Book Report On Thomas Jefferson Essays (1066 words) -

Book Report On Thomas Jefferson Book Review on Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson by Norman Risjord is a biography of the third president of the United States that takes Thomas Jefferson from his youth through his later years in the early 19th century. The purpose of this book is to give a political and social overview of the Thomas Jefferson's life and career. It was written for both the student of American history and the casual reader interested in the genesis of the United States government, seen through the eyes of one of its founding fathers. The value of this book is that it shows that Jefferson was not a saint, yet he was one of the most intelligent presidents that the country has ever had. Risjord has given the book great value because he has framed Jefferson among his peers. Consequently, the book truly comes to life, and the reader is able to learn about Jefferson as well as his contemporaries James Madison, John Marshall, and John Adams. The scope of the book is all-inclusive. Risjord begins with Jefferson's birth on April 13, 1743 on his father's plantation, Shadwell, in Goochland County on the western edge. The narrative continues on to show Jefferson graduating from William and Mary College, then entering politics in Virginians House of Burgesses in 1769. Jefferson married Martha Skelton on New Year's Day, 1772. With the Virginia legislature from 1776 to 1779, Jefferson formed the groundwork for abolition of entail and primogeniture, for the establishment of religious freedom, and not for the public school system. Jefferson was of course the author of the Declaration of Independence, and because he had set this document in motion, he waited out the Revolutionary War to see if the colonies would win. If they had lost, Jefferson would have been hanged for treason against the King of England. He served as the minister to France from 1785 to 1789. At this time there was growing opposition to Alexander Hamilton and his policies, and Jefferson associated himself with a group called the Republicans, who were actually forerunners to the present Democratic Party. While Jefferson was serving as vice President from 1797 to 1801, he drafted the Kentucky Resolutions. He was elected President following a long deadlock with Aaron Burr in the House of Representatives. This happened mainly because Alexander Hamilton considered Burr the more dangerous man and he gave his support to Jefferson. Jefferson's election was a great victory for the democratic forces, but it was black Tuesday to the thousands of Federalists who believed that the Republican leader was an atheistic anarchist who feared that his administration would be that of a bloodyhanded revolutionist. Jefferson was the first President to be inaugurated in Washington, a city that he had helped to plan. He became famous for the republican simplicity that he established there. During his first administration he achieved the Louisiana Purchase and oversaw the Lewis and Clark Expedition. During his second administration, Jefferson tried to enforce such measures as the Embargo Act of 1807, even though this brought a great deal of opposition. Once he retired from public life, Jefferson moved back to his beloved Monticello. It was at this time that he founded the University of Virginia and continued his activities as a scientist, architect, and philosopher-statesman. In his later years, Jefferson wrote about his view of the future, when he saw that the people would be enlightened by free education. Under a forward thinking democratic-republican institution, the people could govern themselves better than under any other system. His friend James Madison evoked these words when Jefferson died on the Forth of July in 1826. He lives and will live in the memory and gratitude of the wise and of the good, as luminary of Science, as a votary of liberty, as a model of patriotism, and as a benefactor of human kind. The style is controversial and the book offers insights into Jefferson's psychology as well as historical data. Risjord does well by his chapter headings, as they divide Jefferson's life into Vice President and President etc. And so they provide easy access. The bibliography is excellent, allowing for follow up on several of the texts to do more reading on, for example, the Louisiana Purchase. The illustrations are adequate: there might

