Managing Information Systems In Organisations Essays (205 words)

Managing Information Systems In Organisations INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INTRODUCTION In recent years, there has been an abundance of new technologies in the information systems field. These new technologies have altered the very development process itself. Information systems have gone from being a series of one level databases to three dimensional reality, virtual reality, and multimedia systems. In the early days of information systems, the demands were for data, with no real function of artificial intelligence. However, as the 21st century approaches, business has taken on an entirely different function, and the need for individual information systems has grown immensely. This demand for information technology is in all areas of business: corporations, law, medicine, science and even small business. In addition, the worldwide web and the Internet have added an additional factor of communications. Most information systems in use today require at the very least, a measure of Internet capability. In order to understand the changes in these development processes, the history of databases should be analyzed. BACKGROUND Database Management Systems actually began in the 1950s, with what is known as the first generation, also known as file systems on tape. The major task of any computer in those days was to process data under the control of a program. This primarily meant calculating, counting and simple tasks. Second generation databases, file systems on dis...

Free Essays on What Caused The Great Depression

America's Great Depression What Caused this Great Depression? The Great Depression is probably one of the most misunderstood events in American history. It is routinely cited, as proof that unregulated capitalism is not the best in the world, and that only a massive welfare state, huge amounts of economic regulation, and other Interventions can save capitalism from itself. Among the many myths surrounding the Great Depression are that Herbert Hoover was a laissez faire president and that FDR brought us out of the depression. What caused the Great Depression? To get a handle on that, it's necessary to look at previous depressions and compare. The Great Depression was by no means the first depression this country ever had, but it was clearly the worst. What made it different than the rest? At the time of the Great Depression, government intervention in the economy was higher than it had ever been and a special government agency had been set up specifically to prevent depressions and their associated problems, such as bank panics. This agency was the Federal Reserve Board and it was to have been the loaner of last resorts for banks in order to prevent collapses as had happened during earlier depressions. But as America sees, there is good reason to believe that the Federal actions explain many of the problems that lead up to the stock market crash and the subsequent depression. Although there are many macroeconomics schools of thought, this paper will be concentrating on two initially, Keynesian economics and Austrian School economics. Keynesian economics got its start during the Great Depression with the publication in 1936 of The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, by John Maynard Keynes. Austrian School economics began much Earlier, most notably with the publication in 1871 of Carl Menger's Principles of Economics. While the Austrian theory has never been mainstream (economist Paul Krugman refers to it as the economic... Free Essays on What Caused The Great Depression Free Essays on What Caused The Great Depression America's Great Depression What Caused this Great Depression? The Great Depression is probably one of the most misunderstood events in American history. It is routinely cited, as proof that unregulated capitalism is not the best in the world, and that only a massive welfare state, huge amounts of economic regulation, and other Interventions can save capitalism from itself. Among the many myths surrounding the Great Depression are that Herbert Hoover was a laissez faire president and that FDR brought us out of the depression. What caused the Great Depression? To get a handle on that, it's necessary to look at previous depressions and compare. The Great Depression was by no means the first depression this country ever had, but it was clearly the worst. What made it different than the rest? At the time of the Great Depression, government intervention in the economy was higher than it had ever been and a special government agency had been set up specifically to prevent depressions and their associated problems, such as bank panics. This agency was the Federal Reserve Board and it was to have been the loaner of last resorts for banks in order to prevent collapses as had happened during earlier depressions. But as America sees, there is good reason to believe that the Federal actions explain many of the problems that lead up to the stock market crash and the subsequent depression. Although there are many macroeconomics schools of thought, this paper will be concentrating on two initially, Keynesian economics and Austrian School economics. Keynesian economics got its start during the Great Depression with the publication in 1936 of The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, by John Maynard Keynes. Austrian School economics began much Earlier, most notably with the publication in 1871 of Carl Menger's Principles of Economics. While the Austrian theory has never been mainstream (economist Paul Krugman refers to it as the economic...

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Essay - 2

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development - Essay Example However, the concept is accepted to be widely different from the philosophy of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, although it was derived from the term entrepreneurs. The philosophy of ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ gained its existence in the world of business and innovation in the past centuries and is still practiced in the modern phenomenon by the youth, the women, and other business representatives as well. In the present century, social entrepreneurs, unlike other entrepreneurs, opt to eradicate a level of the social limitations by utilising the available resources in their community. Therefore, the term stands for those innovative and creative representatives who can identify social demands and obstacles, and provide an answer to the problem as well. Additionally, social entrepreneurs are also known for one of their major characteristic, i.e. to bring a change in the community they participate. As stated by David Bornstein, "Social entrepreneurs identify resources where people only see problems. They view the villagers as the solution, not the passive beneficiary. They begin with the assumption of competence and unleash resources i n the communities theyre serving." 1 With a given perspective of the 21st century, social entrepreneurs have multidimensional features. Such as, the social entrepreneurs have to satisfy the social needs along with their personal needs using an unbiased perception. They also need to engage themselves into a never ending improvement. In this regard, they need to identify the present resources in an efficient manner. Therefore, social entrepreneurship has evolved as the way to social entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in bringing a revolution in the social aspect. 2 According to J. Gregory Dees, Social Entrepreneurs have features which are incomparable to that of the entrepreneurs. One major difference is that entrepreneurs are the construction heads of profit seeking concerns while the social entrepreneurs are the

