Organizational Technology Plan Essay

Team C is researching University of Phoenix and the technology used at the school. The team will research new technology, workforce training, and recommendations to stay ahead of future challenges. In addition, team C will cover value chain analysis and primary technology the school uses for instructions. University of Phoenix has extensive support activities that students and instructors access daily. Team C will retrieve information and recommend ideas for UOPX to create a more enjoyable learning environment. The team will also cover the different ways UOPX uses the Internet to market products available to all stakeholders. Challenges University of Phoenix has set itself apart by creating a competitive advantage for working adults seeking to further his or her education. Points of differences include advanced technology and communication networks, service-oriented staff in a virtual environment, and easy access of training modules for students of all levels. Although technology has proved a point of difference for UOPX, it also is a hurdle for those intimidated by new advancements. Fear of technology is a consideration. The target market for UOPX is adults who have been away from college for 10-15 years or more. With this market comes a clientele removed from technology that did not exist when he or she enrolled in high school or college. This supports a strategy of establishing partnerships with organizations such as Microsoft or Apple to assist in managing server workload as well as attracting new customers. Staying ahead of the technology curve is essential, and organizations such as Apple can introduce new customers as well as offer new mediums of communication that can bring more awareness to each brand. One example would be developing an Apple tutorial available within the UOPX library. This would help to train, service the students, and enhance their academic experience. University of Phoenix needs to continue to enhance the on boarding process with orientation classes and a consistent stream of tutorials to engage new students to the online program. The current model includes communication networks including e-mail, blogs, chat forums and online forums. This is effective but will become dated if UOPX does not stay ahead of the technology curve. â€Å"Current struggles with bandwidth size for wireless networks is a good example of the need to anticipate and stay ahead of the competition† (Information Systems and Technology Articles, 2011). In addition to the software, it is important to be aggressive with hiring talent who is current with tomorrow’s technology. Recruiting from organizations such as Microsoft, Google, and other technology companies will inspire creative and innovative thinking that will assist in maintaining a competitive advantage and attract new markets. Value Chain Analysis University of Phoenix is an accredited college that is available for adult learners seeking a learning environment, which is flexible, has challenging curriculum, provides a supportive learning environment and is a top-rated college to attend. University of Phoenix has five goals that help students understand what key subjects are essential to his or her education; professional competence and values, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, information utilization, and collaboration (University of Phoenix, 2011). University of Phoenix primary activities related to value chain analysis is apparent; the learning environment has been constructed. An online campus is available for those adult learners not able to attend an educational campus. The value chain support activities are readily available for any student to research via University of Phoenix website or by calling an academic counselor who can provide information and answer any student or potential students’ question or concern. Primary Activities University of Phoenix was technologically created so learners are provided the same learning experience as those students who attend on-campus classes. Virtual students can feel they are provided the same learning environment and are just as engaged as if sitting in a classroom. This technological edge gives University of Phoenix a competitive advantage over many other universities not offering virtual classrooms or just started to implement virtual learning. Dr. John Sperling, a Cambridge-educated economist and professor-turned-entrepreneur, established University of Phoenix in 1976. He saw an opportunity to cater to working adults seeking higher education by offering convenient class times at local sites (University of Phoenix, 2011). University of Phoenix is the nation’s largest private university, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at more than 200 locations as well as online in most countries around the world (University of Phoenix, 2011). Support Activities Many organizations use some type of support services put into place to help the people who need it. At University of Phoenix, there are support systems to help the students who require help. Most of the students at University of Phoenix are online students and the need for technical support and help desks are extremely important to facilitate with the success of the student. When students and instructors need to meet deadlines, the most important system in place is technical support. UOPX even has help desks for the student or teacher help him or herself instead of talking to a support specialist. Often this list is full of questions that can help solve many common problems. University of Phoenix has numerous types of help desks for the students not just for technical questions. (Regan and O’Connor, 2002. p. 246). UOPX has enrollment specialists and staff members available to help the student enroll in the program they are seeking and properly prepare for the upcoming course. Because University of Phoenix is predominantly online campus, help desks and technical supports are necessary from the start of the course to graduation to ensure the success of the instructors and students. These systems are in place and are usually 24 hours so that help is available when needed. Innovative Approaches University of Phoenix uses innovative approaches toward higher learning and uses the business technology to help them approach new information and old. Data mining is utilized by the business world to help them discover how customers like or dislike a certain product or process; University of Phoenix uses data mining to find new and old information that can be used in classes. Harvard Business School is considered one of the top business schools in the world; the professors teach information that can be useful in all business schools. The information taught by the Harvard professors is available online and in websites like those that are available in the UOPX library. By collaborating with sites like EBSCOhost, Gale PowerSearch, and ProQuest students can research information that has been reviewed by professionals from different sources. Another source of information and also a source of friendship that helps the University of Phoenix with communication, learning, and camaraderie are the e-mail, individual class threads. In addition, the new phoenix connect forums that allow students and faculty to keep in touch with each other. The online learning environment is new to many students and the idea that a person can receive his or her bachelorettes’ in an online class is hard for the professional world to grasp. According to a study about the online learning experience, â€Å"In comparing students who had and who had not completed online courses, Dobbs, Waid and del Carmen (2009) found that students who had completed online courses viewed the online experience as positive, would likely take more online courses and wished faculty would put more materials online† (Deggs, Grover & Kacirek, 2010). With this in mind, the online education experience is improving and using more technology to help students gain access to the material that is available. Internet Use University of Phoenix uses the Internet to recruit staff, for customer service and marketing purposes. In the instance of recruitment of new staff, one can find job listings on careerbuilder.com and the phoenix.edu site. This is an added benefit for University of Phoenix to uses the Internet to reach a larger demographic of potential staff. Staff recruiters are available via e-mail if there are questions or concerns. University of Phoenix is quite transparent and open for comments and suggestions. When dealing with marketing, one can stumble across a non-University of Phoenix site and see a banner that can be clicked on to, acquire information about the school. â€Å"University of Phoenix is recognized as the pioneer of online higher education and has been at the forefront of advancing education through technology for more than 30 years† (Mary Berry, UOPX). With Phoenix Connect alone, University of Phoenix is not only tackling customer service for students but also a marketing tool for the university. Banners, blogs, videos, and social networking are exceptional ways that University of Phoenix has used the Internet. Potential students want to know that the university is on the cutting edge and can provide a quality education. By having these avenues to research and learn online are additional advantages and benefits to students and potential staff. Organizations to Move University of Phoenix must remain a dynamic organization with regard to technology. Using Michael Porter’s Value Chain model, technology is a key support system that influences each of the value chains (NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy, 2010). For University of Phoenix to continue to look ahead to future opportunities for growth the outbound logistics and operations units will need to adapt to change. The operations value chain for UOPX is the transformation of the raw materials into a finished product or service. This correlates to the network and infrastructure that UOPX uses today. Advances in technology affect UOPX more than most organizations because they rely on this technology as a primary support system to present the finished product to its customers. Technology advances to increase productivity and service will enhance the website, increase the efficiency and speed of service, introduce new tutorials, and change the design and brand of the network used by students. How the product is delivered describes Porter’s outbound logistics value chain (NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy, 2010). Brick and mortar organizations would refer to this as the packaging and presentation. Phoenix presents this value chain as the online experience it provides the students. Enhancements and technology upgrades to the library, blogs, academic advisory center, and access to the writing and mathematics center for excellence contribute to the online presentation that UOPX provides for the students. Advancements in technology will drive change with Phoenix because it is more than just a support system for the value chains. People upgrade technology at home and at work via communication media, smart phones, and wireless technology. UOPX must embrace this change and adapt it to the current model to remain current with the expectations of its customers and faculty. Embracing this change will ensure that UOPX is keeping pace with the expectations of the public, and stay ahead of competition using technology as a point of difference. Manager Responsibility An essential part of organizational change is the learning curve involved in the implementation plan within the organization. The four phases consist of vital key components involved within managements grasp include unfreezing change, learning, change, and refreezing. Unfreezing change is the management skill of making sure that all parties involved within the change ahead, are current, and prepared for the learning curve ahead. Management must create urgency for the need to change toward each individual. The second phase will include a period of learning. This will be considered the urgency brought upon by the first phase of needing to be prepared for adaptation of change. During this period, the change will focus on changing the old attitude so that each individual is acclimated for the new company vision. Vision during the implementation phase is extremely important to guide each individual. The next phase is called the change phase that takes place after the unfreeze phase. The most optimal time to introduce this phase is once everyone has communicated his or her differences or concerns about the phase. This will include organized meetings within the company to brainstorm within each department. Final phase of this process is called the refreeze phase. The refreeze phase will inclusively bring together the entire process and knowledge gathered by each process. Staff will be encouraged to attend the advanced training sessions created to make the change possible. Through attending these sessions or training classes, each employee will unknowingly become more comfortable with the change. Implement Change Participation will allow employees to be part of the planning and implementation process; he or she can contribute to identifying and understanding the goals of the strategic plan. Education is another factor to help overcome resistance to change from employees. Leaders should educate employees about the strategy before and during the implementation process. Education is a method that supplies individuals with information he or she needs to understand the reason for change. A method a leader can use in the negotiating process is to identify and offer incentives to individuals who resist change such as giving him or her important role in the implementation process. Management and Knowledge Every business needs a good manager to be successful. Without a knowledgeable manager the business will not thrive. One of the most important jobs of a manager is the ability to find and recruit new employee’s that will be able to aid in the success of the business (Change Management Learning Center, 1996-2011). Once the manager has the employee trained and ready to work, the manager will need to have the knowledge to manage the employees. Successfully managing employees is not easy and would require the knowledge of the laws and regulations of employee’s rights. The employees represent the business and are the people that the customers turn to for help. If properly trained and managed the employees will be a huge reason that customers will be loyal. Customer loyalty is partly based upon how much the customer can trust and rely on the business. So training employees to be the best representatives