Monday, August 24, 2020

Psy/220- Week 1 Check Point- Positive Psychology Themes

Positive Psychology Themes I accept that positive brain research gives a superior understanding that we can improve the nature of our own lives by settling on positive choices and gaining from encounters before. Constructive brain research endeavors to support relational connections, satisfaction, and positive social associations. Self-improvement and our capacity to control our own predetermination are likewise factors of positive brain science. As I would see it positive brain research instructs us that we have the opportunity to settle on self-governing decisions in life despite the fact that the negative impacts despite everything encompass us. Through the gradual hypothesis, constructive brain research has focused on the measure of significance of human alteration as a moldable intellectual trademark that supports change in our convictions, practices, and conditions; so as to get individual flexibility through restraint and confidence Positive brain research recognizes that we are animals and makers of our own and social universes. I believe that we become less animals of our reality and more makers as we accept the accountability for the moves we make throughout everyday life. Through our opportunity of self-sufficiency we build up a specific feeling of profound quality and morals. Positive brain research additionally assesses the issue of control according to driving a satisfying life. In the event that an individual has an inward locus of control they are bound to push to accomplish their maximum capacity in the things they do. Then again those with an outside locus of control feel frail inside their own lives and endeavor to make due with not as much as what they merit since they believe they have no influence over their life. On the off chance that we were to completely comprehend the topics of positive brain research we could turn out to be increasingly able to improve our own lives.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Gun Control vs Gun Rights free essay sample

Pick a case of a kind of new organization you could begin, and afterward utilize this organization thought to address the inquiries beneath. You may pick a pet store, a café, a mentoring business, or something different. This can be a similar sort of organization you picked in task 8 or 9, or it very well may be unique. a. Portray the sort of business you picked. (1-2 sentences. 0. 5 focuses) b. Portray at any rate two manners by which the neighborhood, state, or government would affect your business. 2-4 sentences. 1. 0 focuses) 2. Depict in any event one bit of leeway and one inconvenience of value roofs and value floors. Do you think value roofs and floors are progressively useful or increasingly unsafe to shoppers and the economy? Clarify. (2-4 sentences. 1. 0 focuses) 3. Portray in any event two negative results of having too minimal expenditure and credit in the economy. We will compose a custom paper test on Weapon Control versus Gun Rights or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page (2-4 sentences. 2. 0 focuses) 4. Portray in any event two negative results of having an excess of cash and credit in the economy. 2-4 sentences. 2. 0 focuses) 5. Which Fed apparatus do you believe is generally significant, and why? (2-4 sentences. 1. 0 focuses) 6. Pick one of the accompanying government organizations or laws: Search online to get familiar with the office or law, and afterward depict three explicit things the law or office achieves. Ensure the data originates from a reliable site. Remember a connect to the site for your answer. (3-6 sentences. . 5 focuses) 7. Depict at any rate two items that are ordinarily brought into the United States. (1-2 sentences. 0. 5 focuses) 8. Depict in any event two items that are ordinarily sent out from the United States to different nations. (1-2 sentences. 0. 5 focuses) 9. For what reason does the U. S. government empower U. S. organizations to sell their items in different nations? Clarify how this helps the U. S. (2-4 sentences. 2. 0 focuses) 10. Discover the estimation of one U. S. dollar in an outside money.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

5 Legit Ways to Make Money Online

5 Legit Ways to Make Money Online 5 Legit Ways to Make Money Online 5 Legit Ways to Make Money OnlineBecause when youre looking to earn some extra money online, there are tons of opportunities out there that are definitely NOT legit.Side hustles are all the rage right now in the gig economy. The tricky part with side hustles, however, is the need to leave the house. There are seemingly few real ways to make money online that don’t involve some kind of scam. But that doesn’t mean those real ways don’t exist!If you’re looking for a side hustle for a little extra cash in your pocket, here are five legit ways you can make money online!1. Become a virtual assistant.  Ben Huber, (@vtgrad2010), co-founder of  Breaking The One Percent (@breakingthe1pct), knows several ways to make money online, but this one is a personal favorite of his.“Roughly the equivalent of a brick and mortar business secretary, virtual assistants often act as organizational lifeblood of an online business,” Huber said. “From filtering important email accounts and running social media campaigns, to moderating online communities and providing customer support, virtual assistants often work to keep systems streamlined and running smoothly.”Virtual assistants (or VAs) don’t require a degree and the training necessary is relatively affordable, Huber added.Pay for this kind of work generally sits between $15-$30 an hour, although some VAs make a lot more.2. Be an online bookkeeper.Along the same lines as being a VA, being an online bookkeeper for a business is also a lucrative way to make a little extra dough without leaving the house.According to The Penny Hoarder, you don’t even have to be a CPA to qualify as an online bookkeeper. Plus online bookkeepers have been known to make $60 an hour!“‘Those are the perks of working as a bookkeeper,’ says Ben Robinson, a certified public accountant and business owner who teaches others to become virtual bookkeepers through his online course, Bookkeeper Business Launch,” according to The Penny Hoarde r’s article on online side gigs.3. Learn how to run Facebook ads for local businesses.Staying on the same track of lending a hand to other businesses, Huber’s other main suggestion is to help local businesses run their Facebook advertising. It’s something that’s growing in both popularity and necessity in the digital age.“Advertising has been around as long as businesses have had a medium to do so,” Huber said. “But online advertising is a relatively young phenomenon, and not typically one youll learn about in school. Since 2006, Facebook has created one of the most robust advertising platforms the world has ever seen. A combination of machine learning and user-submitted information allows their ad platform to serve catered ads to users based on their interests, demographics, and even their exact geographical location.”Huber said this kind of work, a Facebook Ads “guru” if you will, can be very lucrative for the right person. He said some businesses will pay upwa rds of $1,000 for someone to help them generate online leads.4. Work in data entry.This isn’t going to make you as much money as some of the other online business offerings, but data entry is a legit market for at home workers. Plus you can make your own schedule. You don’t need anything more than a good internet connection, computer and be at least 18 years old.Smart Crowd and Clickworker are both great places to pick up these kinds of gigs according to The Penny Hoarder.5. Tutor kids online.If you’re like some people, you might constantly be seeing ads for websites like VIP Kid which offers over $20 an hour to teach children all over the world from the comfort of your home computer.Turns out, those sites are real and tutoring in many subjects can be a lucrative opportunity for at-home hustlers. Each service has its own requirements, but check out sites like VIP Kid, Qkids or any other sites listed in this handy article from Dream Home Based Work.“Online tutors help student s in a certain subject or more than one subject by interacting with their students via the webcam, Skype, or by phone,” according to Dream Home Based Work. “Typically, you will work one-on-one with students, tutoring them in the area they need. You may also find online tutoring positions that allow you to offer instructions or lessons to a group of students online.”Use that extra money wisely.Once youve earned that extra cash, what are you going to do it? If you dont have an emergency fund, that would be a great place to put your money. While its not as fun as splurging on a night out, having that fund ready when an unexpected bill arises will serve you well in the long run.Otherwise, you could find yourself relying on no credit check loans (like payday loans, title loans, and cash advances) to get bridge your financial gaps. Staving off short-term bad credit loans might sound like a boring way to spend your extra money, but itll save you from a lot of financial pain.To learn more about how you can earn extra money, check out these other posts and articles from OppLoans:Here’s Why Focus Groups Are an Ideal Side HustleNeed Cash Fast? Try These 10 Great Side HustlesPlasma Donation: The Side Hustle That Saves LivesHow to Make Money Online: The Ultimate Resale GuideDo you have a   personal finance question youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsBen Huber  (@vtgrad2010)  is the smarter and better looking of the two guys behind Breaking The One Percent (@breakingthe1pct), a blog devoted to helping beginner entrepreneurs unlock their full earning potential. A side hustle aficionado, Ben has spent the past several years sharing what hes learned about earning extra income with anyone and everyone willing to listen. Follow him on Twitter for more income-generating tips along with amusing pictures of his dog.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Walnut Venture Associates Case Study - 666 Words

Walnut Venture Associates are a group of angel investors. In 1997 the club had around a dozen individual investors, forming an â€Å"angel group†. Their primary targets are investments ranging from $250,000 to $1,000,000. This is due to the gap of capital funds initiated by the VC’s from not considering investments bellow $1 million. Also, angel investors can acquire significant equity at low cost, and help the growth of the company with their knowledge and expertise. By selecting only the most exceptional people and ideas, investments in startups can lead to massive returns on relatively small investments. As unexperienced entrepreneurs, they are a key resource to have in order to achieve quick growth, and secure the company’s early stages.†¦show more content†¦They should also see if Softrax offers a software solution which is truly different, and better than the competition. Can a larger company like Oracle create a similar product and outrun Softra x? RBS definitely looks in good financial shape, and if further research does not contradict the given information, they should be a promising venture to invest in. Perhaps Walnut will negotiate the terms of the investment to reduce the amount to $1 million. RBS would then either have to seek for different investors, or reduce their expansion plans accordingly. Planning the investment in order to exit after three years (2000) should be relatively safe and profitable. As Bob O’Connor, he should be careful when accepting investments from angel investors as they become business partners with them. They should therefore make sure they have similar views for future growth and goals of the company. Since Walnut specializes in software companies, Bob O’Connor should not worry whether the angels have the sufficient knowledge of the industry. The knowledge, money, and insights the group of investors brings would help accelerate the growth of RBS. While researching the topic, an article from June 27th, 2000 said that Softrax just received an additional $10 million in funding. A combination of separate investors including Walnut Ventures partook in that deal. We can conclude that Walnut did go for the investment in 1997, and that they likely met their 3 yearShow MoreRelatedTerm2139 Words   |  9 PagesChuck Holloway; Andrea Higuera English PDF | E122-PDF-ENG Walnut Venture Associates (A): RBS Group Investment Memorandum Michael J. Roberts English PDF | 899062-PDF-ENG Walnut Venture Associates (B): RBS Due Diligence – Customers Michael J. Roberts English PDF | 899063-PDF-ENG Walnut Venture Associates (C): RBS Due Diligence – Market Size Michael J. Roberts English PDF | 899064-PDF-ENG Walnut Venture Associates (D): RBS Deal Terms Michael J. Roberts English PDF | 899097-PDF-ENG Read MoreA Case Study on Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.: a New Set of Challenges3706 Words   |  15 Pagescompany held through the years. II. Objectives of the Study This study seeks the following objectives: - to learn about the Wal-Mart and its industry - to know the different strategies that the company uses - to be able to cite different issues concerning the company - to give solutions and suggestions to the company’s problem regarding the lawsuits and cases III. Scopes and Limitations of the Study The study includes the current situation of Wal-Mart, its consumersRead MoreCafe Coffee Day14374 Words   |  58 Pagesself-discipline in all my daily activities. MOTIVATION - I will always be motivated to give the best for my organization, my team and my customers. COMPANY HISTORY Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Limited (ABCTCL) is an entrepreneurial venture of Chairman, Mr. V. G. Siddhartha. His passion for coffee coupled with the opportunity provided by the deregulation of The Coffee- Board in 1993 created the perfect timing for the launch of this company. Their visionary Chairman could foresee theRead MoreEssay on Walmart16417 Words   |  66 PagesIndia as Best Price. It has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Walmarts investments outside North America have had mixed results: its operations in the United Kingdom, South America, and China are highly successful, whereas ventures in Germany and South Korea were unsuccessful. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Walmart logo, used since June 30, 2008 Type Traded as Public NYSE: WMT (http://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html? ticker=wmt) Dow Jones Industrial Average Component SPRead MoreStarbucks Corporation12076 Words   |  49 Pagesaround the world. This case looks at issues that are arising as Starbucks seeks to dominate specialty coffee markets around the world and explores what changes in strategy might be required. This case was written by Professors Suresh Kotha and Debra Glassman, both from the University of Washington, Business School, as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Some of the facts provided in the case have been disguisedRead MoreCorrectional Administration Reviewer18383 Words   |  74 PagesCORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION CHIVAS GOCELA DULGUIME, R.C I. INTRODUCTION PENOLOGY - the study of punishment of crime. - a branch of Criminology dealing with prison management, and the deterrence and reformatory treatment of criminals. SOURCES OF THE TERM PENOLOGY: a. Peno was derived from Greek word â€Å"piono† and from the Latin word â€Å"poena†, both terms mean punishment. b. Logy was from the Latin word â€Å"logos†, meaning science. c. Penology distinguish from Penitentiary Science- Penology dealsRead MoreAzerbaijans Tourism Industry12172 Words   |  49 Pagesto provide positive returns on its investment because the income that has been generated by tourism industry has grown at a slow pace and gross domestic product attributable to the tourism industry has actually fallen in recent years. Consequently studies such as this can help identify best practices to speed industry growth and improve the return on the investment of scarce resources in the Azerbaijani tourism industry. Acknowledgments [insert] Table of Contents Page Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreInfrastructure for Knowledge Management42738 Words   |  171 Pages...............................................................................................................60 Training/Mentoring Programs ...................................................................................................61 Case Studies ..........................................................................................................................61 Focus Groups..........................................................................................................Read MoreConsumer Lifestyle in Singapore35714 Words   |  143 PagesPrimary 6, students take the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE), and the scores are used to choose which secondary school they can go on to. English is the main language of instruction in Singapore, but students in public schools are required to study a second language. Mandarin is mandatory for the ethnic Chinese majority and optional for the rest. Secondary school starts in the year when students turn 13 and lasts for four or five years. There are several types of secondary schools, but the mainstream