Comprehensive Technical Analysis Project Research Paper

Comprehensive Technical Analysis Project - Research Paper Example Its revenues were growing by the day, this is because its presence in Europe and Africa. The company in the 1990’s started diversifying its range of cars and opened up manufacturing industries in many parts of the world. This boosted their sales in the countries where they were manufacturing the cars. Toyota by 2010 was still the motor company to beat in terms of sales; it had sold over 8,557,351 units which represents an 11.0% market share. In order to measure if a company is profitable it must be compared with its competitor, Toyota sales from only automotive operations as for the fiscal year of April through September the first six months amounted to approximately 8,863.6 billion yen, this translates to $104 billion dollars at an exchange rate of 85 yen to the dollar. Looking at General motors, the revenues during the two quarters is approximately $67.2 billion. Thus, Toyota auto operations averaged about 12% of all sales done in the motor industry in the fiscal year of 2009 to 2010. Toyota auto operations are over 50% larger than all GM sales. When Toyota and General Motors are compared to the motor industry, they rank way higher than other companies in the industry, this is in terms of the market share and the profitability, the companies have a history of their profits running to billions of dollars and their assets size running into hundreds of billions. They are two of the largest motor companies in the world and they are in frequent competition. The closest company that comes close to the two is the German company Volkswagen, however, it grosses lesser than the two mega companies. The following is a comparison of the industry. Toyota 8,557,351 GM 8,476,192 Volkswagen 7,341,065 Hyundai Motor 5,764,918. Toyota ascent has been attributed to the ever improving profits and this growth compared with the sales is inevitable. To assess the relativity of the

Discuss and analyse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discuss and analyse - Essay Example In her writing, the past is no longer a prologue but something hardly different from the current, (John and Smith, 2001, p.56). Smith’s novel is a whirlwind multiculturalism and immigration investigation and their impacts on individuals and the ways such cultural events get into London life. The tale begins with the Second World War and ends before the start of the millennium, taking about fifty years, a period that witnesses the change of all aspects of life. In exploring story about the reformation of the contemporary London, the novel joins Archie and Samad lifestyles, a click of colleagues whose friendships is established on common experiences in the last days of the struggles. Additionally, addressing issues to do with race, culture, and generation gaps with irony and brevity, White Teeth focuses on the relationship between Archie, Samad and their families. This bond was formed during the last days of the WW11 when they met at the main tank mishap survivors, (Kavc?ic? and Maver, 2007, p. 45). After the incident the two parted their ways with Samad going back to his country to attend college and Archie pursing his daily struggles in England. Almost 30 years later, the blue-collar Briton and the educated Muslim meets again. This happened when Samad immigrated to England with his family and tried to look for his ancient day’s friend, Archie. ... The story begins with Archie in his vehicle, with sealed shut windows and a running vacuum hose from the exhaust pipe of the car. Depressed because of a divorce, and very confused, he rests on an unremarkable street side, selecting a location across butchery - halal. As the smoke mixes up his thoughts, a reader gets a figure of a person who will serve as their protagonist. This depressing moment has occurred to Archie about 20 years back when he saw Daria’s smile that made him shed tears of joy. Archie has seen Daira in thoughts – a pretty girl in a doorway very attractive – and he discovered that he regretted not leaving her. If he had another opportunity of having such a sight again, Archie wished for a second chance and an extra time, (Smith and Sterlin, 2001, p. 63). Therefore, a burcher man saves his life and the story begins. Mostly, Zadie Smith’s story is just an investigation of how Archie uses his leisure time. He falls for a pretty, black woman, Clara Bowden, who has a London origin and a backslidden Jehovah’s Witness believer with roots from Caribean. Archie and Samad, who had recently a girl less young than him, feel the generation gap among their wives and themselves, and this gap broadens even when their kids are born. The two men do not understand each other, but all through the narrative, their bond keeps them together. Similarly, the two men understand not their partners, children, or their universe, but they clearly comprehend each other, even though their behavior and actions show a parting of fervent insanity to the outsiders. Although, Archie is the protagonist of the story, the author orients the audience between characters

