefits of your product or service and demonstrate how it is different or better than the competition will provide you with a competitive edge. The edge or advantage will provide your firm with the tools to:1. Increase sales and market share.2. Improve profit margins for a given period of time in new or existing markets.3. Ensure your survival in extremely competitive markets.4. Develop hard-to-copy marketing mixes.Gaining A Competitive Edge [top]To get started, you will need to compile all the data collected about your target market trends, customers, products and competitors. Listed below is an outline of the various market plan elements you will need to review to identfy your competitive edge or advantage:1. Market Positioning2. Company Resources and Opportunities3. Evaluation of Opportunities4. Defining the Processo Operational Efficiencyo Customer Serviceo Product Leadership5. Choosing a Competitive EdgeMarket PositionHow Can I Determine My Position In The Market?The identification of your firm's strengths and weaknesses is an important task that needs to be accomplished before any competitive edge can be developed. Try to analyze these factors from outside sources since perception (how you are perceived by others) is really the key. To determine your position in the market, you must ask many open ended questions of various types of sources.Besides your personal assessment, your employees, customers and suppliers are good targets for questions regarding how they view your firm in the market. Some of the more typical questions that might be asked are as follows:Employee-related questions:∙Why is the company a success?∙What has caused it to grow?∙What does the company do best? Why is that so?∙What should the company discontinue doing and why?∙What should the company consider adding and why?∙What are the characteristics of your typical customer?∙Why does your customer buy from you?∙What does the company do well? Can you give me a recent example?∙What does it do poorly? Can you specify?Customer-related Questions:∙How long have you been a client or customer of ABC Company?∙How did you hear of them?∙What criteria led you to select them?∙Do they perform all of your work in this area?∙What do you like best about them?∙What do you like least about them?∙Compared to other firms, what are their advantages? Disadvantages?∙Are there any other services you would like them to provide?∙Would you recommend them to others?∙How would you describe them?Company Resources And OpportunitiesGenerally speaking, all firms possess some type of resource or resources that help distinguish them from other firms. To develop attractive opportunities, you should make good use of your strengths, while avoiding competition with firms having similar strengths.To uncover your firm's strengths, you should evaluate the functional areas of your firm (production, Research and Development, marketing, general management and finance), in addition to your present products and markets. This assessment of your firm's internal capabilities and resources will enable you to determine your strengths and weaknesses. Examples of resources that may impact your firm's pursuit of selected opportunities are as follows:1. Financial Strength. Economies of scales that are achieved by steel and public utility companies require large amounts of capital. For these types of markets, small producers would have a tough time competing due to the large capital requirements. In some industries that have no economies of scale, larger companies may have trouble competing with smaller ones who provide changing styles and more flexibility. In this scenario, financial strength may be an advantage for the basic business, but a weakness when it comes to changing styles and flexibility to meet a variety of customer needs.Listed below are some pertinent questions regarding financial strength that may be addressed:∙Is there an inverse or direct relationship between per unit cost and production?∙What is your current debt? Long-term debt? Plan for future major expenditures?∙What is your expected rate of return?∙What credit terms do you offer? Are they too generous?2. Raw Material Reserves. The level of raw material reserves may play a major role in minimizing costs associated with production and the delivery of your products to market. In the wake of increased demand, potential price increases and raw material availability may have a significant impact on product cost.Some pertinent questions may be:∙What is the cost of materials?∙Is your source of suppliers dependable?∙Does the quantity of supplies available fluctuate? If so, do prices fluctuate?∙Can you use substitute materials?In order to minimize this impact, many companies will build up raw materials reserves. An example of this would be paper companies trying to control lumber reserves.3. Physical Plant. The actual location of your plant may have an impact on your ability to deliver your products to market. If your plant is located close to your suppliers and/or market, this strength may prove to be a competitive edge allowing you to minimize your freight cost and delivery time. Well-located plants are usually a strength, while poorly located ones may be a significant weakness.Questions you may want to address are:∙Is your plant or office size adequate?