is the absolute most import job of a manager. Managers are also responsible for overseeing the daily business to include stock and supply. It is important for a business not to run out of anything that will help them be successful. The manager must oversee that equipment is staying in good repair and that all the employees be responsible for his or her own duties. Also when needed a manager must restructure any plan or process not working up to standards. Because of changing times and constant technological upgrades new processes are a must, and where there is new processes there must also be new training to learn new processes. The manager is the one person who everyone goes to, when there is an issue or problem it is the manager’s expertise and knowledge that will help the employees to have a good working condition Areas of Manager Knowledge At University of Phoenix, management must be knowledgeable of process re-engineering and restructuring, innovating application of goods and services approaches to managing employees as a vital element in the value chain, methods of achieving, and maintaining customer loyalty. To remain and compete as one of the top nation’s largest private universities offering degree programs in 200 locations as well as online courses in many countries around the world. An organization must be aware of what consumers want and need to keep up with the changing times and remain successful. â€Å"Planning is specifying the goals to be achieved and deciding in advance the appropriate actions needed to achieve those goals† (Bateman & Snell, 2009) . In today’s world of technology, University of Phoenix must be able to invent new ways of advancing the company, coming up with competitive advantages while staying progressive, looking for revolutionary technological advances. Planning involves analyzing current situations as well as projecting and estimating future requirements. Company Preparedness Top management in any company has the responsibility to communicate the organization’s vision and guide strategic planning. Consistent and clear communication with team members is other key factors to identify desired outcomes. Leaders will achieve success by simply communicating with the team his or her shared vision, achieving milestones, and celebrating large, or small wins. Team members should share in the vision without fear of reprimand because he or she voices an opinion or challenges premises. Internal Resistance Organizations understand that changes in technology are a constant in today’s business. Management needs to understand that with those changes individuals will react differently depending on how the information is conveyed to the employee. Management understands that individuals will have issues or concerns with new technology changes in the workforce. Individuals who have those issues or concerns should understand that management has his or her best interest in mind when making those changes. Organizations that have a direct communication style with those individuals will ask members of his or her staff what his or her thoughts are with the new change. This will give direct feedback regarding what individuals think about the changes. Individuals, who express those concerns, are more apt to understand the change and move forward. Managers who will use this style can understand that not all members of his or her staff will express his or her concern. Management should develop a straight talk with individuals when he or she has gathered information about any changes in technology within the organization. Management should be straightforward with individuals when the information is needed to be communicated with individuals so that the individual can understand the change and how this will affect his or her job. Employees who are included with developing changes will understand those changes and work on developing a positive attitude toward those changes. Management should understand that some individuals will not understand the changes and do not want to make those changes. Individuals who are part of those groups should be addressed as individuals who need extra attention and understand what concerns that he or she has. Those individuals are people who do not understand those changes and should have extra training to help those individuals with his or her issues. Management should include trainers with any new change in technology so that individuals could be trained on the new processes with the company. Trainers with a hands-on approach with employees are a tool that can assist with the negativity an employee may experience. Employees will be more open to express his or her concern with a coworker who is a trainer. The trainer can take that information and pass it on to management. Management can sit down and come to positive conclusions for all parties involved to provide better solutions to employees. The solution to resistance from employees during technology changes can be implemented differently. It depends on the individual and not every individual will be positive with any change in an organization with technologies. Management needs to let people know the benefits of those changes, and involve as many people as possible to ensure people can understand the changes. Involvement and open talk with employees with make the resistance dwindle as much as possible. Management must prepare for those changes and be open with individuals to show him or her change. Effective Communication of Change Companies are prone to change regardless of how hard an organization attempts to limit changes. Companies like University of Phoenix embrace change because they know it drives the competitive edge. Recently University of Phoenix went under some drastic changes for the betterment of the school and most important the students. This was highlighted in the media as well as on the Internet. One example of how the university effectively communicated changes was by having their representatives speak to the media and reporters about why they were changing compensation for employers and eliminated staff members. The following is a statement from a representative at University of Phoenix about changing compensation, â€Å"We are the first to do so among proprietary schools, and it is an important change that is clearly something that regulators and policy makers in Washington want to see† (De Groote, Michael of Deseret News). This statement alone lets any potential student know that the reason for the change is to align with what the government wants to see. This puts in the customers mind that the UOPX is serious about abiding to guidelines and policies. Making such a statement is a bold move and advantageous in creating the competitive edge for the university. Because the university is the first to make such a change this allows students whether new or old, know they are serious about the accreditation of the school. They proved this by making a tough decision even though it may have displayed weakness but were essential at the time. Ownership UOPX markets itself as an accredited institution that provides education at the highest level. It provides students an online library with resources that represent the integrity of the university and the product UOPX delivers to its students. This information and the content provided represent the outbound logistics and the sales and marketing value chain for University of Phoenix. The university packages this information to attract students to the benefits and value of the product. Accuracy, quality, and flow of this information (outbound logistics) will determine the success of this value chain and the impact on the entire system. If this value chain breaks down the synergy of the organization will be lost. The raw materials and operations value chains can be managed perfectly but if the logistics of the customers’ access to this information is flawed, UOPX will fail. More important, technology becomes a key support to this value chain because the content, accuracy, and accessibility of this information is a primary point of difference for UOPX. Leaders must have excellent communication with the technology team and logistics team to coordinate the product in a way that offers value to the student but not overwhelming him or her with complicated application to access the information. Accuracy and quality of the information will reflect the sales and service value chain. UOPX markets itself as an institution that affords students every benefit of a traditional brick and mortar university. With that statement UOPX must ensure that all information obtained from the students complies with privacy regulations and material found within the university library is credible. Communicate Change University of Phoenix is at the forefront of technology in an educational environment. The company is continually looking for the best technology to be used in the adult education field. To stay at the top as the largest private university the organization must be able to communicate internally with employees and externally with customers. Different resources reach out to different individuals. Apollo Group is the parent company of University of Phoenix. Within the walls of the company Apollo group uses several ways to communicate with employees about technology changes coming down the road. The organization uses both broadcast e-mail as well as individual e-mail to relay information on technology researched, beta tested, and progressed pertaining to the implementation plan. The organization uses an internal website and network to allow employees to learn more about different projects and give input to the project teams. Employees can access training materials for the new technology implemented or considered for implementation. Social Contract Social contract will meet these principles of social contract through actively contributing revenue earned through the successful implementation of new technology. This shows the benefit rather than just the revenue by exemplifying to the public that this company is in support and contributes to welfare of society and not just focused on maximizing profit. University of Phoenix’s annual report will highlight the progress of our social responsibility on many levels. Including furthering members of society education, minority help, donations to arts, and social welfare agencies that will improve many social conditions. Through implementing a well planned/organized technology, these standards of ethical issues will be met. Ethical issues concur with the science of human duty to one another. Giving social responsibility to society exemplifies an easy and unique decision for our future investors. â€Å"Primary functions, such as product research and development, production, and marketing; and support functions, such as human resources, public relations, and information systems† (Regan & O’Connor, 2002, p. 17) are extremely important primary functions involved in actively and directly involving the production and marketing for this product. The IT department expanded to other departments of the new technology will correlate a focus on organization-wide management to develop skills of knowledge management in training and development issues. Ownership Any organization has social responsibilities to the community and the employees. Technology plays a role in that responsibility. Not only does University of Phoenix use technology to service its customers but also to help the employees of Apollo group. The University of Phoenix uses secure technology programs to transmit information with the Department of Education and Direct Loans. The student’s social security number, birth date, contact information, and sometimes banking information must be secure. Personal information must be protected because of privacy rights set in place by the federal government. One of the largest reasons to protect this information is identity theft. This would be the biggest failure of social responsibility. Technology Technology is used to help employees as well. Apollo group employs people across the nation. Human resources to provide benefits and pay to all employees use technology. Paperwork for different types of leave is transmitted electronically. Changes in personal information are kept on the human resources website. The University of Phoenix uses technology to improve and support the well-being of the employees. Through the internal intranet system, the employees have access to resources to become healthier, physically, and mentally. Through the same HR site, employees can view paychecks, vacation, sick hours, change personal information, and complete training. Technology is continually being used to help employees. Many items have to consider when researching going global. In fact, the world is becoming a smaller place in terms of business. With all the new technology, it is easy for a business to be productive in other countries. E-mail, video teleconferencing, the Internet, and e-commerce are some of the methods used by businesses so that they can be in more than one place. Many rules apply that may make the transition difficult if not known. Possessing an IT manager is a must when going global because of the rules and regulations of other countries for the Internet. Web accessibility in some countries is limited that would make setting up the Internet in another country difficult. Each country has policies and procedures that must be followed in order for use of the Internet to be used (W3C Web Accessibility initiative, 25 August 2006). This means that a company should understand the policies and procedures before they purchase their property in the country. Being online will be one of the m ost important tasks this business will have. Without the use of the Internet the business will be, blind so to speak from their sister locations, and this may pose a problem to the company. The long term effects of cultural and languages differences on a company’s business operations can be positive and negative for an organization depending on how that organization is prepared for that development. Organizations must understand the countries culture when expanding to that country. Different cultures have different customs that is acceptable and unacceptable in that country. The long-term effect of an organization moving into a country and conducting business not fully aware of those habits and customs in that country can result in very negative for that organization. Different nations have different customs that he or she is accustomed too. If an organization crosses those lines in the form of the employee, those employees will not work as effetely as he or she should. This happens because of an individual upset with the organization