Absolute control on government in the provinces Essay

How effective was Louis of forcing total control on government in the regions? Louis all through his rule was accepted by his ancestors to be a flat out ruler yet was this truly evident when incorporated. To accomplish outright force Louis required pretty much complete power over everything that went on in the areas. For instance he expected to ensure the charges which he forced were as a rule effectively gathered and debasement was to a negligible. Somewhat Louis was effective in forcing total force on the administration in the regions. He passed laws which they didn’t like and they weren’t permitted to denounce until the law was passed meaning no way for genuine arrangement. In spite of the fact that to another degree his triumphs could have been restricted as yes they weren’t permitted to criticize until the law was passed however the parlements would at present be educated about the approach and Louis would examine it with them direct demonstrating the parlements despite everything had some control. Moreover some may state that Louis didn’t mean or plan to implement outright control in the territories. He saw the requirement for bargain and acknowledged it was to his greatest advantage to do as such. In a specific way Louis effectively forced more control on the administration in the territories utilizing his total forces. The legislature in France in the seventeenth century had numerous administration bodies. Instances of these are the common governors and the parlements. Customary historian’s trusted Louis attempted to lessen the forces of these administration bodies to show he was picking up the outright force he should have been a flat out ruler. In any case Louis took different measures to reduce the intensity of the parlements. There were numerous means which he took to do this. He right off the bat chose to cut their legal wages by a third. Louis needed to show the parlements he was the fundamental chief in France and nobody can address him. The pay cuts could likewise mean more cash for Louis himself, to spend on his own advantages. Being well off can show a person’s influence in the public eye even today, so by increasing more cash it would show Louis outright control over France is becoming effective. It would likewise come clear to the parlements that Louis is increasing supreme control over them and preventing him from doing so would prompt horrible. Next Louis made a law that parlements couldn't oppose until a law which was to be set up was passed. On the off chance that a demonstration of denunciation was to emerge under the watchful eye of the law was really passed than in Louis words they â€Å"must be executed rapidly and just once.† Again Louis is forcing his total authority over the parlements. Louis settled on all an official choices, were the parlements had actually nothing to do with the issue, if he somehow happened to pass a specific law. Louis was the primary head and everybody needed to come to him first to pass any kind of law. He was the principle man. This shows his outright command over the areas and the entire of France was effectively being set up. Louis could do anything without the counsel of others. He could control France in his own specific manner on the off chance that he needed to as he settled on an official choices over anything which was to be passed by government or even the church. Laws woul d likewise be passed by Louis that the parlements didn't care for. A case of this was when in 1714 Louis demanded a law was to be passed that permitted his mongrels children to take the seat if his genuine family line finished. Numerous parlements didn't care for this law yet were obliged to pass it as Louis would pass it any path as he is a ultimate conclusion producer. Liberal historian’s trusted Louis effectively forced supreme control in the regions. He was viewed as an absolutist to them and his outright powers were not generally for good yet in present moment demonstrated he was incredible. Louis settled on every single ultimate choice and the administration appeared to not have as a very remarkable state as they may have loved as well. The strategies which he set up to diminish the intensity of the parlements effectively demonstrated him to be a flat out control over the legislature in the territories. Louis didn't simply attempt to diminish intensity of parlement yet he attempted to control the common governors as well. He needed not only one gathering of the legislature to be changed yet the entire government to be controlled in his manner. Louis needed to show his outright control was set up to everybody in the areas. The common governors were normally part of the honorability of blade with antiquated land holding rights, benefits and held significant status in the specific territory they worked in. They generally were liable for fund-raising through duty assortment in the regions and everyday dynamic. Louis had a go at forcing his total authority over them as well. He ensured charges were gathered appropriately and to his principles. He required the perfect measure of cash for him to spend and on the off chance that they didn’t gather it to an agreeable standard he would have words and they might be rebuffed somehow or another. This shows on the off chance that you cross Louis you will be rebuffed and you expected to keep on the correct side of him. The commonplace governors were honorability of the blade and were a lot simpler to control. They had not purchased their workplaces like the honorability of the robe. They expected to remain on his correct side as they could be effectively sacked. His total forces were appeared through his expulsion of Fouquet, who he thought was getting to huge for his boots. He attempted to differ with Louis and was ousted far away from the lord in a rustic region. Louis was indicating his total control of his nearby allies as well and his absolutism was coming through after this occasion. Here and there he was fruitful in forcing his control over the commonplace governors as they were less inclined to differ with him as they were dispensed places in the legislature. The lord was the leader over everybody and to scrutinize his power would be impractical notion. One gathering of individuals in the regions who could have helped him to increase total control were known as the intendants. They accumulated data for the lord and directed the requirement of his choices. The intendants were given reports on their advancement from the ruler. In the event that they weren’t carrying out their responsibility appropriately, at that point the ruler would set down what he needed of them or, in all likelihood they might be disposed of. Louis appears here that he has power over the intendants as though they cross him they won't be a piece of his administering bodies which a great many people needed to be a piece of. Moreover the Intendants were just permitted to serve in a specific territory for as long as three years. Louis ensured they had no family or budgetary association with these all inclusive statements. This helped Louis to oversee them. Making them just remain in a region for as long as three years would permit Louis to prevent the intendan ts from getting appended to the territory they are in. On the off chance that the intendants were to remain in a territory for a really long time they may turn out to be progressively tolerant towards companions they may have made money related open doors which could influence them from being faithful to the lord. This permitted Louis to pick up what he needed out of the intendants, for example, they could keep an eye on individuals in the territories and check whether they were being degenerate in any capacity. This permitted the ruler to control others to as he would see whether an individual isn't obeying him direct. Louis could then either rebuff them or give them are cautioning. Louis would give the discipline demonstrating his total control over the individuals and the legislature. The intendants would be increasingly solid if not in one spot for a really long time permitting Louis to control them and the individuals in the regions. Nobody would address Louis in the areas and he settled on all choices by and large. This demonstrate d his total control over government in the territories was effectively being forced. Then again anyway to another degree Louis power was constrained by specific variables. In numerous territories he traded off and haggled with government in the areas instead of forcing supreme control. Despite the fact that Louis may have attempted to increase outright control there was still a great deal of debasement among the administration bodies particularly by the commonplace governors. The commonplace governors gathered the duties for the ruler from individuals in the territories. This may have assist Louis with working up his realm however the commonplace governors would stash a portion of the cash for themselves meaning not all the cash went to Louis. This shows Louis was not fruitful in forcing outright control over the common governors. In the event that he had total control all the cash which the commonplace governors gathered would go to him. Louis didn't generally watch out for the administration bodies in the areas as he would be busy with doing whatever him might want to do. The common governors would likewise utilize lesser aristocrats to gather the charges for them to provide for the lord. Some were caught up with making the most of their own ideal lives utilizing their situation as a major aspect of government and companion to lord. Aristocrats who were utilized in the areas would too stash cash from the assessments. The ruler would then get less and less cash. Louis absolutism was restricted here as he would not generally rebuff them for being degenerate yet simply let it pass him by. As far as he could tell Louis thought that it was smarter to haggle with the commonplace governors of what amount charges he ought to get. The commonplace governors were not that much danger to Louis regarding uprising however he expected to keep them on side so as to guarantee proceeded with income from territories. Again it shows Louis didn't effectively have total command over the areas. He needed to arrange terms with the commonplace governors and didn't have full command over what they did in their own lives as a major aspect of the administration. Louis couldn't simply change what they did as there could be potential for insubordination. Despite the fact that it was improbable it was conceivable. Thus Louis controls over the parlements were not as absolutist as individuals may have suspected. Y

Reflective reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Intelligent reports - Essay Example Since that time, I figured out how to improve my relational abilities through a few methods. In a large portion of the cases be that as it may, my learning in correspondence occurred at work. This implies distinctive work circumstances introduced various manners by which I needed to move toward correspondence. For instance there was one time when a 46-year-old female was moved in her bed to the Minor Injury Unit at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, as the doctor mentioned a lumbar spine X-beam for her after she tumbled down the steps. The radiographer and I experienced issues speaking with the patient since she has aphasia, which is characterized as lost language capacity and which is a consequence of injury to the language places in the mind (Ehrlich and Coakes 2013). Before I began situating the patient for the lumbar spine X-beam methodology, I asked the medical attendant who went with her about the way that she spoke with the patient. The medical attendant uncovered that the patient had the option to peruse and compose thus she composed what she needed to state to the patient on a bit of paper and offered it to her so she could understand it. In view of this, I carried a bit of paper with me and recorded what might occur during the strategy just as certain guidelines for the patient. I at that point gave her the bit of paper so she could peruse what I composed. The patient read what I gave her and she composed that she comprehended what I was attempting to advise her and she felt increasingly agreeable subsequent to having gotten this composed clarification. Because of this correspondence, we effectively completed the assessment. Birch and Carlton (2010) and Watkins (2001) note that great correspondence and merciful consideration likewise greatly affect the specialist. In radiography, great correspondence with the patient encourages him/her comprehend what the radiographer is anticipating from him/her during the system, which will

Work and Study

Work and Study Work and Study: How to Find a Happy Medium? Home›Tips for Students›Work and Study: How to Find a Happy Medium? Tips for StudentsNowadays combining work and studying is the reality of almost every student. There is no doubt that it is rather exhausting and hard. Anyway, it is possible to combine both without harm to your health. Many people have a full-time job and study when they have free time or quite the opposite â€" they work at their free time. Some people even have a family. If you need some useful tips from QualityCustomEssays.com on how to deal with all this spheres without ruining yourself, keep on reading…Inform your professor about your job. If you have difficulties with combining your work with the process of studying, let your professor know about the situation. This might inspire the latter to offer you flexibility regarding the deadlines of your course paper, essay, etc. We are all humans after all.Ask your family to give you a hand. Work, study and household du ties can be too much. That is the reason why it is worth to ask your relatives to help you. Save your time on washing and cleaning and spend it on more important things like studying. In case if you are single, ask your friends to help you!Study at work. If you have some free time at work, make advantage of it. Instead of chatting about your new girlfriend or your boss, focus on your subjects. Read something and write something down. Your lunch br?ak is ideal for this. If you are a commuter, spend the time on the way reading.Do not take on too much. If you study too much while you are working, it will not do you any good â€" you won’t do anything right. Chose your priorities and focus on them. Leave less important things for later. If you are a person that finds it difficult to refuse a request, you have to learn to say NO. Remember that every employee has his or her own responsibilities.Be ahead with your studies. Whenever it is possible, do some of your assignments in advance. R emember that there can be busy periods at work and you might stay late. You will not have a possibility to do your homework. This is one of the most efficient methods to combine your job with your studies without exhaustion. Say NO to stress! Keep in mind that our service is also able to help you in coping with your studies, namely academic writing assignments. Our highly qualified writers will help you with any kind of academic papers.Make sacrifices for your studies. When you combine studying and work, it is difficult to carve out some time for your hobbies. Anyway, it is normal to sacrifice something for the sake of your studying. Of course, you need some time for leisure, but opt for going for a walk rather than visiting an all night long party. Sacrificing is tough, but it is rewarding.