Emergence of management accounting

Emergence of management accounting Introduction Management Accounting deals with providing information for internal users, mainly the managers. Since they are the section of people who directs and controls the operations of the firm, the information that Management Accounting provides is very useful. Some of the basic management activities are: Planning: Considering various alternatives and choosing the best among them. Control: Ensure that the chosen plan is being followed and whether there are in line with the objectives of the firm. Directing and Motivating: Activities need to be monitored and employees need to be motivated and encouraged to ensure smooth and effective functioning of the organization (Seal, W et al., 2006). Emergence of Management Accounting The concept of Management Accounting evolved during the Industrial revolution of the 19th century. During that period, most of the companies were controlled and owned by a few managers. Elaborate financial reports were not demanded as there were no external shareholders. The 20th century saw a lot of changes in the economy; companies were required to submit detailed financial reports in order to satisfy the capital markets, taxation purposes and creditors (Seal, W et al., 2006). Earlier, production technology was simple, with products passing through a series of distinct phases of production. So, it was easier to identify the associated material and labor costs, thus direct labor was used as the basis for assigning indirect costs to products (Ashton, D et al., 1995). Role of Modern Management Accounting Organizations are under pressure to not only make decisions on a day to day basis but also to chalk out a plan that will help them to survive and grow in the ever changing market place, considering the fact that they will be faced with uncertain circumstances. The main role of modern management accounting is to provide the various levels of management with information that is relevant to make sound decisions and to add value to the company. It is slightly different from traditional accounting because they provide managers with essential information in time to set targets, minimize the cost, develop standards, monitor performances and compute variances, thereby improving the quality of the products with reduced wastage. Apart from these, Management accounting aids in improving the flexibility and innovative capacity of the organization, thus making continuous changes to improve its financial and non financial performance to stay on track with the rapidly changing economy (Atkinson, An thony A et al., 1997) (Prit, 2009). Shaping an organization Management Accounting can help shape an organization in the following ways: Provides accurate and timely information to help cut costs, measure and improve the productivity. Information on product costs helps in the introduction of new products in the market, pricing decisions and, if required, abandonment of obsolete products. For large and decentralized organizations, it is essential to motivate employees using appropriate incentives and benefits. This decision is based on the results provided by the management accounting system. Acts as a communication tool which the upper management uses to communicate with the middle and lower management and vice versa. Information about the organizational goals and strategy is passed on to the operational divisions and feedback is communicated back to the upper management (Kaplan, Robert S., 1987). Binds the operational and strategic goals together in order to ensure that the performances of the operational divisions are aligned with the organizational goals (Ashton, D et al., 1995). Management Accounting shaped by organization An organization can also have an impact on this accounting system in the following ways: In order to successfully grow in the rapidly advancing market, customer satisfaction has become the prime focus. This affects the kind of information required by the organization and demands sophisticated form of management accounting system. Since organizations are divided into sub units, the interdependence among them would be very high. As a result the dynamics of the information needed has changed. Due to increased coordination among organizations, the gap between suppliers and employees are getting narrow. This has led to changes in the way that organizations collect and use management accounting information (Atkinson, Anthony A et al., 1997). A major computer revolution has brought about a significant reduction in the information collection and processing costs and has eased the work of accountants (Kaplan, Robert S., 1987). Management Accounting a Global phenomenon The challenge faced by companies today is; the alignment of local business processes with the global objectives and strategies. Since the organizations are widely dispersed and decentralized, integration of the sub units and its operations has become vital in order to compete in the global market. This requires management of various organizational relationships, internal, external, vertical, hierarchical, horizontal and lateral ties. In the growing global economy, management accounting is required to: Manage the flow of vertical and lateral information within organizations. Integrate and coordinate activities of units located in various locations (Scapens, R et al., 2007) (Ashton, D et al., 1995). Reduction in tariffs, ease in worldwide transportation and removal of other trade barriers has increased competition as more and more companies are entering the market, thus, the need for management accounting is increasing too. For example: Since