Should we eat meat Essays

Should we eat meat Essays Should we eat meat Essay Should we eat meat Essay Essay Topic: Vegetarian The moral argument of animal rights has been discussed for decades. There are many types of cruelty to animals, including vivisection and animal testing, eating meat, hunting and farming. Campaigners risk their lives to protect animals, but some people are totally opposed to the idea of rights for them. Although more than 25% of the British population does not think eating meat is safe or healthy, only 4. 5% actually avoid it. The arguments for vegetarianism include cruelty, health matters and taste. But there are almost as many good arguments against it for the same type of reasons. What is vegetarianism? The dictionary definition is someone who does not eat meat. However, millions of people would claim that they are vegetarians or veggies but still eat poultry, seafood and use animal based or tested products. Tere are a handful (4%) of vegetarians that do abide by all the rules. These are generally called vegans, and do not use any animals related products. This includes leather, milk and obviously meat. Avoiding meat is a lot harder than one may think. Many types of pasta, for instance, contain egg, which is from a chicken. All dairy produce derives from animal milk; meaning they cannot, or will not, eat yoghurt, cheese or butter. But doesnt this just inconvenience themselves as well as others? Apparently not. Most people become vegetarian because they believe it is wrong to slaughter animals. The Vegetarian Society. This is a true point, most people believe it is not at all acceptable to kill an animal for food. But they believe it is right to slaughter an animal to find a cure for disease, or to kill an animal for its skin. What I am trying to say is, if you are going to not eat meat for one reason then you might as well at least think of another reason. Animals used in laboratories are worse kept than any farm animal, so why do they believe this is right? Because it is not directly affecting the people. They see meat in shops, and think of the animals being slaughtered. But when they see a cured person walk out of a hospital, or they find their headache has stopped after taking aspirin, they do not see a mouse with growths on its legs dead in a bin. I am trying to say that there is no point in just not eating meat, this is not going to help stop cruelty to animals. In fact, vegetarians alone are not doing any good at all. As Carla Lane, a writer and animal welfare campaigner, said,Its no good crying out against the [calf export] trade if you are going to have milk. She is a vegetarian. Many communities live on meat. The Massai tribe of Africa is a good example of this, as in drought seasons they thrive on every part of the cow. After milking, the cow is slaughtered, then the tribe eat the meat and use the milk and blood together as a beverage. The bones are used to build structures and houses. They seem to find nothing wrong with this; the word barbaric does not enter their minds as this is their only means of food, especially if the crops are not growing well. The cow is considered sacred in these parts of Africa, but still eaten. 2% of the British population eat meat more than five times a week, according to a 1998 poll. This means that although some people will refuse to eat meat, the traditional approach to Meat and two veg is still kept up in most households. In the same poll, 86% of people still have the custom Sunday dinner with chicken, lamb or beef. If vegetarian campaigners were to have their own way and stop the world from eating meat, not only would many people starve, but a considerable amount of workers would go out of business: Butchers shops are found on many a high street. This traditional method of buying meat is preferred by lots of people who believe that the best cuts of meat available are from an independent business. This is probably true, as many supermarkets have now branched out and include meat counters. The meat is generally mass produced from abattoirs, and each piece is not always taken so much care over to ensure the best quality. If all the butchers shops and counters were closed down, every single worker and skilled slaughterer would be out of a job. Abattoirs are huge warehouses that slaughter and treat meat before it is sent to a butcher. Even smaller abattoirs have at least 24 workers each. Farmers are the other large group of people that would lose jobs or even businesses. Many make their livings from selling eggs, milk, cheese and skins from their livestock, and selling the actual animals at markets and fairs. The stoppage of meat eating might even put some EHOs out of a job if they didnt have enough food complaints about meat and animal products. The promotion of vegetarianism in the media is more than expected after research. There are over 200 national organisations which campaign for animal rights, and numerous international groups. These are publicised by the media and supported by a number of celebrities. Celebrities with strong opinions cleverly make use of the fact that the press hang on to every word they say. Vegetarian celebrities make the most of their fame and try to convert others by preaching about their ideas. This is, in a way, negative as many meat eating parents may have children who look up to these personalities and want to be like them. Paul, Linda and Stella McCartney, Mark Owen and Tony Blackburn are all popular vegetarian icons. Their faces are plastered all over the front of every vegetarian magazine in the country. I cannot see how this helps the animals but they get paid a lot. An amusing aspect was included in resources sent to me from The Vegetarian Society, stressing the point in a child-friendly leaflet that the Teletubbies were vegetarian. It brings to mind four coloured creatures dancing and singing, Tubby-Tofu. They must have been desperate for names if they included fictional characters from an early morning infantile television show. It is basically becoming fashionable to not eat meat. There are no popstars or TV personalities that are actively working against vegetarians. Every single resource that I have been sent from vegetarian societies and organisations has been promoting vegetarianism in a good light. After numerous searches through post and internet, I have found that there is not one group actively working AGAINST vegetarianism. If there is then they have not promoted themselves very well because I havent found them. It seems that there are so many arguments against the consuming of meat that nobody has the heart to argue for it. I, Katherine E Mann, have decided to try and prove these people wrong. I have come to a conclusion that for every opinion in the world, there must be one against it, no matter how wrong or politically incorrect it may be. The arguments for vegetarianism are interesting, as many leaflets offer practical help for vegetarian dieting instead of trying to convince people how right they are. The BSE scare has put more people than ever off eating meat. It isnt just beef that some people have been avoiding, its other meats as well. They call this, A precaution. Why? I ask. There had been traces of BSE in very few lambs, but thats no reason to stop eating meat altogether. I found many quotes whilst studying this topic, both for and against vegetarianism. There were over 40% more quotes urging me to stop eating meat though. One particular point against vegetarianism that was put over was: I am at a loss to see how vegetarians would maintain their food supplies without the millions of tons of shit produced by the overwintering of beasts. Alan Owen. Mr Owen is a part time farmer, so he knows what he is talking about. It is a good point, that if we do stop breeding so many animals for meat, there will not be so much manure to nurture the crops which the vegetarians would eat. So, by not breeding the animals, we are stunting the growth of millions of plants which vegetarians would in turn want to eat. But what does a vegetarian have to offer to contradict this? We can keep the animals, but just not breed them for food. But then, surely, wouldnt the world be over populated with animals? Britain itself is very crowded, it would make it ten times worse to keep every animal we bred. We would have to find somewhere to put them all. But you find somewhere to put all the people, says the vegetarian. We dont though, not all of them. If she were to go homeless now, I suggest, wouldnt she prefer to have a house built for her by the council instead of having to live on the streets because there were animals on all the land they could possibly build on? The vegetarian goes quiet. I have found that this point wins the argument for this particular part of the discussion. Another argument is that it takes half as much land to grow crops for vegetarians than it does to keep animals. Two points contradict this: Firstly, where would all the animals be kept whilst still alive and not being bred? Secondly, once all the land was used for growing crops for vegetarians, there wouldnt be enough of it. Especially if everyone in the world stopped eating meat, there would be more than 150% of the land in use if possible. But this isnt possible. Following the discussion with The Vegetarian (she isnt meant to sound like an alien), I have decided to examine meat eaters opinions of vegetarians, and vegetarians opinions of meat eaters. Vegetarians generally dont see eye to eye with meat eaters on this topic. They do have more arguments, the word moral being frequently used. But are they necessarily right? Obviously, the meat eaters say No, and the vegetarians say, Yes. Vegetarians often see people that eat meat as people that would gladly kill an animal, have no conscience, dislike animals apart from for food, and barbaric. However, only very few meat eaters are actually like this. I have never met one. They do not generally like the idea of killing an animal, they do care about it and most usually like animals. But the vegetarians say that if they do care, why do they eat meat? Well it tastes good, humans have been eating it for millenniums, it is widely available, it is a healthy part of a staple diet But a meat eaters opinion of a vegetarian is usually one of two things. Firstly, a very thin person who does not eat any meat at all and every meal time consists of a carrot. Secondly, a person who will only eat the vegetarian option if they decide not to like the normal option. They will eat some meat, and eat meat if its the only thing available. Hypocrites? But they are not necessarily hypocrites, they just have opinions. If they chose not to eat meat, why shouldnt they? People chose to wear different clothes and worship different gods. This is OK for most people, they understand it. But when meat eaters start to dislike it is when the vegetarians call them cannibals, or barbarians. If it inconveniences people organising buffets or meals, then that is where it can get annoying. How would you like it if nobody had mentioned to you that a guest to your party was vegetarian and you were having a pure meat barbecue? Fortunately, many people ask if their guests have special dietary requirements nowadays. But still, why should we cook special foods for them? If most people are eating one thing, why cant they just go with the flow and join in? They can go back to vegetarianism the next day. If a family of four had bought a box of four lamb chops and one person was vegetarian, what would happen? I commented on this to someone, who kindly put it into practice. The vegetarian wouldnt eat the meat, but there was still a chop left. This chop couldnt be eaten by the other people because they had their own, so it was just thrown away. If it was going to be thrown out, they could have eaten it anyway. No difference made. The vegetarian claimed it was against her rights. Is the vegetarian option more healthy than meat? Most research shows, yes it is healthier. This is where the vegetarians point and laugh, and the meat eaters kick themselves. Meat is a valuable source of protein. But, a vegetarian diet can reduce levels of cholesterol, plus keep up levels of protein and iron. A point put across in a Viva! Leaflet was that vegetarians were no more likely to suffer anaemia than meat eaters. So? We wouldnt expect them to. The page also stated that zinc levels are normal in vegetarians. Nobody would even dream of thinking otherwise if they had any idea of becoming a vegetarian, or they shouldnt bother. It is a scientific fact that vegetarians are half as likely to suffer from cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and strokes. There is no argument against this. The same leaflet also pointed out that 95% of all food poisoning comes from animal and meat products. According to Pauline Kirby, an EHO from Sutton Council, the figures most probably arent that high. Many of the cases are actually from animal products like eggs, but all are because the people preparing the food dont work hygienically enough. If people could be bothered to cook their foods properly then there would be no cases of food poisoning from meat products. Saying this though, the world as a whole is getting lazier when it comes to food. The vast range of ready cooked meals in supermarkets is a good example of this. Many people just do not have the time to cook themselves a meal every night, and meat needs slightly more preparation than other foods as it is very high risk. People say that vegetarians find it easier to cook using no meat. I can verify that this is not always true, after extensive research. I have watched a vegan prepare tofu and cannot see how this is simpler than meat. Tofu is, admittedly, a lower risk food than any meat, but when treated and cooked properly with no extra effort meat is perfectly fine. Tofu. Most people have heard of it, but how many know what it is? After a brief questionnaire around my classmates at school, 9 out of 46 people knew what it actually was. Most people knew that it was a vegetarian alternative to some foods, but 6 of the 9 people that knew were actually vegetarians themselves. I have found that tofu was invented in Japan and quickly spread to the rest of the world. It is vegetable protein, and hardly contains any fat at all. The good point about meat is that it looks reasonable even when its not dressed up or with anything. Most people love the look and smell of freshly cooked meat and it is universally recognised. Tofu, on the other hand, needs lots of preparation for it to appeal. Apparently the taste on its own is disgusting, but there are numerous books and websites of recipes for tofu. It can be fried, stewed, marinated, anything the consumer wants. When I asked for an opinion from a strict vegetarian on what tofu looked like, it was compared to, A soggy sponge. Would you like to eat something that looked like a soggy sponge for your dinner? This description says it all. I have taken the liberty of including a picture of some tofu (pictures are surprisingly hard to come by) and a picture of a sponge to illustrate my point: From all these points and views, reasons and arguments put together, I have concluded that there are so many arguments for and against vegetarianism that most people find it easy to choose a side. Most people choose to be for it, but still eat meat. Personally, I like eating meat and am not considering stopping for the sake of the Teletubbies, hysterical animal rights activists and cute little furry creatures with hearts and feelings. I find the fact that vegetarians lecture people about eating meat when most of them have been cruel in another way to someone or something else dull and rambling. Humans have been eating meat for thousands of years why stop now? It would only break traditions. I know we dont need to eat meat anymore because of all the alternatives, but then again we dont need to buy designer clothes when car boot sales sell old ones. But we do. Why dont we eat cats or dogs? It would be an interesting concept. As for changes my opinions as a result of this project, it has only made my feelings stronger towards meat eating. Whilst petting my cat I am now going to eat a steak.