Does the Media Encourage Terrorism Essay - 527 Words

DO THE MEDIA ENCOURAGE TERRORISM The news media of American society does not encourage terrorism. The only thing that the media encourages is knowledge of what is going on around the world. Unfortunately, some terrorist organizations use the news media to gain recognition for their groups causes and goals. Most of the time, the media will serve as force to gain citizen support for the government’s actions against a terrorist movement. The only problem with having the freedom of press that the United States enjoys is that everyone has a voice. When it comes down to an American killing an American, the media is not allied with the terrorist. In many cases the television and newspaper crews serve to work directly against the militia†¦show more content†¦With the help of the media, the people get all of the facts and are able to form their own opinion about what is going on, who is responsible for events, and how future events can be avoided. Explaining how future events can be avoided is beneficial if the government is planning on implementing new policies to thwart future events. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Terrorism existed before the modern day media was even able to cover its story and will continue whether the media covers it today or not. Another tool that the government uses against terrorism is to build the story and to convey the crisis situation to the American people (Bender, 109). This explanation gives more information to the American people other than just the terrorist’s goals or opinions. The real story behind most right-wing movements is exposed during the media shakedown, and when the citizens of the United States are enlightened, they are more inclined to support government policy. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In my opinion the best way to combat terrorism is through the usage of the rights to freedom of press. Granted there is no one-way to dismantle all terrorist organizations overnight, but through education; the majority of the militant operations can be exposed, divided, and dealt with under control of the judicial system. The media of the United States does not encourage terrorism it merely reports it. WORKS CITED Bender,Show MoreRelatedDo the Media Encourage Terrorism Essay878 Words   |  4 Pages2 SEP 2002 DO THE MEDIA ENCOURAGE TERRORISM There has been a lot of thought put into finding a more effective way to build intelligence efforts to make a stronger product for decisions of national security. The use of the media and worldwide reporters can be used in the effort to build more information on the intelligence products, but the usage will be limited. It is not very likely that the government of Pakistan will sponsor a column disclosing a list of nuclear assets every week, or thatRead MoreTerrorism And The Social Media1719 Words   |  7 Pages Terrorism and the use of social media to further its objective is a major concern affecting the world today. With the growing threat of terrorism, studying its operational techniques help to determine how and why terror groups are succeeding. Understanding the impact that terror groups have on marginalized populations through propaganda and a manipulation of facts will help in developing a greater understanding of terror group’s ability to mount successful campaigns globally. Given the threat thatRead MoreEssay on Stereotypes in the Muslim World 857 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"If a person commits an act of terrorism, it does not negate or change the principles of the religion he claims to follow. If a Catholic Irish republic army terrorist encourages terrorism. Similarly, if a Muslim commits an act of terror, it does not mean that Islam condones or encourages terrorism† (Khan, 2003, pp 102) It is difficult in this world to form an opinion about an issue without experiencing some sort of stereotyping. Stereotyping is defined as a generalization of a group of peopleRead MoreThe A Lone Wolf Terrorist Operates1656 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A lone-wolf terrorist operates individually, does not belong to an organized group or network and conceives and directs the modus operandi without any direct outside command or hierarchy† (Spaaji 2012, p. 16). Lone actor or autonomous cell (LA/AC) terrorism is emerging as a major threat and presents extreme difficulties for the intelligence community, chief among them is the fact that this type of terrorism is much harder to detect and prevent. â€Å"Although the state’s capacity to monitor is substantialRead MoreThe Relationship Between New Media And Society1361 Words   |  6 PagesThe Relationship between New Media and Society: To Extent Does Media Influence the Society’s Prejudices? Introduction It is a well-known fact that the media has a strong hold over the society, and in this information age, it plays a more prominent role than ever before. The recent film, Spotlight shows the manner in which a group of investigative journalists in the Boston Globe made is known to the world that sexual exploitation and abuse was thriving in Churches across the globe. 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Alan Krueger and Jitka Maleckova argue that we should view terrorism â€Å"less like property crime and more like a violent form of political engagement.† Hate crime should also be conceptualized in this manner. Unlike other forms of criminal activity where the offender’s motivation is often material gain, perpetrators of both terroristRead MoreThe New President Of The United States1418 Words   |  6 Pagespost, â€Å"The reason behind Trump’s decision for the total shut down of Muslims entering the United States is until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on (Goldberg, 2016).† President Donald Trump discussing his plan through the media has created a great opportunity for the radicalization of the American Islamic population to become easier, which leads to the recruitment for Jihadist terror. The appearance of Trump during his public speech on banning the Muslim culture has beenRead MoreAmerica s National Government And Fundamental Laws Essay1641 Words   |  7 PagesHillary Clinton as their candidate while the Republican party has selected Donald Trump to represent their views. These two candidates differ greatly on global trends issues such as globalization, immigration, and the influence of Islam and terrorism on the United States. One of the top three most discussed topics in this election is globalization. Globalization is the â€Å"means that prices for commodities tend to be driven by international, rather than local, forces† (Buttonwood). In discussingRead MoreArticle Review : Paris Attacks Drive Home Harsh Realities Of Extremism For Us Police And Civilians Alike 867 Words   |  4 PagesIslamophobia in Discussions of Terrorism The Fox News article â€Å"Paris attacks drive home harsh realities of extremism for US police and civilians alike,† addresses the aftermath of potential danger that could ensue because of the attacks in Paris, where a series of shootings and bombings occurred in November of 2015 killing many civilians. The majority of the perpetrators of these attacks were born in France or elsewhere in Europe. The article states matter-of-factly that the attacks abroad assure

Definition and Examples of a Glossary in a Book

A glossary is an alphabetized list of specialized terms with their definitions.  In a report, proposal, or book, the glossary is generally located after the conclusion. A glossary is also known as a clavis, which is from the Latin word for key. A good glossary, says William Horton, in e-Learning by Design, can define terms, spell out abbreviations, and save us the embarrassment of mispronouncing the shibboleths of our chosen professions. Importance of a Glossary Because you will have numerous readers with multiple levels of expertise, you must be concerned about your use of high-tech language (abbreviations, acronyms, and terms). Although some of your readers will understand your terminology, others wont. However, if you define your terms each time you use them, two problems will occur: you will insult high-tech readers, and you will delay your audience as they read your text. To avoid these pitfalls, use a glossary. (Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson, Technical Writing: Process and Product. Pearson, 2006) Locating a Glossary in a Class Paper, Thesis, or Dissertation You may need a glossary if your thesis or dissertation (or, in some cases, your class paper) includes many foreign words or technical terms and phrases that may be unfamiliar to your readers. Some departments and universities allow or require the glossary to be placed in the back matter, after any appendixes and before the endnotes and bibliography or reference list. If you are free to choose, put it in the front matter if readers must know the definitions before they begin reading. Otherwise, put it in the back matter. – Kate L. Turabian,  A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th ed. The University of Chicago Press, 2007 Define all terms unfamiliar to an intelligent layperson. When in doubt, overdefining is safer than underdefining.Define all terms that have a special meaning in your report (In this report, a small business is defined as . . .).Define all terms by giving their class and distinguishing features, unless some terms need expanded definitions.List all terms in alphabetical order. Highlight each term and use a colon to separate it from its definition.On first use, place an asterisk in the text by each item defined in the glossary.List your glossary and its first page number in the table of contents. – Tosin Ekundayo, Thesis Book of Tips and Samples: Under Post Graduate Guide 9 Thesis Format including APA Harvard. Notion Press, 2019 Suggestions for Preparing a Glossary Use a glossary if your report contains more than five or six technical terms that may not be understood by all audience members. If fewer than five terms need defining, place them in the report introduction as working definitions, or use footnote definitions. If you use a separate glossary, announce its location. – John M. Lannon, Technical Communication. Pearson, 2006 Collaborative Glossaries in the Classroom Instead of creating a glossary on your own, why not have the students create it as they encounter unfamiliar terms? A collaborative glossary can serve as a focal point for collaboration in a course. Each member of the class could be assigned to contribute a term, a definition, or comments on submitted definitions. Multiple definitions can be rated by you and by the students, with the highest-rated definitions accepted for the final class glossary...When students are responsible for creating the definitions, they are much more likely to remember the word and the correct definition. – Jason Cole and Helen Foster, Using Moodle: Teaching With the Popular Open Source Course Management System, 2nd ed. OReilly Media, 2008

The Impact of Renaissance on the Present - 1204 Words

Beginning with prehistoric man, the growth and evolvement of various civilizations and the events which occurred, in one manner or another, aided in shaping the modern world that we live in today. Some of the more influential elements of everyday modern life are the result of cultural and societal changing events, which transpired throughout the years 1350-1600. During the period known today as the â€Å"Renaissance† (1350-1600), the world of art, the boundaries of marriage, and secular viewpoints were forever revolutionized, through the development and spread of â€Å"Renaissance Humanism†, which today, still affects modern day life. (Knox 1999) The Renaissance (1350-1600), named from the French word meaning â€Å"rebirth†, began in†¦show more content†¦Unlike the Catholic religion, although difficult, Protestants could divorce, and due to the influence of â€Å"Humanism†, Protestants felt that spouses possessed equal spiritual and sexual rights, aiding the passing of laws which outlawed wife beating, a common day practice. Many women chose to join the Protestant religion to escape the tyranny of their husbands, playing a critical role in assisting the new faith to spread and be accepted, and with fewer restrictions, couples were able to marry at a younger age helping families to grow larger with more children being born. (Whisonant 2007) Society emerging from the â€Å"Dark Ages†, was ready for change, and many readily accepted new ideas, independent thought, and less governmental control. Yet, when people hear the word â€Å"Renaissance† (1350-1600), usually their first thought is art. The world of art was forever changed during the period, and the effects of â€Å"Humanism†, are clearly reflected in the artistic creations from the period. Throughout the world today, works of art created by Renaissance artists such as Da Vinci (1452-1519), Michelangelo (1475-1564) and numerous others, are renowned as â€Å"Masterpieces†, the first and only works of art rightfully bestowed with this entitlement. (Knox, Ellis, L) When the movement began, a few innovative artists began displaying their new alternative lifestyles, and method of creativity. Prior to the RenaissanceShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Renaissance On Italy And The Renaissance969 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Renaissance was a series of revolutions and changes that originated in Italy and had wide spread impact very rapidly in the entire Europe. All the developments and changes were done to keep in mind and keep pace with the local environments and situations. The developments were frequently connected to encourage cultural developments without affecting the basic idea and conventional heritage of the country. Many artists and military personnel also took part in the revolution where theRead MoreInfluence Of The Renaissance On Modern Europe1174 Words   |  5 Pageswere more significant than the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the French Revolution. Of these three events, the Renaissance proved to be the most important event in shaping a modern Europe, with developments in education, class structure/order and social change issues, religion, building construction/use, Medici banking system, art and architecture, humanism, printing and the printing press, and the scientific an d medical changes of the Islamic Renaissance. The changes in the developmentRead MoreOn the other hand, Shakespeare also maintains the feminine ideal through the use of disguise. In700 Words   |  3 Pagesas the destruction of a women was seen as their undoing in a Renaissance society. Mary Rose discusses the idea of purity â€Å"For a woman, a public reputation was dishonourable, a sure sign of immorality and scandal†. In both cases, the characters have had an impact on society around them, particularly towards men, through the use of disguise and deception. Whilst Shakespeare presents authoritative roles within women, he also presents the contrasting roles of women, particularly in the charactersRead MoreEssay on The Harlem Renaissance and Its Societal Effects 1133 Words   |  5 PagesWhat Is the Harlem Renaissance, and What Effects Did It Have On Society? Harlem was like a great magnet for the Negro intellectual, pulling him from everywhere. Or perhaps the magnet was New York, but once in New York, he had to live in Harlem(Langston Hughes, The Big Sea). When one is describing a â€Å"fresh and brilliant portrait of African American art and culture in the 1920s (Rampersad, Arnold),† the Harlem Renaissance would be the most accurate assumption. The Harlem Renaissance proved to AmericaRead MoreThe Carolingian Renaissance By Kelli Floyd804 Words   |  4 PagesThe Carolingian Renaissance By: Kelli Floyd Introduction The Carolingian Renaissance was a very important time in history that had a very large impact on Western Civilization. There is no way to know how different our world would have been without it. Both written and spoken language would have likely been radically different without both Charlemagne and Alcuin of York. What is the Carolingian Renaissance? The Carolingian Renaissance was a period of history brought on by Charlemagne. The respectRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance s Influence And Impact1262 Words   |  6 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance s Influence and Impact The Harlem Renaissance era is known for its rich culture and being the source for many African American breakthrough artists such as Alain Locke,W.E.B DuBois, and Ethel Waters. . Whether it be the diversity of music, drama, art, or literature, it’s surely present during that period of time and still is today. Many questions about this time period include â€Å"How was Harlem life like back then?† â€Å"What is the Harlem Renaissance?†, and â€Å"How did itRead MoreThe Building Blocks Of The Renaissance Movement1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe Building Blocks of the Renaissance Movement Some may think of the Renaissance as a single movement, but this movement actually consisted of three different periods known as the Early, the High and the Northern Renaissance. There were significant differences between each of these periods, as well as important leading figures from each. All three Renaissances were individual pieces of history that built upon the knowledge of each other. Without one, subsequent periods would not have been as successfulRead MoreHarlem Renaissance Essay1048 Words   |  5 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a significant historical movement that originated in Harlem, New York and helped establish the city as an African American cultural center. This period, which lasted from the 1910s to the mid 1930s, is considered a golden age for African American music, art, literature, and performance. As a resurgence of African American art and urbanization began to form, new artistic and social expression began to simultaneously develop in other urban areas as well. The Harlem RenaissanceRead MoreThe Renaissance Versus the Reformation1340 Words   |  6 PagesThe Renaissance versus the Reformation I feel, sometimes, as the Renaissance man must have felt in finding new riches at every point and in the certainty that unexplored areas of knowledge and experience await at every turnÂâ€"Polykarp Kusch. Two very critical periods in the history of western civilization involved the eras of the Renaissance and the Reformation. The renaissance evolved mainly in direct result to the medieval times where the people where obedient to authority. The reformationRead MoreThe Period Of The Middle Ages1007 Words   |  5 PagesContrary to popular belief, the Renaissance is not a time period, but a movement of the middle ages. The middle ages began at the fall of the Roman empire in 476 and lasted all the way to 1500; a 100 year period. During this time was when the Malthusian Crisis / Deadlock occurred. Killing much of the population, by famine, disease, etc, this was in a sense a positive thing because of the overpopulation. Famine had a rather large effect. This included ergotism which produces a chemical that causes

