Currency War Between China and Usa Essay

Currency War: Currency war, also known as competitive devaluation, is a condition in international affairs where countries compete against each other to achieve a relatively low exchange rate for their own currency. As the price to buy a particular currency falls so too does the real price of exports from the country. Imports become more expensive too, so domestic industry, and thus employment, receives a boost in demand both at home and abroad. However, the price increase in imports can harm citizens’ purchasing power. The policy can also trigger retaliatory action by other countries which in turn can lead to a general decline in international trade, harming all countries. Reasons of Currency War Between USA and China: Competitive devaluation has been rare through most of history as countries have generally preferred to maintain a high value for their currency,but it happens when devaluation occur. China keeps its dollar artificially low so that countries like the US will buy its goods. China is the US’s largest trading partner and if they didn’t sell their goods for super cheap, markets like India would be able to under cut the Chinese and then the US would buy goods from Indian instead of China. There is so much trade between China and the US that China profits immensely without needing it’s Yuan to appreciate. This of course hurts the average Chinese person in that their labour is devalued but it beneficial for the country as a whole as it has quickly become a super power economicaly. In 2008, a trader paid one Ghana Cedi for one U.S. dollar, but at the beginning of April 2012, the same trader travelling to Dubai paid GH ¢1.74 for one U.S. dollar. This means that year-on-year decline in the value of cedi against the US dollar was 74 per cent over a three-year period. A point to note is that during the global economic crises of 2008-2009, the cedi depreciated by 25 per cent against the dollar. Between 2010 and 2011, the cedi again depreciated 18.5 per cent against the US dollar. For last month, the cedi exchange rate depreciated 4.29 percent against the US dollar. So is the current downward slide in the cedi value as a result of the slowdown in the global economy or due to internal structural weaknesses? This question requires a detailed research work beyond the scope of this article but it is a very relevant question to ask at this time. In economics, depreciation is basically the symptoms of an underlying problem, specifically imbalances in the Balance of Payment (BOP), emanating from excess demand for dollars. So instead of discussing the depreciating cedi, I will rather focus my attention on the causes or factors that cause currency to depreciate and what the government can do to arrest this problem in special cases. Before then, I must let readers know the difference between currency fluctuation and depreciation. Fluctuations in currency value are a common event and are usually no cause for concern. The minor daily increases and decreases in value are generally due to â€Å"random walk† and not due to an economic event or fundamental problems. However, changes in currency value become significant when the decline in value of the currency is an ongoing trend. Technically, when currency depreciates, it loses value and purchasing power, with impact on the real sectors of the economy. Although, the economic effects of a lower cedi take time to happen, there are time lags between a change in the exchange rate and changes in commodity prices. Factors that determine the value of a currency include the current state of the overall economy, inflation, trade balance (the difference between the value of export and import), level of political stability, etc. Occasionally, external factors like currency speculations on the foreign exchange market can also contribute to depreciation of the local currency. Such being the case, a government can intervene into the foreign exchange market to support its national currency and suppress the process of depreciation. Currency depreciation can positively impact the overall economic development, though. It boosts competitiveness through lower export costs and secures more income from exported goods in a similar way devaluation does. On the contrary, depreciation makes imports more expensive and discourages purchases of imported goods stimulating demand for domestically manufactured goods. Globally, governments intentionally influence the value of their currency utilising the powerful tool of the base interest rates, which are usually set by the country’s central bank and this tool is often used to intentionally depreciate the currency rates to encourage exports. Factors that can cause a currency to depreciate are: Supply and Demand †¢ Just as with goods and services, the principles of supply and demand apply to the appreciation and depreciation of currency values. If a country injects new currency into its economy, it increases the money supply. When there is more money circulating in an economy, there is less demand. This depreciates the value of the currency. On the other hand, when there is a high domestic or foreign demand for a country’s currency, the currency appreciates in value. Inflation †¢ Inflation occurs when the general prices of goods and services in a country increase. Inflation causes the value of the cedi to depreciate, reducing purchasing power. If there is rampant inflation, then a currency will depreciate in value. What causes inflation? †¢ Printing Money. Note printing money does not always cause inflation. It will occur when the money supply is increased faster than the growth of real output. †¢ Note: the link between printing money and causing inflation is not straightforward. The money supply does not just depend on the amount the government prints. †¢ Large National Debt. To finance large national debts, governments often print money and this can cause inflation. Economic Outlook If a country’s economy is in a slow growth or recessionary phase, the value of their currency depreciates. The value of a country’s currency also depreciates if its major economic indicators like retail sales and Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, are declining. A high and/or rising unemployment rate can also depreciate currency value because it indicates an economic slowdown. If a country’s economy is in a strong growth period, the value of their currency appreciates. Trade Deficit A trade deficit occurs when the value of goods a country imports is more than the value of goods it exports. When the trade deficit of a country increases, the value of the domestic currency depreciates against the value of the currency of its trading partners. The demand for imports should fall as imports become more expensive. However, some imports are essential for production or cannot be made in the country and have an inelastic demand—we end up spending more on these when the exchange rate falls in value. This can cause the balance of payments to worsen in the short run (a process known as the J curve effect) Collapse of Confidence If there is a collapse of confidence in an economy or financial sector, this will lead to an outflow of currency as people do not want to risk losing their currency. Therefore, this causes an outflow of capital and depreciation in the exchange rate. Collapse in confidence can be due to political or economic factors. Price of Commodities if an economy depends on exports of raw materials, a fall in the price of this raw material can cause a fall in export revenue and depreciation in the exchange rate. For example, in 2011, a ton of cocoa sold for US4,000 per ton. Currently, it is going for US$2,300 per ton, translating into fewer inflows of dollars. Interest rate Differential I will use the International Fischer Effect to explain the relationship between the expected change in the current exchange rate between the cedi and the dollar, which is approximately equivalent to the difference between Ghana and US’ nominal interest rates for that time. For example, if the average interest rate in Ghana for 2011 was 24 per cent and for US was three per cent, then the dollar should appreciate roughly 21 per cent or the cedi must depreciate 21 per cent compared to the dollar to restore parity. The rationale for the IFE is that a country with a higher interest rate will also tend to have a higher inflation rate. This increased amount of inflation should cause the currency in the country with the high interest rate to depreciate against a country with lower interest rates. Market Speculations Market speculations can contribute to a process of spiraling depreciation after smaller market players decide to follow the example of the leading dealers, the so-called market makers, and after they lost confidence in a particular currency start to sell it in bulk amounts. Then only a quick reaction of the country’s central bank can restore the confidence of investors and stop the currency rates of the nation’s currency from continuous decline. When the currency depreciation is based on market speculations, in other words, not backed by fundamental economic factors, then the central bank comes to the rescue- intervene. A sterilised intervention against depreciation can only be effective in the medium term if the underlying cause behind the currency’s loss of value can be addressed. If the cause was a speculative attack based on political uncertainty this can potentially be resolved. Because after a sterilised intervention the money supply remains unchanged at its high level, the locally available interest rates can still be relatively low, so the carry trade continues and if it still wants to prevent depreciation the central bank has to intervene again. This can only go on so long before the bank runs out of foreign currency reserves. In conclusion, currency depreciation is the result of fundamental deficiencies with the domestic economy which must be corrected over a period of time to restore balance. However, where the depreciation is out of speculative attacks on the currency, then the central bank can intervene to correct the temporary anomalies, which, often is short term in nature. Lastly, intervention in the foreign exchange market by the central bank to correct fundamental weaknesses, just like the Ghanaian situation will not work, because, very soon, the central bank will run out of international reserves; hence, the cedi must therefore seek its equilibrium level. The writer is an economic consultant and former Assistant Professor of Finance and Economics at Alabama State University. Montgomery, Alabama. Currency War in the Great Depression During the Great Depression of the 1930s, most countries abandoned the gold standard, resulting in currencies that no longer had intrinsic value. With widespread high unemployment, devaluations became common. Effectively, nations were competing to export unemployment, a policy that has frequently been described as â€Å"beggar thy neighbour†.[30] However, because the effects of a devaluation would soon be counteracted by a corresponding devaluation by trading partners, few nations would gain an enduring advantage. On the other hand, the fluctuations in exchange rates were often harmful for international traders, and global trade declined sharply as a result, hurting all economies. The exact starting date of the 1930s currency war is open to debate.[23] The three principal parties were Great Britain, France, and the United States. For most of the 1920s the three generally had coinciding interests, both the US and France supported Britain’s efforts to raise Sterling’s value against market forces. Collaboration was aided by strong personal friendships among the nations’ central bankers, especially between Britain’s Montagu Norman and America’s Benjamin Strong until the latter’s early death in 1928. Soon after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, France lost faith in Sterling as a source of value and begun selling it heavily on the markets. From Britain’s perspective both France and the US were no longer playing by the rules of the gold standard. Instead of allowing gold inflows to increase their money supplies (which would have expanded those economies but reduced their trade surpluses) France and the US began sterilising the inflows, building up hoards of gold. These factors contributed to the Sterling crises of 1931; in September of that year Great Britain substantially devalued and took the pound off the gold standard. For several years after this global trade was disrupted by competitive devaluation. The currency war of the 1930s is generally considered to have ended with the Tripartite monetary agreement of 1936.