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

has picked up from examinations centred upon...

has picked up from examinations centred upon Shakespeares dramatization and Byrons verse or more all†¦ the extensive hearted progressivism of nineteenth-century English legislative issues. The disaster, as Tagore saw it, originated from the way that what was genuinely best in their own particular development, the maintaining of pride of human connections, has no spot in the British organization of this nation. If in its place they have made, stick under control, a rule of lawfulness, or at the end of the day a policemans principle, such a joke of civilization can assert no appreciation Rabindranath defied the determinedly patriot structure that the autonomy development frequently took, and this made him forgo taking an especially†¦show more content†¦In the novel, Nikhil, who is enthusiastic about social change, including ladies liberation, however cool to patriotism, steadily loses the regard of his vivacious wife, Bimala, in light of his disappointment to be eager about against British disturbances, which she sees as an absence of energetic responsibility. Bimala gets intrigued with Nikhils patriot companion Sandip, who talks splendidly and acts with devoted militancy, and she falls head over heels in love for him. Nikhil declines to change his perspectives: I am eager to serve my nation; yet my love I hold for Right which is far more stupendous than my nation. To love my nation as a divine being is to carry a condemnation upon it. As the story unfolds, Sandip gets irate with some of his comrades for their disappointment to join the battle as promptly as he supposes they might as well (Some Mohamedan merchants are still resolute). He orchestrates to manage the recalcitrants by smoldering their pitiful exchanging stocks and physically striking them. Bimala need to recognize the association between Sandips energizing nationalistic assumptions and his partisan - and at last brutal activities. The sensational occasions that accompany (Nikhil endeavors to help the victimized people, taking a chance with his life) incorporate the close of Bimalas political sentiment. This is a troublesome subject, and Satyajit Rays lovely film of The Home and the World splendidly carries out

Kate Chopin and the Awakening Free Essays

What features make The Awakening a â€Å"local color† story? The amount of detail that is spent on the area and is significant. Every time a character that is colored is introduced, limited time is spent describing the character. Local color is what defines an area, town or people. We will write a custom essay sample on Kate Chopin and the Awakening or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"The Awakening† touches deeply on all of the local color of the area it is describing. What customs and beliefs of Edna Pontellier’s society are significant in relation to her psychological development? To be a good person in Edna’s society meant being a mother figure who completely surrenders her sense of self in favor of her husband and children. Edna is trying to become a human being the best way she knows how. Edna refuses to take the mother road. Instead, she seeks her humanity What attitudes and tendencies in the Creole characters does Edna have trouble adjusting to? Creole society is very open when it comes to sexuality, and Edna has trouble with that. She was not brought up in the Creole society, so she has trouble accepting it. Examples can be seen when they pass around the novel that has explicit sexual content while on vaction. It can also be seen in Robert’s behavior. He is very openly flirtatious with Edna, and he has the repuation of being a flirt in the past with other women. Why did Edna marry Leonce? Is he the model husband? She married him because she didn’t want her father to choose her husband. She wanted the freedom of being able to choose herself. â€Å"Was he the best choice? † Probably not for Edna but it was who she chose. What incidents in the novel reveal that he may not be a good husband for Edna? As a traditional Creole gentleman of the times, Leonce believes it is his duty to provide financially for the family and it is Edna’s duty to be devoted to him, their two children, and their home. When Edna suggests she is not interested in these domestic duties, Leonce is incapable of comprehending what she means. In his mind, this line of thinking is utterly ridiculous. Against that backdrop, Leonce’s inability to communicate effectively with his wife expands the problem. When Edna shares her feelings with Leonce, he dismisses them. When her behavior contradicts his expectations, he dismisses them. By dismissing Edna and her concerns and never communicating with her about them, Leonce severs any ties that exist between the two. How do Mlle. Reisz and Mme. Ratignolle function in relation to Edna and the novel’s view of women as mothers and artists? Mme. Ratignolle shows the society’s view of women as mothers. Her advice to Edna is to â€Å"remember the children. † Ratignolle is loving and nurturing, but devoid of independence or personality. Mlle. Reisz, though, is living her life as she desires, not caring what society thinks of her. She is able to be extravagant and lavish, fully embracing her artistic capabilities because she does not have other obligations. She denies society’s structure, and encourages Edna to do the same. This free lifestyle is what Edna comes to desire and seek for herself. What kind of mother is Edna? What kind of artist is she? Painting evokes the passion that Edna lacks in her life. There are suggestions that Edna’s art is somehow flawed. Madame Reisz cautions Edna about what it takes to be an artist, the â€Å"courageous soul† and the â€Å"stronged wings. † Edna also loves her children, however she would not give herself to her children but rather sacriface herself for them. She realizes that she has lives in a society filled with limitations, therefore sees her only way out by freeing herself permanently from society. How are the background characters such as the young lovers and the lady in black at the shore, significant in Edna’s story? These minor characters all serve to contrast with Edna and her struggles with her own identity and place in society. The young lovers are a stark contrast to the marriage of Edna and Leonce, at least as Edna perceives her marriage. The young lovers are described as walking shoulder to shoulder, suggesting they are equals and connected. Edna does not feel this with Leonce. The lady in black is likely an old widow who is now living out the end of her life in the expected way. She wears the color of mourning and serves as a visible picture of what the last phase of what life is like in this society. In detail, explain how the flashbacks to Edna’s past function. How does her father compare to the other men in her life? In the first one, Edna is talking to Robert and recalls a â€Å"summer day in Kentucky, of a meadow that seemed as big as the ocean. † This memory reveals to us that Edna’s interest in running away and being engulfed by something larger than itself has its manifestations in her childhood and is not something that she is just starting to consider as an unhappy wife and mother in Creole New Orleans. As the chapter progresses we learn that Edna had some â€Å"loves† in her past, but that they were more of her imagination than any possibility of reality. † With all of this flashback information, it comes as no surprise then that when Leonce woos her, even though she doesn’t love him. Leonce is everything her father isn’t, and that is part of his appeal. Edna even openly admits that the fact that Leonce is Catholic and that that would irritate her father is one of the reasons she agreed to marry him. This flashback gives us a very complete picture of Edna’s history in regards to men and establishes the foundations of her marriage to Leonce. This has a great effect on the reading of the novel. It makes Edna’s character more complex and more interesting How does the view of romantic love develop in the course of the novel? What is the doctor’s view of marriage and childbearing? The genuine affection that develops between Edna Pontellier and Robert Lebrun is a form of romantic love. They shared their thoughts on a range of subjects that might appear uninteresting to others. As their friendship grew, they become more comfortable with one another. Robert rests his head on Mrs. Pontellier because it is comfortable. His goal is not to be forward or flirtatious. Roberts’s romantic feelings for Edna increase as this intimacy grows. Robert leaves for Mexico very soon afterwards. He hopes to escape his feelings because he realizes that he has fallen in love with Edna. His love developed naturally over time. His feelings morphed from a close friendship into emotional intimacy/understanding and then into love. Can you think of an emotional attachment and/or a romantic obsession you have studied in a previous work? How does that incident or character compare with Edna’s emotional and romantic relationships? In a book i recently read, the main character’s wife has a small dilema. She loves the man she is married to but rejects him at the same time. The reason she rejects him is because she was chosen as his wife and she did not get to choose him. Its a bit more complicated than this but this is a basic summary. This compares to Edna because she doesn’t want a husband to choose her. She wants to choose the husband. She picks a man based on how he woos her nicely. This causes the ultimate problem that she ends up not loving her husband. The similarity is in the differences. Both took a different path to get to the same area. The end result was the same though. The women in the book I read, ran away. Edna committed suicide in order to run away. What are the main images and symbols in the novel? One of the main themes is the Sea. At the very end of the novel, Edna drowns herself. The irony of the scene is that Edna has learned how to swim, so here she is certainly exhibiting an act of agency by swimming far out into the water that used to scare her. Now, she is not scared and as she swims she recalls all the troubles and misunderstandings of her life. Her drowning symbolically represents her freeing herself from what she felt was a life of restriction. Here in the water, she experiences that which her life did not allow. The novel starts with the symbol of a caged bird, and references birds in several other chapters as well. The caged bird is a clear symbol for Edna as she feels caged in her roles of wife and mother and in the expectations that the Creole society has imposed on her. Later in the novel Reisz questions whether Edna has strong enough wings to fly above the social conventions of the time to be truly free of the rules and norms of the day. In the end, Edna sees a bird with a broken wing, just as she is not strong enough (or willing enough) to struggle on this society. Why does Edna get involved with Alcee Arobin? Alcee Arobin follows Edna around and spends a great deal of time with her while Mr. Pontellier is not home. At first it is just friendship, Edna takes no real interest in Alcee because her love lies with Robert. She has secretly always hoped for Robert, but Alcee is conveniently there. Sick of her old life, Edna simply takes up Alcee as a lover for the companionship. In a sense, she lives out her relationship-fantasy of Robert with Alcee. Why do you suppose critics were outraged at this novel in 1899, saying it committed â€Å"unutterable crimes against polite society† and should be labeled â€Å"poison† to protect â€Å"moral babes†? The story showed a women reaching the ultimate low because of rules society layed out. She killed herself because she felt that everything constricted her too much. I think that the reason they called it so horrible is because it showed the darker side to the norms of society. It also showed how oppressed women really were. What is your reaction to the end of the novel? Do you agree or disagree with the reasons for Edna’s final action? I agree with her final action because I think too much damage had already been done. If she had gone back and told her husband she wanted a divorce, I think he would of brushed it away. She had a person who would of loved her and treated her like an equal. He saw that he had fallen in love with her and left to Mexico. The best oppertunity for her to get what she needed stepped out the door right then. The story also hints that she has always run away from her problems and not looked at them straight on. This means that all her problems have been building up over her life. I don’t think that amount of damage is reversable. How to cite Kate Chopin and the Awakening, Papers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