Work Health and Safety Legislation †Free Samples for Students

Question: Discuss About the Work Health and Safety Legislation? Answer: Introduction In the hospitality industry, Work-Health and Safety should be a priority. It is necessary for the hotel human resource management to create good working conditions for the workers. Health and safety issues should be closely observed. To avoid accidents that may result in severe injuries, the hotel must come up with safety measures which include training the workers on safety issues. Since the hotel offers temporary accommodation, the safety and health of the clients should not be taken for granted. Evidently, the hotel requires a lot of improvements to address the current issues related to health and safety of its customers and employees. Risks facing the employees and the clients in the hotel should be identified so that they can be addressed appropriately. Breaches in WHS legislation WHS legislation guides the employers, employees and other parties with a common workplace on how to manage workplace risks through consultancy and cooperation. In New South Wales WHS legislation includes Work Health and Safety Act 2011 which is supported by Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. This legislation became effective from 1st January 2012. The legislation is founded on the national model WHS legislation. This model should be observed in all workplaces in NSW (NSW Legislation, 2017) the report identified that the hotel had breached the following legislations; Health and safety duties- according to NSW Legislation (2017), WHS Act 2011 diversified the categories of people with a duty of care. Apart from employers and Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs), every member of the management has the responsibility to manage risk at the workplace including; designers, suppliers, manufacturers, and importers. In this hotel, the supplier did not provide information on safe use of the chemical. Risk management- the organization has an obligation to manage risks effectively to protect the workers and other persons against any harm. The hotel had breached this legislation, for instance, they have not repaired the lift, and also they have ignored the harm that the new chemical is causing on the staff as well as the clients (NSW Government SafeWork 2016, b) Reasonably practicable- the organization should make any possible effort to manage risks in the workplace. Every person should be informed about the severity of every risk and how they can eliminate or manage it and the cost of managing This has not been done in the hotel. For instance, Health and safety committee does not meet frequently, and the agenda of the last meeting was not on safety issues. Representation and consultation- relevant information about risk management must be shared with the workers, and they should be given the opportunity to participate in decision making by considering their opinions. The Health and safety representatives (HSRs) and the health and safety committee must be involved in risk management processes. In this hotel, the HSRs are not properly trained while the Health and Safety committee does not frequently meet, so they do not participate in managing risks at the workplace. Notifications- the organization must provide WorkCover and NSW must be informed about any serious injuries and incidents before carrying out the dangerous The hotel has bought cleaning chemicals which are harming the workers and the clients and do not provide WorkCovers to their employees. Hazards in the workplace According to Omer (2016), a hazard is an element or a situation that have the potential to cause harm to a person. It this hotel the following hazards can be identified (See table 1 in the appendices); Poor lighting. Accommodating visitors whose details are not recorded. An old faulty lift. The hotel lacks a written occupational health and safety plan. Lack of fully trained Health Safety representatives. The health committee is not committed since they are too busy. Unreliable TCR. Lack of induction training for new employees. Use of chemicals without any information on how to use the chemical safely. Poor communication as most of the accidents at the workplace is not reported. Overcrowding in the hotel. Employing untrained staff who serve food and alcohol. Risks associated with the hazards identified The business is located in an area which has poor lighting. This increases the vulnerability of the clients, the workers and other people living in the region. According to Brandon David (2008), lighting is a situational approach to crime prevention which is environmental in nature and is important as it deters the offenders. This suggests that in a place that lacks proper lighting, the criminals are more likely to attack and cause harm to unsuspecting people. The hotel management has also been ignoring the security issues related to hosting clients in one room whose details have not been recorded at the reception. This puts the lives of other clients and the surrounding community at risk as criminals may take the advantage to arrange for criminal activities in the hotel. The hotel operates an old faulty lift which is likely to break down frequently thus threatening the safety of the users. This may cause injuries and other health complications to the users like the one illustrated in the case study. Lack of trained HRS in the hotel is risky since in case a disaster such as an accident occurs, there are no skilled personnel to manage the risks that may result. Health representatives are important in ensuring that the workplace presents healthy working conditions for the employees (Health and Safety Authority,2015) The hotel also lacks a reliable TCR, therefore, if a person is injured at the workplace, they cannot get instant first aid assistance. This may be risky to the lives of the injured employee or persons since the injuries might be too severe (NSW Government SafeWork 2016 c) According to NSW Government SafeWork (2016 a), It is also risky to use chemicals at the workplace that do not have the manufacturers information as well as the information on how to use the chemical safely. The chemicals may cause harm to the user such as the ones illustrated in the case study. Some of the chemicals are corrosive and may burn the users. Others may have long-term effects on the users health. According to Health and Safety Authority (2015), there are cases of unreported accidents on the workers in the hotel. Some cases are severe thus threatening the lives of the workers. Cases of injuries should be reported early enough so that the victims can be treated on time. Hazard analysis matrix Hazard risk analysis is done in order to identify the probability of a problem occurring and the damage it may cause. In risk analysis, the hazard is identified first. Secondly the probability of its occurrence is analyzed, and lastly, its severity is analyzed. The following model can be used in analyzing the risk of a hazard; Example Hazard Poor lighting Potential location (s) - on the streets near the hotel. The hazards with the highest probability of occurring and high level of severity should be prioritized. (See table 2 in appendices) Management controls to address non-compliance with legislation According to OSFI (2013), Regulatory Compliance Management (RCM) refers to a set of guidelines that help organizations manage compliance risks. The organization should set an RCM framework which establishes a line of responsibilities on individuals in managing compliance risks. Compliance helps to ensure that an organization abides by the legislations of the government bodies and other regulatory bodies through regulating its internal controls and policies. According to Metric Stream (2017), the organization should come up with an initiative to comply with legislations. The organization should have a timeframe to ensure that they comply with legislations on time to avoid extra costs which may result from non-compliance. Risk controls applying the hierarchy of controls for the identified hazards According to Safe Work Australia Fact Sheet (2016), the hierarchy of controls which is used in managing workplace health and safety risks is comprised of four steps which are as follows; Eliminate hazards- the organization should try to get rid of the hazards in the workplace such as getting replacing old lift which is likely to harm the users. Substitute the hazard - this suggests that the organization should replace the non-functional equipment or the equipment that are hazardous to the employees and the clients in the workplace. For instance, they can purchase a new lift to replace the old one (NSW Government SafeWork 2016 e) Isolate the hazard- any element that can cause harm should be kept away from the workplace, for example; they should have stopped using the new chemical once they realized that it harms the users. Use administrative controls- the hotel management should ensure that the staffs are well trained to minimize accidents at the workplace. Use protective gears- the hotel management should provide protective gears such as gloves and goggles when using the chemicals to clean the glasses so as protect them from getting into contact with the chemicals (Paramount Safety Products, 2007) Cost and benefit analysis associated with noncompliance, hazards and recommended controls Cost-benefit analysis helps organizations to determine whether or not a given policy is worthy to be implemented. The organization should weigh the cost that the company can accrue if it fails to comply with the legislations by the government. Every company is required to comply with the government legislations regulating its operations. The following is a cost benefit analysis of the hotel according to(Robinson, 2008) Estimate of the baseline conditions- this involves assessing the current and estimating future conditions in case there are no government regulations. This includes determining the harm that may be caused by the current practices of the company. For example, in the case study, the hotel is using chemicals without safety use information. The chemical has caused significant harm to a number of employees and even to a client. This is as a result of non-compliance to the chemical safety legislations, and it may attract legal action from the government. Predict outcomes to each regulatory option- this involves considering the various responses that the company needs to take to comply with the legislations. For example, installing a new lift in the hotel. Estimate change in national cost- this will involve considering the costs of implementing various risk management plans. This will include considering the impact the change will have on the market. Estimate change in national costs- this includes assessing the effect that the change will have on the public regarding security and health. Assess distributional impacts- analyze the impact that the change will have on various groups such as the workers and the clients. If the change will have positive impacts, then it is worth implementing. Consequences of non-compliance and not managing workplace hazards Failure to comply with government legislations has adverse effects on the business. Considering the non-compliance issues that the case study presents, the following are the consequences that it is likely to face (Intuit Inc. 2017). Failure to comply with workplace legislation exposes the company to lawsuits by employees in case they attain injuries while at the workplace. The company may also incur huge fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (The University of Sydney 2016). For example: If the organization is alerted about OSHA violation it should act immediately. Dollar Free Store at Boston was fined $177.800 for blocking exits and also due to hazardous conditions of the workplace. Non-compliance to wage legislation may expose the company to lawsuits, audits, and fees among other severe consequences. Conclusion The hotel has not complied with most of NSW Work Health Safety legislations. This has exposed it to many non-compliance consequences. This exposes employees and clients at this hotel to many hazards which risk their wellbeing. It is important for the management of this hotel to consider putting up initiatives on how they can comply with the WHS legislations. This ensures that their workers are safe as well as their clients. References Brandon, W. David, F., 2008. Effects of improved street lighting on crime. S.l.: Campbell Systematic Reviews. Health and Safety Authority(2015) Safety and Health Managment. Available from: https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Managing_Health_and_Safety/Safety_and_Health_Management_Systems/ Intuit. Inc 2017, The dangers of non-compliance for your business. Available from: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/hr-laws-and-regulation/the-dangers-of-non-compliance-for-your-business/ Metric Stream, 2017. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Framework, s.l.: s.n. NSW Government SafeWork 2016 a, Hazardous chemicals. Available from: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/health-and-safety/safety-topics-a-z/hazardous-chemical NSW Government SafeWork 2016 b, Duty of care and duty to consult. Available from: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/health-and-safety/manage-workplace-safety/providing-training-and-instruction NSW Government SafeWork 2016 c, Fist aid. Available from: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/health-and-safety/manage-workplace-safety/first-aid NSW Government SafeWork 2016 d, Work health and safety legislation. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/law-and-policy/legislation-and-codes/work-health-and-safety-legislation NSW Government SafeWork 2016 e, Workplace facilities. Available from. https://www.business.gov.au/info/run/workplace-health-and-safety/whs-oh-and-s-acts-regulations-and-codes-of-practice NSW Legislation, 2017. Work Health and Safety ACT 2011, s.l.: s.n. Omer, A. M., 2016. What is the difference between the terms "Hazard" and " Risk"?. Recovery Partners, 8 August. OSFI, 2013. Regulatory Compliance Management (RCM). Corporate Governance Guideline.. Paramount Safety Products, 2007, Managing workplace risk and the hierarchy of control. Available from:https://t.co/sWcuURYhQb Robinson, L. A., 2008. Assessing Regulatory Costs and Benefits. The Encyclopedia for Environmental health, Volume 712, p. 3. The University of Sydney (2016) Safety Management System - WHS. Available from:https://sydney.edu.au/whs/policies/penalties.shtml Trivedi Nihal, 2015, Chemical register. Available from: https://assist.asta.edu.au/question/3092/chemical-registers