∙Is your equipment critical? Does it need to be replaced? Is it flexible?4. Patents. If you possess a patent for a basic process in the manufacture of your product, this may provide a distinct advantage over the competition. It may force your competitors to substitute processes that are inferior or more costly and time consuming. Your possession of a patent will usually provide you with a competitive edge in selling your product.5. Brands. If your firm has developed a group of loyal supporters, it may be difficult for other competitors to invade your market. Brillo soap pads provide an example of this type of brand loyalty. Late-comer S.O.S. had a tough fight for market share, because the name Brillo was synonymous with soap pad throughout most of the twentieth century.6. Skilled People. A skilled sales force would be a definite strength that could be used asa competitive advantage in selling your product. A sales force without contacts orknow-how would be a distinct disadvantage.∙Do your employees have the education and training they need?∙How do your compensation and benefits compare to the industry norm?∙Do you reward exceptional performance?∙How does your turnover rate compare to the industry norm?7. Management Attitudes. Top management attitudes toward growth of the business plays an important part in strategy formulation. It will affect the development and introduction of new products and services.∙How important to you is growth? Market share? Maximizing profits?∙How much do you want market share to grow in the short run? In the long run?And profits?Evaluation Of OpportunitiesSubsequent to evaluating your firm's resources (for strengths and weaknesses), the environmental factors impacting your firm, and your management objectives, you should screen and evaluate the various opportunities that have surfaced. To do so, the following steps should be taken:1. Match these opportunities against your firm's resources and objectives.2. Eliminate those opportunities that are mismatches.3. Analyze the remaining opportunities using one or more of the followingapproaches:o Total profit approacho Return on Investment approacho Expected value approacho Boston Consulting Group approachThe measurement criteria used to evaluate each of these opportunities should include both quantitative and qualitative components.1. Quantitative components would summarize the objectives of the firm and includeitems like sales, return on investment and profit targets.2. Qualitative components would consist of issues summarized to address thefollowing types of questions:o What kind of business does my firm want to be in?o What business should I exclude?o What weaknesses should I avoid?o What strengths and trends should I build in?Defining The ProcessIn simple terms, the process of gaining a competitive edge consists of several steps:∙Discovering what your capabilities and resources are in your target market.∙Finding a place in the market where you will be able to position those capabilities.∙Developing a strategy to capture and maintain your position.∙Implementing and fine tuning your strategy.To improve the odds that successful competitive strategies are developed and implemented, the following factors should be considered:∙Personal Strengths.∙Company Strengths.∙Market Position∙Competition∙Market TrendsThere is no single factor which dictates what your firm needs to do in the market. You need to assess the interaction of all these factors and interpret how that particular grouping of factors affects your firm's ability to market your product or service.In determining how to achieve your competitive edge, you will need to address your market, your company's philosophy, and the type of product or service you provide to your target market. This will help you determine whether you want to focus on operational efficiency, customer service, or product leadership in building your competitive edge.Let's look at these areas on a individual basis to determine which area of focus is more suitable to your firm.Operational Efficiency. This term describes a firm that attempts to utilize processes to provide its customers with dependable products at a competitive price. Factors you may wish to consider in improving your operational efficiency would include the following:1. Try to match all your business activities with real and distinct customer needs. Youwill need to identify all of your customers needs and align or adjust all of youractivities to ensure customer satisfaction.2. If you are currently expending time and resources for activities which do notcorrespond to specific customer needs, reduce or eliminate these activitiesentirely. This reduction may involve outsourcing and worker elimination, aninvestment in more state-of-the-art products to improve efficiency, or a conversion from manual to automated systems for inventory or billing.3. Develop job descriptions providing for cross-functional responsibilities whichrequires everyone to be responsible for customer service. Suppose you wanted to lower production costs. Each of your departments would need to work with oneother as a team to identify ways to simplify processes and lower costs. Forexample, a computer company's salespeople may work closely with its servicetechnicians to ensure that their customer's products are being properlymaintained.4. Develop a screening process for suppliers, distributors and other vendors thatensures cost efficiency and timely transfer of products or services to yourcustomer.In What Areas Do I Need To Be Operationally Efficient In Order To Outperform My Competitors?Operational efficiency focuses on efficient production of your product or service, distribution capabilities, and customer satisfaction. It requires that you outperform your competition as follows:∙Respond rapidly to changes in market demand by adjusting your product or service.