business is expanding widely, outsourcing has become a great deal and countries like India and China are leading the way in this area and have a competitive edge over other firms (Seal, W et al., 2006). Impact of globalization Management accounting is shaped by various changes in the global environment, such as: Rapidly changing business climate has increased the research opportunities in the area of management accounting. Many of the countries in the world are re-structuring themselves. Countries like Taiwan, India and parts of Eastern Europe are slowly moving into large scale privatization. This has the altered the global competition scene. Shaping global organization Management Accounting plays a major role in shaping the global: Aids in stabilizing transfer of currency and the transfer of goods and knowledge between companies located in different countries. Manages the fluctuations in currency by the purchase of financial instruments like futures and options. Enables coordination and integration among the various activities of a globally dispersed organization. Helps to monitor and evaluate the performance of its subsidiaries (Ashton, D et al., 1995). Helps in building stronger political relationships between the firm and the government of the country where it has its operations. These ties can have positive impact in the form of tax breaks, subsidies etc. 3 Recent developments in Management Accounting Techniques a) Balanced Score card This technique consists of an integrated set of performance measures that are derived from and also helps the companys strategy. It develops a strategy for the company to further it objectives successfully (Seal, W et al., 2006). The characteristics of this technique: Helps the management to clearly state the vision and strategy in a tangible form. Helps in communicating the objectives and strategy to the employees and encourages them to set individual goals and align them to the organizational objectives. Develops measures to evaluate the performance. Four perspectives of a Balanced score card: Financial- concerned with profitability. Customer- concerned with customer satisfaction, retention of previous customers and acquiring new ones. Internal Business process- concerned with the internal processes that will help in attracting and retaining customers. Learning and growth- concerned with the long term growth and development of the organization. The balanced score card is used in both the manufacturing and service sectors. An example of a company in a service sector that uses this technique is the National Insurance Company. It is the property division of one of the major US insurance companies. In the year 1993 they launched the score card technique with revenue of $4 billion dollars. Unfortunately this never worked for the company and ended up making huge losses, until a management team was brought in to make repairs. They moved the company from a generalist strategy to a specialized one, thus, helping National Insurance to regain the profitable position in the economy. The balanced score card technique has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Helps in providing periodic and systematic feedback. Helps in quantifying the vision and objectives of the organization. Helps to set individual goals and aligns them with the organizational objectives, thus, uplifting the morale of the workforce. It focuses on both, financial and non financial factors (Kaplan, R.S Norton, D. P,1996) (â€Å"Balanced Scorecard for Corus Group PLC†). Disadvantages Balanced score card is all about developing a strategy and if the management devises an ill-defined and unclear one, it will lead to a futile and confusing score card. Sometimes looked upon as a purely top down approach, where the strategy is created at the top and imposed upon the employees (â€Å"Balanced Scorecard: Panacea or poisoned chalice?†). The implementation of this technique can be time consuming and difficult and may not include the interests of the shareholders, suppliers and employees (â€Å"Balanced Scorecard for Corus Group PLC†) (Kaplan, R.S Norton, D. P, 1996). b) Just in time This management technique was first developed in Japan by Taiichi Ohno in the 1970s. Toyota Motors Corporation was the first one to adopt Just in Time technique as part of its production system. In this technique raw materials go into production as soon as they are received, the manufactured parts are completed just in time to go into the assembling process and they are shipped to the customers as soon as they are completed. The main features are, materials would be purchased only for the day to day requirement and there would be no goods in process at the end of the day as they are all delivered to the customers immediately (Seal, W et al., 2006). The Just in Time technique is most commonly used by the manufacturing and merchandising sectors. An example of a manufacturing firm using this technique: In the year 1992, the sales of one of the leading car manufacturers, Porsche declined to less than 15,000 and had a loss of about $133 million. The timely appointment of two Japanese experts identified the problem as wasteful inventory in the shelves. A quality control program was introduced to reduce the number of defective parts. Ever since, their earnings have jumped to about $55 million and huge sales of about 34,000. It would be appropriate to mention about a service sector using the Just in Time technique. McDonalds adopted this technique to compete with their competitor Burger King and Wendys. They had to carefully study the system and spend approximately $25,000 in each of its outlets. This was implemented to ensure