Organizational Tax Research and Planning - Transfers to a Corporation Paper

Organizational Tax and Planning - Transfers to a Corporation - Research Paper Example For an individual or group to have entire control of the business after the exchange, they must own a minimum of 80% of all shares of every class of shares that is allowed to vote. The transferor must also own 80 percent of the existing shares of every category of company’s nonvoting stock. The number of shares determines the voting power, and this implies that the transferor or group of transferors must have the majority control. Having less than 80 percent control thus triggers taxation. Client, jean and john purchase property for $ 1million. They both arrange for a corporation with $20 million fair market value. Client and jean reassign the assets to the company for its entire authorized stock that has a book value of $20m. No transaction party; that is Client, jean, john or the corporation recognizes gain. Client, jean and john transfer property worth $8M to a company in substitution for stock whose fair market value is $24M. This represents a 60% of every stock class in the corporation. Supposing the other 40% of the company’s stock was sold off to someone else, then the taxable gain that Client, jean and john recognize is $16M from the exchange as they do not have the majority control. With regards to substitution of assets for stock, service is not considered as property. Therefore, the value of stock to be received as a result of rendering a service will be considered as income to the stock recipient. Therefore, rendering service in exchange for stock will trigger a taxable event as illustrated below. Client, jean and john transfer property worth $0.9M and offer services worth $0.1M to a company in exchange for stock worth $1M. Supposing that Client, jean and john have the majority ownership in that corporation, no gain on earnings will be included in the property exchange. Nevertheless, the Client, jean and john recognize 0.1M income from the services they provided to the company and this will be taxable income. Property

Read instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Read instructions - Essay Example Teachers emerge from a variety of corners in the school day experience. They are solely accountable to the whole fraternity concerning the content of their evaluations. The evaluation tenets consider a continuum of shared language vision in the technique. The basic standards that are critical in the evaluation process are as follows. The first standard revolves around the content knowledge. This standard demands the teacher to possess an in-depth understanding of the subject matter. They must attempt to eke a correlation between the content and life experiences. The second standard touches on teaching and classroom learning. This focuses on the classroom organization, taking care to provide relevant age appropriations and relevant assessment criteria to the learners. The next phase borders on the literacy acknowledgements in the instruction. The instructor must aim to fulfill both oral and written communication to advance their rote technique. The fourth measures the diversity of the classroom fraternity. The curriculum and teaching resources must be sensitive of the varied cultures and racial affiliations of the learners. The last phase touches on the teacher professionalism akin to the appropriate delivery in the class. This tenet also emphasizes the ethical implications of the teacher. Lastly, the evaluation process has different connotations. The teacher can perform an administrative driven self-assessment. A dialogue is also relevant, between the teacher and the assessor. Additionally, observation in the class also takes place twice during the school year. It is impromptu and often, the results form the basis of teacher proficiency determination. Evaluation completion results in step raises for the teachers depending on years of

Cochlear Implant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cochlear Implant - Essay Example Studies show that as of April 2009, around 188,000 people including children across the world have received the implant (NIDCD 2010).That gives a very optimistic picture that the implants have been accepted and people have benefitted from it. The success rate of these implant strategy is because of a proper management of psychological problems, apt education on its advantages and disadvantages and timely intervention. Advancements in technology have also played a major role. An example of it could be the improvements shown in the circuit development reduction of noise factors and adaptable fitting hearings.There are numerous factors that affect the success of an implant. Improved circuits have played their part in advancing the signal processing methods but the continuous increment in the levels of hearing impairment and recruitment for loudness disrupting features of safe listening, the target of achieving 100% success has a long way to go. In addition to this, people who go for hea ring aids cannot be said to be completely clear of any hearing loss. It is because there are chances for pathology influences to affect the transduction processes through which these hearing aids transmit sound in the ear. Hearing does not start immediately after the implant. It takes about 1-4 weeks for the brain to register new sounds and generally turn the implant into an active mode. Primary factors that accentuate the success of an implant are the recipient’s immediate reaction and the period since when loss of hearing was detected.