The use of Internet creates adverse influence on Teenagers free essay sample

On Christmas Day, 1990, in a lab at Cern in Geneva, Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee finished building the tools to create the World Wide Web (Krotoski, 2010). Twenty years ago, this act of releasing the technology for free had been a revolution. Twenty years later, this snowballing cyber age – with Twitter, Facebook, Skype, YouTube, Google and a maze of other electronic avenues – has engulfed the lives of today’s youth, where playing out into the fields has been replaced by surfing over the internet. Researches show that 87% of the youth today go online, representing 21 million youth (Weiss, 2005). It has become a growing concern in the society, especially among the parents, about the cyberspace’s detrimental impacts upon the teenagers since it is concealed beneath the whitewashed faces of social media and other sites and generates addiction, which results in reduced efficiency of the students. Furthermore, it exposes them to the dangers of cyber bullying, and ruins the teenagers’ creativity and originality; not to mention, it also creates destructive impact upon family bonds. We will write a custom essay sample on The use of Internet creates adverse influence on Teenagers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The creators of social media and other beguiling websites assert that the growth in the use of Internet is leading towards modernization among youths. It enables accelerated exchange of information and opens up diverse opportunities for valued learning, responsibility, and independence. Students can learn to manage time and resources effectively, master meaningful context, and communicate this information clearly to the intended audience (Wakefield Rice, 2008). An admirable example of such websites could be ‘Studious. com’, ‘Schooltraq. com’ and ‘Pearson book store’ all of which aims at making experience of education interesting, captivating and organized for the teenagers. However, this breakthrough in proficient and grassroots communication is merely one face of the profound cyber metamorphosis that is altering people’s existence. On regards to the growing concern over cyber age’s impact on teenagers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates as many as 50,000 pedophiles are online at any onetime, and suggests that one in 10 children has met a stranger on the internet, a quarter have received a pornographic junk mail, and a third have been subjected to unwanted sexual comments (The Daily Telegraph, 2006). This clearly reflects the danger to which the teenagers are exposed by being constantly in touch with the Internet, the most common result of which is addiction, where the teenagers may spend hours after hours surfing the Internet which otherwise might have been allocated for their precious studies. Hence, this generation of addiction hinders teenager’s studies, as well as marks down their efficiency and productivity. This has been supported by Reed (1999) who says that media violence has a stronger effect on children because they lack the real life experiences to judge whether something they see on the screen is realistic. The Internet has been claimed to be a vehicle for youth to express themselves. The availability of services like blogging and the rise in the number of online-based shops might allow the teenagers to identify and refine their potentials. Historical incidents nowadays also take place due to this possibility of youths to express their views, examples of which includes the toppling of dictators in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and elsewhere. The same method of Internet mobilization also rallied multitudes of American protestors for the Occupy Wall Street movements (Charleston Gazette, 2012). It is that expression of views which enables the teenagers to boost up their confidence level; however, these same expressional views, when being targeted of cyber bullying, can greatly distort the inner strength of the juvenile. Cyber bullying is a fear when a person receives threats, negative comments, or negative pictures from other person, (Sharma, 2011). It has started to become a dangerous trend in the society, with an age group below eighteen being a more susceptible target. Traditionally, the â€Å"bullying† was merely limited to a certain group, however this explosion in the use of Internet broadens the group of bullies. On a research carried out by a Kowalski and Limber (2007), 11% of the interviewed students where victims of cyber bullying and 4% were bullies. This rising trend not only creates mental disturbance among the teenagers but has also extended its impact to some of its victims even committing suicides. The seriousness of this adverse effect of Internet using cannot be overstated and needs careful precautions from parents. One may argue that the instant availability of information available through Internet improves and extends the knowledge background of the students, and allows them to do extensive research on a topic. The procurable academic journal and suggestive guidelines sides may prove to be a students’ right hand during examination. It is a whirlpool of information – simply with a click of a button one may access information regarding the simplest to the most complex of matters, immensely influencing the education system of teenagers as well. Incidents like the Encyclopedia Britannica stopping to print it’s prestigious bound volumes because readers switched to free information on computer screens reflect the significance of rise in virtual information. Also, creative applications like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator has been said to promote creativity among the teenagers. However, the suggestive noble cause of the provision of free information by the Internet does not portray the entire story. One of the rising concerns among the teachers today is that of plagiarism, where the students instead of using their originality and creativity, are choosing the easier path of copying from the Internet. This shortcut definitely limits the knowledge of the students, and may even subjugate the creativity powers of the youth. From the study conducted by Don McCabe from the Centre of Academic Integrity, the results demonstrated that out of 4500 students who completed the survey, 52% had copied at least a few sentences from a website page without citing the source. Furthermore, a large portion of students is not sure if copying from the web was a bad practice. Hence, despite it’s massive usefulness, it is becoming important to pull some restrictive measures upon the access of information so as to motivate the youth develop their own thoughts. The massive growth of the virtual world created by Internet makes it almost impossible for parents to keep an eye on their children or try to limit the detrimental impacts it might have upon them due to the viewing of wrong content. Over 80% of adolescents own at least one form of new media technology (e. g. cellphones, personal data assistance, computer for Internet access) and they are using this technology with increasing frequency to text and instant message, email, blog, and access social networking websites (Lenhar and Madden, 2007). In addition, statistic show that the average Internet uses is 13 hours a week, but only 18% has parental guidance (The Daily Telegraph, 2006). This may lead to our deduction that too much parental interference may even make the teenagers irritated and provoke them to be rude with their parents; resulting in weak family bonds. Degraded competency as a result of obsession, breakdown of self-confidence due to harassment caused by strangers, and it’s obvious effects upon teenagers’ imagination and resourcefulness are making parents all around the world uneasy and troubled in their efforts to protect their children from the pernicious impacts of the virtual world. Yet, it would be unwise to say that Internet does not incite any favorable influence among the young generation. It is the most significant decentralized media in the world, enabling the juvenile to connect as well as expand their potentials and knowledge. In this world of globalization, it will be illogical to suggest the absolute eradication of Internet for teenagers rather, the most important thing is to teach and model for our youth how and why to get â€Å"unplugged†. Achieving the balance between â€Å"virtual† and the â€Å"real† world might be the way to thank Tim-Berners Lee for his gift on the Christmas day of 1990.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Accrued Revenues Essays - Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

Accrued Revenues Essays - Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Accrued Revenues Accrued revenues, according to AccountingCoach (2015), are fees and interest that have been earned and sales that occurred, but they have not yet been recorded through the normal invoicing paperwork. When accrued revenues occur and need to be recorded, they require an adjusted entry. The adjusted entry for the accrued revenue is required so that the revenue is recorded in the time period it was earned in accordance with the revenue recognition principle. If the adjusted entry did not occur for the revenue it would cause the revenue for the time period it was earned to be understated and the revenue for the time period it was received to be overstated. An example of accrued revenue would be a doctor waiting for payment from an insurance company. In this example, the doctor provided a patient with health care service on December 28th that totaled $300. The doctor then billed the patients insurance on December 28th but did not receive payment for the services provided until January 10th. Since the doctors financial year ended on December 31st, the doctor must record the revenue on December 28th so that the revenue is recognized in the period that it was earned. AccountingCoach. (2015). What are accrued revenues and when are they recorded?. Retrieved from accountingcoach.com/blog/accrued-revenues