Are Science and Religion in Conflict?

Are Science and Religion in Conflict? Indeed,a conflict does exist between science and religion however the conflict is based on the lack of acceptance and vast misconceptions which members of either side are unwilling to let go of. The conflict between science and religion exists because there is a lack of congruence between the results achieved through scientific discovery and the beliefs required by a religion to follow. This has led to the formation of two extremes i. e. either accept faith and the doctrines required by faith to be observed or accept the rational methodologies of science.In an article published by â€Å"The Atlantic†, the author is of the opinion that solving the riddle that creates the conflict between science and religion is of utmost importance for the current generation. This is because of the reason that these two schools of thought are the most influential forces and guide the way we live our lives (Alfred). Science and religion since their inception have been in a state of continuous development. However this development has been in the opposite direction i. e. nitially science studied the literature provided by religion however with the development of scientific research, certain religious concepts remained unproven because they were considered â€Å"Abstract† by science. This has led to people accepting one side to be true and the other false (Alfred). There is a conflict between science and religion however this is because of the fact that people are hesitant to study both and stick to one side. This has led to the permanent housing of misconceptions in the minds of people and is adding fuel to the fire i. e. increasing the conflict between the two ways of life.The major reason behind the conflict between science and religion is the lack of acceptance of conclusions reached by either science or religion regarding a particular matter. If science put more light on the topic under discussion, religious scholars would de ny those facts based on the grounds that the research is â€Å"blasphemous† and contradicts basic religious principles. An article by the â€Å"Times† magazine states the Christian Church and other religions including Islam focus on key aspects of human creation such as the possession of a soul by every human being or the miracles performed by saints and â€Å"Men of God†.Science however focuses on new ways of quantifying and measuring human evolution; both the concepts create a conflict (Dan, 2006). Science has been able to prove the physical existence of emotions such as passion, anger by locating it in different parts of the brain. This contradicts with the principle followed by most religions regarding the presence of a soul in every human and how that soul is free from bodily functions etc.However acceptance of this is denied by religious scholars based on the grounds that the concept of the Afterlife is fundamental to most religions and the concept of the soul is greatly in congruence with the Afterlife (Dan, 2006). Scientific research should not be viewed as a threat to the fundamentals of a religion rather the studies should be perceived as being insightful i. e. the research further clarifies religious concepts rather than denouncing them. There are certain driving factors that govern the existence and acceptance of the conflict between science and religion.Upbringing, Education and Social behavior are some of the factors that lead to people in both the scientific and religious communities to accept that there indeed is a rift between science and religion. In an article by Elaine Howard of Rice University and Jerry Z. Park of Baylor University, they provided the results of a study they carried out which involved the selection of 21 American scientists who were considered to be among the elite of the time. They studied their attitude towards religion and deduced that all scientists i. e. hether a naturalist or social scientist, hav e different levels of acceptance towards the conflict that exists between science and religion. The acceptance is affected by their culture and extent of religious practice (Ecklund& Park, 2009). Since everyone needs something to believe in, scientists who do not belong to a strict religious background readily accept the conflict since they have devoted their life to one particular school of thought. This perception is formed after extensive research based on rational thinking and seeking proof of everything which makes scientists so skeptical about religious beliefs.Among scientists however there is a lack of acceptance towards a religion even if he/she is a believer. This is because of the perceived pressure they would receive if their peers in the scientific community were to discover this fact (Elaine, 2010). The only way to resolve the conflict is to accept religious diversity as well as the free discussion of scientific concepts without being judged as being blasphemous. It is through this open discussion that the misunderstandings that exist between scholars of both extremes be cleared.The ways the scientific concepts are taught in schools are one of the major causes of the conflict. Since the teachers do not have clear knowledge and understanding of the scientific concepts, they pass on inadequate information to the students attending. In an article named â€Å"First Year College Students’ Conflict with Religion and Science† issued by the Georgia State University, the author tells us that it is in the human nature to perceive oneself to be better than the rest. The general public tends to interpret and create their own perceptions regarding scientific concepts and religious beliefs.The self-interpretations lead to misconceptions which are major cause of the rift that exists between science and religion (Martin, 2008). The schools and teachers within those schools teach in a manner that fixes and restricts the brain of the student to think beyond what is thought. The rigid concepts become permanent with the passage of time which leads to the rejection of anything other than the closely held concepts. Science and religion develop over time, sometimes even complimenting each other. If a clear understanding of the advancements would not be obtained, there would always be room for misinterpretations.Therefore to remove the conflict at an elementary stage, teachers should encourage students to interpret scientific research however they should know what is right and what is not in order to correct the misconceptions when they arise. An Evangelist is a person who preaches faith based on his or her own perception about the beliefs fundamental to the faith. Christian evangelists have always been skeptical towards scientific concepts as well as theological theories about the creation of the world. Amos Yong carried out an analysis of various literary works related to the explanation of the conflict paradigm between science and religion.The findings were summarized in the article named â€Å"Science and Religion: Introducing the Issues, Entering the Debates – A review essay† and focused primarily on discovering ways to align the methods of the church with scientific methodologies (Yong, 2011). The study identified various conceptual frameworks that could be adopted which would align the thought process of the evangelist with scientific methodologies. Other measures that could be adopted include targeting the people lower in the hierarchy at the church. These people could be taught the concepts of science and how science can better explain religion (Yong, 2011).The only way to resolve the conflict that exists for evangelists is to align their religious beliefs with rational scientific methods. Since an evangelist is a strict believer in faith, the beliefs would always be fundamental however better scientific knowledge can help bridge the differences. Science is based on methods and the ration ale behind every phenomenon. Religion however on the other hand requires the believer to keep faith in the fundamental principles. Both present a different picture of the same thing and it is this difference in perception that has developed a conflict between science and religion.Science and Religion are two sides of the same coin. These two schools of thoughts add to each other rather than diverging. Religious concepts such as morality can be better understood through scientific research which helps understand and adhere to religion better. There is a connection of knowledge between science and religion which if strengthened is in the favor of the future of the human race. Science and religion have a point where the two schools of thoughts converge. One of the points is quality of being spiritual.Although scientists work on the basis of rationality, they still have a spiritual side which allows them to keep faith while exploring the horizons of science and reasoning. In an article titled â€Å"Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think†, the author Elaine Ecklund states that even atheists have a certain level of spirituality within them. The spirituality may not necessarily be associated with keeping faith however there is a curiosity regarding the origination and formation of our plant and existence (Elaine, 2010). The spiritual side within scientists is promoted by their upbringing and education.The spiritual side makes them interested in religious beliefs. Through their scientific approach and belief in religious concepts, it makes it easier for them to focus on scientific research and proving religious concepts to be accurate (Elaine, 2010). Therefore spirituality leads to a better scientific reasoning approach to be adopted. Through religious involvement scientific research can be refined and complex questions can be answered. Morality and reality go hand in hand. Morality is the set of values and attitudes that are generally acceptable by a particular society for a particular moment in time.Religion requires a greater focus on displaying moral behavior. Morality can be better displayed by understanding reality and how it is affected by moral thinking. Morality is required by religion whereas reality is explained by science proving that there is a deeper link rather than a conflict. Through scientific reasoning we are able to deduce the right way to behave in a society. These studies can help assess what moral behavior is. The article â€Å"Religion vs. Science† outlines the scientific efforts to better understand moral behavior which helps us adhere to religious principles in a better way (Honner, 1994).Science is able to study all factors that affect behavior including societal norms, environmental conditions and personal feelings. By quantifying morality, we are able to develop a better understanding of what constitutes morality. This indicates that the relationship between science and religion is one of cl arification rather than a source of conflict (Honner, 1994). Therefore rather than thinking about a conflict being in existence, we should follow the results of scientific research and studies to better clarify religious beliefs.Through scientific research we are able to uncover and understand the abstract concepts that religion defines. Queries about our existence can be answered by a careful examination of religious concepts complimented with a thorough scientific analysis. In an article name God, creation, science, religion: the conflicts by Tom Chivers, the author tells us that scientist in order to deduce the actual age of the Earth moved to religious transcripts appearing in the Bible. Although the Bible did not provide dates however did contain information on the characteristics of the people at the time.This was a major input in the scientific breakthrough (Tom, 2009). The scientific declarations cannot be denied as they have been institutional to the development of the know ledge and understanding regarding the universe. By further considering the importance of religion we would come across certain questions that have been yet to be answered by scientific research. Through this connection we can uncover various mysteries concerning the universe and everything within it (Tom, 2009). People should develop a thorough understanding of the concepts of both extremes.Through this understanding we would be able to develop a much better connection between science and religion and resolve all mysteries which would give us a better understanding of who we are and why we exist. Referring to the first counter argument, it states that science and religion converge because a level of spirituality exists between the followers of the two extremes. The argument is refuted by the original thesis stating that although the spiritual level does exist however this would not lead to the convergence of ideas arising within the two schools of thoughts.The reason behind it is th e fact that there is a lack of acceptance of conclusions by scholars of both the extremes leading to a never ending conflict. Referring to the second counter argument, it states that science and religion add to each other in way that science leads to a better understanding of moral behavior which is a pre-requisite for religious believers. However the original thesis refutes this argument by saying that although the concepts add to each other however there are vast misconceptions in the minds of the followers of both science and religion.These misconceptions come in the middle and cause the conflict to extend rather than reaching a resolution point. Referring to the final counter argument, it states that there is no conflict between the fields because religious beliefs and knowledge acts as a basis of scientific research and discovery. This argument is challenged by the original thesis in a manner that although this can be the case however people classify themselves as being either religious or scientific. Due to this classification, the connection between science and religion cannot be established.References Alfred, N. (n. d. ). Religion and Science. Retrieved on October 4th, 2011 from http://www. theatlantic. com/magazine/archive/1925/08/religion-and-science/4220/ Dan, C. (2006). God vs. Science. Retrieved on October 4th, 2011 from http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0%2c9171%2c1555132%2c00. html Elaine, H. (2010). â€Å"Science vs. Religion† discovers what scientists really think about religion. Retrieved on October 4th, 2011 from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/05/28/AR2010052801856. tml Ecklund, E. , & Park, J. Z. (2009). Conflict Between Religion and Science Among Academic Scientists?. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 48(2), 276-292. doi:10. 1111/j. 1468-5906. 2009. 01447. x Honner, J. (1994). Science vs. religion (II). Commonweal, 121(16), 14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Martin-Hansen, L. (2008). Firs t-Year College Students’ Conflict with Religion and Science. Science & Education, 17(4), 317-357. doi:10. 1007/s11191-006-9039-5 Tom, C. (2009). God, creation, science,