and spending more resources complaining about what had happen. This result for the organization will take time to resolve to make things work for the better. That organization must communicate with the employees and other members of the community what the goal is for the organization. If the goal is positive for both the organization and country than that business will result in a win-win solution for everyone involved. In an organizations standpoint it should be able to communicate effetely so that miscommunication cannot accrue. If an organization does have miscommunication, the organization must be able to correct that miscommunication as quickly as possible to save the organization from down time. Organizations can benefit from expanding globally if it is done correctly. The correct way to do this is to have research done on the country that the organization is looking to expand. This will ensure that the organization is successful in working with that organization. The long-term effect for doing business that must expand to stay competitive is positive for the organizations and expands employment for other people involved. Expansion is a necessity for organizations. With that necessity, the expansion should have the research needed to support effective communication within that organization. Ownership UOPX markets itself as an accredited institution that provides education at the highest level. It provides students an online library with resources that represent the integrity of the university and the product UOPX delivers to its students. This information and the content provided represent the outbound logistics and the sales and marketing value chain for University of Phoenix. The university packages this information to attract students to the benefits and value of the product. Accuracy, quality, and flow of this information (outbound logistics) will determine the success of this value chain and the impact on the entire system. If this value chain breaks down the synergy of the organization will be lost. The raw materials and operations value chains can be managed perfectly but if the logistics of the customers’ access to this information is flawed, UOPX will fail. More important, technology becomes a key support to this value chain because the content, accuracy, and accessibility of this information is a primary point of difference for UOPX. Leaders must have excellent communication with the technology team and logistics team to coordinate the product in a way that offers value to the student but not overwhelming him or her with complicated application to access the information. Accuracy and quality of the information will reflect the sales and service value chain. UOPX markets itself as an institution that affords students every benefit of a traditional brick and mortar university. With that statement UOPX must ensure that all information obtained from the students complies with privacy regulations and material found within the university library is credible. Communicate Change University of Phoenix is at the forefront of technology in an educational environment. The company is continually looking for the best technology to be used in the adult education field. To stay at the top as the largest private university the organization must be able to communicate internally with employees and externally with customers. Different resources reach out to different individuals. Apollo Group is the parent company of University of Phoenix. Within the walls of the company Apollo group uses several ways to communicate with employees about technology changes coming down the road. The organization uses both broadcast e-mail as well as individual e-mail to relay information on technology researched, beta tested, and progressed pertaining to the implementation plan. The organization uses an internal website and network to allow employees to learn more about different projects and give input to the project teams. Employees can access training materials for the new technology implemented or considered for implementation. Social Contract Social contract will meet these principles of social contract through actively contributing revenue earned through the successful implementation of new technology. This shows the benefit rather than just the revenue by exemplifying to the public that this company is in support and contributes to welfare of society and not just focused on maximizing profit. University of Phoenix’s annual report will highlight the progress of our social responsibility on many levels. Including furthering members of society education, minority help, donations to arts, and social welfare agencies that will improve many social conditions. Through implementing a well planned/organized technology, these standards of ethical issues will be met. Ethical issues concur with the science of human duty to one another. Giving social responsibility to society exemplifies an easy and unique decision for our future investors. â€Å"Primary functions, such as product research and development, production, and marketing; and support functions, such as human resources, public relations, and information systems† (Regan & O’Connor, 2002, p. 17) are extremely important primary functions involved in actively and directly involving the production and marketing for this product. The IT department expanded to other departments of the new technology will correlate a focus on organization-wide management to develop skills of knowledge management in training and development issues. Ownership Any organization has social responsibilities to the community and the employees. Technology plays a role in that responsibility. Not only does University of Phoenix use technology to service its customers but also to help the employees of Apollo group. The University of Phoenix uses secure technology programs to transmit information with the Department of Education and Direct Loans. The student’s social security number, birth date, contact information, and sometimes banking information must be secure. Personal information must be protected because of privacy rights set in place by the federal government. One of the largest reasons to protect this information is identity theft. This would be the biggest failure of social responsibility. Technology Technology is used to help employees as well. Apollo group employs people across the nation. Human resources to provide benefits and pay to all employees use technology. Paperwork for different types of leave is transmitted electronically. Changes in personal information are kept on the human resources website. The University of Phoenix uses technology to improve and support the well-being of the employees. Through the internal intranet system, the employees have access to resources to become healthier, physically, and mentally. Through the same HR site, employees can view paychecks, vacation, sick hours, change personal information, and complete training. Technology is continually being used to help employees. Many items have to consider when researching going global. In fact, the world is becoming a smaller place in terms of business. With all the new technology, it is easy for a business to be productive in other countries. E-mail, video teleconferencing, the Internet, and e-commerce are some of the methods used by businesses so that they can be in more than one place. Many rules apply that may make the transition difficult if not known. Possessing an IT manager is a must when going global because of the rules and regulations of other countries for the Internet. Web accessibility in some countries is limited that would make setting up the Internet in another country difficult. Each country has policies and procedures that must be followed in order for use of the Internet to be used (W3C Web Accessibility initiative, 25 August 2006). This means that a company should understand the policies and procedures before they purchase their property in the country. Being online will be one of the most important tasks this business will have. Without the use of the Internet the business will be, blind so to speak from their sister locations, and this may pose a problem to the company. The long term effects of cultural and languages differences on a company’s business operations can be positive and negative for an organization depending on how that organization is prepared for that development. Organizations must understand the countries culture when expanding to that country. Different cultures have different customs that is acceptable and unacceptable in that country. The long-term effect of an organization moving into a country and conducting business not fully aware of those habits and customs in that country can result in very negative for that organization. Different nations have different customs that he or she is accustomed too. If an organization crosses those lines in the form of the employee, those employees will not work as effetely as he or she should. This happens because of an individual upset with the organization and spending more resources complaining about what had happen. This result for the organization will take time to resolve to make things work for the better. That organization must communicate with the employees and other members of the community what the goal is for the organization. If the goal is positive for both the organization and country than that business will result in a win-win solution for everyone involved. In an organizations standpoint it should be able to communicate effetely so that miscommunication cannot accrue. If an organization does have miscommunication, the organization must be able to correct that miscommunication as quickly as possible to save the organization from down time. Organizations can benefit from expanding globally if it is done correctly. The correct way to do this is to have research done on the country that the organization is looking to expand. This will ensure that the organization is successful in working with that organization. The long-term effect for doing business that must expand to stay competitive is positive for the organizations and expands employment for other people involved. Expansion is a necessity for organizations. With that necessity, the expansion should have the research needed to support effective communication within that organization. To allow a company to grow, the expansion globally may need to take place. Whereas this would be an excellent feat to take on, there are technology issues that can occur in the process. It is best to prepare oneself for any technology issue that may arise. First, it is important to understand where the company plans to spread globally and if that country is capable of meeting the standard s required in the United States. One issue that may arise is some â€Å"countries lack the infrastructure to support such technology† (Encyclopedia of Business, p. 1). If this occurs, a solution may be establishing intermediate technology for the time being. Another problem could be security when business is conducted online. Other countries may not uphold the same privacy acts as The United States therefore customers could suffer because of this. One key issue would be the Internet and how quickly information can be communicated. Looking at University of Phoenix the online students would suffer in another country if they did not have comparable Internet to the United States. This would hinder their schooling, and this would not be something the university would want for the student. Another factor would be the time difference and tech support available for students who need it in other time zones. Hence, it is crucial to research and know the location thoroughly so these technology issues would not take place. Team C completed extensive research on University of Phoenix’s technology plan and current upgrades. UOPX has a business description of giving all individuals the chance to receive a degree to improve his or her marketability and improving his or her lively hood. Technology has an enormous impact on UOPX because a majority of students attends classes on-line. The university has a stringent policy on proper conduct of students and faculty. UOPX requires and expects all stakeholders to respect and treat all students and employees with proper etiquette. In addition, UOPX has students and instructors around the world. This requires UOPX to establish technology and support staff that is well versed in the technology that is used by all stakeholders. UOPX has consistently been on the for-front of technological advancement for on-line classes. The university has consistently sought out the best and brightest individuals in the technology field to stay ahead of all other on-line universities. Because of being on the for-front, UOPX has continued to set the standard with-in the for-profit universities. References Information Systems and Technology Articles. (2011, April). Wireless Infrastructure: Can our Current System Handle Bandwidth Demands. Retrieved from http://www.phonix.edu University of Phoenix. (2011). Introducing PhoenixConnect: The University of Phoenix Academic Social Network. Retrieved from http://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/business/articles/2011/01/introducing-phoenixconnect-the-university-of-phoenix-academic-social-network.html Regan, E., & O’Connor, B. (2002). End-User Information Systems: Implementing Individual and Work Group Technologies. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. : A Pearson Education Company. Retrieved from chap7,pg.6 , TEC401 website. Deggs, D. Grover, K. Kacirek, K. (Sep. 2010) EXPECTATIONS OF ADULT GRADUATE STUDENTS IN AN ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM. College Student Journal, 01463934, Sep2010, Vol. 44, Issue 3 retrieved June 4, 2011 from EBSCOhost Bateman, T.S., & Snell, S.A. (2009). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive W orld. (8th ed.) McGraw-Hill. University of Phoenix, (2006-2011), retrieved on June 2, 2011 from http://www.phoenix.edu/ Change Management Learning Center. (1996-2011). An Overview of Change Management. Retrieved from http://www.change-managment.com/change-managment-overview.htm http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700088460/University-of-Phoenix-enrollment-drops-because-of-changes-to-enrollment-recruiting-practices.html NetMBA: Business Knowledge Center, Strategy. (2010). The Value Chain. Retrieved from http://www.netmba.com W3C Web Accessibility initiative. (25 August 2006). Policies Relating to Web Accessibility. Retrieved from http://www.w3.org/WAI/Policy Regan, E. A., & O’Connor, B. N. (2002). End-User Information Systems: Implementing Individual and Work Group Technologies (2nd ed.). Pearson, NY: Prentice-Hall.