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Challenges of Women of Color - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Challenges of Women of Color - Smart Custom Writing Investments in Canadian business in the business cycleIntroduction Over the recent past, many analysts have argued from the opportunity cost models of growth that recessions are the best times when firms should engage in productivity and improving activities due to the temporal substitution.  Ã‚   In this essay, we will look at the characterization of the business cycles; recession and expansion, and the best time to invest in the two cycles. We will closely analyze the implications of the financial cycles to the Canadian economy. Investing in productivity A recession is defined as a period of time when there’s an extended period of significant decline in economic activities of a country resulting to even a negative GDP growth. During this time, there is also falling of real incomes, weakening sales and production and faltering confidence by not only consumers but also businesses. On the part of investments, there is a heightened risk aversion by investors thus waiting to see. But again, recessions does lead to recoveries later follow a predictable pattern of behavior.   We will focus on the importance of investing in productivity in Canada’s economy during recession and expansionary periods focusing especially on some of the elements that have or will greatly contribute to the productivity growth in Canada. Productivity is crucial as it helps to measure each unit of input and the resultant output from that input. The reason why productivity is important is that its measures will tell how much output has been produced from using tangible and intangible inputs. The tangible inputs include skilled workers and capital equipments while intangible inputs include technological advances as well as entrepreneurial and managerial know-how. By finding new and more efficient ways to use these inputs, then productivity will increase over time (Claessens S., Kose A. and Torrones M. 2008). During the recent financial turmoil in the US, it led to decline in house prices which later turned into a credit crunch with big losses in the equity markets. This problem then spread to other countries and Canada was not spared. This then led to a crisis debate on the impact it had on the real economy. These developments led to questions on how the financial sector is linked to the real economy during recession times. And so, how do financial variables and macroeconomic behave during recessions and asset price busts.   Then what is the best time to invest in these two scenarios? We will answer the question by analyzing the between key macro-economical and financial variables in the business cycles in Canada. We will thus analyze implications during recession and during expansionary periods (Claessens S., Kose A. and Torrones M. 2008). A business cycle as viewed by Keynesian interprets recessions as those periods in which the utilization of productive resources is inefficiency is low. For expansions, they are viewed as time when the level of economic activities of a country approaches its social optimum. This will mean that business cycles will be associated with in a way with variations over time in order to evaluate the efficiency of the average resources allocated (Jenkins P. 2010).   Canada has experienced a total of three recessions since 1960-2007. We can have a great insight if we describe the macro-economic variables during recessions and compare them with those during expansion periods. The quarterly median decline in output during the recession periods is approximately -0.5% and during expansionary periods is 0.9%. Thus from the above declines, it means that during recession there is a 105% decline in output per quarter as compared to the expansion periods. Recession dynamics (Claessens S., Kose A. and Torrones M. p20) During recession, the government can run an expansionary fiscal policy which will help to restore output to normalcy. This will also help put the unemployed people back to work. Recessions more often than not results in decline of international trade. During this time, credit grows but by a small percentage with both house and equity prices contacting greatly during the recession. Due to the volatile nature of equity, their decline and in prices is more than twice that of house prices. For some macro-economic variables, they show signs of a slowdown before the real recession starts. An example in point is residential investments that typically decline before the start of recession. These types of investments often give a negative year changes in the first quarter of a recession. For the industrial production, they show weakness signs early and often register a big decline before the start of recession. As recession starts to hit, inflation continues to increase sharply and unemployment starts to hit and during the recession onset, inflation rate declines but unemployment rate increases. It is a business fact that during recession that investment is volatile than the output and usually investments decline in most recessions but for consumption it contracts. These global landscapes have a lot for the Canadian business to learn from. Thus the private sector ought to replace public support as the main driver for a sustained economic growth. Significant restructuring should be done in many of the sectors of the economy. The export sector of Canada has to adapt to a strong Canadian dollar. There is some evidence on the role of fiscal policy being a source of an increasing macro-economic stability. Explanations put forward account to some structural shifts in nature: that is shifting from manufacture of goods to services, better access to financial services and improving in inventory management.   From Keynesian emphasis of on public works, it is understood that once a cyclical boom is allowed to develop and investment opportunities have been exhausted, there is little that can be done to stimulate the private sector to spend thus compensation is sought by stimulating other sources of investments. In a federal state like Canada, proper planning and timely implementation of projects requires all levels of the government to be involved. During this time, public investment lies in the jurisdiction of municipalities and provinces. Although intergovernmental collaboration in Canada has never been such successful, public works implementation should be insisted as it will be used to reduce expansion. During a boom, demand becomes saturated and stimulants are usually not effective. Residential construction during these times should also be emphasized although not as effective as public works. This will compensate for the usually cyclical fluctuations of business investments. While addressing executives in Toronto earlier February 2009, the chairman of General Electric Co. said that during recessions, businesses should invest in technology and innovations as their competitive advantage grows. Due to globalization and regulations regulating international businesses, finding and using a technology that utilizes these complexes and market development that will put the Canadian business on a growth path. Research shows that continuing to invest in all sectors of the economy especially in transformational research and innovation will be central to the advancement of Canada’s place in the world markets. Thus clearly, the country’s business needs to do more on research and innovations during recessions to keeps pace with its peers when recession is over and entering the expansion cycle (Carlson D. 2009). Thus for a country like Canada to go forward, the private sector demand ought to replace public support as the one that drives the Canadian economy. The new international economic order also has many opportunities that these businesses should cash in during the bad times of recessions. There is a strong demand in the world market during recessions and the important issue that faces the Canadian businesses is how to deal with these deals and challenges that are posed during economic downturns. The opportunities are substantial like that of developing innovative products and services while optimizing the global and local mix of activities.  Ã‚   Much of the research has been devoted to measurements of business cycles and the different approaches that have been proposed by the government. This study is based on the classical definition of business cycle. Thus a cycle is defined as an expansion that occurs in many of the economic activities which is later followed by a recession. A recession starts when the economy reaches its peak and ends when the economy is at its lowest (Jenkins P. 2010).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion The above essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the linkages between the main macro-economic variables and the financial cycles touching especially to the Canadian businesses. Focusing on these behaviors of these variables around recessions and during expansions we can conclude on several issues. A typical recession lasts four quarters and usually is accompanied drop in output of about 2%. We have seen that recessions are associated with housing and credit crunches, whereby residential investments fall sharply during this time.   Therefore the government and businesses should take the right policy measures to mitigate recession.  Ã‚   Direct support should be offered in the housing sector while a mixture of accommodating monetary and fiscal policies should be offered by the government to local businesses to make them competitive in the global market. In conclusion therefore, we could encourage Canadian businesses to invest in productivity during recessions as the economy wil l most definitely rebound and start growing again.

Friday, February 14, 2020

Introduction economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Introduction economics - Essay Example and S. Brue, 2005). That people have different mental, physical, and aesthetic talents are verifiable realities. That some have who may have inherited the exceptional mental qualities and that are essential to such high paying occupations such as corporate leadership and medicine (McConnell. and S. Brue, 2005; Frank, 1996; Jennings, B. et al, 2002). Others are also gifted or borne with the physical capacity and coordination to become highly paid professional athletes. Further, one can observe that a few have talents can aspire to actually become artists and musicians while allowing the others to have beauty to become to fashion models (McConnell. and S. Brue, 2005). Unfortunately, others have weak mental talents and may spend their lives working in low-paying occupations. In some cases, they may be unluckily incapable of earning any income at all. The rest of people may have intelligence and skills that come between two the extremes. People differ also in terms of education and training. Some people have native ability, and some people might further develop and refine their talents capabilities through education and training. With difference in education and training their capacity will also vary to cause them to have varying income. Companies employing discrimination in hiring also causes in equality in income. As in the United States, discrimination could restrict racial and ethnic minorities to low-paying occupations (McConnell. and S. Brue, 2005). The reality of preferences and risks chosen by different people (Bonvin and Farvaque, 2005; Esters and Ledoux, 2001; OHalloran and Linton, 2000) for work relative to pleasure, to work in the household and the types of market work definitely will cause differences in income as riskier jobs would normally get paid higher. Wealth produces income and the unequal distribution in the former could be factors in causing inequality as well in income distribution. A wealthy person who

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example .W.O.T analysis shows the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company and the external opportunities and threats in conjunction to the environment in which the company operates (Stimpson Peter,Farquharson Alastair, 2010). Primarily, Dyson Private Ltd.’s main internal strengths of are its human resource of the company, which consists of highly professional fleet of engineers and scientists including Sir James Dyson himself. Secondly, the company has an edge as a resultant of the cost saving which was achieved when the operations such as an introduction of a manufacturing assemblies being established in Malaysia, most significant strength of the company lies with the quality of products it offers to its customers. On the contrary, the weaknesses associated with Dyson Pvt. Ltd. are the remoteness of its operation in Malaysia that is the cost of transport incurred and the communication problems in Malaysian corporate culture restricting effective communication. Moreover, the external factors resulting in future opportunities and hence success for the company is the potential of customers in the global market for its promising products, similarly the continuous research and development of new prototypes and designs. External threat for Dyson Private Limited is mainly the competition from the home country and foreign countries, the main competitors for Dyson vacuum cleaners are Kerstar (Kerstar, 2014), which also like Dyson Co provides a large range of vacuum cleaners with alternative variations, such as dry vacuum cleaners, wet and dry dwarf vacuum cleaners, industrial vacuum cleaners, carpet vacuum cleaners and others. However, Kerstar’s pricing strategy is penetration pricing strategy, as per renowned UK ranker website (Brandes, Werner, 2014), Dyson Pvt. Ltd. ranks number 1, and for this reason, Kerstar uses this pricing strategy. Another major competitor confronted by Dyson Private Limited is the Big Brute Co (Big Brute, 2004). Big Brute Co. of fers a wide

Friday, January 24, 2020

Essay on Language in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness -- Heart Darkne

Use of Language in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad is a story that connects the audience to the narrator’s senses.   We come to understand the environment, the setting, the other charters, and Kurtz strictly from the narrator’s point-of-view, as he experiences things. We are locked out of Conrad’s (the narrator in this case) world, allowed to feel only what he let’s us, see the savages as he does, through his eyes, feel with his body.   We are not able to see how the world views him.   Is he seen as superior, a drone, a sailor?   His dreamlike consciousness navigates us, the readers, down the river as if we are a part of the flow of things, ripples in the water, patches of the darkness. Conrad uses language to paint images in our minds.   He poignantly uses metaphors like, â€Å"In exterior he resembled a butcher in a poor neighborhood† (57) to animate those images, allow them to breath a bit. His choice of words and word combinations, his poetic tone,   and suave style and smooth transitions craft a sensual experience.   He is on the surface talking about the exploration of man in Africa with all of its physical and moral dilemma, and yet the underbelly is the interior of man, an endeavor to touch the reader at his core.   â€Å"Each station should be like a beacon on the road towards better things, a center for trade of course, but also for humanizing, improving, instructing.† (104)   When Conrad says that the â€Å"germs of empires† floated into man’s head , ebbing down the river into the mystery of an unknown earth, his metaphors appeal emotionally to something serious, a commentary on the heart of man. (67) Our senses are serenely assaulted with tastes and surfaces, sounds and images.   The â€Å"tremo... ...their hands, like alot of   faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence.   The   word ‘ivory’ rang in the air, was   whispered, was sighed.   You would think they were praying to it.   A taint of imbecile   rapacity blew through it all, like a whiff from some corpse.  Ã‚   By Jove!   I’ve never seen   anything so unreal in my life.   And outside the silent wilderness surrounding this clear   speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting   patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion. Works Cited and Consulted Conrad, Joseph.   Heart of Darkness.   New York:   Bantam Books, 1981. Ross, Mark.   â€Å"The Roots of Darkness.†Ã‚   1997.  http://members.aol.com/mark13/html>   (9 February 1998) Ross, Mark.   â€Å"The Roots of   Racism.†Ã‚   1997.    (9 February 1998)