Journal summary

Michele Semen's article was written as a useful means to give perspective to prospective and current teacher's information with regards to developing their own Pipes. The article is compromised primarily of past experiences from preservers teachers who wrote Pipes in their own undergraduate course and the challenges that they faced from their own inexperience's. The student's personal experiences enhance the readers understanding of the challenges in writing Pipes and techniques to simplify the process.Article Summary College student's experiences of writing individual experience programs are examined in this article by highlighting personal experiences of the students in an individual and group setting. Nineteen college level students that are in their junior year have been indoctrinated in a two year college teacher education program that was designed to not only show them previously designed Pipes but also instruct the in the art of designing their own program.The educational prog ram lasted over a period of two years and consisted of non graded activities, in class participation, personal reflections, and students writing their own personal Pipes. The two year course consisted of multiple PEP in class discussions and assignments that were intentionally unguarded. In the discussions, the dents discussed how to write various goals and objectives in developing personal Pipes. Multiple examples and case studies were utilized in developing their personal Pipes.The course also consisted of open ended questionnaires and evaluations in order to produce common trends and thoughts that students had in developing their programs. One major trend identified was that students recognized the importance of focusing on individualizing with respect to student's educational strengths and knowledge. Students recognized that for an PEP to function correctly, it must not be created in mineral terms but must be created to focus on the individual student.

Sun shines enterprise case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Sun shines enterprise - Case Study Example Sunshine faces numerous threats, strengths, opportunities and limitations the business venture is faced with. Sunshine enterprise operates a chain of restaurants in various locations. These restaurants are managed by Abby, who is the manager of the business. He is responsible for scrutinizing the quality of services offered by the workforce in the company. This has significantly enabled the company to expand continuously. This is because they have the ability to address the complaints and reactions of the customers, hence maintaining better and quality services. On the other hand, Sunshine enterprise is faced with numerous limitations. For example, the company is solely managed by one individual, who is the manager of the business venture. This is a limitation because it is extremely hard to manage the quality of services provided in six restaurants by oneself (Fine, 2009). Therefore, they should consider hiring several staff members to maintain the quality of services provided in the company. In addition, Sunshine has a vast opportunity in the business world. This is because they have the ability to expand the business. The current case study asserts that the company runs six restaurants in various locations. The company can use the profit generated from these six restaurants to expand the business by setting up more restaurants in other locations. The company can also consider rewarding their employees in order to maintain the quality of services provided (Fine, 2009). This can involve the provision of incentives in the form of rewards. The company also faces various threats in the business world. Sunshine Enterprise faces a considerable threat in delivering quality services based on the small number of employees in the company (Fine, 2009). The company should consider increasing the number of staff members to improve the quality of services provided in

What are the roles of men and women in marriage Essay

What are the roles of men and women in marriage - Essay Example He indicated this when He said "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:18). God formed woman to round out mans incompleteness, so that physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, and even spiritually, male and female would not be rivals, but mates (Coblentz, 141-178). It is worthwhile to note that God created man and woman on the same day with equal identity. That is, both were made in the image of God (Gen. 1:24-31) and both were given the mandate by God to "be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth" (Gen. 1:28). God also formed woman from mans side (Gen. 2:21-22) as a helper comparable to him (Gen.2:18). The man and his wife were to become one flesh (Gen. 2:24). The home is the basic unit of society. In Genesis 2:24 we read, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh". Thus marriage and the home were established by God Himself and it was intended to l ast a lifetime (Matt. 19:6-9, Mal. 2:14-16). During the last few decades cultural changes has redefined the meaning and responsibilities of man and woman in society and in the home. However, there exist a lot of confusion regarding their roles. Many men are confused and insecure. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of a good role model for leadership at home and they have no mental picture of what it means to lead a family. The Bible makes it clear that while men and women are inherently equal (Gen. 1:27, I Cor. 11:11-12), the man is to take the leadership role in the home (Eph. 5:22-24, I Pet. 3:1-7, I Cor. 11:3,7-10, Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 5, Gen. 18:19 etc.). This relates not only to the wife, but to the children as well (Eph. 6:4, Deut. 6:6-8, Prov. 3). In the scriptures true meaning of Christian marriage is mentioned in Ephesians 5:22-32 – â€Å"Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the

Dell Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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External Environment Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

External Environment Analysis - Term Paper Example It previously operated using Boeing 727 airplanes but has recently updated their fleet to the more advanced airplanes to meet the demands of their customers. The newly purchased planes are more advanced, fast and are more comfortable than the older planes that were previously being utilized. The company has a very busy schedule as it operates over six flights on a daily basis (Southwest Airlines, 2012). The airline company has also made acquisitions of several other companies like Air Tran Airways in the year 2011 during the month of May. This has enabled them to increase their airplanes due to the expansions witnessed in their operations. In addition, the company has a large labor force that comprises of over thirty seven thousand workers who are qualified in different fields to aid the company in running their activities. The airline company runs its operations in over forty two states within the United States that cover over ninety five of their destinations. Their management adve rtises vigorously to help in reaching a wider market through several humorous adverts like, â€Å"Just Plane Smart† slogans that have become familiar to most travelers within the country. The company’s strategy of fighting off their competition involves their recruitment of very competent employees, their high productivity along with their offer of low prices for their products. Finally, the company currently has a market capital of over 6.2 billion dollars with a price to capital ratio of 23.49. Their earnings for every share stand at 0.35 whereas their dividend yields stand at 0.02% (Southwest Airlines, 2012). Section 2. Porter’s Forces and PEST Analysis According to the article titled â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces, Assessing the Balance Of Power in a Business Situation†, the forces are powerful that are used for determining where the power of a business lies. The article stipulates that the type of information required when each of the forces inclu des the powers of the businesses suppliers, their buyer powers, competitive rivalries encountered, threats posed by substitute goods along with the threats of new entrants coming into their market. It additionally suggests that the threats posed by new entrants could be further complicated through their specialized knowledge, the cost advantages they have along with issues such as economies of scale. The competition encountered is augmented when the number of competitors increases, there are quality differences, switching and departure costs along with other differences in the products offered. Supplier power is influenced by issues such as the amount of suppliers, their scope of operations, the distinctiveness and the businesses ability to obtain substitute products. The threats of substitution are aggravated by substitute performances being greater and the costs incurred in changing from a product to another. Finally, the buyer’s power is said to be influenced by the number of available customers, their order sizes and their sensitivity to the prices set. On the other hand, the article by Dagmar Recklies on ‘Porters 5 Forces’ states that the model is founded on the basis of an organization utilizing the opportunities availed and fighting off any threats it might encounter. The forces are said to include the bargaining powers of suppliers and customers, threats of new entrants along with substitute goods and the competition witnessed in their market. The article from Value Based Management.Com describes