The Goal, by Eliyahu Goldratt- book report free essay sample

A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Goldratt and Cox KEY IDEA The Goal centers around the protagonist Alex Rogo, who is a manager at a manufacturing and production plant for UniCo that is performing badly and is given three months to improve or face closing. His old physics professor, Jonah, is his guide and mentor through the story, using the Socratic Method, as Alex and his team learn to formulate what later becomes the Theory of Constraints to turn the plant around and eventually earn him a promotion to division manager. SUMMARY The story begins with outlining the problems Alex Rogo is facing. His plant is incredibly late on shipments because of inefficient processes. It takes the entire plant to make sure one order goes out before the end of the day. Rogo works in a high stress environment where daily, processes must be restructured just to get out an order of the most upset customer that day. We will write a custom essay sample on The Goal, by Eliyahu Goldratt- book report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His manager, Bill Peach, gives him an ultimatum of three months to turn the plant around or face closure. In addition to this, his marriage is suffering because of his long hours at work. Alex is deeply worried with this deadline. Alex embarks on tracking down Jonah, his old physics professor, to help him begin to isolate the problems in his factory. Jonah uses the Socratic method of questioning Alex, instead of feeding him the answers directly to what he BOOK REPORT: THE GOAL 1 seeks. He forms a team of department heads; Bob the plant’s head supervisor, Lou his chief accountant, Stacey the inventory manager, and Ralph the data processing manager. With the team assembled, and the Socratic guidance of Jonah, they use the logic of the scientific method to discover bottlenecks within the plant. Additionally, a hiking trip with his son’s boy scout group helps him stumble upon the solution to statistical fluctuations and independent events (embodied by Herbie, a boy carrying too much in his rucksack and walking slower than the rest of the group), which also allude to alleviating the bottleneck problem with in his plant. As a result of these experiences and problem solving meetings, the group learns to apply the earlier techniques to overcome new bottlenecks that develop later on. Along the way Alex learns that goal of business is to make money, and any efforts that detract from that prevent the company from reaching the goal. Jonah helps Alex discover the three measurements of productivity and profit; operational expense, throughput, and inventory. Alex later revises what the goal is and states that the goal is to increase throughput while simultaneously reducing both inventory and operating expense†. Balancing the flow of inventory through the plant becomes the key to solving their problem, instead of their previous answer of capacity. Alex and the team turn to restructuring the process of operations so time is not wasted at the bottleneck machines, which are the NCX-10 and Heat treatment processes/machines. Because capacity was being taken up by quality control being performed on parts at those machines, they moved quality control ahead of them in their processes to effectively increase their capacity. They also create a green and red tagging system to help push through late orders quicker. These measures increased their throughput and decreased inventory and operating expense, achieving the goal by making the plant profitable. Although Alex is relatively unaffected by this since his company is making money, the company is using incorrect metrics in measuring the profitability of his plant.   Because of their drastic innovation to old processes, Alex is promoted to manager of the division, with many of the team members being promoted as well, Lou going along with Alex to the division headquarters. Upon consulting with Jonah one last time, Alex starts on the last task for his team, to help him determine what techniques of effective managers. The fivestep process consists of: 1. IDENTIFY the systems constraint(s). 2. Decide how to EXPLOIT the systems constraint(s). Lastly, Alex applies the Socratic method to his marriage problems with his wife Julie. This side story makes the book more realistic to its audience, all the while showing real life stresses of balancing work and personal struggles and how these methods of problem solving can be applied universally, not just in a business setting. The lessons learned in The Goal are not strictly relevant to manufacturing business, they are about life and any problem you approach. The techniques of questioning taught through the Socratic Method allow you to draw your own questions and conclusions about problems encountered. Furthermore, the book outlines techniques on the creation of clear metrics on improvements and productivity in any business. By asking what the goal(s) of the business is/are, and how throughput (the rate at which the system generates money through sales), operational expenses (all the money the system spends in order to turn inventory into throughput), and inventory (all the money that the system has invested in purchasing things it BOOK REPORT: THE GOAL 3 intends to sell) are defined in relation to those terms, thus key metric units and measurements can be formed when data is collected. Increasing throughput while decreasing operational expenses and inventory is the goal of business and is usually expressed as profits, or making money. A huge lesson learned in this book is that numbers can be distorted, hence a true and accurate system of performance and profitability measurement cannot be based on what is assumed as an industry standard. Because many performance measurement techniques at UniCo are accepted at face value, the new profitability increases at Alex’s plant are underrepresented. The bottom line is not considered in his case, even though operating costs per unit are down and efficiencies are up, this productivity is being unrecognized. The lack in upper management’s questioning of metric definition is a real problem within many businesses today. Productivity is meaningless unless you know what the goal is. This theme in the book looks to stress that exercising common sense and the Socratic method in creating metrics is essential in profitable and productive businesses. APPLICATION As I intend on owning my own business in the future, I will apply what I learned in the book by using the five step process for ongoing improvement when I hit an s-curve in profitability or efficiency. Being able to identify bottlenecks and constraints in my own business will enable me to be a problem-solver. I have received much advice already in my path to business owner. Thus, applying the Socratic method to this advice will help me to be comparative and consider by which standards is this advice given. I want to stand out against my future competition, so my belief is that questioning the status quo in my methods will help me to produce a product and business that is truly unique in my intended market. Most of all, keeping the goal in sight is crucial. If you lose sight of what you are trying to achieve.

The eNotes Blog Top Ten Summer Readings for2013

Top Ten Summer Readings for2013 Ahhhh, summer! Finally, some time for a bit of pleasure reading. Got a gift certificate youve been hanging on to? (Ha. Mine are gone minutes after they hit my hands.) Or maybe you are just overwhelmed with choices and dont want to waste precious free time on something that isnt so great. Well, we at want to help you get the most out of your summer reading Here are ten suggestions offered by my very well-read friends who occasionally hang up their tweed jackets and loosen their professorial buns (no, not hair).   Here you will find a combination of new and older works, both fiction and non-fiction, serious and comedic.   So pick a few and let us know what YOU think! 1.   Mad Women: The Other Side of Life on Madison Avenue by Jane Maas Are you a fan of AMCs Mad Men and Peggy and Joan in particular? Curious about what life was really like on Madison Avenue in the 60s? Then you will enjoy Maass exploration of life in the ad game in the 1960s and beyond . 2.   Confessions of an Ex-Girlfriend by Lynda Curnyn A good beach read by a first time novelist. A friend says it is the only romance novel Ive ever finished. Suddenly single when her aspiring screenwriter boyfriend takes off for a hot job in L.A., bridal magazine editor Emma Carter is forced to reassess her appearance, her job, and her prospects-and take action. A diverse cast of engaging, occasionally offbeat characters, the hilarious sayings attributed to them, and a fast-paced style facilitated by Emmas pithy sound-bite confessions add to the fun in a lively Manhattan-set story that, while not a true romance, leaves the heroine happily pursuing her dreams and involved in a satisfying romantic relationship. This work may appeal to those who enjoy Bridget Jones-type books and like their stories urban, trendy, and slightly ambiguous. Curnyn is a fiction editor and lives in New York. This is her first novel. Library Journal 3. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan As a Steinbeck scholar, this has been on my own list for a long time, and I was pleased to see that several friends highly recommend it as well. Egens gripping true story of living through the Dust Bowl is also a National Book Award winner. 4.   Wash by Margaret Wrinkle This novel was recommended by one of my closest friends so I will be popping this into my shopping cart soon. It sounds fascinating. The Atlanta Journal Constitution calls Wash Amazing . . . Never has a fictionalized window into the relationship between slave and master opened onto such believable territory . . . Wash unfolds like a dreamy, impressionistic landscape . 5.   Who I Am  by Pete Townshend Rock n roll bios seem to make the list every year and this summer is no exception. If youve ever fantasized about pummeling a guitar to bits on stagethis is the book for you. Rock out by the pool and learn the story of a man who. wanted The Who to be called The Hair. loved The Everly Brothers, but not that drawling dope Elvis. wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer. became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor. smashed his first guitar onstage, in 1964, by accident. heard the voice of God on a vibrating bed in rural Illinois.. Whats not to love? 6.   Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Another recommendation from a good friend (I am going to be so broke by the time this list is done). Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julin Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secretsan epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love. 7.   Chanel Bonfire: A Memoir by Wendy Lawless Another friend suggests this, saying:    Chanel Bonfire is brilliant. Its a memoir by the witty, sharp daughter of a beautiful 1970s jet setter. The social climbing Mom has mental illness and alcoholism. Its actually quite funny, in a black humour sense. Highly recommend it. 8.   Devil in the White City: Murder, Madness, and Magic at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson This friend says, Devil in the White City is a fascinating intertwining of two contemporaneous true events: a serial murderer operating in Chicago and the lead-up to, running, and aftermath of the Chicago Worlds Fair. Its heavy on history and architecture, but I really liked it. 9.   Defending Jacob by William Landay What is it about legal thrillers and summer? Lots of people love them and a very literate friend suggests this one, so on the list it goes. Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis- a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control. 10.   Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener Every man I have ever known loves Michener.   Published in 2011, this volume is a collection of tales is set against the background of the South Pacific, the endless ocean, the coral specks called islands, the coconut palms, the reefs, the lagoons, the jungles, and the full moon rising against the volcanoes. Sounds like the perfect summer mental escape!

Market Failure and Government Failure in Europe Essay

Market Failure and Government Failure in Europe - Essay Example For several decades, a debate has been raging in development economics on the relative virtues of the free market as opposed to state intervention. With the help of analytical models of a market economy, the interventionists have demonstrated what they have considered as serious instances of market failures. That is to mean, the inability of a market economy to reach certain desirable outcomes in resource use. The protagonists of the free market on the other hand, compile impressive lists of ill-covered and counterproductive policy measures implemented by the governments of different nations at different times. As a result, there has been serious wastage of resources in the economies of these countries. This debate has inevitably remained inconclusive. The analytical results on market failure do not disappear in the face of the evidence that most governments have performed rather badly. In cases where there appears to be scope for improvement over the market outcome, the search for corrective measures continues. Some protagonists of government failure tend to question the significance of such market failures. Some have voiced skepticism about the ability of governments to take any action in the economy which is not counterproductive. However, none of them has been able to explain why less developed European countries failed to grow during the first half of the 20th century.

Review of literature on Brady Plan Research Paper

Review of literature on Brady Plan - Research Paper Example According to Rosen (2008, 102-103), this period built a new government in the U.S. and saw the democratic elections in Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina, and the establishment of new administrations in Venezuela and Mexico. Within this setting, cutting down debt was one method to bolster developing economies in Latin America. Consequently, these countries take advantage of democratic transformation as a bargaining ticket to gain more favorable debt arrangements. These countries, as developing democracies, thought that pressing for inflexible strictness and full debt settlement would estrange newly entitled voters and threaten the continued existence of democratic governments (Hiatt 2009, 388). In September 1985, President Garcia remarked quite frankly that â€Å"We are faced with a dramatic choice: it is either debt or democracy† (Maswood 2008, 94). In view of this, the objective of this research paper is to analyze the status of the Brady Plan after 23 years of its implementation with a focus on Brazil and Mexico. In particular, this paper tries to answer the question, how did the Brady Plan help solve the problems faced by Mexico and Brazil as a result of the Latin American debt crisis? The success of the loan industry ended in 1982 due to the emergence of the debt crisis, raising alarm on global markets (Buckley 2009, 54). This bleak condition forced several international financial organizations to generate a remedial program, which may function to prevent a potential disaster. This mission engaged the government of the United States, but not, at the outset, as the major player. Basically, the Brady Plan included a rigorous debt assistance program where industrial banks may select from a list of debt-stock reduction and new currency selections, practiced within the context of policy contingency (Iqbal & Kanbur 1997, 25). In actual fact, not many industrial banks were eager to grant a new