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Wednesday Syllabus

If you do not notify the experimenter prior to your scheduled time and the experimenter is forced to waste his or her time waiting for you, you will lose half of the credits that the study was worth. For example, if the study was worth 2 credits, then 1 credit will be deducted from the total number of credits that you have earned. Forgotten passwords. If you have lost or forgotten your password, please click on â€Å"Lost your password? Click here to retrieve it† on the website homepage. You will be asked to provide your encamps email address; the password will be sent directly to you.If, after having done this, the system indicates that the password could not be sent, please email Dry. Leach (Amy. [email  protected] Ca) your encamps email address, the name of your course, and the name of your instructor so that she can set up a new account for you. You will be notified when your new account has been created. Available Studies. The topics, methodologies, locations (Online vs .. North campus vs.. Downtown campus) and time durations of the studies will vary. We cannot guarantee how many studies will become available over the term or that there will be studies that interest you personally.Check the website periodically to see if a new study has been posted. However, do keep in mind that space in studies is restricted. Thus, you should check the website frequently to ensure that you are able to sign up for studies (and timeless) as they become available. Please do not contact Dry. Leach or your professor about the availability of studies because they do not know when new studies or timeless will become available. Individual experimenters are responsible or posting their own studies. Note that the last day of classes is the final day that you can participate in studies for extra credit.Study Restrictions. You may not be able to sign up for some of the posted studies. In some cases, this is because you have already participated in that particular study or a v ery similar study. In other cases, you might not meet the criteria for inclusion in the study (e. G. , you did not provide your contact information in the initial prescribe survey so that researchers could contact you). Keep in mind that studies should become available over the semester. Again, it is best to continue checking the website for updates. Forgotten Passwords.If you have lost or forgotten your password, please click Available Studies. The topics, methodologies, and time durations of the studies will likely vary. We cannot guarantee how many studies will become available over the term or that there will be studies that interest you personally. Check the website periodically to see if a new study has been posted. However, do keep in mind that space in studies is restricted. Thus, you should check the website frequently to ensure that you are able to sign p for studies (and timeless) as they become available. Please do not contact Dry.Leach or your professor about the availa bility of studies because they do not know when new studies or timeless will become available. Individual experimenters are responsible for posting their own studies. **Please note that the last day of classes is the final day that you can particular study or a very similar study. In Other cases, you might not meet Grading Disputes: Students who would like to dispute their grade on an exam must provide a written explanation, via email, of their concerns to the TA within one week of achieving their grade, prior to meeting with the TA.Only after receiving the written explanation will the TA review the exam. This documentation allows the TA to prepare for your meeting and, if possible, resolve any issues over email. When meeting with your T A, you must bring a written hard copy of your concerns. If you are unable to resolve the issues with the TA the TA will contact me and, after reviewing the situation, I will contact you to set up a meeting. So, it looks like this: Midterm 1 Midterm II 30% 35% Participation 5% Research (bonus) 5% Civility Bonus Total 106% Grading Scale:In accordance with Slot's grading policy, the following scale will be use: Grade Percentage Grade Points Description 90-100 4. 3 Excellent. Strong evidence of originality and independence of thought; good organization; capacity to analyze and synthesize; superior grasp of subject matter with sound critical evaluations; evidence of extensive knowledge base; an outstanding ability to communicate. 85-89 4. 0 80-84 3. 7 77-79 3. 3 Good.Substantial knowledge of subject matter; some evidence of organization and analytic ability; a moderate degree of originality and independence of thought; reasonable understanding of relevant issues; evidence of familiarity with literature; an ability to communicate clearly and fluently. 73-76 3. 0 70-72 2. 7 67-69 2. 3 Adequate. Student is profiting from his/her university experience; an acceptable understanding of the subject matter; ability to develop solutions to r epresentative problems in the material; some ability to organize and analyze ideas; an ability to communicate adequately. 60-66 2. 0 D 50-59 1. 0 Marginal. Some evidence that critical and analytic skills have been developed; rudimentary knowledge of the subject matter; significant weakness in the ability to communicate. F 0-49 0. 0 Inadequate. Little evidence of even superficial understanding of subject matter; weakness in critical and analytic skills; limited or irrelevant use of literature; failure to complete required work; an inability to communicate. *Academic Honesty Policy: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and may result in severe penalties.Regarding academic dishonesty, whether cheating, plagiarism or some other form of dishonest conduct related to academic coursework, draw your attention to the following points, as outlined in the Academic calendar. Read the following eve carefully! Many of you do not understand what plagiarism is, and I will discuss this issue fur ther in class. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to: Unreasonable infringement on the freedom of other members of the academic community (e. G. , disrupting classes or examinations, harassing, intimidating, or threatening others).Violation of safety regulations in a laboratory or other setting. Cheating on examinations, assignments, reports, or other work used to evaluate student performance. Cheating includes copying from another students work or allowing one's own work to be copied, submitting another person's work as one's own, fabrication of data, consultation with an unauthorized person during an examination, or use of unauthorized aids. Impersonating another student or allowing oneself to be impersonated for purposes of taking examinations, or carrying out laboratory or other assignments.Plagiarism, which is the act of presenting the ideas, words, or other intellectual property of another as one's own. The use of other people's work must be properly acknowledged and referenced in all written material. Obtaining by improper means examination papers, tests, or similar materials; use or distribution Of such materials to others. Falsifying academic records, including tests and examinations, or submitting false credentials for purpose of gaining admission to a program or course, or for any other purpose.Misrepresentation of facts, whether written or oral, which may have an effect on academic evaluation. This includes making fraudulent health claims, obtaining medical or other certificates under false pretenses, or altering certificates for the purposes of misrepresentation. Submission of work when a major portion has been previously submitted or is being submitted for another course, without the express permission of all instructors involved.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Social Satire In Candide - 1244 Words

Satire is a very difficult strategy to understand in texts that authors often used to ridicule politics and social stands. Voltaire uses to satirize European Society in his book called Candide. The book’s name comes from the main character’s name of the book, Candide: a naive optimism person which represents the European due to their high status. Voltaire shows the corruption and hypocrisy of religion and philosophy through arguing that it is possible to challenge blind optimism without losing the will to live and pursue a happy life through Candide. Candide’s happiness is Miss Cunegonde because even after he get kicked out, he still looks toward â€Å" the magnificent castle, where the fairest of young baronesses lived†(140). To start out in†¦show more content†¦This blind philosophy was challenged many times. One of the example was during the shipwreck when Pangloss prevented Candide from saving Honest James because â€Å"Anabaptist had been made purpose to drown†(25). This show the hypocrisy of the philosophers because Pangloss just stated that Anabaptist is destined to die instead of giving every effort to save honest James. How is Pangloss going to claim that all things happens for good reasons when he don’t even have the gut to do good deed and save Anabaptist? Candide’s optimism has also been tested at the Portuguese Earthquake when Dr. Pangloss has become the superstition sacrifice for the earthquake because Pangloss was speaking his mind. â€Å"If this is the best possible worlds, what are others like?†(29). Candide was very devastated because he loss his dear mentor, honest James, and heard unpleasant news about Cunegonde being ripped open despite their separa tion. Voltaire also attack blind optimism through Candide’s experience.Candide once was a blind optimistic person until he has experienced many things and witness the war zone. â€Å"Young virgins were ripped open,old men covered with wounds,wives dying with throat cuts while hugging their children†(17). War is a slaughter between strangers who were tools to their rulers to meet the higher power’s hunger for lands and luxuries. It also a fight between a trained soldiers with weapons and not supposed to include the helpless innocentShow MoreRelated`` Candide `` A Satire Of The Social, And The Scientific Revolution1608 Words   |  7 Pagescalled for moral, social, and political thought to rely on the scientific method and reason rather than the current system of tradition cultural authorities. These changes and ideas continued into the Enlightenment. During his time Franà §ois-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), who wrote under the name Voltaire, was an Enlightenment thinker wh o helped invoke this change. One way he did this was through his novel Candide, a satire of the issues in society. Throughout this book, the character Candide experiences misfortunesRead MoreCandide Paper1355 Words   |  6 PagesCandide is a fictional satire of the optimism many philosophers had for life in general during the mid 1700’s written in response to Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man. Written by Voltaire, the literary alias of Francois-Marie Arouet, the satire covers religion, the wealthy, love, why people thought natural disasters occurred and especially, philosophy. The novel even goes on to make fun of the art of literature by giving ridiculous chapter headings. Just about everything Voltaire put into CandideRead MoreCandide: a Candid Satire941 Words   |  4 PagesCandide is a humorous, far-fetched story satirizing the optimism promoted by the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. Voltaire uses satire as a means of pointing out injustice, cruelty an d bigotry that is commonly found in the human society. Although the tale seems light and comical, Voltaire has more serious intentions behind the laughable plot line. Candide can therefore be classified as a satire because it combines humor and wit to bring about a change in society’s view on matters suchRead MoreThe Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz773 Words   |  4 Pages The Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide Satire. According to dictionary.com it is â€Å"the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize peoples stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues†. During a time when going against the common mindset, which at the time was philosophical optimism, was rare and often looked down upon, using satire in order to not only communicate one’s beliefs but also mock those who shared the mainstreamRead MoreCandide by Voltaire847 Words   |  3 PagesCandide Paper Many critics argue that Candide is not an enlightened work, but Voltaire’s satire thoroughly reflects on the philosophical morals and lessons of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s satire comments on the political, social, and religious views of the time, emphasizing the beliefs of a majority of enlightenment thinkers and philosophers. Voltaire demonstrates three different enlightenment thoughts or views in his work: anti-feudalism, optimism, and the hypocrisy of the Christian church.Read MoreSatire Found in Candiate by Voltaire, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervates, and A Modest Proposal by Jonathon Swift688 Words   |  3 Pages We often see satire in our everyday lives such as on televisions, novels, and music; but why is satire used? Satire is a form of writing used to denounce human vice, giving readers an insight on the flaws that the author sees in society. There are two different types of way to present satire: horation and juvenialian. In the three works: Candide by Voltaire, Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes, and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift all demonstrate the use of satire. However, Don Quixote presentsRead MoreEssay on Use of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide1358 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide       In its time, satire was a powerful tool for political assault on Europes corrupt and deteriorating society. Voltaires Candide uses satire to vibrantly and sarcastically portray optimism, a philosophical view from the Enlightenment used to bury the horrors of 18th century life: superstition, sexually transmitted diseases, aristocracy, the church, tyrannical rulers, civil and religious wars, and the cruel punishment of the innocentRead MoreEssay on Voltaires Candide988 Words   |  4 PagesVoltaires Candide Candide is a reflection of the philosophical values of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s novel is a satire of the Old Regime ideologies in which he critiques the political, social, and religious ideals of his time. A common intellectual characteristic of the Enlightenment was anti-feudalism. Philosophers were against the separations in the Old Regime and pushed for equality among human beings. Voltaire parodies the pompousness of the nobility several times throughoutRead MoreJonathan Swift’s Essay A Modest Proposal, and Voltaire’s Novella, Candide999 Words   |  4 Pagestwo vastly differing works of literature that employ similar elements of satire, whether the story is long or short, essay or novella. In these two works, the authors bring light to ongoing social, political, and philosophical issues of their time and age. The two works I am referring to are Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay, A Modest Proposal, and Voltaire’s novella, Candide, or Optimism. In both A Modest Proposal and Candide, there is a portrayal of irony, cold logic and reasoning rather than emotionRead MoreSynopsis Of Voltaire s Candide 1011 Words   |  5 PagesAP English: Major Works Data S heet Title: Candide Author: Voltaire (Francois-Marie Arouet) Date of Publication: 1959 Genre: Satire Biographical information about the author Francois-Marie Arouet, Voltaire, was born in 1604 in Paris, France. He was passionate about writing. As a result, Voltaire defies his father’s desire for him to become an attorney. Voltaire composed various types of text like essays and historical surveys as he was acknowledged as a writer from the publication of Oedipus. After