Sexual Harassment in the Work Place Research Paper

Sexual Harassment in the Work Place - Research Paper Example The industrial uprising and its transformation was found to bring in certain alterations in terms of the customary roles played or undertaken by both the genders. The altering responsibilities or tasks triggered the significance related to gender specialization along with giving rise to a fresh sort of workplace with regard to the Western society. The role of women remained no more restricted in just family affairs which increasingly specialized roles related to both the genders. The requirement of economic security began soaring as individuals started relocating in other cities. This growing need of economic security accelerated the need for specialization in the field of jobs. Thus, the role of men and women began to be comprehended more lucidly which gave a proper understanding regarding the kind of behavior that was predicted along with the manner of carrying it out. Subsequently, the responsibilities of both men as well as women became typecast (Lightle & Doucet, 2007; Boland, 2 005). Women who were found to be working generally indulged in certain variety of jobs which majorly involved other women. Women who belonged to the upper class were regarded as the â€Å"weaker sex†, as they were considered to be essentially supported by men. Therefore, women became gradually more dependent which endowed men with greater supremacy. As the aspect of power balance was found to support men, they considered themselves free to indulge in activities which are presently regarded as sexual harassment. The absence of such increased supremacy with regard to women hardly left them with choices other than accepting such behaviors. Sexual harassment mainly took place due to the encouragement of managers at work place. The reason behind such troubling acts were measured to be owing to the altering role of women as significant number of women started being a part of the workforce by accepting responsibilities and positions that were customarily male oriented (Lightle & Doucet, 20 07; Boland, 2005). Hereby, the paper intends to provide a detailed description of the current scenario of sexual harassment in the workplaces of United States following a comprehensive definition of the aspect. Moreover, the changing trend of workplaces in the US with this regards shall also be taken into concern in this study. Sexual Harassment and its Aspect It was found with regard to the above mentioned context that the discrimination of sex often leads to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can be defined as, â€Å"the unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment† (Equal Rights Advocates, 2012). Harassing a person sexually is regarded just as a section or part related to sexual harassment and is considered to be unlawful. For instance, passing an illegal comment on women may be defined as sexual harassment as it can lead to mental torture of that particul ar person. Moreover, it is not necessary that while harassing anyone, the harasser has to be of opposite sex as to the victim. The harasser and the victim both can also be of same sex (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, n.d.). Sexual harassment law is an integral part of Employment Discrimination Law and sometimes may relate to Civil Rights Law in the United States (US). Therefore, it can be stated that sexual harassment is an unwanted attempt and an activity that is subject to the court of law. There are two categories into which sexual harassment has broadly been categorized; they are Quid Pro

The Atlas. Microsoft Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Atlas. Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example ..8 Executive Summary: Microsoft Corporation has been an iconic company in the field of Information technology. Microsoft is recognized as a company that has revolutionized the computer market world over. The company has been listed in the Forbes 500 companies in various occasions. The company has been steered towards steady growth by its competent management. The CEO of the company Steven Ballmer is considered as a competent chairperson who has been able to help Microsoft grow further in terms of revenue and expansion. The company has been able to hold its market share in operating system market and expand its market in other ventures like Entertainment and devices. The company has substantial potential to grow even further. A brief history of the company: It was the 1975 issue of Popular Electronics that featured the computer product Altair 8800 of MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems). It was one of the co-founder of Microsoft Paul Allen who observed that they can dev elop a basic programmer for MITS that can act as an interpreter. Bill gates the other prominent co-founder of Microsoft and Paul Allen developed the basic interpreter for Altair, which was a success. This gave Microsoft a clear direction and on April 04, 1977 Microsoft Inc. was established. The company has ever since a huge growth in the field of software development and internet revolution. The company currently deals with product range Windows operating system, Server and tools, online service division and Entertainment. A brief biography of the current CEO: Steven Ballmer was appointed as CEO of Microsoft in January 2000. He has been with Microsoft since 1980. Ballmer has been heading various divisions in Microsoft ever since. The main divisions that were under Ballmer include Operating Systems Division, Operations and sales and Support. In the year 2011 Ballmer’s total wealth estimate was calculated to be US$ 14.5 billion. He has been ranked 46 on the Forbes list of billi onaires in 2010 issue. Ballmer is acknowledged in the business circuit for his over enthusiastic behavior during business meet. His flamboyant way of conducting himself during conferences sets him apart from other CEOs. Market analysis: The main Industrial market that Microsoft deals with is IT industry. The main products offered by Microsoft are software programs and operating system. Microsoft acknowledges the importance of Research and Development in the IT industry and is always developing new operating systems and softwares to gain competitive advantage. Markets in which the company competes: The company mainly deals with software programming. The company has expanded its domain in many sectors in IT market. Windows operating systems, server and tools, online service operations, business division and Entertainment devices section. The client division of the Microsoft deals with designing the flagship product of Microsoft Windows operating system. The server division produces pr oducts line like Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft Visual studio, Microsoft SQL and Microsoft Silverlight. The company also develops software required for business process management, Microsoft BizTalk software. The online services include search engines Bing and MSN. In business division the company deals with Microsoft office package mainly designed to cater the need of office documentation and communication. The latest package is Microsoft 2010. In entertainment and devices section the company de

Individual report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual report - Coursework Example This was further aided by a comparison with competitors in the industry and how their positioning either presents threats or opportunities. The comparisons show that BMW is well placed to take advantage of the key purpose of the existence of the single market, which is for the benefit of the half-a-billion European Union citizens. The key opportunities are seen in the need for clean energy and removal of tariffs while threats are in the form of pricing, substitutes and new entrants. It is concluded that although threats occur, BMW has significant growth opportunities in the European Union’s single market. The single European market (SEM) is a trade bloc composed of European Union (EU) member states with the objectives of simplifying the existing rules of trade through the bringing down of barriers. The ultimate benefits are targeted at the over 500 million people and 21 million businesses of the 28 countries of the EU. It is founded on four strategic freedoms which include the free movement of labour (people), capital, goods and services between all the member states (Europe Economics 2013, p. 8). On the other hand, the Bavarian Motor Works (BMW), founded in 1916 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, is one of the largest companies in the EU and also among the leaders in the automotive industry (Kiley 2004, p. 21). The company still builds slightly over 50% of its products in Germany, but is also significantly present in the rest of the EU, which is supported by the fact that the largest export product in Germany is cars. This report on BMW will focus on the analysis of the business opportunities and threats in the context of the enlargement of the EU, which indicates that the company stands to gain significantly. Before presenting the report on BMW, it is imperative to briefly describe the EU business environment and how it is affected by the EU laws, treaties and policies, since the report will be based on the EU’s

Effective Approaches to Leadership Essay Example for Free

Effective Approaches to Leadership Essay There is talk that the nursing shortage is over, but the facts show that there is a substantial nursing shortage which is projected to intensify over the next several years. This fact alone will increase the demand on the remaining nurses leading to nurse burn out and increased turnover rates. Nurses are the largest group of health care professionals in America, but the majority of the nurses are close to retirement age (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). This paper will address the issue of nursing shortage, nurse turnover and how nurse leaders and managers are approaching these issues, along with the personal and professional philosophy of nursing of the author of this paper. There are many reasons why a nursing shortage exists, and why it is only going to get worse over the next several years. The median age of the nursing workforce is 46 years of age and almost 50 percent of all nurses are close to retirement, which will substantially impact the nursing shortage (American Nurses Association, 2013). The Affordable Care Act of 2010 ensures that every American have access to affordable health care (U. S. Department of Health Human Services, 2013). This places an additional demand for nurses, and further increases the shortage. The results of the advances in medicine has increased the average life span, increasing the number of people living with chronic illness, and also increasing patient acuity levels which in turn increases the demand for advanced educated practioners. Nursing colleges and universities across the county are struggling to expand their enrollment levels in order to meet the rising demand for nursing care (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). Reductions in nursing budgets together with the growing nursing shortage has resulted in nurses working more, taking care of sicker patients and at risk for making mistakes. This further complicates the nursing shortage as this type of environment only drives the current nursing force away from the bedside. The current Registered Nurse turnover rate is 14% (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). One incentive that management and leadership nurses should be aspiring to is Magnet Status. The American Nurses Association in 1990 developed the Magnet status in an effort to reward hospitals that attract and retain nurses who demonstrate excellence in nursing practice (American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2013).