Lord of Flies

Write on one of the following essay prompts. The essay must be a formal literary multi-paragraph essay Oust like you learned last year) with a hook, pr ©CICS, a clear thesis with reasons, topic sentences, Cad's, Cam's, conclusion, third person, present tense, proper MEAL heading, citations. The number of paragraphs often depends on your organization of ideas. It always must be a fully fleshed out, insightful interpretation of this novel with specific information drawn from the text.For this essay you must organize your essay into a 4 paragraph essay. If you do not have quotes for Cad's, it is an automatic â€Å"F† because all literary essays must have proof to support your opinion. I will be looking for an insightful discussion and convincing argument supporting your views of this novel. Remember, unlike an objective exam, you are in control when you write an essay. Show what you know. The only materials you may bring into class are your book with your quotes slighted, your text annotated, or tabs to help you locate pages you will need.You will only have the one period to complete your essay, so you need to have thought about your ideas ahead of time. You may also put Cad's (but only Cad's on a 3 by 5 card) PROMPT #1 In the novel the Lord of the Flies, author William Gilding constantly has the reader questioning the true nature of humans?whether it is good or bad. Write an essay that discusses Gildings theme that humans are essentially good OR that humans are essentially bad. Choose ONE SIDE and convince your audience with at least two cited examples from the text for each supporting paragraph.You may include examples from history as part of your discussion and reasoning in your commentary, remember, your essay is an analysis of THE NOVEL showing how Gilding treated the idea that humans are essentially good OR that humans are essentially bad. PROMPT #2 During pre-election campaigns, Presidential candidates can say absolutely anything about their oppone nts and their own qualities as leaders, the policies they will Hampton, and the direction they will lead the nation if they are elected.However, citizens can reach the most reliable evaluation of their Presidential potentials through analyzing their candidates' past and their established records of leadership (How have Ralph and Jack already demonstrated leadership qualities) In Lord of the judging by their records, which boy would make the best national leader? Write an essay that discusses whether Jack or Ralph would make the best national leader.You may consider such areas as personal freedoms, environmental policy, labor/industry, citizen satisfaction, law and order, etc. Choose ONE SIDE and convince your audience with at least two cited examples from the text for each supporting paragraph. You may include examples from history as part of your discussion and reasoning within your commentary, but your essay is an analysis of THE NOVEL. What have Ralph and Jack actually DONE in th e novel that Gilding is demonstrating to reveal which one would make the best leader? Lord of Flies Humankind seems to have an enormous capacity for savagery, for brutality, for lack of empathy, for lack of compassion. † This quote introduces the idea that humans have a brutal nature and are drawn away from the civilized ways of life because of it. When true human nature is allowed to be seen, these savagely characteristics are made visible and these other courteous ways of life are forgotten.In the novel Lord of the Flies by William Gilding, the boys choose to allow Jack's violent and fearful leadership, abandoning Rally's authority based on order and civilized norms, proving that rule based on savagery appeals to mans dark human nature and will overshadow leadership based on civility to the detriment of society. This realization is shown in the novel when, at the beginning, all of the boys follow the same rules that have been put on them for their whole lives, but as the story progresses Jack follows his savagery human instincts and some boys follow.At he end of the story a ll of the boys true selves are exposed and savagery and brutality have consumed the boys. At the start of the novel,while on the island the boys follow the rules that society has always made them follow, making the Island a peaceful and organized society but very early on it is made known that the boys don't want to follow these norms that have been put on them their entire life. When they first get to the island, they keep order by electing a leader. â€Å"†¦ We ought to have a hive to decide things†¦Let's have a vote†¦ TLS toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch. † peg. 22. Voting Is something that is done In a normal society and they boys take this systematic way of making decisions and use It on the Island. This shows that for a small amount of time, their regular ways of living stay with them because this Is what seems normal to them. They have been taught these ways to do things their entire life and they have been enforced by adults so they con tinue to do this while on he Island.Adding on to that, the boys also take things that they have learned In school and apply It to the Island. While deciding who should talk during assemblies, Ralph suggests that, ‘We'll have to have ‘Hands up' Like at school†¦ Then I'll give him the conch†¦ He can hold It when he's speaking. † peg. 33 Ralph, suggests this because this Is what they have been taught to do In school when they have something to say that way chaos and commotion Is prevented.

Speaking Spanish Has Always Been A Struggle

She played a huge role in teaching me how to speak Spanish. The only language she would speak to me while growing up was Spanish. As I grew up I never realized the method that was being used which was direct method until now. She was teaching me on how to communicate with others while speaking another language. My grandmother only spoke to me in Spanish though I had a rough time understanding and trying to speak it back to her, she was determined to teach me.The role of the teacher who in this case is my grandmother is to teacher me on how to become a communicator. Not merely to learn vocabulary or grammar but to know whom, when and what to say or how to ay certain things. The role of my grandmother was to acquire a learning system which was not focused too much on how to write or learn vocabulary but to learn the proper way to use Spanish first. The students role is to accept the corrections as well as absorbing and putting my Spanish speaking skills to test.Though till this day I a m not that great at speaking my second language, know the basic fundamentals of this language, my language in this case would be â€Å"Spangling†. This is where I incorporate both Spanish and English while speaking to Spanish speakers, which my grandmother isn't too fond of. One characteristic that is good for teaching Spanish would be proficiency, in order to teach a foreign language you must know the language yourself. One must learn how to speak it, read it as well as write it. It was easy for my grandmother to teach me because she was well educated in that language.She was able to exhibit a high level of accuracy in Spanish because of her background with the language. As for the learning process I was able to surround myself with other family members to communicate and improve in my foreign language. As well as watching my grandmothers intense Spanish wows which educated me more and taught me on how to express myself. The nature interaction between my grandmother and I wa sn't too bad, though I struggled in the beginning as time went by I was able to learn it eventually, not as good as I had wished though.It was harder for my because growing up because had a New Yorker accent so for some words had a hard time saying in Spanish, and for that my grandmother made fun of me but thought it was adorable. Plenty of corrections were made during my process of learning Spanish which better my knowledge and understanding in this language. While learning Spanish it was pretty difficult and frustrating especially since I had an accent which was harder for me to comprehend in also my sisters made fun of me because of it Especially when it came to rolling the Or's that was the most difficult part of Spanish was being able to roll letters.As well as learning on how to speak very fast in my language, normally all Spanish speakers have a tendency to speak very fast, still haven't gotten the hang of that but I'm learning. When speaking Spanish I have made plenty of mis takes but I was able to remind myself that it's okay to make mistakes, but to ask ND seek help from people who are great in speaking Spanish. Speaking Spanish in my household was and still is a must, the only way to communicate to my grandmother was through speaking Spanish.Especially since it is my second language it is important that I know how to speak it. Am also able to expand my horizons and know more and how my language works. It's not just about learning a new language and how to speak it but you learn about its culture as well. It's important so we can empathic with people in our country who struggle to learn English, so therefore learning more engages and about different cultures will help us develop more knowledge of other languages. The area of language that is emphasized are vocabulary and grammatical structure.Vocabulary is very important for every language especially so you're able to use it in the correct form. I know for myself whenever use the incorrect word while speaking to my grandmother she looks at me with a confused face and waits for me to correct myself. Vocabulary is an important factor because you want your sentences understandable while using the right terms. As for grammatical, its important to govern the compositions of harass, clauses and words so you can acquire a better sense of how to use these while speaking to an individual.As a child my grandmother would have me repeat every word after her in Spanish and once we did that, she told me what each word meant. Of course we started off with the easy terms first such as animals, fruits and parts on our bodies. As we did those every day as a child my vocabulary increased and little by little began to understand the basics, once we did that we moved onto the harder stuff. Learning different terms helped me improve in this engage and gave me a better sense on how to use them and when to use them. As only able to speak Spanish whenever I would see my grandmothers, or went to visit pe ople in my country. My native language which is English is Of course my strongest skill but speaking Spanish has given me the opportunity to explore more in my foreign language and not rely so much on my native language. The role of my native language should not be used when learning another language, should be able to get out of the habit of not depending so much on it and being able to be open to learning different languages especially my own language.