∙Ensure that each customer is provided with a quality product that has the reliability and consistency to satisfy their needs.∙Control production costs to provide your customers with your product or service ata competitive price.Customer Service. Many service-oriented companies develop competitive strategies involving customization of their product or service to meet individual customer needs. They rarely try to compete on price.If your firm wishes to gain a competitive edge through customer service, the following factors should be considered:∙Flexibility. Try to be flexible in delivering your products or services to your customer. Can you deliver different assortments to different shoppers?∙Make sure that your employees are provided with the proper training, responsibility and authority to satisfy your customers' needs. Relationship selling(building long term relationships with your customers) should be encouraged.∙Ensure that an infrastructure exists to provide a customer service information system capable of collecting and analyzing customer data to be used by bothmanagement and employees for making intelligent customer service decisions.Many companies use quality of service reports to rate customer service by customer, district, area or region of the country. This will provide you with a measurement tool to identifystrengths and weaknesses in your product or service. This can help your firm highlight any issues which may require corrective action.For The Customer Service Approach To Successful, In What Areas Will I Need To Outperform My Competition?If you want to gain your competitive edge through customer service, you must outperform your competition in the following areas:∙Make sure your product is tailored to the individual needs of your customers.∙Make sure your customer service is tailored to individual needs.∙Make an effort to provide relevant information and service to each customer segment.Product Leadership. Many high technology companies are always searching to provide state-of-the-art products and services to their customers. Their new products or services are formulated based on the specific demands from their marketplace.If product leadership is the competitive edge your firm wishes to adopt or maintain, the following factors need to be considered:1. Your firm must ensure that there is effective two-way communication with yourcustomers. Management, production and engineering personnel should talk withcustomers, distributors and dealers to learn how your products are being usedand to identify new challenges that are facing your customers. One effective way to get useful feedback from your customers is to establish focus groups to discuss their challenges and opportunities.2. It is important to maintain an environment within your firm that stimulates youremployees to be creative and entrepreneurial--and a corporate culture thatencourages them to share their new, fresh ideas.3. Make sure you implement the best ideas in a reasonable and timely fashion. Don'tfall victim to analysis paralysis. In most cases, it is far better to make the wrongdecision than to make no decision at all.4. Always try to find ways to improve your product. Be proactive, not reactive to themarketplace.Listed below are some of the actions your firm would need to take to outperform your competition from a product leadership position:∙Endeavor to be perceived by your customers as the perennial technology leader.∙Try to provide your customers with enhanced benefits through frequent product improvements, marketing each specific competitive advantage or differential over previous products. Be sure though, that each improvement corresponds to yourcustomer's product needs and is easy to implement.∙Quickly commercialize your firm's ideas.Choosing A Competitive EdgeThe competitive edge your firm chooses will depend on the reasons your customer will buy a particular product or service. Remember that customers who must meet specific needs are not ready or willing to make do with the wrong product. Some may like the newest product that technology has to offer, while others may opt for more convenient quality products at discount prices. Also keep in mind that the strategy you choose depends on what your market demands, the product or service you offer, your firm's values, resources and expertise. Choosing the appropriate strategy for your product or service will provide you a competitive edge by allowing you to better serve your customers' needs.In all instances, you should direct your efforts toward satisfying the customer and achieving a competitive or differential advantage. In your marketing plan, it is important to review, develop and promote this differential advantage your firm has over the competition. The most important question is:Why would my existing or potential customers buy my product or service over that of the competition?Remember to ask not what your advantage can do for you, but what your advantage can do for your customer.Checklist [top]Gaining A Competitive EdgeMarket position___ Have you identified your firm's strengths and weaknesses?___ Have you identified and analyzed these factors using internal and external sources?___ Have you compared your strengths and weaknesses against those of the competition?___ Do you have a clear understanding about what your firm does best?Company resources and opportunities___ Have you evaluated all functional areas within your firm?___ What resources do you possess or lack that help distinguish your firm from each competitor?