The Fundamental Rethinking Processes Of BPR

The Fundamental Rethinking Processes Of BPR BPR is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. The major benefit of BPR is that it eliminates redundancies of work and improves accuracy. BPR can transform the basic ways that people and departments work and allow users to work better and often to produce higher quality work. BPR would enable smooth restructuring process of business processes at Velogic Airlines Limited. The chapter discusses BPR process, implementation method and the changes those may have to be made for upgrading the existing ERP system at Velogic Airlines Limited. Details about the modules related to Human Resource and Payroll System, Finance and Accounting System and Inventory Management System have also been elaborated in the chapter. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is the organizational procedure required to align people, processes and technology with strategies to accomplish business integration. It can be considered as taking a business in its current state and forming an organizational and operational blueprint to redirect skills, polices, information (data), cultural values, organizational structures, processing and incentives towards targeted improvements15.  [1]   Velogic Airlines Limited are now inspiring to enhance their airline by coordinating their business processes more closely and in some cases integrating these processes so that they can focus more on efficient management of resources and customer service. The oracle application would not require specific non-intuitive software to be installed. Virtually all-new systems available in the market today run in industry standard web browsers, thus reducing software and training costs. Moreover with the emergence of new competitors they need to enhance their service level and be a step ahead of competitors. A powerful type of organization change is brought forward the business process reengineering (BPR) also known as Business Process Improvement (BPI) or business process redesign. From the early 1990s it became familiar for management in many organizations to focus their attention inwards and to consider how proficient business processes can be redesigned or re-engineered. Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is the popular term for reutilisation of organizational procedures and structure following the introduction of new information technologies into an organization. It is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to accomplish impressive improvements in critical contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. Objectives of BPR A more significant kind of organizational change is business process reengineering, in which business processes are analyzed, simplified and redesigned. Using information technology, organizations can rethink and streamline their business processes to improve speed, service, and quality. Business Process Re-engineering reorganizes workflows, combining steps to cut waste and eradicating repetitive, paper-intensive tasks (sometimes the new design eliminates jobs as well). It is more ambitious than rationalization of procedures, requiring a new vision of how the process is to be organized  [2]  16. BPR Advantages over Automation and Rationalization The evolution of the information-processing pattern over the last four decades to build intelligence and administer amendments in business functions and processes has generally progressed over three phases: Automation Rationalization Business Process Re-engineering Each of them carries different rewards and risk. The most common form of IT-enabled organizational changes is automation. The first applications of information technology implicated assisting employees with achieving their tasks more efficiently and effectively. A deeper form of organizational change one that follows quickly from early automation is rationalization of procedures. Automation frequently reveals new bottlenecks in production and makes the existing arrangement of procedures and structures painfully large. Rationalisation of procedures is the streamlining of standard operating procedures more efficient. BPR, ERP AND IT In the majority of cases, information technology powers BPR. Formerly, information technology was used to facilitate companies automate existing business processes but now, technology is being used to transform those processes fundamentally. Current developments in information technology have not only made BPR possible on a radical and extensive scale, but also more efficient. The merger of the two concepts has resulted in the latest concept, namely, business engineering (BE). BE combines the innovations of information technology with BPRs focus on better business processes. The heart and soul of BE lying in radical, process-oriented business solutions, which have been greatly enhanced by the information technology of client/server computing. ERP is a tool, which acts as a facilitator of BE to mould business processes efficiently  [3]  17. While the objectives of BPR have not been altered by information technology, they have gained an extra dimension in business engineering. The main thrust of BE is the efficient redesign of a companys value-added chains. By definition, value-added chains are the set of connected steps running through a business which, when quickly and efficiently completed, add value to both, the company and the customer. With the appearance of enterprise software systems, information technology has become a business-modeling vehicle that can assist in the redesigning of those processes. Method of implementation Before deciding upon a BE project, the management, IT users, and the IT experts must get together to chart out Velogic Airlines Limited goals and identify the key processes that affect its success. Next, those processes should be reengineered to improve their effectiveness. At this point, the BE team must establish how information technology can enhance the reengineered process. Other potential benefits of information technology should be identified, such as its role in developing a business strategy to satisfy customer requirements. The BE team must maximize and streamline business process and access whether they should be changed or perhaps thrown out, before they apply technology to them. Velogic Airlines Limited has different kinds of information systems that support different functions, organizational levels, and business processes. Most of these systems are built around different functions; business units and business processes that do not talk to each other. Because of the challenges mentioned earlier the company has decided to set up an ERP system. Oracle Application consist of a set of interdependent modules for applications such as sales and distribution, financial accounting, investment management, and human resources that allow data to be used by multiple functions and business process for more precise organizational coordination and control. The modules can communicate with each other directly or by sharing a common repository of data. ERP helps to support organization-wide process coordination and integration. It creates an integrated organization-wide platform to coordinate key internal processes of the firm. They address the issue of organizational ineffi ciencies created by isolated islands of information, business processes, and technology. Information that was previously split in different applications can seamlessly flow throughout the company so that business processes in finance, accounts; human resources, payroll and inventory can share it. The systems collects data from various key business processes and stores the data in a single comprehensive data repository where they can be used by other parts of the business. Managers emerge with more precise and timely information for coordinating the daily operations of the business and the company wide view of business processes and information flows. Select the process appoint process team for restructuring the process. Business processes are simply a set of activities that transform a set of inputs into a set of outputs for another person or process using people and tools. The strategic processes: Account Payable/Receivable Client Record Employee Record Training plans Inventory Separate systems were built over a long period of time to support discrete business processes and discreet business functions. The organizations systems rarely included vendors and customers. Managers also required IT support in order to create accounting and inventory reports, a labour- and time-intensive project that complicated the estimation of future inventory levels and product availability. In many cases, these simple reports took days to complete. It was difficult to assemble data to get an overall picture of the organizations operations. Facing increasing accounting and administrative needs, the company wanted to streamline business practices and provide better visibility into financial information. ERP systems integrate the key business processes of the company into a single software system that allows information to flow seamlessly throughout the organization. These systems focus primarily on internal processes but may include transactions with customers and vendors. The new system proposes to give employees an easy-to-use interface for creating reports, tracking sales and customers, and searching inventory lists. Prime benefits from BPR are: positive effect on service quality the entire organization can respond more efficiently to customer query and deliver information on time labor resources (improved employee morale and productivity) Customer satisfaction (quicker response to customer requests). elimination of bottlenecks and delays between steps provide simultaneous access to documents by multiple departments/people allow for quick, simple access to information elimination of redundancies of work and improves accuracy decreasing defects, errors Business engineering makes companies more customer-focused and responsive to changes in the market. The organisation achieves these results by reshaping corporate structures around business processes. BE implements change not by the complete automation of a business but rather by the redefinition of company tasks in holistic or process-oriented terms. Only companies with innovative staff, products, and services as well as short development cycles, will be able to retain the market or by hope to get a bigger slice of the pie. By maximizing individual and team creativity and emphasizing a process-oriented approach, BE enables a company to realize its goals. Examples of business processes With the current practice Accounting and Finance department was not able to tell what the items available in inventory were and when they were ordered without consulting the inventory department. All entry for invoices, credit notes, accounts receivable and checks had to be continually checked with each department before entering data. Human resource Payrolls had to send report for all payments. Transferred of information was done on paper and then each department made the necessary entry or adjustment. There was no control over data transmitted and on items ordered. The traditional system also affected employee productivity. Staff members struggled to use online resources to complete daily tasks. Sales teams had difficulty tracking customer history and face difficulty to extract data from the system. It was time consuming to use the traditional system resulting delay in work and customer dissatisfaction, as they could not get the information they requested on time. After reengineering process all departments will be interconnected. Transfer of information will occur more smoothly and on time. The process will be as follows: When a reservation officer enters a customer reservation, the data flows automatically to others in the company who need to see them. The ERP system stores the reservation information where customer service representatives can track progress and know how many seats are available. Updated sales data automatically flow to the Accounting and Finance department. The system transmits the information to calculate the companys balance sheets, accounts receivable and payable ledgers and available cash. Management can view up-to-date minute data on sales and inventory at every step of the process. With the present system Accounting and Finance department get all the information automatically for instance all checks are printed now instead manually prepared. For any information required each department just have to verify on the system and it is automatically processed whereas before for all information they have to consult respective departments. Now there will be better control and resource management. After reengineering, staff members can perform customer service-related and inventory-related tasks without having to open multiple programs. Role-based security features keep sensitive information from employees who are not authorized to view it. On the other hand, managers and employees can gain access without having to call IT support to the information that they need to perform their jobs well. Employees have access to company information from a centralised point-of-entry. Through powerful analytics-reporting tools, Velogic Airlines Limited decision makers have a way to better manage operational matters, such as reservation fulfillment and inventory levels and improved management with real-time data, such as accounts receivable. IT Requirements A commonly disregarded area is the issue of information technology change. Often, the IT infrastructure changes required to implement a new ERP Oracle are not given high priority, which these technology issues otherwise, deserve. Undoubtedly, business issues should drive implementing ERP Oracle, not technology that improves business processes. Ignoring the preparation and education new information technology requires is asking for trouble. Further, IT personnel often must make the technology transition quickly. If the technology and infrastructure transition are not done well, the project, at the very least, will be delayed. Oracle Technology Oracle Applications include the license usage for Oracle 9i RDBMS and Oracle 9iAS Enterprise Edition