that the customers would be served with the freshest food within 90 seconds of ordering and also to cut stock costs, which would ultimately lead to staff savings (Garrison and Noreen, 2003). The benefits and disadvantages of Just in Time technique are: Advantages: Reduction in warehousing and ordering cost. Can make use of the extra floor space which would otherwise be occupied by inventory, thus, avoiding any planned expansion that could result in extra expense (Kaplan, Robert S., 1987). Throughput time is reduced; as a result, the companies can give quicker responses to customers. The rates of defective units are reduced, therefore, less wastage and cost effective production. Disadvantages: If any parts are found defective, the whole production process would be held up. Companies are fully dependant on their suppliers, since they have to be able to provide defect free goods. Implementation can be slightly difficult as the workers required to operate under this system needs to be multi skilled and flexible (Garrison and Noreen, 2003). c) Activity Based Costing Towards the end of 1980, Activity Based Costing became a popular form of costing among the organizations. This provides managers with cost information to make strategic decisions. Under this system, overhead cost pools are allocated to the products and other costing objects using a measure of activity. The indirect costs are also allocated to different cost pools, based on the activity. The costs are all attached to each product on the basis of the cost drivers associated (Garrison and Noreen, 2003) (Ashton, D et al., 1995). A large number of organizations have adopted Activity Based Costing. One example of a company in the service sector, in a developing nation, that is successfully using this technique is Tata Consultancy Services; one of Indias largest consulting organization. They used this method to identify issues in their software business. With the help of Activity Based Costing, Tata Consultancy was able to find out that the quality assurance, testing and correction costs were having a negative impact on their profitability. This costing technique provided the required cost information to help the managers set appropriate priorities and monitor the detection costs (Garrison and Noreen, 2003). Activity Based Costing has its own advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Simple to operate and can be easily understood. Focus is mainly on what causes the costs to increase. Absorption rates are closely linked to causes of overheads. Disadvantages: Implementation and maintenance is expensive. The changes may not be accepted easily by the employees, they may resist. Managers sometimes insist on including sustenance costs and idle capacity costs, this may result in overstated costs. Activity Based costing reports does not conform to the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. This may require the companies to have two cost systems which can be an expensive affair (Garrison and Noreen, 2003). Bibliography Seal, W., Garrison, Ray H. Noreen, Eric W., 2006. Management Accounting. 2nd ed. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Education, 1:2-12, 17: 763-765, 19: 840-844. Garrison, Ray H. Noreen, Eric W., 2003. Management Accounting. 10th ed. New York: McGraw Hill/ Irwin, 1:13-17, 8:316-320, 338-339, 10:445-454. Ashton, D., Hopper T. Scapens, Robert W., 1995. Issues in Management Accounting. 2nd ed. England: Pearson Education Limited, 1:3-5, 3:46-47, 6:115-116, 14:300. Hopper T., Scapens, Robert W. Northcott, D., 2007, Issues in Management Accounting. [e-book] England: Pearson Education Limited, 4:65-69. Available at: Google e-books http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k3La7WnBBGICprintsec=frontcoverdq=issues+in+management+accountingcd=1#v=onepageq=f=false. [Accessed 16 January 2010]. Johnson, H. T. Kaplan, R. S., 1987, Relevance lost: The Rise and Fall of Management Accounting. [e-book] USA: Harvard Business School Press, 1:4-6, 9:215. Available at: Google e-books http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=enlr=id=yUgXuMBxAx4Coi=fndpg=PR11dq=Importance+of+Modern+Management+Accounting+Practices+in+Modern+Business+Organizationsots=eSpMcqbPoDsig=uHxwYxFfTyR-Sw5iT-dB6v1Y45U#v=onepageq=f=false. [Accessed 16 January 2010]. Atkinson, A. A et al., 1997. New Directions in Management Accounting Research. Journal of Management Accounting Research, [pdf] 9 Available at: http://miha.ef.uni-lj.si/_dokumenti3plus2/196128/Atkinsonetal.-1997-NewdirectionsinMAresearch.pdf. [Accessed 17 January 2010]. Kaplan, R. S. Norton, D. P., 1996. The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action. [e-book] USA: Harvard Business school Press. Available at: Google e-books http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=enlr=id=mRHC5kHXczECoi=fndpg=PR7dq=balanced+scorecard+in+manufacturing+industryots=wv4Ut7B5Lasig=ryw-8YdLQig50o9bzJAnPXPUQto#v=onepageq=balanced%20scorecard%20in%20manufacturing%20industryf=false. [Accessed 16 January 2010]. Bizcovering, 2009. Importance of Modern Management Accounting Practices in Modern Business organizations. [online]. Available at: http://bizcovering.com/management/importance-of-modern-management-accounting-practices-in-modern-business-organizations/. [Accessed 16 January 2010]. â€Å"Balanced Scorecard for Corus Group PLC†. [online]. 123HelpMe.com. Available at: http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=149201. [Accessed 17 January 2010]. Davies, R. W. (Dr.), 2009. Balanced Scorecard: Panacea or Poisoned Chalice? [online]. Available at: http://www.drrobertdavies.com/balancedscorecardsuccess.php. [Accessed 16 January 2010].