Designing An Online Dating Service Information Technology Essay

Designing An Online Dating Service Information Technology Essay Valentinos has been a very successful dating service since 1976 as it provides a round the clock assistance to their clients. The company allows the client to request as many introductions as they can and also facilitate the modification of the information as many times as the member wants to free of charge. The agency is very popular because it not only provides better customer care but also effective matching with largest number of members. Weakness Time consuming in terms of matching from database Lack of investment in technology No provision of online matching as the website is information only The technology used for maintaining the database and language used for writing the code are very old The system is poorly documented Valentinos is losing its profitability as the services it provides are old fashioned and consume a lot of time. The process of match making is done offline which delays the service. The technology used in the system is also a decade older which the new staff finds difficult to use and maintain. Opportunities Make use of new and improved technology Provide online matching of compatible clients Bring innovation to their marketing strategy by advertising online Including winks, flirts and various emotions along with messages Valentinos can make best use of the recent advancements in the technology so that they can attract more clients and serve the existing clients in a better way. They can advertise on the internet on different websites along with newspapers and public transports due to the increase usage of internet over the past few years. Threats Different agencies providing better and advanced interactive interfaces Some agencies providing registration free of cost Changing government laws on accessing personal information Due to the competition from various new dating agencies which provide more and more interactive services using of the new technologies at hand, Valentinos is losing its market share. Changes made in the government policies in the past decade also contribute to the loss in the profitability of the organization. BALANCED BUSINESS SCORECARD Financial Objectives Measures Targets Increase the revenue from membership Application processed per day Increase the application processed per day by 15% in next 1 year Reduce advertisement cost More online advertisements Reduce the advertisement cost by 20% within next 6 months Reduce manpower cost Number of queries handled per employee Reduce the cost of manpower by 5% in next one year Customer Objectives Measures Targets Increase response time Time taken to process an application Response time should be within 24 hours Decrease registration fee cost for membership Registration fee should be reduced to 125 pounds More matches per list List of compatible members Compatibility list should have 10 person/ list Internal Objectives Measures Targets Increase manpower utilization No. of applications processed/ employee Increase the No. of applications processed/ employee by 10% Speed up the process of displaying members details Time taken to display members information Members information should be displayed within 24 Provision of online matching No. of matches per application Increase no. of matches per application by 15% Innovation Objectives Measures Targets Market survey To make use of the new technology at a faster pace Quarterly progress Interactive environment of the website Use of more winks and emotions with better look and feel of website Include new features in the website within 2 months VISION STATEMENT For all the people in U.K. who are single and in search for their special someone, Valentinos- the personal introductions agency is an online matchmaking agency that will help them to find the companion they are looking for. The agency allows the users to create a profile on its website to search for their suitable partners without the need to display much of their personal information. The information held is fully confidential, secure and assisted by trained personnel of the company 24*7. The system will increase the revenue of the agency by 20% in the first year of its use. Unlike the current offline matching system our new system will provide the customers with the option of online dating allowing them to find their partners in no time. The customers will be able to interact with their partners effectively and a lot of time will be saved in finding the right match. Scope Diagram Help Desk Administrator Client Website Maintains Member profiles Output Result Query Database Registers Compatible Profiles Customer Assistance Valentinos Membership MatchmakingOut of scope: Marketing Techniques Advancement in technology used Market survey Costs: Cost of development of online matchmaking system The cost that will be involved in creating the software for matching profiles online. Cost of software updation As the software is very old it needs to be updated so it covers the cost involved in any updation of the website. Hardware installation cost This include the cost of setting up of new servers to handle the increased traffic of member and also of the new systems to be set up having advanced technologies. Staff training cost It covers the cost involved in arranging seminars and sessions for the employees to train them so that they can provide efficient service. Software maintenance The cost involved in maintain the software i.e. various updates needed and instalment of new versions of it. Cost of customer Assistance It covers the cost of providing assistance to the clients i.e. setting up of various telephone lines and hiring new people to provide assistance. Benefits: Increased revenue from membership fee There will be an increase in revenue as with new services there will be increase in demand for the membership of the agency. Better throughput The profiles of the clients will be made available in less time thus the process of adding members will increase. Increased customer satisfaction As the services provided will be faster and more proficient the customers will be satisfied to a greater extent. Fast profile matching With online profile matching the compatible list can be generated in very less amount of time thus speeding up the process of dating. Fewer Complaints With the matches been made available in less time there would be fewer problems in related to the delivery of matches and hence the complaints from the clients will also decrease. Increased reliability The dating system will be more reliable as the matches are made online which will result in the decrease in human errors and the success of delivery of results will increase. Functional requirements Membership Creating user profiles Managing user profiles Registration Priority: Medium Profile matching 2.1 Search the members database 2.2 Match the compatible profiles 2.3 Display the matching profiles Priority: High Managing Staff 3.1 Employees responsible for the development 3.2 Employees maintaining database 3.3 Customer assistance staff Priority: Medium Customer support 4.1 Helping with the membership form 4.2 Providing counselling 4.3 Listening to and providing solutions to customer complaints Priority: High Online dating 5.1 Provide online compatibility matching 5.2 Speed dating Priority: High Payments 6.1 Make payments for the membership and new introductions 6.2 Record payments 6.3 Printing statements of the payments made 6.4 Accept membership fee Priority: High Editing user profiles 7.1 Modification to user records by the user any number of times 7.2 Deletion of personal profile Priority: Low Maintaining database 8.1 Creating a database containing user information 8.2 Updating the database 8.3 Deleting the profiles from the database who do not want to be a member anymore Priority: Medium Advertisement 9.1 Increase in online advertisements 9.2 Better graphical advertisements Priority: Low Non-functional requirements Software Quality Attributes Availability-1: The system should be available to the users any time of the day so that they can use it according to their ease. Reliability-1: The capacity of the system should also be planned so that it can handle any amount of user traffic anytime and should not slow down when lot of users are accessing the service at the same time. Performance Requirements PE-1: Response time for answering the general query of the user should not be more than 10 seconds. PE-2: At least 10 matches should be displayed while providing the matching list to the user. PE-3: The members profiles should be made available on the website in no more than one day. PE-4: The compatibility list should be handed over to the member within a day. Security Requirement SE-1: The transactions made online through credit cards should be totally secure so that no theft takes place. SE-2: Members should be asked for verification username and password so that only authorized users can access the service. SE-3: Ensure that only authorized users can modify the account details and personal information of their own profiles. Legislative Requirements LE-1: The system should comply with rules and regulations of the Data Protection Act. LE-2: Personal information provided by the users should be kept confidential i.e. should not be shared with any other entity without the prior permission of the person. Product Requirements PR-1: The software used for providing the service should be easy to upgrade. PR-2: The system should be able to work with all the standard applications. PR-3: The maintaining of the database should not be outsourced to a third party. Employees should be hired to maintain it within the organization. Detailed description of functional requirements Source: Planning Priority: High Owner: Planning Manager Requirement Id: 4.0 Functional requirement: Customer Support To be able to provide counselling to all the users who need one and answer to the complaints of members. Non-functional requirement(s) Description Target Value Acceptable Range Comments Response time 1 day 5 days Analysing the complaint and looking for solution Service hours 24 hours a day Benefits Will enable the agency to improvise the services they offer by finding solutions to the customer complaints. Comments/suggested solutions The user can also provide feedback. Related Documents Related requirements Resolution Source: Planning Priority: High Owner: Planning Manager Requirement Id: 5.0 Functional requirement: Online Dating To be able to match the compatible profiles online and displaying the results to the user. Non-functional requirement(s) Description Target Value Acceptable Range Comments Response time 1 hour 2-3 hours Searching the large database Benefits Will enable the user to find his/her compatible profiles list in a very quick time. Comments/suggested solutions Instant display of compatible profiles. Related Documents Related requirements 2.0 Profile Matching Resolution (Goodland, 2010) Use Case Model For Valentinos (created using StarUML)Detailed description of a single Use Case Use Case 6.1 Make Payment Goal in Context New user deposits the registration fee to use the services of the agency and existing user deposits the charge for getting new introductions Scope Level Online Dating System, User goal Precondition System available, Finance manager available Success End Condition Payment made successfully, Registration fee paid, receipt of the payment handed to user Failed End Condition Payment not successful, receipt not accepted Primary, Secondary Actors Client, Finance Manager, Credit Card Company, Bank Trigger Request for Introductions Description Step Action 1 Client is asked to make the payment to get the introductions. 2 Client enters his/her account details 3 Makes the required payment 4 Finance Manager records the payment made 5 Finance Manager generates a receipt 6 Client prints the receipt Extensions Step Branching Action 1a If the client is the first time customer: 1a1. Asked to register first 1a2. Deposits the membership fee also 2a If the client enters the wrong password: 2a1. Give him few more chances to enter the right one 2a2. Allow the client to change the password if he does not get it right. 4a If the client is using the system for the first time: 4a1. Create a new account for him. Variations Step Branching Action 3 Client may pay through Credit card, Demand draft, Pay pal Related information Make Payments Priority High Performance 5 minutes for the payment, 1 minute to handover the receipt Frequency 500/day Channels to actors Online Open issues Due Date à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦any other management informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Included in Inclusions (Goodland, 2010) Assumptions made while modelling use case diagram Client can also provide a feedback in the form of complaints if he is dissatisfied with the services or the agency or if he wants to recommend any changes to the service. Administrator will maintain the information supplied by the client. He will also maintain the history of every client i.e. the introductions offered to the client. Administrator will hold the details of all the employees of the company. Customer service providers will not only provide solutions to the queries of the clients but also will be responsible for handling the complaints if any made by the client. Finance manager will be responsible for recording all the payments made by the clients so that the information can be used by the credit card company. He will also be required to produce statements of all the payments made by the client. Developer will have to run the match list to find compatible profiles and also manage the user traffic on the companys website. Areas Requiring Further Definition The use case Make Payments can further be expanded by including the different ways by which user can pay i.e. the user can either pay by credit card, a demand draft or even through services such as pay pal. The use case view online matches can be viewed in further detail by adding various features of online dating like chatting, winking, emotions etc. Rich Picture for Valentinos Reduced cost of offline matching Why cannot i have more than 6 matches Provide faster matches earn more money Will it be secure from hackers? This system will help us compete with new agencies Now I can see matches instantly Administrator Online matchmaking service Manager More work and new technology Maintain client records and their history Manage the traffic and run the match list for users Design the new system with latest technology Make the site more interactive Less queries about delivery success Decrease in number of complaints Developer Customer AssistanceC:UsersDeepankerAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5P2TU6YUZMC900055561[1].wmfC:UsersDeepankerAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5XUXPG77LMC900332528[1].wmf wow a faster and a convenient dating service Client C:UsersDeepankerAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5XUXPG77LMC900410797[1].wmf Police Is the company following the Data Protection Law C:UsersDeepankerAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE56NVVFFGMC900150005[1].wmf C:UsersDeepankerAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5P2TU6YUZMM900365263[1].gif Hacker More chances of getting caught Solve the problems of customers Various Stakeholders Primary stakeholders Client, Shareholders, Developer Secondary Stakeholders Administrator, Finance manager, Customer assistance staff, Hackers Key Stakeholders Client, Shareholders Stakeholders Attitudes Clients that are already using the dating service might not be comfortable with the new system at first. But as they get used to it they will find the new features of the system easy and better to use. The Shareholders at first might fear that the investment for the new system will not be worth the money and the effort. They have to be convinced that it is for the better as the services provided will be enhanced with greater customer satisfaction resulting to increased revenue. The employees may also find it hard to operate the new system as they are used to working with the older one for many years. There should be proper training provided to all the employees on the new system so that they can handle the new system efficiently. The development team may also find it a cumbersome job to create a new system and integrating it with the existing one. There will be an increased amount of work for the customer assistance department in the beginning when the new system is implemented. The lines might be flooded with assistance so they may demand an increase in pay or else new employees have to be recruited. Change Management The development team might not be very proficient or they may be wasting a lot of time in developing the new system. The project may be delayed and wasting a lot of money of the company. The senior managers might have to provide a warning of execution to the present team. If the development process still does not takes the required pace new development team has to be hired. During the developmental stage there might be a change in technology in demand which is cheaper and provides better functionality. Developers will be interested in that but the investors who have already invested in the existing technology will be reluctant. Both the teams have to agree on one common solution for the project to continue. If the new investment in the technology yields a profit on the combined total investment then the management gives a go ahead for investment in the new technology. Possible Developmental Approaches Scenario 1: Development by an external contractor who will specify the system and have it programmed by their sister company Select user story for release Suitable development approach would be Extreme Programming (XP). XP is chosen as it is an agile development technique which helps in developing a more effective product. A the programming is outsourced to the sister company it will be convenient for the contractor to follow this approach as the development can be done with only one customer n only 3 weeks of time. The process of development involves informal story narration of requirements between a customer and developer which can be easily understood. The programming is done by the programmers in pair. There is daily interaction with the customer so if he feels that the system has reached the desired level further work may be prevented. (Source: Cockburn A., 2008) Stories broken down into tasks Release planning Develop/ test software Software release System evaluation Extreme Programming Release Cycle (Sommerville, 2007) Advantages Cost saving in development as the development team consists of 3-10 members only. Development can be done with one customer also in a single room. The process of development is done in interactions over a period of 3 weeks. Each iteration provides the code that is tested and running. The customers as well as the programmers can reprioritize the tasks over time. Pair programming is followed. The delay of finding the solution is less. Rapid feedback. The design is simple. (Cockburn, 2008) Disadvantages The requirements are not documented. To proceed with development discussion is needed between developer and customer after every iteration. Optimization of code is left for the end. No overtime. (Goodland, 2010) Risks Involved There might arise a conflict between the two programmers and they may not be able to reach to a common conclusion. Hence the development can be delayed or even not be able to proceed. In such a case a new team has to set up and the work has to be done all over again. If there is a sudden change in the development team, new employees will find it hard to understand the progress of the work as the requirements are not documented anywhere. (Cockburn, 2008) Scenario 2: Purchase of rival agency and customisation of their software The development lifecycle suitable for such a scenario will be Incremental Model because the software is already present with the rival agency. The development team of Valentinos only need to structure some components and provide extra functionality to it according to their ease. It is an iterative model for the waterfall lifecycle approach i.e. each iteration follows the waterfall model and the iterations are done till the desired functionality of the end product is reached. (Ruparelia, 2010) Design system architecture Assign increments to requirements Define requirements Final system Validate system Integrate increment Validate increment Develop system increment System Incomplete Incremental Model Cycle (Goodland, 2010) Advantages The functionality of the software is made available quickly and in the early stages. Previous iterations provide feedback to the new ones. While the iterations are smaller testing and debussing is an easier job. Stakeholders view can also be incorporated throughout the development cycle. Risk of failure of the project is very low. Potential issues with the development can be found out easily and can be resolved. (Ruparelia, 2010) Disadvantages The individual iterations done are not flexible and they do not overlap with one another. All the requirements for the system life cycle are not clearly framed out during the initial iterations which may lead to problems. (Source: http://qastation.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/software-development-life-cycle-part-5/ )