software  [4]  18. Oracle 9i Oracle Applications run on Oracle technology. Oracle RDBMS 9i is the market leader in reliable and scalable database technology that continuously upgrades its products upgrading to the latest version is made easy with subscription to the Oracle Technical Support Service. Oracle RDBMS is the market leader with a market share of 33.8% compare to IBM which maintained a steady 30% portion of total database sales. Microsofts SQL Server product cornered 13.9% of the market. Oracle is based on three-tier architecture. This is different from the traditional client server architecture in the way that the application instead of residing on the client now resides on the middle-tier i.e. the Application Server. This enables access of application from the client-end, which just needs to have a web browser. The three tiers of Oracles architecture are as follows: Presentation tier (or user interface) This tier interfaces with the user and consists of hardware such as a PC or workstation and a web browser. This may consist of any number of client machines. Functionality /Business Logic tier- This tier provides functionality to the end users and contains the business logic (application). It provides the bridge between the first and the third tiers. Data tier This tier includes the database that contains all the data of the organization and this is encapsulated from the end users. This three-tier architecture can work on the Intranet as well as over the Internet. A typical diagrammatic representation of the three-tier architecture of Oracle is as follows: Figure 4 Oracles 3-Tier Architecture The various software components at the three tiers are as follows: Client Tier Operating System (Windows XP/7) Java enabled web browser (Internet Explorer 8.0/higher or Mozilla Firefox 4.0 of higher) Middle Tier Platform Windows NT 4.0/Windows 2000/SUN Solaris Oracle IAS Developer 2000 Server 2.1 (Forms Reports Server required for ERP component) Database Tier Platform Windows NT 4.0/SUN Solaris Oracle 9i Workgroup server Technical Strengths Oracle product being based on three-tier architecture enables resource intensive components to run on Middle tier thereby moving bulk of the processing load away from the client. Oracle Application server has built-in components which deliver high degree of scalability and consist of balancing, logging, automatic failure recovery, security, directory, and transaction components. The ERP based on Oracle is highly scalable and robust to handle volumes of clients requests concurrently. The Java Servlet Engine runs in a multithreaded environment and can process numerous client requests at one go. Hardware Infrastructure Server Sun Fire x4540 The Sun Fire x4540 storage server delivers 2 to 3 times the storage density of traditional solutions the maximum data throughput at 3 GB/sec from disk to memory, and 30% to 50% power savings at almost half of the total cost  [5]  19. The specifications of Sun Fire x4540 620 Software Oracle database will be the relational database management system installed on the server. The actual Oracle 8i will be upgraded to Oracle 9i standard Edition. Operating System Solaris 9 Operating Systems The Solaris 9 Operating environment is intended to sustain Multiprocessing multithreading. SUN Microsystems servers are designed from the ground to have Symmetric Multiprocessing. From Entry level workstation to SUNFire 15k (106 processors), SUN Microsystems employs the same architecture (UltraSparc) and Solaris OS. Also, Solaris OS is less prone to Virus attacks unlike other Operating systems  [7]  21. The Solaris platform supports; One million simultaneous processes on a single system Up to 128 CPUs on a single system More than four billion network connections 32- and 64-bit applications Two-, four-, and eight-node clusters IPv4 and IPv6 network addresses Up to 512 CPUs in a clustered environment Client Hardware The client should be linked to the server through a local area network and have the following minimum configuration: 1 processor core 2 duo 3.00 GHz 1 GB RAM 320 GB HDD Software and Operating System The client PC should be loaded with Explorer 8.0/higher or Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and should have one of the following OS: Windows XP, or Windows 7. Communications Computers and communications equipment can be connected in networks for sharing voice, data, images, sound, or even video. It is to be noted that the number of user at the company will be 60 persons. In the existing environment 30 data points are being used and with speed up to 10 mbps (megabits per second), and the proposal is to move to 100 mbps, using 60 data points, assuming that their will be 60 users. The company will need cabling whose speed is up to 100 mbps at an affordable price. Secondly, there are routers device that forwards packets of data from one LAN to another. Local Area Network (LAN) are recommended for applications transmitting high volumes of data and other functions requiring high transmission speeds, including video transmissions and graphics. LANs often are used to connect PCs in an office to shared printers and other resources or to link computers and computer-controlled machines in factories  [8]  22. Application Software Oracle Financials for Accounting Software Oracle Integrated Payroll/HR System Application supporting BS7799 Information Security Standard Information is an asset that, like other business assets, has value to an organization and consequently needs to be suitably protected. Information Security protects information from a wide range of threats in order to ensure business continuity, minimize business damage and maximize return on investment and business opportunities. Information can exist in many forms. It can be printed or written on paper, stored electronically, transmitted by post or by using electronic means, shown on films and spoken in conversation. Whatever form the information takes, means by which it is shared or stored, it should always be appropriately protected. Information security is characterized as the preservation of: Confidentiality: ensuring that information is accessible only by those authorized to have access; Integrity: safeguarding the accuracy and completeness of information and processing methods; Availability: ensuring that authorized users have access to information and associated assets when required. Figure 5 Source: BS 7799-2/2002: ISMS Specifications with Guidance for Use Increasingly, organizations and their information systems and networks are faced with security threats from a wide range of sources, including computer-assisted fraud, espionage, sabotage, vandalism, fire or flood, sources of damage such as computer hacking and denial of service attacks have become more common, more ambitious and increasingly sophisticated. The following diagram suggests a structure for the ten domains of the standard. Each domain deals with a separate topic built around administrative, technical and physical measures and driven from the top down, in other words such that its impact is felt from the management level all the way to the operational level. The 10 main control points of BS 7799 are: 1. Security Policy To provide management direction and support for information security. 2. Organizational Security To manage information security within the company 3. Asset Classification and Control To maintain appropriate protection of corporate assets 4. Personnel Security To reduce risks of human error and ensure that users are aware of information security threats 5. Physical and Environmental Security To prevent unauthorized access to information 6. Computer Operations Management To ensure the correct and secure operation of information processing 7. System Access Control To control access to information 8. System Development and Maintenance to protect the confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of information. 9. Business Continuity Planning -To ensure business continue to operate from the effect of a disaster 10. Compliance To avoid breaches of any criminal or civil law Technical Design Requirements The current system runs as three distinct and separate databases (Human Resource Payroll system, Finance Accounts system, and Inventory Management system). Currently, Velogic Airlines Limited has separate, elements in all three systems; examples include the definition of departments and divisions, which is handled manually now. While they try to maintain consistency, the systems do not demand it, so they cannot easily pull department costs across the Human Resource Payroll, Finance Accounts, and Inventory databases. Departments should be defined only once and used by all data elements. Similarly, Human Resource data on employees should only be defined once on a master screen and all databases use this same information. The proposed modules for ERP are: Human Resource and Payroll System Finance and Accounting System Inventory Management System Systems Interconnection Diagram The figure below shows the interconnection of the three modules and gives a brief description of the systems that will support Velogic Airlines Limited main activities and their requirements. Payroll System Human Resource and Payroll System Human resource and payroll systems help business develop staffing requirements; identify potential new employees; maintain employee records; track employee training, skills, transportation (allowances), salary, overtime and job performance; and help managers develop appropriate plans for employee compensation and career development. ERP systems help the company coordinate their staffing levels with sales activities and financial resources. Employee Details Basic Information on: Surname, Name, Maiden Name, Marital Status, Gender, Date of Birth, Age, NID, Social Security Number, Telephone Number, Residential Address. Manage Recruitment process Leaves management Sick Leaves, Casual Leave, Computation of Annual Leaves, Refund for Contract Officers, Maternity Leave: Study Leave, Leave without Pay, Leave with Pay: Record and Listing, Miscellaneous Leaves: e.g. Injury / Special Leaves: Record and Listing Staff Development Plan Database of qualifications: Professional! Academic/Vocational possessed by Staff. Record of all training programmes provided to Velogic Airlines Limited staff. Performance Management Monitor employee competencies for career planning. Payroll Basic Salary + Gross Salary Allowances paid by Type, e.g. Acting / Responsibility, etc Overtime paid Record of all Staff having received Incremental Credits Record of all Staff eligible to Uniform Allowances Deductions made Car Loan entitlement: Staff entitled to Car Loan and Amount Other categories of staff eligible to Car Loan 2) Finance and Accounting System Finance and accounting systems help firms keep track of their assets and fund flows. ERP systems integrate financial information with productions and sales information so that the impact of transactions can be immediately reflected on the companys balance sheets, accounts receivable and payable ledgers, and reports of cash flows. ERP systems will help to obtain up-to-the-minute reports of the companys overall financial performance. The accounting system should be operated on an integrated standard accounting package incorporating the following modules/functions: [23] General Ledger Purchasing Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Fixed Assets Register A. General Ledger The system should also provide for: Unlimited number of sets of accounts for as many divisions as required. Balance forward facility creating new year open balances All journal entries should automatically balanced Cash movement report to show the net in flow/out flow of cash Financial statements and reports such as the Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet and Sources and Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. The general ledger system should allow analysis of transactions by cost  ­centres at division as may be appropriate. B. Purchasing The purchase order processing system should integrate with the general ledger, purchase ledger and stock control systems. The system should provide for: identification of suppliers by name, product, order number, etc monitoring of purchase orders checking of purchase invoices against orders and deliveries for quantities and price report on outstanding orders, purchase and overdue deliveries link multiple purchase orders or Goods Received Notes to a supplier invoice C. Accounts Payable The purchase ledger should integrate with the general ledger and the purchase order processing systems. It should provide for: Unlimited number of suppliers accounts Recording and analysis of credit purchases returns and adjustments in accordance with user defined Analysis codes The recording of payment due date for each purchase invoice for settlement within credit period Printing of checks as per Velogic Airlines Limited format Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. D. Accounts Receivable The Debtors Ledger system should integrate with general ledger system and provide for: Unlimited number of customers accounts The recording and analysis of credit sales in accordance with user-defined analysis codes Debtor classification by category Automatic generation of invoices Support for VAT Tax system. Rate of VAT must be more definable. E. Fixed Assets Register It is desirable that the Fixed Assets register be integrated with the general Ledger but, this is not an essential requirement. The system should provide for the following: User defined fixed assets codes as well as analysis codes for divisions, location, and types of assets, etc. Calculation of depreciation using either straight line or written down value methods Re-evaluation of assets Memorandum entries for each asset to keep track of the assets profile from acquisition to disposal in terms of maintenance, repairs, insurance, down-time replacement date, on loan 3). Inventory Management System Since the inventory system is a perpetual system, all transactions are posted at the time of entering, regardless of the transaction date. Therefore, if an inventory valuation is required for month-end, this report must be produced at the last working day after all current month transactions are posted and before any transactions f