Life in Outer Space †Lets explore Essay

Life in outer space is one of those topics mankind has tried to find an answer for through out its entire history. But the question still remains unanswered, mysteries unsolved. The vast space is one of the most mysterious and undiscovered mysteries man kind had ever thought of and the question is will it ever be solved Unlimited discoveries and mysteries lie uncovered within them. Over the years, we, as human beings have constantly been challenging and pushing our limits by venturing into space and beyond. But what I believe is, the only proof we have; that some smart creatures exist in outer space. That they have never tried to contact us dumb human beings, The proof isn’t too attractive. Personally speaking about life in outer space, I think most of this is all stupid and great money is pushed into all this research which bears not much evidence of aliens up there. giving some way to second thought, even if someone convinces me there is life on the moon which I know there isnt, because some kind of an atmosphere is essential for life to exist which isnt present. NASA talks about finding seas on our moon, mars, and the moon of Jupiter, but is it still proven or a stationary cloud of dust close to the surface of the moon or mars looks like a sea to these man made picture taking satellites. Then this question arises of why is it all there? The space, the moon the sun, the planets, every thing out there why is it present? The gods werent crazy when all this was made or the big bang theory isnt totally wrong. There is a meaning to all of this, to all the planets, the natural satellites and all which is up there but the true meaning hasnt been found yet. We all think from different minds and have different perspectives. Its all  what we think it is. If I think that mars has strange creatures with one eye and ten hands living on it, its totally fine. You may not agree with me, you may think mars doesnt have shit, its Jupiter which assists aliens of some different specie living on it. So you see its all as you want it. In science that is called Ocidebtal thinking, â€Å"Some actual facts, presented to you in a convincing way, now no one can convince you otherwise† Mind & body, 1999thinking about all of, which goes on in the space fascinated me once too, but when I think of disasters happening to our astronauts and for one, example Kalpana Chawlas space ship which was blown to pieces due to some miscalculation and a human error, who will be held responsible for that, you, me us or poor aliens which dont even exist. So in the end of all my arguments and all the worthless theory people present what I will say is, being human beings which are supposed to be the smartest beings on the entire universe. We stop thinking about fantasies and wait until something solid comes to us. So that I really am proved wrong; and existence of life outer space is really proved to be fact. Saad AftabSources:Space and beyond – 1999 (Phillips jr)Nataional Grpgraphic magazine September issue – John QuinnWebWorksIcon – Research paper (2005)

Maintaining Ethical Standards

The ethical issues that I am faced with are, although am a trousseaux counselor, I still sympathize with what the couple is going through especially since a child is involved. Helping the couple will take a lot of work. First I would sit both of them down and listen to everything that they are going through. I would give them the pros of staying together in the state, then I would give them the con, because the state we are in does not recognize same-sex marriage, they would lose their benefits; such as tax benefits, health and social security benefits.In the case of discrimination, the state will not offer any kind of recourse because the state law itself won't accept the marriage. Would then discuss with the couple, the custody battle with Emily s parents. First would recommend that if it was k with Lois, Emily should have a one and one conversation with her parents. Another suggestion would for the couple to sit down with the grandparents and without throwing their sexuality in th eir faces, simply explain to them, that even though they are gay, they are capable of being good parents. It would be best to not be pushy and listen to the concerns of the grandparents.If that didn't work then I would talk with the parents, sometimes a person outside of he equation can shed a little light on the issue. Rebecca Farrell (personal communication, March 20, 2009) points out that this case also involves custody issues that are challenging when counseling a same-sex couple. If all that fails and the grandparents decide to pursue the custody, I would suggest for them to seek legal advice. For their safety from the neighbors and others that are interfering with them, I would suggest that they go to the area police station and make a statement, so the police can know their lives might be in danger.

3 Problems of Parallel Syntax

3 Problems of Parallel Syntax 3 Problems of Parallel Syntax 3 Problems of Parallel Syntax By Mark Nichol Writers frequently err in producing in-line lists (those incorporated into a sentence, rather than presented vertically) whose items do not correspond grammatically. Here are three sample sentences, along with corrections. 1. â€Å"If a work is no longer set in Japan, no longer written by Japanese authors or penned by Japanese artists, and no longer reflects Japanese cultural idioms, is it still manga?† Each of the three list items in this sentence includes at least one verb, but that consistency does not guarantee parallel structure. The first item’s verb phrase includes â€Å"is . . . set,† and the third one’s verb, reflects, stands on its own (if the item were required to contain a form of â€Å"to be,† the sentence could be revised to include the verb phrase â€Å"is no longer reflective of†), but the middle item needs a helping verb in this case, to match the first item, is: â€Å"If a work is no longer set in Japan, is no longer written by Japanese authors or penned by Japanese artists, and no longer reflects Japanese cultural idioms, is it still manga? 2. â€Å"People who have experienced abuse, been victims of a crime or catastrophe, or people who have lived through war and/or genocide can experience PTSD.† Here, a verb is missing from one element of the sentence, but noun and pronoun use is also inconsistent: â€Å"People who have experienced abuse, have been victims of a crime or catastrophe, or have lived through war and/or genocide can experience PTSD.† Alternatively, elements can be combined; here, the first two are joined, and the third one, already in combination, has been framed in commas to set it off from the rest of the sentence: â€Å"People who have experienced abuse or have been victims of a crime or catastrophe, or people who have lived through war and/or genocide, can experience PTSD. 3. â€Å"The products are available at Bed Bath Beyond stores, the Container Store, or through the company’s website.† This sentence’s flaw is the lack not of a verb but of a preposition in each element. Generally, a single preposition could serve all three elements, but because a website is a conduit, not a location, for obtaining the products (unlike as in the case of information or media, which can be obtained at a website), each element requires its own preposition: â€Å"The products are available at Bed Bath Beyond stores, at the Container Store, or through the company’s website. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†Best Websites to Learn English25 Idioms with Clean