People and Paperless Future for Organisations -- globalisation, social

Technology plays a major role in today’s organisations and offices, and has contributed positively to productivity and efficiency of businesses. Social media and globalisation may also have lead to an easier way of communication cross-culturally and making business with individuals and companies internationally. However, there is a concern that technology has gone so far that organisations and offices might become both paper and people less in the future. This paper will discuss and evaluate if there is a possibility for offices and organisations to be completely people and paper less in the future. The first part will define and explain the terms; globalisation, social media, office and organisation, the second will evaluate with the use organisational examples of which technology has changed the ways of interaction and services. The final part will include a conclusion and recommendations for the future. Globalisation can be defined as the following; â€Å"The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale† Globalisation is possible due to technological advances as the internet, smartphones, and computers and further back in time by improved vehicles and the ability to travel far distances, making the world smaller. However, part of globalisation is also traveling and social interaction amongst people’s cultures etc. One definition of social media can be websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. (Press, 2014) Social media has indeed simplified the interaction between people socially it is now easier to gain, have and further maintain contact with people across the world and condu... ...ielfisher/2012/05/02/poor-students-are-the-real-victims-of-college-discrimination/ Nogales, A. (2010, October 13). Facebook versus face-to-face. Retrieved March 27th, 2014, from Psychology: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-secrets/201010/facebook-versus-face-face Podmoroff, D. (2014). Retrieved March 26th, 2014, from Mind Tools- essential skills for an excellent career : http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/Cross-Cultural-communication.htm Press, O. U. (2014). Retrieved March 20th, 2014, from Oxford Dictionaries- Language Matters: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/organization street, Q. (2014). Retrieved March 27th , 2014, from Webopedia: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/paperless_office.html University, P. (2012). Retrieved March 20th, 2014, from The Free Dictionary By Farlex : http://www.thefreedictionary.com/organisation

Hypocrisy in Arthur Millers The Crucible Essay -- Essay on The Cruci

Hypocrisy in Arthur Miller's The Crucible â€Å"I want to open myself! ... I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!† Such a line was said by Miss Abigail Williams, who claimed to be a gift from God, but as we see, turned out to be the devil herself. Hypocrisy is the issue that many characters suffered from in the novel. We see hypocrisy in the lives of the religious leaders, or Reverends, of the town, we see it in the lives of the rich and greedy, as well as in the lives of the guilty. Hypocrisy seems to be the issue in the town of Salem. We see hypocrisy cover the lives of the religious leaders in Salem. Many of which claim to be holy men, and do not show it in the works of their lives. The reader discovers the greed in Reverend Parris as he claims to be a man of God. He never seems satisfied with the money he receives as pay for being a preacher as well as his wanting ...