Beyond Cybersex †The Search for Intelegent Life on the Internet :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Beyond Cybersex – The Search for Intelegent Life on the Internet Big Beautiful Women, 25 Bi & Curious F4M, The Tavern of Goth, BBW 4 Sexy Chat, Naked M Needs Help Stroking. These are just a few of the "tamer" examples of user-defined chat rooms I popped into in my search for interesting people to talk to online. Fortunately, I found that there are people online who are looking for more than cybersex. From World Wide Web based chat rooms to personal programs such as   ICQ (short for "I seek you"), there are many avenues to meet people online. There are also many different types of people to meet. One can chat with people sharing specific interests, but for the adventurous, random chatting is also possible. Having several friends who enjoy chatting online, I have heard many stories about interesting people they have met. On the other hand, I have also heard stories about all the people who are simply looking for cybersex. Sensing my skepticism, a friend of mine told me about someone he met online, and still talks to frequently. My friend works for a prominent Internet firm, and his responsibilities include popping in and out of the chat rooms as a silent monitor. However, once in a while, his love for chatting takes over. One evening he entered a chat room and decided to try some cheesy opening lines to see who’d bite. He picked a user with "angel" in her screen name. "What makes you an angel?" he asked. She answered, I feel as though I need closer guidance to God." Automatically, my friend thought she was weird, but as the conversation went on, he learned things about this woman that made him want to know more. He spent seven hours talking to her, and after their conversation they became online pen pals, who now consider themselves "cyberbuddies." Given hope to find somebody interesting, I sat down at my computer and connected to the Internet. Since I had already used ICQ to communicate with friends, I decided to use the random chat feature it offers. Within minutes, I received a message from someone who asked if I was male or female. When I responded that I was male, he didn’t write back. Hmm . . . I wonder what he was after. A little discouraged, I added a note to my personal profile on ICQ that said I was a male college student writing an article about the people one can meet online.