___ What opportunities exist for your firm? Why do you consider them opportunities?Evaluation of opportunities___ Have you screened your firm's opportunities by matching them against your resources and objectives?___ Have you eliminated mismatched opportunities?___ Have you evaluated each opportunity using one of the recommended approaches?Defining the process___ Have you identified your capabilities in your target market?___ Have you determined where in the market you can position those capabilities to gain a competitive edge?___ Have you developed a strategy to capture or maintain your position in the market?Choosing a competitive edge___ Do you have a clear understanding of why customers would rather buy your product or service vs. one of your competitors?___ Will your product or service satisfy the customer's need?___ Have you decided how your firm will gain or maintain a competitive edge in your target market?Resources [top]BooksManaging Strategy Implementation by Patrick C. Flood et al. (Blackwell Pub., 2000). Developing a Winning Marketing Plan by William A. Cohen. (John Wiley & Sons, 1987).Marketing Your Product by Donald G. Cyr and Douglas A. Gray. (Self Counsel Press, 1998).The Marketing Plan, 3rd ed. by William M. Luther. (AMACOM, 2001).How to Sharpen Your Competitive Edge by Don Reynolds, Jr. (Sourcebooks Inc., 1994).Internet Sites"Put Your Company to the Test," by David Kelly and Beth Gold-Bernstein. Information Week (October 18, 1999), 146."Plan of Attack." Entrepreneur 23:8 (August 1995), 150 (7). DacEasy / Best Software."Scientific Approach to Managing Competition," by Theodore Modis. Industrial Physicist 9:1 (February-March, 2003), 25-27.</SBR_template.cfm?DocNumber=PL12_1000.htm>。
如何赶上技术进步英语作文Catching Up with Technological Advances.In today's rapidly evolving world, technological progress is shaping our lives in profound and unprecedented ways. It's not just about the latest gadgets or software updates; it's about how these advancements are altering the way we work, learn, communicate, and even think. Keeping up with this relentless pace can be challenging, but it's not impossible. Here are some key strategies to help you stay relevant and ahead of the technological curve.1. Embrace a Lifelong Learning Mindset.The foundation of staying ahead of technology is a continuous quest for knowledge. This means being open to new ideas, concepts, and skills. Embrace the mindset that learning is a lifelong journey, not just something you doin school. Engage in regular professional development courses, read industry-related books and articles, andparticipate in online forums and communities where experts share their insights.2. Stay Connected and Engaged.Staying connected to the technological pulse requires more than just following trends. It's about understanding the underlying principles and potential applications of new technologies. Subscribe to technology news sources, follow industry leaders on social media, and attend conferences and workshops to stay abreast of the latest developments.3. Invest in Yourself.Investing in your own skill development is crucial. Whether it's through formal education, online courses, or self-directed learning, make sure you're constantly upgrading your toolbox. Prioritize skills that are in high demand or have the potential to transform your field. For example, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity are areas that are rapidly growing and offer excellent career opportunities.4. Practice Technical Fluency.Being technically fluent doesn't mean you have to be an expert in every technology. It means being able to understand, evaluate, and apply technology effectively. This requires a basic understanding of technologyprinciples and the ability to navigate different tools and platforms. Embrace the opportunity to learn new software, programming languages, or hardware devices that can enhance your work or personal life.5. Adapt to Change.The pace of technological change is accelerating, and it's important to cultivate a mindset of adaptability. Be prepared to pivot when necessary, embrace new workflows, and experiment with different approaches. Don't be afraid to fail; often, failure is the stepping stone to success.6. Collaborate and Network.Technology is often a team sport, and collaboration can be a powerful tool. Connect with other professionals, share ideas, and work together to solve problems. Join professional organizations, participate in meet-ups and conferences, and build a network of peers who can provide support, feedback, and new perspectives.7. Leverage Technology to Enhance Your Productivity.One of the best ways to stay ahead of the technological curve is to use technology itself to enhance your productivity. Utilize tools like project management software, automation platforms, and artificial intelligence assistants to streamline your workflow and focus on more strategic tasks.8. Maintain a Balanced Lifestyle.While staying up-to-date with technology is important, it's crucial not to牺牲 your personal life. Make time for hobbies, relaxation, and social activities to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This will help you avoid burnoutand stay refreshed, creative, and engaged.In conclusion, keeping up with technological progress requires a commitment to continuous learning, adaptability, and collaboration. By investing in yourself, staying connected, and leveraging technology to enhance your productivity, you can stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving technological landscape.。