Needle in the Hay Song Analysis Essays

Needle in the Hay Song Analysis Essays Needle in the Hay Song Analysis Paper Needle in the Hay Song Analysis Paper â€Å"Needle in the Hay† by Elliott Smith Your hand on his arm The haystack charm Around your neck Strung out and thin Calling some friend Trying to cash some check Hes acting dumb Thats what youve come To expect (Chorus) Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Needle in the hay Hes wearing your clothes Head down to toes A reaction to you You say you know what he did But you idiot kid You dont have a clue Sometimes they just Get caught in the eye Youre pulling him through *Chorus* Now on the bus Nearly touching This dirty retreat Falling out 6th and Powell A dead sweat in my teeth Going to walk, walk, walk Four more blocks Plus the one in my brain Down downstairs To the man Hes going to make it all ok I cant beat myself I cant beat myself And I dont want to talk Im taking the cure So I can be quiet Whenever I want So leave me alone You ought to be proud That Im getting good marks *Chorus 2x* In health class, we just finished a unit on drugs and addictions. We learned about the different classifications of drugs, their effects, and symptoms of addiction. Our current assignment is to analyze a song that describes the negative effects of drugs, and share our personal reaction to it. The song I chose is â€Å"Needle in the Hay† by Elliott Smith. This song can be interpreted in many different ways, but it’s almost always recognized as being about drugs, specifically heroin. Though Smith only became addicted to heroin in his later life, he writes about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in many of his songs, from his first album on. â€Å"Needle in the Hay† seems to be about a girl who is addicted to heroin, and is in a relationship with a guy who is beginning to use heroin himself. I chose this song because it’s beautifully written, and uses many interesting metaphors to help tell the story. The first line in the song is â€Å"Your hand on his arm, the haystack charm around your neck. † I think this is saying that she is beginning to become a bigger part of his life, but she is bringing her addiction into it also. â€Å"Strung out and thin, calling some friend, trying to cash some check. † The girl is thin from heroin use, as the drug causes loss of appetite, which leads to weight loss. She is stressed from not having the drug, so she calls a friend, hoping she can buy more. â€Å"He’s acting dumb, that’s what you’ve come to expect. † Her boyfriend knows what is going on with her, but he plays dumb and doesn’t acknowledge it. She knows that he knows, but doesn’t say anything. The song then goes to the chorus, which just repeats â€Å"Needle in the hay†, referring to the hidden, unspoken addiction(s) in the relationship. The next verse begins with â€Å"He’s wearing your clothes, head down to toes, a reaction to you. † I don’t think that he is literally wearing her clothes; I think it is a metaphor meaning that ever since he’s been with her, he’s becoming just like her, especially after acquiring the addiction. â€Å"You say you know what he did, but you idiot kid, you don’t have a clue. The girl thinks that she knows the guy so well, but she does not realize the severity of the situation, or the fact that she has brought this on him. â€Å"Sometimes they just get caught in the eye, you’re pulling him through. † Sometimes people just get caught up in bad things, and she’s only worsening his problem. In the third verse, the point of view seems to shift from third person into the girl’s eyes. â€Å"Now on the bus, nearly touching this dirty retreat. † The girl is going to get drugs, and she’s almost there. She knows what she’s doing is wrong, but by now it almost feels like a comfort, or an old friend. Falling out, 6th and Powell, a dead sweat in my teeth. † She’s now walking to the place where she’s going to get her drugs. The â€Å"dead sweat in my teeth† part is a bit hard to understand but I have a few ideas. It may just be symbolizing her craving, her need for the drug. It may be referring to the actual condition of her teeth, as heroin can cause teeth rotting and gum disease. Or, it could be a combination of both. â€Å"Going to walk walk walk, four more blocks, plus the one in my brain. Down, downstairs, to the man, he’s going to make it all okay. † Her addiction is so serious that she is willing to walk blocks and blocks to get to th e drug. She feels that once she gets it from the dealer, she will feel better and everything will be okay. She is dependant on the drug. â€Å"I can’t beat myself, I can’t beat myself, and I don’t want to talk. I’m taking the cure, so I can be quiet whenever I want. † She has gotten to the point where she no longer has faith in herself, and she needs the drug to feel okay. She’s so focused on the drug and feeling better that she’s becoming withdrawn and shutting the rest of the world out. She’s using heroin to ease her pain; she thinks that it will make things easier. â€Å"So leave me alone, you ought to be proud that I’m getting good marks. She wants everyone to leave her alone. She wants to keep her problem a secret, so she tries to hide it by doing well in other aspects of life, perhaps school or work. I think that this song’s view of addiction and the problems that come with it is simply brilliant. It shows the depen dency on the drug, the user’s personal feelings and hopes for what the drug will do, and the way drug addiction can affect relationships. What I learned in health class helped greatly with this project. I have loved this song for a long time, and getting this in-depth look at it by doing the analysis has only made me love and appreciate it more.