Changing Housework Arrangement Between Couples Literature review

Changing Housework Arrangement Between Couples - Literature review Example Social change is brought about by the continued increase in the number of women who join the labor force in North America, Europe and Oceania starting the age of industrialization (Kornblum 2007). The increase in number of women joining the labor force (Bianchi et al. 2000; Kamo & Cohen 1998; Presser 1994; Shelton 1990, cited in (Omori & Smith 2009) resulted to a decline in the number of hours spent for domestic work (Artis & Pavalko 2003, cited in Omori & Smith 2009). The changing work division is attributed to the declining time that wives spare for household chores (Van der Lippe et al. 2004, cited in Omori & Smith 2009). The routine household works are influenced by cultural values and in line with the â€Å"male-breadwinner-and-female-homemaker arrangement† (Treas 2011, para. 6). Cleaning the house is associated with women while working outside to earn a living is the obligation of men (Omori & Smith 2009). However, in African American and Hispanic households, wives usual ly work outside of the home to earn a living (Omori & Smith 2009). Omori and Smith (2009) reported that women who hold higher or managerial positions, with increased status and income, tend to spend lesser work hours at home. Studies from several countries show that household work arrangements are influenced by values, beliefs and norms in the community (Treas 2011). Through long practice, many household chores were relegated to women. (Van der Lippe et al. 2004, cited in Omori & Smith 2009).  

Kano Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kano Model - Assignment Example According to the article, the main purpose of the Kano Model is increasing the customer’s happiness by improving the quality of the product or service provided. Every business organization has to out into consideration the features of any product before releasing it to the market. For successful implementation of the Kano model, a number of steps have to be completed. Fitting in all the features and attributes of a product is the first step. Then the organization should classify the features as either threshold, performance and excitement attributes. The article argues that all the attributes of the product must be fully satisfied to ensure employee satisfaction. Further, the article argues that for successful implementation of the model, the organization has to desist from focusing on the performance of the organization to major on the product attributes. The Kano model is very significant as it helps an organization in identifying customer needs, defining purposes that have necessities as well as carrying out an analysis of the competitive products in the market. Essential tools for the success of the Kano of the technique include customer involvement, value analysis, prioritizing matrices and ensuring the quality of the products. IV. KEY LEARNING POINTS Definition of Kano model- it is a model designed to improve the happiness of an organization’s customers through decisions aimed at improving the quality of products and services. Importance of the Kano model- its main importance is providing high-quality products to the customers, which lead to high customer satisfaction. The Kano model also helps in identifying factors that lead to customer dissatisfaction. Categories of the Kano technique include threshold attributes, considered as the most important attributes, Excitement Attributes that necessarily catapults the customers’ level of satisfaction and Performance Attributes that aims at improving customer satisfaction. V. RELEVANT STATE MENTS TO THE SESSION The main advantage of the Kano model is that it opens and widens the reasoning of business organizations, putting more emphasis on the features of the product which improves customer satisfaction. Kano model stresses on customer judgment of a product or service in the market. The original developer of the model was Dr. Noriaki Kano in 1980s, where he raised claims that for a product to capture the customers it must have three attributes include threshold, performance and excitement attributes. Steps involved in successful implementation of the Kano technique include settling on the most important and essential features of a product or service that customers deem as important and crucial in satisfying their needs. The next step involves classifying the identified features as either threshold, performance and excitement attributes respectively. Other performances and non-relevant attributes require trimming in order to develop fully the threshold attributes. VI. C RITICAL ANALYSIS According to the article, the Kano theory aims at improving the customer’s level of satisfaction. As such, all business organizations aims at providing the best quality product or services to the people geared to winning their loyalty.  

Selection of research subjects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selection of research subjects - Essay Example population, is to convey the opinion that such disproportional representation is not fair and does not make the most of the diversity available, while bordering on racist inclinations and gender inequality, as well. It also attempts to put forth a convincing argument, with evidences, to uphold the fact that inclusion of the blacks, as well as, the female population would certainly lead to a better prospect for the industry, since to throws up lurking talent, while also paving way for a more balanced research. This not only wipes out grievances that exist in the non-represented part of the population, but also promotes equality and brotherhood. Clinical research is a particularly difficult topic. In most research communities industrial and federal agencies have been, for more than a decade, refusing to obtain information about inconsistent drug effects on patients based on race, ethnicity, gender and age. I will discuss the model development, study design in relate to clinical trials. Also I will talk about the participant factors in general and my personal factors. The last point I will be discussing is the ethnically diverse patients. ANALYSIS SELECTION OF SUBJECTS The ideal path towards success for any industry, is to make the most out of the man power and talent pool available. Under such circumstances, the selection of candidates is a crucial phase. Priority attached to a particular strata or section of the society, while leaving out the others, is often dangerous as it paves way for inequality and further, it does not recognise the talent of the rest of the masses. Our core industry and area in this article, is that of the U.S. clinical research, wherein majority of the individuals enrolled for the research are white males. The very mention of 'white males' highlights the fact that two important sections of the society---the females and the blacks are not very prominently represented in the enrolment. In the Model Development the proposed Model for Clinical Trial Participation was developed based on a literature review and experiences with subject participation. Analysis and use of the model in implementation of clinical trials may be helpful in all research disciplines. The model identifies barriers and issues related to clinical trial participation, strategies that can be used for success, and outcomes for successful clinical trials. A literature review indicated that successful clinical trials depend on certain key issues and factors: study design, participant factors, issues related to ethnic diversity, the informed consent process, and physician factors. Strategies for success are identified in the model to overcome these issues and concerns, and specific outcomes are identified. Healthcare providers across disciplines can use the model prior to and during enrolment of patients into studies. A literature review revealed specific barriers and factors related to the success of clinical trials. The major barriers identified were study design, participant factors (i.e., general and personal issues related to special populations), the

Lesson V Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lesson V - Research Paper Example Further, Siva did not act ethically by suing Hess as he had not entered into a personal agreement with Hess but with 1138 LLC. If Siva wanted Hess to be personally liable for the debt, he would have asked Hess to sign the lease agreement in an individual capacity and hence Hess would have been personally liable (Cooper & Lyman, 1998) The appending of Mr. Soskin’s signature on the contract document indicating that he would personally guarantee any defaulted payments by Nashville holds him personally liable to pay the debt (Cheeseman, 2013). He therefore acted as a personal guarantor to Nashville LLC and any failed payments by the company would be recovered from Soskin’s personal assets as he became personally liable by signing a document with a paragraph saying â€Å"I personally guarantee...† If Soskin intended to act as just a representative as he stipulate in his defense, he would have therefore asked for an amendment of the clause which made him personally liable (Cheeseman, 2013) Under the subject of Liability of the franchisor, he case quoted is Martin v. McDonalds Corp. where McDonald’s was sued for negligence. The court’s decision held that McDonald’s was negligent for failure of following up and making sure that deficiencies in security at the Oak Forest Franchise were corrected. The liability of a franchisor therefore affects businesses in the United States as the franchisors are tasked to ensure that security procedures are adhered to and thus manuals should be circulated in all franchised business for conformance (Cheeseman, 2013). In the subject of right to accounting, Steeby v, Fial case is applied where Steeby sued Fial for breach of fiduciary duty while seeking for final accounting. The trial court found that Fial had in his actions violated the partnership agreement and hence breached the fiduciary duty by terminating the auditors and dissipating partnership assets. Also, he had terminated contracts for the clients