Effect of Disabilty of Child Socialisation Processes

Effect of Disabilty of Child Socialisation Processes ‘Being born or acquiring an impairment has an impact on the childs socialization process’. Discuss this statement and state whether you agree with it or not. Make reference to literature and to the lecture debates. Draw from your professional experience. The first few years of life are important in developing physically, psychologically and also in forming relationships, initially with the primary caregivers (Diem-Wille, 2011). Socialization is â€Å"the process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills and character traits that enable them to participate as effective members of groups and societies† (Berns, 2013, p.6). The process of socialisation during childhood years is a crucial aspect in life which enables an individual to fulfil his goals, needs and wishes throughout his lifetime. Factors that affect the socialisation process in children, namely family, school, peers and the disabling condition will be discussed. Family According to Talcott Parsons, Primary Socialization occurs when a child is developing personality characteristics, beliefs and values in relation to their upbringing. This initially occurs at home, thus being based on beliefs of family members. This process develops as a child grows and starts to learn what is acceptable and what is not acceptable (Owens, 2010). The family plays a crucial role in whether having an impairment, both congenital or acquired, impacts the child’s socialization process. This includes the values that they pass to their children as well as the socio-economic factors. In a study conducted to research the quality of mother and child interactions between preterm- and term-born children at age 5, and whether this interaction is effected by socio-demographic characteristics and child disability (Potharst, Schuengel, Last, van Wassenaer, Kok, Houtzager, 2012), it was found that mothers of pre-term children were more intrusive into their child’s auton omy resulting in decreased socialization. This relationship was also found to be poor with a child with a disability, especially if the mother has a low education background. Many times parents of children with disability are more over-protective of their children, which can result in these children finding it more difficult to interact with others and also impeding that child to fully developing his or her potential. Some parents of children with disability have discussed with me, that there were times that their children were invited to peer’s birthday parties, and have not taken their son to it. A particular parent questioned what will his son gain by going to this party and still not participate in the games since he uses a wheelchair. My reasoning with this father was that his son might have been included in different games, as they can be adapted or he can be helped to participate by another friend. I believe that it is not just the participating in a game that is the m ost important aspect of attending such social events, but the interaction with his peers, the being part of a group of friends, to continue strengthen the child’s socialisation process. When adults control their disabled children, they are limiting them in developing appropriate social skills and self-confidence. With this comes a lack of experience of what childhood is, which might lead to being more dependent in adulthood. This supports the medical model of disability which believes in the dependency of individuals. This however can also be the opposite, where parents still help their disabled children to achieve and hence giving the opportunity for their children to become independent adults (Shah, Arnold, Travers, 2004). In Rana (2011) it is cited that it is the parents’ duty to provide care, protection and proper upbringing of their children. â€Å"Such a belief is predicated on age-long traditions and norms of societies that children must be properly socialized at home and at school to prevent them from engaging in antisocial or improper behavior† (p.44). I believe that under any circumstance, proper family upbringing is of major importance when discussing a child’s socialisation process. Hence this makes no difference as to being born or acquiring the impairment later in childhood. In fact, a Maltese 16 year old adolescent with cerebral palsy has now acquired good socialization skills, thanks to his family in providing appropriate upbringing. Despite being dependent in nearly all aspects of his daily life, having received appropriate education and nurturing, he has some good friendships, is able to understand the norms of society and participate within his community to the bes t of his abilities. Schools and Peers Children with disabilities in schools are more at risk of being bullying and of being socially excluded. They are often seen as being different and with less confidence. Having an accepting social environment will promote healthier friendships and this is important in developing appropriate social skills (Lindsay McPherson, 2012). In the Conventions of the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1989), it is stated that Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. In fact, a group of children with cerebral palsy were interviewed to understand their views on how to minimize social exclusion. A point they brought up is that they feel that their classmates should be informed about their condition, and that there is nothing wrong with being different, but one should focus on their abilities (Lindsay McPherson, 2012). Through this learning of knowledge non-disabled peers will understand how a communication book is used for example. During my experience at a special school in Belgium, which mainly caters for children with physical disabilities, having some of its classes that follow mainstream education, it was so refreshing to see social bonds between each kid in class. It did not matter to them whether someone uses a wheelchair or a walking aid, they helped propel each other or carry things for each other. They even helped each other play games, like helping a kid with limited hand function, to still throw a small sized ball at a target, and henc e participate in the same activities. The school system, staff, parents and hence the children all share the idea that everyone should be given the opportunity to participate according to their capabilities. Social Identity Development Theory (SIDT) is based on research that indicates that childhood is identified by children as being part of social groups, and hence developing their social interaction. It states that the way children display prejudice is distinctive to each social situation rather than to chronological or cognitive age. Schools also form a secondary role in a child’s socialization process, where children are taught how to behave in society. In a study by Nesdale and Lawson (2011), it was found that school norms and beliefs leave a significant impact on young children’s group attitudes. This leads to imply that children understand the importance of listening and responding appropriately to adults in authority, hence in understanding attitudes and behavi ours considered as appropriate or inappropriate (Nesdale Lawson, 2011). I believe that in Malta schools should also instil in their students the idea that we should focus on each other’s abilities, as this will help to increase the socialisation skills of children with disabilities. When the teachers and learning support assistants help to involve all the children in helping each other out in tasks that one might encounter a difficulty in, enhances such peer bonds. From school visits that I have carried out, one notices differences in the school attitudes and how peers relate to individuals with disabilities. This was easily be observed from a simple aspect like the class layout; when the disabled child was on a separate table at the back of the class, he was easily forgotten and excluded, whereas when the child was integrated with his peers, it led to him being included during break times, social events etc. It has also been found that children with cerebral palsy attending a mainstream school in Canada were different from their peers in the number of friendships and social isolation behaviours amongst others (Nadeau Tessier, 2006). Inclusion in mainstream education does not necessary mean that children with disabilities are socially included (Meyer 2001), thus it is important that good education is given to children both from school and from home and that these children with disabilities are supported and given opportunities to socialise and relate to their classmates. Impairment The condition or impairment itself can affect a child’s socialization process. It is known that children and young adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) report feelings of loneliness or the need to have more meaningful friendships, as many times they lack the social competence to feel at ease with typical peers. Therapy interventions should include involving these individuals in activities that are around their preferred interests, to help develop typical peer relationships. This can be linked to a child with ASD, aged 3 and a half, to whom I offer Occupational Therapy intervention, who is fascinated by insects. His socialising with his class mates and interacting in simple crafts activities was limited. It was suggested that pictures of butterflies or caterpillars are included within the classroom setting, and to involve such subjects during crafts activities. This child is now seen to participate and interact more with peers, as lessons and tasks are more about thi ngs he can relate to. A study by Koegel, Kim, Koegel and Schwartzman (2013) also showed these findings, were adolescents who were engaged in activities that related to their interests, were able to socialize with typical peers more appropriately following intervention. Such activities included a Basketball club, Cooking Club and also Computer Graphics club. Intellectual disability is another impairment that may hinder a child’s socialization process. In a study conducted by Baurain, Nader-Grosbois and Dionne (2013), a group of pre-schoolers with intellectual disability and other typical developing children were studied to understand the socio-emotional regulation and also their adjustment to society. The latter includes relationships and development of social skills. The teacher’s perspective was taken using two tests. It resulted that children with intellectual disability did not differ in their social adjustment in relation to typically developing children. However difficulty was found when intellectually disabled individuals had to adopt others’ perspective in social relations. This was stated to be due to some difficulties in social behaviour or behavioural disorders. The level of the intellectual disability is of course an important aspect when discussing whether being born with this disability impacts socializ ation. This can be linked with two clients (both 7 year old) I provide therapy too. Their families are friends, and thus children also spend some time together. One of them is intellectually disabled due to a congenital condition (which is not yet known) which is quite severe. In fact it is difficult for this child to understand society’s norms and thus has difficulty to participate adequately in society, as she just screams in public and just throws everything to the ground, for no particular reason. On the other hand, the other child with a mild intellectual disability is able to participate well in his society, being able to understand what is acceptable in the different contexts that he is exposed to (no particular behaviours observed). Both kids have so far been brought up in approximately the same family values and hence primary socialization; however their impairment severity level has an influence on their socialization process. Having a physical disability, both born or acquired, will have an effect on the child participation at school. This does not only include physical limitations that the child might encounter on a daily basis. Child/individual characteristics also play an important role. Having the motivation, will and also the knowledge to be able to perform in the context and appropriate social skills, most often compensates the physical limitations (Egilson Traustadotti, 2009). All these are other important factors in line with socialization process. Acquiring the disability at a particular age, the child might have a stronger will or motivation to strive to achieve the most their abilities, as they know life prior to the disability. On the other hand, this can also be the case of a child with a born impairment, who would still have high motivation to achieve and develop good socialization. Taking a step further and looking at whether born or acquired disability in relation to the socialisation process and how it will eventually be transferred to adult life Michelsen, Uldall, Hansen, and Madsen (2006) conducted a study of adults with cerebral palsy, compared to adults without a disability to identify the level of social integration and independence. Being born with a disability impacted the socialization process; however 68% of those studied where living independently with 28% of them cohabiting. However when compared to the non-disabled individuals, this resulted to only half the amount to be socially integrated. This difference can be due to cognitive difficulties, which ultimately does effect how much one can fully integrate with society at any age throughout the course of the lifetime. Thus it is important that all aspects that lead to acquiring good socialisation skills are provided to children from a very young age, to help them develop and reach their full social potential by adulthood. I believe that the way our society is built with its norms, values and thoughts with regards to impairments and disabilities, does effect children’s socialisation process. Being born or acquiring the impairment does have an effect; however the other constructs and points mentioned above define this impact further. Thus the socialisation process of a child is acquired when a mixture of the entire above are provided within a child’s life. It is important that children are given the right opportunities to experience, to be empowered and to engage with the rest of their community to develop socialisation to the fullest. Bibliography Baurain, C., Nader-Grosbois, N., Dionne, C. (2013). Socio-emotional regulation in children with intellectual disability and typically developing children, and teachers’ perceptions of their social adjustment.Research in Developmental Disabilities,34(9), 2774-2787. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ejournals.um.edu.mt/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.03.022 Berns, R. M. (2013).Child, Family, School, Community.Socialization and support(9th ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning. Diem-Wille, G. (2011). The Emergence of Body-Ego Individualisation through the experience of separation and closeness.The early years of life: Psychoanalytical development theory according to Freud, Klein and Bion(pp. 35) Egilson, S. T., Traustadottir, R. (2009). Participation of students with physical disabilities in the school environment.The American Journal of Occupational Therapy,63(3), 264-72. Koegel, R., Kim, S., Koegel, L., Schwartzman, B. (2013). Improving socialization for high school students with ASD by using their preferred interests.Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders,43(9), 2121-2134. doi:10.1007/s10803-013-1765-3 Lindsay, S., McPherson, A., C. (2012). Strategies for improving disability awareness and social inclusion of children and young people with cerebral palsy.Child: Care, Health Development,38(6), 809-816. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01308.x Meyer, L. H. (2001). The impact of inclusion on Children’s lives: Multiple outcomes, and friendship in particular.International Journal of Disability, Development and Education,48(1), 9-31. Michelsen, S. I., Uldall, P., Hansen, T., Madsen, M. (2006). Social integration of adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology,48(8), 643-9. Nadeau, L., Tessier, R. (2006). Social adjustment of children with cerebral palsy in mainstream classes: Peer perception.Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology,48(5), 331-6. Nesdale, D., Lawson, M. J. (2011). Social groups and childrens intergroup attitudes: Can school norms moderate the effects of social group norms?Child Development,82(5), 1594-1606. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01637.x Owens, B. R. (2010). Producing parsons reputation: Early critiques of talcott parsons social theory and the making of a caricature.Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences,46(2), 165-188. Potharst, E. S., Schuengel, C., Last, B. F., van Wassenaer, A.,G., Kok, J. H., Houtzager, B. A. (2012). Difference in mother-child interaction between preterm- and term-born preschoolers with and without disabilities.Acta Paediatrica,101(6), 597-603. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02599.x Rana, H. (2011). Academic reflections on family fragmentation and child socialization.Journal of Educational Research,14(2), 40-48. Shah, S., Arnold, J., Travers, C. (2004). The impact of childhood on disabled professionals.Children Society,18(3), 194-206. doi:10.1002/CHI.789 United Nations. (1989).Convention on the rights of the child.( No. 44/25). doi:http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/crc.pdf 1

Tuberculosis :: essays research papers fc

Tuberculosis TB is a disease that can cause a serious illness and can damage a person's organs. Every year more than 25,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with TB disease. That's only a fraction of the amount of people who carry the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a rod-shaped bacterium. TB is spread through the air by carriers of the germ. People who breathe the same air can become infected with the TB germ. People who do work around or with people with the TB disease should take medicine. TB infection means that the person has the TB germs but they are in an inactive state. When TB germs enter the body, the immune system builds a wall around them. While TB germs are inactive, they cannot cause any damage. These germs can stay alive for many years in these walls and eventually break out. At this time TB is active then it becomes TB disease. It can now affect the system's organs. A person can have TB disease shortly after being infected with TB germs if the person's immune system is weak. TB can attack any part of the system. The lungs are the most common area of attack. People with the TB disease have one or more of the following symptoms: a cough that hangs on, fevers, weight loss, night sweats, constant fatigue, and loss of appetite. A person with the TB disease in the late stages will cough up blood streaked sputum. People who have Active TB disease usually only have mild symptoms. There are three tests to diagnose TB disease. One is the Tuberculin Mantoux PPD skin test; two is a Chest X-ray which is given after the Skin test is positive; three Sputum Test reveals if TB germs are in thick liquid a person coughs up. The Tuberculin Mantoux PPD skin test is given by placing a substance called PPD Tuberculin under the top layer of the skin with a very small needle and syringe. The doctor will inject the needle into the skin which will only feel like a slight pen prick. A few days later the skin test reaction will be read by a trained health worker. If the skin around the prick israised and it is bigger or the same size as a pencil eraser then the person is likely to have been infected with TB germs. This does not mean he or she has TB disease. You should always retest yourself even if the first test was negative for a few reasons. If your immune system has been weakened, then your immune system may