Financial stability and resilience of the banking industry are the Essay

Financial stability and resilience of the banking industry are the main current concerns of national and international regulator - Essay Example However, when the economies were overheated and an economic boom was witnessed, many governments and monetary authorities lost sight of the fact that unbridled banking would ultimately cause the downfall of the financial system. Consequently, the fact that many of the financial instruments created were short-sighted in nature and dubious in character was lost among the policy makers and political leaders. Such a situation arose out of the fact that many of their activities were uncontrolled in nature. The global financial meltdown of 2007-2009 the impact of which is felt even today among the global economies brought a shock among them which made such leaders and policy makers to wake up from the slumber and meet the harsh reality that global financial system needs a through overhaul and if appropriate and timely measures were not taken the threat to the global prosperity during 21st century would turn out to be a monster which would become entirely uncontrollable. There was a sudden urgency to enact prudential regulations. However, the continued worsening of the world economies reeling under pressures of weakening manufacturing activities, growing unemployment and uncertainties have brought into focus a set of arguments that such prudential regulations should be slowed down. ... y him for such an argument is that, firstly, â€Å"the financial stability is about resilience†, secondly, â€Å"preserving financial stability involves a wide range of policy areas† and thirdly, â€Å"a globalised financial system requires global rules†, fourthly â€Å" global financial regulators should stay focused on the end result they want to achieve, namely, a system characterised by less leverage, better liquidity management, sounder incentives, less moral hazard, stronger oversight and more transparency†2. Towards realizing the above, he has set an agenda which includes reforms and regulations on the bank capital, liquidity, financial products (e.g. OTC derivates,) and among other things micro and macro prudential regulations. Each one of the points averred by him is analyzed below. 2.1. Resilience Caruana equates resilience with financial stability and believes that this is something which the world economies should prepare well in advance in ter ms of capital, liquidity, infrastructure etc to safeguard themselves from the shocks, external/internal so that there is no repetition of the nasty situation witnessed during the 2007-09 global financial meltdowns. The same view has been advanced by some other scholars. According to Sheehan3, Financial regulations have two sides attached to them, viz, micro and macro prudential regulations. Micro prudential regulations seek to focus themselves towards protecting the interests of smaller savers and borrowers from grey practices of financial institutions while the macro ones engages themselves in the creation and implementation of rules that goes towards promoting the stability of global financial systems and reduction of systemic risks. Whether it is micro or macro, each country creates its own financial regulators and

Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Question - Assignment Example A company that uses agile management is likely to have increased growth and expansion because of the increased productivity. It also reduces time wasted building a project using various cycles. This approach uses iterations and breaks down the long cycles into less time. The popularity of the model over the waterfall model is because of its efficiency in increasing the client’s involvement in the process of software development. The end result of agile project management is always a little less predictable as compared to waterfall model. One would take this as a disadvantage, but that is not true. Agile adapts to changes in a much positive manner. It responds to issues as they arise and resolves them. Agile management and the Waterfall management both have advantages and disadvantages. Agile is very fast, quick and a more reliable approach to managing projects that need constant improvements. Unlike waterfall approach, agile is done in iterations. Agile management is oriented on offering quality services while waterfall management deals with construction projects and hardware Installation projects. Agile is suitable for projects that are new and yet to be tried Schmidt (2) This is a systematic and organized approach in your company to enable staff to transition from their current practices to those that the company focusses on. It involves influencing a good number of people to positively accept the changes being made. If there is no change management in a company, it could lead to failure of the business. IT departments need changes especially due to the current changes in the technological information. The critical success of an IT organization is highly dependent on its capability to control the IT changes. It should protect existing services during and after and ensure accurate changes are made. Change management programs help to align and organize the organization when undergoing major