Amy Chua Hanna Rosen Essay

Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin: a comparison and contrast of parenting styles In recent years, Yale professor Amy Chua has drawn a great deal of attention due to her focus on a parenting style that is foreign – both figuratively and literally – to most Western parents. This style centers on a Chinese model that Chua espouses, and that has become famous, or infamous, for the stern and rigorous practices that Chua enforced with her own two daughters. Chua has received a large amount of criticism; one of her critics is Hannah Rosin, a prominent writer and editor. In response to Chua, Rosin outlines an alternative method of parenting. It can be argued that while both Chua and Rosin are involved and devoted mothers, they have distinctly contrasting views on how to raise children. There are three areas in which this contrast can be most clearly seen: attitudes to success, attitudes to self-esteem, and attitudes to happiness. Amy Chua’s model of parenting has success at its core. Chua sums up the Chinese approach to activities in this way: â€Å"What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it† (Chua, 2011). With this as a mantra, Chua promotes an extremely rigorous approach to such activities as learning a musical instrument; she believes that two or three hours of practicing an instrument daily is appropriate for young children. Furthermore, Chua believes that parents should not give their children any choice over which musical instruments to learn; the violin and piano are the only acceptable choices, regardless of the child’s natural talent or predilection. This approach is also evident in academics. Chua says, â€Å"†¦the vast majority of Chinese mothers†¦believe their children can be ‘the best’ students, that ‘academic achievement reflects successful parenting’ and that if children did not excel at school there was ‘a problem’ and parents ‘were not doing their job’† (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin takes a distinctly different approach to success, one that is arguably more reflective of Western attitudes in general. Rosin says, â€Å"Ms. Chua has the diagnosis of American childhood exactly backward. What privileged American children need is not more skills and rules and math drills. They need to lighten up and roam free, to express themselves in ways  not dictated by their uptight, over-invested parents† (Rosin, 2011). In Rosin’s view, Chua’s version of success is ultimately very limiting. Rosin doesn’t argue that success is a negative thing in and of itself; however, her looser, freer approach suggests that it can be achieved differently. Another area where Rosin and Chua differ from each other is in their approach to self-esteem and the way in which parents should treat their children. Chua openly admits that it is common for Chinese parents to make comments to their children that Western parents find reprehensible, such as â€Å"Hey fatty, lose some weight†, or referring to a child as â€Å"garbage† (Chua, 2011). However, Chua defends these comments by arguing that in fact, Chinese parents speak in this way because ultimately, they believe that their children are capable of being the â€Å"best†. She contends that Chinese children know that their parents think highly of them, and criticize them only because they have high expectations and know that their children can meet them. Hannah Rosin disagrees. She says, â€Å"†¦there is no reason to believe that calling your child ‘lazy’ or ‘stupid’ or ‘worthless’ is a better way to motivate her to be good than some other more gentle but persistent mode’† (Rosin, 2011). She believes that a parent’s role is not to act as a harsh critic and task master, but rather to guide them through the inevitable difficulties of life that arise. Unlike Chua, Rosin is not concerned with forcing her children to be â€Å"the best†. Rather, she says that â€Å"It is better to have a happy, moderately successful child than a miserable high-achiever† (Rosin, 2011). It is in this area, pertaining to notions of happiness that Chua and Rosin depart most distinctly from each other. It can be argued that the idea of happiness is almost completely absent from Amy Chua’s template. Chua says, â€Å"Chinese parents believe that they know that is best for their children and therefore override all of their children’s own desires and preferences† (Chua, 2011). In other words, the feelings or preference of the child as an individual are lacking completely from the Chinese framework of parenting. The child’s happiness, or misery, is completely irrelevant, because the  parent is the supreme authority, acting in the child’s best interest. Chua claims, â€Å"It’s not that Chinese parents don’t care about their children , just the opposite. They would give up anything for their children† (Chua, 2011). However, the one thing that Chua and other parents will not give up is complete authoritarian control. Rosin takes an entirely different approach to the value of individual happiness. She observes that happiness does not come through being successful; furthermore, â€Å"happiness is the great human quest† (Rosin, 2011). Parents cannot possibly always be in a position to know what will make a child happy or not; children must work out their own path to happiness (Rosin, 2011). Rosin believes that an over-emphasis on perfection will not lead to greater happiness and may even create less happiness in the end. In conclusion, it is undeniable that both Amy Chua and Hannah Rosin love their children and believe that their approach to parenting is based on a desire to do what is best for those children. However, the two approaches present a sharp contrast to each other. Amy Chua believes that success, perfection and being â€Å"the best† are of paramount importance, and will ultimately build a child’s self-esteem (Chua, 2011). Hannah Rosin is critical of the harshness of the Chinese template and argues for a gentler approach, one that takes the natural interests and talent of the child into account (Rosin, 2011). Rosin notes that the idea of enjoyment or happiness is strikingly absent from Chua’s parenting style; in turn, Chua observes that many Western parents are disappointed with the choices that their children make in their lives (Rosin, 2011; Chua, 2011). It can be argued that both the Eastern approach and Western approach have a great deal to offer each other; a wise parent knows how to walk a middle ground.

Griots essays

Griots essays Among the things existing in the world, speech is the only thing given birth in the world. Little discoveries lead to big discoveries. Speech is a link and establishes order. It includes images, metaphors, stories, and proverbs. The Griots of West Africa use speech to establish a link to the people. The Griots entertain and educate a village. Like the common folklore that we know, Griots memorize lineage, practice traditional rituals, tell myths, pass on wisdom, sing songs of praise, and tell epics and history. For example, in Mali, using oral tradition, they say that if there is a full eclipse of the moon, it is because a black cat covers it and they drive it away using a drum. Oral tradition is a part of the Griot tradition. Griots use the old speech to tell myths and communicate. Even though it may become dormant, old speech will never die. Itll reemerge when the time is right. The Griot tradition is passed on only if you are born into a specific caste. The nobles who support them are their benefactors. They attend story events and apprenticeships. If this does not work out, they become commoners such as farmers and herders. If they continue, they educate themselves from the master Griot by learning about cooking, cleaning, instruments, genealogy, praise songs, and politics. It is believed a Griot is born a Griot and it just takes time to release that, that is within. Although West Africans are being introduced to more modern appliances, the Griot tradition will never die. Theyll use televisions and generators, but the old speech will still be passed on. Oral traditions will be remembered and spoken as well as the process to preserve and pass on the Griot tradition. ...

Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations

For companies that are planning to globalize, they must have a strategy and plan for operations. To recap, Pyramid has lost a large amount of market share since the 9/11 tragedies and airline downsizing. Their ground proximity warning system was the â€Å"Mercedes Benz† of the industry. And airlines do not want to expend the money when they can purchase a comparable product cheaper from Tyco or Honeywell. Pyramid has decided to enter a joint venture with Siemens and relocate their manufacturing plant to Mexico. This paper will cover the mode of entry and explain human resources management, supply chain management, information technology, research and development, and finally, address any ethical issues pertaining to Pyramid’s products and services. Pyramid Enterprise has previously established entry into the aerospace market with their ground proximity warning system. Pyramid Enterprises first started in the aerospace business 1964. Their decision to embark on a new joint venture with Siemens has been previously discussed and justified. The critical question is how will this joint venture enable Pyramid to win back the market share that they have lost and to expand in a mature and competitive market place? Pyramid has seen its sales and customer base drop by 38% since September 11, 2001. As discussed earlier, the airlines have seen tremendous losses and are looking for the lowest priced Ground Proximity Warning System. Brand loyalty due to quality and reliability has been replaced with bottom-line economic decisions. Therefore, Pyramids challenge is to develop a strategy that will not only win back their previous customer base but to find ways to expand their presence in the aerospace market. The joint venture with Siemens will allow Pyramid to do both. As a result of the joint venture with Siemens, operating costs will be reduced by 25%. This will enable Pyramid to reduce the price for their Ground Proximity Warning System and to u... Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations Free Essays on Global Strategy And Operations For companies that are planning to globalize, they must have a strategy and plan for operations. To recap, Pyramid has lost a large amount of market share since the 9/11 tragedies and airline downsizing. Their ground proximity warning system was the â€Å"Mercedes Benz† of the industry. And airlines do not want to expend the money when they can purchase a comparable product cheaper from Tyco or Honeywell. Pyramid has decided to enter a joint venture with Siemens and relocate their manufacturing plant to Mexico. This paper will cover the mode of entry and explain human resources management, supply chain management, information technology, research and development, and finally, address any ethical issues pertaining to Pyramid’s products and services. Pyramid Enterprise has previously established entry into the aerospace market with their ground proximity warning system. Pyramid Enterprises first started in the aerospace business 1964. Their decision to embark on a new joint venture with Siemens has been previously discussed and justified. The critical question is how will this joint venture enable Pyramid to win back the market share that they have lost and to expand in a mature and competitive market place? Pyramid has seen its sales and customer base drop by 38% since September 11, 2001. As discussed earlier, the airlines have seen tremendous losses and are looking for the lowest priced Ground Proximity Warning System. Brand loyalty due to quality and reliability has been replaced with bottom-line economic decisions. Therefore, Pyramids challenge is to develop a strategy that will not only win back their previous customer base but to find ways to expand their presence in the aerospace market. The joint venture with Siemens will allow Pyramid to do both. As a result of the joint venture with Siemens, operating costs will be reduced by 25%. This will enable Pyramid to reduce the price for their Ground Proximity Warning System and to u...

Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Marketing Plan - Assignment Example As such, the social media marketing will be mainly concentric upon brand recognition and promoting the website as a viable alternative for career women that are both interested in function and style (Kawazoe & Abetti, 2013). Accordingly, prior to this particular phase of marketing being engaged, it will be absolutely interval to ensure that each and every problem that might be evidenced within the initial rollout of the website should be operable and fully functional. And added component of this particular phase that can be utilized is to provide a bonus structure through which individuals that reference which social media outlet they came from and what prompted them to purchase their products will further assist the company in helping to strategize how best practices within social media marketing can be further accomplished in the future. The second phase of the marketing strategy will once again be constrained by the fact that the firm does not have a very large budget and cannot engage in glitzy advertising like many of the more established brands. Nevertheless, the second phase will be concentric upon blanketing some of the most high traffic pedestrian areas within the Washington DC Metro area and passing out pamphlets/suppliers/marketing material that draws attention to the fact that a new women’s footwear store is soon to be opening that seeks to provide a nexus between fashion and comfort. Naturally, even though this secondary phase of the marketing process will be somewhat different as compared to the first, it is necessary for the developers to ensure that a certain level of similarity exists so that individuals that might have been exposed to the first level of social media marketing will not find this to be a conflicting or otherwise separate level of engagement (Jacobsen, 2012). As compared to the s ocial media phase, this particular phase will take place within approximately one month’s time. Similar to the social

The economy in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The economy in California - Essay Example In the course of this assessment and analysis, various factors are considered in light of their effects and implications on the economy. These factors are divided according to their level of influence and their scope in regards to how each individual entity can deal with them (Melvin & Boyes, 122). As such, economics as a social science incorporates aspects of creation, circulation and utilization of commodities and services within an economy and the various factors that affect this cycle. For a proper and more insightful analysis of these factors, the concepts of micro and macroeconomics are introduced to deal with varying perspectives of the way in which various dynamics impact on the economy. Microeconomics often deals with aspects that are within a given economic entity’s scope, and refers to factors that the entity has control over. On the other hand, macroeconomics lays emphasis on factors that an economic entity has little or no control over, especially factors that hav e a national, transnational or global scope. An example of a factor that affects the economy on a national perspective is the inflation rate, or the level of inflation within the economy. As such, the analysis of this factor forms an insightful upshot from which the impact of macroeconomic factors can be viewed in relation to the economy. BODY: On a general platform, inflation can be described as the gradual increase in the prices of commodities and service provision within an economy over a given period. This is occasioned by the value of the currency dropping, whereby the financial might of a unit of currency drops and it is able to purchase lesser and lesser items as the level of inflation increases.... On other platforms, inflation refers to an average increase in the money circulating within an economy, as occasioned by the value of the currency dropping warranting the need for more legal tender to complete a transaction (Melvin & Boyes, 134). Inflation is caused by a number of factors, ranging from government expenditure exceeding the revenues, or the private sector causing shortfalls in output resulting in demand exceeding the supply of goods and services. Moreover, increased production costs also result in increased prices of goods thereby resulting in inflation. The measure for inflation is carried out through the price index that monitors the overall pricing of consumer goods and services over a given period. The general percentage change in price roughly implicates the inflation level within the economy. The impacts of inflation can be both positive and negative in some instances. However, its negative force is more impacting than the positive effects (McEachern, 187). There are levels of inflation, with low levels of inflation generally considered not as harmful. However, zero and high inflation are considered harmful to any economy. The major impact of inflation is that it creates a financial shortage for individuals who are surviving on a fixed income. This is occasioned by the lack of income dynamism in relation to the rate of inflation (McEachern, 222). The amount of disposable income for such individuals decreases, thereby leading to less expenditure, further enhancing the inflation rate. This results in minimized savings, as more money is used in purchases that were previously less straining on the financial muscle. However, inflation can also result in hidden tax raises especially in