Information Sysems

Use of Video Conferencing to gain competitive advantage in New Bank New bank can make use of video technology to connect customers with the right experts in a short span of time to provide quick and personalized service on-demand. Most banks worldwide are in a nascent stage of using video to carry on various businesses with their customers remotely; hence New Bank can take advantage of this. Through video-enabled web conferencing or branch office video conferencing the bank can conduct high risk, high return businesses of discussing purchase and sell of stock, selling mortgages, structuring investment portfolios and advising on loans.Advantages of adopting video conferencing in New Bank (Drivers) * Optimization of the cost/lemon ratio Cost income ratio is the standard benchmark of bank efficiency. In some cases, bank balance sheets and cost income/ratio are in an unhealthy state such that reducing cost whilst increasing revenues becomes critical. In this regard, video banking will he lp in reducing cost/income by decreasing branch banking headcount and improving revenues effectively. * Integration of disparate business processes Video technology paves way to integrate the disparate processes in the enterprise ND bring synergies between business teams across geographies. Real-time remote access Video conferencing enables real-time access to expert bankers located remotely. This then improves the quality of interoffice interactions. * Value to customers Video technology implemented in retail branches can provide high value product information to customers. This decreases turnaround times for closure of customer queries. * Enhancement of branch banking interactions Video conferencing allows expansion of video across branch networks helps information dissemination and cross selling. Visual Connect Video conferencing is used to connect customers with product experts when selling higher margin products.This then allows wealth management experts to maintain visual cont act with clients spread across the branch network. Examples of real life scenarios of video conferencing * Video teller technology in retail banking This is ideal where financial organizations seek to offer personalized transactional services to customers more flexibly and its benefit is that, it optimizes branch resources by focusing on higher value, non transactional advisory work and permits a eider range of services at branches and unstained locations. Social Media Innovation This is ideal to support a virtual branch online to support enquiries regarding advice on mortgages, foreign exchange and setting up payments. The merit of this is that it helps in providing personalized services to the customer and enhancing customer relationship. 2. Use of automated call centers in New Bank to capture competitive forces New Bank can adopt automated call centers as a meaner for cutting costs and improving transactions from high touch, high cost, traditional branch banking channel.This then allows branch employees to concentrate on revenue generating activities. Additional benefits for using automated call centers include: * The creation off comprehensive view of each customer's profile to understand his or her needs. * The standardization of the sales process to maximize the use of customer information in sales. * The upgrading of the personnel's skills so they can satisfy the customer by offering the right products and services. This allows the recognition of productive staff with the facility to monitor operator productivity.