4 topics to chose from Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

4 topics to chose from - Essay Example He explains that if a person thinks then he/she exists. This he confirmed through the use of the use of senses, he concludes that thought go hand in hand with being conscious. As a demonstration of his principles of thought and doubt, he conducted an experiment using wax. In his demonstration, the wax has certain characteristics as informed by the brain but the wax loses its characteristics once it put before a flame (Descartes 28). The wax though melted is still the same thing but the brain through his thoughts informs him that the wax characteristics are different. The use of this experiment meant to remove all doubts and uncertainty and thus to ensure that thoughts are used in guiding an individual’s beliefs. Descartes was considered the father of modern philosophy since he constructed many philosophies in use today. As a result of his philosophy of doubts, he went ahead and constructed a system of knowledge. In his system of knowledge, Descartes admitted to disregarding perception as unreliable and only admitting to deduction as a method. Descartes also explained the existence of God through the fact that God gave him a working mind and senses. In his argument, Descartes argues that God provided him with a sensory system that did not intend to deceive him (Descartes 59). As a result, the sensory perceptions appeared to him were involuntary and he used his senses to explain the external World. According to Descartes, the external world was brought about by the need for material things (Watson 51). In essence, the scientific method can be considered as a process, in which one corrects himself and his previous knowledge, through continuous examination of truth, for the final aim of finding answers to questions. This examination of truth is what is referred to as doubt and skepticism by Descartes. Theoretically, the scientific method of thinking, as practiced by famous thinkers such as Galileo and Francis Bacon,

World Trade Organization (WTO) impacts agriculture Research Paper

World Trade Organization (WTO) impacts agriculture - Research Paper Example The aim of the WTO and the agreements is to assist exporters, importers, consumers and producers to conduct international trade. The outcome is essentially assurance as producers and consumers feel that they have security in supplies and a range of options of products, services and raw materials. As a result of accountability in the economic world, international trade is peaceful and prosperous as the WTO settles trade disputes by interpreting commitments and agreements made by member states. This paper will examine various areas of trade such as international and domestic trade, discussing different elements that influence both forms of trade. The essence of trade is to benefit both consumers and sellers in a mutually beneficial relationship (Mankiw, 2011). Compare and contrast free trade and protectionist theories   Economists continue to argue on the issue of protectionist theories and free trade. These arguments are complex, but the underpinning controversy is even greater. Fre e trade refers to a strategy through which a government allows imports and does not interfere with exports. This is through the application of import tariffs or export quotas or subsidies. Free trade allows both trading partners to gain from trade. This is because, under free trade, the prices of goods and services emerge from the forces of demand and supply (Mankiw, 2011). In addition, free trade allows resource allocation on account of demand and supply. Free trade enables counties to acquire greater levels of production and consumption, which they can obtain in isolation. In case of perfect competition, free trade allows optimal, global resource allocation. This essentially means that free trade allows trading countries to achieve equality in their marginal production transformation rates (OECD, 2000). Theory on free trade suggests that free trade facilitates income increments and equitable distribution of income among countries (Lambert & McKoy, 2009). Free trade differs signifi cantly from protectionist theories since the latter allows the determination of the allocation of products and services amongst trading nations on the basis of different price strategies. The different price strategies amongst trading partners emerge from government interventions in the market. Here, governments intervene by adjusting prices or instituting supply restrictions. Essentially, under protectionist theories of trade, government interventions either increase or decrease the cost of products and services to producers and consumers. Protectionism involves the establishment of trade barriers such as currency restrictions with regard to international trade, taxes, import quotas and other subsidies offered to domestic industries. The essential purpose of protectionist theories is to protect domestic industries from losses incurred in unstable marketplaces (Giovanni, Bohman, Carter, & McCalla, 2007). Consequently, governments also establish non-tariff barriers. They include: the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which intervene in markets, hence producing artificial prices. These are prices not set by the natural mechanisms of demand and supply. Moreover, protectionist theories deter equilibrium in countries’ marginal production transformation rates by establishing differences between international and domestic prices of goods (Mankiw, 2011). In essence, this means that protectionist theories produce suboptimal allocations of factors of production, as well as lower global real income than free trade would produce. Protectionism reallocates income, which would not occur under free trade since income reallocation would mean one

Criminal Justice-Crime Victims (Victimology) Research Paper

Criminal Justice-Crime Victims (Victimology) - Research Paper Example These are just a few examples of how victims of crime are revictimized by society and by the court justice system. Discussion According to Von Hentig and Mendelsohn, crime victims put themselves into the position of being victimized (Siegel & Senna, 2009, p. 15). Mendelsohn believed that victims had an unconscious desire to be victimized, and he had typology of victims, putting them into six different categories. Only one of the categories, that of the â€Å"innocent† victim was blameless in the actual crime, and the innocent is a victim who is seen as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The other five typologies all contributed in some way to the crime, and this represented victim precipitation. The other categories were a victim with minor guilt, an example of which is the provocative woman; the victim who is as guilty as the offender, eg. those guilty of euthanasia; the victim who is more guilty then the offender, eg. those who induce crime; the most guilty victim, eg. a person who is attempting murder who is killed in self-defense; and the simulating victim, those who claim to be victimized, but actually were not (Mendelsohn, 1963). Von Hentig, similarly, viewed victims as being participatory in the crimes, stating that they may either be depressive, which means that they are careless and unsuspecting, therefore are an easy mark; greedy, who is looking for an easy gain, so they are less suspicious (a good example would be individuals who fall for Internet scams offering quick, easy money); wanton, which means that the victim is vulnerable to attack because of his or he life cycle, such as juveniles or the elderly; and the tormentor, which means that the person abuses another and thus becomes the victim of an attack, such as with battered women (Von Hentig, 1948). Cohen & Felson also have a view called the routine activity theory, which means that there are certain activities which lend themselves to crimes being committed, and that there are three variables which makes the criminal and the victim both participants in the crime – the availability of suitable targets, the absence of capable guardians and the presence of motivated offenders. This makes the likelihood that a predatory crime will occur, and the routin activities approach gives equal weight to the role of both the victim and the offender. â€Å"Criminal opportunity is significantly influenced by the victim’s lifestyle and behavior; the greater the opportunity for criminals and victims to interact, the greater the probability of crime. Reduce the interaction and the opportunity for crime will decline† (Siegel & Senna, 2009, p. 83). There are a host of victims who are considered by experts in the field to be predisposed to being victims, and this is known as â€Å"victim precipitation† (Dunn, 2010, p. 85). This is one of the areas that victimologists, such as Von Hentig and Mendelsonh, was interested in, for they were looking for the characteristics and the types of crimes which would have a victim who is precipitated towards crime. The categories in which victims are seen as precipitated their own victomology are rape, battered women and incest survivors. With rape victims, Menachem Amir used data obtained from the Philadelphia police files that showed that victims’ behavior was seen as an invitation to have sex, and that this was an excuse for rape. Amir