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Evolution Of Human Beings - 2346 Words

†¢ Human beings (Homo sapiens) are a significant species who have developed over time and have accomplished so much after a long period. This has led us to the beings we are today. These human beings have spread continent to continent over time. − Human beings have attributes that differ them from other primates †¢ Ex. Better grip because of thumb, high sexual drive, are able to confide in both plants and animals as their source of energy, facial expressions, etc. †¢ Homo Erectus – Came about 500,000 - 750,000 years ago (less apelike; spread throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe) †¢ Homo sapiens sapiens – Of which we are descended from, came to be 120,000 years ago, in Africa. − Ideas improved in the Paleolithic period †¢ Rituals were held and cave paintings were drawn to show the importance of death and nature’s beauty (culture was then developed) †¢ Greatest achievement: Spread of humans from continent to continent on earth †¢ 7500,000 years ago- first humans left Africa †¢ Theory: Humans crossed a land bridge 17,000 years ago, connecting Siberia and Alaska, reaching South Africa. Others debate it happened earlier due to carbon dating. − The Mesolithic period (12,000 – 800 BCE) was when humans began to improve tools and weapons †¢ Resulted in domesticating animals which were used for food †¢ Many innovations came to be during the Neolithic Revolution such as agriculture, farming, metalworking, etc. They have soon become vital for the human species. − Invention of agricultureShow MoreRelatedThe Evolution of the Human Being693 Words   |  3 Pagesdeveloped into the tool for human speech. She was developing into the humans that we are today. The rest of her upper body, however, was like Lucys, the famous Australopithecus hominid. Her brain was small, her nose flat like a chimpanzees, and her face was long and projective (ibid). Her finger bones too almost resembled those of a chimps and her two shoulders represented those of a gorilla. It was her smaller brain that provides the clue. As the DVD Becoming human shows, Lucys brain was diametricallyRead MoreHuman Primates And Human Primate1661 Words   |  7 Pagesthe behavior of non-human primate and human primate in the literature and movies we went over, compared to the evolutionary understandings of primate behavior. Throughout this class we studied and compared the different primates, including human and non-humans. According to the Wikipedia, â€Å"The primate lineage is thought to go back at least 65 million years ago.† with that one could say that research on non-human and human primate can somehow explain the theory behind evolution. In addition to theRead MoreWhat is Human Evolution?674 Words   |  3 PagesHuman Evolution What is human evolution? Human evolution refers to a process in which human beings developed both physically and emotionally throughout centuries, evolution is mainly influenced by environmental factors, and sometimes people’s diet would also interrupt the way human beings evolve. Normally, human evolves for survivals, in order to get used to the climate, it is necessary for human beings to advance. Throughout millions of years, human beings have developed from the earliest hominidsRead MoreThe Truth About Life On Earth Essay1012 Words   |  5 Pagesnatural processes alone. In essence, a religion of naturalism is being imposed on millions of students. They need to be taught the real nature of science, including its limitations† (â€Å"Ken Ham Quotes†). Evolution is defined according to Webster s dictionary as â€Å"a theory that the differences between modern plants and animals are because of changes that happened by a natural process over a very long timeâ₠¬  (Merriam-Webster). Darwin’s Evolution believes that species evolve overtime to better adapt to theirRead MoreEvolution And Evolution Of Evolution1337 Words   |  6 Pagesultimate goal. Humans, however, are always adapting and changing to the world and environment around, which creates a unique perspective for Anthropologists. Physically and culturally, Anthropologists work to gather data through various subfields within Anthropology to adapt to the human species. Evolution would be defined as when â€Å"something† can develop from something that is simplistic to something that can adapt to the world around it and is more complex. All human beings in past and presentRead MoreAnalysis Of Charles Darwin s The Origin Of Species Declared That Human Beings Developed Overtime From More Simple Forms843 Words   |  4 Pagesbook On the Origin of Species declared that human beings developed overtime from more simple forms. Evolution suggested that the human species originated from ape-like creatures and gradually changed in structure. Essentially, given the changing patterns of weather and environment, the species had to acquire new skills and adapt to survive. Those that could not change were eliminated in a process that is known as Natural Selection (Larson 47). The Evolution theory, since its inception, has promptedRead MoreEvolution vs. Creation Science1650 Words   |  7 Pagesdenying this truth, the world will not be able to develop. Evolution is verifiable in comparison to creation science because of the theories, evidence, and the increasing acceptance in today’s society. In order to discuss the irrefutable nature of evolution, one must be able to fully grasp the history of this groundbreaking knowledge. Evolution is often described as a change that has occurred over an extended period of time. The world evolution conjures several theories, â€Å"scientists generally describeRead MoreEvolution Of Humans : Human Biology And Early Culture Essay1336 Words   |  6 PagesEvolution of Humans No one can be absolutely sure when the first humans actually walked the Earth, only approximations can be made. Approximately 200,000 years ago species are developed in Africa. Most human species and most human biology and early culture in its broadest sense originated in Africa. Archaeologist and anthropologist may have been able to pinpoint exactly where the early human species lived and approximately how long ago they lived but are their assumptions correct? A huge part ofRead More Evolution as a Creative Process Essay example968 Words   |  4 PagesEvolution as a Creative Process Evolution is a process that has taken billions of years, and will continue for billions more.It takes hundreds of generations for an evolutionary change to occur, or an impending extinction to become evident. Humans find it difficult to see themselves evolving due to their longer life span, and fewer generations over time compared to other species. It has become a common misconception that humans are finished evolving, and that they have reached the best and mostRead MoreAre Humans Still Evolving?1556 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract evolution has occurred in humans for millions of years; however, in a modern society many scientists and evolutionists are now debating whether or not it is still occurring, and if it follows the same rules. With all of the new technology humans have created, some experts believe that humans have essentially conquered nature, and no further evolutionary changes will occur. Still, others hold opposing views; some experts believe that evolution is still occu rring, but modern societal advancements

Monday, December 23, 2019

Martin Luther King And The White House - 922 Words

Martin Luther King and The White House Throughout the Civil Right Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) and other civil rights leaders worked with the executive branch to move towards equal rights. Though the civil rights movement spanned many administrations, the most progress occurred during the terms of President Kennedy and President Johnson, thus we will examine the relationship between two different Presidential administrations Martin Luther King, Jr. Each correspondence between the two groups is different. They vary in formality, recipients, and purpose; therefore these primary sources also show the evolution of the relationship. Citizens of this country, especially minorities, have not always been treated with rights grant to†¦show more content†¦Johnson (Civil Rights). Though Martin Luther King Jr. worked very closely with the White House, many of the early correspondences were very formal. Two prime examples of this are his invitation to John F. Kennedy’s inauguration and a telegraph sent in response the Birmingham bombing (Figure 1). The stiffness of the invitation might seem obvious, but it is very important to note. Though MLK did not attend the ceremony, the letter signifies the desire of the administration to have him seen as a political ally. Two years later MLK sent a telegram to the White House. In the telegram, he condemns the bombing and implores the Kennedy administration to make change saying, â€Å"However, I am convinced that unless some steps are taken by the federal government to restore a sense of confidence in the protection of life†¦ we shall see the worst racial holocaust this nation has ever seen,† (Figure 1). This is not a suggestion passed along casually, but an attempt to establish respect on a very perti nent issue. It is true that corresponding with the highest position in the land might call for some formality, but MLK was often times informal during one on one conversation with White House personnel. This can be seen in his letter to Special Assistant Frank D. Reeves. In a letter written on February 28, 1961 King addresses Reeves as one might a friend. King only uses last names in both his greeting and closing of the letters. Moreover, King reveals his personal thoughts on

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Management Information System Questions Free Essays