Solutions System Company - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 26 Words: 7892 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Change within any organisation can affect the business in an essential way, and it could have a positive or a negative effect. I personally think it will depend upon how carefully the change has been considered, before it has been implemented. 1.1 Aim Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Solutions System Company" essay for you Create order My main aim is to identify an appropriate strategy to be put into place within A2Z Computer Solutions. 1.2 Objectives Define SMEs To understand how IT/IS has evolved over time To analyse the different strategic models that identify IT/IS capabilities To identify different strategic information systems To analyse the disadvantages of Strategic models To gain an overview of A2Z Computer Solutions To evaluate IT/IS in A2Z Computer Solutions To identify a SIS suitable for implementation at A2Z Computer Solutions Whether this change would benefit A2Z Computer Solutions Methodology Information for the dissertation will be gathered from journals, books, newspapers and Internet sources. Another useful type of research would be to use Quantitive and Qualitative analysis, as well as the application of secondary sources as mentioned. Seeking through the methodical process to add to ones own body of knowledge and, hopefully, to that of others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insight (Howard and Sharp, 1983). Quantitative research will be used to gain rich information, which will basically observe the expert opinions from relevant areas of expertise, for the use of research. A major advantage of the interview is its adaptability, a skilful interview can follow up ideas, probe responses and investigate motives an feelings, which other methods of retrieving information can never do(Bell, J.1999). The Qualitative research will consist of a questionnaire with open- ended and various closed questions. This questionnaire will be passed out to a number of employees of A2Z Computer Solutions. The feedback from the questionnaires will assist me whilst analysing how effective the new system is for the organisation. I will also be using several relevant books during the research stage. The reason for choosing this particular method is that it allows me to gain a variety of views on the same topic, which will be very useful for being critical in the literature review, (e.g. Strategic Planning for Information Systems) I will be using the Internet to retrieve useful information. There are many advantages of using the Internet, for example, it disseminates the appropriate information in a matter of seconds, and also required information is accessible from anywhere at anytime. (E.g. www.misq.org I will also try to look at relevant case studies as examples, in order to obtain improved knowledge and gain more detail and relevance. I will also use journals for the same reason, as they will provide detailed and specific information, which will be required. (E.g. Ieee intelligent systems) Newspapers will also be valuable in gaining applicable information, as they may contain relevant up-to-date information, which may assist with the completion of my dissertation. (E.g. Financial Times) Research Methodology All research involves the collection and analysis of data. This could be done through means such as reading, observations, measurement asking questions or a combination of these. The data collected during and for research may, however, vary considerably in its characteristics. For example, numerical, verbal or could be a combination of the two. Research is a very important aspect for any report which is in they process of being composed; not only can the study present results which will develop further more the knowledge and understanding, it could also provide suitable justifications for conclusion, addressing business matters and asserting academic argument. A set of principle of method which in any particular situation has to be reduced to a method uniquely sited to that particular situation (Information systems development methodologies, Techniques and tools; 1995) In order to perform independent research the hybrid research techniques has been put into force. Hybrid Research Methodology Conveying Quantitive methods of research provides the possibility to compare and contrast large sums of data, which will enable a more superior set of results. On the other hand, qualitative approaches seek to achieve greater insights into individual perceptions, which arrive at more realistic conclusions rather than reaching statistical scrutiny (Bell 1993). A Hybrid approach can encapsulate positive factors from both the approaches. In view of this, I adopted the hybrid approach. This can therefore assist when carrying out Quantitive and Qualitative methods of research. The combination of qualitative and Quantitive methods can complement each other where each fail (Miles and Huberman 1994). Primary Research Primary research is carried out by monitoring subjects in natural Environments. Due to this, such data is suitable for the means required. Whilst on temporary employment I was able to observe employees of the organisation as well as business operations this included both participant and non-participant observations. Interviews An interview is a focused conversation between two or more people. The groundwork of observed data was further carried out by in-depth interviews this was to gain further information regarding opinions of employees. There was a mixture of open and closed questions, although the aim was to use open questions wherever possible in order to gain particular attitudes. Employees throughout the hierarchy were interviewed in order to ascertain their individual views regarding the organisation, both internally and externally. The use of interviews, as opposed to statistical analysis, was to gain individual points of view. This approach has been encouraged by (Easterby-smith et al 1991) who believes that interviews are the most effective methods of research. One advantage of interviews is that, it allows for greater depth than is the case with other methods of data collecting. A disadvantage on the other hand, is that it is prone to subjectivity and bias on the part of the interviewer. There were two types of questions that were asked within the interview processes Closed questions. Open-ended questions. The advantage gained from closed questions is that it helps achieve greater consistency of measurement and therefore gives greater reliability. The disadvantage on the other hand would be in relation to some responses as the alternative chosen may not be a clear representation of the respondent. Open ended questions have a number of advantages they are flexible and allowed myself to probe, so that if chose I could go more in-depth with any chosen question, or clear up any misunderstanding. Questionnaires In order to gain opinions from a wider group of employees, questionnaires were distributed randomly throughout the organisation. Sanders et al 1997 believes that questionnaires are an efficient and useful means of gathering data from a large sample. The questionnaire was made up of open and closed questions. This allowed extensive views, whilst at the same time it was imperative for it not to be excessively tedious, thus allowing a higher percentage of returned questionnaires. The questionnaire differs somewhat to the interview, and it is recommended that open-ended questions be avoided, as some questionnaires cannot probe the respondent to ascertain precisely what he/she means by a particular response. Secondary Research Secondary data can reveal unpredicted or unexpected new discoveries (Dale et al 1988). The secondary research carried out included articles from the Internet, statistical business data, alongside various academic and business literatures. The secondary research gained will allow me to review the findings and the conclusion. Adopted Research It is important to adopt a systemmatic approach whilts conducting the reseacrh in order to minimise irrelevant data. Saunders et al (1997), Research Methods for Business Students Association Of Applied Research Overview The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of various strategic models of Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT). However, before further investigation can take place, a definition is required of IT. A popular reference used to define the essence of IT is shown in the following quotation. The enabling mechanism which facilitates the processing and flow of this information, as well as the technologies used in the physical processing to produce a product or provide a service (Peppard, 1993). There is no doubt that IT now plays a major role in all types of businesses, and in personal life. Technology is developing rapidly and businesses need to be aware of this. As technology is improving, it is important for businesses to modify their technology in order to maintain their levels of high service, and to be competitive. IT/IS is an important strategy within a business and no business is complete without one No business strategy is complete without an IS/IT strategy (Peppard, 1993). Many businesses have found it difficult to implement the right technology for its organisation. There have been a number of stages that IT has gone through since the first time it was introduced. This is shown briefly below. It also allows us to obtain an overview of how the use of IT has changed within organisations, and what stage it is currently at. For this, we must gain a rough idea of what system A2Z Computer Solutions should consider implementing. The use of IT first started in the 1950s, but only became significant in the mid 1960s. Technology has evolved over time within organisations. When IT was first introduced, it was frequently used on an everyday basis to undertake operational tasks. Nowadays, it has become more complicated as businesses have become more competitive and therefore, using IT for the sole purpose of completing operational tasks is not enough. IT plays a strategic role in organisations and is critical for its survival. The first era was one, which is frequently known as the data processing era, and this started from the 1960s onwards. This, in most cases, was implemented by organisations in order to improve operational efficiency. This was achieved by automating operational efficiency (Young, 2002). The second era was the Management Information Systems (MIS) era, which started from the 1970s onwards. This was implemented in order to increase managerial effectiveness by satisfying their information requirements. (Ward 1997). Young (2002), further states that the level of information provided is enhanced and therefore, improves the decision making process. This, in turn, improves the managerial performance. The third and current era is the Strategic Information Systems (SIS). This is implemented within businesses in order to improve competitiveness by altering the nature or conduct of the business. From the third era, the concept of Information Systems (IS) was derived, and is widely used within businesses. This leads onto the distinction of IS from IT. This can be shown by the following quotation: The flow of information in an organisation and between organisations,encompassing the information the business creates, uses and stores (Peppard, 1993). IT and IS covers a wide range of markets and sectors, such as computing, health and legal. The market to be investigated in more detail is the retail sector, as A2Z Computer Solutions fits into this segment perfectly. The retail sector in itself, is such a broad and diverse sector and ranges from large multinational companies down to sole trader. The research will be based on the area of small to medium-size enterprises (SMEs) for 2 reasons: A2Z Computer Solutions can be described as an SME. It is a relatively new market within the retail sector. Therefore, IS/IT has not been utilised to the maximum potential. This provides a great insight within the new niche of market. SMEs will be discussed in more detail below. 3.1 What are SMEs? There is no single definition of what an SME consists of. This tends to vary in different countries and is also dependant on the sector the organisation belongs to. A general definition of SMEs is not possible. The concept varies from country to country and sector to sector (Popadopoules, 1991). The above quotation implies that each country has its own definition of an SME. For example, a small sized company in the UK must satisfy at least two of the following criterion: A turnover of no more than 2.8million A balance sheet total of no more than 1.4million Not more than 50 employees A medium-sized company in the UK must satisfy at least 2 of the following criterion: A turnover of no more than 11.2 million A balance sheet total of no more than 5.6 million No more than 250 employees. The above is stated under section 248 of the Companies Act of 1985. It clearly states exactly what is required to become an SME in the UK. However, the European Commission later set out general rules to what SMEs must consist of which is now universally followed by communities throughout Europe. This is shown in the table below: This table enables us to make a contrast to the definition of an SME in the UK. There are many similarities between the two; for example, the number of employees in a small sized enterprise must be no more than 49 according to the European Commission whereas under the Companies Act of 1985, the maximum number of employees for a small sized company in the UK is 50. There is only a difference of one employee between them, which is not of great significance. For an SME organisation to operate, it must consist of certain criterion known as Business Strategies Firstly, there is a need to understand what a strategy is. 3.2 Business Strategy There are many definitions that are available in order to define what a strategy is. An example of one of the very many is given below: An integrated set of actions aimed at increasing the long-term well-being and strength of the enterprise relative to competitors (Ward, 1997). A strategy of an organisation is a set of targets, established by the organisation itself, relating to the business activities. The strategy is put into place with the purpose of directing the organisation to meet its targets, which are clearly crucial for the survival of the organisation. SIS is a relatively new concept, which has been suggested by a number of authors, but has not been implemented by many business organisations, especially within the retail sector. According to Peppard (1993), by having the correct IS/IT in place along with the appropriate business strategy, it allows for new management and business opportunities, which can be applied strategically in different ways, the main four being: To gain competitive advantage To improve productivity and performance To facilitate new ways of managing the organisation To develop new businesses Literature Review 4.1 Aim Through investigation of A2Z Computer Solutions, the need to implement a new Information System (IS) strategic model has been recognised and accepted through the position within its market. The main aim of the literature review is to understand the theories involving the areas of implementation and IS strategic models, in order to assist the observed research and investigation. To begin my literature review, I will look into IS strategic models. The theory on this topic has been gathered and analysed using many authors within this field to help distinguish strategies that can be implemented into the organisation in the form of IS. As a reflection of this, I will look into the implementation of the strategic models. The information on implementation has been collated and presented in many journals and literatures by a number of authors, which I will use in the completion of the literature review. The information will be a valuable source for the purpose of my dissertation. 4.2 IS Strategic Planning Business strategy is a key issue for every major organisation. Traditionally, creating a vision and objectives, along with a high level course of action to achieve the objectives, this forms formal strategic planning. As time has gone by, the focus on planning has been modified with the term strategic management. To reach the pinnacle of strategic management, a company must have a sound strategic planning framework, a widespread strategic thinking capability, the right motivational system and management values, and a good system for negotiation and review (Gluck et al., 1980). Business strategy is about competitive advantage. The sole purpose of strategic planning is to enable a company to gain, as efficiently as possible, a sustainable edge over its competitors (Ohmae 1983). Effective strategies tend to emerge from a series of strategic subsystems each of which attacks a specific class of strategic issues in a disciplined way, but which are blended incrementally and opportunistically into a cohesive pattern that becomes the companies strategy (Quinn 1978). From the quotes above it has come to my understanding that strategic planning implies an attempt to alter a companys strength in relation to its competitors, in the most efficient and effective way. The level of strategic planning implemented by an organisation will have a consequential effect on the success of the company in relation to its competitors. The foremost principle of this section was to highlight the importance of strategic planning before any IS strategic model could be successfully implemented with an organisation. There are many models that assist with strategic planning which have been drawn up by a number of different authors, these are explained in further detail below: 4.3 Audit Commission Model This is a very simple but effective model, which illustrates the conceptual underpinning of information strategy planning. This model has been suggested by the Audit Commission, which is a UK based organisation and is responsible for monitoring and the control of primarily public sector organisations. Define objectives- this looks at what changes could be made with the development of IT/IS. This can be related to the organisations problems or issues of concern. IT briefing for management- this would include the potential for the use of IS. At this stage it allows the senior managers to be aware of the latest development in the field. This will include the development of new technology to innovative uses of IS. It is important to note that the success at this stage is dependant on the level of communication being executed. Looking at the advantages the future technology provides, and proving that it is an investment worth pursuing can do this. Defining the Information strategy- by careful planning at this stage it will allow high levels of objectives to be fulfilled. This also will enable the user to specify the outcomes that may be achieved from using this technology. The outcome can be measured in terms of cost reductions, efficiency gains, or increased transactions processed. Defining the IT/IS strategy- at this stage it is required to decide how the objectives within the information strategy are going to be achieved. This will depend on the understanding of the current IT/IS resources and what it is capable of. From this, planned changes can be made. 4.4 Ward Griffiths Framework Ward and Griffith first introduced the model in 1996. This was a framework that identifies the key processes that need to be put in place. Previous IS/IT strategy- if there are strategies that are being currently used by the organisation, it is important to identify them, as this can help identify their limitations. Business and technical environment is a significant factor as IT has significantly changed over the last decade. New concepts such as object-orientated applications are also enabling innovation. Other planning activity- has an impact and it may help or hinder depending on circumstances. The model also outlines the planning process, which organisations could use: Initiate planning process- this is the commencement of what Ward sees as a vital activity, namely the selling process to the organisation. To be involved at this stage there has to be genuine interest. Benefits need to be seen, problems need resolving and perceived needs addressed. Review Business Strategy and understand current situation it is necessary that the current business situation is fully understood at this stage and a complex situational analysis of the business would be undertaken. Update information and systems architecture this stage defines a proposed information model for the business along with the systems architecture needed to successfully deliver it. This is primarily intended as a directional tool to provide something to aim for. Formulate IT strategy the IT strategy will deal with the hardware and system software along with platform aspects. These are becoming considerably less problematic as particular platforms dominate individual sectors. IT supply proposal from the previous strategy definite proposals can be formulated for the acquisition of the required resources. Prepare business case and migration plans this stage interprets previous proposals in to detailed plans. The quality of the detailed planning will be a key factor in the implementation stage as implementation is the biggest hurdle for any planning activity. 4.5 Earls model (multiple methodology) There are currently three major approaches to business system planning. They are the top-down clarification, bottom up evaluation and the inside-out innovation. Top-down- this model essentially puts the business into IS (Earl 1989). The first step to be carried out is identifying the business objectives. This is mainly done through interviews and documents, and is closely followed by identifying the factors, which are critical to the success in achieving these goals. This is done through interviewing the management team and obtaining their opinions. Once there has been overall critical success factors set for the firm, they can be then converted into activities that can be carried out by the organisation. This will require the introduction of IS that will support the critical success factors through the application of technology in products and processes, or the development of IS for co-ordinating and control of activities and for management decision-making. Earl (1989) states that the managers found this approach especially valuable in setting and agreeing objectives and in deriving critical success factors across the business. This also improved their understanding of the current business activities that are very important, and how these activities can improve the overall business performance. This method therefore allows an organisation to define its business strategy. From this, it is possible to identify the IT/IS that can be potentially used to satisfy the business needs. Bottom up this is not seen as a strategic model, it is an evaluative approach looking at the current IS of an organisation. According to Earl (1989), there are sets of questions that need to be addressed. This will be based upon the existing coverage of the system. This allows the current system to be examined and identifies the value of the system on the business. This method tries to identify what the balance is between the business values and the technical quality. Once this has been identified, it is possible to suggest what needs to be done with the current system. For example, if the system is poor with that of the business values, there is a need to eliminate the current system and implement a newer and more efficient system that complies with the business values. Inside out the objective of this method is to identify opportunities by IT, which may yield competitive advantages or create new strategic options for an organisation. With this method there are three strands involved. The first is based on techniques, the second is on processes and the third is on technology. The whole method is based on creativity unlike the other two that are based on analysing and evaluating. This methodology could be criticized on the basis of its excessive impetus on the management. The three approaches used give a need for strong management of each activity and also needs powerful support at all organisational levels, in order to create the desired output from 3 dissimilar inputs. Therefore, in my personal opinion, Ward and Griffiths framework for strategic planning is the most efficient proposal. This is because it gives a comprehensive view of the current business situation. Secondly whereas other models may be criticised as being out-dated, this model could be described as being a valuable tool for the future and this is particularly in relation to the potential for innovation from IT/IS. The model also gives detailed plans for implementation along with details of management responsibilities. 