Exam case financial accounting Essay Example for Free

Exam case financial accounting Essay Solutions to Exercises and Problems Tutorial 1 IFM Case 2-2 Case 2-2 SKD Limited 1.Goodwill There is no goodwill amortization expense in Country A, so the goodwill amortization expense recognized by SKD must be added back to determine income under Country A GAAP. SKD amortizes goodwill over a longer period (20 years) than is allowed in Country B (5 years), so an additional amount of goodwill amortization expense must be recognized to determine income under Country B GAAP, which reduces Country B GAAP income. b.The goodwill adjustment affects the retained earnings in stockholders’ equity. The increase in Country A GAAP income results in an increase in retained earnings and the decrease in Country B GAAP income results in a decrease in retained earnings. c.The adjustment to income is for the current year only. The adjustment to stockholders’ equity is cumulative. The fact that the stockholders’ equity adjustment is three times as larger as the income adjustment implies that the goodwill was purchased three year ago. 2.Capitalized Interest a.The adjustment labeled â€Å"Capitalized interest† relates to the interest that is not expensed but instead is capitalized under Country A GAAP. The adjustment labeled â€Å"Depreciation related to capitalized interest† relates to the depreciation of the interest that was capitalized as part of the cost of the asset. b.The first adjustment increases income because interest is not being expensed immediately but instead is capitalized as part of the cost of the asset to which it relates. The second adjustment decreases income because under Country A GAAP, the asset to which interest is capitalized has a larger cost and therefore a larger depreciation expense. c.Both income adjustments are closed out to retained earnings and partially offset one another. The increase to income of $50 and the decrease of $20 result in a net increase in retained earnings of $30. 3.Fixed Assets a.When fixed assets are revalued to a higher amount, there is an increase in their carrying value with an offsetting increase in stockholders’ equity to keep the balance sheet in balance. The amount by which the assets are revalued is subject to depreciation, which results in a larger depreciation expense. The adjustment to recognize this additional depreciation expense decreases income under Country B GAAP. It also decreases stockholders’ equity (retained earnings). The decrease in retained earnings from additional depreciation is smaller than the increase in stockholders’ equity from revaluation of assets, which results in a net increase in stockholders’ equity. Note: if we knew when the fixed assets were revalued, we could determine the amount by which they were revalued. For example, if revaluation occurred at the end of the previous year, then the revaluation amount must have been $64 ($64 – 8 = $56) because only one year of additional deprecat ion would be included in the stockholders’ equity adjustment. 27. Holzer Company – Property, Plant, and Equipment (capitalization of borrowing costs and measurement of asset subsequent to acquisition using two alternative models) IAS 16 Cost Model Carry asset on the balance sheet at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Capitalize borrowing costs borrowing costs attributable to the construction of qualifying assets. Annual interest ($900,000 x 10%)$90,000 Interest to be capitalized in Year 1 ($500,000* x 10%)50,000 Interest expense in Year 1$40,000 * Expenditures of $1,000,000 were made evenly throughout the year, so the average accumulated expenditures during the year are $500,000 ($1,000,000 / 2). Cost of building: Construction costs$1,000,000 Capitalized interest50,000 Total initial cost of building$1,050,000 Annual depreciation (beginning in Year 2) ($1,050,000 / 40 years) $26,250 Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5 Income Statement Depreciation expense$0$26,250$26,250$26,250$26,250 Balance Sheet Building (at 1/1)$0$1,050,000$1,023,750$997,500$971,250 Depreciation(26,250)(26,250)(26,250)(26,250) Building (at 12/31)$1,050,000$1,023,750$997,500$971,250$945,000 IAS 16 Revaluation Model Carry asset on the balance sheet at revalued amount equal to fair value less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. Capitalize borrowing costs attributable to the construction of qualifying assets. Annual interest ($900,000 x 10%)$90,000 Interest to be capitalized in Year 1 ($500,000 x 10%)50,000 Interest expense in Year 1$40,000 Cost of building: Construction costs$1,000,000 Capitalized interest50,000 Total initial cost of building$1,050,000 Annual depreciation (beginning in Year 2) ($1,050,000 / 40 years) $26,250 Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5 Income Statement Depreciation expense$0$26,250$26,250$25,5262$25,526 Subtotal $0$26,250$26,250$25,526$25,526 Loss on revaluation27,500 Reversal of revaluation loss(27,500) Total expense (income)$0$26,250$43,750$25,526$(1,974) Balance Sheet Building (at 1/1)$0$1,050,000$1,023,750$970,000$944,474 Depreciation(26,250)(26,250)(25,526)(25,526) Building (at 12/31)$1,050,000$1,023,750$997,500$944,474$918,948 Loss on revaluation(27,500)1 Reversal of revaluation loss27,5003 Revaluation surplus 3,5523 Building (at 12/31)$1,050,000$1,023,750$970,000 $944,474$950,000 1At December 31,Year 3, the fair value of the building is determined to be $970,000. The carrying value of the building is decreased by $27,500, with a loss on revaluation recognized in Year 3 net income. 2 Depreciation in Year 4 is $25,526 ($970,000 / 38 remaining years). 3At December 31,Year 5, the fair value of the building is determined to be $950,000. The carrying value of the building is increased by $31,052. A reversal of revaluation loss of $27,500 is recognized in income and $3,552 ($31,052 – 27,500) is recorded as revaluation surplus in shareholders’ equity.

A Case for Kenya Essay Example for Free

A Case for Kenya Essay Foreword After two and a half years of studying, I was given the opportunity to do a research project as part of my graduation. Since I wanted to go abroad for a longer time, I tried to look for internships in countries outside the Netherlands. In my second year, I did an internship at Move Your World. Move Your World aims to create awareness on (business) development issues among young Dutch citizens by organising workshops, seminars and competitions. Working with this subject for five months made me realise I wanted to find an internship in a developing country, focusing on business topics. After the internship, Move Your World offered me a job as a project assistant. The job description said I had to work with international development matters and I had to host the vacancy platform on the website. This meant that most vacancies regarding international development would end up in my inbox. I took the job and one of my main goals was to find a suitable internship abroad, regarding some sort of business topic. See more: Beowulf essay essay Luckily, in October 2010, Stichting AfriCulture’s vacancy dropped in my inbox. There were two main aspects that triggered my attention. First of all, it was in a developing country, Kenya. Secondly, I had to construct a business plan for an organisation. It suited perfectly to my wishes. I applied and I was selected to go to Kenya, together with two other Dutch business students. For the past three months I conducted a research for Mizizi Foundation, an organisation that tries to create awareness on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Entrepreneurship among Kenyans. The problem I dealt with was finding a way to restart Mizizi Foundation. Working with an organisational restart issue was very interesting to me, since I may like to set up an organisation myself in the future. Furthermore, I learned a lot about Corporate Social Responsibility. I now believe that implementing a Corporate Social Responsibility-policy is a must for all organisations in the world. I would like to thank Anoek Vriesema, director of Stichting AfriCulture, for selecting me to go to Kenya and for having faith in my capabilities. In addition, I would like to thank Mr. Van Nispen, my supervisor, for his constructive advise on my thesis, and Froukje Joosten, my mother, who is a researcher, for her time-less patience in going through my work. Special thanks go out to three persons in particular. First of all, to my two dear colleagues Marleen and Ester, with whom I have been living and working for the past three months. We managed to combine a lot of fun with serious work, which resulted in a very good business plan and friendship for life. Last but not least, I would like to thank George Muni, chair of Mizizi Foundation, for his professional attitude and his joy, and for giving me the possibility to integrate in the Kenyan way of life. Muni was dedicated to continue with Mizizi. As Muni called it, â€Å"Mizizi is a phoenix about to rise from the ashes.† Mizizi is the Kiswahili word for roots.