————————————————- MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM Question 1(10 Marks) Discuss five (5) challenges of Management Information System (MIS). Answers Introduction A Management Information System (MIS) provides information which is needed to manage organizations effectively. Management information systems involve three primary resources such as people, technology and information or decision making. We will write a custom essay sample on Management Information System Questions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Management information systems are distinct from other information systems in that they are used to analyze operation activities in the organization. Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the group of information management methods tied to the automation support of human decision making, e. g. decision support systems, expert systems and executive information systems. The Challenge of Management Information System (MIS) Although information technology is advancing at a blinding pace, there is nothing easy or mechanical about building and using information systems. There are five major challenges confronting managers: 1. The information systems investment challenge It is obvious that one of the greatest challenges facing managers today is ensuring that their companies do indeed obtain meaningful returns on the money they spend on information systems. It’s one thing to use information technology to design, produce, deliver, and maintain new products. It’s another thing to make money doing it. How can organizations obtain a sizable payoff from their investment in information systems? How can management ensure that information systems contribute to corporate value? Senior management can be expected to ask these questions: How can we evaluate our information systems investments as we do other investments? Are we receiving the return on investment from our systems that we should? Do our competitors get more? Far too many firms still cannot answer these questions. Their executives are likely to have trouble determining how much they actually spend on technology or how to measure the returns on their technology investments. Most companies lack a clear-cut decision-making process for eciding which technology investments to pursue and for managing those investments. 2. The strategic challenge What complementary assets are needed to use information technology effectively? Despite heavy information technology investments, many organizations are not realizing significant business value from their systems, because they lack—or fail to appreciate—the complementary assets required to make their technology assets work. The power of computer ha rdware and software has grown much more rapidly than the ability of organizations to apply and use this technology. To benefit fully from information technology, realize genuine productivity, and become competitive and effective, many organizations actually need to be redesigned. They will have to make fundamental changes in employee and management behavior, develop new work models, retire obsolete work rules, and eliminate the inefficiencies of outmoded business processes and organizational structures. New technology alone will not produce meaningful business benefits. 3. The globalization challenge How can firms understand the requirements of a global economic environment? The rapid growth in international trade and the emergence of a global economy call for information systems that can support both producing and selling goods in many different countries. In the past, each regional office of a multinational corporation focused on solving its own unique information problems. Given language, cultural, and political differences among countries, this focus frequently resulted in chaos and the failure of central management controls. To develop integrated, multinational, information systems, businesses must develop global hardware, software, and communications standards; create cross-cultural accounting and reporting structures; and design transnational business processes. 4. The information technology infrastructure challenge: How can organizations develop an information technology infrastructure that can support their goals when business conditions and technologies are changing so rapidly? Many companies are saddled with expensive and unwieldy information technology platforms that cannot adapt to innovation and change. Their information systems are so complex and brittle that they act as constraints on business strategy and execution. Meeting new business and technology challenges may require redesigning the organization and building a new information technology (IT) infrastructure. Creating the IT infrastructure for a digital firm is an especially formidable task. Most companies are crippled by fragmented and incompatible computer hardware, software, telecommunications networks, and information systems that prevent information from flowing freely between different parts of the organization. Although Internet standards are solving some of these connectivity problems, creating data and computing platforms that span the enterprise—and, increasingly, link the enterprise to external business partners—is rarely as seamless as promised. Many organizations are still struggling to integrate their islands of information and technology. 5. Ethics and security challenge: The responsibility and control challenge: How can organizations ensure that their information systems are used in an ethically and socially responsible manner? How can we design information systems that people can control and understand? Although information systems have provided enormous benefits and efficiencies, they have also created new ethical and social problems and challenges. A major management challenge is to make informed decisions that are sensitive to the negative consequences of information systems as well to the positive ones. Managers face an ongoing struggle to maintain security and control. Today, the threat of unauthorized penetration or disruption of information systems has never been greater. Information systems are so essential to business, government, and daily life that organizations must take special steps to ensure their security, accuracy, and reliability. A firm invites disaster if it uses systems that can be disrupted or accessed by outsiders, that do not work as intended, or that do not deliver information in a form that people can correctly use. Information systems must be designed so that they are secure, function as intended, and so that humans can control the process. QUESTION 2 (10 Marks) Explain with example (s) one (1) of the following Enterprise Applications: a) ERP b) SCM c) CRM Answers a) ERP Introduction In 1990, Gartner Group first employed the acronym ERP as an extension of material requirements planning (MRP), later manufacturing resource planning and computer-integrated manufacturing. Without supplanting these terms, ERP came to represent a larger whole, reflecting the evolution of application integration beyond manufacturing. Not all ERP packages were developed from a manufacturing core. Vendors variously began with accounting, maintenance and human resources. By the mid-1990s, ERP systems addressed all core functions of an enterprise. Beyond corporations, governments and non-profit organizations also began to employ ERP systems. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance or accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application. Their purpose is to facilitate then flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. ERP systems can run on a variety of computer hardware and network configurations, typically employing a database as a repository for information. Characteristics ERP systems typically include the following characteristics:- * An integrated systems that operates in real time (or next to real time), without relying on periodic updates. * A common database, which supports all applications. * A consistent look and feel throughout each module. Installation of the system without elaborate application/data integration by the Information Technology (IT) department. Examples: * Finance/ Accounting : General ledger, payables, cash management, fixed assets, receivables, budgeting and consolidation. * Human Resources : payroll, training, benefits, 401K, recruiting and diversity management. * Manufacturing : Engineerin g, bill of materials, work orders, scheduling, capacity, workflow management, quality control, cost management, manufacturing process, manufacturing projects, manufacturing flow, activity based costing, product lifecycle management. Supply chain management : Order to cash, inventory, order entry, purchasing, product configurator, supply chain planning, supplier scheduling, inspection of goods, claim processing, commissions. * Project management : Costing, billing, time and expense, performance units, activity management. * Customer relationship management : Sales and marketing, commissions, service, customer contact, call center support. * Data services : Various â€Å"self–service† interfaces for customers, suppliers and/or employees. * Access control : Management of user privileges for various processes. Components:- * Transactional database Management portal/dashboard * Business intelligence system * Customizable reporting * External access via technology such as we b services * Search * Document management * Messaging/chat/wiki * Workflow management Connectivity to Plant Floor Information ERP systems connect to real–time data and transaction data in a variety of ways. These systems are typically configured by systems integrators, who bring unique knowledge on process, equipment, and vendor solutions. Direct integration—ERP systems have connectivity (communications to plant floor equipment) as part of their product offering. This requires the vendors to offer specific support for the plant floor equipment that their customers operate. ERP vendors must be expert in their own products, and connectivity to other vendor products, including competitors. Database integration—ERP systems connect to plant floor data sources through staging tables in a database. Plant floor systems deposit the necessary information into the database. The ERP system reads the information in the table. The benefit of staging is that ERP vendors do not need to master the complexities of equipment integration. Connectivity becomes the responsibility of the systems integrator. Enterprise appliance transaction modules (EATM)—These devices communicate directly with plant floor equipment and with the ERP system via methods supported by the ERP system. EATM can employ a staging table, Web Services, or system–specific program interfaces (APIs). The benefit of an EATM is that it offers an off–the–shelf solution. Custom–integration solutions—Many system integrators offer custom solutions. These systems tend to have the highest level of initial integration cost, and can have a higher long term maintenance and reliability costs. Long term costs can be minimized through careful system testing and thorough documentation. Custom–integrated solutions typically run on workstation or server class computers. Implementation ERP’s scope usually implies significant changes to staff work processes and practices. Generally, three types of services are available to help implement such changes—consulting, customization, and support. Implementation time depends on business size, number of modules, customization, the scope of process changes, and the readiness of the customer to take ownership for the project. Modular ERP systems can be implemented in stages. The typical project for a large enterprise consumes about 14 months and requires around 150 consultants. Small projects can require months; multinational and other large implementations can take years. Customization can substantially increase implementation times. Process preparation Implementing ERP typically requires changes in existing business processes. Poor understanding of needed process changes prior to starting implementation is a main reason for project failure. It is therefore crucial that organizations thoroughly analyze business processes before implementation. This analysis can identify opportunities for process modernization. It also enables an assessment of the alignment of current processes with those provided by the ERP system. Research indicates that the risk of business process mismatch is decreased by: * linking current processes to the organization’s strategy; * analyzing the effectiveness of each process; * understanding existing automated solutions. ERP implementation is considerably more difficult (and politically charged) in decentralized organizations, because they often have different processes, business rules, data semantics, authorization hierarchies and decision centers. This may require migrating some business units before others, delaying implementation to work through the necessary changes for each unit, possibly reducing integration (e. . linking via Master data management) or customizing the system to meet specific needs. A potential disadvantage is that adopting â€Å"standard† processes can lead to a loss of competitive advantage. While this has happened, losses in one area are often offset by gains in other areas, increasing overall competitive advantage. Configuration Con figuring an ERP system is largely a matter of balancing the way the customer wants the system to work with the way it was designed to work. ERP systems typically build many changeable parameters that modify system operation. For example, an organization can select the type of inventory accounting—FIFO or LIFO—to employ, whether to recognize revenue by geographical unit, product line, or distribution channel and whether to pay for shipping costs when a customer returns a purchase. Customization ERP systems are theoretically based on industry best practices and are intended to be deployed â€Å"as is†. ERP vendors do offer customers configuration options that allow organizations to incorporate their own business rules but there are often functionality gaps remaining even after the configuration is complete. ERP customers have several options to reconcile functionality gaps, each with their own pros/cons. Technical solutions include rewriting part of the delivered functionality, writing a homegrown bolt-on/add-on module within the ERP system, or interfacing to an external system. All three of these options are varying degrees of system customization, with the first being the most invasive and costly to maintain. Alternatively, there are non-technical options such as changing business practices and/or organizational policies to better match the delivered ERP functionality. Key differences between customization and configuration include: * Customization is always optional, whereas the software must always be configured before use (e. g. , setting up cost/profit center structures, organizational trees, purchase approval rules, etc. ) * The software was designed to handle various configurations, and behaves predictably in any allowed configuration. * The effect of configuration changes on system behavior and performance is predictable and is the responsibility of the ERP vendor. The effect of customization is less predictable, is the customer’s responsibility and increases testing activities. Configuration changes survive upgrades to new software versions. Some customizations (e. g. code that uses pre–defined â€Å"hooks† that are called before/after displaying data screens) survive upgrades, though they require retesting. Other customizations (e. g. those involving changes to fundamental data structures) are overwritten during upgrad es and must be re-implemented. Customization Advantages: * Improves user acceptance * Offers the potential to obtain competitive advantage vis-a-vis companies using only standard features. Customization Disadvantages: * Increases time and resources required to both implement and maintain. Inhibits seamless communication between suppliers and customers who use the same ERP system un-customized. * Over reliance on customization undermines the principles of ERP as a standardizing software platform Extensions ERP systems can be extended with third–party software. ERP vendors typically provide access to data and functionality through published interfaces. Extensions offer features such as:- * archiving, reporting and republishing; * capturing transactional data, e. g. using scanners, tills or RFID * access to specialized data/capabilities, such as syndicated marketing data and associated trend analytics. advanced planning and scheduling (APS) Data migration Data migration is the p rocess of moving/copying and restructuring data from an existing system to the ERP system. Migration is critical to implementation success and requires significant planning. Unfortunately, since migration is one of the final activities before the production phase, it often receives insufficient attention. The following steps can structure migration planning: * Identify the data to be migrated * Determine migration timing * Generate the data templates * Freeze the toolset Decide on migration-related setups * Define data archiving policies and procedures. Comparison to special–purpose applications Advantages The fundamental advantage of ERP is that integrating the myriad processes by which businesses operate saves time and expense. Decisions can be made more quickly and with fewer errors. Data becomes visible across the organization. Tasks that benefit from this integration include: * Sales forecasting, which allows inventory optimization * Chronological history of every transa ction through relevant data compilation in every area of operation. Order tracking, from acceptance through fulfillment * Revenue tracking, from invoice through cash receipt * Matching purchase orders (what was ordered), inventory receipts (what arrived), and costing (what the vendor invoiced) ERP systems centralize business data, bringing the following benefits: * They eliminate the need to synchronize changes between multiple systems—consolidation of finance, marketing and sales, human resource, and manufacturing applications * They bring legitimacy and transparency in each bit of statistical data. They enable standard product