The Wisdom of Frost Exposed in The Oven Bird Essays -- Oven Bird Essay

The Wisdom of Frost Exposed in The Oven Bird  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         These seemingly negligible birds, symbols of the lyric voice, have intuited the Oven Bird's lesson and are the signs by which one is meant to divine Frost's acceptance of the linguistic implications of the fall from innocence. The Oven Bird, who watching "That other fall we name the fall" come to cover the world with dust, "Knows in singing not to sing." Instead, "The question that he frames in all but words / Is what to make of a diminished thing." The fall, in necessitating both birth and death, imposes a continuum of identity that compromises naming. The process toward death, begun with birth, transmutes and gradually diminishes form, thus adding to the equation - words are things before they become words and things again when they do - an element of inevitable, perpetual senescence. The birds of "A Winter Eden" say "which buds are leaf and which are bloom," but the names are always premature or too late: gold goes to green, dawn to day, everything rises and falls and is tran sformed. Thus the Oven Bird says, "Midsummer is to spring as one to ten," because a season - this or any other - may only be codified analogously. "Fall" takes on a series of identities: petal fall, the fall season, the first and fortunate fall, each of which bears, at the moment of articulation, the burden of a whole complex of moral, aesthetic, and literary valuations. This bird is a "midsummer and a midwood bird" that sees things at the moment of capitulation to the imperatives of fall. Loud, he predicts the inevitable, and his "language" reflects the potential meaninglessness of a world in which one is forced to define a thing by what it departs from or approaches rather than what it "is." To... ... ice are, after all, the inextricable complementarities of one apocalyptic vision: that endlessly regenerative cycle of desire and (self) hatred that necessarily brings the productive poet to scourge his own voice as he mocks both the poetic vocation and the state to which poetry - and if poetry then all language - has come. Frost anticipates modernism's lament and, it may be said, prefigures in his dualism its dubious palliative of self-referential irony. The lyric birds and the weary speakers tell us the genuine Frostian wisdom of achieving a commonsensical accommodation with the fallen world, while inciting at another, and ineffable, level a profound disquiet.    Works Cited Robert Frost and a Poetic of Appetite. Cambridge University Press. 1994 "Robert Frost" in The Columbia History of American Poetry. Ed. Jay Parini. Columbia University Press. 1997

Differences between in India and China about Buddhism

The term Buddha is derived from the root word â€Å"vbudh† which means â€Å"to awaken or to be enlightened†; it is from ancient Indian languages â€Å"Pali† and â€Å"Sanskrit† which means â€Å"one who has become awake†. It denotes a person which have been many instances in the course of vast time, not just a person or a teacher who lived in a particular era. It is also a person who has truly awakened the true nature of existence. And based on the teachings of Siddharta Gautama (6th century BCE), Buddhism is both a religion and philosophy. Buddhist practices aims to â€Å"become free from suffering†, egolessness, and achieve enlightenment and Nirvana (paradise).Buddhist moralities follow the principles of harmlessness and moderation. Siddharta Gautama is a prince in the kingdom of Magadha (Nepal) who abandoned his rank, privileges, and even his wife and child; in search for an answer of the true existence in life. He is someone who did not claim any divine status or heroic symbol for himself. He also did not claim himself a personal savior inspired by Gods but rather, a teacher who guides those who chose to listen. Siddharta found difficulties in his life, dissatisfying himself with his needs, and while abandoning hi life to become an austere.According to Buddhist writings, Siddahrta was first enlightened during the time of his meditation. After doing continuous mediation, he performed his first sermon, which would be important in understanding the ideas held by Buddhism. The first message of Siddharta was sketched in The Four Noble Truths—1) pain, suffering, frustration and anxiety are negative that are given and that human could not escape, as it is part of the human life; 2) that suffering and anxiety are human caused choice; 3) that people is able to understand this weaknesses and; ) triumph is achievable by having a code of conduct.Buddhism originated in India, and gradually spread throughout Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asian countries including Japan, Korea, Mongolia and China. Up to these days, there are schools and practitioners from different part of the globe that still spread the word of Buddhism and teaches their followers to always perform good and wholesome actions and to avoid harm to others. For them, that this is the true meaning of enlightenment and existence. As Buddhism in India grow in large number, many people readily converted from Hinduism to Buddhism to achieve â€Å"enlightenment†.For them, being one follower of Buddha is easier because it does not require any traditions or set of Gods. Buddhist shrines were built but after a few centuries, Islam destroyed it. A great impact to Buddhism happened in India when Dalit (untouchable caste) leader converted from Hinduism to Buddhism which led hundreds of thousands away from Hinduism. After a millennium of Buddha’s death, Chinese adapted Buddhism to suit their old traditions of Taoism and Confuc ianism. But, as a way of Buddhism practices and beliefs, there are some differences between Buddhism in China and India.First one is that Chinese do believe in souls while Indians don’t. Second is that, Indians are disgusted with the dead, while Chinese praised and worship the dead and images of loved ones. But, whatever their differences are, according to Buddhism, no religion is â€Å"wrong†, any person of other religion can also be termed Buddhist, because all will lead to â€Å"enlightenment†. No rules are set to which God to worship, or what to do to achieve enlightenment. Both Chinese and Indians appreciate and follow the writings of Buddha, and adhere with his state of mind. The transformation of BuddhismBuddhism plays a very significant role in the history of Asia. It caused changes in some other realms of cultural identity. Soon after, Buddhism was already starting to transformations in the Indian lifestyle. Though Buddhism is worldwidely known, it also encountered criticisms form its skeptics. If analyzed, it could be realized that Buddhism is not just as a religion, but it is also a phenomenon on different aspects like social and cultural. During those times, the most promising aspect of Buddhism is cosmology that was widely used in the ancient Indian.This includes the beliefs of karma as the one that dictates one’s next life and samsara as the transmigration if souls by means of birth and rebirth. Cosmology has become a significant concept that affected art, social life and different challenges in the social life. It can be concluded that the almost everything in Buddhism, its roots, origin of popularity first existed in India. One of its most significant motivations is its indiscriminate ideology for male and female, educated and illiterate, etc.Buddhism also put high regards in a path when he concluded that there is no wrong or harm in praising and honoring gods, or even practicing rituals as long as they keep the obje ctive of enlightenment in mind. At this point, Buddhism has become safe while instilling that people does not have to throw their religious practices in order to follow the Eightfold Path. After Buddha’s death, followers continued to practice and send the message orally, and was only first written during the first century of C. E. Several changes occurred in the practices of monks.From eating one meal a day for about eight months, then shifted in introducing the Buddhist monasteries. Buddhism has also a great impact in the India’s politics in ancient times. King Ashoka, after deaths caused by battles, became a strong follower of Buddhism. He banned on animal sacrifices, sent missionaries in different known and popular countries. This has became the origin of art and architecture as a way of depicting Buddha in the human form. Another transformation of Buddhism is the development of sects, which are the Mahayana and Theravada.Mahayana is called â€Å"Great Vehicle† which is now exercise in China. Theravada was the first school of Buddhism, where it was formally taught. Undoubtedly, Buddhism spread to all different parts of Asia- first from India then after is China. Buddhism was firs received in China as a religion of merchants because of the environment of their primary contact with it then later became of more importance when missionaries started to came. Buddhism began to spread widely after the fall of Han’s Dynasty.Just like in India, Buddhism was viewed in China like something that could offer everything to everyone, like a sense of peace and unity, which enable it to be followed by a wide range of people For the rulers and powerful, Buddhism presented them an extraordinary power. Also, like in India, Buddhism introduced equality in the treatment of women, and opposing parties. By this time, there was huge increased in the number of temples, followers, changes in arts such as sculptures and architectures. The effect of Buddhism in the Chinese arts was obvious enough to change the culture of Chinese.This can be notably seen in arts with the execution in the arts that emphasized the concepts of meditations, empty space, etc. The ideology of Buddhism has greatly affected the Indian and Chinese culture, as well in the different countries worldwide. Its fairness and almost perfect ideology has become its power in creating a large span of followers. Buddhism achieved a degree of goodness in spreading its concepts like the fairness or the equality of nature. China and India were successful enough in fostering the improvement and growth of a revolutionary idea.