4.6 IS Strategic Models A strategic model of a business of a corporation summarises the future policies of the business that will prepare it to perform in the future. (American Society For Engineering Management, Mar 2002). A business model is a concept of a business, identifying how that corporation profitably makes money. Business models are abstracts about how various inputs into an organisation are successfully altered to value adding outputs. Betz below reiterates this theory. All models of organizations are models of a kind of open system (Betz, 1968 American Society For Engineering Management). 4.7 Current position of Business within market sector In addition to the strategic planning, it is important to understand the full details of the organisation. There is a need to understand the current business needs. In order to understand the business needs, there is a requirement of a complete situational analysis that needs to be undertaken. This can be done by applying a number of models to the organisations and then studying the results. From this, it is possible to obtain the current position the organisation is at. For this to be done, there are a number of factors and models that need to be looked at, which are explained in detail below. The IS/IT strategy is derived from the business strategy (Peppard, 1993). Mission Statement All organisations should have a mission statement. This defines the sole objective of the organisation. It consists of a few sentences that contain the key targets that the organisation has set itself. It is crucial to have a mission statement, as it reflects the key strategies an organisation has in the near future. Business Objectives Once a mission statement is in place it is important to set out objectives in how to achieve the mission. A definition of this is: Statements of specific outcomes that are to be achieved (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Culture/ Life cycle (Bathtub model) Culture of an organisation (Williams, 2002) An organisation can be one of the following: Innovator- this is an organisation that is ahead of competition, they pursue the development of IS and do not regard the cost of investing in IS as a barrier. This organisation is the creator with new ideas. Follower- this is an organisation that concentrates on efficiency of operation to ensure competitive pricing and reducing costs so that it can compete with the innovator. The IS used here will therefore be less dynamic and the investment tightly controlled. Dinosaur- this is an organisation that is unlikely to invest in IT/IS. Saving costs is a high priority and IS development is unheard of. Such businesses are unlikely to develop their systems and hang on for as long as possible before dying or being taken over. The Business Life Cycle (also known as the bath-tub curve) can be used to identify what stage an organisation is at in terms of competitiveness. Different stages: Growth- businesses that are on the upward incline are growing. They have very high costs, but the profits are also growing. Businesses that are at this stage will gradually need to invest in a IS in order to develop their business further and to increase profits. Maturity- businesses that are at the maturity stage have low costs and good profits making them stable. Sooner or later they will need to update their systems as IS tends to become obsolete due to the dramatic expansion of technology. Dying- these are businesses that have falling profits and at the same time the costs are increasing. Businesses at this stage may not have enough money to invest in IS as they would like, but they will have to develop or strengthen their strategy in order to remain competitive. 4.8 SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis consists of: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats This technique consists of the internal and external environmental factors, which are an important part of the strategic planning process. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats provide information that is helpful in matching the organisations resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. (Quickmba.com/strategy/swot/, 2003) The strengths and weaknesses look at the internal factors while the opportunities and threats looks at the external factors. A definition of a SWOT analysis is shown below: Offers headings under which to classify any number of aspects of a situation(Robson, 1997). 4.9 PEST Analysis A PEST analysis looks at the following factors: Political Economical Sociological Technological These are the environmental factors, which are currently important to the organisation. There are similarities between PEST and SWOT analysis, the Opportunities and Threats of the SWOT analysis can be incorporated to the analysis gained through examining the PEST of an organisation. PEST Analysis is important to an organisation as it considers the environment before beginning the strategic process. Environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The organisations environment is made up from: 1. The internal environment e.g. staff (or internal customers), office technology, wages and finance, etc. 2. The microenvironment e.g. external customers, agents and distributors, suppliers, our competitors, etc. 3. The macro-environment e.g. political (and legal) forces, Economic forces, Socio-cultural forces, and Technological forces. 4.10 Porters 5 forces This is a model used to analyse the different competitive forces that affect an organisation in their current position. This model looks at all possible external threats to the organisation. This force describes the intensity of competition between existing players (companies) in an industry. High competitive pressure results in pressure on prices, margins, and hence, on profitability for every single company in the industry. The five forces are: Rivalry amongst existing competitors- this will determine the immediate competitive position of the organisation. This will also depend on the number of firms that are already in the industry. According to Robson (1997), the rivalry can range from intense in a cutthroat industry, to mild in an affluent and affable one. Threat of new entrants- a new entrant in an industry will cause the existing competitive situation to be disrupted (Bocij et al, 1999). If competition in an industry is high, it is easier for other companies to enter the industry. If this happens it is possible for the new entrant to change major determinants of the market environment (such as market shares, prices, customer loyalty) at any time. The threat of new entries will depend on the extent to which there are barriers to entry. Threat of substitutes- A threat from a substitute only exists if there is an alternative product/service to that of which you supply is of lower prices and of better performance for the same purpose. The danger here is that a company may lose its market share if a rival can supply a substitute that more closely matches the needs of certain customers. Power of buyers- the term customer is king can be used here. The reason for this is that they can exert power by threatening to switch their purchasing to an alternative supplier. The prices need to be suitable for the buyers and is of high importance to a business. Power of suppliers- suppliers can have a major effect on an organisation just like competitors. For example, if a situation arises where certain material is in short supply, the organisation is going to be at risk from its competitors who will be bidding higher prices for the material. Whoever bids the highest will buy the material. Porters ideas have been heavily criticized with the development of the Internet economy during the last decade. Critics have pointed out that economic conditions have changed with the development of this economy. Porters theories are largely based on the economic situation in the 1980s, which contained strong competition, cyclical developments, and relatively stable developments. A major critic of Porters Five Forces model is Larry Downes, co-author of Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance, who stated that these beliefs are no longer feasible in todays society. Downes identifies 3 new forces that require a new strategic framework, namely digitalisation, globalisation and deregulation. These are outlined below: Digitalisation: This states that as the power of IT grows, all companies in a market will have access to an additional amount of information. Globalisation: improvements in distribution logistics have enabled companies to buy and sell to a global market. Customers can benefit from this as they now have the ability to compare prices on a worldwide market. Deregulation: the influence of a government in the business sector has gradually decreased over a period of time. Downes pinpoints information technology as the key difference between the Porter Worlds and the world of his proposed forces. Whereas technology is the most important factor in todays business, it was merely used as a tool for implementing change in the 1980s. Downes also criticises Porters models as focusing too much on the economic conditions of their era of origin i.e. the 1980s. Other criticisms of the model include the fact that in an economic sense, the model assumes a classic perfect market. The model assumes relatively static market structures, and this is not applicable in contemporary markets. Personally, I believe that Porters Five Forces Model is severely restricted in todays markets. It does not deliberate on new business models and the dynamism of markets. However, it does enable organisations to reflect on the current condition of their industry in a structured and understandable way. It can be regarded as a beginning for a more complex analysis of the business. 4.11 Stages of growth models All models of organizations are models of a kind of open system (Betz, 1968 American Society For Engineering Management). There have been a number of stages of growth models that have been presented in order to understand the developing sophistication of IS use and management. These have been updated through time with new versions. The basic objective behind these models, is that any organisation can move through stages of maturity with the appropriate use and management of IS. The stages of growth models attempt to help managers interpret the position of their organization with IS. According to Robson (1997), the stages of the growth model gives us a better understanding of the factors influencing the strategy so that the management are able to do a more successful job of planning. A prominent example of this is the Value Chain model of Michael E Porter in his book Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance (1985). 4.12 Value Chain This was a model created by Porter to study the possibilities of gaining a competitive advantage through different aspects of a business. The model allows a look at the activities of a business in terms of strategically important activities, which are known as Value activities. The value chain describes the activities within and around an organization which together creates a product or service (Johnson G and Scholes K, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 6th Ed, Harrow, England, Prentice Hall, 2002). (Bocij et al, Business information systems: Technology, Development, and Management, Prentice Hall) This concept can be helpful in understanding how value is created or lost. This allows an organization to assess how effectively the resources are being used at various points of the value chain. Porter distinguishes between primary activities and support activities: Primary Activities Primary activities are directly concerned with creation or delivery of a product or service (Johnson G and Scholes K, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 6th Ed, Harrow, England, Prentice Hall, 2002). There are 5 main areas related to primary activities namely: Inbound logistics these are activities concerned with receiving, storing and distributing the inputs to the product or service. Operation these are various inputs that transform into the final product or service. Outbound logistics these collect, store and distribute the product to customers. Sales and marketing this provides the means where by consumers/users are made aware of the product or service and are able to purchase it. Support activities Support actives help to improve the effectiveness or efficiency of primary activities'(Johnson G and Scholes K, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 6th Ed, Harrow, England, Prentice Hall, 2002). There are 4 main areas relating to the support activities they are: Procumbent this supports the process of purchasing inputs for all the activities of the value chain. Such inputs include office equipment, raw materials and IS. Technology development all value activities have a technology even if it is just basic (Johnson G and Scholes K, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text and Cases, 6th Ed, Harrow, England, Prentice Hall, 2002). This includes the development of the technology for the product or service, the processes that produce it and the processes that ensure the successful management of the organisation. It includes traditional research and development activities. Human resource management- this is an important area which transcends all primary activities. It is mainly concerned with the activities involved in recruiting, managing, training, developing and rewarding people within the organisation. Infrastructure this supports the entire value chain and includes systems of planning, finance, quality control, information management etc. These are crucially important to an organisations performance in its primary activities. 4.13 Nolans 6-stage model The first ever stages of growth model was introduced by Nolan in 1974. Since then, there have been a number of updates to the model in order to adapt to modern IS life. A definition of the Nolans model is; This is a 6 stage evolutionary model of how IS can be applied within a business (Bocij, P. et al. (1999) Business Information Systems: Technology Development and Management. London, Prentice Hall). The model uses the organizational technology budget as an indicator to signal a number of discrete stages, which are characterised by recognisable objectives, management polices, levels of user proficiency in computing and spending. The model was altered between 1969 and 1979 and included 6 stages in its final stage. These stages are: Initiation which is the introduction of computing but includes various technical/user problems. Contagion this is the rapid growth of use and development however there is little control or planning. Control where the planning and cost control are instituted into the organization. Integration which is the levelling of cross growth with respect to benefits. Data administration this is not well defined and portrays into management organisation data as a high priority. Maturity where by the application portfolio is complete and mirrors organisational data flow. John King and Kenneth Kraemer criticise the model in a number of areas. Firstly, there is little empirical evidence, which support the model s basic assumptions. Also there is little support for the existence of the particular stages and further more they stated that organisations have rarely entered the maturity stage. Secondly, Nolan placed a high emphasis on technology as the driving force of change. King and Kraemer described a number of variables, which helped to explain the evolution of computing in organisations. These are known as supply push and demand pull variables. Supply push is the existence of the technology drives the effort to employ it to good use. Demand-pull states that the need for more powerful tools drives the effort to create the technology. Another criticism is that Nolans model improperly assumes explicit organisational goals related to the development and use of technology. King and Kraemer also criticise the model on the basis that it is evolutionist and also it is so vague as to provide little means to empirically prove or disprove the assertions of the model. It is inappropriate for making prescriptions for management policies on the future. 4.14 Seven Ss (Pascale Athos, 1981 as featured in Galliers and Sutherland) The seven Ss are used in the analysis of organisational processes and management. The model attempts to bring together the key elements that are associated with the operation and management of an organisation. The above model considers the element of each of the Seven Ss in the context of each stage during the growth of IT utilisation and management. Basically this model uses the S elements in order to describe the IT functions and the provision of IT services rather than the organisation overall. From obtaining the description of each of the S elements in each stage of the model, an indication can then be provided of what might be done to move into the next stage of the model. The indicators are based on what constitutes the Seven Ss in the next stage. Stages of growth model (7Ss 6 stage model together) There are also other stages of growth models, which links the Seven Ss with Nolans Six-Stage model. The principle behind it is the same as that of the Seven Ss and Nolans Six-Stage model. 4.15 McFarlans Strategic grid This is a matrix model that was developed by McFarlan (1993). A quotation to define this is shown below: This model is used to indicate the strategic importance of IS to a company now and in the future (Bocij et al, 1999). The matrix model that was developed is used to consider the contributions that are currently made by the organisations IS and also the possible impact of future IS investment. The McFarlans grid is split into four segments. I am now going to explain what each segment is: Strategic- this indicates that the business depends on both its existing IS and needs to continue investing in IS in order to sustain continued competitive advantage. Turnaround- this suggests that a business in this position does not necessarily obtain competitive advantage with its current IS, therefore future investment in this area has the potential to positively affect the businesss competitive position. Factory- this suggests a business in this segment does have competitive IS, but doesnt imagine further IS investment having a positive impact on its competitive position. Support- this suggests that the organisation believes that it will not gain any significant competitive advantage from IS It is important to note that this model may not be used by all organisations, as not every company aims to move to a high strategic importance for IS. It has also been criticised by Hischheim et al (1988), who find this model being too simplistic, since most companies have IS that falls into all four categories. Critical Success Factor (CSF) Critical success factors can be defined as: CSFs are measures which indicate the performance or efficiency of different parts of an organisation. Good performance of processes measured by these factors is vital to the business unit or organisation (Bocij, P. et al. (1999). Business Information Systems: Technology Development and Management. London, Prentice Hall). The quote above clearly states the importance a CSF analysis can have on an organisation. CSFs identify the key areas in which the performance has to be of a good standard in order for the organisation to survive and be successful. This technique of analysis is also known as one of the most useful for an organisation in pinpointing what its precise information needs is. Once the strategic model is determined, the next stage of the process is the implementation of the model into the organisation. However, this stage is one of the most problematic as outlined below. 4.16 Implementation Brilliant strategic thinking and magnificently prepared pieces of paper called strategic plans have little value unless implementation follows (Denning B Making Strategic Planning Work in Practice, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1989). Strategy implementation entails converting the strategic plan into action and then into results. First you have to formulate your strategy. Without it, its like kicking a ball with no goal and goal keeper in place. (Alfred W.K. Chan) Implementation is the challenge that comes at the end of all new (and old) methods for improving the organisation. In the world of management, increasing number of senior people are recognising that one of the key routes to improved business performance is better implementation (Renaissance solutions Ltd, 1996) It is also understood at the same time that implementation is one of the more difficult challenges facing todays managers (Pfeeffer, 1996). It is clear that if an organisation wants to be a success within its market as well as competitive it is very important to think implementation through very carefully and carry it out until till the end. (Until it has been implemented). While the details of strategy implementation are specific to every situation, certain administrative bases have to be covered no matter what the organisations situation. Despite a large inventory of methods/models that currently exist, the potential benefits that could accrue from the use of these models have not been fully realized due to lack of implementation (Alter, Steven, Implementation risk analysis 1976). It is said that implementation is still in its infancy. It is generally accepted that there is a keen interest in both implementation theory and practice. As a result of this managing towards successful implementation of a new strategic model requires a good knowledge base understanding of the aims and goals. Strategies can be implemented by making rational decisions about policies, which may already exist within the company or may need drawing up. A primary starting point is a financial policy or a familiar budgeting system, which can consequently be developed into a financial strategy. However, there are certain problems involved with the implementation of a strategy, and Denning has outlined these. These include: Implementation took more time than was originally allocated. Major problems surfaced during implementation that had not been identified before hand. Co-ordination of the employees involved was not effective enough. Competing activities and crises distracted attention from implementation. Capabilities of employees were insufficient. Training and instruction given to lower employees was insufficient. Uncontrollable external factors had an adverse impact on the implementation. Leadership and direction provided by department managers was inadequate. Key implementation tasks were not defined in sufficient detail. Information systems used to monitor implementation were not adequate. Denning, B., Making Strategic Planning Work in practice, Pergamon Press, Oxford, (1989). 4.17 Summary As a result of the literature review, it has been brought to my attention that when implementing an IS strategic model into a business, there are many aspects that need to be taken into consideration. It is also important to follow the change through, from the beginning to its achievement, as it is normality in many cases for businesses to plan the change and not carry out the implementation through completely, this could be due to many reasons, as mentioned above. The strategic model, which has been chosen to be implemented, needs to be considered very carefully as there are various models that could be selected. However, the vital question is, is it the right one for the business? There are many different ways to allocate the correct model to be implemented into the business and personally; I think it is very important to assign a relevant amount of time to select the right model for the business. The various models available can help the business in many different ways, therefore, businesses must be able to decide on the model that will be the most beneficial to it, i.e. in my case I would select an appropriate model to help A2Z Computer Solutions to improve its competitive position. Basically, I would say that the best procedure is for the organisation to have a clear, strong and motivating strategy, formulated using a proven strategic model.