naming/coding. * They provide a comprehensive enterprise view (no â€Å"islands of information†). They make real–time information available to management anywhere, any time to make proper decisions. * They protect sensitive data by consolidating multiple security systems into a single structure. Disadvantages * Customization is problemat ic. * Re–engineering business processes to fit the ERP system may damage competitiveness and/or divert focus from other critical activities * ERP can cost more than less integrated and or less comprehensive solutions. High switching costs associated with ERP can increase the ERP vendor’s negotiating power which can result in higher support, maintenance, and upgrade expenses. * Overcoming resistance to sharing sensitive information between departments can divert management attention. * Integration of truly independent businesses can create unnecessary dependencies. * Extensive training requirements take resources from daily operations. Due to ERP’s architecture (OLTP, On-Line Transaction Processing) ERP systems are not well suited for production planning and supply chain management (SCM) The limitations of ERP have been recognized sparking new trends in ERP application development, the four significant developments being made in ERP are, creating a more flexible ERP, Web-Enable ERP, Enterprise ERP and e-Business Suites, each of which will potentially address the failings of the current ERP. QUESTION 3 (18 Marks) Describe with example all stages of System Development Lifecycle. Answers Introduction The Systems development life cycle (SDLC), or Software development process in systems engineering, information systems and software engineering, is a process of creating or altering information systems, and the models and methodologies that people use to develop these systems. In software engineering the SDLC concept underpins many kinds of software development methodologies. These methodologies form the framework for planning and controlling the creation of an information system: the software development process. Software development contains set of activities which when performed in coordination and in accordance with one another result in the desired result. Software development methodologies are used for the computer based information systems. The growth of the information’s has to pass through various phases or stages these stages are known as System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The SDLC follows a well defined process by which the system is conceived, developed and implemented. To understand system development, we need to recognize that a candidate system has a life cycle, much like a living system or a new product. Systems analysis and design are based to the system life cycle. The stages are described below. The analyst must progress from one stage to another methodically, answering key questions and achieving results in each stage. Figure 1 : System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Stages Step 1: Recognition of Need – What is the Problem? One must know what the problem is before it can be solved. The basis for a candidate system is recognition of a need for improving an information system or a procedure. For example, a supervisor may want to investigate the system flow in purchasing. Or a bank president has been getting complaints about the long lines in the drive – in. This need leads to a preliminary survey or an initial investigation to determine whether an alternative system can solve the problem. It entails looking into the duplication of effort bottlenecks, inefficient existing procedures, or whether parts of the existing system would be candidates for computerization. If the problem is serious enough, management may want to have an analyst look at it, such an assignment implies a commitment, especially if the analyst hired from the utside. In larger environments, where formal procedures are the norm, the analyst’s first task is to prepare a statement specifying the scope and objective of the problem. He/she then reviews it with the user for accuracy at this stage, only a rough â€Å"ball parle† estimate of the development cost of the project may be reached. However, an accurate cost of the next phase – the feasibility study â₠¬â€œ can be produced. Step 2: Feasibility Study Depending on the results of the initial investigation, the survey is expanded to a more detailed feasibility study. As we shall learn, a feasibility study is a test of a system proposal according to its workability impact on the organization, ability to meet user needs, and effective use of resources. It focuses on their major questions: * What are the user’s demonstrable needs and how does a candidate system meet them? * What resources are available for given candidate systems? Is the problem worth solving? * What are the likely impact of the candidate system on the organization? How will it fit within the organization’s master MIS plan? Each of these questions must be answered carefully. They revolve around investigation and evaluation of the problem, identification and description of candidate systems, specification of performance and the cost of each system, and final selection of the best system. The objective of a feasibility study is not to solve the problem but to acquire a sense of its scope. During the study, the problem definition is crystallized and aspects of the problem to be included in the system are determined. Consequently, costs and benefits are estimated with greater accuracy at this stage. The result of the feasibility study is a formal proposal. This is simply a report – a formal document detailing the nature and scope of the proposed solution. The proposal summarizes what is known and what is going to be done. It consists of the following. 1. Statement of the Problem – a carefully worded statement of the problem that led to analysis. 2. Summary of Findings and Recommendations – a list of the major findings and recommendations of the study. It is ideal for the user who required quick access to the results of the analysis of the system under study. Conclusions are stated, followed by a list of the recommendations and a justification for them. 3. Details of Findings – An outline of the methods and procedures undertaken by the existing system, followed by coverage of objectives ; procedures of the candidate system. Included are also discussions of output reports, file structures, and costs and benefits of the candidate system. 4. Recommendations and Conclusions – special recommendations regarding the candidate system, including the personal assignments costs, project schedules, and target dates. Three key considerations are involved in the feasibility analysis: economic, technical, behavioral. Let’s briefly review each consideration and how it relates to the systems effort. * Economic Feasibility: Economic analysis is the most frequently used method for evaluating the effectiveness of a candidate system. More commonly known as cost/benefit analysis, the procedure is to determine the benefits and savings that are expected from a candidate system and compare them with costs. If benefits outweigh costs, then the decision is made to design and implement the system. Otherwise, further justification or alterations in the proposed system will have to be made if it is to have a chance of being approved. This is an ongoing effort that improves in accuracy at each phase of the system life cycle. * Technical Feasibility: Technical feasibility centers around the existing computer system (hardware, software etc. ) and to what extent it can support the proposed addition. For example, if the current computer is operating at 80 per cent capacity – an arbitrary ceiling – then running another application could overload the system or require additional hardware. This involves financial considerations to accommodate technical enhancements. If the budget is a serious constraint, then the project is judged not feasible. * Behavioral Feasibility: People are inherently resistant to change, and computers have been known to facilitate change. An estimate should be made of how strong a reaction the user staff is likely to have towards the development of a computerized system. It is common knowledge that computer installations have something to do with turnover, transfers, retraining, and changes in employee job status. Therefore, it is understandable that the introduction of a candidate system requires special effort to educate, sell, and train the staff on new ways of conducting business. After the proposal is viewed by management it becomes a formal agreement that paves the way for actual design and implementation. This is a crucial decision point in the life cycle. Many projects die here, whereas the more promising ones continue through implementation. Changes in the proposal are made in writing, depending on the complexity, size, and cost of the project. It is simply common sense to verify changes before committing the project to design. Step 3: Analysis It is a detailed study of the various operations performed by the system and their relationship within and outside of the system. A key question is – what must be done to solve the problem? One aspect of analysis is defining the boundaries of the system and determining whether or not a candidate system should consider other related systems. During analysis, data are collected on available files, decision points, and transactions handled by the present system. We shall learn about some logical system models and tools that are used in analysis. It requires special skills and sensitivity to the subjects being interviewed. Bias in data collection and interpretation can be problem. Training, experience and common sense are required for collection of the information needed to do the analysis. Once analysis is completed the analyst has a firm understanding of what is to be done. The next step is to decide how the problem might be solved. Thus, in the systems design, we move from the logical to the physical aspects of the life cycle. Step 4: Design The most creative and challenging phase of the system life cycle is system design. The term design describes both a final system and a process by which it is developed. It refers to the technical specifications (analogous to the engineer’s blueprints) that will be applied in implementing the candidate system. It also includes the constructions of programs and programme testing. The key question here is – How should the problem be solved?. The first step is to determine how the output is to be produced and in what format. Samples of the output (and input) are also available. Second, input data and master files (data base) have to be designed to meet the requirements of the proposed output. The operational (processing) phase are handled through programme construction and testing, including a list of the programmes needed to meet the system’s objectives and complete documentation. Finally, details related to justification of the system and an estimate of   the impact of the candidate system on the user and the organization are documented and evaluated by management as a step toward implementation. The final report prior to the implementation phase includes procedural flowcharts, record layouts, report layouts, and a workable plan for implementing the candidate system. Information on personnel, money, hardware, facilities and their estimated cost must also be available. At this point, projected costs must be close to actual costs of implementation. In some firms, separate groups of programmer do the programming whereas other firms employ analyst programmers who do analysis and design as well as code programs. For this discussion, we assume that analysis and programming is carried out by two separate persons. There are certain functions, though, that the analyst must perform while programs are being written operating procedures and documentation must be completed. Security and auditing procedures must also be developed. Step 5: Testing No system design is ever perfect. Communication problems, programmers negligence or time constraints create errors that most be eliminated before the system is ready for user acceptance testing. A system is tested for online response, volume of transactions, stress, recovery form failure and usability. Then comes system testing, which verifies that the whole set of programs hangs together, following system testing is acceptance testing or running the system with live   data by the actual use. System testing requires a test plan that consists of several key activities and steps for programs, string, system and user acceptance testing. The system performance criteria deal with turnaround time, backup, file protection, and the human factor. Step 6: Implementation This phase is less creative than system design. It is primarily concerned with user training, site preparation, and file conversion. When the candidate system is linked to terminals and remote sites the telecommunication network and tests of the network along with the system are also included under implementation. During the final testing, user acceptance is tested, followed by user training. Depending on the nature of the system, extensive user training may be required, conversion usually takes place at about the same time the user is being trained or later. In the extreme, the programmer is falsely viewed as someone who ought to be isolated from other aspects of system development. Programming is itself design work, however. The initial parameter of the candidate system should be modified as a result of programming efforts. Programming provides a â€Å"reality test† for the assumptions made by the analyst. It is therefore a mistake to exclude programmers from the initial system design. System testing checks the readiness and accuracy of the system to access, update and retrieve data from new files. Once the programmes become available, test data are read into the computer and processed against the file(s) provided for testing. If successful, the program(s) is then run with â€Å"live† data. Otherwise, a diagnostic procedure is used to local and correct errors in the program. In most programs, a parallel run is conducted where the new system runs simultaneously with the ‘old’ systems. This method, though costly, provides added assurance against errors in the candidate system and also gives the user-staff an opportunity to gain experience through operation. In some cases, however, parallel processing is not practical. For example, it is not plausible to run two parallel online point-to-sale (POS) systems for a retail chain. In any case, after the candidate system proves itself, the old system is phased out. Step 7: Evaluation During systems testing, the system is used experimentally to ensure that the software does not fail. In other words, we can say that it will run according to its specifications and in the way users expect. Special test data are input for processing, and the results examined. A limited number of users may be allowed to use the system so that analyst can see whether to use it in unforeseen ways. It is desirable to discover any surprises before the organization implements the system and depends on it. Implementation is the process of having systems personnel check out and put new equipment into use, train users, install the new application and construct any files of data needed to use it. This phase is less creative than system design. Depending on the size of the organisation that will be involved in using the application and the risk involved in its use, systems developers may choose to test the operation in only one area of the Firm with only one or two persons. Sometimes, they will run both old and new system in parallel way to compare the results. In still other situations, system developers stop using the old system one day and start using the new one the next. Evaluation of the system is performed to identify its strengths and weaknesses. The actual evaluation can occur along any one of the following dimensions: * Operational Evaluation: Assessment of the manner in which the system functions, impact. * Organizational Impact: Identification and measurement of benefits to the organisation in such areas as financial concerns, operational efficiency and competitive impact. * User Manager Assessment: Evaluation of the attitudes of senior and user manager within the organization, as well as end-users. Development Performance: Evaluation of the development process in accordance with such yardsticks as overall development time and effort, conformance to budgets and standards and other project management criteria. Step 8: Post – Implementation and Maintenance Maintenance is necessary to eliminate errors in the working system during its working life and to tune the system to any variations in its working environment. Often small system defici encies are found as a system is brought into operation and changes are made to remove them. System planners must always plan for resource availability to carry out these maintenance functions. The importance of maintenance is to continue to bring the new system to standards. After the installation phase is completed and the user staff is adjusted to changes created by the candidate system, evaluation and maintenance being. Like any system there is an ageing process the requires periodic maintenance of hardware ; software. If the new information is inconsistent with the design specifications, then changes have to be made. Hardware also requires periodic maintenance to keep in time with design specification. The importance of maintenance is to continue to bring the new system to standards. BIBLIOGRAFI Gordon b. Davis ; Margrethe H. Olson. (1985). Management Information Systems : Conceptual Foundations, Structure and Development. New York : McGraw-Hill. Lucey. T. (1987). Management Information Systems. 5th Ed. Eastleigh, Hants : D. P Pubns. O’Brien, James A. (2002). Management Information Systems : Managing Information Technology in the E-Business Enterprise. Boston : McGraw-Hill. Robert C. Nickerson, Saravanan Muthaiyah. (2004). Introduction to Information Systems. Petaling Jaya : Prentice Hall. McLeod Raymond, P. Shell George. (2004). Management Information Systems. N. J. : Pearson Prentice Hall. How to cite Management Information System Questions, Essay examples