Dimensions Of Negotiation

Negotiation has been an intensely canvass and researched topic in the fields of business, governance and psychology since past many years. The grandeur of dialogue stems from the fact that it is an inter-personal exploit of colloquy that concerns the principle of direct approach to individuals. With increase recognition of communication as a premier engaging strategy in impinge resolution and ensuring smooth organisational affairs, a critical parameter for supremacy and growth in straight offs environment, negotiation has gained considerable emphasis and focus.Although negotiation is a part of communication strategy, today it has emerged as an independent communication placement with its own edgees and life cycle. The major balance of negotiation include, negotiation as a process of involution management, negotiation as a inter-personal process, architecting the process of negotiation, and third fellowship negotiation. Among these , the two major dimensions of negoti ation atomic number 18 conflict management and third society intervention.Negotiation and conflict management . Negotiation, as a part of managing conflict, requires interested parties to trade proposals for liquidation that include, out of court settlements, business contracts, corporate bargaining contract etc (Womack, 1990, 32). As Womack nevertheless elaborates, generally the process of negotiation speak through motives that argon both combative and cooperative.The approach of communication in the broad(a) process of negotiation is business organizationed with the messages that atomic number 18 transferred among negotiators and the concerned parties. dialogue intervenes in the process of negotiation through its both verbal and nonverbal forms and constitutes the undefiled base on which the goals and terms of the bargain are negotiated. Communication plays the central role in non only developing the relationship among the parties in conflict, but also in find out i ts direction.It is also central in all form of bargaining process, whether the bargaining is through for organizational form of conflict management, involves conflict resolution, negotiation on legal agreements or for negotiation in inter-group an intra group conflict. The entire role of communication in negotiation processes and strategies is quite vast and it ranges from defining the conflict issues, selection and implementation of strategies to positing and defending the practicable alternatives and finally abeting in attain on a solution (Womack, 1990, 35).In some(prenominal) studies on communication research, especially those involving naughty theory, communication was not considered central to the process of negotiation. Experiments showed that even when bargainers and negotiators relapseed to communication, it was more for threatening than cooperating and collaborating. Womack quotes Deutsch (1969) to asseverate that back in 60s communication was considered as an unr eliable approach in cave in conflicts through negotiations.Moreover, there were fears that poor communication forms could result in mis instruction, errors and possible minus outcomes. There was an additional perception that owe to competitive natures of negotiations, effective and open carry of communication were not possible. Some of these findings birth valid in disputes, particularly that are distributive in nature and concern with business and marketing segment, it has been nonetheless detect that where the goal is to achieve integrated goals, a problem solving approach whole works in excellent way.Womack (1990) further cites Lewicki, Weiss and Lewin, (1988), fisher and Uri (1981), Lewicki and Litterer (1985) and Walton and Mckersie (1965) to state that negotiator resort to using multiple formal and versed communication channels to redefine the issues, present analysis of causes that offer difficulties in declaration the conflict and finally, through sharing of informat ion and assessment of needs, help to identify the complete range of possible alternatives and solutions that are satisfying to mutual interests and needs of each caller in the deal.These approaches lead to negotiation strategies that involve greater participation by irrelevant parties, positively contributing to the increased chances of success in reaching settlement through more alternate solution.Some of the communication strategies adopted during negotiations on the group and organization levels in managing conflict include use of conjuration themes, interpretive themes, and stories and rituals that provide scapegoats to the involved parties and harbour them external reasons to come out with excuses, reasons and justifications to deposit each others behavior, thereby preventing the chances of negotiations being stalled (Womack, 42).It is of first importance that a mediator should present a completely neutral and unbiased image in front the conflicting parties to win the ir confidence and sureness in the ability of mediator to help in achieving possible outcome in conflict. The communication skills of mediators should present them as individuals exculpate of gender, racial or ethnic biases. along with this, successful mediation also requires audition skills on part of the mediator. It helps mediator to get word the current position of each companionship in the conflict as wellhead inspire them with confidence in the disinterest of the mediator.

Charles Martin in Uganda Essay

Charles Martin, a 29-year-old American who had worked for Hydro Generation (HG) for 2 years before embarking on the Ugandan damn labor movement. Martins educational experience, a detail in African Studies from the University of Wisconsin as well as a MBA from the University of Maryland coupled with his experience functional through the Peace Corps made Martin unambiguously qualified to work for HG in their untested venture in Africa, a hydro-electric damn in Uganda. During Martins tenure in Uganda , his assignments were to, gain support from local authorities, set up offices and insure the smooth movement of the office, overseeing operations including hiring, keeping inventory and keeping method of accounting records as well as logistical aspects such(prenominal)(prenominal) as cuding with customs. Martins job also include helping revolutionary expatriates settle into living and operative in Uganda. Describe Ugandan cultural attributes that great power affect operation f or external beau monde run there? Uganda, a multilingual culturally different artless of a little more than 25 million people poses many a nonher(prenominal) challenges to a foreign company operating there.In addition to what whitethorn con officered mostly normal challenges Uganda holds challenges that may not be found in separate countries. With a considerable history of political instability and political turpitude that continues into the present companies doing furrow enterprise there ar approach with the stark reality that their business transactions maybe tainted because with such corruption ones place among the stiff is never apprised. Nepotism is the norm in Uganda. Nepotism, the cause of allowing relatives to construct jobs or promotions, even when undeserved thrives in Uganda. With jobs organism awarded to family members, mostly through word of mouth connections lecture is very important to a business dealing in Uganda. Although English is the official l anguage, many other languages are spoken throughout Uganda.The use of many languages thorough different cultural venues annoys for a fractious a foreign company to carry on business successfully, as one is never assured what language will be preeminent consequently communications are not always the easiest in Uganda. .Uganda many religions also make for challenges in business dealings. Although much of the population is Christian there are many tribal religions that are a lovesome influence, a foreign company would exhaust to be accepting of their practices in articulate to successfully deal with the local peoples. In general, business is much laggard moving in Uganda and it is not uncommon practice to pay off or tip officials to make things progress more quickly, a practice unhearable of in the United States. How would you describe the respective(prenominal) attitudes of Martin and car park ethnocentric, polycentric or geocentric? What factors do you suspect of having infl uenced their respective attitudes?Martins attitude was one of polycentrism. Polycentric thought is such that Martin would conduct business in such a way that would conform to and accept the customs of the solid ground in which the business was. Martin showed his polycentric attitude by salaried tips, living in the middle class neighborhoods sort of than with other expatriates, participating in tribal ceremonies and exploitation nepotism in his hiring practices. Greens attitude was of geocentric thought. Ptolemaic thought accepts that received differences of thought are equal in order to ensure successful business dealings. Depending on the individual circumstances, the company adapts to either the new purification or working to integrate the sentiment system of the home estate. Greens attitude was influenced by his appetite to incorporate the belief system of the company into the business in Uganda while Martins main touch was to fulfill the requirements of the project r egardless of the fallout from the stepping outside(a) from the corporate values.Who was right, Green or Martin, about the contentious actions? Martin took in the Uganda an operation. What might have been the results if he had not taken those actions? Martin was correct in his actions. With Martins introductory knowledge of what actions would be required in order to succeed in business in Africa and his desire to complete the required tasks in a seasonably fashion adapting to local customs such as nepotism helped insure the success of his project. Although successful Martin did take risks when utilizing a polycentric approach to his work, at any point his association in various activities such as tribal rituals could have back fired due to change magnitude pressure from an unstable government and corrupt officials talk advantage of their increased leverage to exact higher(prenominal) and higher prices for continued cooperation. These problems coupled with the possibility of c ertain actions being illegal in HGs home country directly conflicts with corporate polity.Despite these increased perils, if Martin had not undertaken this approach to business in Uganda increased delays, would for sure have occurred, local collaboration would have been decreased, expensed would have been increased due to either longer handgrip periods or the eventual abandonment of the project due to lack of progress. In the future(a) phase of the project running the power plant-should HG employ psyche whose main function is that of a occasion among its corporate culture and the culture of its host country? If so, is Martin the right person for the job?In the next phase of this project, the running of the power plant HG should employ someone whose main function is to be a liaison between the corporate culture and the host country of Uganda. If there is, no liaison similar problems of cultural mis perceptiveness will drop dead over again. Martin would be the most capable of understanding the various nuances of the continuing project, as he already has an extensive knowledge of the inner workings of side project. HG, as the sponsor of the project could further its policy by working with Martin and other from corporate to ramp up firm guide lines of what is acceptable policy when dealing with projects that are in foreign countries.