The Role And The Function Of Leadership Management Essay

The Role And The Function Of Leadership Management Essay What makes a leader. What is leadership. What do leaders do. After 100 years of modern studies, these remain cogent questions. Many writers have offered either general or specific answers over the years, but the discussion continues unabated. People have not yet resolved these questions to the satisfaction of most, and the search for acceptable answers continues. Understanding the role and the function of leadership is one of the most important intellectual tasks of this generation, and leading is one of the most needed skills. The reason is simple. Leaders play a major role in helping us shape our life. Leaders define business and its practice. They determine the character of society. They define our teams, groups and communities. They set and administer government policy. In all walks of life, leaders behavior sets the course others follow and determines the measures used to account for group actions. Success in the new millennium, as in the past, will depend on how well leaders understand their roles, the leadership process and their own values and vision as well as those of their groups. Their behavior sets the course others follow and determines the values and other measures used to account for group actions. Understanding leadership is, like all of the important aspects of life, a thing of the mind more than of an objective reality. Traditionally, leadership has been thought of in terms of the heads, or chief officers of organizations, regardless of the tasks or functions they may perform. It is easy to think about leaders and leadership in terms of authority and headship and to talk about leadership as management. Management, as a role for heads of organizations, involves control over others behaviors and actions. For most people a position of leadership centers around the management role, its tasks and techniques-its technology. It conjures up ideas like controlling interpersonal relations, making decisions, aligning individual member actions and perceptions with corporate goals, planning, budgeting and directing the effort of the several followers engaged in the work with us. The manager role involves insuring that group activity is timed, controlled and predictable. The idea of business management is pervasive and powerful in society. It defines those human attributes which are thought appropriate to success in the formal corporation, like competition, ambition and financial astuteness. The Western myth of managerial man is one of the dominant myths of our age. The central feature of this concept is the idea of management. Since the early days of the twentieth century until today, management has been given prominence over other, some arguably more important, human activities related to emotional needs, wider family relationships and social or intellectual aspirations. For many people, management has become the metaphor of the twentieth and twenty first century, encompassing work, workers and work cultures. In accordance with www.businessdictionary.com, a leader is a person who holds a dominant or superior position within his or her field, and is able to exercise a high degree of control or influence over others. Eight major traits that differentiate leaders from non-leaders are: responsibility, integrity, ability to make decisions, ability to deal with facts, vision of the big picture, optimism, resilience and excellence. There are two types of leaders: transactional and transformational. Transactional leader approaches followers with an eye to exchanging one thing for another, while transformational recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential follower and looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower (Burns, 1972) In order to manage one-on-one communication effectively, a leader has to meet four basic criteria. They are: achievable, inspiring, measurable and shared. Since the result is probably the most important thing in any human activity, it is extremely important for a leader to be achievable. A good leader also has to be inspiring in order to make others achieve. Some people are leaders because of their formal position in an organization or a group, whereas others are leaders because of the way other group members respond to them. These two common forms of leadership are called assigned leadership and emergent leadership. Leadership that is based on occupying a position in an organization is an assigned leadership. Emergent leadership, in its turn, is not assigned by position; rather, it emerges over a period through communication of a leader with his followers. In our contemporary society in order to survive any business has to reshape itself to the needs of constantly changing world. It is not enough to just satisfy consumers needs and wants. In order to withstand severe market competition it has become important to follow consumers ever-changing requirements. Leaders reshape their teams using two ways: episodic and continuous change methods. Each method is used depending on the scale of changes needed and type of the environment a person works in. Also, different exhibition of leadership is needed to perform such changes. Continuous changes take place when a company or a team adapts to the external environment constantly and during a long period of time. Changes appear as endless modifications to working and production processes on micro levels. Working environment constantly evolves, trying to recognize, track and respond to changing market conditions, putting an emphasis on long-run adaptability. This, however, sometimes means organizations or teams inability to remain stable. Leader in this particular case plays a role of a sense maker who redirects changes, however does not play a role of a person who leads the changes in the company. Leadership is revealed through a success of the team in long-run. Episodic changes, on the other hand, are occasional, infrequent and discontinuous changes that dramatically alter the way of doing business inside the company or the team. During a short-run period a group of people strives to adapt to the external environment, being inert and unable to do this using continuous adaptation. Changes take place on macro levels and are usually very distant and global. Leaders are considered as one of the five triggers to such changes. They provide a strong sense of purpose of the change, are passionate, inspire others, making people follow them, and actually make changes happen. Principles of leadership excellence A Focus on Quality The leaders job is to encourage and sustain high-quality products and service to all who have a stake in the groups work. Excellence leadership incorporates ideas that energize and inspire followers to unified action to increase and maintain high-quality services and products. Leaders focus on high-quality performance in all aspects of work. They foster team approaches to task activity that delegate more discretion over the work to the team and to individuals. They set standards of conduct and performance that implement cultural values and behaviors. The leadership model includes encouraging the formation of traditions that foster and inculcate the core-value vision. Often it includes dramatizing the core-value vision in ways that explain and interpret it to organization members. This virtual leadership environment assumes a culture of excellence. Culture includes experience, expectation for the future and values that condition behavior. Without general agreement on acceptable behavior and the values context within which we operate, corporation members are free to follow divergent paths. Coherent, cooperative action is impossible where at least implicit agreement in a common culture is missing. Creating and maintaining a culture conducive to attainment of personal and team excellence goals is, therefore, a hallmark of leadership excellence in any organization. A Focus on Vision The principal mechanism for implementing values and purposes the leader desires is the vision statement. A vision statement is a short, memorable motto or statement that encapsulates the core values of the organization. Creating the statement is a personal task done primarily by the leader. The excellent leader adopts a core-value vision that emphasizes quality improvement values. The impact of vision setting is powerful. It pervades all else the excellent leader does. It is both part of the definition of the excellent leader and the mechanism for integrating context (culture) and technologies. It is the core idea binding the leader and the followers in a common purpose. A Focus on Service Also critical is the need for the leader to address questions of high-quality service in attaining corporate goals. In doing this, leaders act to prepare and then empower followers to be of service. This aspect of the service dimension is similar to the training and education programs managers and leaders have been doing routinely. Excellence leaders see value in helping followers broadly develop their capacity to be of service. They also emphasize high-quality, excellent service levels. The second aspect of the service dimension has to do with the service role of the leader toward followers. The leaders job is not only to encourage and sustain high-quality service by all stakeholders but to provide needed services to all those who have a stake in the groups work. Leaders serve coworkers as their needs arise, so they (the followers) can accomplish their set tasks. Leaders serve followers in ways that energize and inspire them to unified action. The service role casts the leader as a steward in relationships with coworkers. The stewardship role asks the leader to hold in trust the organization, its resources, its people and the common vision of the future. A Focus on Innovation Leaders foster innovation in groups. The leadership model sees the leaders role as transforming the self, followers and the institution to achieve the strategic vision. Leaders see their role as transforming the group. Leaders have a bias for change. They are alert to the expressed and implied needs of customers, employees and clients. They respect both the techniques and the pressures for change. Leaders develop their followers in appropriate ways to enhance them and improve their performance. Leaders love people. They expend large amounts of energy in seeking, developing and expanding the capacities of those around them. Leadership is in the business of making champions. Champions are group members imbued with the leaders vision and capable of moving an idea through all the development phases to full implementation. A Focus on Productivity Improvement Productivity improvement is also a part of the definition of the excellent leader. Leaders take responsibility for improvement in the productive capacity of the group and its members. These leaders have a results-oriented, not activity-oriented, service style. There is an uncompromising commitment to the customer. They inspire others to think, plan and act with the customers need in mind (Fairholm, Real Leadership: How Spiritual Values Give Leadership Meaning, 2011). Productivity, therefore, becomes a function of directed service. Excellence leaders encourage productivity through reward structures contingent upon the demonstration of desired productivity behaviors (Bernard Avolio, 1994). Leaders are focused on reward structures that encourage high-quality work. Leaders provide incentives for stakeholders to change to accommodate the vision values. Rewards in excellent leadership emphasize development of individual capacities and respect for group values, norms, work processes and productivity results. Skills needed for leadership excellence Excellent leadership appears to be an applied capacity. It is action-oriented, and it cannot be learned in classrooms. Of course, some leadership skills are acquired in the normal way through reading, studying and analyzing theoretical propositions and principles. And some leadership capacity is learned through observation of other leaders. But leadership excellence is learned most fully through leadership action. It is a dynamic process. One study of executives in Virginia (Fairholm, Values leadership: toward a new philosophy of leadership, 1991) identified eight categories of skills that seem to define the technology of excellence. They include: Ability to assess the situation Capacity to build on employee strengths Sensitivity to evolving trends Political astuteness Refined sense of timing Capacity to be inspirational Technical (job) competence Ability to focus on a few important things The factors that promote excellence in organizations across the nation include clarity of mission and vision and effective leadership at the top. Leaders select and support service champions (in-house entrepreneurs). They interact closely with both employees and customers. They understand cultures and structures, emphasize process over product and focus on human factors to get a high-quality product. These skills run counter to much of the content of professional business school curricula. These schools teach quantitative analysis and rational decision making as primary technologies. Evidence amassed in leadership excellence suggest otherwise. Unlike management, leadership excellence is more a political process of defining the situation, assessing the strengths of actors, sensing nuances in relationships and acting to focus group resources at the right time. Technical competence in the job to be done is less important than political sensitivity. Preparation for leadership excellence asks embryonic leaders to be political, to be sensitive to the feelings of others and to care about their followers as human beings, not as just cogs in the industrial machine. Leaders who focus too much on traditional managerial goals of tight control will fall short of attainable high-quality performance and can expect failure, even destruction. Quality improvement is a long-term values-change process. There are few quick successes. Attaining high quality requires total employee involvement at all levels in the organization. It is a matter of cultural change to give high priority to quality values and methods. It requires effort by everyone: workers, middle managers and those at the top. Each needs to play a role in changing the culture to value quality and in performing to attain it. Producing high-quality products or services also implies quality-of-work-life factors that are difficult to attain. Leaders need to create a culture that meets the needs of all stakeholders both within and external to the organization. They need to give employees something personally meaningful to commit to before they commit themselves to quality goals or anything else High quality will come only as we move from a situation where workers work because they fear economic deprivation, to a situation where they work because they want to improve themselves and make a difference in the world. It is an empowerment idea.

Feminine Roles in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Macbeth's Feminine Roles    The feminine roles in William Shakespeare's Macbeth are only two, the witches being not human in many ways, and we shall consider only one in great detail in this essay - that of the all-important Lady Macbeth. The witches are considered briefly.    In "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth," Sarah Siddons comments on how the feminine role of the leading lady is not a typical one as regards attitude:    [Macbeth] announces the King's approach; and she, insensible it should seem to all the perils which he has encountered in battle, and to all the happiness of his safe return to her, -- for not one kind word of greeting or congratulations does she offer, -- is so entirely swallowed up by the horrible design, which has probably been suggested to her by his letters, as to have forgotten both the one and the other. It is very remarkable that Macbeth is frequent in expressions of tenderness to his wife, while she never betrays one symptom of affection towards him, till, in the fiery furnace of affliction, her iron heart is melted down to softness. (56)    Fanny Kemble in "Lady Macbeth" finds that the main female role could have ended in madness due to the evil tendencies of the lady:    Lady Macbeth, even in her sleep, has no qualms of conscience; her remorse takes none of the tenderer forms akin to repentance, nor the weaker ones allied to fear, from the pursuit of which the tortured soul, seeking where to hide itself, not seldom escapes into the boundless wilderness of madness. A very able article, published some years ago in the National Review, on the character of Lady Macbeth, insists much upon an opinion that she died of remorse, as some palliation of her crimes, and mitigation of our detestation of them. That she died of wickedness would be, I think, a juster verdict. Remorse is consciousness of guilt . . . and that I think Lady Macbeth never had; though the unrecognized pressure of her great guilt killed her. (116-17)    Clark and Wright in their Introduction to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare contradict the impression that the female protagonist is all strength:    Lady Macbeth is of a finer and more delicate nature. Having fixed her eye upon the end - the attainment for her husband of Duncan's crown - she accepts the inevitable means; she nerves herself for the terrible night's work by artificial stimulants; yet she cannot strike the sleeping king who resembles her father.